Franchise Update Magazine Issue III, 2016 | Page 76

2016 M U L T I - U N I T F R A N C H I S I N G C O N F E R E N C E

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

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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

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