Better Together Brands
Venture Overview
Better Together Brands helps low and middle-income individuals obtain financial security by supplying capital, infrastructure, mentoring, training, and financial literacy through selective franchising opportunities. Founder Debbie Blacher, a serial social entrepreneur, believes the opportunity to own a business should be based on character and ability—not race, gender, or wealth. Through franchising as a vehicle for scalable equity, she works to remove social and economic barriers to small business ownership.
Website: wearebettertogetherbrands.com
Venture Issue Area: Economic Development
Venture Headquarters: Orlando, Florida
Venture Founder
Debbie Blacher is a serial social entrepreneur who uses the franchise model to accelerate social change and expand access to business ownership. She envisions a world where the opportunity to own a business is based on character and ability, not gender, race, ethnicity, or personal wealth.
Most recently, Debbie co-founded Better Together Brands to reduce social and economic barriers to small business ownership and create scalable wealth-building opportunities for low- and middle-income Americans. In this role, she works with community leaders, impact investors, and franchise systems to make entrepreneurship more accessible.
Her franchise experience began in 2009 when she franchised Wholesome Tummies, a healthy school lunch concept she founded in Orlando. The company expanded to 20 cities nationwide, helping millions of students receive nutritious meals while enabling local business owners to operate profitable, million-dollar businesses.
Before franchising, Debbie spent 15 years in corporate and startup roles focused on human resources and organizational development, with expertise in recruiting, training, team building, performance management, and executive coaching.
She holds a B.S. in Psychology and Business from the University of Florida, an M.S. in Human Resources Management from Purdue University, and a Certificate in Organizational Development from Georgetown University. In 2015, Wholesome Tummies was named to the inaugural University of Florida Gator100, recognizing high-growth alumni-led companies.
