Blending the Small Business (SMB) Community and Franchise Industry at MainStreet Summit

"To franchise or not to franchise: that is the question."

That was the title of my panel at the Main Street Summit in Columbia, MO, and it led to one of the most engaged discussions I’ve had in a long time.

I was asked to speak about my experience going from employee to acquisition entrepreneur to franchisor. My goal at the event was simple: bridge the gap between the SMB community and the franchise community. These two communities are deeply connected in their overall purpose, but franchising is still underexplored by the general public and the SMB community.

Key Takeaways from the Summit

What impressed me most about MainStreet Summit wasn’t just the turnout (1,000 people attended, and it’s only in its second year) but the quality of conversations and connections. I’ve built relationships with many of these people through Twitter/X, but meeting them in person was really cool. People like Nick Huber, Chris Powers, Eric Jorgenson & many more familiar faces. Many of the people I met had successfully exited businesses, were running holding companies, managing private equity funds, or operating businesses they started or acquired. Everyone was humble, no arrogance at all.

Brent Beshore, Founder of Permanent Equity, set the tone with his opening talk about the importance of truly connecting with others, not just for business and financial advancement but on a personal level too. This hit home. Whether you’re in the franchise industry or SMB community, relationships are everything. It’s about building trust and helping each other grow.

Breaking Down the Myths of Franchising

During my panel, we covered three critical topics:

1. Franchising 101 Many still misunderstand franchising. Buying a franchise is not a "set it and forget it" model where you invest and the franchisor runs the business for you. Franchisees are true owners. They need to build their business, grow relationships, and put in the work.
2. Who is Right (and Who Isn’t) for Franchising This was where the conversation got interesting. Franchising isn’t for everyone. Success requires grit, commitment, and the ability to connect with people in your community. I stressed that if someone likes to create systems themselves and doesn't like rules, becoming a franchise isn't going to be right for that person.
3. M&A in Franchising We also dove into the role of M&A in franchising, both as a franchisee and franchisor. Franchisees can roll up other operators, and successful franchise businesses command higher multiples. We discussed how mergers and acquisitions fit into the SMB world, and the benefits associated with a franchise model vs. independent business.

The audience asked great questions. There were people who wanted to become franchisees and others considering franchising their business. This kind of engagement proves that franchising is still a huge untapped opportunity for the SMB community.

The Power of the SMB and Franchise Communities

I left the conference feeling inspired by not just the content, but truly by the passion from the members of this community. It reminded me that franchising and SMB ownership are closely connected. Whether you’re building a holding company or scaling a business as a franchisee or franchisor, the principles are the same: Build relationships. Invest in people. Focus on long-term growth.

What’s Next?

This is just the beginning of my in person connections in the SMB space. I’m already signed up for two more conferences next year: Holdco Conference and SMBash because these events give us the chance to keep learning, growing, and connecting. If we continue to blend the franchise community with the SMB community, we can open up even more opportunities for people to build big businesses.

The team at Permanent Equity did a fantastic job with this event. Between the incredible food, live music, and engaging spaces for networking, it was an experience I will be talking about for a long time.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, whether you're interested in franchising or SMB ownership, it all comes down to building sustainable businesses. I’ll keep sharing content about the opportunities the franchise industry presents because it’s still an overlooked path to business ownership and financial freedom. If you're thinking about getting into franchising, business ownership, or just interested in learning more about the franchise business model, make sure to follow along Aaron Harper .