Experience That Shows Up When It Matters Most
Mark Joy is a Restaurant & Hospitality M&A Advisor who brings more than 30 years of hands-on ownership and operational leadership to every transaction.
He is not a generalist broker. He is an experienced operator who understands restaurants from the inside.
Over the course of his entrepreneurial career, Mark has owned, operated, and advised more than 60 businesses, including multi-unit restaurant and franchise operations. He has managed teams, driven sales growth, navigated economic cycles, negotiated leases, controlled labor and food costs, and built scalable systems that perform.
That real-world experience shapes how he advises today.
Mark specializes in representing restaurant owners who are preparing to sell, expand, recapitalize, or transition. He guides clients through valuation, financial positioning, lease strategy, buyer qualification, negotiation, and closing with discipline and structure. His focus is simple: protect value and close properly structured deals.
Helping Business Owners Navigate Big Decisions with Confidence
He also provides dedicated Buyer Representation for restaurant entrepreneurs, franchisees, and expanding operators. From sourcing opportunities to coordinating landlord approvals and SBA financing, Mark helps buyers navigate the complex intersection of operations, underwriting, and lease risk.
His leadership in the restaurant and franchise community has been formally recognized:
- Alabama Franchisee of the Year
- Georgia Franchisee of the Year
- Multiple Subway Franchise Awards for leading sales growth
- Alabama Minority Retail Firm of the Year
- Franchise Advertising Fund Board Chair
Mark has also served on the Boards of the Barbour Medical Center, the Eufaula Chamber of Commerce, and the Boys & Girls Club of Eufaula, reflecting his long-term commitment to leadership and community.
He holds his Georgia Real Estate license, allowing him to manage transactions involving both business sales and commercial lease assignments or property components. In restaurant transactions where lease structure and landlord negotiations are critical, that integration matters.
Restaurant transactions are complex. Leases, personal guaranties, lender underwriting, management depth, and financial documentation all impact value.
Mark approaches each deal with the mindset of an owner, the discipline of an advisor, and the structure required to get to closing.
If you are a restaurant owner evaluating your exit or a buyer seeking strategic guidance in acquiring a restaurant, Mark provides the clarity, preparation, and execution necessary to move forward with confidence.
