By Larisa Walega, CFE, Ziebart International Corporation & Chair, Women’s Franchise Committee

Reflecting on my first year as Chair of the Women’s Franchise Committee (WFC), I am honored by the opportunity to champion the advancement of women in franchising.

This year has been a pivotal time of learning, reflection, and laying the foundation for meaningful impact for the future of women in franchising.

A Year of Listening and Learning

From the start, my priority was to listen — gaining insights from committee members, industry peers, and the broader franchise community. These conversations revealed both inspiring stories of women’s achievements and persistent challenges that need addressing.

While more women are stepping into leadership and franchise ownership roles, data shows significant strides are still needed to ensure equity and support at all levels of franchising.

Taking Time to Regroup

Amid our fast-paced industry, the WFC took a deliberate pause to evaluate our initiatives and priorities. Are we meeting the needs of today’s women in franchising? Are our resources effective? Are we fostering environments where women feel empowered to lead?

This introspection highlighted areas for improvement and reaffirmed our commitment to creating an inclusive, supportive environment where women thrive.

Refreshing Our Mission

With clarity from our regrouping efforts, we renewed our focus on initiatives driving meaningful change. Key priorities for the coming year include:

1. Leadership Growth & Mentorship: Expanding leadership education and mentorship programs to help women navigate paths to leadership roles within their organizations and the franchise community.
2. Work-Life Balance & Support: Addressing the unique challenges women face as caregivers and offering guidance, education, and support.
3. Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Tackling gender disparities in the C-Suite by fostering conversations with current leaders and developing strategies to remove barriers for women in leadership and development roles.

We encourage everyone in franchising to share experiences and insights with the WFC to inspire, engage, and educate the community on these topics in the coming year.

Looking Ahead

As we move forward, I’m excited by the potential to amplify the voices of women in franchising. The WFC is not just a committee — it’s a movement powered by collaboration, innovation, and a shared belief that empowering women strengthens the entire industry.

At this year’s Annual Leadership Conference curated by the WFC, our theme, “The Power of Five,” focuses on the five key pillars of franchising and how these pillars work together to drive forward the industry we all know and love. We look forward to presenting the prestigious Crystal Compass Award to Robin Gagnon, CFE, CEO & Co-Founder of We Sell Restaurants. This award was established to honor women and men who have made significant contributions through their leadership within franchising and who champion and support the mission of the WFC. The Crystal Compass Award recognizes individuals like Robin Gagnon who have paved the way for progress.

Together in Las Vegas, we will celebrate the strides we’ve made and a future where diverse voices are not only embraced but are integral to the success of franchising.

To the women leaders, franchisees, and allies supporting our work — thank you. Your passion inspires us daily. To those just starting your franchising journey — know you have a community ready to support and uplift you. Let’s continue this important work, united by a shared vision of empowerment and equity.

Larisa Walega, CFE, is the chief growth officer of Ziebart International Corporation and the chair of the Women’s Franchise Committee. For more information about IFA franchisor member Ziebart International Corporation, please visit franchise.org/franchise-opportunities/ziebart.