Jay Lee brings a unique blend of entrepreneurial success, academic leadership, and operational expertise to his role as a Franchise Consultant with Franchise Marketing Systems. Based in Buford, Georgia, Jay works with business owners to evaluate franchise potential, develop scalable systems, and position their brands for long-term growth.
Jay’s entrepreneurial experience provides firsthand insight into what it takes to build and scale successful businesses. He founded More Than Pickleball, one of Georgia’s premier indoor pickleball and hospitality facilities, growing the business from concept to a franchise-ready operation with more than 30,000 square feet of indoor space, complete operational systems, and franchise registration prior to a successful exit. In addition, Jay founded and scaled multiple online businesses under For LevelUp, generating multi-million-dollar revenues through data-driven strategy, technology integration, and operational optimization.
Prior to his entrepreneurial career, Jay served for more than 20 years as a Professor and Graduate Program Director at the University of Tennessee. During his academic career, he secured more than $9 million in research funding, mentored graduate students, and published over 100 peer-reviewed articles. His background in leadership, systems development, and strategic planning translates directly into helping emerging franchise brands build strong operational foundations.
Originally from South Korea and fluent in both Korean and English, Jay brings an international perspective to franchise development and is especially well-positioned to support brands seeking expansion into diverse and global markets. He earned his Ph.D. in Water Resources from Iowa State University.
Jay lives in Buford, Georgia with his wife, June, and is passionate about helping entrepreneurs transform successful businesses into scalable franchise systems.