IFA and PAFI will develop an Athlete Franchisee Education Program.
 

Franchising World December 2011
 

By: Miriam L. Brewer 

In football and basketball, a turnover indicates a loss of possession, but via franchising, many former professional athletes are finding a turnover from sports to small-business ownership indicates a winning play to achievement. 

Now the International Franchise Association has taken a significant step by formalizing its platform to help
  professional athletes become franchisees. IFA and the Professional Athlete Franchise Initiative, or PAFI, announced a new Memorandum of Understanding to further enhance their partnership. This partnership provides a centralized platform for athletes seeking to get involved in the franchise industry and for franchisors interested in getting involved with the professional athlete community. 

 “With more than 825,000 franchise establishments supporting nearly 18 million U.S. jobs on nearly every main street in America, we welcome the opportunity to bring more professional athletes into our ranks,” said IFA President and CEO Steve Caldeira, CFE. “Professional athletes are strong leaders in the ultra-competitive sports arena, so they inherently understand the importance of working as a team and as part of a system to achieve success.”
     

Through the partnership, IFA and PAFI will develop an Athlete Franchisee Education Program. Athletes who complete the program will receive a Certificate of Completion designed to make them more attractive to prospective franchisors. The athletes who complete the PAFI Franchisee Education Program and become franchise owners will receive credit toward the attainment of Certified Franchise Executive designation, administered by the IFA Educational Foundation.
   

 “Professional athletes are becoming more conscious about the longevity of their careers and realizing more effort should be placed into planning for a professional life beyond sports,” said PAFI Founder and Executive Director Michael Stone. “The PAFI approach is to educate the professional athlete community on the specific value proposition that the franchise model provides. The IFA strategic alliance will accelerate the development and delivery of our programming and coaching.” 

Franchising All Stars 

Many well-known and successful
  professional athletes have already taken a path to franchise business ownership within well-established and emerging franchise brands. They include: 

Drew Brees (Jimmy John’s) Leonard Davis (Smash Burger) Roosevelt Colvin (The UPS Store) Angelo Crowell (Jersey Mike’s) Jamal Mashburn (Papa John’s and Outback Steakhouse) Tim Biakabatuka (Bojangles) Junior Bridgeman (Wendy’s and Chili’s) Drew Gooden (WingStop) Tyoka Jackson (IHOP) Willie McGinest (WingStop) Shaquille O’Neal (Auntie Anne’s) Ron Stone (WingStop) George Tinsley (KFC, TGIF, Burger King, Pizza Hut) Nate Wayne (Coldstone Creamery) Dewayne White (Dunkin’ Donuts) Gerris Wilkerson and James Butler (Golden Corral) Venus Williams (Jamba Juice) And recently Reggie Bush, Dennis Northcutt, Cory Ivy and Keyshawn Johnson entered into franchise deals (Panera Bread). “Utilizing a coaching-style approach, IFA and PAFI will educate both franchisors and athletes about the unique attributes of franchising and demonstrate how franchising allows athletes to take the court or field with a new playbook to own their own business, once their playing days
  are over,” said Stan Friedman, CFE, senior vice president, FranConnect, and chair of the PAFI advisory board. 

As part of the partnership, IFA and PAFI will co-develop Franchise Summits for professional athletes and franchisors, while also providing resources to produce publications such as the PAFI Playbook. 

Former Athletes/Current Franchisees to Address IFA Convention 

Tim Biakabutuka, Tyoka Jackson and Jamal Mashburn will speak during the New Markets Summit at IFA’s 52nd Annual Convention. Scheduled for Feb. 11-14 in Orlando, Fla., the 52nd IFA Annual Convention will highlight the franchise industry’s focus on how franchising builds local businesses, one opportunity at a time. The 52nd annual event will help attract upwards of 3,000 franchise community professionals seeking to build on their franchise expertise and professional networks through unrivalled educational content, professional development opportunities and the exhibit hall showcase. 

For details on the convention program, visit “Convention Central” at

www.franchise.org/convention.aspx
. 

Miriam L. Brewer is director of education and diversity for the International Franchise Association. She can be reached at 202-662-0784 or

mbrewer@franchise.org
.