Managing people, payroll, compliance, and benefits can quickly become overwhelming for franchise owners—and when those systems aren’t working together, they pull focus away from growing the business. In this episode of AAFD TV, the official streaming show of the American Association of Franchisees and Dealers, host Joan Bowling sits down with Alex Scheglowski of VensureHR to break down how franchisees can simplify workforce management and reduce operational complexity. Alex shares how integrating HR, payroll, benefits, and compliance into one streamlined system helps franchise owners:

In this episode, you’ll learn:

We are thrilled to introduce two new landing pages designed to keep you informed on all legislative actions supported by the AAFD. These pages provide a centralized resource to track AAFD’s ongoing advocacy efforts, accomplishments, and active legislative pursuits. They will help you stay up-to-date on important bills and initiatives directly impacting franchisees.

Your active participation is more critical than ever—legislators respond to their constituents, and many franchisee voices carry extraordinary weight. We encourage you to explore our new legislative activity tracking pages and take action. Let’s amplify our collective voice to make a lasting impact!

Legislative Activity in 2026

Much like 2025, the upcoming year is already proving to be critical for franchisee rights advocacy. With newly introduced bills and holdovers from the first Congressional session, AAFD’s momentum must not falter. Our primary focus remains empowering franchisees through targeted legislative support.

Federal Legislation

• Private Right of Action for FTC Franchise Rule Violations – Franchisee Freedom Act (R.4614)
• Joint Employer Legislation – American Franchise Act (R.5267 & S.3525)

State Legislation

• California: A. 2632
• Virginia: B. 69
• Arizona: B. 2038
• Vermont: B. 733

Legislative Activity in 2025

The year 2025 marked a significant and highly active period for AAFD franchisee legislative initiatives. Our advocacy efforts were laser-focused on protecting franchisee rights, enhancing contract terms, and fostering a more equitable and profitable business system for all.

State Legislation

• Maryland – B. 0992
• New Mexico – SB 439
• Oregon
  • B. 2572
  • B. 2584
  • B. 2590
• Virginia – SB 798

We have important news to share. California Assembly Bill 2632, introduced by Assemblymember Hoover on February 20, 2026, is a significant step forward for franchisee rights across the state.

If passed, this bill will hold franchisors legally accountable for how they collect and spend fees designated for specific purposes — including advertising funds, loyalty programs, and technology fees. Put simply: your fees must be used for what they were intended for. Nothing more, nothing less.

The AAFD enthusiastically endorses this legislation and will put its full support behind its passage. – View support letter here

Action Needed
If you are a California Franchisee we need your support.

To show your support, please email Keith R. Miller at kmiller@franchiseeadvocacy.com with the following information:

• Your full name
• The full address of your franchise location

On behalf of the AAFD’s Board of Trustees, thank you for being part of the AAFD community. We’re working hard to protect franchisee rights.

Robert Purvin
Richard Stroiney
Keith Miller
Amy Mancuso

The American Association of Franchisees & Dealers (AAFD) proudly announces the appointment of Amy Mancuso as its newest Trustee. Mancuso, who currently serves as the organization’s Chief Development Officer, assumes this critical fiduciary role immediately.

Mancuso’s career with the AAFD is a testament to her drive and strategic vision. She joined the organization in 2016 as the Director of Membership, and within one year, was promoted to Executive Director in recognition of her impact and dedication. Over the next five years, she worked closely alongside AAFD founder Bob Purvin to develop and implement key growth strategies. Her efforts substantially increased the number of member association clients and established her as a respected advocate and trusted leader in the franchising industry.

In 2023, Amy was promoted to Chief Development Officer, reflecting her ability to turn vision into action. She works closely with the senior management team and governing board to implement strategies that secure new opportunities for product and service expansion. Her oversight of the AAFD’s LegaLine, supplier program and market analysis ensures that the organization remains responsive to the evolving needs of its members. Amy brings a results-driven perspective that positions the AAFD not only as an advocacy organization, but as a powerful engine for member success.

“Amy has been a tremendous asset to the AAFD and, more importantly, to advancing the efforts for franchisees,” says Rich Stroiney, AAFD’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees and CEO. “Her experience and drive has and will continue to support how the AAFD expands the franchisee voice within the franchising community and find new ways to bring our members and suppliers value. Becoming a Trustee recognizes her years of dedication to the AAFD and enhances her ability to influence the industry.”

This is what Amy had to say about this recent appointment…“I’m incredibly proud of the work we do at AAFD and the impact we’re able to make on behalf of franchisees and independent dealers. My career here has always been driven by one goal — to turn advocacy into meaningful, practical support that helps our members grow stronger businesses. As a Trustee, I look forward to continuing to be a voice of advocacy for our members.”

This dual role enables seamless alignment between the AAFD’s operational strategy and governance priorities. Mancuso’s focus remains on strengthening the framework that supports member retention while driving sustainable revenue growth. By empowering a committed leadership team, the AAFD continues to advance meaningful, system-wide improvements that benefit franchisees nationwide.

Are you ready to see what committed leadership can do for your franchise? The AAFD remains focused on fairness, sound business practices, and long-term member success.

2025: A Year of Progress and Impact

This past year, AAFD continued to strengthen its role as a leading voice and resource for franchisees and independent dealer associations. With a dedicated team and your support, we were able to accomplish the following:

• AAFD grew significantly in 2025 with 19 new Franchise Brands joining our community. This growth highlights the increasing value of independent franchisee representation and the strength of a unified voice.
• Expanded engagement across our member network, bringing more franchisees into conversations around fair franchising and system-wide best practices during monthly collaboration calls, organized by AAFD’s Chapter Managers.
• Partnered with the CFA for our Annual Franchisee Leadership Summit, which many attendees described as one of the strongest and most valuable conferences to date. The event brought meaningful education, collaboration, and industry dialogue to our community while strengthening the franchisee voice.
• Strengthened our supplier partner program, including welcoming VensureHR as a new branded partner and renewing Chatter as a branded partner, expanding valuable solutions available to members.
• Enhanced the Franchisee LegaLine program by introducing online access to legal counsel through the AAFD LegaLens platform.

• Supported chapter and association leaders by providing tools, guidance, and advocacy resources to help them operate effectively and represent their members with confidence.
• Advanced legislative and regulatory awareness, keeping members informed of key issues affecting franchising at both state and federal levels.
• Delivered educational content through AAFD TV, AAFD Social, meetings, and communications, designed to keep members informed, connected, and better equipped to navigate an evolving franchise landscape.

Looking Ahead to 2026

In the year ahead, our focus remains clear: strengthening the foundation that helps franchisees succeed. Key priorities for 2026 include:

• Deepening legislative communications and member awareness around policies that affect franchisee rights and business operations.
• Continuing to grow and refine our supplier program to ensure members have access to meaningful, high-value solutions.
• Implementing a new CRM platform that will give members direct access to their profiles, improving communication, data accuracy, and overall member experience.
• Supporting the development of strong, informed chapter leadership to amplify the collective voice of franchisees.
• Expanding member engagement through more targeted communications, educational opportunities, and practical resources.
• Identifying new partnerships and initiatives that align with AAFD’s mission of fairness, transparency, and improved profitability for franchisees.

AAFD’s strength has always come from its members.

Your participation, feedback, and leadership help shape the direction of this organization and ensure that our work remains grounded in real-world franchisee needs.

On behalf of the AAFD’s Board of Trustees, thank you for being part of the AAFD community. We look forward to building on this momentum together in 2026.

Robert Purvin
Richard Stroiney
Keith Miller
Amy Mancuso

In this episode, host Cory Mosley sits down with franchise attorney Mark Dady of Dady & Gardner, PA for a candid conversation about the real risks franchisees face—and how to avoid them.

Mark brings a franchisee-first legal perspective, sharing practical insights from representing franchisees and business owners nationwide. This episode is essential viewing for prospective franchisees, current franchise owners, and franchise leaders navigating growth, conflict, and system-wide challenges.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

To learn more about Mark Dady and his work advocating for franchisees, visit dadygardner.com/

If you found this conversation valuable, like, subscribe, and share this episode with fellow franchisees, partners, and industry peers.