• What do you need to focus on to achieve success in franchising?
• How do you create a successful franchise system?
• What are the four to six questions you need to ask every franchise prospect to decide if you want them as a franchisee?
• What role does John Hewitt play in franchise development in his companies?

John T. Hewitt will answer these questions and many more, of yours, at the Titus Center for Franchising’s 2025 Selling Franchises Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida. 

Join us for an unparalleled opportunity to gain insights from one of the most distinguished entrepreneurs in the franchising world, John T. Hewitt. With a career spanning over five decades, Hewitt has left an indelible mark his significant contributions in franchising especially as they relate to the tax and business services industries. With a career spanning more than five decades, he has left an indelible mark through the creation and expansion of notable ventures. 

Hewitt created not one but two publicly traded tax preparation franchise organizations, Jackson Hewitt and Liberty Tax Service, and sold each for nearly half a billion dollars! Now he oversees Loyalty Brands, a synergistic group of franchise businesses and services designed to dovetail together to help the franchise buyer to prosper both quickly and over the long term. Brands under the Loyalty umbrella include ATAX Tax Service, Zoomin Groomin (mobile pet spa), Loyalty Business Brokers, CR3 Exterior Remodeling, Jomsom Staffing Services, Little Medical School and Ledgers Accounting and Business Services. 

During his stellar career, Hewitt has awarded more than 5,200 franchises. What’s more astonishing? He meets with every qualified franchise candidate prior to granting them a franchise. 

Regardless of your experiences in franchising, unless you’ve heard John Hewitt speak, you’ve never heard a legend of this magnitude share the most important information you need to know to build a franchise organization. After his presentation, you will think differently about franchising, and you will be prepared to build a franchise organization more promising and successful than you ever thought possible. 

Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to hear from John T. Hewitt and gain invaluable insights that will reshape your approach to franchising. Join us at the Titus Center Seminar on Franchise Sales and prepare to embark on a journey towards unparalleled success in the world of franchising. Register now to secure your spot and unlock the secrets to building a franchise organization more promising and successful than you ever thought possible!

A few of John Hewitt’s accomplishments:

• John is the ONLY person to found two of the top 100 franchise chains, Jackson Hewitt and Liberty Tax Service.
• Jackson Hewitt was sold for half a billion dollars in 1997.
• Jackson Hewitt became a $1 billion company and Liberty Tax ½ a billion dollar company.
• Combined Jack Hewitt & Liberty Tax had over 10,000 locations which have prepared over 100 million tax returns.
• His third tax chain is growing exponentially.
• Awarded franchises to over 5200 entities.
• Unparalleled Icon of franchising.
• IFA Entrepreneur of the Year 2005. Responsible for helping over 1000 individuals achieve millionaire status.

Whistling in the Dark: Leading Through Change, Disruption, and Opportunity

• Learn how franchise leaders lead new franchisees and organizations through the changes they will need to experience in opening their new business.
• In this ever-changing business atmosphere knowing how to communicate effectively as you lead your organization to the best opportunities – often opportunities look like hard work and not simple!
• From local to global crisis, understanding key factors in leading through fear can move an organization from fear of survival and confidence in thriving.

Mary Kennedy Thompson is CEO of Business Network International (BNI), the world’s largest and most successful business networking organization with more than 320,000+ member-businesses participating on 11,000+ BNI Chapters in 76 countries. BNI has helped more than two million businesses garner more than $190 billion in revenue.

Prior to joining BNI, Mary served as COO of Neighborly, the world’s largest home services company. There she oversaw the ongoing business operations at Neighborly, working with 30 brands as she led the execution of company strategies. Prior to her appointment as COO, Mary served as executive vice-president of Neighborly and president of Mr. Rooter® for nine years.

Mary served eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps as a logistics officer. She began franchising more than 30 years ago as a multi-unit franchise owner at Cookies by Design, leading the company in market penetration and sales, and earning numerous top-performer awards. After successfully selling her franchises, Mary joined the corporate headquarters to build Cookies by Design’s field support program, eventually leading the brand as its president.

In 2006, Mary joined Neighborly® (formerly Dwyer Group) as the brand president for Mr. Rooter® Plumbing, its largest brand. Under Mary’;s leadership, Mr. Rooter® Plumbing was included in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500, Franchise Business Review’s Franchisee Satisfaction Award, PHC News Top 100 Contractors, and USA Today’s Top 50 Franchises for Veterans. As president of Mr. Rooter® Plumbing, U.S. Business Review selected Mary as one of its Editor’s Choice Executives of the Year.

Mary is a board member and vice chair for The International Franchise Association (IFA). Over the years IFA has awarded Mary with the William Rosenberg Foundation Leadership Award in 2023 for her outstanding contributions and leadership in advancing the mission of the IFA Educational Foundation. She has also received the IFA Bonny Levine Award, IFA’s highest award for women who have made an impact on franchising, and the Crystal Compass award for extraordinary leadership in franchising. Mary is a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) and currently serves as a board member as well as the 2024 Chair-Elect for the association.

A graduate of the University of Texas, Mary also completed the mini-MBA program in franchise management at the University of St. Thomas College of Business.

Building a Franchisor Platform with Franchise Development at the Foundation

• The steps to building a world class franchise development program. Begin with the end in mind and start with making sure each element of your program is built intentionally and in line with your goals as an organization. Learn how to refine each step of your sales process to achieve excellence.
• Finding, attracting, and keeping top talent. Building a world class franchise development program requires world class talent. Learn how to leverage equity, incentives and culture to find people that fit your organization.
• Best Practices to make your FDD a sales tool. Learn how to shift your paradigm from compliance to providing your candidates with the tools to envision their future using your FDD.
• Pro and Cons of Franchise Broker Partnerships. Learn what the true costs and benefits are of a broker strategy. Understand the broker ecosystem and the challenges and commitment required to experience success.
• Should I stay or FSO? Franchise sales organizations provide emerging concepts a fast track to unit expansion. Learn more about the pros and cons of doing it yourself or outsourcing your franchise development program.

Scott built Five Star Painting (founded in 2004) to become one of the world’s largest painting companies in franchising culminating in the successful sale of Five Star Painting (2015) to Dwyer Group, now Neighborly, the world’s largest home services brand. From the sale of Five Star Painting, Five Star Franchising (founded in 2005) and ProNexis (founded in 2012) were formed.

Leveraging this success and established relationships with some of America’s top home services brands, Scott has given ProNexis the foundation necessary for explosive growth servicing over 60 of the leading home service brands customer experience. 

Scott’s tenacity and commitment to creating shareholder value has been evident through several business exits, and acquisitions in franchising. 

In the Spring of 2021, Scott partnered with Princeton Equity Group making six acquisitions in home services. Today, Five Star Franchising has over 1,500 territories in six home service brands with a team of 200 employees focused on the mission of empowering franchise partners in the home services industry. 

Presently Scott has interests as an investor in several venture capital funds, private equity funds and direct investments in several early stage ventures.

The Recipe for a Successful Discovery Day

Please note: a Successful Discovery Day is one that delivers a franchise sale!

Ray Titus, Founder & CEO, United Franchise Group

United Franchise Group has been responsible for more hotel room nights spent in West Palm Beach than any other company based in West Palm Beach!

Why? Because thousands of room nights were given to prospective franchisees arriving to attend a Discovery Day at United Franchise Group.

The mastermind behind UFG’s Discovery Day is Ray Titus. You can be sure he doesn’t pay for room nights with the hope that they’ll produce an ROI. payoff. And the only ROI is franchise sales.

You can also be sure that UFG’s mastermind is carefully crafted and only qualified franchise prospects are ever invited to attend.

Titus Center brings Ray Titus to the stage to tell you exactly what you need to do to craft Discovery Days with an ROI.

Here’s what Ray’s going to teach you:

• Organizing the Discovery Day Team
• Knowing who to include on the Discovery Day Team
• Scripting and reviewing messages for Discovery Day Team Members
• How to do the Closing at a Discovery Day
• Conducting the post Discovery Day Meeting
• Making sure the DDT knows how to follow up effectively

Post Selling Franchises Summit you’re going to be an expert on Discovery Day presentations!