Cheryl Babcock could be called South Florida’s franchising guru.
Nova Southeastern University’s director of the International Institute for Franchise Education since its founding in September 2002, she has also held previous academic positions in franchise education in Minnesota and her native Nebraska. What’s more, she has owned two franchises: a Subway, and an EmedID, which provided medical identification devices.
Yet her experience began even earlier, as a consumer, buying fast food for her kids.
Q. Why did you decide to get into your field?
I completed one year of college right after high school and went back to finish my degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln when my children were in first and second grades. Upon completion of my undergraduate degree, I was offered two graduate fellowships from instructors. One was in collective bargaining and labor relations, and the other in franchising.
My previous knowledge of franchising came from stopping at fast-food franchises with the kids on the way to dance lessons, baseball practice, the YMCA and a myriad of
other activities. I was on my way to becoming an expert in the field so I decided to go into franchising.
Q. What’s the best bit of career advice you ever heard?
I grew up in a small town in southeastern Nebraska (population 390), and I was quite shy growing up. When I was a graduate assistant at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, we had an advisory board meeting and a series of events coming up that terrified me because of the 100+ founders, CEO’s, COO’s, presidents and other key senior-level executives who would be attending. I was in awe of the caliber of people attending and more than a little nervous. The chairman of the board took me aside and said, “Cheryl, we all put our pants on one leg at a time.” That did it for me. Although I respect people in authority, I no longer fear them. It has helped me tackle many things that challenged me and to take advantage of opportunities as they are presented.
Q. If you could retire today and open a franchise, which one would you pick and why?
That is a really difficult question. Previously, I’ve been a franchisee in two systems. Today I would look at industry categories, i.e. anything to do with seniors due to the aging population in the U.S., children’s services and pets. We spend money — lots of it — on our children and our pets. I would find something that I really like to do, people in the organization that I trust and respect, and a company with a history of strong financial performance.
Q. What class should every college student be required to take?
Speech 101 or a Basic Speech Class. It is imperative that young men and women entering the workplace have good oral and written communication skills. In South Florida, and many other parts of the country, they would have a great advantage if they were bilingual.
Additionally, I would suggest that they take a course in sales. Most of us are not born to sell. However, think about it. When we interview for a job or pitch an idea to the boss or go to the bank or a venture capitalist to try to get some needed cash, our ability to communicate effectively and to negotiate and persuade is paramount. In franchising, it doesn’t matter if you have a service business or a retail business, you are selling something to someone.
Q. Tell us something about yourself that would surprise your coworkers.
There were only 24 students in my high school graduation class.
Q. How do you spend most of your workdays?
Every day is different, and that is what I like. When I’m teaching an undergraduate franchising class, a lot of my time is taken up preparing for lessons and grading papers. A lot of my time is spent developing and refining programs, like the Franchise Mini MBA series, the Emerging Franchisor Conference, and the Entrepreneurial Leader Series. Presently, I’m preparing a presentation that I will deliver in Sao Paolo, Brazil, at the 2nd International Forum of Management for Franchise and Business Networks, and kicking off
a program that will bring a delegation of Brazilians to the International Institute for Franchise Education at Nova Southeastern University in July 2012.
Recently, I’ve been spending the majority of my time working with a Task Force from IIFE’s Strategic Advisory Board to create a dynamic new program, The Veterans Business Edge, a Business Boot Camp for Entrepreneurship, Franchise and Sales Training. Officers and senior enlisted will be able to leverage their senior military leadership skills in this intensive 12-day business boot camp.
Also, we are getting geared up for E.S.C.A.P.E., our week-long Entrepreneurship Summer Camp and Personal Enrichment program designed to give high school students with a passion for business an understanding and appreciation for the process of starting a business and maintaining ethical business practices.
Q. What is your dream job?
Traveling the world on someone else’s dime and writing about the places I’ve visited and the experiences I’ve had — in the vein of Bill Bryson.
