The SWAG™ Conference

What was the last life-changing conference you attended?

If you are a franchisee or small business owner, you're likely laughing.

In the past, you've clawed your way free from your business to attend a conference hoping to get the answers to your most pressing questions. Instead, you get a lot of rah-rah, some surface level advice, and confirmation that owning a business is equivalent to buying a ticket on the struggle bus. The bright side? You make new friends on the same ride.

But, you return to your business facing the same plateau in revenue, still frustrated with staffing challenges and no closer to a life of SWAG™.

Hi. I'm April Porter
and I get it.

I was an award-winning multi-unit franchisee who was tired of reviewing the basics year after year when I longed for the business education and mentorship to build a business empire. When I didn’t get it from my franchisor, I created it, and now I share it with other franchisees and business owners looking to create the life of their dreams.

So, where do franchisees that are eager to learn and ready to scale go to uncover the latest business tactics, cutting-edge growth strategies, and a network of highly successful entrepreneurs with the resources to shrink the time to their ultimate vision of success?

The SWAG™ Conference!

The SWAG™ Conference takes you on a journey to rediscovering the passion behind your original investment in business.

Days 1 & 2
General Conference Sessions
Business experts lead sessions focused on providing the tools to increase profits, reduce stress, inspire your team's performance, work less hours, understand the path to reaching your ultimate vision, make time for the things that bring you joy, and feel empowered to take actions that accelerate SWAG^™.
View the Full Agenda Here

Day 3 Claim Your SWAG™ Workshop^*
(aka Get Sh!t Done Day)
Shrink your time to SWAG^™ with a single day co-working intensive.

You'll focus on your individual business and work hand-in-hand with SWAG™ experts to customize the lessons for your industry and geographic area. Moving from station to station, you'll craft strategies and processes in the areas of marketing, hiring and employee retention, and time optimization.

View the full Agenda Here

*The workshop is included in VIP tickets and can be added-on to a General Admission ticket.

Sanity Sessions

Sanity is the
elimination of chaos.

Learn how to build a business where you no longer scramble to cover shifts, walk-in on Monday with a million fires to put out, or stress over a to-do list that never gets shorter. Discover how to redesign your time to focus on the things that matter most – yes, business growth, but also eating dinner with your family, weekend outings with friends, vacations to relax and unplug.

Wealth Sessions

Wealth is the
rejection of scarcity.

Explore the little-known strategies that attract more customers, inspire them to invest more in your services, and turn them into raving fans that send a consistent stream of referrals. Become a marketing metrics expert to spend less for record results. Unveil opportunities for expansion and multiple revenue streams.

Gratitude Sessions

Gratitude is the
banishment of fear.

Rediscover peace of mind and trust that you are capable of achieving your dreams. Experience the joy of evolving past the belief you have to do it all and witness the enhanced impact this has on your customers, you team, your family, and most importantly, on the way you feel about yourself. Become the confident executive you were born to be.

Expert Speakers

Teaching you how to
have it all

Hear from and interact with masters of SWAG™ that understand the highs and lows of business ownership and the nuances of franchising. Their knowledge, experience, and methods inspire strategic thinking, ignite accelerated growth, and prove you can have it all – Sanity, Wealth, and Gratitude™!

Tangible Takeaways

Reap the rewards
of your efforts

Rather than inspiring sessions with fluffy content about what you need to do, you’ll receive actionable takeaways to shrink your time to SWAG™. With the seeds of knowledge, the materials from your sessions, and the tangible tools of implementation, you'll be equipped to train your team on new processes and reap the rewards of your efforts immediately upon returning home.

Meaningful Connections

You're not alone.
Meet your tribe.

Business ownership can be lonely. You need a tribe that understands what you are going through, offers a hand when you are down, inspires you to reach new heights, and celebrates you when you do. At the highly interactive SWAG™ Conference, you will meet business owners that started where you are and now own empires, experts that generously provide guidance to fill the gaps of your knowledge, and friends that you can call when no one else will understand.

At Ask April Porter, we hear the same story from franchisees time and time again.

You invested your life savings, 401Ks, blood, sweat, and tears into opening a franchise unit to reach your unique vision of success, different from other franchisees’, and even the franchisor’s, definition.

But, once you mastered your franchisor’s training, you found your life didn't match your original vision - working more hours than ever, making less money than you expected, and sacrificing time with those that mean the most to you.

Now, you may be living in chaos, covering shifts and putting out fires, scarcity, wondering when the next customer will walk through the door, and fear that failure is just a few months away. You likely still have a million questions about how to reach that unique vision that inspired you to sign your franchise agreement in the first place.

The SWAG™ Conference fills that gap, introducing you to concepts “you don’t know, you don’t know,” and taking you to Sanity, Wealth, and Gratitude™.

You hear us talk a lot about franchisees, so you may be wondering if the strategies and solutions taught at the SWAG™ Conference apply to you - a small business owner.

The answer is 100% YES!

We'll let you in on a little secret, - franchisees are small business owners. Just like you, they are responsible for hiring their teams, marketing their locations, doing all the bookkeeping and admin work, making all the decisions, and wearing all the hats.

The big difference between you is that franchisees signed a contract promising to follow specific rules and regulations set by the franchisor.

Basically, they have someone to, answer to whereas you have unlimited freedom in the way you run and grow your business!

So, grab a seat at the SWAG^TM Conference to learn how to take your business and your life to Sanity, Wealth, and Gratitude^TM as fast as possible.

Who knows? Maybe you'll decide your vision of SWAG^TM includes becoming a franchisor...

We noticed something…

The franchising industry is full of conferences – some to help educate franchisors, others to introduce future franchisees to their dream brand, and still others to influence legislators on the needs of the franchising industry.

But, the only business education opportunity for franchisees is their brand’s annual conference.

For emerging franchisors, an annual brand conference is a huge undertaking, often beyond the budget and bandwidth of the corporate team at the early stages of brand development.

Until now.

The SWAG™ Conference is specifically designed to provide high-level business education to franchisees and make emerging franchisors look good.

To learn more about how to participate in the SWAG™ Conference click here.

April Porter is in the business of helping owners build business empires. That includes YOU!

An enthusiastic franchisee can onboard more clients for a supplier than the best franchisor.

Unfortunately, in the franchising world, you have many opportunities to complete for the attention of franchisors, but only limited opportunities to interact and connect with franchisees.

And, meaningful connections rarely happen when you are stuck behind a booth waiting for the right franchisee to find you.

AAP is acknowledges that suppliers are valued members of the franchising and community. That's why, when you choose to sponsor the SWAG™ conference, you are treated as a customer, provided quality services for your investment, and given the appreciation you deserve.

To learn more about sponsoring the SWAG™ Conference click here.

I first spoke with April about her business at a networking event and was immediately drawn to her confidence and eagerness to help other people also succeed in business. I quickly joined one of her free masterclass sessions and realized my first impression was accurate in that she is genuinely invested in the success of others. In such a short time, she has helped me to shift my business mindset, focus on my time management and is helping to develop me into a better leader as I grow my business. If you feel like you are spinning your wheels and getting nowhere as a business owner, I would highly recommend that you reach out to April.

Cheryl P.

April is excellent at zeroing on "the" issue and giving clarity to what needs to happen for your preferred outcome. Working with April, I have a clear plan, am working that plan, and make sure that I am noticing the WINS along the way. While I might have accomplished this on my own, working with April and her team has definitely shortened this process considerably.

April's marketing ideas are amazing! She truly is a gifted outside of the box thinker in this area and she generously passes along these ideas to many of us in her program. The same could be said of her genius for teaching how to stand out from the crowd in recruiting quality employees. I had to turn off my job listings so that I could keep up with the number of applicants.

Her knowledge of franchising is extensive and her contacts in that world are exceedingly helpful as her client.

Most importantly, you can tell that April cares about me as a client and about her team - which truly is a great team. She is invested in the outcome for me as a client and this matters to me. I highly recommend working with April and her team if you are a frustrated franchise owner.

Andrea T.

Frequently Asked Questions

While this is does cover a wide range of questions, it is not exhaustive. If you have a question about the SWAG™ Conference and do not see it here email us at SWAG@askaprilporter.com

What does SWAG™ stand for?

SWAG^TM stands for Sanity, Wealth, And Gratitude^TM.

April recognized that small business owners often get stuck "in the weeds" of business, focusing on the day-to-day operations, and forget about why they are working so hard. Losing their inspiration leads to burnout, sacrifice, and too often, giving up.

SWAG^TM is a simple way to focus your efforts as you drive toward your ultimate vision of success.

Using SWAG^TM as a guidepost, April teaches strategies and tactics that focus efforts into three things:
Sanity - eliminate chaos, like scrambling to cover shifts or a mental to-do list that lasts from the moment you wake up until your heavy eyelids close, and embracing a truly flexible schedule and confidence that your team is not just running the business, but growing it for you.

Wealth - exchanging thoughts of scarcity, watching the revenue number like a hawk to reassure yourself you will be able to make payroll, not paying yourself a salary, too scared to invest in growth strategies, etc., for the security of knowing that money comes to you quickly and easily and that more is always coming.

And - this little word represents wholeness, that you get to have a successful business and a fulfilling personal life; you get to invest both time and money in the things that bring you joy; you get to have it all!

Gratitude - banishing fear from your mind and your nervous system, such as thoughts of failure, being scared that an employee will quit, or feeling like you are letting your family down, and instead, fill your heart and mind with gratitude on the regular, living a life of calm abundance.
Is this conference for me?

Franchisees - YES!
Most franchisees attend one conference a year – their brand’s annual conference, where they usually soak up the energy of the brand culture, build amazing relationships with their fellow zees, and leave feeling like they didn’t learn anything new.

This conference is designed with you in mind by an award-winning, multi-unit franchisee who has been where you are. If you are feeling overwhelmed and underprepared, or just lost on what to do next to build your business empire, this conference will have the answers and be the catalyst to taking you to your vision of SWAG^TM.

Small Business Owners - YES!
Just like franchisees, you are responsible for hiring your team, marketing your locations, doing the bookkeeping and admin work, making all the decisions and wearing all the hats. The main difference between you and a franchisee is that a franchisee signed a contract promising to achieve SWAG^TM through a specific set of brand rules and standards.

You don't have those limits. you have complete freedom in deciding how you will accomplish your SWAG^TM, and the SWAG^TM Conference will teach you the best and fastest ways to do so.

Emerging Franchisors - YES!
The franchising industry is full of conferences – some to help educate franchisors, others to introduce future franchisees to their dream brand and still others to influence legislators on the needs of the franchising industry.

But, the only business education opportunity for franchisees is their brand’s annual conference.

An annual brand conference is essential to solidifying the brand culture, reinforcing the importance of following brand standards, creating a community of trust, teaching franchisees best practices.

But, for emerging franchisors, a brand conference is a huge undertaking, often beyond the budget and bandwidth of the corporate team at the early stages of brand development.

Unless the franchisor partners with the SWAG^TM Conference...

Suppliers - YES!
We are in the business of building businesses, and that means YOU too! When you sponsor, we will provide opportunities to connect with our attendees at a level you've never experienced before at a conference, but you will also get the benefit of the conference content. Everything our experts are teaching in the sessions can be applied to your business to create the fastest path to your SWAG^TM.
When and Where is the SWAG™ Conference?
What do I get with a General Admission ticket?
What do I get with a VIP ticket?
Can you explain the Day 3 Workshop option?

The Claim Your SWAG^TM Workshop.

Admission to the workshop is included in the VIP ticket and can be added on to a General Admission ticket.

The workshop is a co-working event with our expert presenters. You will have the opportunity to move between stations receiving hands-on instruction and guidance in applying the new concepts and strategies learned throughout the conference. So, when you go home, you won't have a bunch of work to put all of your new knowledge to use - you'll be able to just plug-and-play.
Are tickets refundable?
Is Lodging, Transportation, and Food Included in the Ticket Pricing?
How Many Tickets are Available?
Are Payment Plans Available?
Are Virtual Tickets Available?
Can I purchase tickets for other people?
Do I have to currently be a franchisee or small business owner to attend?
Is there a way to find other attendees to room with?
Is this a kid-friendly event?
How can I sponsor this event?

Column Headline

Column Headline

Column Headline

Column Headline

Recover Sanity, Command Wealth, Live in Gratitude™

Tickets will be available soon!