Technology

Franchise Veteran Keith Gerson Uses 50 Years of Industry Experience to Launch Gerson Advisory Services

Published

11 months ago

February 19, 2024

New Franchise Supplier Emerges as Number of Franchised Establishments Grows at Consistent Rate

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — With the goal of providing necessary education and resources to franchisors and franchisees, industry veteran Keith Gerson announces the launch of Gerson Advisory Services (GAS). After serving as a franchisor, franchisee, and supplier, Gerson now looks to share his 50 years of experience and knowledge with all of the franchise industry.

Industry veteran launches new franchise supplier services as number of franchise establishments grew by 2.2% in 2023.

Keith Gerson has seen every side of the franchising industry – from serving in executive and C-Suite positions for leading brands in restaurant, B2B, and residential service sectors, to being a franchisee at Mrs. Fields while serving as the company’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Franchising and Licensing, to the supplier side as President of Franchise Operations at FranConnect. In his most recent position at FranConnect, Gerson analyzed the data of more than 1,500 brands that allowed him to generate the most popular industry leading reports governing franchise sales and operations.

“As I transition from my rewarding tenure over the course of nearly 12 years at FranConnect to becoming the navigator of my own destiny, I know it’s the right time for me to impart the franchise wisdom I’ve acquired onto others,” shared Gerson. “I’ve long wanted to devote time to advising and consulting the franchise community, and Gerson Advisory Services will allow me to do just that. Franchising has been such a large part of my life, so having this be my next step within franchising felt like the perfect progression.”

Gerson Advisory Services will be an asset to private equity firms, board of directors, and franchisors alike. Gerson will conduct forensic audits of marketing effectiveness, conducting comprehensive reviews through mystery shops, franchise sales websites, marketing performance, KPI’s, campaigns, workflows, and more to help improve a brand’s overall sales results. Additional franchisor services will include improving the franchisee experience, engagement and adoption, Franchise Business Consultant (FBC) support, and franchisee profitability. Gerson will also provide an FDD comparative analysis of competitive franchise brands. This is guaranteed to improve the brand and its franchisees’ ability to compete at the local level.

According to the IFA’s 2024 Economic Outlook, the number of franchise units increased 2.2% from 2022 to 2023, surpassing growth predictions, and is projected to grow by another 1.9% in 2024. As more franchise establishments continue to join the economy, the need for the types of services Gerson will provide becomes more critical.

Gerson Advisory Services will primarily work with emerging and mid-market brands, as well as private equity. Gerson has assembled a top tier group of professional and well-vetted franchise experts to help meet the demand that is already occurring. Franchise brands across North America now have access to GAS services.

“While I have been in the industry for five decades, the journey isn’t over yet,” added Gerson. “I look forward to being a resource for franchisors by demonstrating that their best year can be realized in 2024 and beyond with the help of a unique outside perspective honed over five decades.”

For more information on Gerson Advisory Services or to make a free consultation, contact keith@gersonadvisory.com.

ABOUT GERSON ADVISORY SERVICES:

At Gerson Advisory Services, our focus is on delivering unparalleled expertise through forensic audits and recommended best practices in the crucial domains of franchise sales, marketing, and operations. Gerson’s proficiency extends to guiding others in achieving optimal franchise engagement, adoption, and performance. With a commitment to excellence, Gerson Advisory Services is your partner in navigating the intricate world of franchising, ensuring success through strategic insights and proven methodologies.

A pioneering force in the realm of franchising, Gerson Advisory Services is led by founder and CEO, Keith Gerson. With an illustrious career spanning five decades, Gerson has cultivated a unique and widely recognized skill set, traversing the landscape of franchising as an executive with leading brands, a franchisee, and a supplier. He is a longstanding Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) and a member of the International Franchise Association’s Franchise Supplier Advisory Board of Directors.

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SOURCE Gerson Advisory Services

Technology

HevenDrones Partners with SMARTSHOOTER for Drone Defense

Published

18 minutes ago

January 15, 2025

New partnership addresses mission-critical demand for counter-drone technology amid escalating global conflicts

MIAMI, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — HevenDrones (Heven), the market leader in hydrogen-powered drones, announced today a partnership with SMARTSHOOTER, a global innovator in fire control systems that significantly increase hit probability against static and moving ground and aerial targets.

The collaboration integrates SMARTSHOOTER’s SMASH Dragon platform with Heven’s H100 and Urban drone platforms, enabling precision targeting and engagement of both ground and aerial threats.

“As drone conflicts escalate, we know that counter-drone technology will prove critical to the evolving needs of the armed forces,” said Bentzion Levinson, CEO of Heven. “By integrating our drones with SMARTSHOOTER’s fire control systems, we aim to address customer demand for the future needs of remotely-controlled warfare.”

SMASH Dragon is an advanced robotic weapon payload that can be mounted on various drones and unmanned aerial platforms. Leveraging SMARTSHOOTER’s SMASH proprietary fire control and target acquisition algorithms, along with ballistic-calculated shot release, the system directs the weapon and accurately times the shot to achieve a precise hit. The system is uniquely designed to lock, track, and engage unknown targets in unpredictable environments, whether static or dynamic, day or night, unaffected by target movements or human errors such as fatigue and stress.

Staying at the forefront of military technology innovation, SMASH’s proven track record includes recent successful deployments and significant contracts to supply the SMASH 3000 system to NATO Countries for counter-drone operations and equipping the British Army with SMASH systems for counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) capabilities.

About HevenDrones

HevenDrones was founded in 2019 with a clear vision: To unlock the immense potential of the drone economy. Heven’s hydrogen-powered, runway-independent drones are designed with endurance and adaptability in mind. Built for the most complex missions, Heven’s drones operate anywhere—efficiently, quietly, and reliably— providing the warfighter with the technology to get the job done.

About SMARTSHOOTER

Founded in 2011, SMARTSHOOTER is an Israeli-based company that has developed world-leading fire control systems to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of small arms. Their SMASH product line, which includes the SMASH Dragon, utilizes artificial intelligence, computer vision, and advanced algorithms to enable precise targeting of both ground and aerial threats, including drones. Headquartered in Yagur, Israel, SMARTSHOOTER also operates subsidiaries in the U.S. (Maryland), Europe (Germany), and Australia, serving a diverse array of global clients such as the Israel Defense Forces, U.S. Army, British Army, and other NATO member forces.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hevendrones-partners-with-smartshooter-for-drone-defense-302352140.html

SOURCE Heven Drones

Technology

HevenDrones Partners with SMARTSHOOTER for Drone Defense

Published

18 minutes ago

January 15, 2025

New partnership addresses mission-critical demand for counter-drone technology amid escalating global conflicts

The collaboration integrates SMARTSHOOTER’s SMASH Dragon platform with Heven’s H100 and Urban drone platforms, enabling precision targeting and engagement of both ground and aerial threats.

About HevenDrones

About SMARTSHOOTER

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hevendrones-partners-with-smartshooter-for-drone-defense-302352140.html

SOURCE Heven Drones

Technology

Extinguishing Wildfires with Light at Meta Photonix

Published

19 minutes ago

January 15, 2025

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — MetaPhotonix Inc. (MPI), a Silicon Valley startup, is developing a revolutionary method to extinguish large-scale wildfires using nothing but light – eliminating water! The innovative technology also aims to significantly reduce the need for aircraft, and firefighters, enabling fires to be extinguished by AI remotely at the speed of light.

In 2024, MPI achieved a small yet groundbreaking milestone, by remotely extinguishing a tiny flame, equivalent to the size of a candle, using only light. While small in scale compared to actual wildfires, this experiment serves as a vital proof-of-concept, paving the way for a future where wildfires can be managed quickly and cost-effectively.

“It’s like the first transistor—early stage, but with transformative potential,” said CEO, Dr. Leo DiDomenico, a former NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist.

MPI’s technology, known as photopyrokinesis, leverages “structured light” from lasers and millimeter-wave sources. These initially low-intensity beams traverse the atmosphere where they would get focused to high-intensity at the disaster area to suppress wildfires without water, chemicals, or close-range human intervention.

This innovation could save the U.S. up to $1 trillion annually in wildfire-related costs, an amount rivaling the nation’s military budget, while addressing up to 20% of global CO₂ emissions.

Using precise light beams, MPI’s technology can potentially even target fires near buildings, offering a critical tool for protecting lives and property. Therefore, this approach is a potential game-changer for the insurance industry, allowing them to keep insuring homes, by reducing claims from wildfires. Each community might someday have its own quick-acting AI fire sentry protecting lives and homes – making fire insurance viable again.

Photopyrokinesis works by directing beams of structured light to fire zones to manipulate the electronic structure of the atmosphere and create localized shockwaves that deny oxygen to the fire. This process provides millions of tiny, controlled explosions each second, extinguishing flames rapidly and efficiently. It is like using dynamite to put out an oil well fire, but much more controlled and targeted.

The structured light’s unique properties allow it to even propagate on curved trajectories, like water from a hose, enabling precise targeting of the fire even in extreme wind conditions like Santa Ana winds.

Founded in 2022 by Dr. DiDomenico, MetaPhotonix Inc. is advancing in the XPRIZE Wildfire competition, but needs visionary investors to help scale this technology and protect lives, ecosystems, and economies from the devastating effects of wildfires.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/extinguishing-wildfires-with-light-at-meta-photonix-302351269.html

SOURCE MetaPhotonix Inc