Recently I traveled to Las Vegas to join 4,000+ franchisors, franchisees and industry professionals for the annual International Franchise Association (IFA) Convention. One thing is clear – the franchise industry is thriving!  Franchising isn’t just fueling economic growth, it’s shaping the future of business ownership across the country.

On the flight home, I found myself reflecting on my introduction to the franchise industry. It started several years ago when a client came to me with an exciting challenge: “We’re going to franchise our business. Can you help us announce it and share our founder’s’ story?”

We got to work and crafted a strong franchise launch strategy steeped in the brand’s promise. Within a month, they had signed their first franchisee in Raleigh, NC. From there, the business quickly scaled to 40 franchisees in 100+ territories, all supported by a strategic communications strategy. It was my first deep dive into the world of franchising. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the biggest names in franchising, including Authority Brands, Restore Hyper Wellness, Yogurtland, PrimoHoagies, Duck Donuts, Smashburger, My Salon Suite, Jabz Boxing, and many more.

With the industry constantly growing and shifting, let’s take a look at some key takeaways from IFA 2025.

According to the IFA 2025 Franchising Economic Outlook, the industry isn’t just holding steady—it’s accelerating. In 2024, franchising grew by 2.2% and is expected to grow by 2.4% in 2025, outpacing the broader economy’s projected 1.9% growth. Here are some projections for 2025:

More Franchise Units – Over 20,000 new franchise locations are expected to open, bringing the total to 851,000 nationwide.

Job Creation – Franchising will add 210,000 new jobs, pushing total franchise employment to over 9 million.

Top Growth Sectors – Personal services, retail food, and product/service-based businesses are leading the way.

Regional Powerhouses – The Southeast and Southwest are the fastest-growing franchise markets, thanks to business-friendly policies and lower living costs.

Top States for Franchise Growth – If you’re in Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Arizona, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Florida, Colorado, or Maryland, you’re in a hotbed for franchising!

The importance of maintaining brand identity as a franchise grows

The foundation of a successful franchise business is indelibly linked to brand story.  Early on, that’s often rooted in the founder’s journey and vision. As a franchise business expands, ensuring compelling and consistent brand communications across multiple markets is essential, and ultimately there may be a need or opportunity to evolve the brand story beyond its original founding story – keeping pace with the business and new generations of consumers. Marketing and communications play a pivotal role in building brand equity and introducing the brand to new audiences in new markets nationwide.

To see some of our work for franchise and retail brands, visit 360’s Powers Brand Communications, www.powersbc.com, or contact Vince Powers, vpowers@360PR.plus.