@OurFranchise Campaign Hits the Road

Franchise owners target key states to tell the franchise story of success across the country.

By Erica Farage

IFA President and CEO Robert Cresanti, CFE, recently kicked off the @OurFranchise Campaign by launching a nationwide tour starting in franchising hub Denver, Colo. The road show will share the stories of how local franchise business owners and their employees are supporting communities while creating jobs and business ownership opportunities. As the common phrase goes, with a franchise, you "go into business for yourself, but not by yourself.” And each year, millions of Americans start businesses, find jobs and gain important vocational skills through this unique way of doing business. 

“In neighborhoods across the country, franchising offers people an opportunity to better their lives, bringing together brands, local owners, employees and the local community,” said Cresanti. “Americans from all walks of life turn to franchising to find first jobs, start new businesses and learn skills that lead to successful careers. The @OurFranchise campaign captures the real, positive impact of the franchise model as told by local owners in their own voices and speaks to the level of economic contribution franchise owners continue to have to the American economy.”

Educating the Public and Policymakers

The new campaign, which includes advertising, educational events, employee training resources, research and economic data, will educate the public and policymakers at every level of government on the important role of franchising in communities across America. Franchising contributes $994 billion to the United States economy and supports an estimated 9.1 million jobs, according to IFA. 

A central issue shaking up the U.S. presidential and congressional elections has been declining opportunity. Not only is the middle class stretched beyond its ability to cope, the most challenged class of workers — immigrants and workers without a college degree — are having trouble rising out of poverty. Political candidates are stumping for a wide variety of potential solutions for revitalizing the American Dream. An essential component to any successful solution is opportunity. No business model in the United States relies more on opportunity than the franchise business model, a catalyst for entrepreneurship and job creation.

Being part of a franchise brings significant advantages, including a trusted brand name, a proven operating model, a built-in network of colleagues, and advertising and marketing support.

Unfortunately, the franchise industry is still largely misunderstood by policymakers and the public. This has the potential to remake our communities in profound ways, jeopardizing much-needed job creation, threatening opportunities for entrepreneurs across America from becoming successful small-business employees and owners and decreasing choices for consumers.

The good news is that franchise owners are motivated to protect America's Main Streets from the negative economic consequences that would ensue should government diminish the franchise business model. This is why IFA decided to take the @OurFranchise campaign on the road to key states, in order to protect our business model and tell your stories. 

Franchisees Share the Dream

IFA is visiting neighborhoods throughout the U.S. that rely on franchises and showcasing their contributions. Franchise owners are telling stories of how they got started and how franchising empowered them to achieve the upward mobility they desired. And most importantly, IFA will be advocating for smart policies and supporting conscientious policymakers who can help keep the franchising dream and opportunities alive for all of our children.

IFA kicked off the @OurFranchise Tour in Colorado to highlight the numerous economic contributions and opportunities our industry creates at the local, state and national levels.

Over the course of two-and-a-half days during the Colorado tour, IFA participated in:

• A dinner with association leaders at IFA member brewing company Gordon Biersch;
• A widely attended roundtable discussion at PostNet Inter-
• national's Denver headquarters that focused on the positive impacts of franchising in the community;
• A panel discussion at law firm Faegre Baker Daniels during the Franchise Business
• Network meeting;
• A back-of-house tour of a local Camp Bow Wow facility and;
• A tour of the Johnson & Wales University campus led by VA Hayman Barber, Director of Experiential Education &
• Career Services. 

Overall, IFA engaged with more than 250 franchisees, franchisors, business leaders and elected officials about where the industry is headed and what needs to be done to ensure franchise brands and local small businesses, just like yours, continue to thrive.

IFA is committed to telling the success stories of our members, which is why we're proud to announce that the @OurFranchise Tour will be visiting both Illinois and Virginia at the end of August as we continue this campaign to engage business owners at the local level to tell their stories. 

Erica Farage is Senior Director of Political Affairs & Grassroots Advocacy for the International Franchise Association.