For easy guidance, each description is related to a specific track. The legend below will help you understand the meaning of the symbols listed with each seminar description.
Buying a FranchiseFranchising Your Business Acquiring a Master Franchising
Friday, April 9
Getting Ready to Franchise Your Business
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM Room 209B
Presented by: Keith Carleton, Senior Consultant, Michael H. Seid & Associates, LLC and Marla Rosner, Senior Training Consultant, Michael H. Seid & Associates, LLC
Becoming a franchisor can be one of the most important decisions you will ever make in business. Understanding if you are ready and determining what you need to do before hiring your consultant and lawyer to develop your franchise program is an important step in making your franchise decision. This seminar will explore the requirements of becoming a franchisor and guide you in the steps you need to take in making your company franchise ready.
Exploring Master Franchising As An International Growth Strategy for Prospective Master Franchisees
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Room 204A
Presented by: Gaylen Knack, Principal, Gray Plant Mooty Panelists: Elizabeth Dillon, Associate, Gray Plant Mooty and Leonard Swartz, Senior Consultant, iFranchise Group, Inc.
Master franchising, also called sub-franchising, remains the most popular method of international franchising and an occasional technique used for rapid domestic growth. It provides franchisees with the greatest responsibility and may offer the greatest opportunities for profit. Why is master franchising a common vehicle for growth in many foreign countries? This seminar focuses on the basic components of a master franchise model, as well as the advantages and challenges in using master franchising as a growth vehicle (vs. other expansion options available)., and how these may vary depending upon whether an arrangement is for a territory in the United States or abroad. Best practices for getting the most out of each of the different expansion models will be discussed. We’ll explain the benefits and detriments and why investors must be aware of the differences between domestic and foreign master franchises. We will explore the parties’ expectations and how to evaluate whether master franchise fees are fair or affordable.
How to Finance Your Franchise
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Room 204C
Presented by: David Nilssen, Founder and Executive Vice President, Guidant Financial Group
Understanding how to finance a franchise is imperative to your success as a business owner. In this event, David Nilssen, SBA’s 2007 National Young Entrepreneur of the Year candidly discusses: how to determine what size of business you can afford; the advantages and disadvantages of using SBA loans, unsecured credit, investing retirement funds, credit cards and peertopeer loans; how to prequalify for financing and look attractive to lenders; and what resources are available to prospective franchisees. This is a must-see event for any industry professional or prospective franchisee.
10 Things No One Tells You When You're Shopping for a Franchise
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Room 204C
Moderated by: Julie Bennett, Author, The Franchise Times Guide to Selecting, Buying & Owning a Franchise Panelists: Eric Stites, President, Franchise Business Review, and Richard L. Rosen, Rosen Law PLLC
This lively panel will disclose why you have the upper hand in the franchise search process and reveal what really happens when you contact a franchise company. They will also provide tips for dealing with salespeople and brokers and how franchise contracts may be changed in your favor. A current franchisee will talk about lessons learned during their own franchise search.
Ready, Set, Go! Steps to Awarding Your First Franchise
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Room 209B
Presented by: Marc A. Kiekenapp, Senior Partner, Kiekenapp & Associates and Lane Fisher, Partner, Fisher and Zucker
Where do I start? My documents are complete. Now what? Do I personally sell the first few? If I want to hire a sales professional, where do I find them? Should a new franchisor start with a broker network? Are there consulting firms that can help? What media sources should I use? Do I target market areas or build out the entire country? What is the profile of the candidate for my business? Should I use earnings claims? The launch is the most CRITICAL part of the foundation of your business and will determine your future success and culture of your organization.
Use Your IRA or 401(k) Money to Start a New Business
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Room 209C
Presented by: Steve Cooper, President, SDCooper Company
Did you know that 401(a) pension, profit sharing, 401(k), 403(b), 457, IRA and rollover IRA money all may be used to fund your own franchise, business start-up, business property, equipment or working capital? Steve Cooper will teach you statutory ways to move money locked in retirement accounts directly into a new or established business. This can be done without distributions, taxes, penalties or the use of loans. Emphasis will be placed on other subjects such as ways to counter the negative tax effect of being a C-corporation and exit strategies.
Inside the Deal for Franchisees: Avoiding Critical Mistakes in Negotiating a Master Franchise
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Room 204A
Presented by: Carl Zwisler, Principal, Gray Plant Mooty and Max Schott, Principal, Gray Plant Mooty Panelists: Elizabeth Dillon, Associate, Gray Plant Mooty; Charlie Weeks, International Franchise Development; William Le Sante, Managing Director and CEO, Le Sante International
Negotiating rights for a master franchise presents challenges for both the franchisor and the prospective master franchisee. How much territory should be granted? What fees are appropriate for a master franchise agreement? How much discretion should the master franchisee receive in modifying the system to address the local culture? How do cultural differences complicate negotiations between the parties. The process can be intimidating for all but the most seasoned executives. This informative seminar will address these issues through the eyes of experienced executives and counsel in an interactive master franchise negotiation setting.
Symposium 3: Operations Manuals: The Foundation to Consistent Execution (separate fee required)
2:30 PM - 5:00 PM Room 209B
Presented by: Marla Rosner, Senior Training Consultant, Michael H. Seid & Associates
Documentation of your business’ processes and procedures is the foundation to consistent execution of your franchise concept. In this 3-hour Symposium, learn how to create a user-friendly Operations Manual as well as key content that should be included. Click here for more details
Effective Control of Cost of Goods and Labor - Two Essentials for a Food Service Business
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM Room 208A
Presented by: Keith Carleton, Senior Consultant, Michael H. Seid & Associates, LLC
In this session, restaurant and food service operators who are considering franchising will hear about useful techniques that they can utilize to learn methods to evaluate sales data from company-owned operations as well as how to establish metrics of productivity, produce cost-effective labor schedules, use sales data to project system sales, and establish key item inventories.
Choosing the Right Franchise
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM Room 204C
Presented by: Jeff Elgin, CEO, FranChoice, Inc. and Linda Bremer Menter, Vice President of Marketing, FranChoice, Inc.
Have you dreamed of owning your own business but don’t know where to start? This seminar will provide you with a proven, step by step process to make your research into franchise opportunities much more effective. Interactive, informative and fun, the seminar also provides extensive handouts and lots of time for Q & A to assist you in your search for a perfect franchise to meet your goals.
Leveraging Online Marketing to Grow Your Franchise
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Room 204A
Presented by: Edward Cilurso, Director of Business Development, WebiMax and Todd Bailey, Web Development/SEO Expert, WebiMax
Learn in detail the benefits and opportunities online marketing provides. Topics include Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Pay Per Click Marketing, E-Commerce, and much, much more.
Buying a Franchise
Franchising Your Business
Acquiring a Master Franchising
