2016 Agenda

9:30 am | Breakout Session

Customer Experience: Is There an App for That?

A tech-savvy customer experience is table stakes these days, considering that 28 percent of adults have downloaded a restaurant app over the last three months. The numerous platforms and the plethora of services are overwhelming, however. Do I need a white label app or a third party app? Is there a difference? What about a loyalty app or a payment app? How much does it cost? Can I just have one app or do I need several? How did Starbucks get so lucky with its app? What about gamification? These are just a few questions our experts will answer.

Panelists:
• Baron Concors | Global Chief Digital Officer | Pizza Hut
• Douglas Kwong | Digital Director | Cicis Pizza
• Stacy Peterson | CIO | Wingstop

9:30 am | Breakout Session

International Franchise Development & Expansion: Why You Don’t Have to be Big to Go Big

Many smaller franchisors incorrectly assume they cannot participate in the growing importance of international markets. This panel will explore the myths that keep smaller brands from going international from supply chain and training issues to outlandish costs and loss of brand control.

Panelists:
• Shawnon Bellah | COO | Crest Foods, Inc. (franchisor of Nestlé Toll House Café by Chip)
• Sean Brennan | Founder and CEO | The Pie Hole
• Rafik Farouk | VP, Franchise Dev. and Ops. | Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc.

Moderator:
• Anke Corbin | Founder and CEO | Globig.co

11:00 am | Breakout Session

How to Create A Franchise-Friendly Supply Chain

The supply chain is often a thorn in the side of franchisors, especially those who have brands spread across the nation or globally, and it’s just as frustrating for franchisees who are not adequately equipped with the information and resources to adhere to strict guidelines set by corporate. It doesn’t have to be such a struggle, however.

Learn a few tips to help you discover how you can use data and analytics to track performance, optimize your entire supply chain and make decisions that localize the in-store experience for your customers. Find out:

• If you are using the “right” ingredients for your top menu items.
• Where it’s OK to cut costs.
• When and where to pilot new menu options.
• How to measure the implementation and success of new programs.

Panelists:
• Jeff Linville | President and CEO | Taco John’s International
• Chris McNutt | VP, Brand Programs | CSCS (Applebee’s)
• Jason Valentine | Vice President of Operations | Cousins Subs

Moderator:
• Bill Creekbaum | Vice President of Product | GoodData

11:00 am | Breakout Session

To Catch a Millennial: How to Attract Young Entrepreneurs to Your Franchise

Millennials are known for being tech-savvy, creative and resourceful. The economy has forced them to reject traditional jobs to work independently. A recent Angus Reid survey found that 78 percent of millennials are motivated by the concept of “charting their own course,” and 76 percent of millennial business owners said they’re making a positive go of the companies they’ve started. The only question left to answer is, “How do I get a millennial to open one of my franchises?” Our experts will give you the inside scoop.

Panelists:
• Connie Alires | Director of Franchise Development | Which Wich
• Chris Newcomb | CEO and Co-Founder | Newk’s Eatery
• Laura Sporrer | Director of Franchise Development | HuHot Mongolian Grill

Moderator:
• Tom Ryan | Co-Founder and Chief Concept Officer | Smashburger

1:00 pm | Breakout Session

It’s Time To Grow… Where Do I Go?

Although many franchisors have strategies in place to help them decide when to grow, they may not be as familiar with where to take their brands. Just because you get a few Facebook messages from some fans in Omaha urging you to open your funky sushi concept in their hometown, doesn’t mean you’ll do well there. This session will help you decide where your concept belongs and how to choose the right real estate for it.

Panelists:
• David Adjey | Founder and Head Chef | The Chickery
• Jeremy Cook | VP of Store Development| Which Wich
• James Walker | President of Operations & Development | Johnny Rockets
• John Davis | CEO | US Beef (franchisee of 400+ Arby’s units)

1:00 pm | Breakout Session

Teaching Your Franchisees the Importance of Digital Branding and Social Media

Marketers have been touting the benefits of digital marketing for years, but motivating franchisees to carve out time to learn the ropes can be difficult. This panel will show you a few tricks to share with your franchisees that will inspire them to become digitally savvy.

Panelists:
• Christine Ferris | Director of Public Relations & Social Media | Smashburger
• Jeff Jackson | Co-Founder and President | Billy Sims BBQ
• Stacey Kane | Chief Marketing Officer | East Coast Wings & Grill

2:30 pm | Breakout Session

Should My Franchise Cater?

Off-premise sales seems like the easiest way to increase profits, but franchisors and their franchisees must be ready to invest the time, money and strategies it takes to be successful. Our panel of experts will discuss not only best practices but how to know when catering makes sense for your brand.

Panelists:
• Scott Goodrich | COO | Uncle Maddio’s Pizza
• Paul Hicks | SVP, Ops. Services & New Concept Dev. | Corner Bakery Cafe
• Jessica James | Principal | Clean Plate Consulting

Moderator:
• Travis Wagoner | Editor | QSRWeb.com and PizzaMarketplace.com

2:30 pm | Breakout Session

Franchise Financing 201: Have You Explored All Funding Options?

As recently as two years ago, borrowers for the restaurant segment could expect to be required to make a 50 percent equity injection to obtain a loan for a start-up if they could find an interested lender. Those numbers are much lower now that we are coming out of the financial crisis, but that doesn’t mean it’s ever easy to obtain funding. This panel explores a variety of funding opportunities for franchisors who not only want to expand their footprints, but who also want to spend money on improving their operations.

Panelists:
• Michael Morales | CFO | MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes
• Tim Mullany | CFO | Pie Five Pizza Co.
• Michael Nishi | CFO | Wetzel’s Pretzels

Moderator:
• Stephen LaMastra| Managing Principal | Monarch Investments Group

4:00 pm | Breakout Session

State of the Restaurant Industry

Operating a restaurant brand of any size is a challenge especially with the variety of legislative issues facing the industry. This panel of experts will give attendees insight on how to navigate their brands through everything from food safety procedures and minimum wage increases to menu labeling and the ACA implications.

Panelists:
• Fredric Cohen | Founding Partner | Cheng Cohen LLC
• Carl Howard | President and CEO | Fazoli’s
• Matt Walker | VP, Government Affairs | National Restaurant Assoc.

Moderator:
• Tracy Markie | Chairman and Chief Product Development Officer | Small Box Energy

4:00 pm | Breakout Session

Are You Embracing the Internet of Things in Your Franchise?

Everyone seems to be talking about the “Internet of Things” or IOT, but what does that have to do with restaurants? The official definition is a “Scenario in which objects, animals or people are provided with unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.” In a nutshell, it’s just a fancy way of describing how we use technology, and there are a variety of exciting ways to embrace the IOT in your franchises.

Panelists:
• Laura Rea Dickey | CIO | Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants
• Jeff Dinard | CIO | On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina
• Alex Glaser | Director of Development | Harbor Research

Moderator:
• Randy Landers | Sr. Director of Retail Solutions | EarthLink