Presented by Todd Cohen

Crush the negative stereotype of sales! A business with a sales culture understands that the complex process of a customer saying “yes” involves everyone on the team. Everyone’s in sales and every conservation and touchpoint with a potential customer is a selling moment.

Sales Culture improves results in all franchises. Todd Cohen’s Sales Culture Methodology brings a new mindset of every single employee in your business. When integrated into the fabric of the culture of sales into the fabric of your business and it is embraced by all employees,  Todd’s sales culture mindset and behaviour generates greater sales, happier staff, more satisfied customers, and a better working environment.

Don’t do anything different; think differently about what you do! Empower your staff to embrace and leverage their unique talents and contribute to the overall success of your franchise! By thinking differently about how each conversation and interaction is an opportunity to cultivate a relationship with your customers, your entire team can directly impact a customer’s decision-making process. Every conversation is a sales conversation. Everyone’s in sales!

About Todd Cohen

Todd Cohen is the world’s leading voice on sales culture. He is a trainer, consultant, coach, and the author of “Everyone’s in Sales”.  A dynamic, engaging, and motivational speaker, Todd’s message is relevant to every business striving to increase revenue, strengthen customer and employee relationships, and improve customer satisfaction. Using humour and real-life examples, Todd demonstrates how every conversation is a “selling moment” and how everyone can contribute to the profitability and growth of a business.

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced long-lasting changes in consumer behaviour. These changes are expected to persist well beyond the reopening of the economy, as safety concerns linger and work-from-home continues for many corporations. To drive customers to your franchise, you need adapt your local store marketing activities to connect with the right customers through ways that will reach them today. Join this session to understand how consumer behaviours have changed and learn practical, how-to strategies and easy to action tips to reach the right customers to drive revenue and rapid recovery.  

COVID-19 has brought numerous employment and workplace-related issues to the forefront and will dramatically change HR, employment, and workplace policies and procedures – both in the short and long term. As employers and leaders, franchisees need to consider a number of issues and short-term and long-term changes to their policies and procedures as they focus on stabilizing and strengthen their businesses.

Attend this session and receive free HR advice from employment and HR experts as they explore key issues including health and safety matters, human rights issues, issues with leaves of absence and accommodation requests, layoffs and recalls, and work refusals.

According to the Canadian Bankers Association, Canadian banks serve more than three million self-employed, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Canada and authorized more than $254.6 billion in credit to these customers as of December 2019.

Renowned for its stability through the 2007-2009 global financial crisis, Canada’s financial system is being tested once again with the current economic turmoil from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has created tremendous strain and financial hardships on franchising and franchised businesses. In response to these conditions, Canadian financial institutions are working directly with individual and small business customers to create tailored support plans to help them manage the financial turmoil, overcome financial challenges, and build bridges to a stronger future.

Learn how COVID-19 has impacted Canadian banks and their lending programs. What programs and services have banks introduced to serve SMEs and how can they be accessed? What is the impact of the pandemic on their loan books and have risk tolerances changed? Have banks changed how they will lend and for what they will lend? Do banks foresee a rise in loan losses as government support programs taper off and will lenders tighten loan approval requirements or make changes to certain lines of businesses?

One of the most difficult struggles for business owners is finding the right path and approach to lead their staff through the challenges created by COVID-19. As business owners, your staff look to you for positive and effective leadership in times of uncertainty and adversity. But with so many challenges and demands colliding at the same time, many business owners often struggle. In this session, gain advice from the experience of other franchisees on how they manage the overwhelming demands of leading their businesses while motivating their staff through these uncertain times.

Commercial rent is one of the biggest issues facing small businesses across Canada. Understanding your options and strategies for negotiating rent relief, deferral, and abatement with your landlord is critical. It can make the difference to your cash flow in ensuring your business’ survivability through the recovery phase. Attend this session for practical how-to information and the opportunity to ask your questions to real estate and leasing experts for their advice and guidance!

As the economy continues to shift as a result of COVID-19, the Canadian Franchise Association continues to work with government and our members to find solutions to the serious challenges facing franchised businesses across Canada. David Black, CFA’s Director of Government Relations and Public Policy will lead a panel discussion on how franchised businesses can access government programs. Etienne Rene Massie, Director General, Small Business Branch, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada will speak about the federal programs that have helped businesses get through COVID-19 along with programs that will help the economic recovery. Justin Mastrangelo, Partner, Canadian Tax at BDO will speak about corporate and personal tax planning and cash management to help businesses recover. Join this session to learn about updates on these programs as well as other support mechanisms in place available for business owners.

Presented by Dawn Desjardins, Deputy Chief Economist of RBC Royal Bank

The global economy staggered as COVID-19 infected millions and measures to contain its spread shuttered businesses. In Canada, the economy slumped and job losses soared. As the number of infections slowed, the economy reopened fueling a partial recovery in the labour market and rebound in activity. Assuming no further lockdowns are required, the economy will continue to recover in the second half of the year although even as conditions improve the hole created by the crisis will take a long time to fill.

Attend this keynote presentation by Dawn Desjardins, Deputy Chief Economist of RBC Royal Bank as she shares her outlook for the Canadian economy. With the latest information and insights on the Canadian economy and consumer behaviour, you’ll arm yourself with the information you need to make the best decisions for your business.

About Dawn Desjardins, RBC Royal Bank

Dawn Desjardins joined the RBC Economics team in January 2006. She is a key contributor to the macroeconomic forecasts for Canada and the U.S. and is part of a team that is responsible for the interest rate forecasts for both countries. Dawn delivers economic analysis to RBC’s clients through a variety of publications and presentations. She is often interviewed by media from across North America to discuss developments in the economy and financial markets.

Prior to joining RBC, Dawn worked as a reporter for Bloomberg Financial News in Toronto covering the Canadian bond and currency markets and was the Canadian bond market strategist for a major U.S. bank for ten years. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto.