Ahead of the IFA Annual Convention in Phoenix, the Open for Opportunity Roadshow hosted a roundtable discussion in partnership with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the impacts of franchising in the area. The roundtable, hosted by Chamber President and CEO Danny Seiden and IFA President and CEO Matt Haller, members of the Arizona House of Representatives, local franchise owners, and representatives from the Hispanic-Latino Franchise Leadership Council and Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
The Arizona conversation featured franchisees from Chick-Fil-A, NuSpine Chiropractic, Cabinets 4 Less, Dunkin’, Sugar Sugar, and Amazing Lash Studio. While each of these business owners came from different industries and backgrounds, they shared a common conviction in the benefits of franchising. Chick-Fil-A franchisee Daniel Trotter explained it best, describing how “becoming a franchise owner kind of met this intersection of being able to care for people and impact my community, and still having a great business opportunity to create a lifestyle for my family.”
Angela Toth, franchisee of Amazing Lash Studio echoed the sentiments saying, “I realized I needed to create something for myself, and I think franchising really helps you do that, because you have the structure behind you.”
Also at the roundtable were Louie Picazo, a board member for the Hispanic-Latino Franchise Leadership Council, and Monica Villalobos, President and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Arizona has a large Hispanic-Latino community, and both representatives described how franchising can directly benefit minority populations. As Picazo explains, franchise ownership allows Hispanic families to “create that generational wealth, that understanding that you can break the glass ceiling.” Villalobos, for her part, emphasized the ways in which franchising can empower women as entrepreneurs, and pushed for more business-friendly policy. “We need to create an environment that is conducive to the fastest-growing business segment in Arizona, and in the country, and that’s Hispanic women.”
Arizona State Representative Leo Biasiucci reaffirmed his commitment to promoting the economic welfare of small and local businesses across the state, and specified franchising as a priority in that mission. Biasiucci emphasized that he and his administration are working to do “all the right things…to allow franchises to come in and businesses to come in,” and that franchising will continue to play a key role in the economic development of Arizona.
Watch the full discussion here and read more about the local Sugar Sugar franchise on ABC 15 here.
