IFA Advocacy Summit: A Powerful Experience

I was honored to be in Washington DC this week for the Franchise Advocacy Summit with Ronald Feldman, CFE to represent ApplePie Capital to stand behind franchisees, and to stand side-by-side with franchisors, other franchise suppliers and Matthew Haller and the International Franchise Association as we advocated on Capitol Hill to protect the franchise business model.

The level of organization and planning that went into the event was impressive, with some 300+ franchisees, franchisors and suppliers sharing their insights with more than half of the US Congress over the course of an afternoon. The impassioned stories of franchisees from the home districts of Senators and US Representatives were powerful to hear and clearly demonstrated the threat posed to the franchise business model.

And the entire experience put into stark relief for me how much of a threat the model currently faces including “joint employer” and the tone and timing of Federal Trade Commission’s recent Request for Information related to the Franchise Rule.

I have spent the better part of the last 20 years in and around franchising. I love everything about it, and I believe wholeheartedly that franchising provides the most-direct pathway to the achievement of the American Dream.  I’m honored to have helped make that dream happen hundreds of times in my former life as a Franchise Development professional with great brands like Donatos Pizza, Primrose Schools, Checkers & Rally’s and FirstLight Home Care.

Now as a Supplier at ApplePie Capital, I see things through a slightly different lens. But the same picture still emerges.

From a lender’s perspective, franchising cuts down on risk, period. The systems and processes, product development, marketing prowess, technology, purchasing power, and operational support provided by a franchisor allows a small-business person to go into business for themselves but not by themselves. And, with a fraction of the risk associated with creating a business from scratch. Franchising creates predictable and stable jobs for people with and without college degrees along with upward mobility as franchisees scale and open additional units. As past IFA Chair Charlie Chase has said, “The franchise model is the democratization of business opportunity and the decentralization of wealth potential. No matter your starting point, you can find success in franchising.” That’s why all we do at ApplePie Capital is franchise financing.

Coming away from the Advocacy Summit, I’m energized and focused on doing everything I can do to protect the franchise business model, including educating those not engaged in franchising and promoting the franchise business model and the individual businesses they represent whenever the opportunity arises. I encourage you to do the same.

Jamie Davis CFE | VP Business Development | jamie@applepiecapital.com

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