James Mowery

James Mowery is a seasoned entrepreneur and franchise executive who brings a rare dual perspective to the coffee industry—as both an active brand owner and a long-tenured franchise leader. He is the founder and owner of Fifty5 Rivers, a multi-brand coffee and beverage company spanning manufacturing, retail, mobile beverage operations, and product innovation. Through Fifty5 Rivers, James remains deeply involved in day-to-day operations, product development, supply chain strategy, and customer experience—grounding his insights in real-world execution.

Alongside his ownership experience, James has spent nearly two decades working across every side of franchising. He has served as a franchisee, as well as a franchisor executive at the CIO, COO, and President levels, leading system growth, operations, technology platforms, and franchisee support—without losing sight of unit-level economics.

James is a principal leader at SMB Franchise Advisors, where he has helped guide the launch and scaling of franchise systems across multiple industries. During his tenure, SMB Franchise Advisors has supported the creation of over 500 franchise brands, with James directly assisting in approximately half of those launches.

He holds the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) designation from the International Franchise Association, the highest credential in franchising, recognizing senior-level expertise in franchise operations, governance, and scalable growth. James also holds PMP and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certifications, blending disciplined execution with operator-first practicality.