CramerSez | PODCAST | Tiffany Cianci: The Private Equity Bubble

Joining us today is Tiffany Cianci, a small business warrior turned advocate who’s taking on the giants of private equity—and she’s got a story you won’t want to miss. Tiffany was once the proud owner of a Little Gym franchise in Frederick, Maryland, a toddler fitness studio she bought with her husband in 2017 after leaving behind a career as a sake-specializing sommelier. But when Unleashed Brands, a private equity-backed company, scooped up The Little Gym in 2021, everything changed. Faced with skyrocketing fees, suffocating contracts, and corporate overreach, Tiffany didn’t back down—she rallied 93% of North American franchisees into an association and took the helm as president. Unleashed Brands responded by terminating her franchise, sparking a legal showdown that’s left her $300,000 in debt but fiercer than ever.

Now, Tiffany’s a voice for the underdog, shining a light on how private equity squeezes small businesses dry. She’s testified before the Federal Trade Commission and Arizona lawmakers, gone viral on TikTok and X with over 300,000 followers, and even sat down with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to unpack the middle class’s erosion. A mother of three, award-winning speaker, and author of The Real Connection, Tiffany brings her political public affairs savvy and raw determination to the mic. From rebranding her gym as Teeter Tots Music n Motion to battling non-competes and forced arbitration, she’s living proof of resilience—and she’s here to tell us why the fight for America’s small businesses is far from over.

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