Your Trusted Partner in Franchise Success

Steve Beagelman is a franchise industry veteran, with over 35 years of experience holding various positions from entrepreneur to senior level executive, giving him a unique insight and perspective in growing, operating, and building brands. In 2009, Steve established SMB Franchise Advisors, a franchise consulting company specializing in advising franchise start-ups and existing franchise concepts of ways to drive business growth. Now almost 15 years later, the company has helped over 450 brands launch into franchising. Steve specializes in private equity transactions and in helping SMB clients expand their brands. He also invests in franchise brands across several different industries.

Outside of SMB, Steve regularly writes for Forbes as an expert in the franchise industry and has been quoted numerous times in the Wall Street Journal, Franchising World and Franchise Times and recently contributed to  a book, “Franchising Strategies.” Steve sits on several boards in the franchise industry and is a frequent guest speaker at colleges and franchise conferences. 

Steve’s career began in a family packaging business back in 1986. By the time he was 21 years old, he spearheaded his own franchise operation as the co-founder of Black Tie Express, a start-up multi-restaurant delivery service. The company grew to a successful 30-unit operation, and Steve completed the title sale to Takeout Taxi, the market leader. He has also held top-level positions at popular franchise brands Hollywood Tans, Saladworks, Rita’s Water Ice, and Restaurant Systems International. 

In 2006, Steve received his Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) from the International Franchise Association (IFA). He is a graduate of Pace University, holding a Bachelor’s degree in business, with a concentration in business management.

Brian Luciani is the Chief Growth Officer and Venture Partner for SMB Franchise Advisors, bringing with him over a decade of experience from both Wall Street and Main Street.

Brian has worked in investment banking, operations and technology as well as in technology sales and corporate venture at both established incumbent and growth stage businesses. In addition to managing the full life cycle of deal scouting, negotiation, and closing, Brian has led teams focused on sales, development, and go-to-market strategy for software and hardware solutions. In 2021, Brian was tasked with the relaunch of a corporate innovation and venture group, where he deepened his passion for supporting and accelerating the growth of early stage brands. He believes the franchise model requires businesses to have product market fit before scale, and that those industry agnostic growth opportunities are uniquely available to SMB’s clients on the path to franchising their business.

Brian has been involved with the franchising industry since 2012, having long supported the marketing and roadshow efforts of SMB and their clients. He holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration for marketing and a Bachelor of Arts in economics, both from Marist College. Brian sits on a number of boards both professionally and personally, including as a Technology Scout for Affinity Federal Credit Union and a Curriculum Advisor to Seton Hall University’s Stillman School of Business customer experience programs.

Joanne Hoyer grew up in the franchising industry and has strong past experience in franchise growth and development. Joanne has taken her experience and utilized it to craft the right systems and tools for emerging brand development. She works closely with SMB Franchise Advisors’ clients who need to create, streamline or rework their process to achieve strategic growth. Joanne has helped hundreds of franchisees identify and secure locations, as well as guide them through the entire development process, from signing their franchise to procuring financing. 

Joanne’s franchise industry experience began when she served as the first employee for the popular brand Rita’s Water Ice. Later, she helped the company franchise over 300 units through key roles held in operations, training, real estate and development. Joanne also owned one of the top performing franchised units with Rita’s Water Ice in Newtown, PA. She then joined Saladworks, the nation’s best-known salad restaurant franchise. There, Joanne was the Director of Franchise Development during a high achieving time when the brand received top awards from industry experts for their development.

Joanne holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Kutztown University as well as a Master of Business Administration from Drexel University. She obtained her Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) in 2022. Joanne enjoys working with SMB clients who have a unique selling proposition and need the help of an experienced franchise executive to expand into new markets.

Ed Gaubert assists our new franchisor clients with the preparation and inclusion of the Financial Performance Representation section of the FDD, as well as setting financial qualifications for franchisee prospects. As part of that process, he analyzes unit economics of the business model and helps our clients to determine an accurate portrayal of the profitability of the business to a franchise operator. For franchisor clients with existing franchise systems, Ed provides a variety of services, including benchmarking performance analysis, budgeting, business coaching, and assistance with franchisee financing issues.

Ed has more than 50 years of experience in finance and accounting, including over 30 years of experience in franchising. Ed has served as an independent franchise and finance consultant, providing outsourced CFO services and financial modeling to a variety of companies, primarily in the franchising arena. Prior to becoming a consultant, Ed served as Vice President of Finance for Rita’s Water Ice for eight years. He has held financial management positions across a variety of companies including Memorex and Automatic Data Processing (ADP), as well as several start-up organizations.

Ed also has experience as a small business owner, previously operating a franchise in the retail space. Ed has a strong reputation for his ability to generate complex financial models, but equally as important is his ability to easily convey their output and how they can drive actionable business decisions. He received his CFE certification from the International Franchise Association in 2007.

Ed holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Rutgers University and an MBA in Finance from LaSalle University.

Dawn Abbamondi leads SMB Franchise Advisors’ Clients in the areas of marketing, social media, public relations, web development, as well as lead generation, and she contributes to organization and operations process development. With over 20 years of experience in the franchising industry, she has managed several brand acquisitions for expansion into new markets and has experience in brand integration and re-imaging. 

Bringing with her extensive retail and franchising experience in the coffee, convenience, gift and floral industries, Dawn joined the SMB team in 2011. Not only has she worked for the franchisor, but she has also been a franchisee, overseeing operations and marketing development. Dawn was a category buyer leading marketing initiatives, such as the creation of monthly promotions, POP design, media and advertising budgets for small and large franchise systems.

Dawn serves as co-chair of the Philadelphia Women’s Franchise Network (WFN), and sits on the International Franchise Association (IFA) Women’s Franchise Committee. Outside of SMB, Dawn writes for Franchise Dictionary Magazine and is a regular contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine.

Dawn holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architectural Engineering from Drexel University, and has continued graduate study in the areas of Marketing and Business Administration. She obtained her Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) in 2022. She enjoys sharing her experience with companies who are learning how to franchise, as well as those who want a fresh perspective in regard to where their brand fits into the industry and how best to expand into new markets.

James Mowery, CFE has over 19 years of franchising experience as a franchisor, franchisee, and supplier. James has been a Certified Franchise Executive since 2007 and specializes guiding startups, businesses looking to expand and “turn around” initiatives within the franchise industry. 

He possesses an extensive technology background along with years of project management experience. Since 2010,  James has been a certified Project Management Professional through the Project Management Institute and also obtained a Master’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Computer Information Systems. He has worked in a variety of industries such as the service industry, small to medium business consulting, medical and health, manufacturing, and Department of Defense. James enjoys combining his experience and skills in guiding others to achieve their business goals.

Before joining SMB, James was the President of Fetch! Pet Care, Inc. in Dayton, Ohio. While there, he served as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Other past roles include Director of IT and Process Improvement at DNA Diagnostics Center, being the CIO, COO and President of a nationwide tax franchise, and President and Partner of a pet butler franchise.

James is the Member at Large for the IFA Foundation and previously sat as Chair of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives Board of Governors. James holds a degree from University of Dayton and completed graduate study at Baker College for Graduate Studies. He has a passion for teaching franchising and mentoring others in the franchising industry.

Ken Moran has more than 40 years in the restaurant, franchise and hospitality industries, having worked in multi-unit management and leadership positions with some of the country’s most recognizable quick service restaurant and fast casual brands – including KFC, Taco Bell and Sonic, as well as the Busch Entertainment theme park division.

Ken has deep-rooted experience with large, franchised restaurant organizations and large franchisors alike. He has also been a fast-casual franchisee himself, when he owned and operated three Saladworks restaurants in the Philadelphia area from 2005 to 2009. Ken previously served as the Director of Franchise Services and Vice President of Operations at Rita’s Water Ices, a 400-unit frozen dessert chain. There, Ken was responsible for the operations, marketing, distribution and research and development departments, and was a key participant in the concept’s growth from a small regional brand to the national brand it is today. Ken also spent ten years as a Regional Operations Manager with Dunkin Donuts, coaching franchisees and their restaurant teams on operations, execution, how to monitor food safety and procedural compliance, in addition to working with cross-functional partners in real estate development, construction and marketing.

 Ken enjoys working with new and emerging franchisees in developing their systems, processes and procedures, and he  works to ensure consistency as brands grow. Ken holds a degree in business administration from Rider University and a degree in organizational dynamics from Immaculata University.

Frank Closurdo is an insightful, entrepreneurial, idea-driven business leader with more than 25 years of experience in building brands across a diversity of sectors — consumer packaged goods, business to business, franchise consulting and management consulting for life sciences. 

He possesses a broad range of commercial and marketing experience in both Fortune 100 and entrepreneurial start-up organizations. His deep marketing expertise spans a company and product lifecycle – driving insights into early company/product development, managing product portfolio, designing brand strategies for company/product pre-launch/launch, and maximizing business growth for existing brands. Throughout his career, Frank has worked on an array of brands ranging from small niche brands to some of the world’s most recognizable brands – Tylenol, Motrin, Johnson & Johnson. Throughout his career he has held positions of increasing responsibility with such companies as Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Pillsbury. 

Frank received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration – with a specialization in marketing –  from Wayne State University. He has guest lectured at Villanova University, teaching marketing strategy. Frank brings a strategic perspective to SMB and clients who need a fresh idea for their brand.

Shannon Wilburn joined the SMB team in September 2024 and brings with her 20+ years of experience as a small business founder, franchisor, brand ambassador, and successfully exited CEO. She will be focused on supporting franchise founders as they build and systematize their brand after launching into the franchise industry.

Shannon is a serial entrepreneur, passionate about helping others succeed through mentorship and accountability coaching. She has been featured on national programs including CNN, The Today Show, The CBS Early Show, FoxNews, Good Morning America and Entrepreneur. She serves on the Membership Committee of the International Franchise Association and received the 2020 Bonnie LeVine Award in recognition for her leadership and contributions to franchising and society. Shannon earned her Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) from the IFA and continues to maintain credentials.

Prior to joining the SMB team, Shannon co-founded Just Between Friends (JBF) Franchise System in 2003, and grew it to over 150 units in 33 states before exiting in 2022. In January of 2023 Shannon founded Shine Executive Coaching to begin coaching those emerging founders, and remains a JBF Board Member and Brand Ambassador. Shannon considers her greatest accomplishments to be within her family. Married to Mitch Wilburn for over 30 years, she is a proud mother and grandmother. Her family is her anchor and inspiration, the source of her dedication and faith-driven leadership.

Teddy Fine brings over 25 years of progressive experience in creative & marketing, with subject matter expertise in strategic branding, direct response advertising, and consumer retention/loyalty.

For over a decade, he served as Creative Director for Philly Pretzel Factory, helping them to grow to over 200+ national locations by analyzing challenges from the consumer, franchisee, franchisor and stake-holder’s perspective. After his time at Philly Pretzel Factory, Teddy launched his own boutique branding agency, Attack Life Creative. In addition to working on the supplier side of the industry and working directly as a franchisor, Teddy has also been a franchisee, allowing for a true omni-channel perspective in his approach. Teddy’s experience and creativity help our clients develop their corporate identities, campaign initiatives, and overall marketing and design strategies.

Teddy graduated valedictorian with a degree in Specialized Technology and went on to earn his Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) from the International Franchise Association (IFA) in 2017. He joined SMB Franchise Advisors in 2019 and enjoys working with SMB clients to define the visual voice of their brand.

Lisa Saad joined the team in 2023 and brings with her over 20 years of experience in operations, training, and management development. During her time with PenCom International, she developed and presented interactive workshops involving up to 60 participants in eight different countries. Lisa was previously the VP of Operational Development at a consulting firm based in Denver, Colorado called Top Level Management. In those two years, she developed one-on-one relationships with over nineteen clients and played a pivotal part in the development of their brands and positioning their businesses for success. Lisa then moved to Doha, Qatar, to lead the American Chamber of Commerce as the Executive Director and monitor Labor Law compliance for U.S. Soccer during the FIFA World Cup 2022.

She has worked hand in hand with both franchisors and independent business owners in various business models to build programs, design systems, and implement profitable solutions. Lisa has worked with WellBiz Brands Inc., Spicy Pickle Franchising LLC, and the Quizno’s Corporation, training thousands of franchisees and independent owners on leadership, coaching, marketing, sales, profitability, customer service, and management skills.

Her undergraduate degree was obtained in Human Resources and Family Science at the University of Nebraska. She conducted master’s level coursework in Information and Learning Technologies from the University of Colorado.

Jorge Quintana assists our emerging franchisors by analyzing financials to determine an accurate portrayal of franchise unit economics helping to develop their Item 19, Financial Performance Representation, for their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). He also provides assistance with financial projections mapping out potential future growth of the franchise system. 

Jorge has more than 25 years’ experience in finance and accounting. Prior to joining the SMB team, Jorge was the Director of Operations at Smart Tax Franchise Group for 9 years, where he was responsible not only for the performance of the franchise, but updating annual financial statements for the FDD renewals. Jorge is a registered Enrolled Agent, and owns and operates a tax preparation and consulting practice. With his experience as a small business owner he understands what franchisors and their franchisees experience. 

Franchising is an industry he loves because of the continually changing business trends that lead the rest of the industry. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the College of Staten Island and in 2023 he earned his CFE.

Barbara Luciani joined the SMB team in January 2021 and brings with her 25 years of experience in project management and human resources. Her introduction to franchising was back in 2009 when working for a client of SMB who wanted to franchise their small business. Barbara worked with them to establish policies and procedures that would make the transition to franchising a smooth one. Barbara has assisted with supporting SMB clients at several networking and franchise expo events over the last several years as well.

Barbara was a small business owner herself with extensive experience in operations, personnel, and financial management. Her experience includes managing employee evaluations, budgeting, cash management, and creating train-the-trainer programs.

Barbara holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Human Resources. She obtained her Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) in 2024. She enjoys working with franchisors to get them up and running with a clear focus on successful outcomes.

Bob Silzle has over 30 years of experience with McDonald’s Corporation as an operations executive who started from the ground up, and as a multi-unit owner/operator. 

He brought 29 locations of Five Guys Burgers and Fries to the Philadelphia/tri-state market as Chief Operating Officer of the franchise company. There, Bob was responsible for real estate, architecture, engineering, construction, equipment purchasing, vendor sourcing, profitability, HR, operations, marketing, organizational design and development. 

With a background like this – working both sides of the franchisor/franchisee relationship – Bob looks to help SMB clients grow their business with strategic coaching and consulting, while being a hands-on out-sourced COO. Having worked with McDonald’s – the biggest – and at the beginning with Five Guys – one of the smallest franchising companies – he has learned and experienced a lot in the franchise industry, and brings with him his experience to share with clients.

Bob holds a Bachelor’s degree from Temple University, and while his background content is food, he provides an effective management process to any brick & mortar restaurant or retail operation.

Kayla Mowery joined our team in spring of 2023 to assist our Operations Team with training, technical writing and content creation for blogs, articles, social media, and operation manuals.

Kayla is a fourth-generation entrepreneur and witnessed firsthand how to grow a small business by working in her parents’ pet industry franchise at the young age of 8. Since then, she has worked for other franchisees and independent owners in food, beverage and mobile operations.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and an Associate’s degree in English, Kayla brings a unique perspective to her role with her past experiences. ­­She loves helping others succeed and has a passion for writing.

Fern has over 35 years of experience in many facets of the franchising industry. Most recently, she worked for McDonald’s where she was responsible for optimizing the marketplace through new site development while maximizing system profits, regional income and return on investment. Fern was responsible for all real estate activities within her assigned area.

She began her career at Meineke where she held the positions of Director of Real Estate, with responsibility for the company’s development and expansion, Regional Development Manager and National Advertising Manager. Through her career in franchising she has also worked for Lee Myles, Manhattan Bagel and Rita’s Water Ice in Real Estate Manager and Director positions. She enjoys working with new franchise owners to assist them through the franchise development process.