Franchise Today

John Covilli is a veteran franchise and business development leader who has spent more than a decade supporting Dale Carnegie Training franchise owners and expanding the franchise brand. In his current role as Senior Vice President of Franchising, John oversees the franchise program for North and Latin America for Dale Carnegie Training. His insights and experience allows him to provide the Dale Carnegie Training franchise system the resources and tools to drive growth.

Dale Carnegie Training ignites workplace enthusiasm with middle market and large corporations, as well as organizations, to produce measurable business results by improving the performance of employees. The brand's workplace training solutions focus on leadership, sales, employee engagement, customer service, presentations and public speaking, process improvement and other essential management skills.

The Little Gym has been around since 1976 and has come a long way, since those early days.  Today, with more than 400 locations in the US and around the world, they offer programs for various age levels, beginning as young as four months and going all the way up to 12 year old’s.  These include Parent & Child, Developmental Gymnastics, Karate and Sports Skills Development.   The Little Gym locations also host birthday parties, summer camps, Creative Crafts Adventures and Parent's Survival Nights.  Today we're joined by Alex Bingham, their President and CEO, who was actually enrolled in "The Little Gym" as a kid, as we talk about the business of delivering "Serious Fun! "

When I return live next week, I will be joined by Alex Bingham, CEO of The Little Gym.  Until then, please have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.  I can't thank you all enough for continuing to tune in each Wednesday at noon ET, for another episode of Franchise Today. Until next week, let me quote my good friend Jim Fliss, as I encourage you to enjoy the downtime and most importantly, "Enjoy Your Turkey Daze!"  

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Stan Friedman

Thanksgiving is upon us, so when better, to kick off my special series of Franchise Today Podcasts, on Franchising Gives Back.  Jimmy John's Founder, Jimmy John Liautaud joins me to kick this series off, with a powerful, first installment.    

Forget what you've heard, read or think that you know about this guy and tune in.  Jimmy shares from the heart with compelling stories of sharing, caring and giving back.  Don’t miss this first in a series of Franchising Gives Back podcasts.  Available for download, Wednesday 11/20/19 at noon Eastern.  Please tune in and have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving, as we kick off the holiday season.

Normally, my guests are accomplished franchising icons, those who have been there, done that and come here to share nuggets about it all.  Today, I have invited Elizabeth Dunham to the podcast.  Elizabeth is a talented writer whose franchising experience is  at best, early stage.  But stay tuned and learn why this woman will deliver more value than you can possibly imagine, as the Founder and Publisher of The Franchise Woman, a newly minted, bi-monthly franchise publication, devoted specifically to women in franchising. 

Elizabeth’s story in many ways, parallels that of Professor John Hayes.  He too, was an accomplished writer and knew little or nothing about franchising when he  arrived on the scene.  It wasn’t until he stumbled into our space, as the result of other circumstances in his life, that he focused his training as a writer and researcher like a laser beam on the intrigue and power of franchising.  

Professor Hayes went on to become a member of the Board of The Dwyer Group, the CEO of HomeVestors and now serves as the Titus Chair for Franchise Leadership at Palm Beach Atlantic University.  It’s too soon to know exactly how or where the Franchise Woman will land, but for now, Elizabeth Denham is clearly intent on making a difference, by reporting on all things centered upon "Women in Franchising."  Elizabeth sits at the helm of an exciting new franchise publication, featuring all aspects of women in our space and I am proud to have her join us, on Franchise Today.

Scott Lehr has served the franchise community for 29 years in numerous positions within the International Franchise Association.  Most recently, as Executive Vice President, with oversight of membership recruitment and retention of Franchisors, Franchisees and Suppliers.  Earlier this year, Scott retired from the IFA and with two other industry giants, namely Tom Portesy, CEO of MFV Expos and Gary Gardner, Co-Founder and Chairman of Franchise Update Media Group, formed GT&S Franchise Executive Search, to help franchise companies build out and grow their teams with high quality franchise executives.  GT&S will specialize in placing high level franchise executives including CEO, COO, EVP, VP and Director level executives ranging in scope from Franchise Sales and Development to Marketing, Operations, International and Legal. 

The three partners collectively have over ninety years of experience in franchising building relationships and connecting franchise companies with qualified franchise executives andScott serves as Managing Partner and CEO.

Tray Doster is Director of Franchise Sales for Zaxby’s Franchising LLC and Chairman of the Board of the Southeast Franchise Forum, IFA’s Franchise Business Network affiliate, in Atlanta, GA.  Tray has been with Zaxby’s since 2007 joining the brand at the 325 restaurants open mark and has contributed directly with moving that high water mark to now more than 900 open and operating units. 

Prior to his current role as Director of Franchise Recruitment, his responsibility was split between franchise development and real estate/site selection. Tray earned his IFA Certified Franchise Executive designation in 2014 and has been an active and participating member of the Southeast Franchise forum for more than 10 years, prior to assuming his leadership role as Chair. 

Tray Doster is one of the nicest people on the planet, much less in franchising and finds his happiness, in doing service for others.  Tray delivers on that right here, on Franchise Today!

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Last Saturday Key Bank and the IFA delivered a pilot ½ day educational program, the first of what I hope will be many more to come and an amazing event it was, in Cleveland, Ohio, Key Bank’s Home Base.  I actually got to participate in this event, which hands down, was the best of any such events I have ever participated in, during my 22+ years of promoting diversity and inclusion in franchising  What made this one such a game-changer from my point of view, was the deep level of franchisee participation in the program. 

This came in the names of Vanessa Whiting, owner of 15 Cleveland Popeye’s restaurants, Michael Obi,CEO of Spectrum Global, a multi-unit Little Caesar’s franchisee and Connie Hill-Johnson, of Visiting Angels, all three, powerful and relatable communicators and business people, who helped convey to the audience how much franchised business ownership has changed their lives and those they employ and serve.  

Today we’re going to continue that conversation, as I have invited Visiting Angels franchisee Connie Hill Johnson here today, to bring the conversation about diversity in franchising right her, as we will speak about more than just RETURN on INVESTMENT in franchising but ROI too, as it pertains to RETURN ON INCLUSION and why more franchisors, should be focusing their eyes on THAT ball as well.

Peter Capodice is sought out by leaders in Franchising who recognize the need to attract the industry's best talent. Through Capodice & Associates' extensive network of relationships and their "deep dive" qualification process, they are able to identify and secure individuals who represent the top tier of Franchise professionals.  Find out how, on Franchise Today!

ENCORE PERFORMANCE!  Christian Pillat is passionate about transforming disruptive ideas into actionable business strategies.  As co-CEO of TRANSITIV, he does just that.  Transitiv provides franchisors and franchisees with cutting edge intelligence about their customers and local store marketing.  By enabling franchisees to identify their best customers, they can then market more effectively to them and bring them back more often.  They can also target more customers like them and increase their average spend and frequency of visits.