September 29th, 2022

Zig or Zag: Franchisee Profitability Strategies to Straddle Inflation and Recession

Recorded Webinar

September 29th, 2022 true false

According to a recent Conference Board midyear global survey of CEOs and other C-suite executives, more than 60% state that they expect a recession in their primary region of operations before the end of 2023 or earlier. The same survey reports that the biggest challenge for external communications is the issue of rising prices, and the erosion of trust if there is any sense of profiteering. Despite the degree of concern, it seems to be rare that a management team that has spent even an hour or two discussing and collectively preparing for the possibility of a recession with their franchisees in a meaningful way.

During this webinar, expert panelists shared the challenges that teams will face, a framework for assessing readiness, and actionable tactics to stay strong in times of inflation, recession, or in any economic environment.

Viewers will take away new understandings including:

  • Smart strategies that can simultaneously apply to both inflationary and recessionary scenarios
  • How to build trust and control the narrative when speaking with your franchisees about what economically lies ahead  
  • Insights into the technologies that are driving a fundamental paradigm shift
  • An actionable checklist made up of best practices that can be applied to nearly all franchise segments will be available to all attendees

 

This may very well be the most important session that you’ll view this year!

About the Presenters

Keith Gerson-1
Keith Gerson, CFE, President of Franchise Ops, FranConnect

Keith Gerson brings 40+ years of executive level expertise as a passionate and driven Franchisor and Franchisee with a proven track-record in building rapid-growth, and highly profitable franchise organizations. Over the last eight years, Keith has served as President and Chief Customer Advocate for FranConnect where he has been able to work closely with many Executive Boards and Leadership Teams that are part of FranConnect’s portfolio of 800+ brands and 148,00 locations. His focus is on helping franchisors to get to their desired future state in sales, operations, communications, and engagement. Recognized in franchising circles for his extensive leadership experience, and ability to drive execution, Keith is a highly-rated keynote speaker and has had the rare opportunity to have created several leading franchise systems from their very conception through launch and sustained growth taking these systems from micro-emerging status to that of successful enterprise level brands.

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Barbara Nuss, Founder & President, Profit Soup

Barbara Nuss is the founder and president of Profit Soup. She is a teacher, business advisor, passionate advocate for better business thinking, wanna be golfer and guitar playing CPA. While she is ardent about helping business people understand the financials, her focus is on the future. She has thoroughly enjoyed putting Profit Soup’s recipe for success – Measure, Understand, Get it Done – into the hands of business owners and managers across the United States, Canada and Australia.

She has authored financial benchmark studies in numerous industries for franchise clients, buying groups, co-ops and trade associations. She is also a frequent speaker at franchise and association conventions, boosting financial acumen and confidence in a non-threatening, no-nonsense, naturally approachable style. She is a frequent facilitator for industry peer group meetings and strategic planning sessions giving her a unique perspective of the long and short-term challenges that business decision makers face each day.

Charles Watson
Charles Watson, CFE, CEO, Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Charles Watson serves as CEO for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Prior to that, he was named Chief Development Officer in 2015 after serving as VP of Franchise Development since 2010. Charles is directly responsible for selling more than 800 franchises during his tenure.  A veteran hospitality professional, Charles has worked for several hospitality-related companies, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Intercontinental Hotels Group, US Franchise Systems, Inc. and Hospitality Real Estate Counselors.  Charles is a graduate of The Hotel School at Cornell University and also holds a Masters of Business Administration from The Terry School of Business at The University of Georgia.