Franchisees Go All In: Multi-Unit Franchising Conference Sets Records on its 25th Anniversary

By: Kerry Pipes | 1,031 Reads | 4 Shares

Featured in: Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine: Issue 2, 2025

In March, the Multi-Unit Franchising Conference (MUFC) hit the jackpot at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas: The annual event attracted record attendance for its 25th anniversary.

A new record of more than 2,600 attendees met for multi-unit franchising’s signature event. More than 1,000 franchisees represented more than 300 brands, operated more than 23,000 units, and generated more than $16 billion in system-wide revenue. Meanwhile, more than 390 exhibitors and sponsors were on hand to support the conference and meet with franchisees during exhibit hall hours.

Numerous education sessions covered important industry topics, such as growth, planning, leadership, and logistics, and peer-to-peer networking opportunities were around every corner. This year’s exhibit hall set a new record for the number of exhibitors.

The 2025 MUFC Platinum Sponsors were Inspire Brands and Jersey Mike’s Subs.

Welcome to Las Vegas

Every MUFC begins with a “shotgun style” golf tournament. This year, the event was at sunny Siena Gold Club. The tournament offered an excellent networking opportunity to build and strengthen relationships among industry leaders over 18 holes.

That evening, first-time franchisees mingled at a special welcome mixer. This brought together the new attendees and the conference advisory board for conversation, networking, and refreshments. First-timers also learned how to make the most of the conference experience.

Day 1

Breakfast welcomed attendees as the conference kicked off for the first full day. Attendees then gathered in the first general session, where Franchise Update Media’s Chairman Gary Gardner and CEO Therese Thilgen welcomed everyone to the 25th MUFC with nostalgic memories of the event through the years. During her opening remarks, Thilgen revealed that Franchise Update Media and the International Franchise Association (IFA) had signed a merger agreement with the transition set to take place this summer.

Next up was MUFC Chair David Ostrowe, who welcomed the crowd and said, “Whether you’re a first-time attendee or a veteran of this event, this is the place where deals happen.” He encouraged attendees to make the most of their time at the conference by telling them to “hit the floor hard, talk to exhibitors, and make it a goal to come away from here with at least one nugget of great information.”

Ostrowe then thanked the Gold Sponsors: Angry Crab Shack and Penn Station East Coast Subs, Ziebart. Zaxby’s was a gold and keynote sponsor.

Keynote speaker Daymond John is the founder and CEO of global lifestyle brand FUBU, and he’s also known for his investor role on the TV show “Shark Tank.” The native of Hollis, Queens, documented his journey to success with funny tales and hard lessons learned on his way to building his successful clothing brand.

“You are what I call my fellow sharks,” he told the crowd. “You are investing in others every day.”

John offered keen insights for successfully growing a business and adapting to market challenges and transformations, including his “5 Shark Points” for success: set goals, do your homework, find “amor,” remember you are the brand, and keep swimming.

Following a short coffee break, the first round of breakout sessions began and included timely topics, such as “Scaling Up: Expanding to 10 Locations,” “Building Bench Strength To Support Infrastructure To Grow,” “Customer Experience & Changing Buyer Behaviors,” and “Discovering Your Next Brand: A Guide to Effective Research.” Rooms were packed, and discussions were lively.

After a lunch break, the first general session panel convened. “Navigating the Path to Future Growth–Choosing the Right Brand Growth Options, Overcoming Challenges and Preparing for Obstacles in Turbulent Times” featured Rocco Fiorentino, CEO of Benetrends Financial; Luis Ibarguengoytia, a multi-unit franchisee with Pizza Hut, Crú Food & Wine Bar, Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill, Applebee’s, and Panda Express; Dawn Lafreeda, a Denny’s multi-unit operator; David Ostrowe, a Taco Bell multi-unit operator; and Nauman Panjwani, a multi-unit franchisee with Choice Hotels, Hilton Hotels, Marriott Hotels, and Total Wireless by Verizon.

The panelists discussed how growing a successful franchise enterprise can be both exhilarating and rewarding, and they shared what they’ve learned along the way. Each operator told stories of how they built their enterprises and explained how they chose the brands they expanded with. They talked about operating during challenging times, dealing with underperforming units, and other obstacles they faced in their journeys.

“Economy of scale is the name of the game,” Panjwani said. “You’re seeing a lot of consolidation.”

Attendees then adjourned to the grand opening of the exhibit hall, where they enjoyed cocktails, conversation, and kindled potential new partnerships.

Day 2

The second day of learning opportunities started after breakfast and coffee with another round of breakout sessions. These included “Scaling Up: Expanding from 25 to 50 Locations,” “Labor Management and Retention Tools & Strategies,” “Key Insights for a Profitable Franchisee Sale,” “Thriving Through Innovation,” and “Essential Steps for Launching Your Next Brand.”

Following the breakout sessions, attendees returned to the general session for another keynote presentation. The Day 2 keynote speaker sponsor was Freshslice Pizza. Mike Walsh, CEO of Tomorrow, a global innovation consultancy, brought his futurist views and predictions for emerging technology and consumer innovation and suggested ways for businesses to thrive in this new era.

“What will it mean to live in a world dominated by AI?” he said, adding that he thinks the people are “underestimating what AI will do in the next 10 years.” He touched on Open AI Deep Research, noting that it is a sophisticated tool that can help businesses build marketing plans and proposal analyses.

“We are at the dawn of a new industrial revolution,” he said, adding that AI will change the scale, speed, sustainability, and security of our world while also transforming the roles of business leaders.

Walsh’s keynote was followed by a timely general session panel, “Trump 2.0 and the Impact on Franchising.” IFA President and CEO Matt Haller, Bryan Lanza, a Republican strategist and communications director for President Trump’s transition team, and Gary Robins, a multi-unit franchisee with Supercuts and Waxing the City, discussed policies related to the Trump administration and how franchising could be affected.

“He doesn’t mind being disruptive,” Lanza said of Trump.

The panelists discussed how Trump got reelected, what the first 60 days of his administration has been like, and the ongoing misperceptions that Congress has about franchising. All three emphasized the importance of franchisees being politically engaged in their communities, state capitols, and Washington, D.C.

A lunch break followed, and then it was time to recognize franchisee excellence during the Most Valuable Performer (MVP) Awards ceremony. Each of the winning franchisees demonstrated exceptional performance, leadership, and innovation in various aspects of their businesses. You can read all about the MVP Awards on page 6.

Next, FRANdata CEO Darrell Johnson presented his annual overview of the “State of the Economy” and the “State of Franchising.” He said the global economy is entering a period of slowing growth and stabilizing inflation.

“U.S. consumer sentiment has dropped at its fastest rate since 1991,” he said, adding that job creation has slowed and wage growth continues to decline.

In the good news department, Johnson predicted that franchising would add more than 20,000 units and more than 210,000 jobs and see output increase by 4.4% during 2025. However, he said, “Franchisors and franchisees will need to make sure they manage costs while dealing with continued labor troubles and a slowdown in consumer demand.” He finished up his presentation with the announcement of FRANdata’s FundScore awards.

The afternoon brought another round of breakout sessions, and topics included “Scaling Up: Growing Beyond 50 Locations,” “Media Training for Franchisees,” “Funding Diversification & Management,” and “Optimizing Real Estate Investments for Future Wealth.”

With another day of speakers, sessions, and learning tucked away, attendees gathered again in the exhibit hall for cocktails, networking, conversation, and dealmaking.

Leaving Las Vegas

The final morning of MUFC featured two workshop sessions, “Key Business and Legal Issues for International Franchise Agreements and Supply Chain Agreements” and “Strategies to Address Underperforming Units.” Extra chairs had to be brought in for the latter session, which was packed with eager attendees looking for turnaround tips for their struggling units.

“The numbers tell the story. Look at your KPIs,” advised Chanel Grant, co-owner of six Tropical Smoothie Cafe units, three Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa locations, and one Vio Med Spa. “Look at your numbers and KPIs, and devise a plan to address those.”

Initial feedback from attendees reflected another content-rich conference filled with timely, topical, and valuable insights.

Chris Baker, a multi-unit operator with Wendy’s and Tropical Smoothie Cafe in the New England area, was a first-time attendee and said, “There are so many people here who can provide value to what we do. There’s no shortage of opportunity to learn but also to build and bring on new brands for your business.”

Nadeem Bajwa, a multi-unit franchisee with more than 275 Papa Johns in 12 states, said, “The main thing here is networking. Network is your net worth. When I come here, I look at what everybody is doing, and I have picked up ideas which have helped me in my business.”

Next year’s Multi-Unit Franchising Conference will be at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, March 24 to 27, 2026. For more information, visit www.multiunitfranchisingconference.com in the coming months.