Gain in-depth knowledge from leading experts on franchising with our concurrent sessions! Ready to take your franchise to the next level? Whether you're looking to sharpen your legal knowledge or want to learn more about the latest innovations in franchise development, there's a session at the CFA National Convention for you.
These information-packed sessions are divided into four (4) tracks: Business Development, Legal, Management, and Operations, to help you streamline your learning and maximize your impact!
Scaling a franchise system requires a team that aligns with your growth strategy and values. This session explores effective approaches to recruiting, retaining, and developing talent, addressing the unique challenges of scaling. Learn from experienced leaders how to structure teams, foster culture, and ensure your system is poised for sustainable growth.
Key Takeaways:
- Analyze the essential roles and structures needed for scaling a franchise system.
- Apply strategies for attracting, retaining, and developing top talent aligned with franchise growth objectives.
- Evaluate methods to balance culture and operational efficiency while expanding your team.
Are you a franchisor looking to expand across Canada or into the U.S.? Join our panel of legal experts as they explore the legal challenges of cross-provincial and international franchise expansion. This session will cover key legal and regulatory requirements, including compliance with disclosure laws, navigating Quebec’s unique legal landscape, and best practices for mitigating risks in both Canadian and U.S. markets. Gain valuable insights into real-world examples of successful cross-border expansion and learn strategies to ensure smooth, compliant growth.
Key Takeaways
- Understand the key legal challenges and regulatory requirements for expanding a franchise across different provinces in Canada (including Quebec) and into the United States.
- Learn practical strategies and best practices to ensure compliance and mitigate risks during cross-border franchise expansion.
- Gain insights from real-world examples of successful franchise growth and how to navigate the complexities of different legal jurisdictions
Key performance indicators (KPIs) are more than just numbers—they are the foundation for evaluating and driving success across franchise systems. This session will explore the role of KPIs in franchise operations, offering insights on how franchisors can support franchisees in understanding and utilizing these metrics effectively. From identifying the most critical KPIs for your system to translating data into actionable strategies, we’ll look at practical tips for fostering stronger performance across your network, addressing common challenges, such as working with underperforming franchisees, and sharing proven approaches for turning things around while maintaining trust and alignment.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand the most important KPIs for franchise systems and their impact on franchisee success.
- Analyze strategies for supporting franchisees in using KPIs to improve performance.
- Evaluate best practices for assisting underperforming franchisees and driving system-wide improvements
You've invested in franchise lead generation and it's starting to work. Now what? Filling the top of the funnel is just the first step in your recruitment process to signing new franchisees. What methods and technologies are you using to nurture your leads and advance them through your pipeline? You'll learn from experts in franchise recruitment about modern strategies that are driving results, and hear from franchisors who are experiencing steady growth because of their lead nurturing efforts. This is an opportunity to hear first-hand about tips, tricks, and insights on how to execute a successful recruitment program after leads have been generated. After this session, you'll be prepared to begin strategizing a modern franchise recruitment plan to expedite your brand's growth.
Key Takeaways
- How to use storytelling to educate, inspire, and motivate potential buyers
- How to utilize CRM technology to manage lead data and automate communications
- How to implement a systematic process to screen and qualify leads
- How to track, measure, and analyze lead conversion metrics
Join an empowering discussion with female founders who have successfully built and led franchise systems. This session will explore their journeys, unique challenges, and actionable strategies for fostering growth, innovation, and resilience. Gain valuable insights to inspire leadership and develop strategies tailored to the dynamics of female-led franchise systems.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand the unique challenges and opportunities faced by female founders in the franchising industry.
- Analyze successful strategies employed by female leaders to navigate business growth and management challenges.
- Apply best practices and insights to enhance leadership effectiveness and system performance in franchise operations.
Selecting the right site is critical to the success of any franchise system, yet it remains one of the biggest challenges for both franchisors and franchisees. This session explores a strategic approach to site selection, from mapping out target development areas to leveraging demographic tools and broker expertise to secure the best locations. Participants will also gain practical insights into effective lease negotiation to ensure long-term value.
Key Takeaways:
- Analyze geographic and demographic data to strategically map out and prioritize target development areas for optimal growth.
- Evaluate potential sites using census data, real estate tools, and broker resources to identify high-potential locations for franchise expansion.
- Identify key principles of lease negotiation in order to secure favorable terms that maximize ROI and align with brand goals.
Explore the complexities of franchise strategy development and learn how to balance business growth with legal compliance. This panel will provide actionable insights on avoiding common pitfalls, understanding the interplay between legal risks and strategic decisions, and fostering sustainable success. Gain perspectives from seasoned experts who will share best practices for aligning strategic decisions with sound legal frameworks.
Key Takeaways:
- Analyze the interplay between legal risks and strategic decisions in franchise development.
- Evaluate case studies of common legal challenges and determine best practices for compliance.
- Apply proactive strategies to balance business objectives with legal responsibilities in franchise operations
Technology is transforming the franchise industry, but selecting and implementing the right tools is critical for success. This panel discussion will delve into the latest innovations in AI and franchise technology, exploring tools for site potential analysis, AI-powered forecasting, POS systems to reduce waste, and online training programs.
Our panel will share insights into best practices for evaluating technology, building business cases for adoption, and ensuring seamless integration with existing systems. Attendees will leave equipped with actionable strategies for leveraging technology to streamline operations, improve ROI, and drive competitive advantage in a fast-evolving market.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand the current landscape of AI and technology solutions tailored for franchise systems, including their benefits and challenges.
- Evaluate how to approach technology decisions, from build vs. buy considerations to integration planning.
- Identify actionable strategies to successfully implement new tools, gaining buy-in and maximizing ROI.
Franchise agreements are the legal backbone of the franchise relationship. However, there many provisions and boilerplate in these agreements that franchise parties may not understand or fully appreciate. This presentation will explore these provisions and:
- Explain the concepts involved.
- Discuss the pros and cons of these provisions for both franchise parties.
- Address how Canadian courts have treated them.
Business people on the franchisor side and franchisees need to understand the depth and scope of their franchise agreements and the rights available to them and the obligations they are under. This panel dives into the finer points of franchise agreements, breaking down clauses like withholding taxes, renewal obligations, ROFRs, indemnities, relocation, extranets, and more. Explore these provisions, discuss their implications for both franchisors and franchisees, and examine how Canadian courts have interpreted them. Attendees will gain practical insights to ensure you fully understand the rules governing your contractual relationships and how to leverage them effectively.
As the franchise industry adapts to today’s financial landscape, franchisors are increasingly focused on supporting their franchisees' financial health. This session will explore how businesses are managing their financial stability, driving sales, and increasing traffic. We’ll discuss how franchisors can help franchisees develop and execute sustainable business plans, with a focus on growth and profitability.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand strategies for managing financial health and growth in a challenging market.
- Learn how franchisors can assist franchisees in driving sales and increasing traffic to support profitability.
- Gain insights into how well-managed financial health impacts franchise success and franchisee satisfaction.
In today’s competitive marketplace, creating a resilient and scalable franchise brand begins with a solid strategic foundation. This session will explore the essential components of brand and marketing strategy that franchisors must establish before executing marketing tactics.
Our panel will look at brand positioning, best practices for creating a distinct value proposition, how best to leverage local marketing efforts while maintaining consistency, and the critical role of intellectual property in protecting your brand. Through real-world insights, attendees will learn how to create a brand that stands out, engage target audiences effectively, and build a marketing strategy that supports long-term growth. Whether you're an emerging brand or an established franchise system, this session will provide the tools and framework to avoid common mistakes and ensure your strategy aligns with your goals for sustainable success.
Key Takeaways:
- Identify key components of a brand and marketing strategy and explain why building a strong foundation is essential before executing tactics.
- Explore how to create a distinct value proposition and differentiate your brand for long-term resilience.
- Understand the role of intellectual property (IP) in protecting your brand’s assets during expansion.
What makes a truly great field coach? This session will explore how top field coaches bridge the gap between franchisors and franchisees through collaboration, support, and community-building. We’ll discuss how to identify, train, and empower field coaches to strengthen relationships, drive franchisee growth, and foster a united network.
Attendees will gain actionable insights on supporting field coaches to elevate franchisee success, increase engagement, and create a resilient franchise system. Field coaches are crucial to driving success, yet often overlooked—by empowering them, franchisee engagement and profitability soar.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand the three pillars of field coach success.
- Discover strategies field coaches can use to build meaningful relationships with franchisees.
- Learn tools and templates to enhance franchisee engagement.