September 12, 2024

SMB Franchise Advisors Announces it is Expanding its Executive Team

National firm adds franchise expert Shannon Wilburn, CEO of Shine Executive Coaching, to expand executive coaching and mentoring for its Launch and Grow programs.

Doylestown, PA, September 12, 2024

SMB Franchise Advisors, a national firm that helps small and medium sized businesses launch and grow their organizations through franchising, is pleased to announce it is adding Shannon Wilburn as Executive Director and Franchise Coach.

Shannon Wilburn has joined the SMB Franchise Advisors team to help franchise founders grow.

Wilburn is co-founder and former CEO of Just Between Friends Franchise Systems Inc., the nation’s leading children’s and maternity consignment event.

SMB Franchise Advisors has been working with national brands since 2009, offering a full suite of services to help emerging brands launch and grow their franchise system. Their services include New Business Establishment, Franchise Planning, Operations and Training, Financial Services and Marketing Consultation.

The company has served more than 500 national brands, including notable clients K9 Resorts, GYMGUYZ, Ivybrook Academy, and Clean Franchise Brands.

SMB Franchise Advisors also provides a vast library of valuable educational tools and resources help clients stay informed about the latest industry trends. They also host an annual summit for clients. By adding Wilburn to its successful team, SMB Franchise Advisors will now offer executive coaching and mentoring.

Wilburn has more than two decades of experience as a successful franchisor as co-founder and former CEO of Just Between Friends Franchise Systems, Inc. (JBF Franchise). Wilburn began her company in her living room in 1997 in Tulsa, Okla. as a small neighborhood sale. It grew to a large semi-annual event and in 2004 they formed the franchise system, which is a successful, multi-million-dollar company with more than 150 franchises in 33 states. Wilburn gained valuable experience building her business from the ground up.

While serving as CEO of JBF Franchise, Wilburn was an active member of the International Franchise Association and is a Certified Franchise Executive. She also received IFA’s Bonnie Levine award in 2020 which recognizes a female franchisor who is a top role model in the franchising industry.

Wilburn sold the franchise system in 2022 to one of her lead franchisees and is still involved as an advisor and brand ambassador. She launched, “Shine Executive Coaching” to work with 6 and 7-figure purpose-driven founders and entrepreneurs who want to scale their businesses.

As a member of SMB Franchise Advisors, she will help the company’s clients onboard franchisees, establish processes for marketing, operations, growth and developing long term plans. Wilburn will help guide them, using her proven strategies to avoid the pressures and pitfalls she experienced.

Brian Luciani, Chief Growth Officer for SMB Franchise Advisors, says the executive team is excited to add Wilburn to help them truly expand their services for their clients.

“Shannon brings a wide breadth of knowledge and expertise to our clients. She offers the experienced perspectives of a small business founder, emerging and growing franchisor and someone who successfully negotiated and executed her exit plan.  We’re excited for her to take these experiences and share them with the more 500 brands that we helped launch and grow in the franchise industry. Our team is excited to continue our growth by offering these new and differentiated services with Shannon as a member of our franchise family,” explains Luciani.

In her new role, Wilburn will provide executive coaching and mentoring for franchisors which will include creating and executing masterminds, small group learning events and networking series exclusively for clients of SMB Franchise Advisors.

“I’m excited to join SMB Franchise Advisors because the firm fills a critical gap I’ve encountered while working with emerging franchisors. While I’ve been able to help brands grow, I realized I needed more resources for pre-emerging brands that are just beginning to explore franchising. SMB’s coveted reputation and expertise in areas like FDDs, operations manuals, branding, and marketing allows me to confidently serve these brands and guide them through the transformation as they enter the franchise space. I’m thankful that brands have the opportunity to partner with SMB to enter the market and that I get to be a part of serving them in their growth story,” explained Wilburn.

SMB Franchise Advisors is accepting new clients and works with brands that are exploring the idea of franchising as well as those who are looking for an in-depth analysis of their brand and strategies for growing and scaling the company. Visit www.smbfranchising.com.

Company Contact: Dawn Abbamondi, [email protected] 855-SMB-2009/855-762-2009

Media Contact: Diane White, [email protected] 918-770-3905

The SMB Team at the 2023 annual SMB Summit

About SMB Franchise Advisors

SMB Franchise Advisors was created in 2009 to support small and medium-sized businesses and their owners as they prepare to grow their company through franchising.  From helping emerging companies with their initial launch to helping brands grow to re-invigorating established franchises, SMB Franchise Advisors’ utilizes a hands-on approach. The executive team works to explore, inspire and nurture a brand’s full potential, from its beginning phases through its journey to become a household name.

They work with founders who are ready to franchise their business and grow into a national brand. SMB has more than 15 executive team members who each have an average of 20 years’ experience in a variety of critical areas involved in franchising: finance, operations, marketing and development. The SMB team helps business owners navigate the landscape from concept to franchise brand while teaching the essentials of franchising. During the past 15 years, the SMB Franchise Advisors team have successfully helped more than 500 brands.  They are active members of the International Franchise Association (franchise.org) with team members currently serving on the Membership Committee, Supplier Forum Advisory Board, Women’s Franchise Committee and the IFA Foundation as a member at large.