Eden Exchanges spoke to Dr Ben Litalien who is the Director of Franchise Well, the Advisor for Georgetown University Washington DC’s franchise program and a recognized global expert in franchising. In this interview, Dr. Ben discusses how Franchise Well came about, the state of  the US and global franchise industry and the key elements he is

For the past few decades franchise companies have been lulled into a false sense of security by failing to innovate, primarily due to a dutiful ‘baby boomer’ clientele. Now that millennials are settling into place, failing to adapt to their interests, habits and beliefs can be fatal, and in franchising, you are putting a network

More To Franchising Than Just Financial Success As throngs of franchise folks returned from their annual pilgrimage to the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) franchise convention in Las Vegas, the overwhelming goal for most was determining how to extract more value from using the franchise model.  The IFA hosted scores of classes offering insights and know-how

Keep Up with the changes in franchising. The history of franchising includes the unique relationship between the franchisor and their franchisees. For decades, the franchise relationship was based on developing trust between individuals.Most franchise companies were started and owned by an entrepreneur, and the typical franchisee was an individual or couple. Many long-term personal relationships

The Search for Relevance It is clear the world is in a historic shift with disruptive forces impacting global economies, traditional marketing models, and key tenants of the franchise model.  Franchise companies that have enjoyed solid success in decades past are scrambling to find relevance with their static approaches to find candidates, pyramid-based hierarchies that

Franchise Relations…on the Move! The history of franchising is based in large part on the unique relationship between the franchisor (i.e. the owner of the franchise concept) and the franchisee (i.e. the individual or entity that acquires the franchise rights). However, this component of the franchise story is changing rapidly due to significant socio-economic and

Franchising is one of the most powerful commercial models developed, resulting in billions of dollars generated and millions of small-business owners in operation, yet it may reaching a diverse and growing group of people in need and global challenges to address. The global stage is set for increased “meaning” in all aspects of life. A

By ANN CARRNS SEPT. 20, 2017 BENTONVILLE, Ark. — On a rainy Friday evening in August, customers trickled into an art studio in a strip mall on a busy main road here. The crowd, mostly women, chatted and swarmed a bar for wine and beer before taking stools at paper-covered tables and turning to the

The Future of Franchising A relatively misunderstood business model, with a paucity of academic support, franchising is on the precipice of history.  Defined by the Federal Trade Commission as an ongoing commercial relationship that includes a license to a brand, payment of a modest fee and the existence of significant control or support, the average consumer knows

An Explosion of Uses for the Model The franchise model has been steadily expanding to include new entrants from various categories in business, the medical profession, financial services and even the nonprofit sector. As each of these segments forays into the franchise arena they bring the underlying complexities of their industries with them, providing new

Local And Social On The Rise In the timeless biblical story of a young man that bravely takes on an opposing foe’s giant, the odds are clearly not in his favor, yet he faithfully engages in the battle.  The only reason we are familiar with this story is because the young man, David, won the

Georgetown University’s franchising and entrepreneurship expert Dr. Benjamin C. Litalien is returning to the country this month to facilitate the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) Program at the Asian Institute of Management on March 25 and 26, which is one of the four main events of the Franchise Asia Philippines (FAPHL) 2019 Conference and Expo. The

Trade in Your Toy Soldiers A stalwart component of most franchise systems is uniformity, and many franchisors wear it as a badge of honor, yet, pushed too far and the benefits of the model breakdown dramatically.  While it is necessary to have common elements that customers and clients can count on across locations and geographies,