The franchising industry has a robust schedule of trade shows featuring franchisors, brands, vendors, suppliers, and of course – prospective franchisees. But there may not be a more important expo than this year’s 63rd annual International Franchise Association (IFA) Convention. Billed as the industry’s biggest event for business development and personal growth, it’s a packed 4-day networking event with something for everyone and FranNet is an official event sponsor.
You may be a franchising veteran, an insider with years of experience under your belt, or a first-time entrepreneur looking to find the perfect business ownership opportunity. Whatever your interest level, here’s a preview of what to expect during the IFA 2022 Annual Convention, set for Feb. 26 – March 1, at the San Diego Convention Center.
Details and Registration
The registration desk for the IFA 2022 Annual Convention opens on Friday, Feb. 25 and the event concludes on Tuesday, March 1. The venue is the San Diego Convention Center at 111 W. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101. There will also be a few select event sessions at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego Hotel. There are three types of registrations, depending on your IFA member status, which you can view by following this link. To view the latest information on Covid safety, please see this update from the IFA on guidance. According to the IFA, the event includes 3,000 franchisors and franchisees in attendance representing 700 different brands, 1,000 suppliers and service providers, and features 50+ educational sessions. To view the event’s “sizzle reel” promotional video, follow this link.
Networking Opportunities
The IFA’s annual convention is a haven for networking. If you plan on attending, bring more business cards than you think you’ll need. This expo encourages interaction through networking, and you can find multiple opportunities each day to attend receptions, meet-ups, and forums. There are even sessions for “first-timers.” There’s a detailed agenda which breaks down these and other networking sessions for each day of the convention. Plan your meet and greet strategy here.
The Floorplan!
As you might expect, the 2022 IFA Convention is a large-scale production, but they’ve released a floor plan for the main Halls A, B, and C of the San Diego Convention Center, revealing the intricate rows of exhibitors for the expo. To locate the meetup location for many of the planned networking sessions, take note of the Professional Development area, the Recharge Lounge, the Wellness Lounge, and the Open for Opportunity Lounge.
Aside from networking, another top reason for attending the IFA 2022 Convention is the sheer number of exhibitors who will be present for the event. As noted on the convention page of the IFA site, the convention floor is a “one-stop shopping experience for the latest and greatest in services and products available to the franchising community.” In other words, prepare to be wowed!
As noted above, FranNet is proud to be an official event sponsor of the IFA 2022 Annual Convention. Not only will our corporate office be well-represented, but many of our individual franchise consultants from across the U.S. and Canada will also be present. As the nation’s leading franchise consultancy for the past three decades, we’re once again looking forward to mingling with the dozens of franchise brands in our inventory and shoring up the interpersonal relationships we’ve developed over the years that mean the most to us.
We wouldn’t miss it for the world and hope to see you there!