By Dustin Hansen, CEO, InXpress and Chair, IFA Franchisor Forum

The franchise industry looks a little different this year, doesn’t it? COVID-19 has tested and challenged businesses in unprecedented ways and, while many industries may continue to struggle, franchising has an opportunity to continue to survive and thrive.

Of all the franchises in the U.S., many continue to develop their businesses for expansion. The road ahead still has difficult challenges to overcome, but for us franchisors, the IFA 2021 Virtual Annual Convention is the key to overcoming the challenges, igniting innovation and fueling our growth.

Here are three reasons why I think IFA 2021 is a must-attend event for franchisors.

1. Critical updates on the pandemic and beyond.
2. Education and actionable insights.
3. Networking opportunities.

Critical updates on the pandemic and beyond.

What have been the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the franchising industry? What challenges lay ahead? What are the potential solutions and how do you implement them? We’ll hear from renowned speakers in the public and private sectors about their insights and predictions into what the future holds.

At the outset of a new Administration and new Congress, the IFA is bringing us information straight from a bipartisan group of senators, governors and the new White House to help your business take advantage of COVID relief opportunities and know what’s coming next. We’ll hear straight from the source about potential relief bills, a vaccine timeline and other major developments that could affect how we operate.

We’ll also learn about accelerated innovations due to COVID-19 — like the explosion of virtual kitchens and third-party delivery apps — and get a thorough economic outlook, presented by senior leadership of BNY Mellon.

Educational tools and actionable insights to fuel your growth.

At IFA 2021, we’ll get practical strategies to move forward. Taking the learnings from the pandemic and applying them to our businesses for the future, we will hear from a panel of experts on how new testing and vaccine protocols can affect our business. With a particular eye toward liability concerns, we’ll learn how to prepare our businesses for operations in a post-COVID world.

There will be business and banking leaders sharing an overview on all things related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). We’ll learn about forgiveness applications, loan repayments and how a potential second round of PPP funding can affect your bottom line.

If you’re a new and emerging franchisor, you could register for the pre-event Emerging Franchisor Bootcamp (February 9-25) or for well-established leaders in franchising, let’s meet in the Franchisor C-Suite Think Tank/Problem Solving Session (February 22).

No matter your experience level, there are educational sessions for everyone, covering labor, marketing, supply chain, international franchising and more.

Networking with peers from around the globe, virtually.

The need to remain connected to peers, share learnings and reaffirm foundational franchising strategies remains. Though we won’t be meeting in person in 2021, the IFA is bringing franchising to us, virtually.

The IFA 2021 Virtual Annual Convention is committed to being better and more accessible than ever before and there will be plenty of opportunities to meet key contacts, reunite with your franchise family and create long-lasting relationships.

Because the event is virtual, it’s accessible and affordable to your whole team. All the sessions at IFA 2021 will be available on demand (and accessible for three months), meaning there’s plenty of content to binge over to ensure you’ve got all the tools you need to succeed.

I’m eager to join roundtable discussions throughout the event and unwind with you at happy hours. I’m in, I’m logging on and I am looking forward to a whole new way to engage in our industry.

To learn more about the IFA 2021 Virtual Annual Convention (February 9-25) and to register, visit franchise.org/convention.

 

Dustin Hansen is the CEO of InXpress and chair of the IFA Franchisor Forum. For more information and franchise opportunities for International Franchise Association (IFA) franchisor member InXpress, click here.