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Strategic Partners

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Accelerating the Emerging Restaurant’s Expansion Journey

The Second Annual Nation’s Restaurant News Investment Summit is an off-site session hosted on October 9 from 12:00-4:00 pm during the annual CREATE: The Experience conference in Nashville, Tennessee. This exclusive event
is designed to bring together leaders of emerging restaurant brands with the investment community to provide a unique environment for networking, education, and exploration of capital growth opportunities.

Registration Requirements:
Emerging growth restaurateurs: You must be registered for CREATE: The Experience conference held October 9-11 at the Omni Hotel Nashville in order to attend this session. To qualify for the Summit, you must represent a restaurant company with less than 100 units, and you must be in a senior management/decision-making role. Registration is free, but there is limited space available on a first come, first served basis. Pre-registration is required.

Investment community members (i.e. investors, banks, financial institutions, business services companies, etc.): If you are interested in attending or sponsoring the Investment Summit, please contact susan.szymanski@informa.com for more details.

Sponsored by
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2023 Investment Summit Program Agenda

10:55am

Participants meet in lobby of Margaritaville Resort for transport to Aerial Tramway. The bus will leave promptly at 11:10pm PST.

12:15pm – 1:00pm
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway/Mt. San Jacinto Experience
Enjoy a breathtaking journey in the world’s largest aerial tram car to the top of Mt. San Jacinto (elevation 8,516 feet). During your 10-minute ride, your tram car will rotate slowly for a 360 view of the spectacular cliffs of Chino Canyon and the valley floor below. Arrive at the top of Mt. San Jacinto and take in the view while enjoying a casual lunch before the program starts.
1:00pm – 1:15pm
Opening Remarks Sam Oches, Editor-in-Chief of Nation’s Restaurant News will kick off the Investment Summit.
1:15pm – 2:00pm

Getting your house in order: Do you have the right management team in place to support your vision for growth? Get tips and insights on how Savory Fund and The Elliot Group partnered to develop successful leadership teams.

Speakers:

  • Sarah Lockyer, Chief Brand Officer, The Elliot Group & President, Elliot Leadership Institute
  • Andrew Smith, Managing Director/Co-Founder, Savory Fund
sarah-lockyer-andrew-smith
2:00pm – 2:45pm

What investors want: A panel of leading investors will share details on what they look for when reviewing investment pitches from emerging growth restaurateurs.

Moderator: Andrew Smith, Managing Director/Co-Founder, Savory Fund
Panelists

  • Lauren Fernandez, Principal, The Fernandez Company & CEO & Founder, Full Course
  • Jim Balis, Managing Director Strategic Operations Group, CapitalSpring
  • Satya Ponnuru, General Partner, NewSpring Franchise
smith-fernandez-balis-ponnuru
2:45pm – 4:00pm
Networking roundtable forum The centerpiece of the Investment Summit are these roundtable discussions in which emerging brand leaders have direct access to members of the capital community. Get your burning questions answered and make business-changing connections in a series of conversations that put the capital experts directly in front of you.
4:00pm – 4:10pm
Program wrap-up Make sure you continue your conversations at CREATE: The Experience. Take advantage of the opportunity to follow up with connections in the exclusive Investment Lounge throughout CREATE or at the Poolside Party at Margaritaville Resort immediately after the Summit.
4:10pm – 5:00pm
Enjoy the Journey! Take the Aerial Tramway transport back to the bus for return to Margaritaville Resort. Check out the full agenda for CREATE: The Experience held October 1-3 HERE
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Denver is a Food City

Margaritaville Resort

1600 N. Indian Canyon Drive 

Palm Springs, CA  92262 

 

Room Rate: $230/night + $20 resort fee 

Cut-off date: September 8, 2023 or until the room block sells out, whichever occurs first. 

Reservations number: 760-327-8311 (mention CREATE). 

Make Your Hotel Reservation Here  

*Resort Fee includes: 

  • Self-parking for (1) vehicle 
  • Access to Wi-Fi in guestroom 
  • Fitness Center Access 
  • In Room Coffee & Tea 
  • Bicycle Usage 
  • Golf bag storage 
Book Your Room

Health & Safety

CREATE is being planned in accordance with Informa AllSecure standards, and we will provide regular and timely updates to help the community best prepare for attending. For further information regarding events in Colorado, please visit:
Colorado Dept. of Public Health