It’s been one month since I had the pleasure of attending Franchise Times’ Annual Finance & Growth Conference in Las Vegas! Hosted by one of the industry’s leading publications, the Finance & Growth Conference attracts hundreds of senior-level franchising executives. This event creates a dynamic space for networking and dealmaking, as franchise brands share their expansion plans with lenders, investors, and prospective multi-unit investors.

If the dynamic energy of this year’s conference was any indication, available resources for financing your franchise are in abundance. More companies are now available to assist you with your financing needs. If you’re in the market, check out a few of these standout resources:

• ApplePie Capital (San Francisco, CA)
• Ascentium Capital (Kingwood, TX)
• Direct Capital (Portsmouth, NH)
• Siegel Financial Group (Conshohocken, PA)

Stay connected for an exclusive look at Pure Franchise’s curated directory of lenders and dealmakers.

Presentations from mature systems like Dunkin’ Donuts, Firehouse Subs, and Jersey Mike’s Subs were very compelling. In all my years of experience in the franchising world, I’m still fascinated by how franchise systems continue to come up with new growth strategies as their customer base evolves.

While at the conference, I metTim Mullany, CFO of PieFive Pizza,who took one of the prizes for most innovative concepts. A build-your-own-pizza concept with customized options, including gluten free, vegan and more –Pie Five is rising in the ranks as one of the leading fast casual restaurant concepts. The clincher is that each pizza is served hot and ready in 140 seconds. That is quite a business model!

All in all, this event encouraged attendees to listen to what SBA lenders, real estate investors, and other financial intermediaries had to say about today’s franchise lending landscape. And it also allowed attendees to speak directly to the lenders and investors about their particular interests. If you’re a fan of exploring the nuts and bolts of franchise development, this event is an absolute must. Be sure to view my list of franchise resources for more information about upcoming industry events!