FranchiseNow has named Marni Smith as its new Vice President of Success and Growth, adding a seasoned franchise executive to its leadership team as the company continues expanding its franchise development software platform.
Smith brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience in franchise operations, franchise development, technology, and relationship management. Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles with well-known franchise organizations, including Great Clips, Propelled Brands, CarePatrol, and Sandler. In her new position, Smith will oversee franchisor onboarding, training, engagement, adoption, and growth initiatives across FranchiseNow’s expanding network of franchise partners.
“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 said she was drawn to FranchiseNow because of its ability to simplify and accelerate franchise funding.
“When I was introduced to FranchiseNow, I immediately recognized that they’re revolutionizing the franchise development and funding experience,” Smith said. “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 also highlighted her confidence in the platform, noting that every franchise candidate she referred to FranchiseNow successfully secured funding, reinforcing her belief that reducing delays helps maintain momentum between signing a franchise agreement and beginning training.
FranchiseNow’s SaaS platform centralizes franchise qualification and funding, providing franchisors and candidates with greater visibility throughout the development process. Through its DreamStart™ Funding Program and integrated qualification platform, the company aims to streamline communication, reduce bottlenecks, and help franchise candidates move more quickly from inquiry to ownership. The appointment comes as FranchiseNow continues to grow its partner network and expand adoption among franchise brands.
