Franchising and Digital Marketing Pro Liane Caruso Joins 1851 Franchise as Vice President

Though initially eager to pursue music, Liane Caruso decided to study communications at Florida State University. When asked why she changed her mind, she recalled how she dreamed of working in advertising.

“Advertising and PR, especially the psychology behind marketing, is fascinating to me,” she said.

Prior to joining 1851 Franchise in March 2019, Caruso worked in a variety of settings. She brings a tremendous amount of experience and accreditation with her as a franchising and digital marketing consultant. An entrepreneur herself, Caruso owned a marketing and social media company that catered to entrepreneurs and small business owners. She eventually fell into marketing with franchises, and quickly gained influence with clients. It was during this time that she first met 1851 Franchise Publisher and No Limit Agency* CEO, Nick Powills.

As demand for social media expertise grew, Caruso needed to expand her team to provide services such as creative design, branding and PR. Caruso outsourced this work via a partnership with Powills and No Limit Agency and Qiigo, and was able to sign more franchise brands as a result. It was only a matter of time before she sold her business and Qiigo brought her onto their team.

In her work with Qiigo, Caruso grew social media engagement for brands and provided marketing services to franchises. As the Social Media Director and later, the Director of Professional Services, she helped to generate custom projects, websites, branding, national consumer marketing plans and more. Her own history as an entrepreneur played a significant role in building marketing programs to attract franchisees, as she knows what it’s like for small business owners to buy into a dream with their life savings.

“You don’t buy this kind of product in a box, so it requires a different strategy,” Caruso passionately remarked. “It’s cool to play a part in watching a franchise grow by making aspiring entrepreneurs’ dreams come true.”

Upon joining No Limit Agency and 1851 Franchise, Caruso hopes to incorporate what she’s learned in her previous roles. She seeks to refine business strategies through her ability to see the big picture.

“It’s a giant puzzle you have to put together, developing new and creative strategies for different companies, and testing and learning. Bringing all the pieces together and understanding the mentalities of everyone involved, as well as the intricacies of every component of each brand, is crucial,” she said.

In her new role as vice president, Caruso will lead client services for 1851 Franchise and help franchise brands identify their “why them, why now” positioning as well as contribute to brand strategy and execution of internal business growth.

Caruso will remain an active member of the Women’s Franchise Network of Tampa Bay and is looking to expand her connections in Chicago as she’ll become a frequent flier to the Windy City. From time to time, and soon to be more regularly, she is a co-host on Social Geek Radio, a podcast primarily focusing on social media marketing aspects geared towards the franchising industry. She is also on the Board for the Digital Marketing Certificate Program at the University of South Florida and, more impressively, in February, Caruso received her Certified Franchise Executive designation from the International Franchise Association.

“I have a passion for helping businesses grow on both the franchisee and franchisor sides, through franchise marketing and storytelling,” said Caruso.

Caruso aims to connect No Limit Agency with more brands and incorporate 1851 Franchise into their strategy, their growth and their success.

“I have worked on the other side as a client of No Limit Agency, and have enjoyed watching the company grow over the years. No Limit has created an incredible niche in the industry. I’m eager to join such an impressive company in the franchise world and play a key role in its continued growth.”