West Coast Franchise Expo

According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers study conducted for the International Franchise Association Educational Foundation, there are more than 900,000 franchised businesses across the United States, providing for 21 million jobs and generating $2.3 trillion in economic output . BIG numbers that are anticipated to only grow larger as many turn to franchising during the downturn and beyond.

This week, F.C. Dadson heads to Los Angeles for the West Coast Franchise Expo where potential franchisees will have the opportunity to meet with a variety of franchise companies representing a variety of business types. From food service to specialty retail, from home-based to inline and free-standing locations, the perfect franchise opportunity may be just down the show aisle.

Always eager to show our support for our franchise clients and the industry as a whole, we'll once again be exhibiting at the Expo. Stop by Booth #353 where Tim and Troy will be more than happy to tell you a little bit more about our company and how we can help improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of your build out programs.

Great American Dine Out

If you're anything like me, the closer it gets to the weekend, the less inclined we are to cook dinner when we get home from work. All this week, September 20-26, Share Our Strength and participating restaurants across the nation will come together to present the Great American Dine Out, a national dine out to end childhood hunger. Since we'll probably be eating out anyway, let's make it count for more than just calories.

The restaurants (click here to find one near you) are doing a variety of things like donating a portion of their sales, selling t-shirts and coupons, and even offering special menu items throughout the week. The proceeds will go to programs around the U.S. that offer support to children at risk of hunger.

Looks like a Buffalo Wild Wings night for me. Where will you go?

Franchise Leadership and Development Conference

On the heels of the IFA's Public Affairs conference comes Franchise Update's Franchise Leadership & Development Conference, this Wednesday through Friday at Chicago's Drake Hotel. F.C. Dadson's Larry Myer and Tim Matey will be there. Will you?

F.C. Dadson's been a sponsor partner of the Leadership & Development Conference for several years, but this year's show holds particular significance for the company as Mr. Matey will pick up the final few credits he needs to earn his Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) designation. Tim's often described becoming a CFE as "sort of like earning a masters degree in franchising," and while Tim won't receive his official certificate until the International Franchise Association's national conference in February, The Dadson Diaries would like to be among the first to congratulate him on this huge accomplishment.

Mr. Myer also has big plans for the show as he'll once again take the stage with his trusty guitar and rock out with the rest of the Franchise All Star Band during the STAR awards banquet. Get info about the band including pics and member bios (including some pretty fantastic pictures) here.

Out with the Old

When executing store remodels or updates, it's easy to get caught up in what the new graphics will look like or where the new displays will go. But what about all the old stuff? It can't stay in the store and it has become increasingly passe to simply throw things out. Always looking to help retailers and franchises out, The Dadson Diaries has complied a list of things to do with old decor items.

1. Sell it -- there is a bevy of companies that specialize in display resale.
2. Donate it -- while it may not work for you anymore, it might be perfect for a non-profit or small start-up.
3. Repurpose it -- turn it into something else. Target's making waves with their plans to turn their giant Times Square billboard into custom totes.
4. Recycle it -- either bring it back into the store (classically-designed elements rarely go out of style and out-of-date items can be cosmetically enhanced) or break components down and recycle as much as you can.

Know of any companies doing something cool with their old decor items? We'd love to hear about it.

IFA Public Affairs Conference

Be Empowered, Be Educated, Be Effective. America's at a crossroads and The Diaries doesn't need to tell you that our country has seen better days. If ever there was a time to speak up and make your voice heard, it's now.

The International Franchise Association has given the franchising industry the opportunity to do just that through its annual Public Affairs Conference (formerly Franchise Appreciation Day). On September 14-15, members of the franchising community will gather in Washington D.C. to dicuss the hard-hitting issues and the impact lawmakers' decisions have and will continue to have on franchising.

F.C. Dadson's Larry Myer will be there, advocating for our franchise clients and fellow industry suppliers. Are you going? Leave a comment to let us know.

EXCITING NEWS from F.C. Dadson

There's been a bit of excitement in the sales office this week that can't be directly attributed to the upcoming Labor Day weekend (though we are all itching for the 3-day weekend).

Larry Myer, F.C. Dadson's veteran sales team member, has been promoted to the position of Vice President of New Business Development! During his time here, Larry's cultivated many successful accounts for the company and played a big part in steering F.C. Dadson towards the franchising industry. In his new role, he'll have to opportunity to focus on doing what he does best: building networking partnerships and uncovering new sources for leads. Additionally, he'll also be working in tandem with the sales team to develop new sales strategies and close new accounts.

Join us in congratulating him and wishing him luck in his new role!

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Getting back to the Labor Day weekend, though, we at The Dairies fully intend to avoid anything work-related over the 3-day weekend. That said, we'll be back with a fresh post a week from today. Have a safe and relaxing holiday, everyone!