Dale Carnegie CEO to Highlight New Initiative Designed to Increase Transparency in the Franchise Industry at IFA 2018

It’s rare for a brand to have a name and a legacy that’s recognized across the world. But that’s exactly what Dale Carnegie has managed to do over the past 100-plus years that it has been in business. The world-renowned training franchise is known for its courses designed to set people up for success, with high profile graduates including the likes of Warren Buffett and Johnny Cash. That’s why the brand’s current CEO—Joe Hart—will be speaking at the International Franchise Association’s annual convention in Phoenix, Arizona.

Hart brings a unique understanding of the franchising industry to the table. Given that Dale Carnegie has franchisees in communities all over the world, he understands what it takes to engage that network in order to achieve consistent growth and success.

“We have this global franchise network. We’ve got people on the ground in 90 countries. And so, part of the opportunity is to be able to deliver training across that platform. It’s a huge asset,” said Hart in an interview with C-Suite TV. “So, when companies will say, ‘Hey, we’ve got people in two, three, four, five, six, seven countries—10 countries,’ how do we get to those people with consistent experiences? We can do that. We’ve got people speaking the native languages in those countries; we’re not having to fly trainers in some place to do that. So, part of it really is to continue to engage that network, to continue to push and to act as one Carnegie, one organization.”

Hart will be participating in a new type of general session format that’s making its debut at IFA 2018. During the convention’s closing event, the organization is featuring several rapid-fire, high energy presentations that will be no longer than 15 minutes each. Similar to a TED talk, franchisors will share transformation stories in franchising in order to highlight the innovative strategies that are disrupting the industry.

For Hart and Dale Carnegie, what’s changing their franchise system is the new One Carnegie initiative. This program is designed to create an unprecedented level of transparency and cooperation between franchisors and their franchisees, ultimately ensuring that everyone is working towards the same goal. And as Hart notes, having a strong relationship between corporate offices and individual franchise networks is ultimately what inspires people to join—and grow—with a concept.

In an interview with Franchsie Business Review, Hart said, “One thing that I hear consistently hear from our franchisees is the value that they get in being a part of this business. Their attitude is—I can be in business and make a living, I can grow something, and I can feel like what I’m doing is really making a difference in the world. So much of what we focus on in Dale Carnegie is around creating a culture that brings out the best in people.  Being a part of this culture gives our franchisees a sense of meaning, value and purpose.” He continued, “A lot of our franchisees really feel like there’s a sense of purpose in what we do and it’s a great way to own a business and grow something.”

The rapid-fire “Big Idea” session that Hart will be participating in will take place on Tuesday, February 13.