30 May May 30, 2025 – Franchise Matchmaking Alex Smereczniak and Homeless to AI Roommate Founder Kal Merhi
Alex Smereczniak – Founder of Franzy, Helping aspiring entrepreneurs find & fund the right franchise and Creating 1M business owners through smarter franchise matchmaking
Alex Smereczniak
Alex Smereczniak is a serial entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Franzy, a platform designed to help people find and fund the right franchise—essentially, the “Zillow” for franchising. Before launching Franzy, he co-founded and scaled 2ULaundry and LaundroLab into multi-market, venture-backed businesses, gaining deep insights into the rewards and challenges of franchising. With experience as a co-founder, franchisor, and now a tech operator, Alex brings a unique perspective to modernizing the $800 billion franchise economy. Through Franzy, he aims to make entrepreneurship more accessible, with the ambitious goal of helping one million people become business owners. Along his journey, he has raised over $30 million, built scalable systems, and developed teams across multiple markets—driven by a firm belief that franchising is one of the most overlooked paths to business ownership. Alex frequently shares insights on franchising, small business trends, startup alternatives, and how to simplify entrepreneurship for the next generation of business owners.
Kalil Merhi – Founder of iROOMit
Kalil Merhi
Kal Merhi is the Founder and CEO of iROOMit, an innovative online platform that simplifies the process of finding roommates and rooms for rent across the USA and Canada. Driven by a deep passion for helping others, Kal created iROOMit to offer safe, affordable, and convenient co-living solutions. The platform stands out for its robust features, including ID verification, credit reports, secure payments, and a smart matching algorithm that connects users based on lifestyle preferences—making the search for roommates more efficient and reliable. Kal’s inspiration to build iROOMit stems from his own challenging upbringing, during which he and his family lived in abandoned homes, constantly moving in search of stability. These experiences instilled in him a profound understanding of the importance of secure and affordable housing. As a serial entrepreneur and professional coach, Kal now dedicates his life to creating impactful solutions and mentoring aspiring leaders. Under his leadership, iROOMit has gained strong traction, marked by organic growth, positive user feedback, and returning customers. The platform’s success was further boosted by rising housing costs, positioning iROOMit as a much-needed solution in the rental market. Key to the company’s growth has been its focus on solving real problems, listening to user feedback, doubling down on effective acquisition channels, and ensuring a seamless and secure user experience. With strategic partnerships and a commitment to innovation, Kal continues to lead iROOMit in its mission to make shared housing more accessible, trustworthy, and community-focused.