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IFA CALENDAR
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IBA/IFA Joint
Conference
May 22-23
Washington, DC |
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IFA Board member Shelly Sun highlights franchising on FOX Business
For the 2nd year in a row Shelly Sun, CEO and Co-Founder of BrightStar Care, was named the fastest growing woman owned company in North America. With 8.3 million women owned companies, contributing 1.3 trillion to the economy and employing 7.7 million people, Shelly credits her success on her business model and talks with FOX Business on how the franchising has lead to her expansion. BrightStar began with one location in 2002 and has grown to over 250 locations and can be found in 38 states since Shelly's decision to franchise in 2006. Read more
Relive FranCamp
If you missed FranCamp, the social media un-conference for the franchise industry last week, you're in luck. There are plenty of ways to relive FranCamp even if you weren't there. Click here to view video from FranCamp conference.
IFA continues to improve lending through Credit Access Campaign
CFO online reports that domestic banks and U.S. branches are starting to ease up on terms for commercial and industrial borrowers and banks are relieving some of the terms for who qualifies for credit. IFA is working to strengthen access to credit and improve partnerships with the lending community. According to the Small Business Lending Matrix Report prepared by FRANdata for the IFA, even though lending to franchise businesses has improved, we will not meet the demand in 2012 which will result in a projected shortfall of 18.6 percent and nearly 94,000 jobs not created. IFA is working to improve the outlook for business loans as the demand for growth increases and boost bank willingness to lend in an economy that is still slowly improving. Read more
View Jim Amos' new blog featuring thoughts on franchising & entrepreneurship from the CEO of Tasti D-Lite
IFA Celebrates National Travel and Tourism Week
The IFA announced its support for National Travel and Tourism Week May 5-13, sponsored by the U.S. Travel Association (USTA). Through the National Travel and Tourism Week, each year the U.S. Travel Association reminds the industry of the importance travel has on local communities and thanks the 14.4 million U.S. workers who support travel and tourism. Travelers to the U.S. are significant customers for the nearly 825,000 franchised businesses in the U.S., including restaurants, hotels, retail products and services, business services and personal services. Read more
SBA lenders feature franchising
Small business loan volume ticked down slightly in April, according to a new report by Biz2Credit, spurring members of the National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders and the National Association of Development Companies to focus on franchising and other ways to increase small business lending and job creation at their conferences May 1-4 in Orlando."There's still a gap out there," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills, addressing both groups. "But I'm very pleased at what we have done together. We have made record loan guarantees and enabled record dollars to be lent. We have helped 60,000 small businesses." Read more
Small Business Week 2012 starts May 21
Share your business' success story by entering our video contest. Three winning videos will be featured during National Small Business Week and shown during a Google+ Hangout hosted by SBA and the White House on May 23. The deadline for video submissions is May 11. Find out more.
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IFA member to testify before Congress on impact of gas prices
The House Committee on Small Business will conduct a hearing Wednesday at 1 p.m. titled Running on Empty: The Effects of High Gasoline Prices on Small Businesses. IFA member Jamie Smith, Franchisee, Mr. Rooter Plumbing, Baltimore, MD, will testify. Small businesses are the historic source of new job creation in the economy, but are currently facing many challenges, including the burden of high fuel prices, that inhibit their ability to invest, grow and hire new workers. The hearing will study the relationship between high gasoline prices and small businesses.
GA HB 548 Update
On May 1, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal (R) signed HB 548 into law.This IFA-backed legislation codifies franchisee/franchisor relationships as contractual business relationships and represents a landmark decision for other states to follow to improve the business environment for franchising."We applaud Georgia legislators for being the first state to formally recognize that the franchisee/franchisor relationship represents a contractual business relationship, not an employment relationship," said IFA Senior Vice President of Government Relations & Public Policy Judith Thorman. |
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Veterans Find Support in Internet "Crowdfunding"
Entrepreneurs seeking capital to start their businesses are using innovative ways to do so according to an April 29 New York Times article "Start-Ups Look to the Crowd," but veterans interested in franchising have their own resource. A new online program or "crowdfunding" site, Boost A Hero, is especially designed to help qualified military veterans purchase franchises by enabling them to post their opportunity online to raise money. Read more
Hiring Heroes: Challenges Addressed at Restaurant Show
IFA leaders spoke at a forum sponsored by Franchise Times Sunday at the NRA Show in Chicago to raise awareness about the veteran unemployment crisis. The nation's unemployment rate is 8.1 percent, but the unemployment rate of America's youngest military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan hovers at a stunning 29 percent, according to an op-ed Sunday in The Washington Post by Adm. Mike Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Steven A. Cohen, founder of S.A.C. Capital Advisors.
about how IFA and the franchise industry are working to lower the veteran unemployment rate.
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2013 Board Nominations
In the year 2013, IFA will have at least four openings to fill on the 39-member IFA Board. Board members are elected for an initial three-year term and are eligible for re-election to one additional three-year term.Complete the form and mail, along with your FDD, by May 14, 2012 to the attention of Cecelia Bond at IFA. If you cannot open the link, please email your request to Cecelia Bond at cbond@franchise.org. If you have any questions don't hesitate to give us a call at 202-662-0780.
Trade mission to address Latin American markets
As part of IFA's effort to give its members access to international opportunities, IFA, Franchise Times and the U.S. Commercial Service will co-sponsor a U.S. Franchise Trade Mission Aug. 26 to 31 to Panama, Colombia and Chile. The mission will include country briefings with U.S. Embassy officials and U.S. Commercial Service officers, meetings with government ministries, one-on-one matchmaking meetings with pre-screened local investors, media outreach, real estate briefings and site visits. Find out more during a free webinar featuring trade mission leaders and market experts at noon EST May 18.
IFA 2012 Member Survey Reminder!
Please take a few minutes to complete the IFA Member Survey so we can represent your views on important issues like tax policy, credit access, and health care. The extended deadline is this Friday, May 11. Surveys are available online by clicking here.
Legal Symposium and IBA/IFA Joint Conference kicks off this month
The Legal Symposium, May 20-22, and the IBA/IFA Joint Conference, May 22 and 23, will provide practical solutions to legal, business and international issues facing today's franchise executives. Both conferences will be at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C. Learn more about educational and networking opportunities available. | |
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