Your Brand Belongs In the Room.
Franchise Brokers Association · Events Overview 2026–2027
The brokers placing franchises right now are gathering in the same rooms. The brands they present to candidates are the ones they've actually met. FBA events exist to close that gap — and this page walks you through everything you need to decide if now is the right time to show up.
Choose your path — or take both.
Two Ways to Get in Front of Active Brokers
Seattle Regional
Intimate regional event
FBCE Annual Conference
Flagship annual expo
⚡ Seattle is nearly sold out. 5 spots remain — this section will be gone before you finish reading this page.
Regional Events — Built Differently
The Problem With Big-Show Thinking
Most franchise expos follow the same formula: hundreds of brands, a six-foot table, eight hours on your feet, and a badge-scanning machine. You walk away with a stack of business cards and no real relationships.
That's not what FBA regional events are built to do.
What Makes a Regional Different
FBA regionals are smaller, intentional, relationship-first gatherings. Here's what that actually means:
- Active brokers only. Every person in the room is a working FBA consultant actively placing franchise candidates — no passive attendees, no tire-kickers.
- Multiple touchpoints throughout the day. Outings, networking sessions, presentations, and speed networking. You show up as a person, not a listing.
- Real 1-on-1 time. You get to tell the story behind your brand — not just the elevator pitch version — to people who have candidates looking right now.
- The connections carry. Brokers work with brands they trust. That trust starts in the room and follows into every candidate conversation they have.
How FBA Prepares the Room Before You Arrive
This is what separates FBA regionals from every other event:
Validated Brokers
We don't just invite anyone. Every broker in the room is an active, producing FBA member who is placing candidates right now.
Pre-Event Prep
Before every regional, we reach out to attending brokers and ask them: Who do you have in your current pipeline that might be a strong fit for the brands at this event? Brokers don't show up cold. They show up activated — with specific candidates already in mind.
Activated Mindset
When a broker walks into an FBA regional and meets your team, they're not thinking "I'll keep them in mind." They may already have someone in mind. That's a fundamentally different quality of conversation.
Hear It From a Broker
"When I've been primed before an event, I walk in different. I'm not just networking — I'm problem-solving. I'm thinking about my candidates, and I'm genuinely looking for the brand that fits. That's a completely different energy for the brand sitting across from me."
FBCE Annual Conference
If Brokers Don't Know Your Brand, They Can't Sell It.
It doesn't matter how strong your Item 19 is. It doesn't matter how polished your FDD is. If the broker sitting across from a perfect candidate has never heard of you — your brand is not in that conversation.
FBCE is where you change that.
FBCE — the Franchise Brokers Consultant Expo — is the biggest annual gathering of FBA's broker community. These are not passive attendees. These are serious, educated franchise consultants actively building their pipelines. They arrive ready to learn, ready to meet brands, ready to add new options to the conversations they're already having.
"I look forward to FBCE because it is the place where I update my brand portfolio. I get to see what's new, what's grown, what's evolved. The brands I meet at FBCE go into my active rotation for candidate conversations. The ones I don't meet? They stay a mystery to me."
FBCE is not a nice-to-have. It's where broker brand awareness gets built.
What's New at FBCE 2026 — Three Big Changes
We didn't just plan another conference. We looked at what brands and brokers wanted more of — and made it better.
New Offsite Experience
A brand-new evening event added to the FBCE schedule. Think less conference room, more good vibes — the kind of setting where conversations that started on the expo floor actually turn into something real.
Monday night, brands can take brokers out to dinner. Relationships get cemented in the kind of environment where people actually let their guard down and connect.
The brands who are in the room for this evening are going to be remembered.
The Expo Format Has Been Reimagined
Gone: the traditional 6-foot table.
Here: coffee conversation lounge format — cozy seating, intimate clusters, brands and brokers sitting side by side with no barrier between them.
"When I walk up to a traditional booth, I'm already in a different mindset — scanning, quick-pitching, moving. But when I walk into a lounge setup and someone says 'sit down, let's talk,' everything changes. The conversation goes deeper. I learn things about a brand I would never pick up in a five-minute booth flyby."
Curated Schedules for Brands & Brokers
Both brands and brokers now select their own agenda through the event app.
For brands: Prioritize the education, panels, and networking that actually maps to your goals. No more sitting through sessions that don't apply to you.
For brokers: They choose which brands to engage with and which sessions to attend — so when a broker shows up at your space, they chose to be there. They didn't wander in. They selected you.
The face time you get with brokers at FBCE is now qualified face time. They didn't wander in — they selected you. That's a completely different energy.
The Broker Perspective
We asked FBA brokers a direct question: What would you tell a brand that's on the fence? Here's what they said — unscripted.
"Why is it so important for NEW brands to attend an in-person event? Because we present brands we trust. And we trust brands we know. You can't build that from a listing."
"How likely are you to present brands that you spend time with? Significantly more likely. Showing up isn't just good manners — it's a direct input into how often your brand ends up in a candidate conversation."
"When I see the same brand at a regional in the spring and then again at FBCE in the fall, that tells me something. It tells me this brand is invested. They're serious. That trust compounds every time you show up."
"Brokers work with brands they trust. That trust starts with a real conversation — the kind that actually sticks."
You're Not in This Alone
Every FBA member has a dedicated Client Success Manager — one of the most underutilized resources in the membership. Your CSM is your point of contact for everything:
Broker Feedback Loop
Hear what brokers are actually saying about your brand, your listing, and your messaging. What's landing, what's not, and where there may be an opportunity to sharpen your presence.
Membership Guidance
Your CSM helps you understand where to focus and how to maximize your FBA presence based on your specific goals.
Event + Membership Bundling
Bundling event participation with your membership can create meaningful savings. Ask your CSM what's available for your situation before you register.
You don't have to figure this out on your own. If you're not sure where to start, your CSM is the first call.
Take the Next Step
You've Seen the Room. Now Show Up.
You've seen the room. You've heard from the brokers. You know what showing up does — and what not showing up costs. Here's what to do now:
Register for Seattle Regional
Only 5 spots left — 2026
The room is being set. Brokers are registered and prepped. Brands are locking in. This is not a waitlist situation — it's a first-come, first-served final window.
Register for the Seattle Regional Event →Secure Your FBCE Booth
15 booths remaining
The new lounge format. The offsite evening. Curated broker face time. This is FBCE's most upgraded year yet — and the brands who lock in now get first choice on placement.
Inquire About FBCE 2026 →Not Sure Where to Start?
Let's have a strategy conversation — not a pitch. We'll walk through your brand's goals, what's available, and what actually makes sense for where you are right now.
Reach out directly to the event sales team:
- Caleb Griggs — Event Sales Team · c.griggs@franchiseba.com
- Josh Compton — Event Sales Team · j.compton@franchiseba.com
- Brianna LaCaruba — Senior Event Planner · b.lacaruba@franchiseba.com
Or connect through your Client Success Manager — they'll point you in the right direction.
"The brands I work hardest for are the ones I know. The ones that showed up, had a real conversation with me, and let me understand what makes them special. That's what builds the broker relationship. And that's what FBA events are designed to give you. We're not asking you to do everything. We're asking you to show up — and let us help you make the most of it."