Live at IFA 2026 with Omar Simmons, Raynya Simmons, Abby Schmidt, Ben Rush, Jonathan Hill, Jack Monson

Franchise Voice host Jack Monson brings interviews with the top leaders in Franchising recorded at the IFA 2026 convention.

The 2026 Ronald E. Harrison Award winners are Omar Simmons and Raynya Simmons. They join the podcast to discuss their vision for making the franchise space bigger and more inclusive with the IFA Ascension Initiative.

Omar and Raynya share how the Ascension Initiative has grown from 17 graduates in 2024 to 45 graduates in 2025! And we’ll discuss how the program will grow over the next few years.

Next, we’ll learn from some of the most influential suppliers in Franchising: Abby Schmidt and Ben Rush of Paychex and Jonathan Hill of Morrow Hill. These subject matter experts share the latest trends in the economics of franchising and small business ownership.

Today’s podcast is sponsored by City Lifestyle.