Paul Rocchio, Vice President of Membership for the International Franchise Association (IFA), breaks down how collective advocacy, specialized executive training, and grassroots political engagement systematically protect and fuel local business format franchise systems.
One of the most famous adages in the business world is that when you invest in a franchise, "you're in business for yourself, but not by yourself." Yet, far too many franchisors and independent operators mistakenly limit their community to their immediate brand network.
In the latest episode of Franchise GPS, hostChicago Sam sits down with Paul Rocchio, Vice President of Membership for the International Franchise Association (IFA), to discuss the hidden dangers of operating in a silo. True business security means plugging into the broader franchise ecosystem. Whether you are a multi-unit operator or a growing founder, trying to navigate regulatory threats, strict compliance laws, and economic shifts entirely alone is the single biggest risk you can take.
Here are the three major takeaways from their conversation outlining why collective industry integration is the ultimate protection for your bottom line.
Many people look at a local franchise location and mistakenly label it as a corporate entity or "big business." In reality, franchising is a foundational, massive pillar that helps dictate the health of the entire United States economy. When you join a collective body like the IFA, you are leveraging the statistical power of an absolute economic powerhouse.
As Paul Rocchio explains, the data surrounding the business format franchise model proves its massive economic scale:
"there are over 800,000 franchise establishments in the US representing, you know, close to 9 million jobs. And and in terms of economic output, it's over 800 $800 billion in economic output. And and again, it's 300 different industries that utilize the business format franchise model as a means of distribution and growth. So franchising is, you know, it represents about, you know, 3% of the gross domestic product in the US. It's unbelievable."
By aligning yourself with an industry that fuels 3% of the nation’s entire GDP, you inherit a collective infrastructure designed to protect that output.
Lawmakers frequently pass sweeping regulatory bills without fully understanding how their decisions trickle down to local operations. Joint employer rulings and shifting state-level labor laws present an ongoing hurdle for brands. Many independent business owners feel intimidated by the idea of political outreach, assuming they don't have a voice.
As Chicago Sam notes, understanding who works for whom is vital:
"a franchisee needs to understand that federal and state representatives work for them. It's not the other way around. I remember my first meetings and going into these offices. You know, you're nervous, right? Because you see the suits on television, right? You don't understand that. They are just local business people who have chosen to raise their hand because there are alternative reasons why they chose to run for politics. And at the end of the day, they need to understand the voice of their constituents."
Politicians want to hear directly from franchise owners because those owners are the ones actively funding the community, paying local taxes, and supporting neighborhood initiatives. More importantly, they are the backbone of the initial workforce. As Sam notes regarding his own operations:
"...in my category, the restaurant business employing 14.5, 15, 16 year olds, we give first jobs to more Americans than anybody else in the country. We give people 1 in 3 Americans start their first job in the hospitality industry. We teach soft skills like there are no buddies business. And without this legislature, legislators need to understand that connection."
When an entrepreneur decides to scale an independent concept via franchising, they are no longer just operating in their original sector. As Paul Rocchio points out:
"Somebody reaches out to me and they want to franchise their business. For example, I try to talk them out of it because I'm like, you're no longer in the in the pizza restaurant business. You're going to be in the franchise business, totally different business. And you're then in the business of of, you know, providing your opportunity to a potential owner operator, and then you're in the business of making sure and keeping them happy and making sure that they're unit level economics and that they're and that they're successful and that they're doing business."
This total transformation requires an entirely new set of executive tools, compliance strategies, and systems for maintaining unit-level economics. Joining the IFA equips you with a 24/7 toolbox built to ensure your system doesn't duplicate costly mistakes, allowing you to learn from peer-to-peer networks:
"what I always hear from our members or even from potential members is they want to be able to network with their peers and also network with their peers in other industries to learn. And in some cases, it's not only to learn best practices or how to, you know, how to do things right, but it's also to kind of verify or or confirm that, man, we're actually doing everything right, you know, and there's a lot to be said for that."
Furthermore, as industries collectively adapt to emerging technologies, Paul notes that the association functions as an essential structural resource:
"...when it comes to any kind of an issue that is beneficial to all of the members involved. They want the association to be able to kind of pick up the ball, run with it, and help educate everybody on on what they need to know."
You do not have to build your franchise brand in a silo. Transitioning from a single-unit operator into a franchisor requires a total shift in your business model, but tapping into a collective network like the IFA ensures you do not have to learn from your own mistakes alone. By actively engaging with local politicians, understanding the true economic footprint of franchising, and leveraging shared cross-industry tools, you effectively insulate your brand from operational risk. Ultimately, staying connected means you gain the exact legal, educational, and relational infrastructure needed to turn your business format system into a highly protected, scalable asset.
Want more insider franchise tips? Listen to the full conversation on Episode 4 of Chicago Sam’s Franchise GPS with host Sam Stanovich on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube!
Paul Rocchio joined the IFA staff in March of 1999 as Manager of Grassroots and Political Education, Promoted from Director to Senior Director in April 2013, Vice President in 2016 and Senior Vice President in 2024. Paul is responsible for the retention and recruitment of new members while creating continued value-added benefits and services to existing members. He staffs the IFA Supplier Forum Advisory Board and co-staffs the Membership Committee.
Before joining the IFA staff Paul worked at the International Mass Retail Association where he was Manager of State Government Affairs and prior to that was Associate Staff in the State Affairs Department of the Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA). Before starting his association career Paul worked as an Equipment Technician and Surgical Assistant in the operating room at the Northern Westchester Hospital Center in Mt. Kisco, NY.
Paul is a member of the American Society of Association Executives, received a Certificate in Nonprofit Organization Management from the U.S. Chamber’s Institute of Organizational Management program in 2011, and is a Certified Franchise Executive. He received his Master of Arts in Political Management from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Northeastern University, Boston, MA. He lives with his wife Julie and their four children in Alexandria, Virginia.
You can contact Paul at procchio@franchise.org or at 202-662-0790.
Gregg Majewski has a vast amount of experience as a corporate executive in the restaurant industry. As the former CEO of Jimmy John’s, he played a major role in expanding the franchise from 33 to 300+ stores in just 5 years by surrounding the company’s marketing strategy around the innovative approach of delivering sandwiches and being “freaky fast”. Majewski has worked to develop restaurant concepts over the last two plus decades, before starting Craveworthy Brands in 2023, which currently includes a growing portfolio of restaurant brands. Craveworthy Media is Majewski’s gift back to the industry that has given him so much. The goal of Craveworthy is to inspire the up and coming industry leaders by providing important information, stories, and insights from titans past and present.
Do you know someone who would be great on this show? Let us know by sending a DM on social media @craveworthybrands