Two days, hour by hour.
Every session below is taught, not pitched — built around the real decisions that come with growth, capital, and transactions.
*Please note: schedule is subject to change.
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm | Registration & Coffee Service |
| 2:00 pm – 2:15 pm | Welcome |
| 2:15 pm – 3:15 pm | Deal Update and State of the Market: A data-driven look at current M&A activity, valuations, and capital flow in franchising. |
| 3:15 pm – 3:30 pm | Coffee Break |
| 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm | Choosing a Partner: Aligned Expectations Investment can accelerate growth, but misaligned expectations can quietly erode a system from the inside. This session explores how franchisors can vet and build long-term partnerships with investors by establishing shared goals from day one, before capital ever changes hands. |
| 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm | Roundtables |
| 6:00 pm | Reception & Dinner — Offsite |
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 7:30 am – 8:45 am | A Step-by-Step Tour Through a Private Equity Transaction A soup-to-nuts view of what a PE transaction actually looks like in practice — from engaging an investment banker and building the pitch, through negotiating deal terms and closing. Hear from professionals and operators on both sides of the table about what each stage really demands. |
| 9:00 am – 10:00 am |
Breakout Session 1
Room 1 · For Franchisors
Choosing the Right Capital Partner
Choosing the Right Capital Partner: Questions Every Franchisor Should Ask Investors
Not all capital is the same. This session explores the key questions franchisors should ask potential investors about their investment horizon, portfolio strategy, governance expectations, and experience in franchising. Understanding Investor Track Records: What Their Portfolio Companies Can Tell You
A deep dive into how franchisors can evaluate an investor's history by examining past investments, portfolio brand outcomes, founder relationships, and how the firm behaves during both growth and challenging periods. Determining What Is Right for You
What works for one franchisor may not be best for another. This session covers what to consider when evaluating your priorities in seeking a capital partner. Breakout Session 2
Room 2 · For Franchisors
What Matters to Investors
Unit Economics That Attract Investors: The Metrics That Matter Most
Investors closely examine franchise unit performance. This session breaks down the key metrics — AUV, margins, payback periods, franchisee profitability, and development pipelines — that make a franchise system attractive to capital partners. The Data Room Playbook: What Investors Will Ask For Before Writing a Check
Franchisors often underestimate the level of due diligence investors conduct. This session walks through the documents, financials, operational data, franchisee performance metrics, and legal materials investors expect during the diligence process. Breakout Session 3
Room 3 · For Investors
Investing in Franchise Systems: Managing Relationships and Ownership
Buying a Franchise System: What Changes and What Must Stay the Same
Examines how new ownership impacts strategy, leadership, and growth plans while maintaining the operational consistency franchisees rely on. Communicating Ownership Changes to Franchisees: Building Trust and Stability
Provides guidance on messaging, transparency, and early engagement with franchise owners so they understand the vision and remain confident in the brand. Aligning Investors and Franchisees for Long-Term Growth
Discusses governance structures, advisory councils, franchisee relations, and how successful investors build collaborative partnerships with operators. |
| 10:00 am – 10:30 am | Coffee Break |
| 10:30 am – 12:00 pm | General Session & Close: The Intricacies of a Deal In this closing session we pull back the curtain on the deal points that separate a smooth transaction from a contentious one, walking attendees through the provisions that buyers and sellers fight hardest over, and why. |