Community Archives - Open for Opportunity
$347M +

Amount franchises have contributed to community efforts

2,605,186

Hours franchise owners and employees have volunteered – and counting

65%

65 percent of independent franchises donate to charity and industry-wide contributions total approx. $1.5 billion and 18 million hours of volunteer activity

Community

Community Leader Clement Troutman Shares his Lifetime of Service

IFA was honored to welcome U.S. Navy veteran and Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisee Clement Troutman to share his inspirational story to the IFA staff this August – following a visit to…

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Community

Ama Balde – McDonald’s

Ama Balde is the Director of Operations at a McDonald's franchise located in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has been there for 13 years and the main reason she stayed is…

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Community

Jeanne Foster – Briad Group

Jeanne Foster is the Area General Manger for the Briad Group in New Jersey. When Jeanne and the Briad Group franchise with companies such as Hilton and Marriott, they follow…

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Community

Sherry Rose – Stellar Brands

Sherry Rose and Stellar Brands offer hands-on support for their franchisees all the way from on-boarding to opening and beyond. Sherry is the CEO of Stellar Brands and knows her…

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Community

Shane Evans – Massage Heights

Shane Evans believes that she can deliver better service to guests and members through the cultural alignment and collaboration with franchise partners that has sustained the growth of Massage Heights.…

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Community

Kevin Smolar: Open for Opportunity

Years ago, Ray Kroc (founder of McDonald’s), approached Leo Smolar to gauge his interest on investing in a McDonald’s franchise in New Jersey. Now, Kevin Smolar, Leo’s grandson, now owns…

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Community

Erin Grassmeyer: Open for Opportunity

Erin Grassmeyer’s journey with California Closets began as a designer. Now as a franchise owner, she understands how her intimate knowledge of the business contributed to her success as a…

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Community

Keith Shifrin, School of Rock – Minnesota

Keith Shifrin, a lifelong music lover, was ready to make a change in his career. Becoming a School of Rock franchise owner meant following his dream while impacting the lives…

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Blog

The Garden State Grows in Opportunity with Franchising

In early February, Open for Opportunity made its way to the Garden State for a groundbreaking roadshow focused on hospitality and tourism – and the essential role that franchises play…

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Community

Franchise Wire: IFA Members Receive First-Ever Open for Opportunity Awards at Event

By Mary Vinnedge This article originally appeared in FranchiseWire on October 3, 2022. Read the full piece. More than 300 franchise industry officials pressed their concerns with officials representing some…

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