One of the most practical and honest conversations at the 2026 Multi-Unit Franchising Conference was found in the growth workshop, “Getting Out of the ‘Hell Zone.’” The title clearly struck a nerve with the audience, because for many franchisees, the “Hell Zone” is one of the hardest phases of growth: that stretch where you are […]

At the 2026 Multi-Unit Franchising Conference, one of the most timely conversations focused on a challenge every franchise operator is feeling: how to win when consumers are more cautious, labor is harder to find and keep, and the definition of value has fundamentally changed. In the general session, “The Great Consumer and Employee Reset: Rethinking […]

In a lively Growth Workshop at the 2026 Multi-Unit Franchising Conference, Susan Black-Beth, Alec Fogarty, and Blake Lantero unpack the realities of outside capital, growth partnerships, and what investors are really looking for. For multi-unit franchisees, private equity can represent opportunity, optionality, and growth capital—but it can also raise big questions about control, culture, timing, […]