Ben Litalien

Ben has invested three decades in the franchise community, with a broad range of executive management and franchise-building experience. His specific strengths are in strategic growth planning, organizational communications, concept management, leadership and franchise development. He has created and implemented strategic plans for a diverse group of companies, and under his direction and management he forged significant expansion in the United States and abroad, as well as increasing brand awareness and improving profitability.
Ben is the Founder and Principal of Franchise Well, LLC, a consulting practice dedicated to the improvement and enhancement of franchising. Simply put, "Franchising can be done 'well' if there is a disciplined approach, systems thinking and a commitment to the betterment of society". He is also on staff at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Education as the Director of the Franchise Management Certificate Program, where he teaches franchise professionals from across the country and around the world the franchise model. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus in Adelphi, MD where he teaches online courses in the business school. Ben is also the faculty instructor at the Liniger Center on Franchising, in the Daniels School of Business at the University of Denver where he developed and teaches courses on franchise management.
After developing and exiting four franchise concepts, Ben invested over four years with the ExxonMobil Fuels Marketing Company as the U.S. Franchise Development Manager, based in Fairfax, Virginia. He oversaw the Company's On the Run convenience store franchise for Exxon and Mobil branded distributors in the U.S., creating a unique Regional Developer model that was responsible for almost 1,000 franchise units in development. Since forming Franchise Well in 2009, Ben has become a trusted advisor for a diverse collection of organizations using the franchise model including IKEA, RE/MAX, Direct Energy, The UPS Store, Snap-on, Subway, ZEROREZ, InXpress, Celebree, Dill Dinkers Pickleball and TruGolf Links.
Ben is a recognized speaker on "Franchise Development" and "Franchising for Good". He has been referenced as a franchising expert in feature articles of Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Chain Leader, Entrepreneur Magazine, QSR Magazine, Convenience Store Decision, and Restaurant Hospitality. He has also authored articles that appeared in industry periodicals such as Franchising World, Franchise Asia and Successful Franchising and he is a Contributor for Forbes.com on Franchising. Ben is a frequent speaker and presenter for franchise conventions and conferences including Kiddie Academy, InXpress, RE/MAX, the International Franchise Association, Philippine Franchise Association and Franchise Asia.
Ben completed his doctoral program at the University of Maryland Global Campus in 2012 focused on the theory of Social Franchising. He was presented with the Karp Research Foundation Award in 2011 for the ‘best paper in franchising’. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas and an Executive Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. He received his CFE (“Certified Franchise Executive”) designation from the International Franchise Association in 2003. He also serves on the Board of Directors for JIBU, a benefit organization that franchises retail water stores in East Africa and is highly regarded as one of the best “social franchises” in the world. Ben is also on the Board of Directors for Brain Balance, a retail franchise serving families with children that are autistic or with development issues. Ben has been married for 39 years and has three grown children and four grandsons. He was on the 1999 winning Indy 500 pit crew for A.J. Foyt, Jr. racing and is an avid fly fisherman, golfer, and classic car restorer.