MFV Expositions

What MFV Expositions does

MFV Expositions, founded in 1991 and headquartered in Glen Rock, New Jersey, is a privately held franchise trade show organizer and a subsidiary of the international event group Comexposium. The company produces the Franchise Expo Series, a portfolio of six annual franchise expos held across major North American markets — International Franchise Expo (New York), Franchise Expo South (Fort Lauderdale), Franchise Expo West (Glendale, AZ), Franchise Expo Dallas, Franchise Expo Cincinnati, and Franchise Expo Germany (Messe Frankfurt) — together with selected partner events. Across this portfolio, MFV convenes more than 500 franchisor exhibitors and 150+ educational sessions per year, serving two primary customer groups: franchisors and franchise brands seeking qualified leads, and prospective franchisees, multi-unit operators, and area developers exploring franchise ownership.

The company's core technology surface is BeTheBoss.com, a wholly-owned global online franchise directory covering the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. The directory uses search and data technology to provide franchisors with online exposure and lead generation, functioning as a year-round digital complement to the episodic live expos. The technology stack is conventional directory and search infrastructure rather than an AI-native platform, and the franchise does not disclose APIs, SDKs, or proprietary algorithms.

MFV operates an event-driven go-to-market motion, generating revenue primarily through exhibitor and sponsorship fees paid by franchisors to participate in the expos, supplemented by attendee registration and conference program fees and by online directory listings via BeTheBoss.com. Exhibitor sales are executed by a small direct sales team of Senior Account Executives and a VP of International Sales. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled through sales inquiry; multi-year exhibitor contracts are referenced. The company is actively operating, with the 2026–2027 expo calendar published and ongoing content marketing (blog, podcast, email) and earned media partnerships with Business Insider, Entrepreneur, Fox Business, Franchise Times, Global Franchise, and The Wall Street Journal supporting demand generation.

Name

MFV Expositions

Legal name

MFV Expositions

Website

https://franchiseexpo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Franchise Trade Shows & Event Management

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Transportation, Logistics & Mobility Shows Organizers (THAHABAL)

Keywords

• Franchise trade shows
• Business expos
• Franchise lead generation
• Online franchise directory
• Exhibitor services

Headquarters

HQ city

Glen Rock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Exhibitor and Sponsorship Fees: MFV Expositions generates revenue by charging franchisors to exhibit at franchise expos and through enhanced sponsorship packages. Exhibitors gain exposure through marketing vehicles including digital and print marketing, media coverage, and enhanced sponsorships.
2. Online Franchise Directory (BeTheBoss.com): Revenue generated through the BeTheBoss.com online franchise directory which provides franchisors with online exposure and lead generation services across US, Canada, Mexico, and UK markets.
3. Attendee Registration and Conference Fees: Revenue from franchisee/attendee registration and conference program fees at franchise expo events, including 150+ educational sessions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MFV Expositions organizes the Franchise Expo Series, six annually held franchise trade shows across major North American metropolitan markets (New York, Fort Lauderdale, Dallas, Cincinnati, Glendale AZ) and one international event in Frankfurt, Germany, connecting franchisors with prospective franchisees, master franchisees, area developers, and multi-unit owners. The company also operates BeTheBoss.com, a global online franchise directory covering US, Canada, Mexico, and UK markets, providing franchisors with digital marketing and online lead generation.

Product overview

MFV Expositions operates the Franchise Expo Series, a portfolio of premier franchise events across North America and internationally. The core offering includes six regional franchise expos (International Franchise Expo, Franchise Expo Dallas, Franchise Expo Cincinnati, Franchise Expo Germany, Franchise Expo West, and Franchise Expo South) that connect franchisors with prospective franchisees face-to-face. Complementing the live events is BeTheBoss.com, an online franchise directory providing digital lead generation across US, Canada, Mexico, and UK markets. The product portfolio also includes exhibitor services (marketing and sponsorship packages) and conference educational programs, forming an integrated franchise discovery and lead generation ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BeTheBoss.com: Global online franchise directory providing cost-effective franchise marketing and lead generation for franchisors across US, Canada, Mexico, and UK markets.

Products and services

• Franchise Expo Series The flagship event series bringing together franchisors and prospective franchisees at regional expositions across North America, including International Franchise Expo (IFE), Franchise Expo Dallas, Franchise Expo Cincinnati, Franchise Expo Germany, Franchise Expo West, and Franchise Expo South.
• BeTheBoss.com Online Franchise Directory An online franchise directory providing cost-effective franchise marketing and lead generation for franchisors, covering markets in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
• International Franchise Expo (IFE) The largest franchise exhibition in the USA, held annually in New York City, bringing together hundreds of franchise concepts and thousands of qualified prospects for domestic and international expansion.
• Franchise Expo Dallas Regional franchise expo held in Dallas featuring over 125 franchise opportunities across various industries with educational sessions and expert-led workshops.
• Franchise Expo South Southeast regional expo with over 25 educational sessions covering franchise trends and basics, providing networking with leading brands and qualified audience from the region.
• Franchise Expo West Premier franchise event in the West Coast market featuring franchise concepts representing every industry and investment level, connecting with qualified prospects.
• Franchise Expo Cincinnati Regional expo bringing together entrepreneurs with over 125 exhibitors, offering franchise seminars and resources for successful franchise ownership under one roof.
• Franchise Expo Germany International franchise expo held at Messe Frankfurt, Germany, connecting franchisors with prospective franchisees in European markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 exhibitors participate across MFV events annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ComexposiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComexposium is co-organizer of MFV Expositions franchise events. As one of the world's leading event organizers, Comexposium partners with MFV to deliver franchise expo events across North America.
• BeTheBoss.comcoreOthersBeTheBoss.com is MFV Expositions' global online franchise directory that uses the latest technology and search metrics to provide a cost-effective way for franchisors to market their franchise opportunities and generate leads. Covers US, Canada, Mexico, and UK markets.
• International Franchise Association (IFA)minorOthersMFV Expositions is a member of the International Franchise Association (IFA) and the IFA Supplier Forum. The company is a recognized member organization within the franchise industry.
• Canadian Franchise AssociationminorOthersMFV Expositions is a member of the Canadian Franchise Association, supporting their presence and operations in the Canadian franchise market through BeTheBoss.com.
• Entrepreneur MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEntrepreneur magazine/media is a media partner for Franchise Expo events, providing editorial coverage and brand association with the franchise expo events.
• Business InsiderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Insider is a media sponsor/partner for Franchise Expo events, providing editorial and media coverage.
• Fox BusinessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFox Business is a media sponsor/partner for Franchise Expo events, providing editorial and media coverage.
• Franchise TimesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFranchise Times is a media sponsor/partner for Franchise Expo events, providing editorial coverage and industry association.
• Global FranchiseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal Franchise is a media sponsor/partner for Franchise Expo events, providing editorial coverage.
• The Wall Street JournalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Wall Street Journal is a media sponsor/partner for Franchise Expo events, providing editorial coverage and brand association.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Comexposium: Parent company of MFV Expositions and one of the world's largest B2B event organizers (~200+ events across multiple verticals). Practically co-organizes MFV's franchise expos and provides the closest comparable for event-organizer unit economics.
• Emerald (Emerald Expositions): US-focused B2B trade show operator running numerous industry events. Comparable as a peer in the trade-show industry and a relevant comp for event-driven revenue mix and scaling economics.
• Reed Exhibitions: A large global B2B event organizer with a deep portfolio of trade shows across multiple verticals. Comparable as a peer in the exhibition industry and a potential competitor for franchisor marketing spend through adjacent B2B events.
• Informa (Franchise Events portfolio): One of the world's largest B2B event organizers with diverse vertical exposure. Comparable as a peer in the broader trade-show industry; competes for share-of-wallet of franchisor marketing budgets against specialty players.
• Clarion Events: Global B2B event organizer with a portfolio spanning multiple verticals including franchising and retail. Comparable as a peer in the broader exhibition industry and a relevant comp for international scaling.

Direct peers

• Global Franchise Magazine: International franchise media brand and event organizer covering global franchise opportunities. Direct competitor in franchise publishing and a current media partner of MFV's expos.
• Franchise Business Review: A direct competitor in the franchise-discovery and lead-generation space, offering franchisee-research data, ratings, and lead-generation services. Closely comparable to MFV's digital directory (BeTheBoss.com) and overlapping with exhibitor-driven lead-gen.
• 1851 Franchise: Franchise media and lead-generation platform that produces content for prospective franchisees and connects them with franchisors. Competes directly with BeTheBoss.com on the digital franchise-discovery funnel.
• Entrepreneur Media (Franchise 500 Events): Operates the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 listing and franchise-focused events and media. Direct competitor in the franchise marketing/expo space and a current media partner of MFV's events.

Emerging players

• Franchise Brokers Association: A franchise-broker network that connects prospective franchisees with franchisors via a digital intermediary. Addresses an overlapping franchise-discovery need and competes with both MFV's events and BeTheBoss.com.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mfvexpo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MFV Expositions