International Franchise Association

In fact, it was a commercial bakery.

And as a result of that, we were members of the International Franchise Association and And if you can imagine this, back in the day in 2008, we received weekly fax messages from the International Franchise Association.

That was how we got our news.

And so one Friday afternoon, we got this fax message about this emerging brand called Just Between Friends that solved this problem is basically bringing franchise.

Under her leadership, the portfolio has grown past 200 units and her owner base is overwhelmingly women, which is just the kind of community we love talking about on this podcast and very similar to the brand that Shannon and I have led.

She sits on the board of the International Franchise Association.

She is vice chair of the IFA Foundation.

She's a nominee for the Franchise Voice's Top 100 Franchise Influencers, and she has built a reputation as a thought leader on scaling brands around people, culture, and not just unit count.

So we've got more coaching skills and more coaching tools available today than we did 20 years ago.

And that goes for both the UPS Store Canada, the Canadian Franchise Association, the International Franchise Association, and everyone that I know in franchising.

The world is just very different.

Computers have done it.

You know, I'm very active in the industry.

As you know, I was chair of the Canadian Franchise Association.

I'm active with the International Franchise Association.

I'm chair of the Government Relations Committee for the Canadian Franchise Association.

This is a Cali BBQ Media production coming to you from Terra Nea in Rancho Palos Verdes at the CREATE Conference for Emerging Restaurant Brands.

I have Matt Haller, president of the International Franchise Association, on the show.

We don't talk enough about franchise on this show, so that is my fault as the podcaster, someone that's been doing this since 2017.

But as we work with i- more emerging restaurants, franchise is something that we definitely need to talk more about.

And no better person to tell us what is the International Franchise Association.

Yeah.

Well, that's a win for me too because-

No, no, I'm just, I'm in agreement with you.

Like, I mean, cause you know, one of the things, you know, I started working with Katrina way back when she first saw me present at the International Franchise Association.

And I remember after that meeting, I walked up and you said, look, I work specifically in franchising.

And I'm like, you know what, since you know this industry, I'm yours.

There's a lot of companies out there doing things.

But when it comes to franchising, nobody understands franchising.

the brands and has the relationships it's so funny because if i'm with you at the international franchise association we can't even go get a coffee because everybody at the booth katrina hi katrina they want selfies with you you're like a rock star they want you to come and talk to them and and you know everybody and then you'll walk away you go see that he's the guy that owns 27 brands and you need to talk to him and so i just love the fact that you really live, breathe, and sleep franchising.

You really are an advocate.

He was making pizza at seven years old in stores his grandfather opened in the '80s, and he's now owned those same sixteen Little Caesars locations for fifteen years.

In twenty-twenty four, the International Franchise Association named him one of the best franchisees in the country.

Taylor Johns, welcome to "The Exit Plan." Let's get right into it.

When did you realize the family business was gonna be your business and the thing that you poured your career and your life into?

At enormous scale, the result can be thousands of locations that share the same name, basic operating methods, customer experience and brand identity, while being operated by different business owners.

The US International Franchise Association describes franchising as a method of business expansion in which a franchisor licenses its brand and operating system to franchisees, while providing support and exercising certain controls.

And that distinction is important a franchise isn't simply here's our logo use it it is much closer to here's our business system you operate it under these rules so today we're going underneath that system how does one business become hundreds how does one operating model become thousands of locations who owns those locations Who takes the risk? Who makes the money? Who controls the brand? And perhaps most importantly, how do you scale a business without personally owning every piece of it? I'm Marcus Bennett, and this is Business Uncovered, How Business Really Works.

Let's start with a simple business.

Do you find that within franchising, there's a place where young women can advance quickly and be respected and find new opportunities? How has that worked for you?

The IFA, the International Franchise Association, has regional chapters focused on women in business and franchising.

And so through that, there's actually a chapter in South Florida that I was a part of where I got to attend networking events with other women in franchising.

And we got to network and hear thought leaders talk.