May 2-3, 2026: New England - Providence / Boston – Rhode Island Convention Center Hall A

Patti Peppel, Career Ownership Coach™ at The Entrepreneur’s Source®

Professional Mission & Expertise Patti Peppel is a dedicated Career Ownership Coach™ who empowers individuals to take control of their professional futures. With over 5 years of experience in career transition coaching and a background of more than 30 years in healthcare as a Registered Nurse Leader, Patti specializes in helping professionals identify their transferable skills and align them with proven franchise systems.

Her Approach Patti provides a safe, educational environment where seekers can explore diverse business models at no cost and with no obligation. She helps clients clarify their personal goals for income, lifestyle, wealth, and equity, acting as a guide and accountability partner throughout their journey of discovery.

Personal Connection A Massachusetts native currently residing in Minnesota, Patti understands the transition from corporate life to business ownership firsthand. Outside of coaching, she is a wife, mother to four adult sons, and "Babci" to two granddaughters. She enjoys cycling, hiking, camping, and skiing. Her philosophy is simple: she is committed to helping every client find their "why" through a structured journey of clarity and confidence.

Franchising has been Robert Mitchell's world for nearly a quarter century. Across that time, he has worked with brands and prospective franchise owners spanning business-to-business (B2B) services, consumer-facing retail, food and beverage, professional services, and concepts operating both nationally and internationally. Few categories of the franchise landscape are unfamiliar territory.

Cliff is the CEO of Franocity and has spent the last 20 years as an Entrepreneur. He is considered a turnaround expert and established this reputation after buying several failing businesses and turning them into highly profitable companies within a very short period of time.

Early in his career, he was an investment banker with one of the largest financial institutions in the world, Smith Barney. He left his Wall Street job in 2003 to acquire a Master Franchise opportunity in the Northeast. Since then, he has been instrumental in the growth and development of Cartridge World, Four Seasons Sunrooms, Contours Express, Personal Training Institute, Games 2U, PuroClean and Maid Right.

With 20+ years of experience working for some of the most successful franchise companies in the country, I am uniquely qualified to assist prospective new business owners in their quest for the right opportunity. My broad business background in retail finance, company and franchise operations, marketing, and strategic planning provide the hands on knowledge necessary for a sound decision. Prior to joining FranNet, I served as Director of Finance for Retail Operations for Panera Bread during a period of rapid growth and record profitability. I also spent several years with the Wendy’s Company in finance and marketing roles supporting and advising both company and franchise operators. I have also spent time as a Franchise Business Consultant working directly with franchise owners to improve their businesses.

Sarah Flanagan is a Career Ownership Coach and business strategist dedicated to empowering professionals to take control of their futures. With over 25 years of leadership experience in financial services and consulting, Sarah bridges the gap between high-level corporate strategy and personal career fulfillment.

As a Career Ownership Coach, Sarah guides high-performing professionals through a proven (and completely free) discovery process to explore new paths to career freedom, including business ownership. She helps her clients clarify their vision and explore real options to uncover scalable, flexible business models that align with their goals and skills.

Prior to launching her coaching business, Sarah was an accomplished Operations Executive who held various roles at JPMorgan Chase and Wintrust Financial Corporation. Doing this work helped Sarah realize her passion for helping others succeed. Sarah loves working with people to help them uncover their true potential and explore possibilities they may have never thought were possible.

Fred Joyal is the co-founder and former CEO of 1-800-DENTIST, which generated $50 million in annual revenue through bold marketing and decisive leadership. A Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestselling author, Fred’s latest book, Superbold, has helped thousands turn confidence into action. His experience spans building one of America’s most recognized brands, advising high-powered business leaders, and delivering dynamic, interactive keynotes worldwide. He brings a practical, energetic approach to making boldness the backbone of franchise success.

With over 20 years of experience in global product merchandising, operations, and strategy—working with brands like Timberland, Puma, and Neiman Marcus—I bring a strong business lens to my work as a Career Ownership Coach™.

Throughout my corporate career, I saw a common theme: many successful professionals feel unfulfilled or unsure of what’s next. That realization led me to coaching.

Today, I help individuals gain clarity, explore new possibilities, and take intentional steps toward careers that better align with their Income, Lifestyle, Wealth, and Equity goals. Through a no-cost, discovery-based process, I guide clients in exploring options—whether that’s business ownership, a career shift, or a new way forward.

Widely accepted as one of the top franchise consultants in the United States, Britton helps you figure out how to do what most people only dream about. ​Britt has spent more than 25 years as a franchisee, entrepreneur, franchise executive, and franchise consultant working for and owning franchises such as Kiddie Academy® Childcare Learning Centers, Molly Maid®, Sylvan Learning(SM) Centers, and SYNERGY® HomeCare.

​Britt has captured her franchise expertise as author of a top-selling book on entrepreneurship titled, The Franchisee Workbook. Britton will teach you the tools and techniques to help you find your ideal match far beyond your expectations.

Ms. Shelton has been counseling Franchise / Business Opp. clients for over 25 years. She especially enjoys working with small business owners assisting them to "Expand their Brand®". Since starting the law firm, she has been focused on providing the “Missing Piece” with legal services to small and emerging businesses. Her business savviness combined with her belief in mentorship is the backbone of the law firms slogan, “Your Outsourced In-house Counsel”. Ms. Shelton focuses on ensuring clients are offered individualized service while handling Franchise Disclosures, registrations, legal creation and vendor distributions within a clients business. Ms. Shelton has published many articles and has even written a book. She has been married for over 25 yrs. and has one son and a sponsored daughter from Haiti. In her spare time she teaches leadership development in third world countries to future colleagues and volunteers at her church.