Franchising thrives on innovation, collaboration, and clarity of vision. The SKIP Summit, hosted annually by Franchise Sidekick, has become one of the most anticipated events in the industry because it is designed for more than surface-level networking. It attracts leaders who want to scale smarter, align incentives, and build businesses with long-term sustainability. For HorsePower Brands, SKIP Summit 2025 provided the perfect stage to reaffirm what drives us forward: building people who build businesses.
The summit was held at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Arizona and spanned three days of immersive learning and connection. The theme, BREAK THROUGH, set the tone for conversations and sessions that encouraged participants to break free from barriers that often hold entrepreneurs back. At HorsePower Brands, we know that growth is rarely linear. Entrepreneurship brings constant challenges, but with the right mix of people, systems, and technology, those challenges become opportunities. That mindset shaped our participation in this year’s summit, where HorsePower Brands CEO Tony Hulbert joined franchising thought leaders and innovators to share insights, explore strategies, and contribute to the larger conversation about the future of franchising.
Franchise Sidekick’s SKIP Summit: A Hub for Growth and Innovation
Franchise Sidekick has positioned the SKIP Summit as one of the most influential gatherings in franchising. Unlike many conferences that prioritize collecting business cards, this event is intentionally curated to deliver real breakthroughs. Each panel, breakout, and networking session is designed to provide tangible strategies and purposeful conversations.
The 2025 theme, BREAK THROUGH, reflected Franchise Sidekick’s mission to help entrepreneurs overcome growth barriers. This focus mirrors our philosophy at HorsePower Brands. We believe success comes from aligning people with systems that empower them, and from building models that allow franchisors and franchisees to grow in sync. The environment created at SKIP Summit made it possible to explore these values in action, and to collaborate with leaders who are redefining what franchising can achieve.
StoryBrand and Donald Miller: Clarifying Brand Narratives
One of the standout experiences of SKIP Summit 2025 was the opportunity to meet and learn from Donald Miller, the best-selling author of Building a StoryBrand. Miller is known for developing a framework that helps businesses simplify their messaging so customers immediately understand what they offer.
From left, author Donald Miller and HorsePower Brands CEO Tony Hulbert.
At HorsePower Brands, clarity of communication is central to how we serve homeowners. Whether it is a roofing job with Mighty Dog Roofing, a custom shower installation from Gatsby Glass, or a new outdoor lighting design from Blingle, we believe every touchpoint should be clear, intuitive, and engaging. Hulbert’s conversation with Miller highlighted how StoryBrand’s principles align with our mission to reduce friction in the homeowner journey. For us, the story is not just about what services we provide, but about making sure customers feel confident, cared for, and understood at every step.
Brooke Budke and Momentum Brands: Scaling Multi-Brand Platforms
Another powerful session came from Brooke Budke, CEO of Momentum Brands, who addressed the complexities of scaling multi-brand platforms. She spoke about how growth requires balancing culture, service quality, and operational consistency.
Her message resonated with us because HorsePower Brands is built on a multi-brand model that includes Mighty Dog Roofing, Blingle, iFOAM, Gatsby Glass, Stand Strong Fencing, and more. Each brand serves a different niche in home services, but all share the same commitment to excellence and customer care. Hulbert’s exchange with Budke underscored how important it is to preserve a unifying ethos across brands. Growth without cohesion risks fragmentation, but growth built on shared culture and values ensures resilience and long-term success.
Jason Feifer at Entrepreneur: The Future of Franchising
Jason Feifer, editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine, offered insights into the trends shaping the future of franchising. He emphasized how technology adoption and consumer expectations are changing the way businesses must operate. In franchising, systems that once felt optional are now essential.
Hulbert’s discussion with Jason centered on the opportunities within home services franchising. Together they explored how brands like ours can stay ahead by investing in AI coaching, data analytics, process automation, and customer journey tools. These investments not only streamline franchise operations but also make experiences for homeowners more seamless and trustworthy. For HorsePower Brands, the future of franchising lies in being proactive, not reactive, and ensuring our franchisees are equipped with the tools they need to lead in evolving markets.
Investing in the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
One of the most meaningful parts of the summit took place outside of the main stage. Hulbert spent time with students from the University of Nebraska who are pursuing entrepreneurship. These conversations went beyond inspiration and focused on practical advice. Students wanted to know what it takes to launch and sustain a business, and he shared frameworks for execution, resilience, and purpose-driven leadership.
He emphasized that entrepreneurship is about more than ideas. It is about systems, persistence, and the ability to adapt to challenges. The exchange reflected our core mission: we build people who build businesses. Encouraging the next generation of entrepreneurs is an investment in the future of franchising and a direct way to make a positive impact on the broader business community.
HorsePower Brands’ Philosophy at Work
Throughout SKIP Summit, our guiding philosophy was clear. People come first, and our success depends on building leaders at every level of the organization. Purpose-driven leadership defines our decision-making, with every initiative measured against our commitment to making a positive impact on entrepreneurship.
Technology plays an equally critical role. At HorsePower Brands, we continue to embrace advanced CRM platforms, AI-driven coaching, customer journey mapping, and automation tools. These systems reduce friction for homeowners and create confidence for franchisees. Finally, scaling responsibly means ensuring franchisors and franchisees grow together. We are actively exploring royalty structures and profit-sharing models that reward growth milestones and keep incentives aligned.
Lessons Carried Forward
SKIP Summit 2025 offered both inspiration and practical strategies that we are already putting into motion. One key lesson was the importance of clarifying brand narratives across all of our brands, ensuring consistency and trust at every customer touchpoint. Another was the need to deepen alignment between franchisors and franchisees, using models that share success fairly and transparently.
Equally critical was the emphasis on technology infrastructure. We are expanding our use of live customer journey tools, data dashboards, and AI-driven support systems to make franchise operations stronger and homeowner experiences smoother. Finally, mentoring and investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs will remain a top priority, ensuring that the pipeline of talent for franchising continues to grow.
The Road Ahead
For HorsePower Brands, SKIP Summit was not the end of the conversation. It was the beginning of new initiatives and stronger commitments. We are piloting new royalty models designed to reflect growth inflection points, deploying enhanced tech stacks across our brands, and sharing insights internally to benefit our leadership, operations, and franchise teams. We are also expanding our engagement with universities, incubators, and entrepreneurial networks to support and attract the next wave of business leaders.
“SKIP Summit was a reminder of why we exist. We build people who build businesses, and our purpose is to make a positive impact on entrepreneurship,” Hulbert said. “By investing in people, aligning incentives, and embracing technology, we can transform industries into trusted, seamless experiences.”
