Shark Tank Star Daymond John Leads NextGen in Franchising Global Competition's Judging Panel

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Franchise Association's (IFA) Franchise Education & Research Foundation announced today that Shark Tank star Daymond John will serve as a judge for the 2018 NextGen in Franchising Global Competition during the IFA's Annual Convention in Phoenix, Feb. 10-13. NextGen is a worldwide program that engages millennial entrepreneurs seeking to grow their businesses through the franchise business model.  

Hundreds of young entrepreneurs from around the world will submit their franchise business plans for a chance to be among the top 20 winners hosted at the IFA Annual Convention. Since the program's inception in 2015, over 1,000 millennial entrepreneurs from more than 50 countries have applied. Many NextGen winners have been featured in top business publications such as The New York Times, Inc., and Fast Company, among others. Daymond John will lead a panel of judges for the final round of the Global Competition on Tuesday, Feb. 13, when the top three finalists pitch their concepts for cash prizes and potential investments from judges and attendees.

"Millennials are known for their entrepreneurial spirit, and we are thrilled to have a seasoned entrepreneur such as Daymond on board as a judge for the NextGen in Franchising Global Competition," said David McKinnon, CFE, Foundation vice chair and chairman of the NextGen in Franchising Committee. "His experience as a businessman, company founder and investor makes him the perfect mentor for millennial entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses with the franchise business model in today's environment. We're confident his expertise and insight will be invaluable to the 2018 NextGen winners, and we look forward to seeing his impact on these young entrepreneurs and their businesses."

Daymond John is a serial entrepreneur, CEO, award-winning businessman, founder of billion-dollar company FUBU who can be seen on ABC's three-time Emmy Award winning series, Shark Tank. Beyond television, Daymond remains committed to working with entrepreneurs and served as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship under the Obama Administration. Next January, John will release his highly anticipated book, Rise and Grind, which is the follow up to his 2016 New York Times Bestselling book, Power of Broke.  Additionally, John continues to run the day-to-day business of The Shark Group, a brand management and consulting company that helps transform businesses into iconic brands.

"It's always been a passion of mine to help aspiring entrepreneurs reach their business goals," said John, founder and chief executive officer of FUBU, presidential ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship, star of ABC's Shark Tank and chief executive officer of The Shark Group. "There's immense entrepreneurial potential within the millennial generation, so I'm looking forward to sharing my experience building and advising businesses, and can't wait to see what these young entrepreneurs bring to the table during the final round of the Global Competition."

The NextGen in Franchising Global Competition is a worldwide program offered by the IFA Franchise Education & Research Foundation. Applications for 2018 will remain open until Sept. 15, 2017 and can be submitted through the competition's website at www.nextgenfranchising.org. Entrepreneurs must be between 21-35 years old with businesses that have been operating for 1-5 years. NextGen winners receive a trip to the IFA's Annual Convention in Phoenix from Feb. 10-13, 2018; a spot at the NextGen in Franchising Summit, a two-day educational and networking program for next generation entrepreneurs; an accelerator program with industry leaders and CEOs; an opportunity to participate in the final round of the NextGen in Franchising Global Competition for a chance to win cash prizes and potential investments to continue building their businesses; and opportunities to network with leading franchisors, franchisees and suppliers and with other young entrepreneurs. Winners of the NextGen in Franchising Global Competition also will have the opportunity to learn within The Shark Group's entrepreneurial training program called "Innovation Lab," which is led by a world-class expert in entrepreneurship.

The NextGen in Franchising program is made possible due to the generosity of its donors and sponsors, which include David McKinnon, the founding sponsor; the Stewart & Jane Bainum Fund; Lawrence "Doc" Cohen, Doc & Associates; Stephen P. Joyce Fund; Choice Hotels Foundation; J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation; Tariq Farid, Edible Arrangements; Charlie Chase, FirstService Brands; Aziz Hashim, NRD Holdings; Joe Bourdow, Valpak; Melanie Bergeron, Two Men & A Truck Intl.; Amit Pamecha, FranConnect; and the Fred DeLuca Foundation/Subway.

To apply for the NextGen in Franchising Global Competition, visit NextGenFranchising.org. For more information, please contact Ashley Davidson at [email protected] or call (305) 298-8022.

About the IFA Franchise Education & Research Foundation

Founded in 1983, the International Franchise Association (IFA) Franchise Education & Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and supported through the generous contributions of IFA members and others. The Foundation's mission is to advance franchising and the free enterprise system by increasing the knowledge and professional standards of all members of the franchising community; educating the next generation of franchise practitioners; increasing recognition of franchising's key role in the free enterprise system; and providing comprehensive information and research about important developments and trends in franchising.

About the International Franchise Association

Celebrating 56 years of excellence, education and advocacy, the International Franchise Association is the world's oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the more than 733,000 franchise establishments that support nearly 7.6 million direct jobs, $674.3 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy and 2.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology and business development.

Contact:
Ellie Mannix
Fish Consulting
[email protected]  
954-893-9150

Gionne Jones
IFA Franchise Education & Research Foundation
[email protected] 
202-662-0772

SOURCE International Franchise Association (IFA) Franchise Education & Research Foundation