A whole lot of franchise leaders converged on Washington, D.C., this week for the Worldwide Franchise Affiliation’s (IFA) 2025 Advocacy Summit, a three-day occasion that blended training, networking and direct engagement with policymakers. The summit performed out at a pivotal second for franchising, as lawmakers weigh laws that might redefine how the mannequin operates nationwide.
At its core, the summit was about giving a collective voice to greater than 800,000 franchise companies. By common periods, workshops and Capitol Hill visits, attendees sharpened advocacy expertise, spotlighted the mannequin’s group influence and pressed for the American Franchise Act — laws meant to make clear the joint-employer normal for franchisors and franchisees.
The occasion opened with boards and committee conferences, together with the launch of the second Franchise Ascension Initiative cohort — a program designed to raise rising leaders inside the franchise group and provides them a platform to develop their influence.
Day 1: Setting the stage
The opening day featured boards, committee conferences and the launch of the second Franchise Ascension Initiative cohort, designed to raise rising leaders throughout the business. New programming added momentum, together with a TikTok Lounge targeted on constructing model attain by means of artistic, digital-first campaigns. An Advocacy 101 workshop outfitted attendees with sensible instruments for telling their tales and making ready for Capitol Hill conferences.
CNN commentator and political strategist Scott Jennings framed franchising as a unifying power at a polarized time when he spoke on the primary day. “Franchising is likely one of the most outstanding success tales of the fashionable financial system,” Jennings mentioned, in response to the IFA. “Out of your morning espresso to the motels you keep in, franchises contact each Major Avenue in America.”
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Day 2: Coverage in focus
Consideration turned squarely to coverage priorities on day two, centered across the American Franchise Act. In remarks to attendees, IFA president and CEO Matthew Haller outlined how the invoice would convey long-sought readability by setting a slender joint-employer normal tailor-made to franchising. If enacted, it will affirm that franchisors and franchisees are separate employers except one straight controls the opposite’s staff — lowering uncertainty for operators and their groups.
“Franchising thrives when entrepreneurs have independence and adaptability, however too typically, inconsistent guidelines make it more durable for them to develop,” Haller advised Entrepreneur. “The American Franchise Act is about defending the partnership that makes franchising work.”
Small-group periods rounded out the day, as leaders in contrast notes on information, messaging and district-level financial influence to strengthen their case with lawmakers.
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Day 3: Taking the message to Capitol Hill
The ultimate day targeted on motion. Outfitted with new coaching and a unified transient, franchise leaders fanned out throughout Capitol Hill to satisfy with lawmakers and employees. Conversations centered on jobs, native funding and the significance of clear, constant labor requirements.
Members emphasised how coverage uncertainty interprets into real-world selections about hiring, growth and reinvestment of their communities.
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Wanting forward
The 2025 Advocacy Summit closed with a sensible playbook: Lead with actual operator tales, reinforce them with native financial information and comply with up methodically after Capitol Hill conferences. With labor and employment debates persevering with, the franchise group leaves Washington aligned on a message and plan.
What started as per week of periods and technique now shifts to sustained district-level engagement. Attendees return dwelling as advocates able to preserve the dialog going — and to make the case that franchising’s native possession mannequin stays an important engine for Major Avenue.
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A whole lot of franchise leaders converged on Washington, D.C., this week for the Worldwide Franchise Affiliation’s (IFA) 2025 Advocacy Summit, a three-day occasion that blended training, networking and direct engagement with policymakers. The summit performed out at a pivotal second for franchising, as lawmakers weigh laws that might redefine how the mannequin operates nationwide.
At its core, the summit was about giving a collective voice to greater than 800,000 franchise companies. By common periods, workshops and Capitol Hill visits, attendees sharpened advocacy expertise, spotlighted the mannequin’s group influence and pressed for the American Franchise Act — laws meant to make clear the joint-employer normal for franchisors and franchisees.
The occasion opened with boards and committee conferences, together with the launch of the second Franchise Ascension Initiative cohort — a program designed to raise rising leaders inside the franchise group and provides them a platform to develop their influence.
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