Listening and giving objective advice is at the core of everything I do. These two parts of my mission reinforce each other and make my practice strong and enduring.

Nick Neonakis has over 20 years of business experience with 10 years as a senior executive in franchising.

Mr. Neonakis is proof of the American Dream in action; His family moved from Greece when he was a boy and achieved success in this country through hard work and education. Now, his greatest joy - outside of his family - is in helping those who have made the decision to achieve independence through business ownership make their own dream a reality.

Mr. Neonakis' academic credentials include a M.B.A. in Finance, Marketing and Strategy from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Trinity College in Hartford, CT and a degree from the Albert Ludwigs Universitat in Freiburg, Germany. In addition, he has taken numerous post-graduate courses in business, strategy and management. He speaks English and Greek and is comfortable in Spanish, French and German. He guest lectures on the topic of franchising at the Weatherhead School of Management and has been interviewed in several publications.

After his undergraduate studies, Mr. Neonakis moved to Santorini, Greece where he operated a small business for several years and had the opportunity to travel the world. After returning to the U.S., he moved to New York City - where he worked at the World Trade Center. As a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley and Charles Schwab, he enjoyed working with high net worth individuals and small businesses on financial planning and investments. He returned to school to get an M.B.A. in 2000.

After completing his studies in 2002, he entered the world of franchising and was hired by the leading publicly traded North American brand in the category of property services - FirstService Brands. This multi-line franchise company is the owner of franchised brands such as California Closets, Paul Davis Restoration, College Pro Painters, Certa Pro Painters, Floor Coverings International, Stained Glass Overlay, Handyman Connection, Pillar to Post, BrandPoint Services and TLS. As the Vice President of Stained Glass Overlay, the world’s largest decorative glass franchise with 320 locations in 38 countries and the Vice President of Floor Coverings International, the largest flooring franchise with over 100 locations in North America, he has been involved in every aspect of the franchisor / franchisee relationship.

From growing brands domestically and internationally, mentoring franchise owners and working with individuals to understand if franchise ownership is the right step for them, Mr. Neonakis brings a wealth of experience to the table. He believes his best skill is listening and asking questions. Today, Mr. Neonakis uses his 20 years of experience in franchising, finance and business to help people realize their dream of independent business ownership. Mr. Neonakis currently lives in Shaker Heights, OH with his wife Stephanie and their children - Megan, Max and Alex. In his spare time, he enjoys remodeling houses, traveling and cooking. He can be reached at Nneonakis@TheFranchiseMBA.com or by calling 216-848-1505.

I relate to and care for my clients. These are my values:

My clients want to win and I want to help them win. Any ethical and legal advantage that I can find to help my clients will be brought to the table.

I have an obsessive focus on the franchise industry. I am always curious to know what’s working and what’s not. The network of relationships that I have been fortunate to gain over many years gives me great insight into what is happening in the world of franchising.

Simply put – I strive to deliver more value than expected. It doesn’t mean doing whatever the client asks. Often times, I tell clients that franchising or owning a business isn’t right for them.

My clients are facing a momentous decision. It is important that I uphold absolute integrity.

I am independent and cherish the ability to have independent viewpoints. Whether these are popular or not, I am objective in my assessments and advice.

I maintain high standards for myself and for my partners. My advisory services consist of structured problem solving frameworks where facts, trends and opinions are all carefully analyzed before recommendations are made.