Key Takeaways from Mexico鈥檚 International Franchise Convention
Nov 04, 2026
By: Ilse Maubert
Last week, the American Franchise Academy traveled to Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, to participate in the International Convention of the Mexican Franchise Association (AMF).
We traveled not only so our CEO & Founder, Aicha Bascaro, could give a keynote to local Franchisors about the 5 systems of a successful franchise system, but also because Aicha leads the US committee of the International Franchise Association (IFA) for the Trilateral Franchise Agreement, signed between the US, Mexico, and Canada.
It was also an exploration and networking trip, aligned with our mission to go multilingual by 2027. But we got so much more than that. Over those four days, we gained new perspectives, learned about new technology, made connections and friendships, and confirmed that, despite our differences, franchises bring amazing people and markets together.
In this blog post, we share highlights from our time in Mexico.
Omotenashi: Going Beyond Customer Service
The convention kicked off with an inspiring conference on Japanese service culture, led by Alejandro Kasuga, a Mexican businessman of Japanese descent, creator of the Kizukai® Methodology, and author of “Kizukai® Methodology, Kaizen applied to organizational culture”.
Alejandro shared that in Japan, service, punctuality, order, and discipline are not just words; they are part of daily life. Even within companies, they are part of the organizational culture.
So much so that they have a concept to explain the Japanese culture of service: omotenashi, which not only combines courtesy with service but goes beyond what is expected. It is even a mindset that focuses on making people happy.
To achieve this, your people need to:
- Do things well, with order and cleanliness. “Order and cleanliness are the only values we can see and witness the before-and-after. That’s why they must be the baseline for our organizational cultures”, explained Alejandro.
- Follow the standardized processes you set. “If we don’t stabilize the processes, we cannot improve”.
- Know exactly what the company is selling, so they don’t mislead the customer.
- Understand that every individual action they take affects the end customer as well as the internal customers (the employees).
- Everyone needs to be accountable for their own jobs and also share responsibility for everyone else.
“The basis of everything is discipline because that’s the bridge between goals and achievements,” shared Alejandro.
He also told us about kiki, the Japanese word for “crisis”, made up of two concepts: the first ki, which means danger, and the second ki, which means opportunity. “Crises are good,” said Alejandro, “because when there is danger, you stop to analyze and look for new solutions and opportunities. Crises are times of growth”.
Finally, he shared that we must transform our companies from dinosaurs, slow in how we move, into chameleons that constantly change and adapt as quickly as possible to survive.
Opportunities for Global Growth
The 2026 convention of the Mexican Franchise Association had an international component, with guests such as the American Franchise Academy. But we were not the only foreigners there.
From Spain, Centro de Franquicias shared the steps Franchisors should take to migrate their concepts to that country successfully:
- Conduct a feasibility and market study.
- Evaluate potential locations.
- Adapt the business model to Spain's specific economic conditions.
- Tropicalize the processes, operating manuals, and the franchise agreement.
- Adapt the work plan to comply with local regulations.
They also explained how they provide professional support for international growth. This is especially helpful because it ensures all necessary adaptations and considerations are in place before going global.
The city of McAllen, Texas, also participated with a talk on why this destination is a gateway to the United States, highlighting the benefits it offers, including a free soft-landing program for companies looking to expand in the US safely, with the right information and mentorship, and reduced risks.
Canada also took the stage with Sherry McNeil, President of the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA). She noted that Canadians interact with around 3 to 5 franchised brands a day and highlighted trending categories in her country, such as pets, property maintenance, home services, senior care, children’s education, and B2B services.
In this regard, a panel on the Trilateral Franchise Agreement featured Aicha, Sherry, and Betsy Eslava, President of the Mexican Franchise Association (AMF). This agreement will promote the export and import of franchising brands among the three countries.
Juan Kasuga, Aicha Bascaro, Betsy Eslava, and Sherry McNeil
José Fernández, Secretary General of the Ibero-American Federation of Franchises (FIAF), also took the stage to share expansion opportunities in Latin American countries, highlighting not only information and data but also the complexities around cultural ties, local business structures, and economic dynamics.
He categorized Latin America into three segments based on market characteristics:
- Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina, which have more local franchises.
- Central America and the Caribbean, where about 90% of franchises are imported.
- Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, which have both strong local industries and international brands.
Keep learning: Franchising in Mexico, Overview & Insights from the International Franchise Fair
Time Management, Life Management
“Time management has nothing to do with time; it has to do with the decisions you make with the time you have”, said Moy Resnick, leadership expert and founder of Impulso, during his lecture.
He suggested setting “SMARTF” goals, which are defined as those that are:
- Specific: How and when you’ll do it, with concrete actions.
- Measurable: You can’t improve what you can’t measure.
- Achievable: Your goal should be big enough to motivate you but small enough to be able to do it.
- Responsible: Ideally, achieving it should depend on you.
- Time-bound: Specify when you’re going to do it and what happens when you reach a deadline.
- Flexible: Set a reasonable frequency so you feel good about yourself, but also understand when things don’t happen as you expected.
He also shared his thoughts on how and what to prioritize, the importance of focusing on one thing at a time instead of multitasking, and of saying “no” to avoid time and energy thieves. And he reminded us not to be afraid to ask for help or delegate effectively, and that leaders should “put their people where they’re not good at” to be more successful.
Additionally, Moy encouraged us to discover our life’s purpose by combining what we love, what the world needs, what we’re good at, and what people will pay us to do.
Don’t miss: Traction vs. Distraction: Productivity Hacks for Busy Franchisees
Tips for Continuous Growth
The convention also included a lecture on franchise growth, delivered by David Rascon, Master Franchisor of Anytime Fitness Mexico. The global gym brand, which arrived in the country in 2009, currently has 120 locations and around 67 additional territories sold. Plus, over 89% of its franchisees are multi-unit operators.
“Growth isn’t just about opening new locations. There are many tasks you need to oversee and develop to grow a franchise system”, David said. He also mentioned that operating a global brand doesn’t guarantee success. “Some people think that because it's a franchise, they require less time and effort. But that’s not the case: a franchise is a business like any other. If you neglect it, it will fail; if you manage it well, it will thrive.”
His lecture covered three key points for franchise growth:
1. The right partners and territories for expansion
David shared that their growth philosophy is not to sell franchises, but to develop Franchisees, which is different.
“When someone wants to buy a franchise, we ask ourselves whether that person is willing to follow a particular way of working, meet our standards, and learn new things”, he explained. “We dismiss anyone who shows signs that they can’t adhere to a policy or system.”
He also discussed the growth paradox: selling quickly doesn’t mean opening quickly. And he explained that they currently have a significant number of franchise agreements looking for commercial space. “It’s one of the challenges that has held us back from growing more,” he admitted, “but we can’t set our gyms just anywhere in the name of growth, because that poor decision could hurt us in the future”.
2. Clear strategies for profitability
David advised that instead of worrying about spreadsheets, expenses, and sales, it’s better to focus on providing an excellent service. “The money will follow,” he said. David and his team constantly remind their Franchisees of this mentality, which helps them be more successful and profitable.
Another tip: always measure everything. That way, you’ll know what you’re missing, what you’re wasting, and what you should focus on to be more profitable.
3. Market adaptation
Anytime Fitness gyms operate 24/7, which is uncommon. “We had to educate the market about who we were and what we do, and why operating 24 hours a day wasn’t dangerous,” David said. “It’s very difficult to convince shopping centers to lease a space and give us 24-hour access, but we’ve never had any problems around this.”
They also had to adapt to consumers’ price sensitivity by positioning the brand in the middle of the market. “We’re not as expensive as premium brands, but also not as affordable as low-cost gyms. And we’re located in virtually every income bracket.”
Another thing they adapted was their marketing, making it local and tailored to each location. “This gives us a return of nearly 40% on our campaigns,” David said.
But he warned franchisors to set clear limits on what they can and can’t adapt, so they don’t put the business model at risk or lose focus.
David wrapped up his lecture with a thoughtful note:
- “Franchise success shouldn’t be measured by how many units it sells, but by how many successful entrepreneurs it can develop.”
The AMF's International Franchise Convention in Guadalajara was a remarkable experience that not only allowed us to share insights and foster connections across borders, but also gave us valuable perspectives on franchising's evolving landscape in Mexico and Latin America.
This event also reinforced our belief that despite cultural differences, collaboration and shared aspirations can pave the way for success in the franchising world. We are excited to continue this journey and explore new horizons together.
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