IFA 2017 Preview: Setting a Course for the Future of Franchising

With new federal laws posing challenges to the business model, it’s critical for those involved in the industry to gather in Las Vegas and present a unified voice about the positive impacts of franchising on local communities.

By Shelly Sun, CFE

The 2017 IFA Annual Convention is shaping up to be a significant occasion for reasons outside the traditional educational and networking functions of the event, as threats to the business model from the revised National Labor Relations Board’s joint employer standard, overtime regulations and other federal government initiatives seek to overshadow the positive effects of franchising. That’s exactly why you should be there — to strengthen the collective voice of the industry and share your story about how franchising has impacted your career, your life and your local community.

More than 3,400 attendees visited #IFA2016 in San Antonio earlier this year, a record for IFA conventions held outside Las Vegas. The number of exhibitors topped 350, a record number for any IFA convention. Set for Jan. 29-Feb.1 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, the 57th Annual Convention will continue to build on the success of the premier event for the global franchise industry.

“You will discover new tools and solutions for your businesses, you’ll network with old friends, and even more importantly, connect and make new ones,” noted IFA President & CEO Robert Cresanti, CFE.

Watch IFA for Updates

While January may still seem on the horizon in the midst of summer heat, keep an eye on IFA publications and online platforms for more details about #IFA2017 as it draws closer, and visit convention.franchise.org for updates. After all, 90 percent of attendees who responded to a survey about the 2016 event indicated they intend to travel to Las Vegas for the 2017 show.

Everyone seeks to maximize the amount of return on investment from attending trade shows and conventions. That’s why the 2017 Convention Committee is working diligently to select top-quality content that brings together franchisors, franchisees and suppliers. Seminars, breakout sessions, roundtable discussions and the lineup of speakers are being designed with best practices, lessons learned and the latest trends in franchising in mind, in order to provide attendees with the most pertinent information and supercharged avenues for learning. These hands-on sessions and networking opportunities will result in real-life action items to help your business thrive. The 2017 Convention in Las Vegas is a must-attend event!

“I feel proud to be a part of franchising when you go into that General Session and hear about what people are doing on our behalf, and in the franchising industry,” said Ryan Zink, president of Complete Nutrition, at the 2016 Convention.

Regular Favorites Will be Back

In addition to new programs targeting various segments of the franchising industry, regular favorites from previous IFA conventions will continue to play a major role in the 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. The 2017 convention will feature many of these similar insights to help energize your operations.

“I love the roundtable events where we can share with each other and gather information to be able to go back and utilize in our own systems,” said Ashley Munn, director of Training for the Dwyer Group.

“It’s a really great way to break the ice. Everybody introduces themselves, and you get to connect with people as it goes on,” added Madeline Reeves, director of Business Development for Fathom Applications.

Updates on federal and state-level efforts to protect the franchise model are also on tap for #IFA2017. Attendees will also hear an update from the Franchise Action Network, IFA’s 10,000-plus-member grassroots network of franchisees, franchisors and suppliers who get involved in legislative issues on the federal, state and local levels. Your participation in IFA and the Franchise Action Network has never been so important, as the franchise industry seeks to present a unified voice opposing legislation that would seek to define franchisors as joint employers with their franchisees. IFA needs your support, and your voice. 

“The International Franchise Association is going to work hard — but again, you have to be involved,” said U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas).

Greater International Attendance Expected

Nearly 300 international delegates attended the 2016 Convention, showcasing the continued global reach of franchising. Hundreds of international attendees are expected to attend the convention in Las Vegas, where IFA will host the World Franchise Council meeting. Large delegations from various countries and WFC executives will be on hand to provide educational panels. Other highlights will include the Franchising Gives Back program, which hosts an annual community service event to benefit a local
charitable organization. 

“I’ve been coming to the IFA Convention for about 25 years, and I’m still learning something every time I come here,” remarked Rod Young, senior board advisor for Cartridge World.

Las Vegas offers a number of attractions and interesting places to visit outside the convention hall, including the “Little Apple,” Las Vegas Motor Speedway, helicopter sightseeing tours and scores of entertainment and dining options along the famed Vegas Strip.

Join us in Las Vegas! Your business will benefit from the informative sessions, expert roundtables, speaker presentations and networking opportunities while picking up some of the lessons learned, best practices and in-the-trenches experience from other franchise companies that have grown and expanded successful franchises. We look forward to seeing you! 

Shelly Sun, CFE, is CEO and co-founder of BrightStar Care. She is Chairwoman of the IFA Convention Committee and First Vice Chair of IFA’s Board of Directors. Find her at fransocial.franchise.org.

Special Programming for Emerging Franchisors – Get paid to stay in Vegas!

Get in the CFE program and receive added value for emerging franchisor convention goers of $745.

While analyzing the attendance and the feedback from the 2016 IFA Convention, there was one statistic that jumped out at the IFA Convention Committee. A whopping 55 percent of the brands attending the conference had less than 100 units open! In that spirit, the committee (in tandem with the CFE program) is creating a special post-convention half-day boot camp from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1, to get critical information and share experience with emerging brands.

IFA’s 2017 Convention Committee Chairwoman, Shelly Sun, CFE, built her brand leveraging IFA educational programming and asking questions of other franchisors to learn both what to do, but also what not to do during her critical start-up phase. To that end, she has fully supported (and will be the keynote speaker) at this boot camp.

We know that everyone will have had enough of Vegas by the end of the convention, and we know that everyone wants to go home. However, IFA is making a very compelling offer to emerging franchisors (100 units or less) who register for this boot camp! Here it is:

• No additional registration fees, in fact IFA will compensate you for attending with…
• A complimentary CFE enrollment and guide book ($470value).
• 400 Bonus CFE Credits to get you started on your quest to CFE designation ($275 value).

All attendees will still receive the special IFA hotel room rate at Mandalay Bay (based on availability) PLUS a copy of Shelly Sun’s book, Grow Smart Risk Less.

The content for the boot camp will be interactive, interesting and fun. We’ll talk about issues that keep us up at night, managing our precious resources and maximizing them while investing for the company’s future. We want this to be a roadmap for emerging franchisors to Recurring Revenue Self Sufficiency, the day when your royalty revenue covers your overhead!

You will meet folks who have done it — founders of franchise companies willing to share the mistakes they made, what worked and what didn’t to get them to critical mass. You will see how typical brands grow through the emerging phase, what healthy growth is and how growing too fast can be detrimental to the long-term future of your brand. Other topics include:

• Development strategies from pure organic growth through the broker network model and outsourced sales models.
• What infrastructure is needed at specific milestones.
• How to get financing at the emerging phase.
• How Item 19 and transparency affect growth.

Lastly, attendees will hear from our incoming IFA Chairwoman, Shelly Sun, CFE, who will share her story and how she personally managed the BrightStar Care brand from inception through maturity.

The boot camp will offer a fast-paced, energetic program where you will leave feeling better about some of your mistakes, knowing others had made them, and take away a long list of to-do’s for your brand to grow more intelligently.

Attendance at this session is limited to the first 150 to sign up, so make your plans now and register early! See you in Vegas!