Emerging franchise brands often focus on growth without fully evaluating whether their systems are prepared to support long-term franchisee success. The reality is simple: franchising does not solve business problems, it magnifies them.
This interactive pre-conference workshop helps emerging franchisors assess whether their franchise system is operationally ready, scalable, and sustainable before accelerating growth. Through practical discussions, exercises, and self-assessments, participants will identify operational strengths, uncover critical gaps, and develop a roadmap for strengthening their franchise system.
Key topics include operational consistency, franchisee onboarding and support, leadership alignment, culture, infrastructure, and compliance risk. Participants are encouraged to bring real operational challenges and growth questions for discussion and feedback.
The first 12 participants to register will receive access to an exclusive pre-workshop discussion with one of the facilitators to explore real operational challenges, growth concerns, and franchise system questions. Bring your most pressing questions and concerns about your franchise program to this bonus discussion. These topics and challenges will be addressed directly during the pre-conference workshop.
Michael is founder and Managing Director of MSA Worldwide, a global franchise advisory firm. He has been an advisor to numerous emerging brands in the structuring and development of domestic and international franchise systems, is recognized for his work with established and well-known brands on a global basis, and for his work as an expert witness in complex franchise matters. He is a member of the IFA Board of Directors and past Chair of the IFA Supplier Forum. He is also the principal author of the IFA’s Statement of Guiding Principles, the generally accepted standards for franchising in the United States. He has served as chair or member of several IFA committees and task forces and was a trustee of the IFA Education Foundation. Michael has been an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University where he developed a graduate course on commercial and social franchising. He wrote Franchising for Dummies with Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s International, and Franchise Management for Dummies with Joyce Mazero, Partner, Polsinelli. The State of California has published his “Making the Franchise Decision” workbook on its franchise regulatory website.
Andrew is Senior Consultant for MSA Worldwide, a global franchise advisory firm. He is an experienced advisor to franchisors, working primarily with emerging brands seeking to grow their business through franchising, to determine their initial strategy, franchise support, and franchise sales efforts. A litigator by training and a transactional lawyer from experience, Andrew brings a unique perspective when assisting MSA’s wide range of clients. In addition to his other client services at MSA, Andrew works on MSA’s emerging franchisor sales incubator team, which assists clients in developing their pipeline of potential franchisees and trains franchisors how to internalize the franchise sales process.
Kay is Managing Director of MSA Worldwide, a global franchise advisory firm. She advises domestic and international clients with setting objectives, developing strategy, identifying new market opportunities, evaluating franchising as a method of expansion, establishing or expanding a franchise program, brand building, franchise relationships, and restructuring or exiting existing programs. Kay is a past Chair of the IFA Supplier Forum and current Chair of the IFA International Committee. She was a founding member of the Advisory Board of the Professional Athletes Franchise Initiative (PAFI) and Chair of the PAFI Education Committee. She has served on the Advisory Board of the National Franchise Mediation Program of the Center for Dispute Resolution. A frequent speaker for the IFA and other professional and government organizations in the United States and internationally, Kay has authored numerous articles on franchising and is often quoted in the press. She has lectured on franchising at the university level in business and law schools, and has worked with the U.S. Department of Commerce to provide franchise training to DOC staff in over 40 countries around the world.
Step into the next era of franchise compliance with the newly enhanced IFA Fran-Guard® workshop. This must-attend session equips franchise professionals to lead with integrity, confidence, and clarity, transforming compliance from a regulatory requirement into a competitive edge. Learn how to protect your brand, reduce risk, and embed ethics into your franchise culture.
Ideal for franchise executives, legal professionals, compliance managers, and CFE participants.
Some of franchising’s best attorneys and compliance experts. Facilitators TBD.
This is a high-engagement, practice-based lab designed for emerging franchisor leaders who must clearly communicate why their brand is positioned for responsible growth. In this interactive 2-hour session, participants move beyond generic claims by sharpening their brand growth story, pressure-testing their message with peers, and practicing a credible response to one tough stakeholder question using a simple four-move response structure. Rather than attempting to solve every growth challenge, the lab focuses on one practical outcome: each participant leaves with a clearer 90-second growth story that can stand up to questions from franchise candidates, franchisees, lenders, investors, suppliers, strategic partners, and internal teams, and a stronger answer to what the brand’s next smart move should be.
By the end of this lab, participants will be able to:
Jerry Akers, a farm boy from Iowa turned franchise expert, has spent over 20 years building and growing multiple brands. Starting with Great Clips and expanding to The Joint Chiropractic, he now oversees 34 locations and has successfully brought his family into the business, with the second generation (G2) now involved in building a lasting [bio continues].