2016 MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISING CONFERENCE
Greg Vojnovic , Arby ’ s
the largest company in the world .
Jobs , said Collins , was a great example of a “ 20-mile marcher ,” someone who got up and went to work every day , despite external circumstances . “ What if in the midst of all the bad stuff he quit ?” asked Collins . “ True creators stay in the game , no matter what hand they ’ re dealt . Play every hand , luck favors the persistent . That ’ s what Jobs did and he enjoyed a great comeback .”
Collins finished his keynote by reminding attendees that “ the greatest leaders don ’ t focus on success ; they focus on taking care of their people .” He closed with the following exhortation : “ How will you change the lives of others ? How will some peoples ’ lives be better and different because you are here on this planet ?” He suggested viewing franchising as “ an honorable path — not just building units , but touching lives that you change . I can think of no greater legacy or testament to how life could be spent .”
Following his keynote , Collins joined a group discussion called “ Growth Evaluation & Implementation .” Supercuts franchisee Gary Robins moderated the panel , which also included Aziz Hashim , managing partner of NRD Capital and IFA
chair ; Michael Kulp , conference chair ; and Carin Stutz , president of McAlister ’ s Deli ( now COO at Red Robin ). With questions from Robins leading the way , the high-powered panel covered issues ranging from essential leadership traits and characteristics to finding and building talent within your organization . “ There ’ s a difference between having a job and having a responsibility ,” said Hashim , of people inside an organization and , he added , it ’ s essential to be able to tell the difference .
Time for lunch After an inspiring , action-packed morning , two separate luncheons followed , one exclusively for franchisees , the other for franchisors and exhibitors . The franchisor / supplier luncheon featured a discussion
focused on “ 5 Deal Killers for Multi-Unit Franchisees .” At the franchisee-only luncheon , multi-unit franchisees relaxed in a “ pitch-free ” environment where they could rekindle old relationships and build new ones , as well as engage in frank discussions about the pros and cons of adding specific brands and their level of satisfaction with third-party partners .
A new offering , The Money Room , debuted that afternoon , providing an opportunity for growth-minded franchises to
Dave Goebel , multi-unit franchisee
meet one-on-one with potential lenders to discuss financial solutions and expansion strategies . At the same time , numerous breakout sessions were under way , covering topics ranging from attracting , recruiting , and retaining good talent to securing funding under $ 10 million and above $ 20 million . Breakout panelists represented food and non-food brands , large and small operators , and retail and non-retail brands .
As the day drew to a close , attendees headed to the Exhibit Hall , where more than 200 franchise brands and thirdparty suppliers were on display to discuss franchise opportunities , products , and services . The Exhibit Hall served as the central gathering place for attendees to explore new brands and supplier solutions , as well as to meet and mingle with fellow franchisees to compare notes and evaluate brands and vendors .
Day 2 : The Economy & MVPs Coffee and continental breakfast awaited attendees on Day 2 . Conference Chair Michael Kulp welcomed the crowd back before introducing FRANdata President and CEO Darrell Johnson for his annual report on economic trends and their likely effect on franchising .
Johnson provided insight into the labor picture ( tight ), capital markets ( improving ), and the effect of the global economy on franchising (“ not a whole lot or excitement but nothing eminently a challenge for worldwide growth ”). And while the U . S . has seen its longest consecutive bull market in the past 100 years , “ It doesn ’ t feel like much of a bull market ,” he said , with GDP growth expected to remain low in the next couple of years ( 2 % to 3 % at best ), following a dismal 1.4 percent rise in the fourth quarter and an anemic 0.5 percent growth in the first quarter of this
64 MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE ISSUE III , 2016