July 2010
Franchising World

 
IFA franchisee-members share their stories with the House Small Business Committee during National Small Business Week.  

By Alisa Harrison
  
The International Franchise Association launched the latest installment of its public awareness campaign designed to highlight the economic impact of franchising on Main Streets across the country in conjunction with National Small Business Week May 23-25.
  
Initially launched in 2008, the IFA public awareness campaign builds on the economic impact data prepared for the IFA Educational Foundation by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which illustrates that 900,000 franchise businesses provide over 20 million jobs and generate $2.3 trillion in economic activity. The new ad flight includes both print and online ads and highlights how available credit and sound regulatory   policies will help franchise businesses create more jobs. “Franchise businesses play a   powerful role in creating jobs and economic activity on Main Streets across the country,” said IFA Chairman Ken Walker, CFE, chairman and CEO of Driven Brands. “We urge Congress to enact polices that lead to increased lending and less government spending. We are confident that policies to encourage lending will lead to more sustainable long-term job growth.”
  
A new print ad features McDonald’s franchisee John “Jack” Earle whose business office is located on Main Street in Marlton, N.J. Earle also serves as IFA’s first vice chairman of the association’s board of directors. With a headline, “It’s Main and Simple,” the ad outlines how encouraging smallbusiness growth on Main Streets is a simple way to grow jobs and economic growth. The ad also highlights IFA’s theme, “Building local businesses, one opportunity at a time,” which showcases the local ownership of franchise businesses and the opportunities through franchising that entrepreneurs have to own their own businesses. The print ads are complemented with online ads highlighting the economic impact of franchising.
  
To make the case for franchising’s role in the economic recovery directly to Congress, IFA franchisee members testified before the House Small Business Committee in May 26 to share their personal experiences in franchising in their community. Lea Bales, CEO of Guier Fence Company in Blue Springs, Mo., and Brian Greenley, a MAACO franchisee in Littleton, Colo., testified before the committee. The new ad and a YouTube video of Earle talking about the importance of franchising in his community, as well as a searchable database of franchising economic impact by congressional district, can be accessed at 
www.buildingopportunity.com  .

Alisa Harrison is vice president of communications and marketing of the International Franchise Association. She can be reached at 
aharrison@franchise.org  or 202-662-0775.