We are responding to the anonymous website “nofranchisetimes.com,” which calls for “all franchisors and vendors to cease advertising in The Franchise Times.” This website was created immediately after we ran a series of articles outlining problems at Unleashed Brands and the six franchises under its umbrella, which CEO Michael Browning has called “misinformation” on his LinkedIn page and Unleashed Brands has labeled with a large “Debunked” stamp and red scribbles on its website.
We at Franchise Times have independently covered all aspects of franchising for 30 years, because our readers and advertisers depend on us to do so. We write about creative founders and executives growing their brands, smart operators building profitable enterprises as franchisees, people running into financial problems during hard economic times, and everything in between. Our goal is to tell every story straight, get it right and make it interesting, so our readers can make better decisions about their livelihood.
Thank you to our thousands of readers, advertisers, sponsors and conference attendees who have relied on us for more than three decades. We are proud to give everyone in franchising a voice, including those who would otherwise be silenced or bullied, and will continue to do so to the best of our ability, for as long as you trust us to serve your needs.
Laura Michaels, Editor in Chief, Franchise Times
Mary Jo Larson, Publisher, Franchise Times
John Hamburger, President, Franchise Times Corp.