From its humble beginnings with just a few people attending an intimate 1999 meeting in San Jose, California, to becoming a premiere event in the franchise development space, the 2024 Franchise Leadership & Development Conference (FLDC) brought together engaging speakers, cutting-edge content, and top-tier networking opportunities. The event is looking sharp at 25.
The FLDC returned to Atlanta and drew more than 570 attendees to the InterContinental Buckhead in mid-October. Franchise Update Media and the International Franchise Association partnered to stage the event.
The conference is known for delivering on its promise of providing valuable insights and fostering growth. Meeting rooms were packed with attendees seeking information on the latest trends and best practices in franchise development. Expert speakers led informative sessions, sharing their knowledge on timely topics and engaging in lively discussions with the audience.
The buzz of excitement and engagement throughout the conference underscored its importance as a platform for franchise development professionals to connect, learn, and grow.
Each FLDC is typically characterized by one or two dominant themes that pop up organically during the event. This year, the focus was on making franchise owners' success the top priority for brands. Franchising development professionals agree that brands are nothing without healthy unit-level economics and successful operators.
The Exhibit Hall and Networking Area were a highlight of the conference with booths overflowing into the hallway. Attendees had ample opportunities to connect with peers, explore innovative solutions, and discuss business strategies with exhibitors and suppliers.
The conference was made possible by the support of more than 90 sponsors. Platinum Sponsors included Unleashed Brands and AnswerConnect while Gold Sponsors were Hot Dish Advertising, Leasecake, FranConnect, BoeFly, ProfitKeeper, and Testimonial Hero. ApplePie Capital and Fish 919 sponsored the annual STAR Awards reception.
The first day of the conference focused on workshops and breakout sessions revolving around three tracks: Lead Generation, Growth, and Professional Development. Heavy hitters were on hand to moderate and participate in numerous panels.
Attendees packed the rooms for sessions with titles like "Market Planning to Optimize Unit Development," "Real Estate, Site Selection for Optimal Growth," "AI to Enhance and Support Lead Generation," and "Why Responsible Franchising Matters -- A Deeper Dive."
Nearby, the day-long CEO Summit, which was exclusively for franchise presidents, founders, and CEOs, took place along with the IFA's Franchise Management and Compliance Program workshop down the hall.
The summit program has become a must-attend event for brand CEOs and presidents. Panelists addressed franchise development, leveraging technology, and franchisee profitability. Each panel was followed by roundtables where leaders discussed challenges and solutions.
The franchisee profitability theme was a hot topic. Aziz Hashim, founder and managing partner of NRD Capital, called on his insight as a franchisee and franchisor to raise a number of thought-provoking points. "Are your brand unit economics strong enough that a franchisee can make more by investing with you than in the stock market?" he said.
On the same panel, multi-unit franchisee David Ostrowe said, "If a franchisor executive makes a mistake, he loses his job. If a franchisee makes a mistake, he loses his house."
Keynote speaker Chris Rollins, a leadership coach, consultant, and creator of The Ripple Effect Leader, was on hand to deliver his inspirational message to the CEO Summit, CDO Summit, and in a workshop for directors and managers.
Following the day's learning opportunities, attendees met for an opening cocktail reception in the Networking Area. Suppliers and vendors were on hand to rekindle old relationships and start new ones.
The second day of the conference featured general sessions and a keynote speaker in the morning before returning to breakout sessions in the afternoon.
Conference Chair Joe Sieve, chief development and operations officer for Papa Johns, kicked off the morning with a warm welcome, highlighting the event's reputation for fostering networking, learning, and collaboration.
Echoing the conference theme of "Foundation for Your Future," Sieve encouraged attendees to take full advantage of the opportunities to connect with peers, share experiences, and strengthen their businesses.
The first general session of the day revealed the topline results of the Annual Franchise Development Report (AFDR) and Mystery Shopping study.
Diane Phibbs, executive vice president and chief content officer of Franchise Update Media, and Paul Pickett, chief development officer at Wild Birds Unlimited, presented key findings from the 2024 AFDR and Mystery Shopping survey. The annual report delves into the best and worst practices in franchise development, offering valuable insights to help franchise development executives benchmark their sales and recruitment strategies. For a deeper dive into the Mystery Shopping results, see page X, and go to page X for more about the AFDR.
Next up was a general session panel, "Leading & Selling Through Challenging Times." Conference Chair Joe Sieve led a panel of franchise leaders through questions about motivating franchisees, building trust in the franchisor-franchisee relationship, and improving communication between the franchisor and franchisees.
The final general session of the morning was called "The Election and the Economy: Why it Matters to Franchise Development Professionals." It featured an economic update from FRANdata's CEO Darrell Johnson and a legislative update from the IFA's President and CEO Matt Haller.
Johnson noted that the U.S. economy had remained stable and that the "Fed had successfully landed inflation." Yet, consumer debt is at an all-time high, and it could be a slow business growth in the year ahead. His expectations for franchising in 2025 included:
Haller gave his election predictions before segueing into discussing joint employer and other pending issues before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Department of Labor's (DOL) overtime and independent contractor rules, and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration's Walkaround Rule.
The last morning session featured a keynote address by Michael Veltri, a Marine, leadership expert, and author of He examined a number of common decision-making traps that leaders can fall into. He called one the "clogged artery trap," which happens when leaders are distracted by smartphones and other technology. The "Goldilocks trap" occurs when leaders make decisions too quickly or too slowly, and the "street gang trap" is characterized by "fear, ego, anger, guilt, obligation, that can lead to poor decisions."
When Veltri told his cancer survival story, he had the room's full attention. He first battled testicular cancer and eventually had half of a lung removed. Initially confined to a wheelchair, he fought back using his own leadership and decision-making principles. He went on to run marathons, start a family, and become a successful entrepreneur.
The afternoon of the final full day of events included breakout sessions: "Protect Unit Growth: Resales and Transfers to Avoid Closures," "Best Practices for Selling Multiple Brands as Part of a Platform Company," and "Franchisee Engagement After the Sale."
That evening was set aside for the announcement of the STAR Awards winners. The annual ceremony honored the year's top performers in franchise development. Following the awards presentation, attendees enjoyed a celebratory reception. To learn more about the winners and insights on their success, see page X.
The final day of the conference offered attendees a closing session, "Build Your Personal Growth Plan." Attendees were asked to think about what they'd learned during the sessions to create actionable plans to take back to the office.
Attendees praised the event and most said they looked forward to returning next year.
"From my experience of going to 100+ conferences over the years, FLDC is a top favorite due to the flow of the show and how it balances networking, education, collaboration, and celebration," said Christian Dickson, director of sales and GTM strategy at Revscale AI.
"Brainstorming and learning from other leaders of franchises across industries was very beneficial as we are in a very interesting time given the pace of technological change, opportunities to implement artificial intelligence, potential changes in the regulatory environment, and issues facing the labor force," said Richard DeNicola, COO for Anywhere Real Estate. "It was so helpful to hear how others are tackling these issues and preparing business strategy for the coming years."
Nick Wallace, VP, franchise recruiting for AtWork, noted, "I have an entire list of golden nuggets I took away! Ideas for faster speed to revenue, ideas for enhancing our referral program with video, new lead source ideas, and more info on how to better track the financials of my team."
Planning for the 2025 FLDC is already underway. Make plans now to attend the conference Oct. 7-9, 2025, at the same venue in Atlanta. Learn more about the FLDC and register for 2025 at www.franchisedevelopmentconference.com.
CFOs, COOs, CMOs, CFOs, Brand and Marketing Managers 24%