Two days of candid education and networking on preparing for — and executing — a private equity transaction, built for franchise leaders and the investors, lenders, and advisors who support them.
Prepare for what’s next. Is outside capital the right move for your brand?
If your brand is bringing in $5M+ in sales, you are probably already asking the questions this summit is built around: How do we accelerate growth the right way? When does outside capital make sense — and when does it not? What actually drives valuation in this environment? How do we prepare for succession or an eventual exit, even if it is years away? And if you do choose outside capital, how do you educate investors about the importance of franchisee profitability?
SCALE gives you direct access to the investors, lenders, and advisors who answer these questions every day, plus candid conversations with founders who have already taken capital or sold: what worked, what they would do differently, and what they wish someone had told them first. You will leave knowing whether private equity is right for your next step.
I’m Looking to SCALE
Franchising has its own business model. Get fluent, fast.
Franchising has its own economics, its own risks, its own business model. A franchise brand succeeds only when the franchisor playbook and operations are strong and the franchisees running the units win at the unit level.
SCALE is where you learn what drives unit economics, what separates a resilient system from a fragile one, and what franchisors need from a capital partner to make a deal work beyond the paper — and you meet brand leaders directly, in a room built for conversation rather than a badge scan. You will leave knowing whether the franchise model belongs in your portfolio.
I’m Looking to INVEST
IFA26 SCALE convenes for the first time this November, and the inaugural room will set the tone for everything that follows. If your brand is approaching an inflection point — or you are a capital partner who wants to understand franchising the right way — reserve your seat while seats remain.
Five years ago, private equity was a small but meaningful presence in franchising. Today it is a structural feature of how some franchises are financed for growth, ownership, and succession.
Reserve Your Seat
Wednesday afternoon through Thursday midday, opening with a reception and dinner Wednesday evening.
Dedicated sessions for franchisors preparing for capital or exit, deep dives on deal structure and diligence, and an Investor Track.
A deliberate mix of franchise brands and finance professionals, weighted toward franchisors, so conversations stay specific.
Whether your brand is investment-ready — and what closes the gap
The fundamentals investors evaluate: unit economics, franchisee profitability, Item 19 strength, leadership depth, and reporting infrastructure.
What actually moves valuation
How to build the financial story, present growth strategy, and set valuation expectations grounded in how buyers really underwrite franchise systems.
The anatomy of a private equity transaction, step by step
Engaging an investment banker, compiling the data room, managing the bid process, negotiating terms, and selecting a buyer.
The terms that decide who controls your brand
Board control, growth mandates, earnouts and holdbacks, reps and warranties, noncompetes, and indemnification — explained before you are across the table from someone who negotiates them for a living.
How to choose the right capital partner
The questions to ask about investment horizon, track record, governance expectations, and franchising experience — and how to read the answers.
Your options beyond private equity
Traditional debt, minority investment, and continued independent growth — so the decision you make is a choice, not a default.
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