A Wealth Of Knowledge And Opportunities At The National Convention
Our annual NCASEF convention and trade show is the premium national franchisee event of the year, one that our association has been holding since 1974. It’s always held at a premiere location like Las Vegas, Hawaii, Washington D.C. or Disneyland, and it’s always scheduled in the summer months when kids are out from school. We all work hard throughout the year, and summer is a good time to step away from our stores for a little family vacation that also includes loads of business-building opportunities.
Last year the convention was in Honolulu, at the renowned Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, and it was a spectacular event. I have heard nothing but great reviews from the franchisees who attended. They raved about everything, from the educational seminars and trade show to the entertainment and food. This year we’re holding the convention at the Venetian Las Vegas, located in the center of The Strip, and the National Coalition has once again gone all out to make it a memorable event. I truly hope you all sign up to attend.
Why should you go? For the wealth of information, education and networking opportunities offered by the convention, as well as for the fun and camaraderie.
One of the responsibilities of the NCASEF is to provide a national platform where all franchisees from throughout the country can get together at one venue to share our experiences, share our concerns, and ask questions. The national convention is this platform, and we take great care to make the event an educational and entertaining one so you and your family will have a great time.
Among the major attractions of the convention are the morning seminars. Spread over several days, they provide a unique opportunity for you to get the inside scoop on the latest changes to the 7-Eleven system, discuss the latest issues and concerns, give and receive feedback, and ask questions to the NCASEF executive officers and SEI upper management. Whether it’s accounting issues, the fresh foods program, Business Transformation, future growth, or store innovations, you will get the most current news and answers at these seminars.
During “The State of the Coalition” session with NCASEF Chairman Bruce Maples and the vice chairs, for instance, not only will you get updated on issues currently affecting franchisees nationwide, but you will also have a chance to discuss any problems or ideas you may have during the question and answer period. Also, NCASEF General Counsel Arnold Hauptman’s “Legal Talk” seminar offers a cornucopia of legal information plus direct access to Arnold for more individual legal advice. On the corporate side, we have invited SEI Senior Director of Revenue Accounting Brian Padgett to talk about store accounting, as well as Vice President Franchise System Frank Gambina to discuss the multiple store criteria. There will also be a special session with Bruce Maples and SEI executives about the latest and future advancements to the 7-Eleven system.
Then there’s the two-day trade show, with all of our vendor partners under one roof. Our relationship with our vendors is just as important as our relationship with SEI. The trade show not only allows you to see the hottest merchandise our vendor community has to offer, but it also provides access to the reps and key account managers who can help solve any problems or issues you may have with their products or services. These guys are motivated to make sure all your needs are being looked after, and are ready, willing and able to give you their full support. You will also have access to fantastic show-only deals that will help grow your gross profits and will be able to place orders on the spot.
But don’t get the impression that the national convention is all work and no play. Sprinkled throughout will be several dining and entertainment events like the opening night reception at the extravagant TAO Beach Pool, a franchisee club night, the grand banquet with exquisite cuisine and comedian Maz Jobrani, the Joe Saraceno Charity Golf Tournament benefiting Hire Heroes USA, and much, much more. Please visit the National Coalition’s website (http://ncasef.com) for more information and to sign up online.
The NCASEF convention and trade show is all about education, sharing ideas, and networking with fellow franchises, our vendor partners, and SEI management in order to strengthen our business and the 7-Eleven system. It’s also about camaraderie and building the franchise community. I hope to see you all there.