Franchise Today

The Franchise Model Series wraps up this week on Franchise Today with a segment on Technology in Franchising. Host, Paul Segreto is joined by Amit Pamecha, Founder & CEO of FranConnect, one of the leading technology companies in franchising. Paul and Amit discuss current state of affairs in franchising technology, what franchisors should be doing to improve their technology infrastructure and taking it to the local level, the state of consumer and franchisee technology.

About Our Guest

Amit Pamecha is the Founder and CEO of FranConnect – the world’s #1 provider of franchise management and recruitment systems. Amit has personally worked with over 300 franchise organizations, helping them implement solutions for improving franchise recruitment, enhancing franchisee relationships and performance. Under Amit’s leadership, FranConnect has grown to become the world’s largest technology provider to franchise systems with over 450 franchise brands as customers. Amit is also a frequent speaker, motivator, and strategist helping franchise organizations find creative solutions to their complex needs. Amit serves on the board of the IFA supplier forum and is a Certified Franchise Executive.

Franchise Sales & Development is one of the cornerstones of the franchise business model and it's the topic this week as the Franchise Model Series continues on Franchise Today. Host, Paul Segreto is joined by Robert Stidham, President of Franchise Dynamics, the world’s leading full-service ‘franchise sales outsourcing’ (FSO) firm. Paul and Robert dive into franchise sales and development best practices and will discuss lead generation, the sales process and much more.

About Our Guest

Robert Stidham is president of Franchise Dynamics, the world’s leading full-service ‘franchise sales outsourcing’ (FSO) firm. Based in suburban Chicago, Franchise Dynamics currently represents a number of emerging to large-sized franchisors in a wide variety of categories throughout the United States and worldwide.

 

Mr. Stidham is an accomplished franchise sales and business development executive with a proven track record of increasing franchise units, revenue and profitability while gaining market share and expanding brand awareness for both new franchise concepts and established brands. He has held a variety of positions in the franchise industry in franchise development, operations, consulting and as an international franchise company president. Mr. Stidham is active in the International Franchise Association (IFA), serving as a member of the International Committee and Research Committee, having previously served as a member of the IFA Membership Committee.

On this SPECIAL EDITION of Franchise Today, our guest is Susan Black-Beth, Founder of Dealmakers' Summit. Host, Paul  Segreto and Susan discuss the second annual Dealmakers’ Summit, which serves as a unique platform for matching growth-oriented companies in franchising with capital partners to keep private equity dollars in the franchise sector.

Founded in 2012, Dealmakers' Summit, to be held August 26 -28, 2013 at Hotel Sofitel in Chicago, is the only event with the sole focus of connecting equity investors with franchisors, and multi-unit franchisees, who are pursuing funding to enhance and grow their brands. This year’s cutting-edge meeting will be the top venue for capital investors of all sizes and franchise companies to meet, network and exchange information with the end goal of placing equity.

In an effort to help bridge the gap between the franchising community and access to private equity funds, a driven Chicago-area franchising industry executive is hosting the second annual Dealmakers’ Summit, which serves as a unique platform for matching growth-oriented companies in franchising with capital partners to keep private equity dollars in the franchise sector.

For more information about the Dealmakers’ Summit, visit www.dealmakersummit.com.

In the second week of The Franchise Model Series, host, Paul Segreto welcomes as his guest, Mark Liston, President of Glass Doctor. Paul and Mark discuss operations support and franchisee relations best practices with emphasis on the franchise relationship itself.

About Our Guest

Mark Liston is President of Glass Doctor, a brand of the Dwyer Group. In franchising since 1981, Mark is very involved in the International Franchise Association (IFA). He is the immediate past Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives having earned his CFE in 2005. Mark is also on the IFA’s Educational Foundation Board of Trustees. Previously, he was a member of the VetFran Committee and IFA’s Public Relations Committee.

After a very successful 4th Annual Franchise Legal Series on Franchise Today, up next is the Franchise Model Series - Consumer Marketing, Operations & Franchisee Relations, Franchise Sales & Development, and Technology in Franchising. The 4-part series begins this week and continues throughout the month of June.

In the first segment, the topic is Consumer Marketing and our guest is Ed Waller, VP CRM of CertaPro Painters and Chairman of the 2012 Franchise Consumer Marketing Conference. Show host, Paul Segreto and Ed discuss various factors of successful consumer marketing including target audiences,  strategic messaging, media vehicles and much more.

 About Our Guest

Edward Waller is the VP CRM at CertaPro Painters. He oversees a marketing and a centralized customer service department, which allows him to focus on making and replicating a positive customer experience at all levels of the organization.  

Edward was part of the original equipment at CertaPro.com and has seen growth from 1 to 300+ franchises. He's been involved with all elements of the organization including the marketing of franchises, but his main interest and core skill set keeps him focused on consumer marketing. Edward left CertaPro briefly during the dot.com boom and managed to start a company, which still survives, but enjoys franchising and generating leads at CertaPro so that's where he remains.

As the 4th Annual Franchise Legal Series comes to an end, host, Paul Segreto is joined by Dean Heyl, Senior Director, State Government Relations, Public Policy & Tax Counsel at the International Franchise Association. Dean provides a recap of the recently completed IFA Legal Symposium held in Washington DC.

About Our Guest

Dean Heyl is a veteran lobbyist, attorney and expert on issues impacting franchise businesses.  Heyl comes to IFA from the Direct Selling Association, where he was Director of Government Relations in addition to serving as an attorney for the association for almost nine years.  In this capacity, he was responsible for lobbying at the local, state and federal level, providing legal analysis, and liaison activities with Republican and Democrat-related organizations.

Heading down the backstretch in the 4th Annual Franchise Legal Series, host, Paul Segreto is again joined by Jonathan Redgrave, Partner at Redgrave LLP. The topic of discussion focuses on eDiscovery and what franchisors should know and be prepared for when required to produce records of digital communications.

About Our Guest

Jonathan Redgrave is a founding partner of Redgrave LLP. He has extensive experience in all areas of complex litigation in both state and federal courts and focuses his practice in the areas of Information Law, which include electronic discovery, records and information management, as well as data protection and privacy issues. He has authored, co-authored, and edited numerous publications, including serving as Editor-in-Chief of “The Sedona Principles®,” and speaks around the world on topics including cross-border discovery, Information Governance, privacy, data security, and emerging technologies.

In this, the sixth week in the 4th Annual Franchise Legal Series on Franchise Today, host, Paul Segreto is joined by Lane Fisher, Partner at FisherZucker LLC. This is the fourth appearance by Lane in the annual Franchise Legal Series making him the only franchise attorney to participate in the event since the premiere broadcast in 2010. In this segment, Paul and Lane discuss Item 19, Financial Performance Representations with focus on having effective FPRs in broker networks.

About Our Guest

In private practice since 1989, Lane currently represents more than 75 franchise brands in business transactions and complex franchise litigation.  Lane is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and serves on the franchise law committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association, the Philadelphia Bar Association and the American Bar Association's forum committee on franchising. In addition to chairing its membership committee since 2005, Lane serves as a member of the International Franchise Association's Board of Directors and is a past member of its executive committee and a past chair of the executive committee of the Supplier Forum Advisory Board. Lane also is a former chair of the Legal Symposium Task Force and serves on the FranPAC advisory board.

In the fifth week of the 4th Annual Franchise Legal Series on Franchise Today, host, Paul Segreto is joined by Mark Kirsch, a returning guest to the legal series. Mark is a principal at Gray Plant Mooty and a member of its Franchise & Distribution practice group. Paul and Mark discuss outsourcing of franchise sales with a look at various opportunities and pitfalls that may be encountered along the way. The discussions moves from franchise brokers to legal compliance requirements to digital age issues and many points in between.

About Our Guest

Mark A. Kirsch is a principal at Gray Plant Mooty and a member of its Franchise & Distribution practice group. He focuses his practice on domestic and international franchising and distribution matters. He represents and counsels clients on various corporate, commercial, licensing, franchise, and business development matters, across a wide range of industries including restaurants and food service, hotels and the hospitality industry, health care, equipment manufacturing and distribution, educational and training businesses, technology and telecommunications, car rental and automotive services, employment and personnel agencies, convenience stores, real estate, publishing, cosmetics and hair care, and various retail product and service businesses.

The Fourth Annual Franchise Legal Series continues this week on Franchise Today. In this fourth of eight segments, host, Paul Segreto welcomes as his guest, Barry Heller, Partner at DLA Piper. Paul and Barry discuss the many aspects of franchise litigation including hot litigation issues and non-franchise litigation claims facing franchisors today. They also discuss dispute resolutions including options to consider when drafting the franchise agreement - Is arbitration or mediation best or most practical for the brand? The discussion also includes suggestions on how to avoid litigation.

About Our Guest

For almost 30 years, Barry Heller's practice has consisted almost exclusively of representing clients in franchise and distribution disputes throughout the country, both in litigation and arbitration. Much of his practice has focused on franchise termination matters, as well as on more complex franchise cases involving issues affecting the entire franchise system. He has handled cases involving, among other issues, termination, transfers, rights of first refusal, implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, alternative

distribution channels, covenants against competition, trademark infringement, product sourcing and approval, franchisee associations, and unfair competition.

Mr. Heller is the former director of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Division of the ABA Forum on Franchising. He has authored and lectured on franchise litigation issues, including conducting Legal Roundtable seminars in different cities for the International Franchise Association on franchise litigation matters. He was co-author of a manual entitled Franchise Litigation Claims of the Litigation Section of the District of Columbia Bar Association, for whom he conducted a seminar on the subject.