FANYF schedules talk with Guatemalan franchising expert

FANYF’s programme for 15 October 2026 included a session on best practice for franchising a business, with Guatemalan expert José Roberto Fernández named as the speaker. The session focused on expansion strategies from the United States and other markets, a topic of interest to Guatemala’s franchising community.

A session dedicated to business expansion

The session appeared in the programme under the title Best practice from the United States and around the world for franchising your business. According to the listing published by FANYF, it was scheduled for 8.30–9.30 am on 15 October.

The description outlined an examination of successful franchising strategies and practices in the United States. The focus was therefore on business expansion through franchising, rather than the announcement of a new brand or a business opening in Guatemala.

For Guatemalan business owners considering franchising, the session offered a specific topic to explore: how to study experiences in other markets before deciding on a growth strategy. This educational purpose should be distinguished from a recommendation to adopt any particular formula. The session’s title and description set out its scope, but do not in themselves provide an implementation guide.

The Guatemalan expert profiled by FANYF

The event listing identified Fernández as managing director of Francorp for Central America and the Caribbean. It also highlighted 20 years of professional experience as a franchise consultant and his involvement in developing franchise structures for more than 300 chains.

These details come from the professional profile published by the organiser. The number of chains reflects his involvement in franchise development projects; it should not be interpreted as a count of Guatemalan brands or a measure of the size of the country’s franchising community.

FANYF also presented him as a founder and current treasurer of the Guatemalan Franchise Association. This role provides a direct link between the announced speaker and the country’s franchising community, alongside his regional consulting responsibilities.

The profile also covered his work as an author and columnist, including contributions on franchising through articles and interviews in América Economía, Forbes and other regional business magazines. It thus brought together consulting experience, involvement in an industry association and business writing.

International insights for a local decision

The focus announced by FANYF is relevant to a question every business considering expansion should ask: which aspects of an overseas experience could be useful, and which require its own assessment? Studying international practices does not establish that a business is ready to franchise.

As a practical consideration, before applying a strategy in Guatemala, it is worth examining the business’s operational capacity, the consistency of its offering and the support it could provide to future franchisees. These are questions to guide a business assessment, not conclusions attributed to Fernández or confirmed elements of his presentation.

The same caution applies to the session’s geographical scope. Although it drew on practices from the United States and around the world, the speaker’s regional experience and his role in Guatemala’s franchise association are what connect this news to the country.

What to review before taking the next step

For those seeking to learn about franchising, the listing provides three verifiable elements: the proposed topic, the scheduled time and the speaker’s credentials. These are useful criteria for choosing learning opportunities, without confusing an information session with advice tailored to a particular business.

The recommended next step is to turn an interest in expansion into specific questions: which processes can be replicated, what responsibilities each party would take on and what preparation the business needs. The practical takeaway: use international examples as a starting point and assess the business’s own circumstances before committing to expansion through franchising.