FranchiseNow, Inc., a SaaS platform that transforms franchise development by improving accountability, control, and transparency in qualification and funding, has appointed Marni Smith as its Vice President of Success and Growth. Smith, a certified franchise executive (CFE), brings over 25 years of c-suite experience from organizations like Great Clips, Propelled Brands, CarePatrol, and Sandler. In her new role, she will oversee franchisor onboarding, adoption, training, engagement, and growth initiatives across FranchiseNow's partner network.
“Marni's experience, industry relationships, and passion for helping franchisors succeed make her an outstanding addition to our leadership team,” said Sam Phelps, president of FranchiseNow. “As we continue to scale our platform and support more franchise brands, Marni will play a critical role in helping our partners maximize the value of FranchiseNow while creating greater accountability, control, and transparency throughout the franchise development and funding process.”
Smith has a history of working with franchisors and development teams to improve operational performance and drive growth. Her background positions her to help franchise brands integrate FranchiseNow into their processes, accelerating adoption and engagement. “When I was introduced to FranchiseNow, I immediately recognized that they’re revolutionizing the franchise development and funding experience,” said Smith. “The ‘Now’ in FranchiseNow is significant. When a candidate signs the Franchise Agreement, they no longer have to wait for the traditional 45, 90, or even 120 days to fund their franchise. The franchisor gets paid now. The new franchisee starts training now. Think of it as Venmo meets franchise funding.”
Smith emphasized the platform's benefits: “This creates a powerful win-win-win. FranchiseNow provides franchisors, franchise candidates, and development teams accountability, transparency, and control. A source of truth to dramatically reduce development bottlenecks during a vital stage of a candidate’s franchise ownership decision. Our online, do-it-yourself platform makes franchise funding accessible and easy to understand.”
FranchiseNow's platform helps navigate qualification and funding through a centralized process that improves communication, accelerates timelines, and provides real-time visibility. Through its DreamStart™ Funding Program and integrated qualification platform, it aligns candidates, franchisors, and funding resources while reducing delays. Smith added, “After I was introduced to FranchiseNow, I introduced FranchiseNow to all my candidates and each of them chose to use their services, with a 100% success rate.”
The appointment comes during a period of growth for FranchiseNow as it expands its partner network and helps candidates move from inquiry to ownership with greater speed. The company's mission is to bring accountability, control, and transparency to franchise development through its integrated platform.
