What is your background?
I founded iFranchise Group in 1998 as an organization dedicated to developing long-term relationships with successful franchisor clientele, and have worked with hundreds of franchisors, from start-up operations to corporate giants. For more than three decades, I’ve been actively involved in assisting U.S. franchisors in expanding abroad, providing consulting services to franchisors in more than two dozen countries and responsible for the sale of numerous international licenses. I’ve personally supervised the establishment of international consulting practices, and assisted over 30 Fortune 2000 companies and over 500 start-up franchisors. Those establishments include iFranchise Group MENAT, the Middle East and North African branch of iFranchise Group, which provides state of the art franchising and development services for start-up and existing franchisors. I also serve as a partner and member of the board of directors of TopFire Media, an award-winning integrated public relations and digital marketing agency specializing in franchise marketing. I’ve written and published over 100 articles, am the author of Franchise Your Business, The Guide to Employing the Greatest Growth Strategy Ever, and am regularly a featured speaker for the International Franchise Association, the International Franchise Expo, and many more.
Describe your present role?
I still actively engage in the overall assessments of franchise feasibility and oversee a team of 27 franchise consultants. Collectively, we’ve provided franchise-consulting services to 98 of the top 200 franchise companies.
How did you get here?
I started with a different franchise consulting firm and felt that I could provide a better value to my clients. So I ventured out on my own, working out of my home office. I was able to assemble a great team, and we have grown to be the largest player in a small industry based on the results that our clients have achieved.
What attracted you to franchising?
Franchising has provided me with an opportunity to work with entrepreneurs, who are some of the most exciting and creative people in the world, in dozens of different industries. I learn something every day. And when my clients achieve success, I take some small satisfaction in being able to have imparted some of that knowledge to them.
What is the function of the iFranchise Group?
The iFranchise Group provides strategic planning, operations training and documentation, franchise marketing and sales, advertising fund management, and franchise recruitment. The team’s consultants have helped thousands of businesses assess their franchise potential. We also help existing franchisors improve franchise sales effectiveness, generate more leads, decrease costs and improve franchisee relationships.
What do you specialize in?
I specialize in assisting new and existing franchisors with franchise feasibility, market research, business planning, financial analysis, operations manuals, training programs, training videos, online learning, franchise marketing plans, franchise brochure development, franchise sales videos, website optimization, franchise sales training, franchise sales improvement, franchise marketing improvement, franchisee relations, expert witness services, acquisition due diligence, and conversion of dealers to franchises.
How do you help firms to expand overseas?
We help businesses expand overseas by first assessing their readinesses, then taking the appropriate steps to ensure the vital actions and processes are taken to have a successful long-term relationship in the international marketplace.
What are the three most important things a company expanding overseas must right?
The most important part of expanding internationally is truthfully assessing the readiness of the business concept, and addressing a number of vital questions.
Such as?
Does expansion internationally fit the company’s corporate goals? Like domestic franchising, the initial fee that is received by the franchisor will likely prove to be mostly a cost recovery vehicle for the franchise brand. And since the long-term costs of support can be significant while the ramp-up period can often be slower than domestic franchising, the franchisor must ensure that international franchising fits with its short-term goals. Are the financial resources available? Launching an international franchise requires a substantial financial commitment. The tasks of finding the right local partner and conducting due diligence takes time and money. Frequent market visits are essential, as they provide insight on a brand’s potential viability, consumer preferences and expectations, existing competition, and the potential concept adaptations that may be required in entering a new market. Do you have the right people? In addition to capital, the new international franchisor will need to have the right people in place to provide the proper service and support to their new international franchisees. While the franchisor’s initial inclination may be to say that their domestic team can handle international expansion, it can come with a number of pitfalls. Assessing the readiness of a domestic system’s infrastructure is paramount to really examining what it would take to realistically extend – and, ultimately, replicate – core processes within an international franchise network.
What are the most common problems faced by such ventures?
Preparedness! Truthfully, most businesses entering the franchise space are simply unprepared for expansion. Differences in language, customs, laws, supply chain, time zones, and a host of other factors can be extremely disruptive. The most seasoned franchisors should begin with a tight plan for market penetration, and be prepared to answer questions that are bound to arise.
What do you most enjoy about what you do?
For myself, the upmost satisfaction comes from helping individuals that have worked tirelessly to build their brand to find success through the franchise model.
What do you see yourself doing in five years’ time?
I expect that I will continue in this role as long as I can. I love what I do. Being around entrepreneurs who are building businesses is fun, rewarding, and allows me to constantly learn.
What else occupies your time?
I enjoy golf, fishing and travel.
If you had your time over, what would you do differently?
I would do nothing differently from a business perspective. While I have made many mistakes over the years, each has taught me valuable lessons. And one of those lessons is that you should not second guess your decisions after the fact. Make the best decision you can at the time and don’t look back. Look forward.
