The Franchise Game, dedicated to fostering and elevating underrepresented entrepreneurs into franchise ownership, hosted its highly anticipated summit on Aug. 15 at Yum! Brands’ headquarters in Frisco, Texas.
This standing-room-only experience brought together powerhouse franchisees, financial leaders, brand executives, and aspiring owners for a day of education, inspiration, and deal-making—with a clear focus on opening doors in untapped markets and high-growth communities rich with talent, creativity, and entrepreneurial drive. By spotlighting these often-overlooked regions and voices, The Franchise Game is actively shifting the landscape of ownership and opportunity.
Launched in 2023, The Franchise Game is dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs by providing the knowledge, resources, and connections critical for success in franchise ownership. The event embodied this mission fully.
Presented by co-founders Tarji Carter, Dessie Brown Jr., and Daylon A. Goff, the one-day experience was designed to break down barriers to entry, demystify the franchise industry, and provide real access to capital, mentorship, and ownership pathways. Their collective backgrounds span decades of strategic development, marketing, and entrepreneurial growth.
“We created The Franchise Game to close the wealth gap through business ownership,” said Carter. “This event is about access, real game‑changing connections, resources, and conversations that put underrepresented communities in a position to win.”
Event Highlights Included:
- “The Franchise Life: Unfiltered”, featuring candid insights from franchisees representing Dunkin’, Baskin‑Robbins, Mosquito Joe, and Elements Massage.
- The Franchise Impact Award, honoring Roland Parrish, McDonald’s owner‑operator and business leader, for his outstanding leadership and commitment to creating opportunities in franchising.
- Coleen and Kirk Jeter, multi-unit franchisees and powerhouse couple, shared candid lessons on scaling with intention, operational excellence, and true partnerships.
- A compelling strategic partnerships session with voices from the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, IFA, City of Duncanville, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and Shipley Do‑Nuts.
- Marketing deep‑dives from Creative Velocity on harnessing authentic branding to drive revenue.
- Legal and financial insights from Clark Hill on navigating franchise law and minimizing risk.
Attendees also benefited from immersive networking in the Trade Show Pavilion, where they engaged directly with franchise development representatives from leading brands, including Smoothie King, The Original Hot Dog Factory, and others.
“Our goal is to take the mystery out of franchising and build a pipeline of multi‑unit owners from underserved communities,” said Goff. “Franchising is often a hidden path to wealth; we’re putting it front and center.”
The event closed with co-founder Brown Jr. motivating attendees to stay connected, take bold strides forward, and “play the game to own the team.”
For information and sponsorship opportunities for next year’s event, visit franchisegamechanger.com.
About The Franchise Game
Founded in 2023, The Franchise Game is on a mission to level the playing field in franchising by empowering underserved and underrepresented entrepreneurs with the knowledge, resources, and connections they need to achieve ownership and scale their businesses.
Founders include:
- Tarji Carter – Founder & CEO of The Franchise Player, with nearly 20 years of franchise development experience across brands like Cinnabon, Dunkin’, Wingstop, Edible, and Bojangles’, and former Chief Development Officer at The Original Hot Dog Factory.
- Daylon A. Goff – Brand marketing and media executive with two decades of experience, including leadership roles at JET Media Group, Initiative, Wingstop, and The Marketing Arm.
- Dessie Brown, Jr. – Marketing and event production strategist behind LD Unlimited, with work spanning industries and clients such as AT&T, State Farm, Cheetos, FX, Wingstop, Genius Entertainment, and more.
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