Nick Neonakis - Franchise Consultant

Florida

“I believe we are successful when our clients are successful.”

As the Founder and CEO of The Franchise Consulting Company, Great American Expos and The Franchise Journal, my mission is to help entrepreneurs succeed through franchising. Listening and giving objective advice is at the core of everything I do. These two parts of my mission reinforce each other and make my practice strong and enduring.

Nick Neonakis has over 20 years of franchise business experience with 10 years as a senior executive on the publicly traded franchisor level.

Mr. Neonakis is proof of the American Dream in action; his family moved from Greece when he was a boy and achieved success in this country through hard work and education. Now, his greatest joy - outside of his family - is in helping those who have made the decision to achieve independence through business ownership make their own dream a reality.

Mr. Neonakis' academic credentials include a M.B.A. in Finance, Marketing and Strategy from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Trinity College in Hartford, CT and a degree from the Albert Ludwigs Universitat in Freiburg, Germany. In addition, he has taken numerous post-graduate courses in business, strategy and management. He speaks English and Greek and is comfortable in Spanish, French and German. He guest lectures on the topic of franchising at the Weatherhead School of Management and has been interviewed in several publications.

After his undergraduate studies, Mr. Neonakis moved to Santorini, Greece where he operated a small business for several years and had the opportunity to travel the world. After returning to the U.S., he moved to New York City - where he worked at the World Trade Center. As a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley and Charles Schwab, he enjoyed working with high net worth individuals and small businesses on financial planning and investments. He returned to school to get an M.B.A. in 2000.

After completing his studies in 2002, he entered the world of franchising and was hired by the leading publicly traded North American brand in the category of property services - FirstService Brands. This multi-line franchise company is the owner of franchised brands such as California Closets, Paul Davis Restoration, College Pro Painters, Certa Pro Painters, Floor Coverings International, Stained Glass Overlay, Handyman Connection, Pillar to Post, BrandPoint Services and TLS. As the Vice President of Stained Glass Overlay, the world’s largest decorative glass franchise with 320 locations in 38 countries and the Vice President of Floor Coverings International, the largest flooring franchise with over 100 locations in North America, he has been involved in every aspect of the franchisor / franchisee relationship.

From growing brands domestically and internationally, mentoring franchise owners and working with individuals to understand if franchise ownership is the right step for them, Mr. Neonakis brings a wealth of experience to the table. He believes his best skill is listening and asking questions. Today, Mr. Neonakis uses his 20 years of experience in franchising, finance and business to help people realize their dream of independent business ownership. Mr. Neonakis Lives in Coral Gables, FL with his wife Stephanie and their children - Megan, Max and Alex. In his spare time, he enjoys boating, fishing, traveling and cooking.

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