Live at IFA 2026 with Jack Monson

Welcome to the first in a series of podcasts recorded at IFA 2026 that will be available for you on Social Geek, IFA’s Franchise Voice, The WFC’s Her Success, Franchise Freaks, and The Franchise News Podcast. The Franchise Rock Stars are all together live and in person to share what they’ve seen so far at the event and how it affects their Franchising plans for 2026. Thanks Ali Kraus, Derrick Ableman, Kristen Pechacek, Danielle Wright, Scott Greenberg. Clint Smith, the Founder & CEO of CareerPlug, joins to discuss trends in hiring and retaining top talent in Franchising as well as highlights from his new book, The Franchise People Playbook. Mitch Cohen is one the busiest guys in Franchising as a multi-unit multi-brand owner with Jersey Mike’s & Sola Salons; Advisor with Leap Brands & FranReal; Board Member with The IFA; and now the Chair of Multi-Unit Franchising Conference 2026. Mitch gives us a preview of MUFC, and we talk just a bit of hockey! Shout outs to Jim Craig, Matt Haller, Len Fischer, Global Franchise, WFC, IFA, FUM Thanks to today’s podcast sponsors AnswerConnect, Citrin Cooperman, and Thunderly.Special Guests: Ali Kraus, Clint Smith, Danielle Wright, Derrick Ableman, Kristen Pechacek, and Mitch Cohen.