NextGen in Franchising Global Competition Taps Shark Tank Star Daymond John as Guest Judge

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 off 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.”