February 10-11, 2023 : Houston, Reliant Park

Steven Cooper has 25 years of benefits consulting and pension administration experience. He was the first to evangelize the essential exit strategy that popularized the ERSOP(TM) Plan. Beginning in 1999, he successfully marketed the concept to franchisors and business brokers. In 2001 he coined the term "ERSOP (Entrepreneur Rollover Stock Ownership Plan)".

After spending 30 years in corporate America, my husband and I were eliminated along with hundreds of others when the company we worked for was sold. If I wasn't stable and secure at the #17 Fortune 500 company, then I wasn't stable and secure anywhere. I went on a Journey of Discovery to see what other paths were available to achieve my goals.
I discovered an entirely new universe! One where hard-working, talented people can apply all they’ve got towards their own self-sufficiency. Now it’s my passion to help others in transition discover alternative opportunities for their careers.
12 years master trainer with Kroger; current SCORE (US Small Business Administration) workshop presenter and coordinator for Southern Colorado. Linked in will give full info.

Christopher Conner has spent the last fifteen years working in the franchise development field working with startup and emerging franchise systems. His work covers a variety of franchise categories including strategic planning, franchise operations and 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 19 staff members located in markets across the United States. Franchise Marketing Systems has supported clients in selling over 3,000 franchise units in North and South America, Asia, the Middle East, Canada and Southeast Asia. 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. Mr. Conner holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Miami of Ohio and an MBA in Finance from DePaul University in Chicago.

Max has been involved in helping people pursue freedom since 1988. Max operated a financial services practice for 26 years helping people lower their costs on living expenses, insurances, and taxes in order to free up money to invest for the future. He then turned his attention to helping people become occupationally free through finding the right job fit, and through owning their own business. Today, he works with entrepreneurs to help them obtain funding for the realization of business ownership. Max and his wife, Scarlett, reside in Texas with their son. He donates his time to a prison ministry and is a board member for Fellowship of The Sword, a para-church ministry in Hurst, TX. When he is not leading a charge to freedom, he likes to experience it behind the handlebars of his motorcycle. He enjoys reading and is determined to develop his writing abilities.

Diana Trondsen is a Franchise Consultant and the Owner of FranNet Houston & The Gulf Coast Region; a locally owned and operated franchise consulting firm. She has over 20 years experience in franchise ownership including managing a multi-unit retail franchise and growing her franchise consultancy business. Diana and her team have helped hundreds of individuals achieve their dreams of business ownership through a no-cost, educational and coaching process. She incorporates personality assessment and financial review then tailors potential franchises to each client’s unique strengths and skills to find the right fit. Diana’s personal experience as a franchise owner gives her the perspective to help her clients assess their real opportunities, risks, and timing to make sound decisions.

Diana is a Texas A&M graduate and certified SCORE Mentor and educator. She conducts over 30 seminars annually on the topic of franchise ownership; many of these seminars have been conducted in collaboration with the SCORE, Small Business Development Centers, Small Business Administration, and similar organizations.

Avinash Nichkawde is an Entrepreneur, Chartered Accountant. International Business Consultant. He started his tax practice in Sydney Australia in 1993 and grew to 7000 clients in 4 years, he later went into International Education Business and at peak managed over 200 employees besides consulting to numerous small to medium companies over the years. He brings vast practical global experience to clients. Born & raised in India, Avinash is a Australian citizen having lived there for over 20 years and now residing permanently in USA, with travels to over 30 countries. He is known for providing out of the box practical solutions for his clients which are very cost effective. Avinash is Advisor to Second Street Capital and iMedGo,Inc, California.

Chris has 20+ years of business experience in the Information Technology and Franchising industries. Chris is a multi-unit franchisee of Club Pilates. Club Pilates is ranked #69 on the top 500 Franchises by Entrepreneur Magazine. Chris’ studio has performed as a top ten studio in the country out of 500+ locations. After leaving a successful career in Tech Sales and Engineering in Corporate America, Chris founded Legacy Franchise Ventures where he guides senior level executives in the identification, research and analysis of franchise opportunities. Legacy Franchise Ventures is a partner with FranServe who represents 500+ nationally recognized franchise brands in multiple industries.

Ms. Shelton has been counseling Franchise / Business Opp. clients for over 25 years. She especially enjoys working with small business owners assisting them to "Expand their Brand®". Since starting the law firm, 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 firms slogan, “Your Outsourced In-house Counsel”. Ms. Shelton focuses on ensuring clients are offered individualized service while handling Franchise Disclosures, registrations, legal creation and vendor distributions within a clients business. Ms. Shelton has published many articles and has even written a book. She has been married for over 25 yrs. and has one son and a sponsored daughter from Haiti. In her spare time she teaches leadership development in third world countries to future colleagues and volunteers at her church.

I have been an online advertising rep for numerous brands and franchises. We utilize custom programs to advertise online and regionally to each brand or franchise location. Since I opened my own franchise as a franchisor, I have enjoyed teaching my peers about my knowledge in advertising.

Irving Chung is senior franchise consultant driven to help people take control of their lives and create freedom for themselves through business ownership. My goal is to help others discover More Passion, More Money, More Freedom and Control by becoming their own Boss. As a Professional Franchise Consultant, I help the people I work with understanding franchising, and determine if it might be a good fit for them. If it is, then I take them through a proven, and methodical process to develop a custom model, tailored to them based on their background, skill sets, financial and lifestyle goals, that we then use to match them up with the best franchise business that's a perfect fit for them!

Ms. McAmis is a Franchise and Trusts Attorney with Shelton Law & Associates. Christina has also clerked for the prestigious and Honorable Consuelo Callahan of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Christina shouldered responsibility and embraced challenges as an elite level gymnast at a very young age. She tackled being a business owner before her eighteenth birthday and thrived in the face of a devastating diagnosis. Christina is a metastatic cancer warrior who has overcome adversity to practice law. Before and throughout law school Christina studied Alternative Dispute Resolution including earning a degree in ADR. She is a recipient of the Witkin Award for Mediation. During law school she was also awarded a Soroptomist scholarship; recognized for her legal research and editing skills in the legal Text Book, Understanding Torts 9th edition, and graduated with the elusive “Great Distinction” honors. Christina enjoys “geeking out” in her free time by reading Fantasy and Science Fiction as well as by participating in mock trials and authoring articles for comic book events. She has defended the Winter Soldier and written about Captain America’s military benefits. Now Christina’s writing can be viewed on the BeTheBoss expert legal writers page and in the Franchise Connect Magazine on a fairly regularly basis.

Today Christina enjoys helping others achieve their dreams and overcome adversity. She speaks regularly at Franchise Business Expos and other events to help educate and inspire others.