FranchiseNow, Inc., a SaaS platform aimed at transforming franchise development through enhanced accountability, control, and transparency in qualification and funding, has named Marni Smith as its new Vice President of Success and Growth. Smith, a certified franchise executive (CFE), brings over 25 years of executive-level experience from organizations including Great Clips, Propelled Brands, CarePatrol, and Sandler.
In her role, Smith will lead franchisor onboarding, adoption, training, engagement, and growth initiatives across FranchiseNow's expanding network of partner brands. The appointment comes as the company scales its platform and supports more franchise brands, with Smith expected to help partners maximize value while improving accountability and transparency throughout the development and funding process.
“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’s career includes working alongside franchisors and development teams to improve operational performance, drive growth, and enhance the candidate experience. She described FranchiseNow as revolutionizing the franchise development and funding experience, comparing the platform to “Venmo meets franchise funding.” According to Smith, the platform eliminates the traditional 45- to 120-day wait for funding after signing a franchise agreement, enabling immediate payment to franchisors and prompt training for new franchisees.
“This creates a powerful win-win-win,” Smith said. “FranchiseNow provides franchisors, franchise candidates, and development teams accountability, transparency, and control. A source of truth to dramatically reduce development bottlenecks during a vital stage of a candidate’s franchise ownership decision. Our online, do-it-yourself platform makes franchise funding accessible and easy to understand.”
Smith added that she joined the company because she is a “true believer,” having introduced FranchiseNow to her own candidates with a 100% success rate. She emphasized the importance of enabling candidates to move forward immediately after signing, while their enthusiasm is highest.
FranchiseNow’s platform centralizes qualification and funding, improving communication, accelerating timelines, and providing real-time visibility. Its DreamStart™ Funding Program and integrated qualification platform help align candidates, franchisors, and funding resources while reducing delays and uncertainty.
The addition of Smith signals continued growth for FranchiseNow as it expands its partner network and helps candidates move from inquiry to ownership more quickly. For industry leaders, the platform’s ability to reduce funding bottlenecks could reshape franchise development, allowing franchisors to onboard new owners faster and capitalize on candidate enthusiasm—a critical factor in franchise success.
