Jason Lee
10 min read
As Sentry Technology Solutions' Director of Sales and Marketing, my first International Franchise Association Convention was an eye-opening experience. It's the largest gathering of Franchise business around and it didn't disappoint. As a company we've been talking a lot about the opportunity to serve Franchises and walking away from IFA's 65th Annual Convention in Las Vegas, I knew we'd made the right decision. We're new members of IFA but not new to serving Franchise Groups, and I walked away excited to fully commit ourselves to the franchise community. There's such a vibrant community and there's so much opportunity to help businesses thrive.
Why This Matters to Me
Before I dive into a few franchise thoughts, I want to share why this convention meant so much to me personally. I love helping people. I love helping businesses thrive. I love systems and scale. And I love technology! Which is why doing what I do at Sentry is such a great fit- we get to do that every day. We've been helping businesses navigate complex technology challenges for years. But franchising? There's something special here. The scalability, the systems, the opportunity to help businesses multiply their success – it's exactly where technology, and now AI, can make a seriously big impact. At Sentry, we're uniquely positioned to help business think through those systems, build those sytems and multiply their impact. Seeing that in firsthand, having conversations with leaders of very large (1,000+ locations) franchise groups and smaller franchises (under 10 locations) just reinforced that reality.
What Struck Me Most
During the convention, I had the privilege of sitting in numerous roundtable discussions with franchise leaders, and one thing became crystal clear: technology is a gigantic part of the success of these franchise groups. Everything is powered by tech. It really is a technology powered industry, as it should be. Think about it, the power of scale is inseperable from technology. But there was a gap I began to notice.
The Technology Gap I Noticed
While AI dominated many conversations (and rightfully so), I noticed something interesting. In roundtable after roundtable, conversations at lunch or during breaks, franchise groups expressed their eagerness to leverage AI, but most didn't know where to start. Even more troubling was the limited discussion and knowledge around cybersecurity and IT infrastructure – the very foundation needed for safe and successful AI implementation. Sure, the President of Hilton Hotels shared how they are leveraging AI, but that kind of scale and investment isn't a reality for your average franchise group. At one particular table, operations leaders of many different franchise groups had no strategic plan for advanced AI and technology... they are just experimenting without guidance.
Our CEO John Ohlwiler and I spent considerable time in workshops focused on franchise operations, and we both saw the same thing: a massive opportunity to help franchise businesses bridge this technology gap. Help franchise groups establish a technology maturity that allows them to launch into innovation and scale rapidly and securely.
Looking Ahead
This convention was our first major franchise event at Sentry, but I can tell you with certainty – it won't be our last. The potential to help franchise businesses thrive through technology is enormous. I've seen firsthand how many aren't yet taking advantage of the power of technology and AI innovation to scale their businesses safely. Technology isn't just a business expense; it's the foundation for a thriving franchise. The future is incredibly bright, and we're committed to helping more franchise businesses grow.
My Encouragement to You
After talking to so many Franchise Leaders, my invitation is 2-fold. First, think strategically about AI, not just about the tools to use. Too many conversations are about Claude, or Gemini, or Copilot and not about the top level strategy as an organization. Second, as an official IFA member, we at Sentry Technology Solutions understand the unique technology challenges facing franchise businesses. (Our largest client is a franchise group we helped scale from 4 locations to now locations over 27 states.) Whether you're worried about cybersecurity, curious about AI implementation, or looking to scale your technology infrastructure across multiple locations, I'd love to have a conversation about your business's future.
There's real ROI here for your emerging franchise, your franchise group or your franchise location, and it would be a joy to help you get there.
Feel free to reach out to me directly. Let's chat about how we can help your franchise leverage technology to grow safely and efficiently.
Jason Lee
Director of Sales & Marketing
