The 8 | February 10, 2017

1. Frantastic: All good things must come to an end, but not before we have the chance to talk about it on “The 8” first.  During #IFA2017, 1851 Franchise publisher Nick Powills sat down with outgoing IFA Chairman and founder of NRD Capital Aziz Hashim to discuss his greatest accomplishments over the past year. Check out this week’s Frantastic video to see what Aziz has to say about the IFA’s ongoing efforts to boost awareness and understanding of the franchising business model through education. The video kicks off a new series called “1851 on the Road.”

2. Franlebrity: Our latest Franlebrity—and 1851 cover star—got his start in the pizza industry making deliveries for Domino’s Pizza. But today, Scott Gittrich is known for being the founder behind Toppers Pizza*. Between creating innovative recipes and connecting with millennials in a way that’s actually meaningful to them, it’s clear to see how Gittrich has successfully flipped the pizza segment on its head.

3. Frash Money: Resales are inevitable in the franchising industry, so it’s up to brands to be able to make the most of them. 1851’s very own karaoke star Scott Oaks and Brightstar Care director of franchise development Chris Connolly weigh in on how keeping resale numbers high creates a good story to tell prospective candidates. Closures, on the other hand, are much harder to bounce back from.

4. Frant of the Week: Some of the biggest names in the franchising business, including Entrepreneur, Franchise Times, Franchise Business Review and Franchise Gator, have all released their annual franchise rankings over the past 30 days. But what do they really mean? Sport Clips* director of franchising Dave Wells breaks it down in this week’s Frant.

5. Franch Forward: 2016 was the strongest development year for Wild Birds Unlimited* in a decade, and it’s looking like 2017 will be another record-breaking year for the brand, too. Wild Birds Unlimited has already celebrated openings in Huntington Beach, California and Keller, Texas this year, with plans to build on that momentum going forward.

6. Fran Funny: What do you call a cold puppy sitting on a rabbit? A chili dog on a bun.

7. Franspiration Misquote: “Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known. Hell, maybe it’ll even reveal your destiny in franchising.” – Winnie the Pooh

8. Franemies vs. Frands: With just one poorly crafted email, Southwest Airlines went from being our frand to our franemie. By mishandling a mix up of its members’ A-List status, the airline failed to create a positive customer experience. That’s a lesson that other brands can learn from—great service is ultimately what keeps customers coming back.