Franchising.com

4 days ago | franchising.com | Helen Bond

It’s a new year and a new era of franchisee recruitment. Franchisors are ready to return to the business of growth, and they’re finding motivated and informed buyers. “The volume on the lead generation side is exploding,” says R. Scott Sutton, chief development officer of Empower Brands. “Across all channels, we are seeing that lead generation will continue to be a competitive and difficult row to hoe as we get into a very active calendar year of 2025.

6 days ago | franchising.com | Kevin Behan

Wendy’s recently announced plans for upcoming expansion, with the majority of its unit growth focused internationally. The fast-food burger chain has a goal of opening 1,000 new restaurants globally by 2028 to increase to a total of 8,100 to 8,300 units worldwide. The expansion is expected to be primarily driven by growth outside of the United States, with foreign markets accounting for 70 percent of the planned additions.

6 days ago | franchising.com | Robert Morris

As multi-unit franchisees look for growth opportunities in an unpredictable economic landscape, the ripple effects of global trade policies are becoming harder to ignore. While tariffs may feel like an issue for product-heavy businesses or global conglomerates, they can significantly impact unit economics across many retail segments, especially those reliant on imported goods. However, not all franchises are created equal when it comes to exposure.

1 week ago | franchising.com | Kevin Behan

We’ve selected highlights from Bill Edwards’ biweekly Global Business Newsletter (#133, April 29, 2025). The newsletter covers international franchise development, global employment issues, international travel, and updates on business trends in many countries. For the complete newsletter, including in-depth country reports, charts, graphs, international company news, and economic trends and statistics, go here. Previous issues are available as well.

1 week ago | franchising.com | Kevin Behan

Name: Katie McDonaldTitle: Franchise OwnerBrands: HotworxUnits: 10Years in franchising: 6Why did you choose to franchise with a service brand? I went for a service brand because it felt like the perfect mix of my interests and a chance to create something meaningful for others. After spending 10 years in the franchise service industry, I was ready for a brand I could grow from scratch. Hotworx checked all the boxes – wellness, infrared saunas, and marketing.