--- title: "2022's Top Franchise Influencers (35-26)" url: https://burnaze.com/article/96dd55ab-8c08-4246-a6f0-4b00b7e8a5e9 source: "1851 Franchise" original_url: https://1851franchise.com/2022s-top-franchise-influencers-35-26-2718047 category: "Franchise Industry" industry: "Franchise Industry" published: 2022-02-24T11:06:00.000Z modified: 2026-11-01T01:40:52.477Z image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/e0c1282ebd1fcf7f6c0df7a283e6cac45233.jpg --- # 2022's Top Franchise Influencers (35-26) **TL;DR:** 1851 Franchise has listed the top franchise influencers of 2022, featuring industry leaders and experts who have made significant contributions to the franchise world. The list includes 175 franchise industry professionals, including Sean Fitzgerald, Sean Manning, and Shannon Hudson. *originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2022-02-24. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/2022s-top-franchise-influencers-35-26-2718047).* ## Story Franchising is a big world, and it’s only getting bigger. Still, it’s a community, and a fairly close-knit community at that. Franchisors and franchisees across brands are constantly kept abreast of what their colleagues and competitors are up to, eager to implement best practices and leverage the industry’s best ideas. That’s why it’s essential for everyone in the industry to know who’s who. Whether you are buying a franchise, franchising your business, growing your franchise or looking for general information on franchising, tapping into the franchise world’s thriving community is vital to your success. To that end, 1851 Franchise has teamed up with SeoSamba to bring you a list of the most influential people in franchising. Publishing throughout the month of February, this list is not a ranking, but a collection of 175 franchise industry professionals we think you should know. To help you connect, we’ve provided links to each professional’s LinkedIn page where available. So read on, and get busy building your network! - Company: Big Blue Swim School - Chief Development Officer for Big Blue Swim School, Heyday Skincare and Operating partner at L-5 Capital Partners. Strategic Franchise Executive, Lifelong Learner, and Planner. Data Driven Sales and Marketing Executive that continuously innovates and leverages technology to accelerate growth. - Specialties: Franchise Development, Lease Negotiations, Real Estate, Financing, Sales and marketing training, Franchise law, Corporate startups, Business Coaching, Partnership Development, Teambuilding, Technology "The best strategy in the world is meaningless without a relentless focus on execution!" Franchise Operations and Development executive with 16 years of leadership experience building great teams and delivering results. Strong track record of building start up brands from zero to re-engineering brands that have gone astray. Solid business acumen with a proven track record of developing infrastructure and tools to lead franchisees to success. Strong relationship builder that delivers results both operationally and via franchise sales and openings. - Deep franchise development experience and track record of selling and opening units - Strong operational background focused on building systems, processes and metrics - Private Equity experience - Driver of franchise system engagement Sean Fitzgerald, CFE is a c-level franchise executive with 25 years of experience working with brands ranging from startup franchise concepts to large developed franchise systems. This level of experience provides unique insight and perspective in growing, operating, and building franchise brands. His expertise includes franchise sales, development, marketing, lead generation, digital marketing, content marketing, lead flow management, candidate journey mapping, PR, web design, SEO/SEM, CRM, franchise operations, multi-unit development, franchise compliance, training, and franchisor/franchisee relations. Sean Manning, CEO/Founder of Payroll Vault, is a dedicated businessman that has created a successful franchise system that presents enthusiastic entrepreneurs the opportunity to support their local professional community strategically and effectively. Throughout the pandemic and with the close support of Tricia Petteys, COO/Co-founder of Payroll Vault, Manning has led the executive team and franchisees through a powerfully disruptive and radically evolving time. 26+ years of experience in international sales of military aircraft parts and services, believing and living the "customer first" focus and the power of strong team effort in getting it done with highest quality, on time and exceeding external and internal expectations at all levels. After 25 years in the aerospace industry, we decided to give our 110% to being our own boss and sell......hamburgers! Continue to sell the highest quality of goods, with the best team and delivering superior level of customer service and LOVING our job. Working hard and playing harder. As a lifelong “foodie,” Scott Jennings worked at quite a few different restaurants during his college years and decided it was an industry he wanted to grow into, but with one condition; he had to seriously shake things up. In one particular job as a delivery driver, Scott noticed a severely underserved market for late night deliveries. After coming to the realization that most college students liked to get high, he figured, why not create a cannabis-themed sub shop?! And so in 1998, Cheba Hut “Toasted” Subs was born First, he wanted a place that served a sandwich that was better than anything on the fast-casual market. Second, he wanted a unique and fun theme that embraced the counterculture. Finally, he wanted to create an environment where everyone truly felt welcome and got to experience a genuine and authentic level of care in customer service; something that most people would rarely receive in the fast-casual world. At Massage Heights, it is our goal to elevate the lives of the people we touch by caring for the mind, body, and spirit. As a company committed to the well-being of everyone who visits our Retreats, we are passionate about maintaining relationships with our guests, members, team members, franchise owners, and the rest of our Massage Heights family. We are loyal to our guests and invest love and positive energy into everything we do for them. Our company is diligent in our pursuit to provide an elevated experience for everyone we touch. Shannon “The Cannon” Hudson, founder and CEO of 9Round, has had more than 30 years of training in martial arts and is the IKF Light Middleweight Kickboxing Champion of the World. On October 1, 2011, while training under legendary boxing trainer Xavier Biggs, Shannon won his title with a 6th round TKO victory. In addition to a 5th degree Black Belt in Japanese Shotokan Karate and a 4th Degree Black belt under the Joe Lewis Fighting System, he also holds a degree from USC Upstate, and is a Best-Selling Author. Executive leader with more than 16 years of industry experience in Food Service Operations and Domestic and International Franchising. Expertise includes Operations Management, Employee Training and Development, Domestic and International Sales Growth Strategy, Franchise Relations, Menu Development, New Product/Program Launches, Corporate Communication Strategy, Vendor Relationship Management, Marketing and Public Relations. ## Entities - 1851 Franchise (publication) - Franchise Industry (sector) - franchise development (topic) - Sean Fitzgerald (person) - Big Blue Swim School (company) - Cheba Hut (company) - 9Round (company) - Massage Heights (company) - Shannon Hudson (person) - Payroll Vault (company) - industry leaders (topic) - franchise influencers (topic) --- Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/2022s-top-franchise-influencers-35-26-2718047). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/96dd55ab-8c08-4246-a6f0-4b00b7e8a5e9).