Senior Business Editor of Entrepreneur Magazine, covering franchising –  Carl Stoffers joins Smart Franchising with Fransmart to unpack what’s actually moving the needle for franchisees and franchisors in 2025. A former Arizona Department of Corrections officer turned Columbia-trained journalist, Carl covers franchising exclusively, bringing hundreds of founder and operator stories to life each year. In this team-takeover episode, he and host Lynnea Morano cut through the noise: why diversification beyond food is accelerating, how mobile and home-services models lower the barrier to entry, where simplified “do-one-thing-great” food & beverage concepts win, and how to adopt tech and AI without wrecking the guest experience. They also hit recruiting Gen Z/Millennial owners, the joint-employer whiplash, and exactly what makes a brand story pitch stand out to the media.

What You’ll Learn

• Diversification is here to stay: Non-food categories,home services, healthcare/senior care, pet, education—are scaling thanks to professionalism, cross-referrals, and umbrella platforms.

• Lower barrier, bigger tent: Mobile/home-service franchises open the door for new and underrepresented owners (even sub-$10K entry in some models). Multi-brand seasonal “portfolios” (e.g., holiday lighting + mosquito control) create year-round revenue and shared crews.

• Food & bev, simplified: Small menus, high volume, and culture-forward brands (bagels done brilliantly, beverage-only drive-thrus) outperform bloated SKUs. Resist the urge to “be everything.”

• Tech/AI that serves the guest:Loyalty apps and behind-the-scenes AI can boost ease and margins, but rollouts must match customer comfort. Tech should support, not replace the hospitality moment.

• Trust in the franchisor is decisive: Operators pick models where leadership earns confidence—especially around tech choices, training, and change management.

• Winning Gen Z & Millennials: After economics, they optimize for values + flexibility (run-from-anywhere, lifestyle alignment). Show how your system enables both.

• Hear more on Carl’s take on the Joint Employer Ruling: Joint-employer remains a moving target; what the industry needs most is clarity and stability so franchisors can lead and franchisees can operate.

• Pitching the press: Carl gives inside tips on pitching, how to tie your news to a bigger industry thread and bring a compelling human backstory (real obstacles, real outcomes).