Advocacy Summit
When more than 400 franchisees, franchisors, and suppliers gathered in Washington, D. C., this September for the International Franchise Association’ s( IFA) 2025 Advocacy Summit, the energy was palpable. The three-day event at the Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf wasn’ t just another conference; it was a rallying cry for the future of franchising.
At its core, the Summit highlighted a simple truth: If the franchise community doesn’ t tell its story to policymakers, how will government leaders ever understand the business? With the newly introduced American Franchise Act( AFA), a bipartisan bill designed to codify the joint-employer standard, on the table, the stakes have never been higher.
IFA Chair Mary Kennedy Thompson set the tone in her welcome remarks:“ Power is not power if you don’ t know you have the power. Franchising is a powerful constituency and the voice on Main Street.”
The duality of franchising as both entrepreneurial grit and national economic engine echoed throughout the event. From small franchise owners to multi-unit operators, attendees carried a unified message that franchising provides a proven path to the American Dream. But without regulatory clarity, especially around the joint-employer rule, that path is threatened.
The AFA represents stability. With seven Democrats and seven Republicans signing on at the bill’ s introduction, the bipartisan bill aims to put an end to the regulatory ping-pong that has plagued the industry for the past decade. As Thompson reminded the audience, uncertainty is the real enemy:“ The thing that hurts business the most is not bad news but the unknown. We want them to quit changing the rules.”
The Summit blended policy discussions with personal narratives in an intentional strategy to help attendees sharpen their message before heading to Capitol Hill to meet with their elected officials on the last day of the event.
One of the first to speak to attendees was Scott Jennings, a CNN commentator and longtime political strategist. He began by addressing the Charlie Kirk assassination, noting that Kirk was“ about building, not tearing down,” and then cautioned that the West’ s norms of free speech, civil discourse, and open debate are under attack. Jennings framed Kirk’ s assassination as a stark reminder that America was founded on speaking and debating. He said recommitting to those principles is essential now more than ever.
Jennings then turned to the matter of advocacy and the AFA, noting the important role of franchising in America.“ Franchising is part of everyday life. It combines the strength of national brands with the sweat equity of local owners. That independence deserves protection,” he said in reference to the AFA as a critical way to restore stability.
Jennings also gave practical advice: Lawmakers respond to personal stories.“ When people describe their business and what they do, politicians want to know,” he said.“ They place a lot of value on your opinion. Walk tall, be confident, because you all carry a big stick.”
A gathering momentum and excitement for the AFA carried through every session. IFA President & CEO Matt Haller delivered a progress report on the association’ s 2025 Roadmap for Franchise Growth, which includes codifying a joint-employer standard that protects franchisee independence, preserving a pro-franchisee tax code achieved earlier this year, and stopping burdensome regulation. He cued up a new video created to demonstrate the importance of franchising and why it needs protection.
Day 2
The second day of the summit kicked off with a keynote by U. S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez- DeRemer. She underscored her commitment to fighting for the American worker and explained how the Department of Labor is providing clarity and consistency for both employers and employees by issuing guidance and removing restrictions that harm businesses. She outlined priorities such as eliminating taxes on tips and overtime, making estate tax exemptions permanent, increasing the child tax credit, and leveraging tariffs to create more opportunities for American businesses. She also emphasized the importance of expanding apprenticeships and trade jobs as part of her vision to strengthen the workforce beyond traditional four-year college pathways. Ultimately, she said, her goal is to position the U. S. as the dominant global economic leader, reminding attendees that“ the Department of Labor has your back.”
Next, IFA’ s Erica Farage, senior vice president, advocacy and political affairs, interviewed Kevin Yoder, former U. S. congressman from Kansas and now with Venture Government Strategies, a consulting and advocacy firm. She asked what attendees need to know before meeting with members of Congress and their staff. While highlighting the new AFA, he stressed punctuality and clear introductions when explaining the joint-employer rule to lawmakers.
“ Don’ t assume they are tracking the jointemployer rule. Explain how the rule impacts business. Mention the AFA that was just introduced last week,” he said. Yoder noted that many meetings will be with staffers, who are influential, so attendees should collect cards and follow up promptly. He encouraged ongoing engagement by thanking lawmakers, inviting them to visit businesses, and building lasting relationships beyond Washington.
In a“ fireside chat,” Haider Murtaza, IFA’ s senior director, federal government relations, spoke with Reps. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., and Don Davis, D-N. C., about Democratic priorities and franchising’ s role in shaping policy.
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