About Us
About Us
Franchise Your Business is a platform dedicated to connecting business owners with franchising opportunities and providing comprehensive support. It transforms initial interest into actionable franchising steps, offering personalized consultations and development services tailored to each business. Led by seasoned professionals Ed Samane and William Loftus, the team combines strategic insights with extensive expertise to guide businesses through successful expansion. With a focus on streamlining the process and delivering customized guidance, the platform empowers business owners to scale their operations and achieve lasting success in the franchising industry.
Meet the Team
Ed Samane
President and Co-CEO
Ed Samane is a serial entrepreneur, recognized for planning, launching, and growing successful businesses and franchises nationally. His background includes sales, marketing, customer service management, operations, business development, and project management. Ed is a powerful strategist who is able to map creative business visions, build and inspire cohesive teams, and transform and empower organizations with tools, technologies, and training, to achieve a company’s overall objectives. He is a dynamic leader, a life-long learner, and a passionate advocate for the power of a positive mindset.
William Loftus
Chairman and Co-CEO
William, “Bill,” has thirty-plus years of experience in the executive management and operations of advanced software solution providers and is a nationally recognized author, technologist, and entrepreneur. He built three Inc. 500 companies, sold two, and helped lead the third company public. Bill also led programs worth over $1.2 billion in revenue, served as an innovation leader, and supported mergers and acquisitions for Accenture. He continues to be an active investor in and advocate for startup ventures.
Mike Mercado
Chief Operating Officer
As the COO, I am responsible for the development and day-to-day operations of the brand.
I bring more than 15 years of franchise experience, starting with Auntie Anne’s franchise, where I served in a Regional VP position before launching a licensed delivery company based on a proprietary technology platform that I developed.
In 2018, I joined Soccer Shots franchising as the VP of Operations. I oversaw curriculum, technology, product development, events, training, and franchisee support.
Understanding and implementing change management with individuals and across systems is one of my passions. I'm proud of my track record driving change management throughout multiple franchise systems. I also enjoy supporting new franchisees as they launch, operate, and scale their businesses for success.
Judimarie Thomas
VP Communications
Ms. Thomas is a corporate communications & marketing communications executive, with over 20 years of experience, in the healthcare, financial services and franchising industries. Judimarie is passionate about and effective at collaborating and problem solving through communications & marketing strategies.
Judimarie served as Senior Director of Communications at Independence Blue Cross and Second Vice President, Corporate Communications at Lincoln Financial Group. In each role she served as a guardian of the brand and as a trusted advisor and PR coach to the CEO and other C-Suite executives. Judimarie also worked as a consultant in a crisis communications firm in New York after earning her B.S in Communications from Rutgers University.