Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, Amanda Szparka rejoined forces with former colleagues Bryon Stephens and Cameron Cummins in 2019 as Pivotal Growth Partner’s Director of Business Development. In this role, Amanda managed workflow and communication both within the company and between PGP’s brands, partners and vendors. In 2023, Amanda was promoted to Vice President Strategy & Systems, with a primary focus on franchise launch strategy and developing systems for scalability.
Amanda excels in systemizing processes for replication and finds great satisfaction in packaging emerging brands for future growth – everything from the development of franchise documentation and the positioning and marketing of the franchise opportunity to development and value-engineering of the prototype and the establishment of the ideal critical path for a successful store build and opening.
Amanda began her career in franchising in 2015 at Marco’s Pizza, working directly for Bryon Stephens, and eventually making her way over to the brand’s Development Department as Franchise Development Project Manager. In this role, she supported both the Director of Design and the Director of Construction and served as a liaison between franchisees, area representatives, vendors and the corporate office.
During her time at Marcos, Amanda tracked upwards of 300 stores at one time within a three-year pipeline and provided assistance in some form or another during the development of 100+ new stores, including the development of six company-owned stores for which she served as a primary point of contact. Amanda also managed systems and tools like Fran Connect and various project management software applications to provide all team members accurate data and pipeline reporting. Amanda also took on additional responsibilities as Operations Services Manager while at Marco’s, working cross-functionally with multiple departments to drive results, minimize expenses, and maximize efficiencies within the organization, expanding further, her knowledge of the inner workings of a successful franchise company.
Amanda’s previous background also includes 15+ years of marketing experience in a variety of industries outside of franchising, including construction, architecture, and dental. Her diverse expertise and cross-functional background in both development and marketing provides a unique perspective and has made her an invaluable asset to emerging brands looking to enter the franchising space. Amanda looks forward to working with PGP’s clients to help them maximize value and reach their ultimate growth goals.