Sales success
led by industry experts

Michael Pollock is a franchise professional with passion for helping people achieve their career and personal goals through franchising. Having been a franchisee himself as well as working with many franchisors, Michael brings a unique perspective of first hand knowledge of what does and doesn't work within franchising. Michael is a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences on franchising, entrepreneurship, and small business ownership. He is also a licensed franchise advisor and is certified by the Franchise Center of Excellence in Dallas as well as The Franchise Center Certificate Program in El Paso. Michael has been used as an industry expert to facilitate roundtable discussions with the International Franchise Association (IFA). He has also earned the prestigious Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) designation with the IFA.

Michael has a Mechanical Engineering degree from University of California at Irvine. He is married with five children ranging from 18 through 26.

James Lloyd is a driven and dedicated franchise development professional with more than 20 years of experience helping entrepreneurs achieve their dream of business ownership. As Chief Development Officer of FranLift, James combines his passion for franchising with his extensive background in sales leadership, training, operational management, and new business development. He is consistently recognized for exceeding performance goals in sales-driven environments and is widely respected for his ability to build lasting relationships with franchisees through clear, honest, and people-first communication.

James began his career as a podium speaker in the timeshare industry, where he quickly developed his natural talent for connecting with audiences and inspiring action. His professional journey has been anything but ordinary. In addition to business, James was an extremely successful competitive boxer and even earned recognition as one of the top-ranked players for various games in the battle royale esports arena, showcasing his competitive spirit and versatility across very different arenas.

In franchising, James has worked with a wide variety of organizations across multiple industries, including well-known brands such as Title Boxing Club, Mathnasium, Nations Burgers, and Dank Burrito, to mention a few. He has a proven track record of successfully launching emerging brands and guiding young concepts from one or two units into growth-focused franchise systems. His breadth of experience gives him a unique perspective on both established and emerging opportunities in the franchise world.

Outside of his professional achievements, James is known for his love of people and his energy in every environment he steps into. He prioritizes physical fitness and thrives on staying active, believing that a strong body supports a strong mind and career. He also treasures his role as a father and enjoys time with his young daughter in Kansas City.

Deora Pollock is a relentless perfectionist and accomplished leader with extensive experience in strategic planning, operational execution, process optimization, and financial performance management. As Chief Operating Officer of FranLift, she plays a pivotal role in driving organizational growth, overseeing operations, and ensuring the company continues to deliver exceptional value to its franchise partners.

Her professional background is uniquely diverse, spanning multiple industries including construction, medical, and home improvement, to mention a few of the industries. Deora has owned and operated non-franchised businesses, been a successful franchisee, and is also an active investor in franchise companies. This multifaceted experience gives her a rare and valuable perspective as she understands best practices and what drives results from the franchisor side as well as from the franchisee and investor point of view.

Throughout her career, Deora has specialized in implementing strategic finance and operational initiatives that streamline processes, reduce expenses, and accelerate both revenue and EBITDA growth. She is passionate about helping companies achieve sustainable success by combining rigorous data-driven decision-making with a deep commitment to people and culture.

Deora’s ability to bridge high-level strategy with real-world execution makes her a standout leader in franchising and beyond. Her career reflects not only decades of proven expertise but also a genuine commitment to building businesses that thrive.

Jim has a diverse and extensive business background, working for companies both large and small. He has uniquely been a franchisor and a franchisee. He has over 30 years of successes with major corporations including McDonald’s, Schering-Plough Corporation and Sega Entertainment USA, Inc. where he held various sales and senior management positions in operations, sales & marketing and customer service.

Jim is a born entrepreneur, having owned several businesses, including multiple franchise companies. Jim most recently owned, operated and sold a highly successful College Hunks Moving and College Hunks Hauling Junk franchise.

Jim also is dedicated to helping Military Veterans find their way in the self – employment world through his involvement with the Veteran Franchise Centers throughout the country. Jim is an expert in franchising and business development and is a graduate of the Franchise Center of Excellence and is a Certified Franchise Advisor.

Jim graduated from Ohio University in Athens, OH.

Frank is an accomplished Franchise Executive with over 25 years of progressive sales, business development, and management experience. He has a strong record of success in implementing sales programs adapted to various types of franchise concepts. He is recognized as a creative and innovative leader skilled in sales, business development, and lead generation, with the ability to create strong internal and external relationships with franchisors and broker/consultant organizations. He works with tenacity, integrity, and perseverance to achieve win-win results.

Before joining FranLift, Frank was the Sr. VP of Franchise Development at Premium Service Brands. Prior to that he spent over 14 years working for two different FSOs providing sales and other support services that helped franchisors grow their systems with franchisees that were the “right fit”. He also ran his own company, New Path Business Consulting. He provided extensive consulting and coaching services to entrepreneurs and executives and small size businesses. His other coaching experience includes time as a franchisee for 10 years with The Entrepreneur's Source, where he was named Consultant of the Year in 2002, and Marriott/Sodexho Marriott Services, where he was Regional Operations Support Manager. He holds two degrees from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.

Ewell Smith is the author of Your First Franchise Roadmap and hosts Your First Franchise Podcast interviewing top franchisors and franchise leaders. With a deep passion for franchising and entrepreneurship, he has dedicated over twenty years leading major business trade associations representing and working with thousands of entrepreneurs. Notably, during his time as Executive Director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, he played a crucial role in guiding the Louisiana Seafood industry through the challenges of Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill. Throughout his journey, Ewell has worked closely with entrepreneurs, providing support during both good times and brutally difficult times, and leading the way in rebuilding billions of dollars in lost seafood sales - twice.

As a franchise executive and avid advocate for entrepreneurship through franchising, Ewell leverages his experience to guide career professionals, corporate refugees, and veterans to their next chapter. Ewell founded and produced the Great American Seafood Cook-Off (Food Network & PBS) and served as past President of the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience.

Ewell received his Bachelors in Psychology from Louisiana State University and his MBA from the University of New Orleans.

Bob serves FranLift as a Sr. Franchise Development Consultant, where his cross-functional experience brings clarity, creativity, and results to the franchise sales process. He works closely with franchisors, nurtures qualified leads, and guides candidates through a thoughtful, values-driven path to ownership.

In addition to his consulting role, Bob leads FranLift’s innovation initiatives as Director of Strategic Innovation. He is recognized for challenging conventional approaches, pioneering emerging technologies, and forging partnerships that expand opportunities for the brands we serve. His focus on testing new strategies in franchise development marketing and sales positions FranLift at the forefront of the industry’s evolution.

As a former entrepreneur, Bob understands the founder’s mindset and the challenges of growing a brand. That experience shaped his collaborative approach and his ability to build strategies rooted in strong brand experiences that go far beyond traditional lead generation. Over the course of his career, Bob has supported more than 100 franchise brands, from iconic names like i9 Sports, The Melting Pot, Huddle House, Perkins, Bojangles, and Quiznos, to powerhouse emerging brands including The Slice House by Tony Gemignani, Shoot 360, and The Tox.

Bob is also known as a connector in franchising, having built long-lasting relationships with broker networks, marketers, PR firms, funders, legal advisors, technology providers, and other industry leaders. He is recognized for his integrity, energy, and visionary thinking, which make him a rising thought leader in franchising.

Bob splits his time between Wilmington, Delaware, where he lives with his two teenagers and their dog, Benny, and Nashville, Tennessee, where he also maintains a home.

Zach Pell is FranLift’s Operations & Client Support Coordinator, where his adaptability and strong work ethic make him an invaluable part of the team. He is currently working his way through his Business degree at The University of Texas at Dallas with FranLift’s full support, and he is also preparing to pursue his MBA at UTD. His academic goals align with his passion for business growth and his commitment to building a successful career in franchising.

Zach’s background includes experience in construction, food service, and retail, which has given him a broad perspective and a strong foundation across different industries. This, combined with his organizational skills, allows him to thrive in environments where efficiency and communication are essential. At FranLift he supports clients, assists the internal team, manages invoices, and contributes wherever needed to keep operations running smoothly.

Judah Berrier is FranLift’s Franchise Lead Coordinator and a Business major with a strong interest in the franchising industry. Highly organized and detail-oriented, Judah ensures leads are managed smoothly and efficiently, helping connect the right people with the right opportunities.

With a natural talent for building relationships, Judah is known for his approachable personality and ability to make others feel at ease. Married and driven to grow his career, he brings dedication, professionalism, and a passion for franchising to the FranLift team.

Kim is a sharply focused leader with a dynamic career in sales, marketing, management, and business development. Having managed businesses for both a franchisee and a franchisor, she understands each end of the industry.

As an accomplished athlete and leader, Kim has a pure determination to reach higher standards and overachieve. She has worked within competitive sales markets for companies like Nationwide and TITLE Boxing Club, as well as smaller local businesses and higher education. She has created a reputation for building successful teams and has performed in positions from top to bottom. More simply put, she in a natural born leader, extremely competitive, and constantly expanding her skill set.

Kim has a true passion to help others reach their potential, in order to thrive in their work and everyday life. She is aimed to develop relationships and help create customized strategies for our clients that will drive results and exceed goals.

Kim graduated from Indiana University and was an NCAA Academic-All American at IPFW on the Women’s Basketball Team.

In Loving Memory of our dear friend.
In his 25 years in the franchise community, Ron has been VP of Franchise Development for concepts including Threshold Brands, Wireless Zone, Big Frog Custom T-Shirts and EnviroLogik. At the same time, his consulting company helped franchise brands set up or optimize their internal franchise sales processes and assisted with building stronger franchisee-franchisor relationships.

He has been active with the IFA since 2006, has been a CFE since 2010 and volunteers with Franchising Gives Back. Ron serves as Vice Chair on the IFA VetFran Committee and is in demand as a speaker and moderator at franchise industry events. He has also been recognized with Franchise Update STAR Awards several times.

Before getting into the franchise industry, Ron got a BS from Texas A&M and worked in retail multi-unit management, sales training and marketing with Ritz Camera Centers. Ron has also been a partner in a US Master Franchise, bringing the Local Handyman concept here from Canada.He is passionate about helping people achieve their dreams and take control of their income and their lifestyle through franchise ownership Ron is also passionate about our oceans and environment, college football, travel, lighthouses, pets, beach volleyball, sports cars, family and friends!