International Franchise Association Association News
IFA's International Franchise Expo less than 3 weeks away
IFA SmartBrief | May 29, 2012
More than 40 free seminars and in-depth symposiums await participants in IFA's International Franchise Expo when it begins its three-day run June 15 at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. Along with educational opportunities and major brand exposure for your franchise is the opportunity for investors to see and sample a variety of franchise products and services available during the trade show. The International Franchise Expo is produced by MFV Expositions.
DLA Piper's Zeidman and firm named No. 1 by Who's Who Legal list
IFA SmartBrief | May 29, 2012
Philip Zeidman, senior partner with DLA Piper, and the firm, which serves as IFA general counsel, have been named the No. 1 franchise lawyer and the No. 1 franchise law firm in the world by The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers 2012, a compendium of all the individual Who's Who Legal publications. Editor-in-Chief Callum Campbell said Zeidman received unrivaled levels of praise from sources in private practice and in house around the world, "and we are delighted to declare him the leading lawyer in the world" for franchise work.
Franchising & Licensing Asia 2012 can boost your brand in Asia
IFA SmartBrief | May 25, 2012
Singapore plays a key role in international trade and finance as a gateway to Asia and has earned the top ranking in the World Bank report "Doing Business 2012." Franchising & Licensing Asia attracts businesses from around the world seeking potential franchise owners and investors to help expand their brands. FLA's Nov. 1 to 3 show at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore is sure to help promote your brands, introduce business concepts and uncover business opportunities with franchisees, licensees and investors in the burgeoning Asian market. In the past few years, more than 8,000 attendees from 30 countries and more 180 brands have participated.
SBA awards highlight the power of small businesses
IFA SmartBrief | May 25, 2012
IFA President and CEO Steve Caldeira, CFE, joined Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank and SBA Administrator Karen Mills on Monday for the Awards Luncheon as part of National Small Business Week, an annual event highlighting the importance of small businesses and small-business lending in America. According to an SBA report, small businesses outperformed large companies in job creation by 75% from 1992 through 2010.
Veteran franchise ownership spikes
IFA SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
More than 60 IFA members joined the association in a news conference and webinar Tuesday to hear about a new report showing that franchise business ownership by our nation's veterans has jumped since the launch of Operation Enduring Opportunity in November. Here's the big news: The total number of veteran-owned franchise businesses among the most military-friendly franchise companies increased nearly 4,000, or 35%, to a record 11,469 in the last year. The average percentage of veteran-owned franchise businesses climbed to 28% in military-friendly franchise systems, a spike from 17% just a year ago. The research is part of the 2012 Military Friendly Franchise® list, compiled by GI Jobs and MilitaryFranchising.com. A recording and slide presentation of the webinar are available.
Franchise business index up 0.5% in April
IFA SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
The Franchise Business Index, an index of the economic health of the franchise sector, showed a gain of 0.5% in April, IFA announced today. The index increased to 108.3, a 1.8% increase compared with April 2011. All components of the index contributed to the April increase. Improvements in small-business credit conditions gave the biggest boost to the index in April, reversing a March decline. Research for the IFA Franchise Business Index and the quarterly forecast reports is underwritten by a multiyear grant from Jani-King International to the IFA Educational Foundation.
IFA's "To-Do List" calls on Congress to take action
IFA SmartBrief | May 21, 2012
In advance of National Small Business Week, which began Sunday, IFA released a "To-Do List" for Congress and the administration that would give franchise owners added confidence to hire new workers and increase new franchise establishment formation. The list addresses tax uncertainty, access to capital, workforce policy, repeal of the health care law's employer mandate, business activity tax simplification and support of veterans as franchise small-business owners. "With a sputtering economy, Congress should address these issues now in order to help franchise business owners across America," said IFA President and CEO Steve Caldeira, CFE.
If the question is job creation, help franchising continue to be an answer
IFA SmartBrief | May 21, 2012
Access to capital, labor and health care will be the top issues that franchise industry representatives will raise during the 2012 Public Affairs Conference to make the case for franchising's role in creating jobs and spurring economic recovery. On Sept. 10 and 11 in Washington, D.C., IFA's annual fly-in will give franchisees, franchisors and suppliers the opportunity to educate federal lawmakers about issues affecting franchise businesses. ADP is the founding sponsor of IFA's Public Affairs Conference and the sponsor of the Franchisee of the Year Awards, which are presented at the conference to the industry's most innovative and best-performing franchisees.
IFA webinar to address how your franchise can engage veterans
IFA SmartBrief | May 18, 2012
A report on VetFran recruitment, military-friendly franchises and new tools and solutions to help IFA members engage with America's veterans will be released at a news conference scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday. IFA President and CEO Steve Caldeira, CFE, will join Tom Leney, executive director for small-business and veterans business programs for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Hear details about the first Taste of Franchising Pavilion to be featured at the National Veterans Small Business Conference & Expo June 26 to 28 in Detroit.
IFA members can access Facebook's Parent/Child tool free
IFA SmartBrief | May 18, 2012
IFA's Technology Committee has communicated with Facebook to educate the company about franchising and its unique qualities so Facebook can take that into account when developing tools and offerings. Visit and submit a form to receive information on Facebook's Parent/Child (National/Local) feature and get help directly from Facebook to start the enrollment process. Companies generally must have a minimum monthly ad buy in the $5,000 range to participate, but because of IFA's relationship with Facebook, IFA members can participate at no cost. Process Peak has developed a free 15-minute webinar on how to use Facebook's Parent/Child tool to control Facebook messaging and branding while increasing unit-level economics. Register now.
Making mixed media channels work for you
IFA SmartBrief | May 16, 2012
Need advice on making the most of mixed media channels? Don't be the last one to register for the next IFA WednesdayWise Webinar, "Using Simultaneous Messaging Across Mixed Media Channels." The one-hour webinar begins at 2 p.m. Eastern time June 6 and will feature Aviatech Vice President of Media Services Ryan Vaspra. WednesdayWise Webinars are approved for 50 CFE participation credits per webinar.
Take advantage of on-site registration for IFA Legal Symposium
IFA SmartBrief | May 16, 2012
Online registration may have closed for IFA's Legal Symposium, which begins Sunday in Washington, D.C., but you don't have to miss amazing educational and networking opportunities. Download the on-site registration form and e-mail or fax it to Jodi McCray at (202) 628-0812 this week. The Legal Symposium will be at the JW Marriott.
There's still time to relive FranCamp
IFA SmartBrief | May 14, 2012
If you missed FranCamp, the social media "un-conference" for the franchise industry held earlier this month, you're in luck: There are plenty of ways to relive FranCamp, even if you weren't there. Take advantage of the opportunity to view the video from the FranCamp conference and learn about real, actionable steps that can make a significant difference in your marketing.
IFA Educational Foundation announces new CFE scholarship
IFA SmartBrief | May 14, 2012
IFA Educational Foundation President John Reynolds, CFE, and BrightStar Franchising CEO and co-founder Shelly Sun, CFE, recently announced the establishment of the CFE Women's Executive Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is funded through the generous support of BrightStar Franchising. The stipend will be for $2,500 to be applied toward the tuition for programs offered for ICFE credit. The scholarship will be awarded to a female franchise executive currently enrolled in the CFE program.
Big Apple to host IFA's International Franchise Expo
IFA SmartBrief | May 11, 2012
Educational opportunities and major brand exposure for your franchise will abound when IFA's International Franchise Expo begins its three-day run June 15 at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. More than 40 free seminars and in-depth symposiums, as well as the opportunity for investors to see and sample a variety of franchise products and services, will be available during the trade show. The International Franchise Expo is produced by MFV Expositions.
High gas prices impede franchise sales, growth
IFA SmartBrief | May 11, 2012
The rising cost of gasoline is adversely affecting the bottom line of franchise small-business owners, according to testimony presented Wednesday at a House Small Business Committee hearing by IFA member Jamie Smith, a franchisee of Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Greater Baltimore. "Since opening my operation in 2010, I have seen a 29 percent increase in fuel prices, at a time when my sales and revenues have declined," Smith said in written testimony. Smith urged U.S. policymakers to "immediately invest in strategies for increased energy production, greater use of our existing resources and promotion of alternative energy options like natural gas and hybrid electric vehicles."
IFA Legal Symposium advance registration closes today
IFA SmartBrief | May 09, 2012
Register today for the IFA Legal Symposium, set for May 20 to 22, and save $50 off the on-site registration fee. The symposium is an opportunity for you to brainstorm, network and learn with your peers while generating new ideas about expanding your franchise business or client base. Extend your stay to take advantage of international content and expertise at the 28th Annual IBA/IFA Joint Conference, May 22 and 23. Both conferences will be at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C.
IFA celebrates National Travel and Tourism Week
IFA SmartBrief | May 09, 2012
IFA is supporting National Travel and Tourism Week, May 5 to 13, which is sponsored by the U.S. Travel Association. Increasing travel to the U.S. will allow franchise businesses to create more jobs. Each year during National Travel and Tourism Week, the U.S. Travel Association reminds the industry of the importance travel has on local communities and thanks the 14.4 million U.S. workers who support travel and tourism.
Access the best ideas and leadership in franchising
IFA SmartBrief | May 07, 2012
FranConnection 2012 will feature as keynote speaker IFA President and CEO Steve Caldeira, CFE, on May 17, as well as other franchise industry experts. Topics include getting your franchise ready to launch, lead-generation strategies and improvement, recruitment, franchise performance and relationship management, and social media and consumer marketing strategies. The event is May 16 to 18 at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md.
Trade mission to address Latin American markets
IFA SmartBrief | May 07, 2012
As part of IFA's effort to give its members access to international opportunities, IFA, Franchise Times and the U.S. Commercial Service will co-sponsor a U.S. Franchise Trade Mission Aug. 26 to 31 to Panama, Colombia and Chile. Through the trade mission, a select group of franchisors will receive valuable briefings and research, as well as the opportunity to expand their brands overseas in growing Latin American markets. Visits are planned to Panama City; Bogota, Colombia; and Santiago, Chile. The mission will include country briefings with U.S. Embassy officials and U.S. Commercial Service officers, meetings with government ministries, one-on-one matchmaking meetings with pre-screened local investors, media outreach, real estate briefings and site visits. Find out more during a free webinar featuring trade mission leaders and market experts at noon Eastern time May 18.
Economic outlook fosters multiunit franchisee team's expansion
IFA SmartBrief | May 04, 2012
As indicators point to a slowly improving economic climate, franchise business owners are stepping out to expand their businesses. For husband-and-wife team Glenn and Tina Beattie, expansion beyond their 37 Denny's restaurants in western New York and Arizona includes a multiunit, multiyear deal to open 22 Corner Bakery Cafe locations in New England. IFA's updated economic outlook indicates that the number of franchise establishments in the U.S. will increase 1.6% this year, with employment in franchise establishments expected to make a 2.1% gain. Read more.
International Franchise Expo launches "Change Your Life" contest
IFA SmartBrief | May 04, 2012
IFA's International Franchise Expo, coming up June 15 to 17 in New York City, has launched a "Change Your Life" contest in which one winner will receive free admission, $500 and a two-night stay for two people at the Sheraton Four Points in Times Square. The contest, which is running on the expo's Facebook page and ends June 1, aims to uncover the drive and motivation behind owning a franchise. Contestants will need to become fans and "like" the page, then submit their entries to the contest page. Learn more.
Franchising reaches out to new audiences
IFA SmartBrief | May 02, 2012
IFA, through the Diversity Institute, is partnering with mayors, economic development officials and other stakeholders as hosts to showcase franchising. Dates and locations include June 1 in Savannah, Ga.; June 7 in Denver; and June 17 in Jacksonville, Fla. Programs are scheduled later this year for more cities in addition to Meet the Mayors, a new alliance. For details, e-mail Miriam L. Brewer, senior director of education and diversity.
Legal Symposium and IBA/IFA Joint Conference kick off this month
IFA SmartBrief | May 02, 2012
The Legal Symposium, May 20 and 22, and the IBA/IFA Joint Conference, May 22 and 23, will provide practical solutions to legal, business and international issues facing today's franchise executives. Both conferences will be at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C. Learn more about educational and networking opportunities available.
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