Find What Drives You
What really makes an emerging brand (and the people behind it) thrive?
Early in my career, it looked like I had everything in place for success. But the truth is, I wasn’t happy. That season of life taught me a lesson I wish I’d understood earlier: focus on purpose first and build a business around something meaningful, and success will follow naturally.
If you’re building an emerging brand, the same principle applies. You can feel the difference between doing something for a paycheck and doing it because it genuinely excites you. And when others feel that energy, opportunities naturally open up.
Of course, pursuing your passion doesn’t mean doing it alone. The last four years at Benetrends have been the happiest of my professional career because I love what I do and who I do it with: helping people like you through their funding journeys so they can bring their vision to life. The right guidance makes all the difference in taking the next step, and we’ve spent decades doing exactly that.
Through my experience, long-term growth for an emerging brand comes down to three guiding principles:
- Keep an Open Mind & Stay Curious
- Partner with the Right Funding Experts
- Know Your Options Early
With this in mind, let’s walk through the three key principles that can guide long-term growth for any emerging brand.
Keep an Open Mind & Stay Curious
One of the best pieces of advice I can give entrepreneurs is this: keep an open mind and don’t box yourself in too early.
Think about it. When you’re in kindergarten and the teacher asks what you want to be when you grow up, you don’t say, “I want to own multiple Club Pilates studios.” But as you explore, you might find a concept that gives you the ownership and flexibility you’re looking for.
But keeping an open mind doesn’t mean jumping into something blindly. You need to understand your industry along with your concept. That’s where surrounding yourself with the right people matters more than you might think. The right experts can guide you toward smarter decisions early on, and conferences and industry events are a huge part of that process.
Show Up Where It Matters: Choosing the Right Events
For franchisors, events like the Emerging Franchisor Conference and the IFA Annual Convention are so much more than networking events. They’re spaces where you hear real stories from real people who have built, stumbled, and scaled successfully. You gain perspective and a playbook that can shave years off your own learning curve.
The Benetrends team attends these regularly because they’re where lasting relationships start. Here’s our team at the 2025 Emerging Franchisor Conference in Nashville, TN! Maybe we’ll get to meet you at one in the future!
For franchisees and independent owners, your time is better spent at industry-specific events. If you’re building a restoration brand, go where restoration leaders are talking about the newest equipment or technological trends. Or if you’re growing a restaurant concept, events like the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit offer a look into what’s cooking on the horizon.
And don’t overlook local community events. Getting your name and brand out there in your own backyard matters and helps people know who to call when they need your service.
The Right Funding Partner Makes All the Difference for An Emerging Brand
Question: What is the one mistake an emerging brand makes the most?
Answer: Waiting too long to talk about funding.
Everyone gets caught up in the excitement of pursuing their brand (and, rightfully so), but then realizes too late that no one’s discussed finances.
Choosing the right funding partner isn’t just about securing capital; it’s also about understanding all your options (and early). Funding isn’t one-size-fits-all. Between SBA loans, ROBS plans, and programs like our Fleet Funding, there’s far more flexibility than most people realize. A lot of franchisors shy away from the money conversation, and avoiding that conversation means wasted time and missed opportunities.
When you have a funding partner you trust, you can bring up those conversations early and with confidence. People just don’t know what they don’t know. That’s what we’re here for.
Know Your Options Early
Right now, there’s a huge push in service-based franchise concepts. Think home services, restoration, and mobile businesses. For these brands, a big chunk of the investment goes toward vehicles, trailers, and equipment.
Fleet Funding: A Game-Changer for Service-Based Brands
Our Fleet Funding Program (we call it “Wheels on the Ground”) is built specifically for this. It’s a non-SBA financing option that helps you launch faster and scale more efficiently.
Here’s what sets it apart:
- Lower interest rates than traditional SBA loans
- No personal collateral required (we use the rolling stock of the vehicle itself as collateral)
- Flexible terms (typically 5-7 years)
- No prepayment penalties & Faster timeline to open
- Additional financing available after just 6 months in business
If your concept relies heavily on vehicles or mobile operations, fleet financing can help you get your wheels on the ground (quite literally) sooner so you can start expanding your footprint.
Note: To qualify for fleet financing, a business must have been operating for a year and financed its first vehicle.
Build Your Foundation, Then Build Your Future: But Not Alone
If you’re building an emerging brand, passion gets you started, but the right partners help you grow. Sustainable growth happens when you stay curious, make informed decisions, and aren’t afraid to lean on experts when you need to.
I’ve been doing this long enough to know that everyone’s situation is different. With our network of lenders and tailored funding solutions, we can help you figure out the smartest funding path to finance your unique growth. If you’re ready to understand your options and talk about what’s next, fill out our contact form to schedule a one-on-one conversation with me.
You bring the vision. We’ll help you build the foundation to make it last!