April 26-27, 2025: Washington D.C./Virginia - Dulles Expo Center

As a Career Ownership Coach, my role is to guide individuals who are exploring the path to self-reliance. My clients often seek new challenges, feel dissatisfaction in their current roles, have faced job loss, or are contemplating a career shift. Additionally, I assist those aiming to diversify their income sources. In today's economic climate, career transformation is a common consideration, and for many, pursuing self-sufficiency emerges as a viable option.

Widely accepted as one of the top franchise consultants in the United States, Britton helps you figure out how to do what most people only dream about. ​Britt has spent more than 25 years as a franchisee, entrepreneur, franchise executive, and franchise consultant working for and owning franchises such as Kiddie Academy® Childcare Learning Centers, Molly Maid®, Sylvan Learning(SM) Centers, and SYNERGY® HomeCare.

​Britt has captured her franchise expertise as author of a top-selling book on entrepreneurship titled, The Franchisee Workbook. Britton will teach you the tools and techniques to help you find your ideal match far beyond your expectations.

Steve, a Texas native and Baylor graduate with a Business degree, brings 12 years of experience in the insurance industry, encompassing investments, sales, and claims. In 2011, he co-founded a business specializing in children's shoes. In 2014, Steve joined The Dwyer Group (now Neighborly), the world's largest parent company of 27 home service brands with 5000+ franchise owners across nine countries, as a consultant. There, he coached business owners in various aspects, including contracts, budgets, and marketing trends. After three years in financing, and assisting entrepreneurs with SBA loans, Steve joined Tenet Financial Group in September as a Senior Consultant, focusing on growing the SBA and vehicle/equipment lease program and enhancing the ROBS program. Outside of work, Steve is passionate about outdoor activities, construction, farming, and gardening. He also dedicates time to church, volunteering, and mission work, including providing medical services in Peru and participating in local prison ministry and aid efforts. Steve, married with two children, finds pride in his family and their achievements.

Ms. Shelton was the COO of a large franchise system and is currently the Senior Attorney for Shelton Law & Associates franchise law rm, as well as a franchisor owner in an international franchise system.

Ms. Shelton has been counseling Franchise / Business Opportunity clients for over 30 years. She especially enjoys working with small business owners assisting them to "Expand their Brand®". Since starting the law rm, she has been focused on providing the “Missing Piece” with legal services to small and emerging businesses. Her business savviness combined with her belief in mentorship is the backbone of the law firm’s slogan, “Your Outsourced In-house Counsel”.

Ms. Shelton focuses on ensuring clients are offered individualized service while handling Franchise Disclosures, registrations, legal creation, leases, trusts, and vendor distributions within a client’s business. Ms. Shelton has published many articles and has written books, including the newly published “Your Journey to Franchise Ownership – The Path from Employee to Business Owner” which is available on Amazon. She has been married for over 30 yrs. and has one son and a sponsored daughter from Haiti. In her spare time, she is the CEO of a Non-Prot, Raising a Nation Foundation and teaches leadership development in third world countries to future colleagues and volunteers at her church.

After retiring from Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Mr Ridley and his wife Sharon bought in to the Brass Tap Franchise and built and established the location at the National Harbor, opening the location Jun 2017. The Brass Tap features craft beer and features 60 of best regional and national craft beers and over 100 bottles of various quality beers. The Brass Tap also features food and spirits and enjoys various entertainment options for patrons. Mr and Mrs Ridley are avid homebrewers of beer and wine and parlayed the hobby into a business.

Mr Ridley, served 29 years working for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service ascending to NCIS Acting Director, but primarily served as the Deputy Director running the day-to day operations of the organization. Mr. Ridley led an agency that investigates and defeats terrorist, foreign intelligence, and criminal threats to the United States Navy and Marine Corps wherever they operate: ashore, afloat, or in cyberspace. Mr. Ridley was appointed as NCIS Deputy Director in Feb. 2010 and responsible for overseeing all agency operations and investigations involving felony crimes, combating terrorism, and counterintelligence and security as well as information sharing with other law enforcement and security agencies. He retired as the Deputy Director in July of 2016.

With over 30 years in the restaurant and hospitality industry, Jim brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for helping franchise owners succeed. A proud U.S. Navy veteran, he served for four years before transitioning into the restaurant business, where he worked in nearly every role imaginable—from bartender and general manager to trainer and operations leader on multiple teams.

For the past 14 years, Jim has been an integral part of FSC Franchise Co. and Brass Tap, serving as the Director of Franchise Operations. In this role, he not only oversees day-to-day operational excellence across the franchise system but also plays a key role in franchise development, training, helping new owners navigate the process of launching and growing their businesses.

Recognizing that franchise success requires more than just a great concept, Jim is committed to providing hands-on support and guidance.He and his team are available 24/7, ensuring that franchisees have the resources, insights, and mentorship needed to thrive. Whether it’s fine-tuning operations, enhancing profitability, or driving local marketing efforts, Jim takes a proactive approach to franchisee success.

As a Navy veteran, he understands the discipline, resilience, and teamwork that military members and spouses bring to business ownership. His mission is to help them leverage those strengths to build lasting and rewarding careers in franchising.

Chris Conner has spent the last twenty years working in the franchise development field working primarily with startup and emerging franchise systems. Mr. Conner's work covers a variety of franchise categories including strategic planning, franchise operations, franchise training system development, franchise marketing and franchise sales. In 2009, Mr. Conner founded Franchise Marketing Systems based out of Atlanta, Georgia which today has grown to a team of 34 team members located in markets across the United States and Canada. Franchise Marketing Systems has developed over 700 franchise brands and supported clients in selling over 8,000 franchise units in North and South America, Asia, the Middle East, Canada and Southeast Asia. Franchise Marketing Systems has worked with a variety of well known brands and significant franchise systems including Baxter Healthcare, Anytime Fitness, Costco, Ford Motor Company, Delta Airlines, UPS Stores, European Wax Center, Junk King and others.

Mr. Conner’s vision was to develop a model that allowed for efficient, effective and performance based franchise development work to be completed for new and emerging franchisors. The combination of providing consulting and franchise development support along with the franchise sales and marketing model for new brands created more opportunities to more brands to scale and grow through franchising. Chris Conner holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Miami of Ohio and an MBA in Finance from DePaul University in Chicago. He is married to an amazing wife, Dr. Alaina Conner and has two great kids, Ashton and Jameson.