So I already have over 15 blogs where I talk about best practices and success stories, all related to the world of franchising. In this blog, I thought I’d tell you a bit about myself, my journey over the last 40 years, the lessons I’ve learned, and why I believe I can help you navigate the world of franchising successfully.

Table of Contents:

1. Early Life and Education
2. First Steps in the Franchise Industry
3. From Franchisee to Franchise Consultant
4. International Franchise Expansion
5. Founding the Israel Franchise Institute
6. My Experience within the World of Startups
7. Why I Do What I Do Today
8. Next Steps

Early Life and Education

I was born in South Africa, where my early exposure to business came from my father’s furniture company. From the age of 10, I was already selling furniture at Johannesburg’s annual Rand Easter Show, learning firsthand about sales, strategy, and entrepreneurship. My mother, deeply involved in the family business, shaped my understanding of leadership, resilience, and staying grounded—qualities that have guided me throughout my career.

After completing two years of military service, I pursued studies in Hotel Management, Marketing & Advertising, and later studied Mediation & Arbitration at the Bar-Ilan University in Israel, where I now live.

With over 40 years of experience in restaurant ownership, franchising, and mentoring business leaders, my passion today lies in helping entrepreneurs transform their successful businesses into thriving franchise brands. I’ve worked with major franchised companies, guided emerging franchisors, and even mentored industry mentors—all with the goal of driving sustainable franchise growth.

First Steps in the Franchise Industry

My career started in South Africa as an Area Manager at Juicy Lucy (1983-1985), overseeing operations in a 400-location franchise network. It was my first real exposure to the structured business world of franchising, which was fascinating to me.

Later, I moved to Israel and joined the Sheraton Hotel (1985-1989) in the Food & Beverage Department, refining my understanding of hospitality and operations.

From Franchisee to Franchise Consultant

In 1989, I joined Pizza Hut Israel, working in restaurant management and training until 1993. It was during this time that I decided to take a leap of faith and become a Subway franchisee (1993-1995), running my own location. This hands-on experience gave me firsthand insight into the challenges franchisees face.

For the next five years, I shifted gears, working independently in the arts while studying Marketing and Advertising (1995-2000). But I always knew I would return to franchising.

International Franchise Expansion

In 2000, I joined Subway as a consultant, serving as the Country Developer for Israel, Sweden, Finland, and South Africa (2000-2009). Expanding Subway’s presence in different markets taught me the power of adapting a brand internationally while maintaining consistency.

From 2009 to 2011, I worked as International Franchise Director for Erroca Sunglasses, managing their global expansion.

Founding the Israel Franchise Institute

In 2011, I launched the Israel Franchise Institute (IFI), where I serve as Founder & CEO. IFI has allowed me to work as a consultant, business mentor, and outsourced international director, helping companies build successful franchises both locally and internationally.

Some of my key consulting and mentorship roles include:

• Spartan (Romania) – A fast-growing restaurant franchise
• Latable group of restaurants
• Chicken Station
• BBB Burger Group

Additionally, within IFI, I’ve taken on leadership roles such as:

• Chairman of the Franchise Regulation Committee for the LAHAV association in Israel
• Franchise Mediator and Arbitrator for the Israel Conflict Resolution Center
• Award-winning consultant, receiving the MEA Business Awards for Best Franchise Development & Education Consultancy in Israel (2022, 2023, 2024)
• Judge for the Global Franchise Awards (2023 & 2024)

My Experience within the World of Startups

One of my most exciting projects was leading the international expansion for Startplan, Israel’s largest startup consulting company. I helped establish their first international branch in London, from securing office space to hiring and training their London team.

I also became a team member of Franchise Generator (Romania) and a mentor to its founder, Stefan Mandachi.

Why I Do What I Do Today

After decades in the industry, I’ve realized that franchising is about more than just expanding a business—it’s about building a sustainable system that benefits both franchisors and franchisees. Many businesses fail in franchising not because their idea is bad, but because they lack the right strategy, training, and support, but more importantly, their lack of willingness to seek professional advice.

That’s why I created FranEd.com—to offer real, practical guidance to business owners considering franchising. Whether you’re just getting started or need to refine your franchise model, I’m here to help you avoid costly mistakes and scale successfully.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If you’re serious about franchising, I’d love to help you navigate the process the right way.

Next Steps

If you found the above information interesting, why not look at my free lesson '8 Essentials for Franchising' - a short but powerful guide to help you determine if your business is ready to franchise.