FranchiseNow, Inc., a SaaS platform that transforms franchise development by improving accountability, control, and transparency in the qualification and funding process, announced the appointment of Marni Smith as Vice President of Success and Growth. A certified franchise executive (CFE) with over 25 years of experience, Smith has worked with organizations such as Great Clips, Propelled Brands, CarePatrol, and Sandler. In her new role, she will lead franchisor onboarding, adoption, training, engagement, and growth initiatives across FranchiseNow's expanding network of franchise partner brands.
Sam Phelps, president of FranchiseNow, stated, "Marni's experience, industry relationships, and passion for helping franchisors succeed make her an outstanding addition to our leadership team. 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."
Before joining FranchiseNow, Smith built a career working alongside franchisors and franchise development teams, helping organizations improve operational performance, drive growth, and enhance the franchise candidate experience. Her background positions her to help franchise brands integrate FranchiseNow into their development process while accelerating adoption and engagement across franchise sales organizations.
Smith commented, "When I was introduced to FranchiseNow, I immediately recognized that they’re revolutionizing the franchise development and funding experience. 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."
She added, "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. I’m excited to help our franchisor partners embrace the platform and realize its full potential."
Smith also noted, "I’m not saying this because I’ve joined the company; I joined the company because I’m a true believer. 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. When someone decides on a franchise, they shouldn't spend months securing funding. They should be able to move forward immediately to onboarding and training with the franchisor after they sign the franchise agreement, while their enthusiasm is at the highest. FranchiseNow empowers them to do just that."
FranchiseNow's platform helps franchisors and franchise candidates navigate qualification and funding through a centralized process designed to improve communication, accelerate timelines, and provide real-time visibility. Through its DreamStart™ Funding Program and integrated qualification platform, FranchiseNow helps align franchise candidates, franchisors, and funding resources while reducing delays and uncertainty.
The addition of Smith comes during a period of significant growth for FranchiseNow, as the company continues expanding its partner network, onboarding new franchise brands, and helping candidates move from inquiry to ownership with greater speed and confidence.
