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This week, the International Franchise Association (IFA) held their annual conference and I marked one year since I was granted the honor of joining the IFA’s Hall of Fame. It was an incredibly humbling experience to be given this award after such a long entrepreneurial journey.

Continue reading “Celebrating One Year in IFA’s Hall of Fame”

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  • International Franchise Association
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  • Veterans Day. VetFran

For many years I’ve participated in numerous events sponsored by the International Franchise Association (IFA), the world’s premier organization for franchisors, franchisees and industry suppliers. It’s been an honor, as well as an education, to meet the brightest people in franchising through the IFA, and now I’ve been given an opportunity to work with the IFA at the highest possible level as a member of its board of directors. I’m humbled by the recent decision of IFA’s leadership to appoint me to the board beginning in February 2016. Continue reading “An opportunity to advance franchising worldwide”

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  • economy
  • Edible Arrangements
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  • Farid Franchising
  • franchising
  • IFA
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  • NextGen
  • Tariq Farid
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  • technology
  • young entrepreneurs

I recently participated in an event that was not only inspiring but also left me excited about the future of business, in general, and specifically franchising.

As a founding sponsor of the International Franchise Association’s NextGen program, I was invited to join several of my colleagues on a panel in which I was able to share my experiences in building Edible Arrangements with a group of about 40 young entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs were winners of the IFA’s Young Entrepreneurs in Franchising Competition and were selected from more than 450 applicants across 44 countries who submitted ideas for franchiseable businesses.

I was encouraged to find that many of the ideas reflected social responsibility within the business opportunity, such as alternative energy refill stations from South Africa and fresh drinking water systems from Uganda. This new generation truly understands the importance of being a contributing member of their community.

What excited me most, however, was the vision these young men and women have for the future of franchising.

In the US alone, franchising is responsible for as many as 17 million domestic jobs and putting over 760,000 entrepreneurs into businesses as franchisees, according to the most recent data.

While those numbers are impressive and reflect the critical role that franchising plays in the economy, I’ve always felt that we are just scratching the surface when it comes to realizing the true potential of this amazing business model.

Advances in technology have given us opportunities not available even a few years ago to build dynamic franchise systems that go well beyond a chain of shops offering the same products or services.

We have the opportunity to create our own ecosystems in which we can control almost every part of the process — from production of the resources needed to create a product all the way to how the product or service is purchased — thus guaranteeing a universal experience.

What I discovered in visiting with these young men and women is that they “Get It!” They are a generation raised in a global economy and in a time in which companies such as Apple and a few others are redefining the way businesses serve their many markets. Their ideas for how to launch and grow their businesses reflected this more global way of thinking.

As a result, I truly believe they understand that franchising can be much more than it is today.

I am excited to see where this new generation takes us. Wherever it is, I am confident it will bring the type of new thinking and innovation needed to inspire all of us in franchising to rethink the way we do business and bring us closer to reaching our full potential.

(Above) Courtney Olesh of Ohio State University shows me her exciting creation called Flashnotes – a virtual marketplace for notes on class lectures and study guides. (Below) The future of franchising.

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Are you between the ages of 18-35 with a great idea for a business but not sure how to get it off the ground? Do you know someone who is?

This week the International Franchise Association (IFA) Education Fund launched a new program called NextGen – A New Generation in Franchising. As someone who became an entrepreneur at an early age and used the franchise model to expand my business, there was no doubt that I would help sponsor this new program. I know there is no shortage of great ideas among young entrepreneurs, just a shortage of resources to pursue and develop those ideas.

This program will introduce young entrepreneurs and students to the world of franchising and share the franchise business model as they’ve never seen it before.

To launch the program, the IFA is sponsoring a global competition called “Young Entrepreneurs in Franchising.”

Fifty prizes will be awarded for the best, most innovative business and marketing concepts for new franchise businesses or existing franchise brands.

Prizes include a travel voucher and complimentary registration for the IFA Annual Convention, which will be held February 15-18, 2015 in Las Vegas, and an opportunity to participate in the first NextGen in Franchising Summit, a two-day educational and networking program at the convention.

At the summit, contest winners will have a chance to engage directly with leading franchisor, franchisee and supplier members of the IFA as well as other young entrepreneurs, students and participants in the NextGen in Franchising Summit.

Additional cash prizes and scholarships will be awarded from the pool of 50 contest winners.

For more information and to enter the competition, visit nextgenfranchising.org. Here’s your chance to prove that when it comes to building a successful business, you can do it, too!

 

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  • Edible Arrangements
  • IFA
  • International Franchise Association
  • VetFran Program

The brave men and women of our military are the ones who have made it possible for each of us to enjoy the American Dream. I believe it’s our obligation to help those who have sacrificed so much by doing what we can to give them the tools and support to achieve that dream themselves.

Yesterday, Edible Arrangements International announced a major contribution to the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) VetFran program and the launch of “Hero’s Welcome,” a nationwide initiative designed to help veterans become business owners and re-enter the workforce.

Edible Arrangements contributes VetFran Program

We’re going to contribute $125,000 to VetFran, the IFA’s program through which franchise companies help military veterans make the transition to civilian life. In addition, Edible Arrangements will launch its own “Hero’s Welcome” program this year. The program, part of our Edible Cares umbrella initiative to give back, will be designed to provide special support to help veterans become franchisees. It will include specialized training, a franchise fee discount and mentoring from existing Edible Arrangements franchisees who are also veterans. In addition, we’ve set a goal of providing job opportunities and a career path for an additional 1,000 veterans throughout our franchise locations nationwide.

Through the IFA, I’m also participating in a new Veterans Business Accelerator program established by the Department of Veterans Affairs, which will provide free courses and resources for all veterans interested in entrepreneurship, including providing financial support to wounded veterans doing the coursework.

Within the Edible Arrangements system, former veterans already own and operate some of the most successful franchise locations. So I know from personal experience that veterans bring an exceptional level of passion and discipline to their business. I also know that they often face employment challenges once their service to their country is complete.

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