IFPG Retreat 2026 Inspires Members to Make Their Move

• The International Franchise Professionals Group hosted its annual Retreat in Hollywood, Fla. last week.

• New formats, panels, Pitch Rooms and social events gave attendees more ways to connect, learn about brands and build relationships.

• The event also celebrated top franchise professionals and highlighted IFPG’s continued growth and industry recognition.

Ifpg retreat overview

Hundreds of franchise professionals from across the country gathered in Hollywood, Fla., last week for the 2026 IFPG Retreat, where three days of networking, education and fun centered around this year’s theme, Make Your Move.

“The inspiration for the Make Your Move theme came from what we see happening in franchising every day,” said IFPG President Red Boswell. “Someone takes a leap of faith to become a business owner. A franchisee opens another location. A brand enters a new market. A consultant introduces a candidate to an opportunity that can change their life. Franchising is built around people taking action, and we wanted this year’s theme to reflect that.”

Held Sept. 28-30 at the Diplomat Hollywood Beach Resort, the annual event brought together franchisors, franchise consultants, development professionals and suppliers from across the franchise community. Attendees came to strengthen relationships, learn about changes shaping the industry and explore new opportunities for growth.

“Our Make Your Move theme really captures what franchising is all about,” said Matt Otskey, CEO of IFPG. “Success comes from taking action, building relationships and being willing to pursue the next opportunity. The Retreat gives our members a place to do all of those things while learning from each other and having a lot of fun along the way.”

The International Franchise Professionals Group (IFPG) is a franchise growth platform with more than 1,500 members, including franchise consultants, franchisors and supplier partners. IFPG members connect aspiring business owners with franchise opportunities. IFPG provides its members with training, events, technology and resources to grow their businesses.

Industry recognition and growth

IFPG has earned national recognition for its work. In September, Entrepreneur named IFPG the No. 1 franchise broker organization for the eighth consecutive year in its annual Top Franchise Suppliers ranking. The IFPG Retreat was also recognized in September as a top franchise event by Entreprenuer for the third year in a row.

IFPG Retreat attendees got a preview of new IFPG initiatives designed to make franchise consulting more efficient.

CEO Matt Otskey explained how Franchise Atlas, launching at the end of October, will help consultants access and organize brand information. A panel of consultants who beta tested Atlas also shared their experiences and insights with attendees. “Interest has been strong. We added more training sessions for Franchise Atlas since the initial sessions filled quickly once we announced them,” said Otskey.

Otskey also discussed AIFPG, IFPG’s expanding artificial intelligence initiative. IFPG is working with major AI companies to give consultants and franchisors faster access to useful information. Future phases will include agentic AI tools available exclusively to IFPG members, with a focus on streamlining consultant workflows and reducing repetitive tasks.

Franchising economic outlook

The IFPG Retreat has grown year after year just like franchising has. According to the International Franchise Association’s 2026 Franchising Economic Outlook, the number of U.S. franchise establishments is expected to grow 1.5% in 2026, from 832,521 to approximately 845,000 locations. That would add more than 12,000 franchised businesses nationwide.

Franchise employment is also expected to increase by more than 150,000 jobs, reaching nearly 8.9 million, while total franchise economic output is projected to rise 1.6% to $921.4 billion.

“Franchising’s continued growth creates countless opportunities and IFPG is at the center of that growth,” said Otskey.

New connections and initiatives

Making connections has always been a big part of the IFPG Retreat, and this year IFPG introduced new ways for members to spend more time talking face to face at the conference.

Among the new additions were Brand Connect Live and Dev Connect Live, which gave franchise brands and development organizations dedicated spaces to meet with consultants in a relaxed setting.

Rather than trying to squeeze an entire brand story into a quick introduction or presentation, participants could sit down, ask questions and have a more natural conversation. The new format gave brands and consultants a chance to learn more about one another, dig into the details and better understand whether a concept might be a good fit for a candidate.

“The best opportunities in franchising often start with a conversation,” said IFPG founder Don Daszkowski, who serves as executive chairman, head of M&A and corporate development. “One of the things I’ve always loved about Retreat is watching those connections happen. A consultant meets a brand, a supplier meets a new partner or someone hears an idea that changes the direction of their business. Creating more opportunities for those connections is a big part of what IFPG is about.”

The popular Pitch Room sessions also returned to IFPG Retreat, giving participating franchise brands five minutes to share the highlights of their concepts with rooms filled with IFPG consultants.

The fast-paced format let consultants hear from several brands in a short amount of time, learn what makes each concept different and get a better sense of which opportunities could be a strong fit for their candidates.

For IFPG consultants, who have access to hundreds of franchise concepts, the sessions offered a practical way to quickly compare business models, growth plans and brand strengths.

The learning continued with a lively panel of franchise leaders who shared what development teams are seeing in the market, what today’s candidates are looking for and how brands and consultants can work together more effectively.

Another panel brought together leaders from investment companies to discuss the growing role of private equity and other investment groups in franchising. The conversation explored what investors look for in franchise brands, how outside capital can fuel expansion and what increased investment activity could mean for franchisors, franchisees and the industry as a whole.

The IFPG Retreat was not all meetings and presentations. One morning started with a sunrise beach workout led by Rick Mayo, founder of personal fitness franchise, Alloy Personal Training.

Evening events offered another chance to connect in a much more casual setting. One celebration brought a Miami Vice-meets-’80s-glam atmosphere to Hollywood, with attendees breaking out white linen, pastel suits, bright colors, tropical prints, statement accessories and touches of neon. Another evening featured a fun yacht rock theme.

The Retreat also celebrated members of the franchise community during its 3rd Annual Consultant Choice Awards.

The awards recognize franchise professionals and companies that have supported IFPG consultants and their candidates while helping drive growth across franchising. The ceremony gave attendees a chance to honor those who have built strong relationships and shown a consistent commitment to helping consultants and prospective franchise owners succeed.

Among this year’s honorees was longtime franchise consultant Adrienne Leigh (center, black shirt), who received the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award.

By the end of the three-day event, attendees had heard from franchise development executives, investment leaders and suppliers, learned about new brands and spent hours connecting with people from across the franchise industry.

“This is my favorite franchise event of the year, and I go to a lot of them,” Boswell said. “What I’m most grateful for is the people. IFPG really does feel like a franchise family. We work together, we learn from each other and we celebrate together. Retreat gives us a chance to strengthen those relationships and appreciate the community we’ve built.”