On November 11, 2014, the Southeast Franchise Forum (SEFF) held its monthly meeting, this time to discuss International Franchise Association (IFA) initiatives, including VetFran, the Professional Athlete Franchise Initiative, and Minorities in Franchising.
The panel discussion included the following speakers:
- Scott Thompson, CFE, Vice President Development for Premium Franchise Brands, discussing Minorities in Franchising and VetFran
- Joe Lindenmayer, President of TSS Photography and chairman of IFA’s VetFran
- Zelly Wesson, Workout Anytime Franchisee and retired pro basketball player, discussing the Professional Athlete Franchise Initiative.
The session was timely, being held on Veteran’s Day. Joe Lindenmayer gave a status update on the nationwide veteran’s initiative
“A recent IFA survey shows more than 50,000 veterans have joined franchising just this year, including over 400 who opened new franchises – and those numbers are conservative,” Lindenmayer said. “VetFran is making a huge impact on the post-military lives of veterans nationwide and the Southeast Franchise Forum is one of our most active and supportive partners.”
Wesson, Workout Anytime franchisee and a former professional basketball player who played throughout Europe, shared how vital it is for professional athletes to develop a business stream after their pro careers and play to their personal strengths. Stan Friedman, CFE moderated the panel. Friedman is president of FRM Solutions and chairman of the Professional Athlete Franchise Initiative (PAFI).
Franchise Gator, members of SEFF, were in attendance and found the session very informative. "These initiatives are vital to the health of franchising." said Eric Bell, General Manager of Franchise Gator. "The panel discussion was very informative. Along with our recent VetFran sponsorship, we look forward to seeing how we can do our part."
About the author:
Stephan Baldwin received his B.A. from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania in Interactive Design. He went on to start Traffic Media, a successful online consulting firm specializing in website design and marketing for real estate professionals in South Florida. Looking for a change in scenery, Stephan accepted the position of Marketing Director with Franchise Gator and moved to Atlanta where he currently resides. Stephan brings over 10 years of experience in UI design, SEM, SEO, email & affiliate marketing to Franchise Gator.