Franchising’s future is here! IFA’s Annual Convention 2020 has officially started. Franchise professionals have come from all over the world to attend this event.
Yesterday attendees arrived at the Orlando World Center Marriott and signed in at registration, picking up numerous badges to highlight their accomplishments in the industry. Make sure to pick up your ribbons at the registration desk.
Some attendees started the day at a Golf Outing at Hawk’s Landing Golf Club, networking and enjoying the Florida weather. Throughout the day, numerous committees met to discuss action items for improving the industry through Franchise Relations, Marketing and Innovation and more.
The ICFE Special Sessions were a hit. With topics from “Six Critical Practices of Leading a Team,” to “Taking Your Franchise Global in Interesting Times,” attendees were challenged to brainstorm the ways their business is thriving and what they can do to be better leaders, mentors and coworkers.
The Annual Leadership Conference highlighted a real-world case study of an actual franchise system and championed a collaborative experience among attendees to problem solve and network with one another. Dippin’ Dots Franchising, LLC, CEO, Scott Fischer, spoke to attendees regarding the topic, “Evolve with the Market: Your Brand’s Future Depends On It.” Congratulations to Paul Pickett, CFE with Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. for winning this year’s Crystal Compass award!
Franchise professionals that attended the Emerging Franchisor Bootcamp heard from leaders that helped them maximize their time with mentor and peer input that went towards solving a key business problem, and a run-down of who’s who in franchising. The opportunity to connect with road-tested leaders who have been in their shoes was extremely valuable as attendees took away tips to help them navigate their business issues.
The day ended with The Buzz, our opening reception, where attendees networked with both new and old friends. Forging new relationships seeing franchise friends is a highlight of Convention every year, and attendees should know that this is only the beginning of a fantastic line-up!