Franchising boasts global brands and widespread recognition, but many industries lack diversity at the ownership level. This is where Tarji Carter comes in. He is educating anyone who is willing to listen that franchising is a way to eradicate generational poverty—and build generational wealth—in the black community.
“I’m not here to beat the drum of ‘Mr. Corporation, you need to diversify.’ I take my time and my resources to bring it to the community — this is franchising, this is the opportunity, and this is how to handle it with your eyes wide open,” Carter says. “I don’t go around the country preaching that diversity is a great thing [anymore] because anyone with a brain agrees that’s a great thing. Companies that invest in diversity do better, plain and simple.”
Related: Considering Franchise Ownership? Get started today and take this quiz to find your personalized list of franchises that match your lifestyle, interests and budget.
Learn the franchising business
Carter spent 15 years working for some of the world’s largest brands, including Wingstop, Edible and Bojangles. In 2017 you launched Guest First Services, a consultancy specializing in coaching and consulting for people looking to become franchise owners.
However, as her career progressed, she realized there was a lack of diversity at the franchise ownership level. According to a study by Lending Tree, Black franchise ownership contracted by more than 18% from 2014 to 2020.
He also wants to prove an old stereotype wrong. “Just because a community is predominantly African American doesn’t mean that everyone in the community is poor, uneducated or doesn’t have the resources to become a franchisee,” Carter says, “because that seems to be the message: that it’s difficult to find qualified African American franchisees.”
The franchise player
Carter was working on a franchising initiative backed by PepsiCo when the program ended in October 2022. “It inspired me to start The Franchise Player [in January 2023]” he says. “We provide education, opportunities and resources to the African American community about franchising.”
The Franchise Player Playbook helps potential franchisees decide if the industry is a good fit. Then, Carter’s organization helps them identify the brands and opportunities that make the most sense based on their background and qualifications.
Related: From Coding to Creole Cooking: Here Are 5 Inspiring Success Stories of Black-Owned Businesses
More employee than consultant
Adrian Archie started his pet supply business petNmind about 10 years ago and decided to open a franchise in 2020. In 2021, he reached out to Carter for help. Archie had experience in sales, but the franchising process seemed daunting. “I went into franchising thinking it would just be an easy transition,” he says. “I know my business and people wanted to franchise. But I quickly realized that the franchising industry is a completely different industry in itself, regardless of the concept.”
Archie says Carter was instrumental in helping him get his franchise off the ground, which now has three locations and plans for more. “She entered the industry and immediately perfected my sales process,” he adds.
While this might be typical of a good counselor, there was more to Carter’s approach that impressed Archie. “The most unusual thing with Tarji is that he cares about how you deal with your business,” he says. “You would think she would be an employee, not just a consultant.”
Give back to the community
Like most Americans who grew up from the 1970s to today, Carter has fond memories of visits to McDonald’s. “Growing up in the inner city of Roxbury, Massachusetts, I went to all these places, especially McDonald’s,” he says. “I’ve loved it since I was a kid. I have memories of my dad and my family there.”
His father was an intelligent man but never mentioned anything about the franchise to Carter. “I found it strange because if it had been something that had reached him, he would have shared it with me,” he says. “It pains me to see that many businesses thrive in the African American community and don’t necessarily give back. They hire from the community, but how do they give back to the community?”
Related: How rap icon Jadakiss uses coffee to build black generational wealth
The franchise game
In September 2023, Carter launched The Franchise Game, the first African American franchising symposium and trade show in the country, held at Yum! Brands corporate office in Plano, Texas. The event was so successful that it will be held again this August at Yum!’s Plano campus.
The event attracted more than 150 people who attended panels featuring the franchise’s top players. “We had retired NFL player Damon Dunn, an African-American Dunkin’ affiliate, into the system,” Carter says. “He had no experience in restaurants, but he graduated from Stanford and did very well.”
Carter says the biggest takeaway from the meeting was learning from some veterans who have worked in franchising, operations, real estate and design.
An unexplored audience
Carter also began sharing his message with a younger audience. “I ended last year speaking about franchising at a couple of different types of classes at Morehouse College,” she says. “These students hadn’t considered franchising; they were all about startups.”
After her recent speech at Morehouse, several students approached her and thanked her for exposing them to franchising and its opportunities. “It was something they hadn’t considered before or hadn’t even heard of,” she says.
As Carter’s mission continues, he meets more and more Black entrepreneurs who need his services and wish he could have been there when they started. “People ask us all the time where we were 10 years ago, so there’s a need for what we’re doing here – educating an audience no one taps into in a way that truly has an impact – with compassion and empathy.”