By Matt Haller, CEO and President, International Franchise Association

Here’s something that’s always frustrated me: when most people see a franchise sign, they see a corporation. What they don’t see is the local entrepreneur who put their life savings into opening that business, and who owns and operates it day in and day out.

That needs to change. And we’re doing something about it.

Introducing: Franchise Means Local

We’re proud to launch Franchise Means Local, a new digital campaign that puts franchise owners front and center to tell their own stories.

We’re taking camera crews on the road, across the country, to meet franchise owners, their teams, and their customers. They’ll help show what we’ve always known: franchise businesses are local businesses.

This effort, funded through the IFA Foundation, will bring to life what franchising really is: one of America’s most powerful local business engines.

Why This Matters

The numbers tell part of the story. More than 831,000 franchise businesses employ 9 million people and generate nearly $900 billion in economic output each year.

But the real story is personal. Behind each of those franchise establishments is a local owner. A first-time entrepreneur like Tanya. A veteran like Clement. For them, and thousands like them, franchising is the pathway that made business ownership possible in the first place.

And yet, far too often, franchises still get mistaken as “big business” because of the sign on the door.

A Movement for the Future

With Franchise Means Local, we are investing in the future of franchising by helping Americans understand what franchise businesses really are, and why they matter.

The longevity of the franchise model depends on people recognizing the value of franchise businesses, and that starts by knowing the deeply human stories of the local entrepreneurs who own them.

So the next time someone sees that franchise sign, we want them to see what’s really there: a local entrepreneur invested in their community.