A Coleman Conversation: Sherri Seiber and Shay Kleinschmidt
January 28, 2026
Bob Coleman
Founder & Publisher
A Coleman Conversation: Sherri Seiber and Shay Kleinschmidt
In this episode of A Coleman Conversation, Bob Coleman sits down with Sherri Seiber, President of FranFund, and Shay Kleinschmidt, Executive Vice President of Business Development, to discuss how ROBS (Rollover for Business Startups) functions as a practical capitalization tool for franchise buyers and a deal-enabler for SBA lenders. The conversation covers FranFund’s role as a bridge between aspiring entrepreneurs (many of them first-time business owners and “corporate refugees”) and a nationwide network of lenders, while also explaining how ROBS can be used to access qualified retirement funds tax- and penalty-free to invest in a new business or satisfy equity injection requirements for an SBA loan. Sherri and Shay outline how FranFund reduces friction in underwriting and closing and discuss how lenders can refer non-fit or startup deals to FranFund to turn declines into viable funding outcomes.
Topics Covered:
✓ FranFund’s role in franchise and SBA lending, and how it supports first-time borrowers through the funding process
✓ ROBS 101: how qualified retirement funds can be used tax- and penalty-free to invest in a new business
✓ Using ROBS as SBA equity injection, including how it reduces liquidity constraints and helps streamline documentation
✓ Ongoing compliance and administration after a ROBS transaction, including third-party administration and annual Form 5500 filing
✓ Why lenders like franchising: proven models, unit-level economics, and FDD transparency
✓ How lenders can work with FranFund to close more deals, including referrals, dedicated support, and a 100+ lender network