PRIVATE EQUITY AND FRANCHISING

Alicia Miller2

Alicia Miller is the author of Big Money in Franchising: Scaling Your Enterprise in the Era of Private Equity, and is the founder and managing director of Emergent Growth Advisors. Emergent is a boutique strategic advisory firm with deep expertise in franchising and private capital, and a particular focus on helping emerging brands grow smart from the beginning so they can reach their greatest potential. Alicia is an investor in both brands and multi-unit franchise operators. She is also a member of the board of governors for the International Franchise Association’s Certified Franchise Executive education program; has authored numerous articles on franchising and private equity for Franchise Times, Entrepreneur, and Forbes; and has been a multi-unit franchisee.   

Key messages:

1. Build your franchise right from the beginning

2. Choose your franchisees carefully – especially the first 50. 

3. Start well capitalized. 

4. With PE now dominating franchising, you should plan on extra ramp up time because it is harder and harder for young brands to break out. 

5. Franchisee profitability should be your management team’s  primary focus.