IFA 2018: Together, We Are Franchising

Getting deals done, networking and educational sessions are just the tip of the iceberg for programming already lined up for IFA2018, which takes place Feb. 10-13 in Phoenix. The Music Paradigm, Shark Tank’s Daymond John serving as a special guest judge for the NextGen in Franchising Global Competition and the return of the Emerging Franchisor Bootcamp are just a handful of the exciting new events that will energize the biggest annual gathering of the worldwide franchising community.

By Shelly Sun, CFE

Franchising’s bright future will be on display at IFA’s 2018 Annual Convention, set for Feb. 10-13 in Phoenix, Arizona. The franchising community is proud and unified, and the convention’s theme of “Together, We Are Franchising” will highlight how important the business model is to the U.S. and global economy, as well as a core element of the American Dream for so many people. IFA2018 is your chance to be part of the franchising family, share your story, connect with peers, and learn from leading subject matter experts to transform your business.

Everyone is looking to maximize the amount of revenue generation and operational improvements from attending trade shows and conventions. It all boils down to the bottom line — after all, if you can’t learn tips about how to improve profitability, streamline operations and grow your brand, where’s the return on investment? That’s why the 2018 Convention Committee is hard at work to bring you real-world examples of how franchising leaders address their biggest hang-ups, so that you can avoid some of the most common pitfalls toward creating a successful business.

Central to the convention each year is the ability to conduct business, make new contacts, and solidify and expand existing partnerships. That’s just the start of what can be your most productive three-day stretch of the year. IFA2018 will offer the ever-popular Business Solution Roundtables; keynote speakers talking about the most important issues facing your business; and breakout educational sessions and summits on topics such as profitability, financing, unit-level economics, franchise development, metrics, recruiting top talent, creating a positive culture, franchise relations and international expansion. There’s more, including the presentation of IFA awards, the Music Paradigm — a special event unlike anything you’ve seen before at an IFA Convention — and the chance to peer into the future of the industry with the NextGen in Franchising Global Competition, featuring guest judge Daymond John, star of Shark Tank and founder of FUBU.

“We encourage you to take advantage of the educational and professional development opportunities and the unique chance to make important business deals with the thousands of business executives at the convention,” said IFA President and CEO Robert Cresanti, CFE. “There is no better venue than the IFA Convention to find potential partners, solidify deals and make investments that will lead to growth at your franchise for years to come,” he added.

Here’s a few of the other can’t-miss highlights for #IFA2018:

- NextGen in Franchising Global Competition on Tuesday, Feb. 13: Get a chance to meet Daymond John, star of ABC’s Shark Tank and founder, President and CEO of billion-dollar clothing company FUBU. John will lead a panel of judges for the final round of the IFA Franchise Education and Research Foundation’s NextGen in Franchising Global Competition. From an application pool of more than 1,000 people, the Foundation selected 20 young entrepreneurs to compete in the Round One of the Global Competition, which takes place on Sunday, Feb. 11 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. From these 20 competitors, the top three will be chosen to compete in the final round on Tuesday, Feb. 13. Now in its fourth year, the Global Competition is always an exciting glimpse into the future of franchising, as many of the past winners are now established concepts around the world. Don’t miss it!

- Music Paradigm on Monday, Feb. 12: Looking for a unique experience outside the typical convention panel? Then check out Music Paradigm, an awe-inspiring session with a live professional orchestra that simulates business challenges using music as a metaphor. Led by Maestro Roger Nierenberg, Music Paradigm is a fascinating look into leadership, teamwork, responsibility, effectiveness and unity lessons through the lens of an innovative exercise. Mix up your convention experience with this powerful session.

- Transformational Stories in Franchising on Tuesday, Feb. 13: New for 2018, an exciting new format for the Closing General Session will keep you on the edge of your seat. What’s worked in the past may not work in the future, and the world is changing at such a rapid pace that franchise leaders have no choice but to change with it. The session will feature short 15-minute presentations in the style of the TED Lecture Series, including groundbreaking ideas from franchise executives that are worth spreading.

- Personalized Tracks: Are you a first-time visitor to the IFA Annual Convention? A C-Suite executive who only wants content related to franchisors? An opportunity seeker looking to find out more about specific franchising opportunities? An international franchise company looking to expand in the United States? IFA is creating personalized tracks for franchisors, franchisees and those looking for specific topics. For example, there will be a first-time attendee roadmap covering all the basics, a guide for C-Suite executives, an international track, and tracks by role for franchisors at various system sizes and for single unit and multi-unit franchisees.

- Connecting: Networking remains a critical function of attending conferences and events. Whether it’s meeting at the opening night Buzz, during the Business Solution Roundtables, at the closing-night Bash or anything in between, IFA2018 offers the ability to talk with your most important clients, many of which will have a presence at the event.

All Your Favorites

Nearly 4,000 visitors attended #IFA2017 earlier this year in Las Vegas, with more than 350 exhibitors. In addition to new programs, regular favorites from previous IFA Conventions will continue to play a major role in the 2018 event. Leading experts will serve as keynote speakers, sharing best practices about how to improve your business and prepare for the political environment the industry is facing. IFA2018 will feature many of these similar insights to help energize your operations.

ServiceMaster Director of Operations Development Jared Klepko learned a lot about marketing, and established new contacts, at IFA2017. “My goal was to engage with some vendors and find out about best practices around franchise sales, re-sales and data analytics, and I’ve definitely gotten plenty of info about both,” he remarked.

Five Star Painting’s Vice President of Operations Matt Kunz has been to several IFA Conventions, and said that the content is getting better each year with “more people to pick their brains.” The biggest takeaway for Kunz from IFA2017 was how to apply a scoring method to quantify the company’s franchisee engagement.

David Newman, Lawn Doctor’s Vice President of Operations, was a first-time visitor to IFA2017 in Las Vegas. “I got some good ideas from the session on managing the bottom line, and I’ll be taking those back to use in our conversations about improving franchisee profitability,” he said.

“This is a must-attend conference, with incredible attendees, incredible content and incredible speakers,” said Greg Snyder, Associate Vice President of Business Partnerships for Capital One. “Those who attend are absolutely focuses on sharing what they know with others — it’s amazing.”

During IFA2017, Magnolia Bakery Vice President of Franchise Operations Albert Hasse remarked that the convention is “getting better every year.” There’s a lot of information on trends in the industry, he continued, “which is always beneficial, because it helps my company calibrate where we’re heading. Anytime I go through the agenda and have a hard time deciding because there’s multiple great sessions at the same time, it’s a good sign.”

Franchise Action Network: The world of franchising is changing rapidly. It’s time to challenge the status quo and foster an industry culture of innovation, because if we don’t disrupt our business, someone else will. Fresh off meaningful progress at the federal level with the joint employer and overtime issues, the convention will highlight areas in state and local outreach where you can help us protect the business model. Your participation in the Franchise Action Network — IFA’s grassroots network of franchisees, franchisors and suppliers who get involved in legislative issues on the federal, state and local levels — is more important this year than ever due to the need to support the Save Local Business Act. IFA needs your voice and your support.

Read the Convention Brochure and continue to check www.franchise.org/convention for more information on IFA2018 speakers, sessions and up-to-date scheduling adjustments as the event draws closer. Look for more about IFA2018 in the January and February 2018 editions Franchising World. We hope to see you in Phoenix!