Special Conference Presentations

Karen Spencer President Fran-Systems, LLC

Less Pain, More Gain: Become a Great Franchisor!

This is an essential workshop for new and emerging franchisors. So many concepts begin to franchise without any knowledge, and then, further down the road, senior management realizes “now that we are a franchisor, what are we really supposed to be doing?” There is a sense of excitement - “Wow! Someone wants to buy my concept” - that can go quickly to a sense of being overwhelmed! Attend this workshop on building the right foundation—a “Franchise 101”, if you will— BEFORE you begin franchising, or if you are a franchisor who wants to improve the way you run your system.

Karen Spencer is the founder and CEO of Fran-Systems, LLC., an Atlanta-based franchise education and consulting company. Karen’s background encompasses more than 25 years experience with all levels and types of franchise companies, such as Arby’s, both internationally and domestically, AFC Enterprises, RTM Restaurant Group, Original Cookie Company, Planet Smoothie, and Moe’s, to name a few. She is an Ambassador to Franchising for the IFA and co-founded the new Atlanta Franchise Alliance.

---

Mac Brand Founding Partner Bellwether Food Group

How to Become a Franchise Sales Peak Performer

You want to sell lots of franchises. To be a peak performer, you need the most qualified, talented and committed franchisees. Your concept will do only as well as your least successful franchisee. Peak performers surround themselves with other peak performers—part of that success is to avoid working with the average or mediocre performers.

In this session, we will introduce a proven set of techniques to identify and prioritize the most suited franchisees for your business. You will learn to identify a peak performer much earlier in the recruiting/sales process, because you learn what to look for, to ask the right questions, and analyze what you have learned using this proven, disciplined process.

Prior to founding Bellwether, Mac established a professional skill set practice (coaching skills, collaboration, listening skills and sales skills) at The Hale Group. Previously, he served as Director of Business Development at NPD Foodworld, a global consumer insights provider focused on food and commercial chain restaurants, after founding Brand Strategic Selling. Mac held national account management positions at M & M Mars, Quaker Oats Company, Tropicana Products and Anchor Foods.

---

Jeffrey Hoffman Senior Partner Kurt Salmon Associates

Hot Topic: What Healthcare Reform Means to Franchising

You can’t turn on the news without one more update on the healthcare issue. It’s confusing, and do we really understand what it will mean for small business? In this session, you will get the up-to-the-minute information on healthcare legislation and how it will change, or not, the way you do business.

Jeff has spent his entire 25-year career in healthcare, and understands how healthcare affects the world on a micro and macro level. He has experience consulting to hospitals, health systems and large physician groups, both domestically and internationally. He has been active in managing both broad and focused strategic engagements on competitive business strategy, organizational development, and physician alignment strategy. His client base includes larger urban multi-hospital organizations, national health systems and academic medical centers.