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The magazine for franchisees
VOL 07, ISSUE 6, april 2019
Funtopia
climbs its way to global expansion special feature
multi-unit franchising
“act as if” attracting success tax code changes
that affect the franchising industry LATEST NEWS
FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM THE BANKS
TOP LAWYERS’ ADVICE
Franchise Opportunities Available. Partner With A PROVEN Brand.
OWN YOUR TUFFY TODAY! Helping our franchisees to operate successfully and meet the challenges of today’s marketplace is the top priority for the Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Centers Franchise and Operations Team. We provide our franchisees with a proven operating system, and as a result, our franchisees have played a key role in the ongoing success of Tuffy. Our value proposition includes (but is not limited to) the following: • Over 45 Years in Business. • State of the Art Management, Sales & Technical Training. • Comprehensive Marketing & Advertising Programs. • National Vendor Partnerships. • National & Local Support. • Powerful Brand Proposition. • Strong Business Model. • On-going Research & Development.
AUTOMOTIVE EXPERIENCE NOT REQUIRED! Tuffy is looking for customer focused, ethical business owners. Our franchisees come from many different walks of life. A background in auto repair is not needed to run a successful Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Center, but can be helpful.
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION:
800-228-8339 www.TuffyFranchising.com
Franchising usa The magazine for franchisees
FRANCHISING USA VOLUME 7, ISSUE 6, 2019 president: Colin Bradbury. colin@cgbpublishing.com
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COVER IMAGE: funtopia
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Welcome to the April issue of Franchising USA. Congratulations! You’ve made it through the long winter and spring is here. It’s time to come out of hibernation and wake up to the new season of rebirth and renewal and the opportunity to start something new. Whether you’re just starting a new business or have been playing in the franchising arena for years, it’s a great time to take a look at your business with fresh eyes and see where you can plant some seeds of innovation that you can grow into new opportunities for success. Our Cover Story this month features Funtopia, a franchise that aims to get kids moving and provide an active alternative to today’s prevalence of physically-passive display entertainment. Designed as giant playgrounds where kids can run, jump, climb and explore safely, Funtopia Active Entertainment Centers give entrepreneurs the opportunity to be part of a revolution in the entertainment industry. Turn to page 10 to learn what the brand is looking for in their franchisees and their plans to expand globally. Our Special Feature covers Multi-Unit Franchising, a trending investment strategy in the franchising world that used to only be an option for veteran franchisors but has now expanded to a wider audience, with multi-unit operators controlling over 50 percent of all franchised units. We’ve gathered the expertise of industry experts who give tips on how to make multiple locations and multiple franchises work, with advice on Setting Up a Multi-Unit Opportunity, Creating a Culture That Supports Multi-Unit Franchises, as well as Top Strategies for Growth and Transformation as a Multi-Unit Franchisee. Our Veterans in Franchising Supplement features the inspiring story of Albert Daniel from Moran Family of Brands. With a childhood that did little to put him on track to become an award-winning business owner with two successful automotive repair franchises, Daniel credits the United States Navy for giving him the tools to serve his country and his future. Learn how he overcame various obstacles to become one of the most successful franchise owners in the Moran Family of Brands’ system. Happy reading!
“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.” ~ William Shakespeare
The information and contents in this publication are believed by the publisher to be true, correct and accurate but no independent investigation has been undertaken. Accordingly the publisher does not represent or warrant that the information and contents are true, correct or accurate and recommends that each reader seek appropriate professional advice, guidance and direction before acting or relying on all information contained herein. Opinions expressed in the articles contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publication is sold subject to the terms and conditions that it shall not be copied in whole or part, resold, hired out, without the express permission of the publisher.
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contents
april 2019
On the Cover 10 Cover Story: Funtopia Climbs Its Way to
Global Expansion
21 Special Feature: Multi-Unit Franchising
10
16 “Act As If” Attracting Success 12 Tax Code Changes That Affect the Franchising Industry
In Every Issue
14
6
What’s New!
Announcements from the industry
21
Multi-Unit Franchising Feature
41 Veterans Supplement - News and Information for Veterans in Franchising
54 A-Z Franchise and Services Directory
Spotlight On Service 38 The Interface Financial Group
18
Expert Advice 14 Silent Partnerships: Fertile Ground For a Business Breakup
Rocco Luisi, Esq.
16 “Act As If” Attracting Success
George Knauf, Senior Franchise Business Advisor, FranChoice
18 Tax Code Changes That Affect the Franchising Industry
26 Franchising USA
Tab Burkhalter, CEO, The Numbers House
52 How to Hire the Right Employees
Evan Hackel, CEO, Tortal Training
Multi-Unit Franchising Feature
26
On the Cover 26 Top Strategies for Growth and Transformation as a
Multi-Unit Franchisee
30 Creating a Culture That Supports Multi-Unit Franchises
34
36 Setting Up a Multi-Unit Opportunity In Every Issue 22 Feature News 26 Feature Article Expert Advice
36
30 Creating a Culture That Supports Multi-Unit Franchises
Christopher Conner, President, Franchise Marketing Systems
32 Top Strategies for Growth and Transformation as a Multi-Unit Franchisee Ed Yancey, Director of Franchising, B.GOOD
34 Multiple Franchises, Multiple Locations: Making Multiple Franchise Locations—and Multiple Franchises—Work Kevin Dubois, CEO, Lapels Dry Cleaning
38
36 Setting Up a Multi-Unit Opportunity
Neal Courtney, CEO, Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids
52 Franchising USA
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what’s new! PizzaRev expanding in Central Valley and Southern California to meet growing demand Fan favorite PizzaRev plans to build on its success in key markets by adding new locations to meet growing consumer demand. The brand has awarded key growth territories to existing franchisee Ajay Maini, who plans to open additional locations in Kern and Orange Counties. Maini, who is an experienced multi-unit restaurant franchisee, owns two existing PizzaRev locations in Bakersfield and one in Palmdale, California. “I love the concept of custom-made pizzas, and the level of quality and customer service PizzaRev offers made my decision to invest an easy one – I was hooked from the beginning,” said Maini. “The support that PizzaRev offers its franchisees got me off to a great start, they have set me up for success to grow my three existing locations as well as expand my portfolio with the brand.” In addition to his three PizzaRev restaurants, Maini has owned multiple franchise units of a top sandwich chain since 2006. “Ajay’s industry experience and operations knowhow has been integral to establishing his Bakersfield and Palmdale restaurants as local favorites,” said Tyan Swanson, senior manager of marketing and franchise sales at PizzaRev. “His existing connections in the community and previous success in the restaurant franchising industry made him the ideal PizzaRev partner. It is great to see our footprint growing in the Central Valley and we’re excited to help Ajay expand PizzaRev’s presence in Southern California, as well.” For more information, visit pizzarev.com/franchise.
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FirstLight Home Care Partners with HNC Virtual Solutions
National home care provider teams up with telemedicine software company to enhance patient care FirstLight Home Care, a leading national provider of nonmedical home care, is announcing a new partnership with HNC Virtual Solutions, a global telemedicine software company, to offer new telehealth solutions that will enhance patient care. The agreement between FirstLight Home Care and HNC Virtual Solutions will allow FirstLight to begin offering HNC Virtual Solutions’ Remote Patient Monitoring at FirstLight Home Care locations across the country. By connecting patients to clinicians using Remote Patient Monitoring, FirstLight Home Care clients are more likely to experience positive outcomes, such as: • Decreased hospital readmissions • Reduced healthcare costs • Increased patient/provider satisfaction • Improved medication compliance • More independent living • Increased family engagement Remote Patient Monitoring will introduce a more-connected experience between patients and other care providers by using technology to bridge the gaps in care among FirstLight’s clients. For more information about FirstLight Home Care, visit www.firstlighthomecare.com. More information on HNC Virtual Solutions, a subsidiary of J & B Medical, can be found at www.healthnetconnect.com.
HomeVestors Names The Ugliest House of the Year®
HomeVestors announced The Ugliest House Of The Year® as voted by the American public from among thousands of home makeovers completed by the “We Buy Ugly Houses®” company in 2018. This year’s winning property was purchased as a dilapidated 1,698 square-foot Tudor in Queens, New York last fall by Nyath Properties, a first-year independently owned and operated HomeVestors® franchise
team that expertly renovated and restored the now beautiful home. The New Yorkarea franchise gutted the house, salvaging its 85-year-old wood floors and exposed beams, while replacing everything else, from sheetrock, windows, electrical wiring and panels, to the roof, bathrooms, kitchen, and basement floors. With more than 1,000 franchises in 168 markets nationwide, HomeVestors has purchased more than 95,000 houses since
1996, and averages about 8,000 houses bought each year. The houses are deemed “ugly” in advertisements, with the term applying not just to their condition, but also to the situations sellers often find themselves in. Houses purchased, like The Ugliest House Of The Year®, are generally rehabbed, then sold or held as investment properties, helping raise real estate values and drive community revitalization. “HomeVestors® franchises around the country, like Nyath Properties in Queens, are reintroducing properties that many might have considered ‘lost causes’,” added David Hicks, CEO of HomeVestors. “In buying ugly houses, they ultimately help maintain a supply of desirable homes that more local buyers can reasonably afford. We pride ourselves on providing a needed service not only to these sellers, but also to the communities where our franchises live and work, driving both new development and a more affordable housing supply.” For more information, visit www.homevestorsfranchise.com.
Huntington Learning Center Announces Rapid Expansion of Franchising Opportunities in New York Metro Area in addition to 30-plus refranchising opportunities for the existing company-owned centers in the area. “This is a pivotal moment in Huntington’s history,” said Anne Huntington, Vice President of Business Development and Member of the Board of Directors. “We are excited for the opportunity to significantly expand our reach within this market and continue the mission that our co-founders, my parents, began 42 years ago, which is to give every student the best education possible. As the next generation of Huntington leadership, I am proud to carry the legacy they’ve built into the future.”
Huntington Learning Center, the leading tutoring and test prep company with more than 300 locations across the country, announced last month that it will begin rapid franchise growth in the New York Metropolitan area - the same region where the company first opened its doors in 1977.
Huntington Learning Center is the #1 revenue-producing tutoring franchise in the United States, with revenues that are 53% higher on average than its closest competitor. Frequently awarded with accolades for its best-in-class results, Huntington was recognized this year as a Top 500 Franchise and a Top Franchise for Veterans by Entrepreneur, in the top 30 by Franchise by Franchise Business Review’s Franchisee Satisfaction Awards, and as a recipient of the America’s Best Customer Service from Newsweek.
This period of significant expansion will present over 40 new franchising opportunities in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut,
For more information, please visit www.HuntingtonFranchise.com.
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what’s new!
MUSE Global Announces Plans to Expand Franchise in California Global, the international franchise brand of MUSE School. Officially launching in December 2018, the franchise is seeking owners around the world who are passionate about delivering the highest quality education to children up to five years of age.
with a focus on sustainability. The first school in the U.S. to offer a 100 percent organic, plant-based lunch program, MUSE teaches specialized courses such as Seedto-Table to encourage a more sustainable lifestyle among students.
MUSE Global, an innovative early childhood education franchise founded by James Cameron, Suzy Amis Cameron and Rebecca Amis, today announced its approval to offer franchises in the state of California.
“The original MUSE School is located in Calabasas, and we regularly attract students and families that choose to drive a surprising distance,” said Rebecca Amis, cofounder and chief innovation officer of MUSE Global. “Their willingness to commute perfectly illustrates California’s growing need for more high-quality early education opportunities, and being able to offer this franchise opportunity to others in our home state is a huge step toward addressing that need.”
“Our education model not only benefits the students, but it benefits the world around them,” said Jeff King, CEO of MUSE Global. “We teach children to be both inwardly and outwardly sustainable, and we’re seeking partners in California that are not only passionate about education but dedicated to their community and the environment. Each MUSE Global franchise will have the opportunity to leave the world better than they found it, and as we grow, we’re confident the impact of our program will resonate around the globe.”
This announcement marks the continued expansion into new territories for MUSE
MUSE Global schools provide a passionbased and child-centered education model
For more information, please visit www.museglobal.org.
Gloria Jean’s Ranked Top Three Coffeehouse Chains In Customer Service range of services, customer focus, and accessibility. Gloria Jean’s was recognized along with Starbucks and Peet’s Coffee.
Gloria Jean’s Coffees – U.S.A., an innovator in the specialty coffee segment providing fresh, premium blends and awardwinning roasts for 40 years, has been ranked a top three coffee chain in customer service as uncovered by a consumer survey spearheaded by Newsweek. Teaming up with Statista to survey more than 20,000 consumers
in the U.S., Newsweek asked participants to evaluate brands based on five criteria: quality of communication, technical competence,
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“Delivering superior guest experiences has been at the core of our company culture since day one, and we’re thrilled to be named among the top three coffee chains for excellence in customer service,” said Sam Ferreira, president of Gloria Jean’s Coffees. “It’s our goal to make a visit to Gloria Jean’s the best part of our guests’ day and providing a delicious cup of coffee is only half of the equation. We’re proud of our team members who always go that extra step to ensure that all guests leave with a smile on their face.” With 58 units across the nation, Gloria Jean’s roasts every bean in its Southern California headquarters which includes a test kitchen for ongoing R&D and a full roasting and processing facility. The company is currently awarding development agreements to passionate franchisees interested in growing with an established coffee concept that continues to resonate with today’s consumers. To learn more, visit www.gloriajeans.com.
Premium Gas and Convenience Retailer Launches Franchise Program RaceTrac Seeks Qualified Candidates in Central Florida to Take on New Business Opportunity
RaceTrac, one of America’s leading retail, fuel and convenience store destinations, launched a new franchise program. RT Franchising, Inc. is seeking experienced, qualified candidates for franchise opportunities in Clermont, Mt. Dora, and DeLand, Florida. With operations in Central Florida spanning three decades and more than 170 locations throughout the state, the three RaceTrac stores are immediately available as franchise opportunities for qualified entrepreneurs. RaceTrac franchise owners will benefit from the brand’s conveniently located stores, comprehensive training program and proven experience in marketing, operations and merchandising. In addition, franchise owners will be able to take advantage of the company’s strong brand reputation. The three modern stores offer guests Swirl World frozen dessert stations, large coffee areas with a new freshly ground, freshly brewed “Crazy Good Coffee” experience, a shoppable layout, ample seating and free WiFi. Each store currently boasts average fuel gallon sales nearly three times the NACS Industry Average. RaceTrac franchisees should have strategic agility, business acumen, integrity and the ability to build an effective team. Ideal candidates will possess a desire to join a hands-on business opportunity where franchisees are actively involved in the day-today operations. Potential franchisees should have a net worth of at least $700,000 and liquidity of at least $350,000. Candidates who meet these preliminary qualifications will be required to make an initial investment ranging from approximately $1 million to $1.4 million. Figures vary depending on the size of the store, store location, and equipment costs. For more information, visit franchise.racetrac.com.
British Swim School Opens Thirteenth Location in New Jersey British Swim School, best known for its education of water safety as an essential survival skill amongst a fun and gentle environment, continued its nationwide expansion with a new pool location in Toms River, New Jersey. The addition has been open as of December 2018 and has been acknowledged through a grand opening celebration and ribboncutting ceremony by the Mayor at the Howard Johnson Hotel pool on March 2, 2019. The new location in Toms River marks the thirteenth New Jersey location for the British Swim School franchise. The new Toms River location is the second British Swim School franchise for Paul Horner, with his first location having opened in November 2017 in Howell, NJ. “I previously started the Howell location in 2017 because I knew I wanted to do something worthwhile and make an impact in this community” said Paul Horner, British Swim School franchisee. “With limited swim programs on the East coast of New Jersey, I knew I had the opportunity to make an already preventable tragedy even more preventable. British Swim School offers a two-step curriculum teaching children and adults of all ages, some as young as three months, water safety and survival skills, along with swimming skill development. The school operates in nearly 200 schools in 21 states within the U.S., and holds nearly 15,000 lessons per week nationally, and conducted nearly 750,000 swimming lessons in 2018. For more information, visit www.britishswimschool.com.
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climbs its way to global expansion
With staring at screens being the dominant form of entertainment for today’s kids, one franchise has made it their goal to change that and get kids moving again.
moving, but challenge them, too. These activities can include: climbing the back of a dinosaur, exploring indoor caves, jumping off the edge of a “skyscraper,” hiking on aerial obstacles, sliding down a huge slide, running through a “Ninja course” or jumping on a trampoline field.
Funtopia Active Entertainment Centers are basically giant playgrounds where kids can run, jump, climb and explore safely.
Starting with walls
“Funtopia was created out of a desire to provide a new type of entertainment that would be an alternative to today’s prevalence of physically-passive display entertainment,” Yassen Nikolov, head of Funtopia’s North American operations, said during a recent interview. Each Funtopia includes various specially designed activities that not only get kids
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The active entertainment centers are meant to give children the opportunity to do typically outdoor activities in a safe, indoor environment.
In 2012, Walltopia Group, a company that designs and builds climbing walls and is the biggest producer of climbing walls in the world, saw an opportunity to make a difference in the increasingly sedentary lives of children by introducing a new kind of playground for them. Nikolov himself always had a passion for climbing and actually started off his career at Walltopia. That company, which had always served the adult market, started
making customized walls for children and then slowly added other elements aimed at kids. Their child-specific products became so in-demand that Walltopia realized there was a niche for a large, indoor playground like Funtopia and they were in the perfect position to fill that niche, seeing as how Walltopia shipped products to over 50 countries. “Together with my colleagues, we knew we had the best skills and competence to actually build and manage an active entertainment concept with a unique blend of attractions and activities,” he said. “Funtopia is actually the result of finding a perfect formula to keep kids entertained while being active.
“We are looking for candidates who believe in our core values summed up in our slogan: ‘Have fun, be active!’ We truly believe that being active both mentally and physically is the essence of a healthy lifestyle.” - Yassen Nikolov
From Bulgaria to beyond Three years after opening its first facility in Sofia, Bulgaria, Nikolov was put in charge of North American operations and eight months later, the first location in North America opened its doors to visitors in the Chicago suburbs. Currently, Funtopia has three locations in the USA (two in Chicago suburbs and one in Lehi, Utah), four in Australia, three in Israel and one each in Bulgaria, Malaysia and Mexico, plus five more currently under construction. In the USA, the company is now expanding outside of Illinois and is open to the right opportunity and demographics in every state.
With global expansion in mind, Funtopia has been franchising worldwide since
2015, and within the United States since 2017.
The right fit The ideal franchise candidate for Funtopia, Nikolov said, would be someone who
is looking to be a part of a successful, family-oriented business model. “Our concept really gives people the chance to be part of a revolution in the entertainment industry,” Nikolov said. “I firmly believe that it is always a good idea to stand with those who think ahead. We are looking for candidates who believe in
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our core values summed up in our slogan: ‘Have fun, be active!’ We truly believe that being active both mentally and physically is the essence of a healthy lifestyle.” The head of North American operations noted that the company pushes this philosophy at all levels of the company and encourages all employees and partners to follow these principles. It is the belief of the company’s owners that active people in a fun atmosphere perform the best and also feel good about themselves and their workplace. Nikolov said that Funtopia is uniquely positioned to help parents provide safe, alternative sources of fun for their kids and unlike other attractions like trampoline
parks, Funtopia’s advantage is that it offers a variety of activities. “While the competition is predominantly focused on one type of activity per venue, we believe that diversifying is the way to go,” Nikolov explained. “That is the reason why Funtopia offers a variety of attractions and each location develops its own sense of adventure.” As for franchisees, he noted, the company’s global experience has helped it learn what owners need from the company to be successful. Along with a comprehensive initial training process, the company offers continuous support at all levels and constantly updates all marketing materials
“Funtopia was created out of a desire to provide a new type of entertainment that would be an alternative to today’s prevalence of physically-passive display entertainment.” - Yassen Nikolov
“Our concept really gives people the chance to be part of a revolution in the entertainment industry.” - Yassen Nikolov
and continually introduces new programs to help franchisees. Some of the new programs Funtopia has rolled out include customized science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) programs, training programs to introduce kids to the art of climbing and being active and healthy kitchen options to teach kids about the importance of nutrition. Veteran franchisees are also privy to a discounted rate on the franchising fee. An ambitious man, Nikolov said he believes that within the next five years the franchise will hit the 100 unit mark. All they need is some fun loving franchisees to help them climb to that goal. funtopiaworld.com/franchise
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®
ex per t advice
Rocco Luisi, Esq. Speaker, #1 Bestselling Author and Law Firm Partner
Silent Partnerships: Fertile Ground For a Business Breakup
“Silent partnerships” are often a surefire recipe for business breakups.
hand, runs the day to day operations of the
A silent partnership is one in which Partner A—the silent partner—provides funding for the business and is not involved at all in the day to day operations of the company. Partner B, on the other
As the following client case study
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company, maintains its books and records, and contributes little to no money to the business.
illustrates, the root of the problem is that an unsupervised partner may not behave well. Stated differently, do not leave the fox to guard the henhouse. While not
every silent partnership has the potential to end in business divorce, there are simple steps that can decrease exposure to this risk. Glenn discovered, quite accidentally, that his business partner Sandra was stealing from him and their company. Glenn is an entrepreneur and co-owner of Filmazon, which owns one of the world’s
“It is never a good idea for s a silent partner to fund a business without knowing her partner, keeping tabs on the finances and activities of the business, and maintaining at least shared control over significant business assets.” of thousands of dollars. Sandra was supposed to use those funds to pay for company expenses. Instead, Sandra claimed that Filmazon was not making enough to cover expenses, and deceived Glenn into using over $1.5 million of his personal funds to pay expenses. Rocco Luisi, Esq.
largest and most prestigious collection of silent films. Glenn stumbled upon the collection and determined that it was a good investment opportunity. He formed Filmazon to purchase and market the collection. His intention was to license the collection in whole or in part or add to the collection and sell it. But Glenn had one problem: he knew nothing about silent films. That is where Sandra came in. Sandra had an expertise in silent films and had connections in the industry. Glenn found Sandra through research and did not know her very well. Without much due diligence, he offered Sandra an ownership interest in the business in exchange for running the day-to-day operations of Filmazon. It was her job to find customers interested in licensing fillms, acquiring new films and finding someone interested in buying the collection. Sandra also handled the arrangements for temperaturecontrolled storage of the films. She also kept the books and records of the corporation and handled the company’s bank account. While searching the internet for additional films to add to the collection, Glenn stumbled upon a valuable Rudolf Valentino film that Sandra had put up for auction. Upon further investigation, we learned that Sandra sold or licensed Filmazon films and pocketed hundreds
When confronted with this evidence, Sandra refused to produce Filmazon’s books and records and threatened to destroy them if Glenn commenced litigation. Faced with the probability of further sale and theft of valuable pieces of Filmazon’s silent film collection, further pocketing of sales proceeds and royalities, threatened destruction of Filmazon’s books and records and loss of the valuable collection inventory, Glenn was forced to file a lawsuit. At the end of a contentious litigation, the Court awarded Glenn a judgment for $2.6 million and ousted Sandra from Filmazon. In retaliation to the lawsuit and in an effort to force a settlement in her favor, Sandra engaged in a campaign to defame, threaten and harass Glenn, his wife and their family. In particular, Sandra falsely told others that Glenn was an anti-Semite, a Nazi, a murderer, a bigot, a misogynist, a psychopath, a buffoon, a conman, a heinous human being, a monster, manipulative, deviant, dangerous, and evil; that he committed the crime of stalking her for four years, threatened the life of Sandra and her son, told her to commit suicide, that he referred to his nephew with Down’s syndrome as “retarded”, and that he made inappropriate remarks about Jewish people, Italians and African Americans. Glenn filed a separate lawsuit to put an end to Sandra’s outrageous conduct. The Court entered a permanent injunction muzzling Sandra’s
free speech rights by preventing her from ever contacting Glenn, his wife and their family. The story of Glenn and Sandra makes it clear that the silent partnership is a red flag for a business breakup. Glenn’s decision to have Sandra run the business without his oversight was compounded by his failure to adequately vet her character. The setup was also problematic because Sandra and Glenn lived three hours away by car, so Glenn was unable to meet frequently in person and monitor Sandra’s activities and the collection. Further exacerbating the situation was that Glenn granted Sandra unfettered access to the storage facility housing the silent film collection, allowing her to renew the contract with the facility and bar him from accessing the collection. It is never a good idea for s a silent partner to fund a business without knowing her partner, keeping tabs on the finances and activities of the business, and maintaining at least shared control over significant business assets. As Ronald Reagan said, borrowing a proverb he learned from the Soviets, “Trust, but verify.” Rocco Luisi, Esq. is a Speaker, #1 Bestselling Author and Law Firm Partner. After working in the trenches with business owners to prevent, mediate and litigate internal business disputes for more than two decades, Rocco has seen first-hand why financially sound companies nevertheless fail. Out of these deep experiences, Rocco has learned what it takes to make businesses last. Rocco speaks nationally about this important topic and his unique law practice is focused on helping his clients achieve business longevity. You can reach him at luisistrategicadvisors@gmail.com.
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George Knauf, Senior Franchise Business Advisor, FranChoice
“Act As If”
Attracting Success
For hundreds of years philosophers and doctors of psychology have promoted the idea that if you want to accomplish something that you can realize it faster if you “Act as if” you have already received it. Franchising USA
Want a fancy new car?
The experts say to immerse yourself in shopping for that car, visiting the showroom, looking at brochures… And doing the things that owners of that car would typically do to earn the money to buy it.
the American Dream and your perfect franchise.
Where does it apply to franchising? Well, put simply, everywhere!
When you are in a job and dreaming of owning a business this idea of Act As If could be an important strategy. Business owners simply think differently than employees do. In the early stages of your search it can be very beneficial to learn how business owners think, act and approach business so that you can incorporate those thoughts and actions into how you approach your daily life.
Let’s take a look at first steps, pursuing
Will this attract a business to you? I
It’s an aspirational notion, seen most recently in places like the book The Law of Attraction.
“Business owners need to think strategically, keep the entire business in mind and focus on moving the ball forward every day. You can look at your job differently, taking a more global perspective and focusing on creating new wins every day.” learning how they work, what makes them successful and how people like you enter and win in that business.
can argue that both ways, but I think the most obvious way to look at it is that if you are getting ready to make a big career transition there is a benefit to being prepared and focused on the outcome you desire. We are surrounded by countless opportunities every day and if we have prepared in advance we are more likely to realize when we come across great oppportunities. We will be prepared to seize your perfect franchise! So, what can you be doing to Act As If, while looking for your perfect franchise? Business owners need to think strategically, keep the entire business in mind and focus on moving the ball forward every day. You can look at your job differently, taking a more global perspective and focusing on creating new wins every day. You can make a daily effort to keep a positive approach and help your teammates do better in their jobs. You can investigate businesses with the goal of
George Knauf
If you step outside your role as an employee and enter the mindset of an owner you will not only be prepared for your perfect franchise, but may also find your job becomes more interesting and fun.
to change. In a single territory or unit business you can be a primary player in the daily operations of that business. As a multi-territory, multi-unit or multi-brand owner you need to begin to step into a CEO type role where you manage the team that runs the business.
Once in your franchise your Act As If strategy doesn’t go away, it just changes focus a bit. Now the goal isn’t to prepare to own a business, it is more about getting over the start-up stages with the confidence of a longer term owner.
In this move you will want to start to replace yourself in those daily operations with the managers and sales staff that can run it while you are not there. Yes you will still be involved, but you are freeing up time to oversee your growing empire!
As a new franchise owner, you may be feeling out of your element, just like going to a new job. You have been through training and you have support but operating the business is not muscle memory yet. This is where Act As If comes in. Your clients don’t know what you don’t know, but that may be all you can think of when you are standing in front of them. Now, Act AS IF does not mean that you should make up answers to your clients questions, but it may mean that if your client asks a questions you don’t know the answer to you may say: “That is a great question, we have solved that problem recently a couple different ways. I will go back to my team and put a game plan together and come back to you. How is tomorrow?”
You may be gathering that as long as you have goals, Acting As If could be a key ingredient to your success. What is your next goal and what are the people that have achieved it doing?
As you get settled in and are handling those front-line questions then Act As If may take on a slightly different role, growth. In considering more territory or units your approach to your business will have
Act As If! Now, go on. We’re all waiting on you! What will your success story be? Let’s go find it! George Knauf is a highly sought after, trusted advisor to many companies; Public, Independent and Franchised, of all sizes and in many markets. His 20 plus years of experience in both startup and mature business operations makes him uniquely qualified to advise individuals that have dreamed of going into business for themselves in order to gain more control, independence, time flexibility and to be able to earn in proportion to their real contribution. Contact the Franchising USA Expert George’s Hotline 703-424-2980. www.myperfectfranchise.com
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Tab Burkhalter, CEO, The Numbers House
Tax code changes that affect the franchising industry When the U.S. Congress enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the legislation made some major changes to the tax code. Let’s talk about a few that directly affect the franchising industry. Pass-Through The law created a new deduction for qualified business income. Formally referred to as the Section 199A deduction, this is called the passthrough deduction — it means taxpayers can deduct 20 percent of qualified business income on their personal tax returns. For example, if your business generated $100,000 in net income, only $80,000
Franchising USA
would be subject to personal income tax. The law does limit deductions above a $157,500 single/$315,000 marriage taxable income threshold for certain types of franchise businesses. If your franchise is a professional services business, such as accounting or bookkeeping, there is an income cap. If you hit the $157,500 single/$315,000 marriage taxable income threshold, you are not eligible for the deduction. But for other franchises, such as restaurants or retail or automotive services, the income limit does not apply.
Depreciation Another big effect of the law is related to asset expensing and depreciation. Under the old tax laws, when you bought a new asset you could depreciate half of it as a bonus depreciation, or you could write off 100 percent of it over a number of years under Section 179. Under new tax laws, through 2022, any new or used
piece of equipment that your business purchases, you can deduct 100 percent of the example as bonus depreciation. When you buy any new equipment for your facilities — for example, you put in brand new windows around a restaurant or purchase a new lift for a car maintenance franchise — you can deduct 100 percent of all those expenses instead of having to depreciate it over its useful life. A note of caution: Some states have elected to not allow bonus deprecation. Be careful to look at the state side of the tax equation when you are depreciating something. There could be a hidden tax because the state has decoupled from federal asset depreciation regulations.
“Formally referred to as the Section 199A deduction, this is called the passthrough deduction — it means taxpayers can deduct 20 percent of qualified business income on their personal tax returns.” have to attend a lot of franchise brand meetings and conferences, they are not going to be able to deduct as much of the expenses of those trips as they used to. Franchisors will have to look very carefully at how they structure conferences. If they choose to fund costs for programming and lodging, they’ll have to treat it as taxable income for attendees, issuing 1099 forms to report the income. Want to give away football tickets to show appreciation for star employees? Get a 1099 ready for them, because that’s no longer a tax-deductible expense. Are you in franchise development and working hard to win a free trip to Aruba for generating leads for your network? If it’s not properly classified, you could have to pay tax on that entire free trip you earned.
Balancing the Books This last change can benefit the individual franchise owners. It involves allowable accounting methods for taxing purposes.
That’s Entertainment The next topic is something that might sound small but can have a very big effect on both franchisors and franchisees. The new law gutted the ability of businesses to deduct meals and entertainment (M&E) expenses. Previously, business owners were able to deduct 50 percent of the cost of all meals and entertainment. If the employer was providing the meals to the employee, they could deduct 100 percent. That was changed. Entertainment expenses can’t be deducted at all. This could very well be one of the biggest pitfalls for franchises. If franchise owners
Franchisors often require individual franchise owners to report everything under the accrual basis of accounting, in order to make it easier to calculate royalties over all their revenue; however, the IRS has issued guidance that gives those franchise owners more flexibility in the accounting method they use to calculate income for federal taxes. If you’re a franchisee with under $25 million in annual revenue, you can opt out of accrual basis accounting for your federal taxes and go to a cash basis of accounting. They would have to keep one set of books to meet franchisor requirements, but could maintain another set of bookkeeping records under the cash basis of accounting for calculating their
Tab Burkhalter
income taxes. Those two accounting methods can be used hand in hand while saving significant dollars.
Summing It Up These are not the only changes made to the tax code by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The full effects of the complicated law won’t be known for years. Don’t try to navigate the changes alone. Be sure to reach out to licensed tax and accounting experts to help find new opportunities in the tax code while avoiding harmful pitfalls. Tab Burkhalter is the managing partner of The Burkhalter Group, which is composed of a regional law firm (Burkhalter & Burkhalter), regional CPA firm (Burkhalter & Associates), business start-up and back-office service provider (Numbers House) and commercial real estate lessor. www.thenumbershouse.com
“Don’t try to navigate the changes alone. Be sure to reach out to licensed tax and accounting experts to help find new opportunities in the tax code while avoiding harmful pitfalls.” Franchising USA
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The public and policymakers need to understand franchising. Our purpose
@OurFranchise is an industry-wide campaign created to spread the word about the value of franchising and share the stories of men and women just like you, who are leading the way as franchisors, franchisees, and franchise employees. The franchise business model has been proven time and time again to work, but it’s threatened when the public and politicians don’t understand how it operates to benefit local, independent franchise establishment owners and their communities. Putting a spotlight on real leaders succeeding with the franchise model is how we’ll ensure franchising is stronger than ever before.
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By joining @OurFranchise, you’ll get access to exclusive stories and resources that can help grow your franchise business, educate employees at all levels about the franchise business model, and share the economic importance of franchising with consumers. You will also have the opportunity to share your franchise success story with your peers. Visit AtOurFranchise.org Contact Erica Farage, Senior Director of Political Affairs and Grassroots Advocacy and Multi-Unit Franchisee Engagement International Franchise Association efarage@franchise.org (202) 662-0760
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FranchisingFeature multi-unit
Top Strategies for Growth and Transformation
as a Multi-Unit Franchisee
Setting Up a Multi-Unit Opportunity Creating a Culture
That Supports Multi-Unit Franchises
a pril 2019
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what’s new!
Captain D’s Continues Aggressive Growth with New Colorado Springs Restaurant Multi-Unit Operator Expands the Fast Casual Seafood Leader’s Presence in Colorado Captain D’s, the nation’s leading fast casual seafood restaurant, recently announced the opening of its newest franchised location in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Located at 4441 Integrity Center Point, this restaurant marks the first new Captain D’s to open in Colorado since the 1990’s. The new Colorado Springs location is owned and operated by existing multiunit operator and Vietnam War Army veteran, Lester Nowell, who has been a Captain D’s franchisee since 1986 and currently owns five restaurants throughout the greater Colorado Springs region. Captain D’s reignited growth in Colorado comes on the heels of a successful 2018, in which the brand rolled out a new royalty incentive program and achieved its highest average number of units signed in three years. The opening of the new Colorado Springs restaurant is a direct reflection of how years of continuous success have fueled a surge in franchise development from both new and existing franchisees and accelerated its expansion throughout the U.S. In the past year, the company has opened more than a dozen new
locations and inked numerous franchise development agreements to open new restaurants in states like Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois, Michigan and Oklahoma. With
more than 530 restaurants in 22 states, Captain D’s is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America
ranked by average unit volume. With these efforts, Captain D’s has remained true to what it does best — serving high-quality seafood with warm hospitality at an affordable price in a welcoming atmosphere.
For more information, visit www.captaindsfranchising.com.
Screenmobile goes mobile… again Screenmobile franchisees have gone mobile in more ways than one. “America’s Neighborhood Screen Store” announced today the launch of its new mobile app for franchisees that facilitates the process of finding and communicating with approved vendors. With just one click on a smartphone or tablet, comprehensive vendor information, including pricing, is readily available to Screenmobile franchisees. The app will make it easier for the brand’s franchise partners to find the materials they need to get jobs done as efficiently as possible, taking out the guesswork and improving customer outcomes, as well.
Founded in Glendora, California in 1980, Screenmobile has successfully become the nation’s leading mobile screen service franchise, with 119 licenses across more than 25 states. Screenmobile has proudly been ranked on Entrepreneur magazine’s “Franchise 500” list for the past 14 consecutive years.
The new technology is just one of the many ways that Screenmobile is providing support to its franchisees. The app will save franchisees both time and the stress of doing this on their own, as researching vendors can be an extensive process.
Screenmobile specializes in window, door and patio porch screens, as well as solar shading products. The company is dedicated to establishing responsible, lasting partnerships with franchise owners and pledges organizational support through progressive leadership, continual training and company growth.
Notably, the app was created in-house, demonstrating the uniquely large and sophisticated technical capabilities of the franchisor.
For information about franchising with Screenmobile, visit franchise.screenmobile.com.
Franchising USA
Take 5 Oil Change Merges into the Fast Lane with Major Growth Plans for 2019 Take 5 Oil Change (Take 5), admired among drivers for its unique stay-inyour-car oil change and customercentric approach, announced today a strategic franchise growth initiative to increase its presence across the United States. The concept’s growth during the past few years has been explosive, and Take 5 will continue to expand across the country in 2019. In the last 18 months, the brand signed multi-unit development deals for an additional 120 locations. In 2019, the oneof-a-kind oil change concept has plans to open 30 franchise stores and anticipates inking multi-unit franchise agreements representing the sale of 140 locations. Take 5, which is backed by more than 30 years of steady growth and success, is wellpositioned for continued expansion. With more than 350 corporate and franchised locations open from Texas eastward to Virginia and north to Ohio, this year Take 5 is targeting major metropolitan markets
across the nation including Chicago, Detroit, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia, to name a few. As Take 5 grows, it is awarding franchise opportunities to qualified multi-unit owners and groups seeking to add a successful segment to their portfolio. The ideal franchisee is someone with
an entrepreneurial outlook who is well capitalized and has a core competency in managing a team, real estate and experience running a multi-unit business. Individuals and groups interested in franchising with Take 5 can learn more about the brand and its available territories at www.take5franchise.com.
Pinch a Penny Continues Aggressive Texas Expansion With 17th Lone Star State Location Pinch A Penny Pool Patio and Spa, the world’s largest swimming pool retail, service, and repair franchise, reported the opening of its first San Antonio, Texas location at 22250 Bulverde Road. The new San Antonio store is owned by first-time franchisees Aaron and Madison Thompson, who previously operated Clear Blue Pool Supply for more than five years in the same space before converting it into a Pinch A Penny retail and service location. Pinch A Penny’s entrance into the San Antonio market is fueled by the company’s aggressive Texas growth plans and comes on the heels of its ongoing growth throughout the state. In addition to the new San Antonio store, Pinch A Penny also recently announced the opening of its latest
conversion in Kingwood, Texas, and will be accelerating its expansion strategy over the next several months in key markets in the Lone Star State. “Our San Antonio location is a direct reflection of our innovation in action, and we look forward to continuing to expand our franchise network and helping more local business owners throughout Texas take their operations to new heights by joining the Pinch A Penny family,” said Michael Arrowsmith, Chief Development Officer of Pinch A Penny. Pinch A Penny Pool Patio and Spa of San Antonio will serve customers MondayFriday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information on the new San Antonio store, call 210-495-7777 or visit pinchapenny.com/ stores/TX/San-Antonio.
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what’s new! Tint World® Honors Franchise Owners, Plans Ahead for 2019 Success Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™, a leading auto customization and window tinting franchise, honored their top performing franchise owners at its 11th annual International Franchise Convention held Feb. 17-19 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando Florida. The convention featured a vendor trade show, seminars and training, while an awards banquet on Feb. 19 recognized topperforming franchises. This year’s theme was “Play to Win,” and attendees learned best practices to boost sales and run their stores more efficiently. In 2018, Tint World® reported an increase of chainwide sales of more than 27% percent from 2017 to 2018, and an increase in store locations from 54 in 2017 to 68 in 2018. The company also entered the growing United Arab Emirates market with its first store in Dubai. There are currently 21 more locations in development across the United States and Canada. Tim and Stacy Kjaer, co-owners of the Medford/Long Island, New York store, along with manager Kurt Kaufman were once again honored for being in the $2 Million Club. Members of the $1 Million Club included Rodney Thiel and Mike Richards, owner of the Grapevine, Texas store, Danny Shenko and Mike Rogers, of the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, location; Acey and Kerri Light, owners of the Lubbock, Texas store and Santiago and Dominica Rojas, owners of the Massapequa Park, New York store.
Conserva Irrigation Grows National Footprint with Florida Expansion
Conserva Irrigation, the only national outdoor irrigation company founded on the concept of water conservation, signed four franchise agreements to expand the brand’s presence throughout Florida. On the heels of Conserva’s rapid expansion in 2018, the water conservation-leader has added territories in West Palm Beach, Orlando, Brevard County, Jacksonville and St. Augustine. Joining Conserva’s industry-leading team are the following franchisees: • Yohei Castro of Conserva Irrigation West Palm Beach • Jeff Daniels of Conserva Irrigation Brevard County • Scott Mullins and Roger Mullins of Conserva Irrigation of Orlando • Vanesa and Chris Ellis of Conserva Irrigation NE Florida (Jacksonville / St. Augustine) Conserva now operates in more than 86 territories around the country, including 29 counties throughout the Sunshine State. “We’ve had our eye on Conserva for some time and we’re excited to get started,” said Vanesa Ellis. “Conserva is helping to eliminate the water waste issue plaguing our planet. Our customers are saving money and we’re using eco-friendly, water-saving techniques to help our clientele enjoy their beautiful landscape. It’s a win for all parties involved – from an environmental and economic standpoint.”
Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™ offer sales and installation of auto accessories, mobile electronics, audio video equipment, security systems, custom wheels and tire packages, window tinting, vehicle wraps, paint protection films, detailing services, nano ceramic coatings, maintenance and repair services, and more.
Conserva Irrigation is seeking further expansion into the Tallahassee, Tampa, Naples and Miami areas. The irrigation company is also looking for single- and multi-unit operators with a range of experience levels, as well as those looking for add-on or conversion business opportunities. Potential franchisee candidates should be willing to invest between $43,550 and $80,250. Incentives are also available for veterans, multi-territory agreements and those with existing businesses or are an employee of an existing franchisee.
For more information, visit www.tintworld.com.
For more information, visit www.conservairrigation.com.
Franchising USA
CHICKEN SALAD CHICK FUELS GROWTH IN TEXAS WITH THIRD OPENING THIS YEAR throughout DFW, including Arlington and Mansfield. A restaurant industry veteran and multi-brand operator, Ibarguengoytia has two decades of experience directing restaurant operations and owns a variety of concepts including, Bruegger’s Bagels, Cru Wine Bar and Panda Express. Following the debut in McKinney, Ibarguengoytia plans to open new restaurants in Mansfield and Arlington later this year.
Chicken Salad Chick, the nation’s only southern inspired, fast casual chicken salad restaurant concept, announced the opening of its newest location in McKinney, Texas. Located at 3520 West University Drive, the McKinney restaurant marks the brand’s fourth in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and
third opening in Texas this year, following Chicken Salad Chick’s debut in Irving and College Park last month. The McKinney location will be owned and operated by multi-unit franchisee Luis Ibarguengoytia of Metroplex CSC LLC, as a part of a 15-unit deal to bring Chicken Salad Chick restaurants to additional cities
The Chicken Salad Chick concept was established in 2008 by founder, Stacy Brown. With more than a dozen original chicken salad flavors as well as fresh side salads, gourmet soups, signature sandwiches and delicious desserts, Chicken Salad Chick’s robust menu offers a variety of options suitable for any guest. Chicken Salad Chick in McKinney will be open Monday – Saturday from 10:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.chickensaladchick.com or call 214-856-3908.
Shoney’s Multi-Year Franchisee, Eric Ashford, Reopens Ashburn, Georgia Location On March 8, Past Franchisee of the Year, Eric Ashford had an opening/ ribbon cutting for Shoney’s Restaurant in Ashburn, Georgia. Attendees included: Franchise Owners, Eric & Patrice Ashford, Mayor of Ashburn, Sandy Lumpkin, Turner County Chamber’s Board of Elections Supervisor, Jan Winter, Chairman Mike Moore, County Manager, Joe Saxon and Chamber Representative, Ashley Miller. The event was held on Friday, March 8 at 11:00 AM. Shoney’s of Ashburn, Georgia is 840 Shoney’s Drive Ashburn, GA 31714 At age 18, Shoney’s franchisee Eric Ashford began his restaurant career washing dishes. Over time, Eric worked his way up through the ranks with his goal to always be the best
at whatever tasks were assigned to him. Today, Eric is the proud owner of three Shoney’s restaurants, which include the Greenville, Evergreen, Dothan, AL locations, and now Ashburn. The Ashburn restaurant now features a newer design compared to older locations with contemporary features and a large outdoor patio that can be enclosed by sliding and garage-style glass walls for multi-seasonal use. The location now features a new menu, which will include a fully stocked fresh food bar for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as other entrees ala cart. Shoney’s Restaurants opened its first location in 1947 – and has become a household name for serving All-American
food for over 70 years. From starting as a single drive-in in West Virginia to now having a footprint in 17 states, Shoney’s continues to be one of the nation’s top casual dining destinations. To learn more about becoming a Shoney’s Restaurants franchisee, please visit the SHONEY’s website at franchising.shoneys.com.
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Multi-Unit Franchising Fe at u re
What is better than owning one franchise? Owning multiple! A trending investment strategy in the franchising world is multi-unit purchasing. What was once only an option for veteran franchisers, the idea has expanded to a wider audience because there is less of a risk and more preparation. There had been significant growth for multi-unit franchising, with multi-unit operators now controlling over 50 percent of all franchised units, according to the International Franchise Association Education Foundation.
Franchising USA
Single-unit franchising was once the only option for most people. Those looking to start their own business would invest a lot of their savings into one business option that was safe and a guaranteed success. The multi-unit option was less likely for individuals because sometimes an initial higher investment had to be agreed upon at the beginning of the process. However, some franchises have a lot of different signing options and opportunities. Now one could gradually gain ownership of more units as they build profit, but the argument to extend must be beneficial to the franchisor. Though one unit is successful and the numbers are great, location, territory, population, and needs assessment must be taken into consideration. For example, you wouldn’t want to lose your customers in one area to fulfill another.
One can determine their choice to multiply after they have garnered enough profit or one might want to expand their unit into different areas. For example, a day care may turn into a multi-unit by adding a tutoring franchise, while some fast-food restaurants have capitalized on locations and are set up side by side in the same building. That being said, nearly 88 percent of multi-units are in one brand, which could be a sign that staying within the same brand is easier and has better results. Another means to become a multi-unit owner is by becoming an area developer – meaning the franchisee owns and operates a region, and is responsible for the units within the area. This type of agreement will have a long-term plan specific to that region with intended numbers of locations,
areas within the territory and at what point each franchise will open. Multi-unit is now a way for franchisees to see their worth and grow in a realistic and manageable way. Though a lot of individuals consider franchising as an opportunity to create work-life balance, a single-unit franchise allows for more hands on control. Once you enter the multi-unit franchise, your ability to dabble directly on the ground will be limited due to time constraints. Taking time to selfreflect on the business needs at a personal level is important before taking the plunge. Would you rather be directly involved in the operations on location or would you rather use your time to manage the overall business in a multi-unit manner? A franchisor may have demands from the franchisee as well. Taking on a lot of franchises could be a lot of work and a risk for the franchisor as well, therefore they may expect a franchisee to have experience, education or other criteria before passing over multiple keys. Review the expectations of a franchisee
“Taking on a lot of franchises could be a lot of work and a risk for the franchisor as well, therefore they may expect a franchisee to have experience, education or other criteria before passing over multiple keys.” before investing in any franchise – though you may not see yourself owning more than one unit, multiple units could be more realistic down the road. It’s best to know what your options for growth are before your initial investment, in case your visions become bigger with time.
Beneficial for Franchisors
Food Industry A common type of multi-unit franchise is the food and beverage industry. It’s typical to see coffee shops littered throughout most major communities across America. These types of business have multiple customers at many different times during the day.
Multi-unit industries are beneficial to franchisors as well – it’s hard to manage multiple franchisees. A person in charge of one region who is well-versed in the brand, operations, expectations and needs of that particular franchise, as well as the community, makes the job of a franchisor a lot easier. Sometimes supporting and managing multiple single-unit owners can be a time suck and exhaustion.
An assessment of the area is important before even considering reaching out about a multi-unit partnership. If there are successful small businesses that offer the same services, it might not be a great idea to start something so competitive. Have a general understanding of the community and how they shop – would they be more dedicated to a familiar brand or prefer to shop local?
Franchisors can relax with a well experienced multi-unit operator in the field – it leaves more headspace when you can rely on someone you trust. Plus, with fewer people to support, the time with franchisees is time well spent.
That being said, a multi-unit agreement in the food and beverage industry is likely the safest investment. Franchisors have perfected this process and can pretty much template out the expectations and needs for success.
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A background in food management would be a helpful asset, but manager experience or expertise in any customer service industry would be beneficial. The food industry has a lot of options, consider a service that you’d enjoy pursuing as well as one that appeals to the territory you hope to run. Is this a service and product that could be multiplied many times within your region? Some new and successful restaurants may consider franchising for the first time as a multi-unit option, so review the area and see what options are available within your preferred territory, or if there are partnerships you would like to create.
Be Cautious Though one might be excited and have the capital to invest in multi-units, if you do not have the experience and knowledge to run more than one business successfully, it’s not as simple as it looks. Without relevant expertise, tread lightly but with
Franchising USA
“A multi-unit agreement in the food and beverage industry is likely the safest investment. Franchisors have perfected this process and can pretty much template out the expectations and needs for success.”
high expectations. Ask franchisors about future options and where the opportunity lies. For those confident in their abilities and a background in managing multiple projects, research your target, region and competition. Then review your personal needs and desires when running a multiunit industry; make sure they both match up. Ask franchisors if you can work your region as a whole unit, grow outside your region, work in different brands, access all capital for different placements. For example, one franchise is having a down turn due to outside temporary factors: weather, construction, staff turnover, etc. Can you maneuver money and people within your region to bring success to more accessible and functioning locations?
There are a lot of hypotheticals that could be considered before taking the plunge, and whether a veteran or rookie, it’s worth trying to consider as many as possible. Multi-unit franchises were once a game that only professionals with a lot of capital had access but now it’s anyone’s game. Depending on the franchisor, the region, the expectations and support, multi-unit franchises could be the investment that is best for everyone involved. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: After receiving an English Degree, followed by a Journalism Diploma, Gina Gill became a freelance journalist in 2008. She has worked as a reporter and in communications, focusing on social media. She currently works as a community information officer with Epilepsy Society, while pursuing her writing career at the same time.
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Expert Advice: Christopher Conner, President of Franchise Marketing Systems
Creating a Culture That Supports Multi-Unit Franchises
Franchising USA
Most franchisors have a vision of attracting multi-unit franchise owners to their system. The concept of strong franchise partners who bring capital, experience, ability and industry knowledge to the brand and with each deal open three or more locations is obviously appealing. At Franchise Marketing Systems, we primarily support new and emerging franchisors who are just launching their brand and beginning to promote the offering, and so many entrepreneurs aim to recruit multi-unit franchise owners as their primary targets. The reality is that Multi-Unit franchisees are a hot commodity. This is a select group of people who have the capital, know-how and the entrepreneurial willingness to execute on a business model and take a franchise to market in multiple locations. In many cases, these are investors who have done this before and successfully ramped up multi-unit franchise investments. So this makes the presentation for a new franchisor a bit difficult and in most cases kind of a long shot to sell to Multi-Unit Franchise owners. But that’s not always the case. RockBox Fitness, a new fitness brand has sold their first 30 units since launching the brand in early 2018 and the majority of these are multi-units with 2-4 locations each. Other new franchise brands have had similar results in other industries as well, Hummus Republic (24 Units), East of Chicago Pizza (76 Units) and Young Engineers (147 Units) are examples. The key to effective Multi-Unit franchise development is to have a tight system and an excellent presentation that hits key value points relevant to these types of investors. This larger investor knows what
questions to ask and they understand what pitfalls to look for in a franchise; if you aren’t able to address these satisfactorily, you will have a tough time getting Multi’s into your franchise. What is your franchise marketing system, how do you get customers, what are the metrics for new client sales and how much validation do you have that this can be replicated? What is your core operating technology, what business functions does it cover, how easily can it scale and report? How has your staffing and recruitment model worked in the past, what types of employee traits and characterizes are you finding most relevant to the franchised business model and how will you support my recruitment? These are all examples of some of the questions a larger franchise investor will want answers to. Recently, I had a meeting with a client in the medspa industry and one of our first candidates was a very large Pizza Hut Franchise owner with almost 50 stores. Her concerns with the new franchise were primarily centered around how much proof there was that the founder was able to replicate herself. The investor wanted to see that could the franchisor duplicate herself with employees and staff first before she would invest in the franchise platform. Her questions went a lot deeper and the financial analysis was specific, to the point and aggressive. It was an incredible learning experience for the new franchisor to be able to address these questions and overcome strong objections. If your target is to focus on Multi-Unit franchisees, you need to define your franchise system in a way that allows them to scale the brand themselves. Keep in mind that a Multi-Unit Franchisee will not be working in the locations every day, so the profit per unit will effectively shrink with management. After Royalties, Marketing Fund and other franchise operations expenses, there needs to be enough “meat on the bone” for the investor to buy into your franchise in a big way. Systems, training and technology are also more critical to a Multi-Unit franchisee then they would be to an owner operator.
Chris Conner
Due to the scale of the business, they need to have the ability to manage the operations and get the information critical to their ability to operate more than one location. Many times, Multi’s will want to see that you as the Franchisor are operating multiple units so they can understand how effectively you have been doing this. The upside to this approach to franchising is obvious. With the right franchise investors, your system expands, you get talented and incredible people into your brand and you scale with less partners in your franchise model. Multi-Unit Franchise buyers are in my opinion the best possible way to do franchising, but you need to have the right model and the right validation to make it happen. Christopher Conner is the President of Franchise Marketing Systems and has spent the last decade in the franchise industry working with several hundred different franchise systems in management, franchise sales and franchise development work. His experience ranges across all fields of franchise expertise with a focus in franchise marketing and franchise sales but includes work in franchise strategic planning, franchise research and franchise operations consulting. For more information on how to choose the right food service franchise, contact Chris Conner at Chris.Conner@ FMSFranchise.com www.fmsfranchise.com
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Expert Advice: Ed Yancey, Director of Franchising, B.GOOD
Top Strategies for Growth and Transformation as a Multi-Unit Franchisee As an experienced franchisee and operator, the key to making the next leap in your franchise career is ensuring you are being as deliberate and strategic in your growth as possible.
Find a brand that is doing well financially
Ed Yancey
As a multi-unit operator, you may have decided it’s the right time to transform your franchise investment with increased sales, to open new units or expand into a new brand. This shift should be rooted in a high-level strategic vision on what you want to see as a result of your growth as a franchisee, and how you want to transform your business portfolio.
Franchising USA
This first strategy may seem like the most basic, but it also the most important. Even the most experienced and savvy owneroperator with his or her eye on growing and transforming a franchise portfolio won’t succeed without prioritizing a concept that is financially soluble. This starts with thorough research into an FDD, but expand your research to include in-depth conversations with existing franchisees. Find out exactly how they’re making their money to make sure your growth with the franchise holds the same fiscal future.
Know the leadership involved Before you buy into a concept, don’t limit your interaction to the salesperson. You should take time to familiarize yourself with the entire leadership team – from CEO to senior VP of franchise development to the main corporate marketing team involved in franchisee support. You should know the people behind the brand and where they’re going strategically, as well as be assured you share the same values. For example, if you want to grow but the leadership team of
the franchisor is selling only one unit at a time, it might not be the fit for your vision as a multi-unit franchise owner.
Spend time getting to know the vision As you get to know the people behind a brand, you’ll develop a better sense of the overall vision of the concept. If your focus as an entrepreneur is to find ways to continue growing and transforming your franchise portfolio for success, make sure your vision as a business person aligns with the vision of the franchisor.
Your investment ratio should be 2:1 If you can find a concept that has a twoto-one sales to investment ratio, you may have found a brand that will leverage your goals as a multi-unit franchisee. For example, if a concept costs $500,000 to build, and the average unit-per-volume is $1 million, that can be a good indicator of steady financials that you should take into account alongside more intangible such as vision and values of a franchisor leadership team.
Hospitality is the foundation If your franchise concept provides a service, and in many cases a product that is experiential in nature, it is critical that anybody that’s going to grow his or her franchise footprint sees hospitality as the
foundation. Entrepreneurs may get caught up in adding more units, getting operations ironed out and identifying concrete markers of success, but if you don’t spend time hiring and putting in place operations staff with a hospitality mindset, the pure numbers may let you down. Multi-unit franchisees without a focus on hospitality may struggle to gain longstanding momentum, but may strive for significant growth in the future.
Transformation comes from culture There are certain franchise concepts that produce franchisees with the skills and tools to succeed at any franchise concept they undertake in the future. Specific brands are able to build multi-
unit operators and teams that execute extraordinarily well, and once they head to another concept they excel because of the culture they brought along with them. As a multi-unit franchisee looking for growth opportunities, be sure to analyze the training you’ve already received, and find ways to bring transformative qualities of your own background with you into new concepts.
Focus on your people Arguably the most important piece of growth and transformation as a franchisee with multi-unit experience and aspirations is to focus on the people you’re putting into your investment. For franchisees that have been in the business, opening and owning a franchise is like raising a child. If you invest time and patience into its
development during the formative years, when it’s grown, you’ll be able to be proud of its success and see the fruits of that energy. It takes a lot of time, energy and resources to own a franchise, let alone multiple units or brands, and that output is only multiplied as you set your sights on growing or transforming your footprint. Above all, keeping a keen eye on your people, coaching and building them to be successful will be the key to delivering a great guest experience everyday. Ed Yancey, director of franchising for B.GOOD, brings more than 20 years of franchising experience to B. GOOD. B.GOOD is a Boston-based sustainably-sourced farm-to-table sensation. www.bgoodfranchising.com
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Expert Advice: Kevin Dubois, CEO, Lapels Dry Cleaning
Multiple Franchises, Multiple Locations: Making Multiple Franchise Locations —and Multiple Franchises—Work Franchising USA
One of the biggest trends in franchising is the Huband-Spokes Business Model. We’ve seen this with central commissaries in Dunkin Donuts and Panera Bread as well as many emerging franchise systems.
“Starting out with two stores puts franchise owners in the multifranchise mindset from day one. That means developing a system of management for multiple locations.” open a satellite store within 30 days of the plant’s opening.
Kevin Dubois
Few people recognize that the very first hub-and-spokes business started in the dry cleaning industry. Dry cleaning naturally lends itself to this model as it is very easy to scale a dry cleaning operation with the addition of satellite stores or stores that simply take in the dry cleaning work and send it to the plant to be processed and returned. Our organization has followed this model and a majority of our owners are “multiunit franchisees”. Our “hub” features a state-of-the-art plant to accommodate pickup and delivery to five additional satellite stores. Those satellite stores can be opened for as little as $100k per unit. The typical hub-and-spokes enterprise for Lapels franchise owners incorporates a market of approximately 150,000 people, when fully built out. That translates to about six towns in a suburban market and several city blocks in an urban area. Without minimizing the effort it takes to build up the business and clientele, the idea is to put a system in place where you can operate the dry cleaning plant and manage the transportation of clothes to the satellite stores. Sometimes it’s the franchise owner who acts as the hands-on manager who manages that. In other cases, a franchise owner will hire a manager to handle the day-to-day while he/she oversees the operation from a higher level. Many of our new owners join our organization with the idea they will have a dry cleaning plant to start and a plan to
Two of our current franchise owners
owned nearly 30 hair salon franchises
Starting out with two stores puts franchise owners in the multi-franchise mindset from day one. That means developing a system of management for multiple locations. Doing this at the beginning of their ownership gives them an advantage over another owner who enters our system with just one location. As the multilocation owner grows their business, they are in a much better position to add a third, fourth, fifth, etc. location since balancing multiple locations is how they learned the business.
prior to purchasing their dry cleaning
When you have a system in place where you can run multiple locations efficiently, you can start to see how dry cleaning owners can enjoy a high level of success. The wheel starts with a hub and maybe a spoke or two and then continues to add more. If you have ever ridden a bicycle, you know the more spokes to the wheel, the smoother and faster the ride.
Owning multiple franchise locations is not
While the discussion here has been for dry cleaning, the hub-and-spokes model can work for a number of businesses and franchises.
franchises. While there may be some
cross-marketing opportunities, for the
most part their franchises don’t overlap. What the franchises do share are the
systems. Each has a manager in charge
so that the franchise owner is not bogged down by the day-to-day operations and
can view both operations on a global basis.
Each also has a reporting system where the franchise owner can get a real-time report on the performance of all locations.
for the faint of heart. You must possess
a certain number of skills and character traits. You must know how to hire good people, specifically managers, develop them and keep them incentivized to
want to successfully run and grow your business. Another part of that is having
your manager be able to hire and groom potential managers.
Being tech savvy and able to use and
understand reporting applications certainly
Another reason for the success of dry cleaning owners is how nicely the industry lends itself to complementary franchises. In other words, two different franchise types that can be run simultaneously because there’s some overlap in efforts. Several of our franchisees own and operate multiple dry cleaning locations as well as multiple locations of other franchises. In some of those cases, the types of franchise complemented each other.
helps. You should be a multi-tasker but
For example, the owner of a restaurant franchise might be interested in owning a dry cleaning franchise. The dry cleaning franchise could provide laundry service for linens and employee uniforms. Similarly, the owner of a chain of hotels might also have an interest in a dry cleaning franchise to provide dry cleaning services to guests and staff.
To learn more about franchise
also have the ability to compartmentalize
and focus on the specific task at hand. You can jump in and help on the day-to-day,
but the big picture should be part of your every activity.
Kevin Dubois is the CEO of Lapels Dry Cleaning and co-author of Entrepreneurial Insanity in the Dry Cleaning Business. opportunities with Lapels Dry Cleaning, call toll free (866) 695-2735 or email sales@lapelsdrycleaning.com. Additional information and up-to-date company news can also be found on the company’s Web site, www.lapelsdrycleaning.com.
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Expert Advice: Neal Courtney, CEO, Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids
Setting Up a Multi-Unit Opportunity
While signing any development deal is an exciting step in launching your franchise opportunity, a key to rapid growth is signing multiunit deals.
unit deals fall into the 3-10 location range can help propel your brand to new heights faster than you imagined.
It is valuable to have a variety of deal
When deciding to offer a multi-unit franchise opportunity there are a few things to consider. While it can be the key
sizes, ranging from one to 10 or more
locations, but having a majority of multi-
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For Cookie Cutters, our secret ingredient to success has been the amount of multiunit development deals we sign. Typically, we do not sign deals that are less than three units. Due to this business practice, we’re now the largest children’s hair salon in the competitive space.
“If you are set on offering multi-unit or area developer deals, you should offer a few incentives to better position the opportunity to a prospect.” to success and rapid growth, it can also be part of your failure if you do not prepare accordingly.
Finding the Right Partners As with anything in franchising, finding the right franchise partners is crucial. For multi-unit deals especially, you have to ensure that the franchisees will uphold their entire agreement and truly become brand advocates utilizing their large foot print. I advise you to find franchise partners who are financially ready and perhaps have business experience, whether in franchising or otherwise. These will be your best partners for those large multiunit deals. As a caveat, it is important to source franchise partners who are passionate about the brand, especially for smaller multi-unit deals. We sign many 3-unit deals with new entrepreneurs, families and couples just looking for a new opportunity. They become our best multi-unit franchisees because they are eager, handson and truly depend on their own success.
Multi-Unit vs. Area Developer My wife and I started out as multi-unit franchisees with Cookie Cutters, before becoming area developers and eventually purchasing the franchise from the founders and becoming the CEO and COO. The distinction between multi-unit franchisees and area developers is often murky and that’s because it depends on the specific contract. Multi-unit franchisees have signed on to open several units, but may not have a specific territory. Area developers have signed on for a territory but may not open units directly. Multi-unit franchisees are hands-on, building the business on the ground. Area developers can serve as an extension of your development team. They are looking for franchisees in their territory to develop it and open units. With
area developers you essentially pass on the franchise development responsibilities to them, trusting that they will open the expected units either personally or through franchise sourcing. To determine if you will offer both development deals or one or the other, look at your expansion targets and progress. Could you benefit from an area developer joining the team? Area developers are often local to that particular territory and can help if you are entering a new market. Do you already have a strong presence in a market but want to add a few more stores? A multi-unit franchisee who is looking for a new opportunity can be the perfect partner to complete a market. This is also where the right franchise partner fits in. Often a local, experienced and financially-able franchisee will make a strong area developer candidate, while a newer entrepreneur is best suited for multiunit franchising at the beginning.
Incentives Investing in a franchise is a large commitment on its own, but investing in three, five or 10 stores is daunting, and often, unmanageable. If you are set on offering multi-unit or area developer deals, you should offer a few incentives to better position the opportunity to a prospect. There are several ways to offer incentives, which should be determined based on the development deal you are offering. For starters, it is common for franchisors to lower franchise fees based on the number of units a prospect is signing for. For example, 10 percent off three-unit deals, 25 percent off five-unit deals, etc. You may also consider slashing ad funds or royalties for some time if a franchisee opens five units within a certain time frame, for example. For area developers, profit sharing or commissions often serve as an incentive.
Neal Courtney
Remember, an area developer is essentially an extension of your development and sales team. You want to incentivize them to go out and develop their territory, signing more deals in the process. While it is difficult to stomach a few concessions, especially as a startup, offering incentives for multi-unit territories is beneficial in the long run.
Progress Checks Once you have everything set, it is important to check in on your multiunit franchisees and area developers to ensure they are hitting their targets in a timely fashion. You may need to adjust development agreements as time goes on or push a little in certain areas. The follow through and progress updates after a deal is signed cannot be overlooked. Multi-unit franchise deals and area developers are key to a franchise’s success and rapid growth. Yet, with great upside, comes risk. Proceed cautiously and strategically and you will be on your way to becoming the next big thing. Neal Courtney is the CEO of Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids. Prior to becoming CEO of Cookie Cutters, Neal and his wife, Alexis Courtney, were established Cookie Cutters franchisees with five locations. Neal served as the CEO of Famous Brand International, which included Mrs. Field’s Cookies and TCBY, among others. www.kidscuts.com
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spot l igh t o n serv ice
Th e In t er fac e F i nan c i a l G r o up
Hard workers –
not wanted!
“If you’re an individual that is perhaps a recovering workaholic . . . then the IFG 50 – 50 franchise should be on your radar.”
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How often have you seen a headline that says hard workers are not wanted? As the franchisor of the IFG 50 – 50 Franchise from The Interface Financial Group we are actively looking for new franchisees, however we are not looking for ‘hard workers‘. In our experience hard workers often fall into the ‘workaholic’ category – they are often re-inventors of the wheel and they invariably become obsessed with detail, often just for the sake of detail. While these may be admirable traits in some situations, they would not represent a good fit for an Interface franchisee. What’s wrong with hard workers and why don’t they fit for Interface? Let’s be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with hard work. it’s just that we don’t see the necessity for hard work when you can substitute that with smart work.
Workaholics
“We have spent many years building a business and integrating as much technology as possible to ensure that our franchisees are ‘work smart’ individuals and not ‘work hard’ individuals.”
typically between say 10 AM and 3 PM. For individuals that cannot scale down to core business hours, then this is probably not the right franchise for them.
Wheel Inventors As a franchisor we are certainly not looking for individuals that want to reinvent the wheel, and certainly not individuals that want to reinvent the franchise. The Interface Financial Group has been in operation for over 45 years and, as such, we think we have a wellhoned, developed and proven system. That is not to say, however, that we do not continue to add improvements and technology as appropriate. Individuals that want to reinvent the system once they have come on board invariably are not happy as a franchisee. This applies to basically any franchise – the franchisor has done the heavy lifting and crafted the franchise, and it is now established and ready for the franchisee to utilize that developed work to build out their own franchise unit.
Detail – Detail – Detail
We have spent many years building a business and integrating as much technology as possible to ensure that our franchisees are ‘work smart’ individuals and not ‘work hard’ individuals. On a regular basis we meet potential franchisees who have a history of working 40, 50 or even 60 hours a week – and not for themselves but for somebody else.
The Interface Financial Group is engaged in a financial service known as invoice discounting. This is a simple and straightforward service whereby our franchisees, in conjunction with ourselves, purchase current quality invoices from our client companies who do not want to wait 30 – 90 days to get paid for goods or services that they have already delivered. We are in the business of cash flow acceleration.
Even working those hours for yourself is definitely outside of the Interface box. Our working smart approach is for franchisees to be engaged during what we refer to as core business hours –
Needless to say, this financial service requires much attention to detail in order that each and every transaction is documented accurately and in a timely manner. When you are working with
money, you need to be very comfortable that the system is proven and will protect both franchisee and franchisor. IFG’s 47 years of experience certainly provides that comfort zone. So, on the one hand we say we are looking for individuals that are not obsessed with detail, but on the other hand we clearly indicate that our transaction requires much due diligence and documentation. The difference comes when we look at who is doing the paperwork involved in an invoice discounting transaction. While both parties, franchisee and franchisor, are engaged in the transaction, it is the responsibility of the franchisor to handle all the transactional paperwork from start to finish. This means that our franchisees basically have a paperless franchise and are not caught up with the day-to-day detail of form filling, report writing, bookkeeping, etc. If you’re an individual that is perhaps a recovering workaholic, an individual that enjoys utilizing their people-to-people skills rather than their people-to-paper skills, and if you are an individual who likes the comfort of working under the umbrella of a well-established and proven system, then the IFG 50 – 50 franchise should be on your radar. We live and work in the age of technology, and The Interface Financial Group have built a tremendous element of technology into the IFG 50 – 50 franchise. This technology enables franchisees to work smart and not work hard, to put their capital to work rather than putting themselves to work and, naturally, to enjoy the benefits that come from such a system. www.interfacefinancial.com/franchise
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WORK SMART
NOT
HARD!
IFG 50/50 - A Different Franchise Approach!
NO
Staff Premises Long hours Paper Inventory
WE BUY INVOICES TO ACCELERATE OUR CLIENTS’ CASHFLOW! WE DO NOT LEND MONEY!
GET A FREE eBOOK www.Interfacefinancial.com/franchise
AS A FRANCHISEE: s 7ORK IN A MATURE lNANCIAL SERVICE ARENA s 7ORK FROM A HOME BASED ENVIRONMENT s "E PART OF A YEAR OLD INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION s 9OUR GROWTH COMES FROM HELPING YOUR CLIENTS GROW s #ONDUCT BUSINESS ON YOUR OWN TIMETABLE s 7ORK ANYWHERE NO TERRITORY s 6IRTUALLY NO PAPERWORK FRANCHISOR HANDLES ALL DAY TO DAY PAPERWORK s .O COLD CALLING TELEMARKETING ADVERTISING OR DIRECT MAIL s 3TART WITH A MODEST WORKING CAPITAL AND GROW AT YOUR OWN SPEED
For more information contact David Banfield, President E: ifg@interfacefinancial.com
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Veterans in Franchising april 2019
www.franchisingusamagazine.com
Military Experience
Sets Course for Franchise Ownership
veterans have
the right stuff for
franchising success Franchising USA
SAME DRIVE. DIFFERENT BATTLEFIELD. TAKE THE NEXT STEP > VETFRAN.COM OFFERING FINANCIAL SUPPORT, TRAINING & MENTORSHIP Veterans interested in franchising can take their skills learned in the military to successfully own and develop small businesses. Learn more and support veterans in franchising at www.vetfran.com. Franchising USA
• 650 franchise companies participating • 151,000 veterans and their spouses found careers in the franchise industry • 5,100 veteran franchise owners
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V e t e r a n s i n F r a n c h i s i n g S u ppl e m e n t april 2019 Our Veterans in Franchising special supplement has become a regular feature of Franchising USA. To share your story in the next issue, please contact Vikki Bradbury, Publisher Phone: 778 426 2446 Email: vikki@cgbpublishing.com
Contents On the Cover
Veteran Profiles
46 Military Experience Sets Course for Franchise Ownership
48 FirstLight Home Care 50 Tutor Doctor
48 Veterans Have the Right Stuff for Franchising Success
Veteran News 44 JDog Brands Announces National Expansion Program to Create More Business Ownership Opportunities and Jobs for U.S. Veterans
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veteran news JDog Brands Announces National Expansion Program to Create More Business Ownership Opportunities and Jobs for U.S. Veterans The newly formed JDog Brands has announced an aggressive expansion program that will open 500 new franchises over the next decade and introduce a broadened portfolio of home and commercial services to U.S. consumers and businesses across the country. The expansion will add to JDog Junk Removal & Hauling’s network of more than 200 active franchises that are owned and operated by Veterans and military family members. JDog Brands will serve as the umbrella for an expanded menu of franchise opportunities that leverage the trust, commitment, and military know-how of Veterans. The first of these new offerings is JDog Carpeting Cleaning. “Our vision for JDog had always been to establish a national brand for an everexpanding portfolio of Veteran-owned business and consumer services,” said Jerry Flanagan, founder and CEO of JDog Brands, in a press release. “Since we opened our first JDog Junk Removal & Hauling business in 2011, we’ve realized that customers place great trust and value in Veteran-owned businesses, and we’ve established a loyal base of consumer and commercial customers. Our unique market position and reputation for delivering highquality services the military way – with respect, integrity, and trust – creates the opportunity to introduce an array of new home and commercial services that will operate as separate franchise organizations under the JDog Brands umbrella.” That reputation has propelled JDog to rapid growth and a litany of milestones. Eight years after Flanagan and his wife, Tracy, conceived JDog Junk Removal & Hauling as a two-person operation in a
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Home Depot parking lot, the company has more than 200 active franchise locations across 31 states and serves more than 40 million Americans – 12 percent of the U.S. market. “Our success has demonstrated that American consumers and businesses alike are eager to support our country’s Veterans and align themselves with Veteran-led and oriented brands,” said Flanagan. “The relationships we’ve established have uncovered a groundswell of demand for products and services that we plan to fulfill by putting even more quality, committed Veterans into business ownership opportunities. Veterans have long been an underestimated and overlooked pool of talent for the economy. It’s our mission to create more opportunities for Veterans to put their
military training, values, work ethic, and professionalism to work as successful business owners and high-performing employees in the civilian world. Doing so is critical to ultimately reducing the Veteran unemployment rate to less than 1 percent.” JDog Brands offers its proven operating model exclusively to Veterans and military family members, creating a path for other Veterans to have successful careers and a bright future outside the service. The established JDog Junk Removal & Hauling and the new JDog Carpet Cleaning are the first in a series of home and commercial services franchise organizations that will create 10,000 jobs for American Veterans over the next 10 years. For more information, visit www.jdogbrands.com.
Click here to find out more...
FRANGUIDE.COM 703-424-2980 FIND YOUR FRANCHISE WITH FREE GUIDANCE FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS
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cover story: Moran Family of Brands
Albert Daniel’s childhood did not put him on track to become an awardwinning business owner with two successful automotive repair franchises. Albert grew up in a rough neighborhood in suburban Washington, D.C. and did not have the money to attend college, but believed he could find opportunities for his future in the military. Albert credits the United States Navy for giving him the tools to serve his country and his future.
Military Experience Sets Course for
Franchise Ownership Franchising USA
“My military experience was extremely helpful and prepared me in so many ways,” said Daniel. “I was taught the importance of having a strong work ethic and doing whatever it takes to get the job done right. All those things I learned in the military.” Albert earned his GED and enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17, spending six years in the service from 1989 to 1994. Since he had experience working on cars growing up, Albert tested high as a potential mechanic. He was trained to repair and maintain jets aboard the USS George Washington (CVN 73) stationed in Norfolk, Virginia and was part of the crew that built the aircraft carrier. The technical skills Albert acquired in the Navy gave him an advantage for a career working on cars when he returned to civilian life. “I was a good fit as an employee as soon as I got out. It helped me grow professionally and be the top lead mechanic in my job at a dealership,” said Albert. “I felt the next step up from there was to open my own business.” An accident on the job sidelined Albert with a knee injury and he was unable to work while he recovered. It had always been his dream to become a business owner, so Albert spent that time recuperating and looking for a business to purchase. That’s when Albert discovered Moran Family of Brands, one of the nation’s leading franchisors of general automotive repair, transmission repair, and automotive accessory centers.
“Coming out of the military you often have the hands-on training that prepares you for what you need to do. The franchise side gives you the whole package for your business so you can open with a greater chance of success.” - Albert Daniel
Guided by his vast technical knowledge acquired in the military and interest in working on cars, Albert opened his Milex Complete Auto Care shop in Frederick, Maryland in 2007. In 2015, he added a Milex/Alta Mere co-branded store that specializes in automotive repair along with window tinting and driver safety technology in nearby Boonsboro, Maryland. Albert and his wife, Serina, operate the shops together. Albert and Serina say one of their secrets to success is keeping their employees happy. By offering competitive benefits and extras like lunch on Saturdays, the Daniels have assembled an experienced staff, who in turn, make their customers happy by providing quality service. Albert makes it a point to hire veterans for his businesses and currently has two fellow brothers in arms working in his auto shop. Through his commitment to creating a positive company culture and provide a wide array of automotive services to residents in western Maryland, Albert has become one of the most successful franchise owners in the Moran Family of Brands’ system. He has been named Milex Franchisee of the Year four times
and is an active member of Moran’s Franchise Advisory Alliance. He also serves as a mentor to new franchise owners, offering guidance and support as they enter the system.
Small business ownership is widely
Sometimes he provides advice to franchisees who are fellow veterans. Moran Family of Brands currently has 15 franchise owners who are U.S. armed forces veterans, coming from every branch of the military, including the National Guard. Moran actively recruits veterans as franchise owners and is a member of VetFran, an initiative that provides a $5,000 franchise fee discount, mentorship and training programs for honorably discharged U.S. Veterans to foster their transition to civilian life.
separate from active duty in the United
“Veterans have so many valuable qualities that translate well into franchise ownership, whether it is discipline, leadership or an outstanding work ethic,” said Pete Baldine, President of Moran Family of Brands. “Franchise owners such as Albert have been extremely successful in our system and we are able to give veterans the opportunity to apply the skills and principles they acquired in the military toward a rewarding career.”
recognized as a great option for veterans following their time in the military.
According to the Department of Defense, nearly 200,000 servicemen and women States military each year. They have a
strong grasp of leadership fundamentals and have significant experience leading others. This can make the transition
from the military to franchise ownership smooth and successful.
Albert said the franchise system works
well for veterans who are trained to follow
a system. He also likes that Moran Family of Brands have resources available to call if a problem arises, so franchisees don’t feel like they’re in business alone.
“Coming out of the military you often
have the hands-on training that prepares
you for what you need to do,” said Daniel. “The franchise side gives you the whole
package for your business so you can open with a greater chance of success.”
For more information on Moran Family of Brands, please visit moranfamilyofbrands.com.
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Veteran Profile: FirstLight Home Care
Veterans Have the Right Stuff
for Franchising Success Applying Military ‘Lessons Learned’ to my Franchise Business Military service gives you a unique skillset. It gives you drive, tenacity and confidence — all the attributes you need to be a great business owner, particularly in franchising. Twenty-nine years in the U.S. Marine Corps have given me a strong foundation to succeed in my own business, and I’m putting my skills to work as a FirstLight Home Care franchise owner in Pensacola, Florida. Owning a home care business has been a wonderful, rewarding experience, allowing my wife and myself to serve seniors, many of them veterans, in our community. But it’s also been a lot of work with a lot of challenges along the way.
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Lessons Learned In the Marine Corps, we place a lot of importance on lessons learned. After every exercise, combat deployment or engagement, we record what we learned — all the things that went right or wrong — and share them across the entire organization. You can learn from the successes and failures of others. I’ve added this principle to my business with great success, and I’ve been sharing it with other franchise owners. Here are a few of my own lessons learned as a business owner, and I hope other veterans looking for franchise opportunities will take them to heart.
Ask Tough Questions For my fellow veterans that are looking to open a business, whether it be cutting hair or healthcare, I recommend that you interview multiple franchises and ask the
“The military gave me a nofail attitude, and that led to a strong work ethic. I know that no matter what, I’ve got to succeed.” tough questions. Ask questions about what happens after you buy the franchise. Ask about how they will help and support you along the way.
Match Your Values Most veterans I know have strong values and beliefs. If you’re going to be successful in a franchise, you need to believe in your work and find a good match in the franchise you choose. I interviewed several home care franchises that were not a good match for my values before I found FirstLight. My wife and
“For my fellow veterans that are looking to open a business, whether it be cutting hair or healthcare, I recommend that you interview multiple franchises and ask the tough questions.” I are strong in our Christian faith, and FirstLight also has Christian values. They view life with sanctity and try to help our elders and the senior community spend their days with dignity and respect. That is a message I could truly get behind, and it makes my work more rewarding every day.
Use Your Military Skills You can put the skills you learned in the military to work in your franchise business. Here are some that have helped me: • Confidence — Prior to being a leader in the military, I would never have thought of being a franchise business owner. As a leader in the U.S. Marine Corps, I have been in enough situations to where I know I can do this. • Calm — I’m a combat veteran. Sometimes when I see things that stress people out in this industry, I laugh a little on the inside because it’s not that stressful in comparison. We can figure this out. • Work Ethic — The military gave me a no-fail attitude, and that led to a strong work ethic. I know that no matter what, I’ve got to succeed. I’ve met some business owners who failed simply because they didn’t put enough work in. If I don’t have a caregiver to cover a shift, I become that caregiver and cover the shift. • Collaboration — One thing that the military does well for senior leadership is that we learn where to find the answers. I may not know the answer myself, but I know how to find the person who does know it. We can meet people, network, and bring everyone together to help solve a common problem.
A military background gives you these tools and more that can help you succeed in the business world. Put them to good use.
In Closing I am scheduled to retire from the military soon, and I’ll join my wife full-time in our business. I’m grateful for the time I’ve given to our country’s service, in part because it has taught me valuable skills that have set me on a good course for the next phase of my life. I encourage other
veterans to consider franchising as they enter civilian life. The lessons you learned in the service will give you the foundation for success. U.S. Marine Maj. Lance Henderson is owner of FirstLight Home Care Emerald Coast, Florida. FirstLight Home Care is a top-rated non-medical home care provider with a network of offices that provides more than 107,000 hours per week in care for more than 5,300 clients in over 34 states. www.firstlighthomecare.com
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Veteran Profile: Tutor Doctor
From Mentoring Sailors to Mentoring Students:
How a Manager at the Department of Defense Found
Success in the Tutoring Business
For 21 years, I served as an active duty officer in the United States Navy before transitioning into a federal civil service position in the Department of Defense (DoD). In both the Navy and DoD, I spent most of my time developing my teams of military and civilian personnel into strong leaders. It was an honor not only to serve my country but to play a role in the development of several fine men and women. Retiring after my service, I knew I wanted to take up a role which would allow me to continue helping others develop and gain confidence. I took the path of entrepreneurship and became the owner of a Tutor Doctor franchise in an area I had been stationed at while serving – Oahu, HI. Owning and operating a franchise of the leading one-to-one in home tutoring company allowed me to use my skillset learned in the military and DoD to not only find success as an entrepreneur, but help serve the academic needs of students and families in the community. Here are ways which my service in the military prepared me to be a Tutor Doctor franchisee.
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“If you want to start your own business, figure out what you are looking for in a business first. Find a service or product that you can easily identify with, a business model that suits you and a corporate culture and value system that is aligned to your personal values.”
Find Passion in Your Product Throughout my life, anything I have done has been with the purpose to create value or make a positive difference. While serving in the military, I was able to accomplish this through my technical expertise, but even more so through my role of developing leaders. Every day I had the opportunity to sit down with developing members of my team to not only discuss the tasks needed to be accomplished, but also provide guidance on the individual ways they could improve, such as communication and management skills. The satisfaction found in developing someone’s potential and seeing what they are capable of doing is hard to match. Tutor Doctor allows me to similarly act as a mentor by providing the tutoring support that helps students succeed in meeting their educational goals. It also helps them to gain the self-confidence and drive to become a lifelong learner- a quality that serves them well into the future. Just as I was able to consult others in the military on how they could improve themselves as leaders, Tutor Doctor allows me to sit with
students and discuss how they can unlock their potential inside and outside of the classroom. Because of the parallels to my work in the Navy and the ability to make a lasting impact on the leaders of tomorrow, I immediately found passion in being a Tutor Doctor franchisee.
Adapt to Changing Environments Serving in the military and DoD, I found myself constantly needing to adapt to change, primarily with the continuous change of personnel within our unit. For example, a young mid-level officer who had recently been promoted and was now working with more civilian and active duty management. Adjusting into this new position, the officer needed support to improve his skills in communication and ability to put emotion aside when strategizing. In the end I was able to help him succeed in becoming an effective communicator when leading projects within our military branch. Helping this officer overcome these internal challenges not only felt rewarding because he grew as a person and a leader, but it also gave me
“Bringing not only your experience but also your values into your work will make it that much more enjoyable, and help you find success.�
the confidence to believe in myself when leading a wide variety of individuals with different backgrounds and values. As a franchise owner for Tutor Doctor, I find myself continuously rising to the challenge in adjusting my leadership style to each member of my team, especially as we continue to grow. When I began, I underestimated the need for tutoring services in my community and, therefore, the amount of students who would be needing my services. I had imagined that I would manage and retain a small set of tutors and then add to my team monthly to keep up with client demand. I am finding I have to do weekly tutor recruitment through a wide variety of resources to try and keep pace with the client demand. This is probably one of the best challenges to have, it means business is doing well, but matching our tutor resources to the growth pace keeps me very busy.
Find Success Through Your Support Team Working within the Department of Defense both in active duty and civil service capacities, I am very familiar in working within a system that provides these same organizational traits, structure, established processes, and a strong support team. I always had a team to support me in advancing the goals of my department, and the entire framework of the Navy created a sense of structure and stability that allowed us to prepare and adapt to any situation. The framework provided at Tutor Doctor is very similar in that our corporate team gives us guidance and support every step of the way, from training to marketing to finance. In all of these aspects, Tutor Doctor has been incredibly supportive in
providing a foundation, while also giving me the ability to get creative and find paths to success within my business. All of these factors allow my business to be ready to meet the demands of families and students, not only wanting to improve their academic standings, but to gain confidence in themselves.
values into your work will make it that
If you want to start your own business, figure out what you are looking for in a business first. Find a service or product that you can easily identify with, a business model that suits you and a corporate culture and value system that is aligned to your personal values. Bringing not only your experience but also your
federal civil service position in the DoD.
much more enjoyable, and help you find success.
Bobbi Collins, owner of Tutor Doctor in Oahu, Hawaii, served as an active duty officer in the United States Navy for 21 years before transitioning into a Following her service, Bobbi opened her own Tutor Doctor Franchise in Oahu, HI in January 2015, and is now helping students on the island find selfconfidence and academic success. www.tutordoctor.com
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ex per t advice
Evan Hackel, CEO, Tortal Training
How to Hire the Right Employees Are you planning to hire new employees for your franchise? How are you going to do it?
Every job also requires skills and
Chances are you are starting by looking at the job description for the position you are trying to fill. Maybe you are using one that you developed internally, or one that you got from your franchise company.
to consider what you need your new
That is a logical place to start but remember that most regular job descriptions are little more than a list of tasks that state that the person who does a particular job “does this, and this, and this, and this.” But as every franchise owner knows, there is more to any job than simply what an employee does.
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attributes that might not be outlined in the job description. If you sit back and
really think about what they are, you will discover that they are more important to think about than tasks. If you take time
employee to be, you could decide that your idea candidate for the job needs to . . . • Be a really good listener • Excel as a speaker or presenter • Have the ability to motivate people • Be able to handle routine frustrations in a levelheaded way
• Look at numbers and understand not only how they add up, but what they imply
When you add those extra factors to a list of tasks, you develop a comprehensive role overview, which much more useful than a job description. It will equip you to hire a new employee who will exceed your expectations.
Think About Training Too Here is a critically important question to ask . . . What is your ability to train new hires? Companies that have the ability to train new employees enjoy a great advantage. They can hire high-potential people and train them to become top performers. In contrast, companies that lack training fall into the pattern of hiring employees who have done similar jobs in the past. Those people might be good. But without
“Attitude is the most important factor to consider when you are hiring. . . . A positive attitude, like a negative one, is infectious - it spreads from person to person.” training, they have a smaller chance of becoming great. Without training, other problems arise too ... • New hires start without knowing how to perform at the highest level • They learn by trial and error, which actually means making mistakes • They frustrate other members of their team, who have to pick up the slack while they learn
Add Behavioral Role Testing to the Process You can easily find tests that let you define the traits you need in people who are doing the job you are seeking to fill, then to benchmark your applicants against them. To find them search online for “behavioral assessment tests.”
Look for Applicants Who are Coachable and Eager to Learn The best hires are eager to master their new jobs – who you know will soak up knowledge like sponges and like to get input and coaching. To screen for this trait, look for applicants who enthusiastically ask a lot of questions about the job. Also ask, “What kind of training did you have on your previous job, was it good, and what did you learn from it?” (Do they talk about prior training enthusiastically or negatively?) Finally, call references and ask how eager the applicant was to learn when working prior jobs.
And Be Sure to Hire People who Have Great, Positive Attitudes Attitude is the most important factor to
consider when you are hiring. People with negative attitudes act like rotten apples - they do irreparable harm to everyone around them and spoil their performance. Over time, the presence of one or two negative people can do more damage a company that people think possible. But the opposite is also true, because just one person who has a positive and energetic attitude can do more to help a company than anyone thought possible. A positive attitude, like a negative one, is infectious - it spreads from person to person. The range of benefits is nothing short of amazing. Employees are more productive in positive companies. They are less likely to leave. They reinforce your brand, influence customers to buy more, and pay you back in an amazing variety of ways.
your team, or do you have reservations? Remember that it is always easier to hire the right person than to hire the wrong person and replace him. Evan Hackel is a 35-year franchising veteran as both a franchisor and franchisee. He is CEO of Tortal Training, a leading training development company in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Principal and Founder of Ingage Consulting in Woburn, Massachusetts. Evan is the host of Training Unleashed and author of Ingaging Leadership. Evan speaks on Seeking Excellence, Better Together, Ingaging Leadership and Attitude is Everything. To hire Evan as a speaker, visit www.evanspeaksfranchising.com. Follow @ehackel.
How to you hire people with great attitudes? One way is to trust your impression of the candidates you screen. Another is to ask an interview question like, “Can you tell me about a problem you faced on your last job?” and evaluate the attitude the applicant displays when answering. Does he or she seem put-upon, frustrated, angry or victimized by the problem? Or does he or she seem upbeat and eager to talk about the solution? Also, be sure to check references diligently, and to ask deeper questions about the kind of attitude the applicant displayed in previous jobs. Is the applicant someone you really want to have on
Evan Hackel
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franchising usa A-Z Listings are a great way to promote your business, giving you a presence within our publication and also the Franchising USA website. Each detailed, full colour A-Z listing comes with a 150 word write up and your logo.
Assisted Living Locators Assisted Living Locators provides the vital function to seniors and their families of identifying their ideal alternative living solutions and other related services – all at no cost to them. Our proprietary evaluation system results in free residential referrals that enable our clients to make the best possible decisions for their loved ones. Our elder care advisors are trained to find solutions that meet our clients’ needs and to personally accompany them on guided tours of facilities that match their individual preferences. Ours is a truly turn-key program that puts our owners on the path to success through a proven executive business model with high profit margins, low overhead, minimum employees,
Business Finance Depot
Choose a 12 or 6 month package or simply add the A-Z directory onto your Focus, Profile or Ad! To learn about the A-Z directory or any other products please contact Vikki Bradbury: advertising@cgbpublishing.com or 778-426-2446
repeat referrals, and residual income. Even more importantly, many of the industry’s most desired areas of the country remain available for new development. If you’re aware of the unsurpassed value of the assisted living market, if you’ve always dreamed about the freedom and independence that business ownership could bring you, and if you’ve been waiting for the perfect, local, affordable opportunity to carve out your piece of the industry, Assisted Living Locators may be just the match you’ve been seeking. For more information please contact Mary Ann Russo or Tom Ingle at: Phone: 800-267-7816 Email: franchise@assistedlivinglocators.com Website: http://www.assistedlivinglocators.com/
Business Finance Depot specializes in packaging equipment leases and SBA Express Working Capital loans for start-up and existing businesses.
Our company also works with SBA 7(a) lenders, alternate financing sources, crowd funding financing sources and companies that specialize in using retirement funds to capitalize a new business. Please visit our website for more information.
Our main clients are franchisors seeking financing for their new franchisees and manufacturers seeking financing for their equipment purchases.
Website: www.businessfinancedepot.com Email: paul@businessfinancedepot.com Phone: (800) 788-3884 Contact: Paul Bosley
Clayton Kendall
displays, printed materials, promotional products and apparel. Our services include graphic design, merchandising, sourcing, warehousing and fulfillment, kitting and proprietary technology with advanced management reports. All programs are scalable and user-friendly. Customer service is our forte’.
Clayton Kendall provides comprehensive branded merchandise programs for more than sixty franchise communities nationwide, resulting in greater brand exposure, cost-savings, streamlined operations and brand compliance. With a customized online store as the organizing principle, our websites give franchisees the ability to purchase their advertising and marketing tools in one easy-to use program. We provide marketing collateral, signage, POP
Everything Hemp Store (EHS Franchise LLC)
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Excellent for branding and recognition.
Contact: Dan Broudy, Chief Executive Officer Phone: 412-798-7120 Email: dan@claytonkendall.com Website: www.claytonkendall.com
and health supplements.
Everything Hemp Store is a consultative marketplace for naturally sourced health, beauty and nutritional products.
Everything Hemp Store is truly your One Stop Hemp Shop™ focused on delivering top quality products to our consumers with full trace-ability from our farm to family.
Our product suite consists of a variety of industrial hemp-derived products such as lotions, pain creams, salves, Cannabidiol (CBD) tinctures, nutritional foods, dietary
Contact: Gary Norris Phone: 888-334-4367 Ext. 21 9 Email: EHSFranchise@gmail.com Web: www.EverythingHempStore.com
Fresh Coat The average Fresh Coat on average earns 41.22% gross profit and $507,883.18 in revenue!* (*See Item 19 of our April 1, 2018 Franchise Disclosure Document for details. Based on data reported by franchisees that were open and operating full-time for at least 1 year for the period ending December 31, 2017 and that reported Gross Revenues and income statements. A new franchise owner’s results may differ. Our owners continually testify about the amazing amount of help they receive from our company. From coaching and onboarding, to marketing and operational support, we guide you every step of the way. Marketing Support & Operation Support – At Fresh Coat, our franchisees are constantly surrounded by support from both
Funtopia Funtopia business philosophy capitalizes on a growing trend towards healthier, active lifestyles. More than just a place for kids to play, Funtopia is an adventure park where family and friends come to entertain and challenge themselves. Our mix of sports and fun, coupled with an amazing brand experience, has enabled our locations to enjoy the benefits of customer loyalty. The concept was created out of desire to provide a new type of entertainment that would be an alternative to today’s prevalence of physically-
The Growth Coach The Growth Coach® is an industry-leading business coaching franchise, established in over 150 markets in the United States and abroad. Since our founding in 1992, our coaches have helped thousands of small business owners achieve their personal
International Franchise Professionals Group
our Marketing Department and our Operations Team. We have national and local marketing initiatives and resources to drive customers to your place of business, and experts to guide and coach you for as long as you own your Fresh Coat franchise. Fresh Coat is committed to leading the painting industry by driving platinum level customer service delivered by a team of professionals and painting experts. To do this, our franchisees only hire the most skilled and experienced painters, allowing their franchise businesses to offer 6 unique services. Your painters provide positive experiences from the initial quote to final touch-ups. Phone: (513) 605-4877 Email: freshcoatpaintersfranchise@gmail.com Website: www.freshcoatfranchise.com
passive screen display entertainment. Believing that being active, both mentally and physically is the essence of healthy lifestyle, we decided to make it as fun as possible. Our culture, our customers, and the Funtopia brand experience is the “icing on the cake” to a solid business model that allows you to grow your income and reach long-term wealth goals. Contact: Yasen Nikolov Phone: 1.833.386.8674 Email: yassen@adventurefacilities.com Website: funtopiaworld.com/franchise
and professional goals. With 28 million businesses in the United States, the demand for business coaching has grown to a tremendous $11 billion industry. P: (877) 498-3626 E: GrowthCoachFranchiseOpps@gmail.com
IFPG to power their business. All of these individuals understand the value of being associated with IFPG.
The International Franchise Professionals Group (also known as IFPG) is a membership based organization that has over 700 members. Our members consist of Franchisors, Franchisor Brokers, Lenders, and other Franchise Professionals that help potential candidates in the process of buying a franchise.
The IFPG is a strictly membership based organization that does not participate in any referral fees from our franchisor members or our brokers, thereby allowing all of our members to work freely together. Our long-term success is predicated on retaining our members and providing all the tools needed to help you sell more franchises, and close more deals.
Hundreds of nationally recognized franchise companies have chosen the IFPG and its members to represent their brand; hundreds of experienced franchise consultants and brokers have chosen the
If you’re a franchisor, franchisor broker, or another profession that serves the franchising industry call us today at (888) 977-IFPG to learn about membership opportunities.
LEAKPRO INTERNATIONAL Incorporated
A commitment to Service Excellence and a willingness to learn are required. The ability to deal with people in a friendly, professional and courteous manner combined with the determination to succeed could put you on the road to financial freedom.
LEAKPRO is a unique Mobile business serving new and used car and truck dealerships, body shops, fleets and RV Dealers detecting and repairing Automotive Water Leaks, Air Leaks, Wind-Noises, sunroof and convertible issues. The system itself, besides using ultrasound technology combined with the latest proprietary tools and products has a unique trademark, decor and logo. LEAKPRO offers intensive hand on training, OEM warranty approved products, factory trained technicians and up to a Lifetime warranty. Our training not only teaches leak repair, but day-today business management and sales techniques. Prior Automotive experience is not required but helpful.
R
W: https://growthcoachfranchise.com
With NO effective competition and the high demand for this service - it’s a Winning combination. This Mobile business is a low-overhead, profitable opportunity. To join this MultiAward winning TEAM call 888.532.5349 or visit www.leakpro. com today! Individual, Master and Regional Opportunities exist all throughout the USA. Contact: John R. Allen Founder & President Phone: 905.829.LEAK{5325) 1.888.532.5349 Email :john@leakpro.com Website: www.leakpro.com
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Military Coffees Veterans, military retirees and public safety professionals have been enjoying the unique experience of drinking the freshest, 100% USDA certified organic coffees available. In addition, the ability to personalize the label on just one bag is something that nobody else is doing. With the combined power of owning a printing company, a coffee company and a shipping center, Military Coffees is able to print the label, roast the coffee and ship it same or next day.
MONKEE’S FRANCHISING Monkee’s Franchising, LLC is a franchisor of upscale ladies’ boutiques specializing in shoes, clothing and accessories. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC, Monkee’s was founded in 1995 and has become one of the most successful organizations of independently owned boutiques in the Southeast. Our boutiques can now be found in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky,
Moran Family of Brands Moran Family of Brands is one of the nation’s leading franchisors of general automotive repair, transmission repair and automotive accessory centers. Based in Midlothian, Illinois, Moran Family of Brands provides specialty products and services in virtually every aspect of the automotive aftermarket through four individual brands and a total of more than 120 franchise locations nationwide including:
Nestlé® Toll House® Café by Chip® Nestlé® Toll House® Café by Chip® is a premiere dessert and bakery café offering customers an unrivaled experience through the use of fine ingredients, indulgent creations, distinct flavor profiles, and the rich tradition of the very best Nestlé® brands. Cafes offer freshly baked cookies, customized cookie cakes, a wide assortment of freshly baked confections, specialty coffee, ice cream, smoothies and savory items including paninis, wraps and flatbreads, sandwiches, salads and soups (in select locations).
franchising usa A-Z Listings are a great way to promote your business, giving you a presence within our publication and also the Franchising USA website. Each detailed, full colour A-Z listing comes with a 150 word write up and your logo.
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Their tagline is “Green to gone in 48 hours,” meaning that the green beans that are imported from organic farmers across the coffee growing regions of the globe are roasted and in your cup within 48 hours. If you have never had fresh roasted specialty coffee (an industry that is growing by 20% annually), you are missing out on a small slice of heaven in a cup. For additional information on the Fighting Force Specialty Coffee franchise opportunity, please visit their website at www.militarycoffees.com.
North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia and we are excited as our growth continues nationally. Monkee’s is recognized throughout this region as a leader in providing the finest fashions from the world’s top designers. Contact: Troy Taylor Phone: 336-529-5200 Email: troy@shopmonkees.com Website: www.ownamonkees.com
Mr. Transmission, “The Professionals”; Alta Mere “The Automotive Outfitters”; Milex Complete Auto Care centers and SmartView Window Solutions. For more information on Moran Family of Brands visit www.moranfamilyofbrands.com. Contact: Ben Reist Phone: 800-377-9247 Fax: 708-389-9882 Email: breist@moranindustries.com Website: www.moranfamilyofbrands.com
Crest Foods Inc., franchisor of Nestlé® Toll House® Café by Chip®, based in Richardson, Texas, is a premiere restaurant franchisor company. The company currently franchises more than 150 bakery cafés in the United States, Canada and the Middle East. The concept has kiosk, in-line mall, lifestyle, and street café locations. The first café opened in 2000. Nestlé® Toll House® Café by Chip® has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine’s “Franchise 500.” For more information please visit nestlecafe.com. Contact: Benjamin Padilla Phone: (214) 495-9533 Email: franchising@nestlecafe.com Website: www.nestlecafe.com
Excellent for branding and recognition. Choose a 12 or 6 month package or simply add the A-Z directory onto your Focus, Profile or Ad! To learn about the A-Z directory or any other products please contact Vikki Bradbury: advertising@cgbpublishing.com or 778-426-2446
Our Town America For 45+ years, Our Town America has been providing new movers with traditional hospitality by mailing warm housewarming gifts from local businesses in a premium welcome package.
Our Town America program, while dozens of locally-owned franchises validate the Our Town America concept as a viable business opportunity. Franchisees are neighborhood marketing consultants, showing local business owners how to target their best prospects with enticing offers via direct mail.
It is Our Town America’s mission to welcome new movers into their community, to help local businesses gain new loyal and long-term customers, and to provide franchisees with an excellent business opportunity. In the New Mover Marketing industry, we mix proven & perfected methods of direct mail with new technologies.
Since beginning to franchise in 2005, Our Town America has been consistently ranked a Top 50 Franchise by the Franchise Business Review, making them the only Advertising brand to land a spot in the 10-year Hall of Fame and the sole company to be crowned the Franchise Business Review’s All-time Top Company. They are the 2018 #1 Advertising & Sales franchise.
Thousands of satisfied business owners throughout the United States attest to the success and effectiveness of the
Website: https://www.ourtownamerica.com/ Email: franchising@ourtownamerica.com
pool scouts
• Recurring revenue business
Backed by multi brand franchisor, Buzz Franchise Brands – winner of Inc. 500, Pool Scouts helps franchisees hit the ground running.
A Pool Scouts franchise is a business opportunity that can be run from virtually any home or office. We are talking to motivated people to operate Pool Scouts businesses across the United States. Individual territories or area development opportunities are available. Pool Scouts…Perfect Pools, Scouts Honor!
Pool Scouts is the franchise opportunity poised to make a splash in the industry. Here are some compelling attributes: • Fragmented market in a $3 Billion industry • Fast growing franchise opportunity • Low franchise fee and fast start up
Re-Bath In an industry of independent home remodeling contractors, Re-Bath stands out as a unified, trusted national brand. Re-Bath is known for providing expert, affordable and effortless bathroom remodeling solutions that transform homeowners’ bathrooms in days, not weeks. We offer a spirit of innovation and an alternative to cover-up or overpriced remodeling. We handle both the design and the installation – it’s a branded, one-stop customer experience that the industry sorely needs. We are the go-to resource for bathroom remodeling in the markets our franchisees currently serve, and our national reputation strengthens as we continue to connect the dots across the country.
franchising usa A-Z Listings are a great way to promote your business, giving you a presence within our publication and also the Franchising USA website. Each detailed, full colour A-Z listing comes with a 150 word write up and your logo.
The Interface Financial Group – IFG 50/50 The Interface Financial Group – IFG 50/50 is an affordable home-based franchise that provides short-term working capital to small and medium-sized businesses by purchasing current, quality invoices at a discount, thus accelerating the client’s cash flow and growth. All transactions are syndicated 50/50 with the franchisee and the franchisor, and that means less working capital required to fund transaction: IFG does the bulk of the due diligence and the ‘paperwork’ for the transactions, and IFG 50/50 franchisees will concentrate their efforts on building the referral relationships – they do the ‘people work’. Key advantages of being an IFG 50/50 franchisee include: • No staff to hire, fire, or manage
Phone: 1-844-407-2688 Email: franchising@poolscouts.com Website: poolscoutsfranchise.com
Of course, it helps to have the trust of renowned companies like Home Depot. Re-Bath is the nation’s largest complete bathroom remodeling franchise with presence in more than 150 cities and 43 states. The ideal candidate for Re-Bath should have sales, marketing, and/or management experience and be extremely results oriented. Construction knowledge is not required. You must have a minimum of $100,000 in liquid capital, and be ready to make a full-time commitment. Contact: Samantha Wilson Phone: 866-721-7761 Email: swilson@sfdpros.com Website: www.rebathfranchise.com
Excellent for branding and recognition. Choose a 12 or 6 month package or simply add the A-Z directory onto your Focus, Profile or Ad! To learn about the A-Z directory or any other products please contact Vikki Bradbury: advertising@cgbpublishing.com or 778-426-2446
• No storefront to own, lease, or maintain • No Inventory or stock to purchase • No extensive travel because IFG franchisees do business locally • Business-to-Business, professional environment with regular business hours of operation • Flexibility to relocate for part of the year or permanently and continue doing business Our franchisees are excellent communicators, relationship builders with decision-making and problem-solving skills, and much more sales & marketing oriented. IFG has been in the ‘invoice discounting’ business since 1972, and employs its franchise network in the US, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, the UK, Ireland, Australia, Mexico and South Africa. www.interfacefinancial.com
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TopFire Media TopFire Media is an integrated digital marketing and public relations agency, specializing in the franchise industry. Our clients benefit from our years of experience in franchise SEO service, public relations, media relations, content writing and management, social media marketing, and web design. We work to bring all of these elements together to achieve a common goal – our clients’ success.
TruBlue Total House Care There are thousands of Senior Care companies taking care of the person, but NO ONE is taking care of their homes. Sadly, Seniors are forced to leave their beloved home and memories too soon because the home becomes too hard to maintain. Regrettably, they end up in nursing homes and retirement facilities. All of that has changed and created a business opportunity of a lifetime. TruBlue is the ONLY national provider that specializes in Total House Care for Seniors, so they can stay in their homes longer… “age in place” with confidence, comfort, safety and independence. We provide complete and on-going house care, both inside and outside the home: • Repairs • Cleaning
Tuffy Tire and Auto In 1970, the first Tuffy Muffler shop opened in Detroit, Michigan. To keep up with changing times, we’ve changed and evolved too, from just a Muffler shop to an auto service center. Our service line up currently includes brakes, shocks, struts, springs, alignment, front-end, oil change, mufflers, tires, air conditioning, batteries, starting and charging, flush and fill, and C.V. joints. We take care of all your auto repair needs.
Phone: (708) 249-1090 Fax: (708) 957-2395 Website: www.topfiremedia.com Email: info@topfiremedia.com Contact: Matthew Jonas
• Yard work • Special projects (such as wheelchair access, safety audits, and fall prevention, to name a few) • Home Watch TruBlue Total House Care services busy families, as well. They’re constantly running from school activity to sporting event most evenings and weekends. While they have disposable income, they have little free time or desire to handle the endless chores around the house. They gladly turn to TruBlue for complete and affordable house care, inside and out, where we act as their Total House Care Manager and provide them with a convenient and hassle-free lifestyle. Phone: 866-498-3218 Website: www.trubluefranchise.com
our franchisees have played a key role in the success of Tuffy. Tuffy, is looking for customer focused, ethical business owners. With over 45 years in business, franchisees are provided a value proposition that includes a state-of-the-art management, sales and Technical Training, comprehensive marketing and advertising programs, national vendor partnerships, national and local support, a powerful brand proposition, a strong business model and on-going research and development.
Helping our franchisees to operate successfully and meet the challenges of today’s marketplace is the top priority for the Tuffy® Tire & Auto Service Centers. We provide our franchisees with a proven operating system, and as a result,
Contact: Travis Mulligan Phone: 800-228-8339 Email: Travis@tuffy.com Website: Tuffyfranchising.com
Veterans Business Services
campaigns, news press releases, and online franchising e-magazine articles, VBS gets the message to qualified Veterans who are invested in starting a franchise.
Veterans Business Services provides the most advantageous franchise acquisition terms for Veterans and provides innovative entrepreneurial training for qualified Veterans seeking grants under the VA Vocational Rehabilitation Program. Veterans Business Services (“VBS”) specializes in entrepreneurial opportunities for Veterans and has an extensive reach into the Veterans community and can generate significant interest from qualified Veterans who wish to start a franchise or small business.
VBS supports service disabled Veterans who are enrolled in the self-employment track within the Veterans Administration and provides outreach efforts to transitioning military through TAP and ACAP programs. As a graduate business of the Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Veterans (“EBV”), we also assist other graduates of EBV and provide coaching support through mentoring programs. VBS is where Veterans turn to make their franchise dreams a reality.
VBS offers multiple marketing methods that have proven effective with helping franchise organizations with their expansion plans. Utilizing custom email marketing
Contact: James Mingey Phone: 202-349-0860 Email: info@veteransbusinessservices.us Website: www.veteransbusinessservices.us
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Excellent for branding and recognition.
A-Z Listings are a great way to promote your business, giving you a presence within our publication and also the Franchising USA website. Each detailed, full colour A-Z listing comes with a 150 word write up and your logo.
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Our integrated approach combines our public relations and franchise SEO service prowess and is designed to generate brand awareness, drive consumer engagement, and build credibility for your company.
Choose a 12 or 6 month package or simply add the A-Z directory onto your Focus, Profile or Ad! To learn about the A-Z directory or any other products please contact Vikki Bradbury: advertising@cgbpublishing.com or 778-426-2446
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