Franchising at 250: Local Independence and Shared Success Go Together

America turns 250 this year. And while that milestone invites a lot of reflection, the question that matters most isn’t where we’ve been; it’s what we want to protect going forward.

For two and a half centuries, this economy has been built by people willing to bet on themselves. Not just corporations or institutions, but individual owners rooted in their communities, building something real.

Franchising is one of the most direct expressions of that tradition and dates all the way back to our nation’s founding. It started as a concept with Benjamin Franklin’s printing press and led to a business model formally established by salon founder Martha Matilda Harper in the 1800s. Now, there are more than 832,000 franchise businesses that support nearly 9 million jobs in the U.S. But the numbers aren’t really the point. What makes franchising distinctly American is its structure: It’s a model that lets individuals own their future while drawing strength from something larger than themselves. Independence and shared success go together.

You can see what that looks like in practice.

In Maine, Cody and Catie Currier of Aroma Joe’s loved their morning coffee stop and wanted to build one of their own. Navy veteran Clement Troutman saw a need for healthier food options in his Maryland neighborhood and opened a Tropical Smoothie Cafe. He left corporate America behind and became one of the top performers in the system. Jeff Silverman of Little Caesars started as a dishwasher and saved up to take his now-wife to prom. Today, he owns two Detroit stores. These stories aren’t exceptional. They’re the norm.

This is what we mean when we say Franchise Means Local. Behind every national brand is a local owner. Someone who lives there, works there, gives back there.

But that model doesn’t sustain itself without the policies that allow for its growth.

For too long, franchise owners have operated under shifting regulatory standards that threaten the very independence that defines this business model. That’s why the International Franchise Association is prioritizing passage of the American Franchise Act (AFA), bipartisan, bicameral legislation with 121 House cosponsors that would establish a clear, consistent joint-employer standard. Not a partisan ask. An economic one. A local one. This bill would end the back-and-forth that has had the entire business model at the whim of the political tide and provide business owners with much-needed certainty at a time of too much uncertainty.

If we want to preserve what franchising makes possible for first-time business owners, for workers, for communities, we have to protect the conditions that allow it to thrive. Congress has the chance to make a real impact on a business model that has been part of this country from the very beginning.

This bill will not happen without everyone in franchising doing their part to help get us toward the finish line. Whether that’s writing a letter, making a call, or hosting a member of Congress at your business, every bit of it makes a difference. You can also have a direct effect by attending the IFA Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., this September. It’s where franchisees, franchisors, and suppliers make the real change happen, bringing the stories of local owners directly to the people who write the laws. The future of franchising counts on it, and this is the shot to get it done.

As we mark 250 years of American enterprise, the path forward looks a lot like the one that got us here: local people taking local ownership and making a national impact.

Now is the time to show up and help write the next chapter.

Matt Haller is president and CEO of the International Franchise Association