Press
Franchise Business Review connects journalists and writers with story ideas, research on the latest trends in franchising, and expert commentary on the franchising industry.
Press
Franchise Business Review connects journalists and writers with story ideas, research on the latest trends in franchising, and expert commentary on the franchising industry.
FRANCHISE BUSINESS REVIEW IN THE NEWS
Franchise Business Review’s research and special reports are also regularly referenced by leading media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Fox Small Business, CNBC, Bloomberg Businessweek, Franchise Update, Franchise Times, The New York Times, USA Today, and TheStreet.com. Check Out Featured News Below!
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PRESS RELEASES
Franchise Business Review Recognizes 2021 Franchise Rock Stars
Each year, Franchise Business Review honors franchise owners who set exceptional examples of achieving success within the franchise model. This year, Franchise Business Review reviewed over 190 nominations from franchisors, and then narrowed the search by selecting 60 franchisees that achieved “Rock Star status” in franchising.
100 Franchise Companies Receive Best Culture Award by Franchise Business Review
FBR announced its annual list of “Culture100” award-winners recognizing the 100 franchise brands with the best franchise cultures based on data from nearly 25,000 franchise owners, representing 224 franchise brands. The brands that were selected received the highest overall ratings based on 12 questions specifically focused on Leadership, Core Values, Do They Enjoy Being Part of the Organization, Do They Feel Valued, and Would they Recommend Their Franchise to Others.
The 100 Best Recession-Proof Businesses to Start in 2021, According to Franchise Business Owners
Franchise Business Review has announced the Top 100 Recession-Proof Franchises for 2021. Franchises on the list were identified based on survey feedback from over 28,000 franchise owners across 307 brands over the past 18 months.
Franchise Business Review Names Nicole Dudley Director of Client Relations
Nicole Dudley, former Client Operations Manager, has been promoted to Director of Client Relations. In her newly expanded role, Nicole will continue to work to ensure clients’ research needs are met, as well as be responsible for helping to grow and oversee our customer service team and efforts, and support our clients and products as we grow.
The Top 80 Franchises for Veterans Announced by Franchise Business Review
Franchise Business Review just announced the 2019 Top Franchises for Veterans. To identify the companies on the list, FBR analyzed 18 months of data from over 25,000 franchise owners, of which just over 10% were veterans, representing over 250 brands. Key findings revealed that eight out of 10 veteran franchise owners would recommend their franchise company to another franchise candidate.
Record High Satisfaction for Franchise Business Owners
New research from Franchise Business Review indicates franchise business owners are satisfied and confident about growth. When it comes to the future outlook for their business, two-thirds (67%) rated their long-term growth opportunity as “very strong” or “strong,” while another 25 percent (25%) rated their long-term growth outlook as “moderate.” Just eight percent (8%) rated their long-term growth opportunity as “weak” or “very weak.”
Franchising at Work Study Reveals Top Employee Talent May Be at Risk
Franchise Business Review recently conducted a first-of-its-kind study of corporate employees across the franchise sector in partnership with the International Franchise Association. The report reveals key trends around employee engagement and compensation and benefits among franchise professionals and where risks exist for franchise companies.
INDUSTRY EXPERTS
Looking for insightful commentary for your next story on the franchise industry? Speak with Franchise Business Review’s leadership.
Eric leads FBR’s research and consultants with clients in the area of franchise performance. He is an active member of the International Franchise Association (IFA), serves on the IFA’s VetFran and Franchise Relations Committees, and speaks frequently on topics related to franchise relations and best practices in franchising. He was recently featured in articled by CNBC, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Money, QSR magazine, and more, and is a frequent speaker at conferences and events including IFA Convention, International Franchise Expos, New England Franchise Association, National Restaurant Association, and Quinnipiac University.
MICHELLE ROWAN, CFE
President & COO
Michelle is the president of FBR, chair of the International Franchise Association Women’s Franchise Committee, and a Certified Franchise Executive. She serves on the IFA’s Women’s Franchise Committee and Leadership Conference Task Force, facilitated CEO Performance Groups and Executive Networking Groups, and is also a mentor of UNH college students. She speaks regularly at conferences and events, including IFA Convention, Springboard, Franchise Expo West, and more.
Austin, TX | October 28-30, 2026
FBR Summit is the only conference designed specifically for franchise operations and HR leaders who want to strengthen their systems from the inside out. This one-of-a-kind event brings together franchise pros from across the industry for real talk on what’s working, what’s not, and how to better support franchisees and teams. With a focus on candid conversations, peer-led sessions, and practical takeaways, Summit delivers insights you can actually use. Spots are limited so register today to save yours.
