April 2018 Franchising USA 6#6 by CGB Publishing

Franchising usa The magazine for franchisees

VOL 06, ISSUE 6, april 2018

$5.95 www.franchisingusamagazine.com

scooter’s coffee celebrates two decades in business

who is a good fit to own a franchise? buying vs. leasing comercial space special

multi-unit Franchising Feature LATEST NEWS

FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM THE BANKS

TOP LAWYERS’ ADVICE

GRAB A PIECE OF THE PIE WITH THE FASTEST GROWING PIZZA CHAIN IN AMERICA! *

Franchising usa The magazine for franchisees

FRANCHISING USA VOLUME 6, ISSUE 6, 2018 president: Colin Bradbury. colin@cgbpublishing.com

Comments

f r o m t he p u bl i s he r & e d i t or

Publisher: Vikki Bradbury. vikki@cgbpublishing.com

advertising: Jane Jacob. advertising@cgbpublishing.com

Editorial Department: managing editor: Diana Cikes editor@cgbpublishing.com

Editorial team: Gina Gill Rob Swystun

Production: usaproduction@cgbpublishing.com

DESIGN: Jejak Graphics. jejak@bigpond.com

COVER IMAGE: scooter’s coffee

CGB PUBLISHING Canadian Office: Sidney B.C Canada U.S. Office: 800 5th Ave, #101 Seattle, WA 98104-3102 Sales: 847 607 8407 Editorial: 778 426 2446 www.franchisingusamagazine.com Proud member of the IFA:

SUPPLIER FORUM International Franchise Association 1501 K Street, N.W., Suite 350 Washington, D.C. 20005 Phone: (202) 628-8000 Fax: (202) 628-0812 www.franchise.org

Welcome to the April issue of Franchising USA. It’s official: Spring is here! The flowers are blooming, and business is booming. Now is a great time to do a bit of spring cleaning of your business; an opportunity to straighten up, clear your head and tidy up the path towards your ultimate goals. But don’t delay, because in this issue we’re excited to announce some great opportunities to partner with successful leaders in the industry. So if you’ve been looking for the right opportunity to own your own business, it’s time to dust off the cobwebs of your dreams and get ready to move forward with some firstrate franchising options. On the Cover this issue is Scooter’s Coffee, a coffee franchise that’s celebrating 20 years in business with a huge birthday gift for their employees and franchisees: a world class headquarters and training facility. Turn to page 10 to read about the brand’s drive-thru strategy and why Scooter’s Coffee is an ideal opportunity for entrepreneurs who are interested in single or multi-unit franchising. Australia’s largest multi-brand retail food franchise is now headed for US shores. Retail Food Group (RFG) is on our Multi-Unit Franchising Feature Cover as

a global food and beverage company with a network of more than 2,400 outlets across nine brand systems that span over 80 licensed international territories. Read how RFG expects strong growth of its leading brands across the UK and into Europe and why this global franchise is excited to now offer them to the US market. STOP what you’re doing and find out about a FREE VETERAN FRANCHISE GIVEAWAY! Service Team of Professionals (STOP) has announced they will grant a 100% discount on the initial franchise fee to one lucky veteran. Providing premier water, smoke, fire, mold and bio/environmental damage restoration services to residential and commercial clients across the country for over four decades, STOP is proud to currently have 5 veteran-owned franchises. Will you be the lucky sixth? Be sure to read our Veterans Supplement Cover Story to find out if you qualify and how to apply. I hope you enjoy reading this issue and that it provides you with some inspiration to help propel you forward. We do our best to bring you new opportunities, insights and perspectives each month and always welcome your feedback on how we can best serve you. Happy reading!

“It’s time for a spring cleaning of your thoughts; it’s time to stop just existing, it’s time to start living.” - Steve Maraboli

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.

Franchising USA

a nchsing usa f ra nchising usa

Page 3

contents

april 2018

On the Cover 10 Cover Story: Scooterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Coffee Celebrates

Two Decades in Business

40 Who is a Good Fit to Own a Franchise?

42 Buying vs. Leasing Commercial Space 19 Special Multi-Unit Franchising Feature

In Every Issue 6

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New! Announcements from the industry

19 Multi-Unit Franchising Feature

45 Veterans Supplement - News and Information

for Veterans in Franchising

59 A-Z Franchise and Services Directory

Expert Advice 12 Technology Closes the Gap Between Franchisors

and Franchisees

Jason Leverant, COO and President, AtWork Group

16 The Art of Measuring Training Results

Evan Hackel, CEO of Tortal Training and Founder of Ingage Consulting

40 Who is a Good Fit to Own a Franchise?

George Knauf, Senior Franchise Business Advisor, FranChoice

42 Buying vs. Leasing Commercial Space: Pros and Cons

26 Franchising USA

for Franchise Tenants

Jeff Grandfield and Dale Willerton, The Lease Coach

56 6 PR Strategies You Can Implement Now for Your Franchise

Melissa DiGianfilippo, Partner & President of PR, Serendipit Consulting

Snapshot

14 Any Lab Test Now

Multi-Unit Franchising Feature On the Cover

24 Retail Food Group (RFG): Leading Australian Brands Heading for US Shores

30 Multi-Unit Franchises: Scaling to Success 32 Why Not Two Franchises? In Every Issue 20 Feature News 26 Feature Article

Profile 38 Miracle Method Surface Refinishing Expert Advice 30 Multi-Unit Franchises: Scaling to Success

Christopher Conner, President, Franchise Marketing Systems

32 Why Not Two Franchises?

Peter Hans, President, Discovery Map International

34 Your Local Digital Footprint â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Are Your Franchise Locations

Discoverable Online? Josh Allen, Director of Marketing, Location3

36 Growing Your Franchise with Area Development Programs

Alex Wilkes, General Manager, Pearle Vision

56 Franchising USA

f ra nchising usa

what’s new!

Canadian Company, Cacao 70, Announces International Expansion into China and the US

Founded in 2001 by Yingzhi (Easy) Wang and Bing Tang, Canadian chocolate company Cacao 70 launched as a single chocolate drinking bar in Montreal, but quickly expanded into a franchisee business model with 20 restaurants and more than 20 more expected to open by the end of 2018. Having experienced rapid growth across Canada, opening 18 franchises between 2014 and 2017, Cacao 70 now looks to the United States and China as the next frontiers for expansion. “Our company has grown steadily and we have been looking

at these international markets for a while, so it seemed only natural to continue expanding,” said Cacao 70 Co-Founder Easy Wang. “We’re very excited to be opening in China this spring and to grow the Cacao 70 brand on an international level.” Cacao 70’s quest to transform chocolate into exciting flavor adventures has led down the path of cacao bean sourcing, product development and new store concepts – all tracing back to the first store opening in Montreal seven years ago. Now, in 2018, Cacao 70 will proudly open

locations in Tianjin, China, and Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, please visit cacao70.com/en/franchise.

ONE Cannabis: New Retail Franchise in Budding $6B Industry save others from making the countless, million-dollar mistakes he made in the fast-growing, $6 billion industry. He said, “Those looking to open their own dispensary can be on the forefront of the nascent industry with complete confidence by tapping into the expertise of our award-winning team and the proven systems we have perfected over the years.” ONE Cannabis is interested in expanding nationally through strategic franchise partnerships. The brand seeks prospective entrepreneurs interested in breaking into the industry, as well as independent cannabis dispensary owners who seek guidance & ongoing support from a trusted industry source. In its home state of Colorado, ONE Cannabis expects to have 50 locations within the next 36 months. Christian Hageseth, the seasoned entrepreneur behind Green Man Cannabis—one of the best cannabis dispensaries in the nation, well known for its connoisseur grade craft cannabis and many Cannabis Cup wins—has launched a new franchised brand, ONE Cannabis. Hageseth has more than 20 years of experience in the business world and nine in the legal cannabis industry. With the success of Green Man Cannabis’ products and retail dispensaries, Hageseth is focused on building the world’s most powerful cannabis business franchise system with ONE Cannabis. His goal is to

Franchising USA

The company’s VP John Darwin commented on a major benefit for franchisees: “Many suppliers steer clear of working with businesses in the cannabis industry, since it is not federally legal, which makes it challenging for newcomers. As a ONE Cannabis franchisee, you don’t need to figure out how to talk to a landlord or secure a bank account because we know the best partners to work with. We have hundreds of vetted business relationships, so you only need one – us.” To learn more about ONE Cannabis, visit one-cannabis.com.

Courtyard by Marriott Announces Launch of Bistro Bar for Business Travelers delights as well as hand-crafted cocktails. The new menu was carefully designed to offer a variety of flavorful, fresh items to satisfy every palate. Menu highlights include petit skillet meatballs with pomodoro, ricotta, parmesan and artisan toast, spicy chorizo and goat cheese flatbread, and the Bistro Burger with gruyere, garlic aioli on a brioche bun. The contemporary classic cocktails with a twist include the Black Cherry Old Fashioned, Southside and a seasonal Winter Spiced Margarita.

Courtyard by Marriott announced the launch of Bistro Bar, an elevated evening experience for business travelers.

dining outlets in the US, the Bistro is the ideal destination for guests to who want to work, eat well and connect morning or evening.

The new evening edition of the Bistro will provide a warm and inviting setting for guests who enjoy new places, new experiences and meeting new people while traveling. As one of the largest casual

Beginning March 1st, the Bistro Bar will be available at more than 900 Courtyards in the US and will feature a variety of classic American menu items with a twist, featuring fresh ingredients and seasonal

“Courtyard is the hotel brand for passionate, success driven guests who see travel as an opportunity for both personal fulfillment and professional growth,” said Janis Milham, SVP Marriott International Classic Select Brands. “The new Bistro Bar offers guests an elevated evening option, on-property where our guests can linger and enjoy delicious menu items, classic crafted cocktails and the opportunity to connect with other travelers.” courtyard.marriott.com/bistro

FAZOLI’S VICE PRESIDENT OF FRANCHISE SALES SAM NELSON RETIRES AFTER 24 YEARS After a long and illustrious restaurant industry career spanning forty-three years – including the past twenty-four years with Fazoli’s – Vice President of Franchise Sales Sam Nelson has retired effective March 21st. Sam’s affiliation with Fazoli’s dates all the way back to 1985 when the concept was originally conceived by parent company Jerrico, Inc. He was an integral part of the team that opened the first five Fazoli’s in Lexington, KY before leaving Jerrico to purchase The Coach House Restaurant – at the time the only Mobil Five-Star restaurant in the State of Kentucky. In 1992 Sam was inducted into the Nation’s Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall of Fame. Sam rejoined Fazoli’s in 1994 and served as the company’s firstever Franchise Business Consultant. After several promotions including Director and Group Chairman of Franchise Operations, Sam was selected in 1998 to lead the Franchise Department as Vice President, Franchise Operations and Sales. That same year,

Sam was presented with Fazoli’s “Servant Leadership Award”, the only recipient of this award in the Company’s history. In the ensuing years that followed under Sam’s leadership, the company’s franchise community doubled in size, easily exceeding the number of company-owned units. In recent years, Sam focused once again on growing Fazoli’s franchise system. Visit www.ownafazolis.com for details on development opportunities.

Franchising USA

f ra nchising usa

Page 7

f ra nchising usa

what’s new!

FAT BRANDS NAMES TONI M. BIANCO AS FATBURGER PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Bianco Brings Extensive International And Partnership Experience To The Company

FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Fatburger, announces the hiring of Toni M. Bianco as President and Chief Operating Officer of Fatburger. As the newest addition to the Fatburger executive team, Toni will work side-by-

side with longstanding Chief Executive Officer Andy Wiederhorn to further expand Fatburger’s presence worldwide. In addition, after 15 years of outstanding service, former Fatburger President and Chief Operating Officer Don Berchtold will be transitioning to a new role as Executive Vice President and Chief Concept Officer for FAT Brands, where he will assist in the development of innovative new concept designs across FAT Brands’ portfolio. Prior to joining Fatburger, Bianco oversaw significant international expansion deals for Papa John’s, where he drove more than 30 new openings, primarily in Asia. Most recently, he managed global operations, training, development and IT

for the growing Long John Silver’s brand. His actions led to the highest customer satisfaction in years and 16 consecutive periods of same-store sales growth. “I’ve always been drawn to brands like Fatburger that offer a vivid history and culture, yet continue to push themselves toward a promising and exciting future,” said Toni M. Bianco, President and Chief Operating Officer of Fatburger. “It’s beyond exciting to think about the possibilities with this brand.” Andy Wiederhorn, Chief Executive Officer of Fatburger and FAT Brands Inc., commented, “Toni brings extensive experience and insight that will be integral to the continued growth of the brand.” www.fatburger.com

J.D. Power Presents President’s Award to Home Instead Senior Care

headquarters in Costa Mesa, Calif. The J.D. Power President’s Award is a discretionary award that recognizes individuals or companies demonstrating dedication, commitment and sustained improvement in serving customers. During the 50-year history of J.D. Power, only 13 companies have previously received the award. Home Instead Senior Care is a network of more than 1,100 franchises that provide in-home, non-medical care for seniors, with offices in 12 countries. O’Neill noted that Home Instead’s achievement in terms of customer service excellence reflects a culture committed to the highest level of care for seniors.

J.D. Power presented its prestigious President’s Award to Home Instead Senior Care in recognition of its commitment to caring for older adults and exceeding customer expectations. Finbarr O’Neill, President of J.D. Power, presented the award to Home Instead Senior Care President and Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Huber, during a ceremony at the J.D. Power corporate

Franchising USA

“Home Instead Senior Care has established a customer-centric culture within their organization that merits this special recognition. Home Instead provides cutting-edge thought leadership across aging-related industries and provides clients and families with the most relevant resources for senior care and aging,” said O’Neill. “Since Lori and Paul Hogan founded the company in 1994, they have embraced clients with dignity, appreciation and service excellence. We at J.D. Power are honored to present our highest accolade to Home Instead Senior Care.” www.homeinstead.com

Rock Box Fitness Offering Franchise Opportunities to Aspiring Entrepreneurs Rock Box Fitness, a state-of-theart group fitness studio designed to challenge each guest personally, is proud to announce that they are currently offering franchise opportunities to qualified candidates throughout the United States. Qualified applicants who are awarded the opportunity to own and operate a franchise will be provided with an exceptional business model, extensive training, and consistent, ongoing support from senior management.

Rock Box’s concept takes fitness to a whole new level. Their studios feature all the boxing equipment and heavy bags you would expect for a boxing and kickboxing based workout, plus an insane amount of functional training tools like kettle bells, battle ropes and sleds (elliptical and Nautilus machines need not apply). By combining the “sweet science” with functional training, they elevate their offerings and keep members excited and engaged. Bootcamps and circuit training can sometimes grow stale and boring

for participants. They don’t believe that creates long-term results for their members or their business. Their members get the perfect combination of intensity, mojo, fun, motivation, and results. They’ve purposefully implemented the perfect variety of equipment to allow them to create a full-body, goal-smashing, lifechanging workout. The initial franchise fee is $32,900. The initial investment is between $169,450- $258,300. For more information, please visit www.rockboxfitness.com

Curious Jane® Retained as Preferred Marketing Vendor for Office Pride Franchise corporation as well as its franchisees to implement digital advertising, provide branding and creative services, redesign websites and implement SEO, and produce content and marketing collateral.

Curious Jane is pleased to announce that it has been retained by Office Pride Commercial Cleaners® as the preferred marketing vendor for its 130-franchise system. As Office Pride’s preferred vendor, Curious Jane will work with the national

“We admire what Office Pride’s leadership stands for and we are excited about the opportunity to serve as their strategic marketing partner,” said Curious Jane President and CEO Lora Kellogg. “We are committed to strengthening the brand and helping franchisees grow their businesses.” Office Pride, based in Palm Harbor, Fla., has been an industry leader since it was founded more than 25 years ago. Office Pride is listed among Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500. A member of Franchise

Business Review’s prestigious Hall of Fame, which recognizes brands whose franchisee satisfaction scores are among the Top 200 of all franchises surveyed for at least 10 consecutive years, Office Pride ranked first among commercial cleaning franchises in 2017. “We place a premium on helping our franchisees be successful,” said Gerry Henley, executive vice president. “We are confident that Curious Jane can help us take our marketing to the next level, and we look forward to working together for many years to come.” Curious Jane is The Ad Agency for Franchises™. Learn more at curiousjane.com.

Franchising USA

f ra nchising usa

Page 9

cov er sto ry

S c o ote r ’s C of fe e

Coffee Franchise Celebrates Two Decades in Business with Shiny New Headquarters and Training Center Scooter’s Coffee CEO Todd Graeve said the new headquarters should be open next month.

Scooter’s Coffee CEO Todd Graeve

Scooter’s Coffee is celebrating 20 years in business and the birthday gift they’re giving their employees and franchisees is a world class headquarters and training facility. The company is currently in the process of putting the finishing touches on a massive new warehouse and office in Omaha, NE that will be the home for both Scooter’s Coffee and its sister company Harvest Roasting, which roasts beans and distributes them to all Scooter’s Coffee franchisees around the country.

Franchising USA

“Right now, we’ve outgrown our current facility and we’re located in multiple offices around the city,” he said during a recent interview. “By this May, we’ll consolidate our offices into one space. We’ll have a much larger warehouse, roasting facility, and bakery, which will allow us to stay ahead of the curve on a rapidly growing franchise system. And, we’re going to invest substantially in high capacity production equipment, including a much larger coffee roaster to handle growing volume.” Also a feature of the new facility will be a full-sized and fully functional Scooter’s Coffee store for training and testing purposes. “It will have the same dimensions as our drive-thru kiosk store on the road, and it will be fully functional with coffee production equipment, headsets, order box and pickup window,” Graeve described. “While training, it will feel like you’re in a drive-thru kiosk out on the road, but yet in a safe environment for optimal training and preparation.” This will allow the Scooter’s Coffee franchisor to train new franchisees and their managers in a controlled environment before furthering their training at corporate-owned locations around Omaha and then continuing their training at the franchisees’ locations.

All of this training is to ensure that franchisees continue the Scooter’s Coffee tradition of providing excellent customer service quickly and efficiently, which is a big part of what Graeve says sets the franchise apart from other coffee brands in the country. The new training kiosk will also enable the company to test out new equipment and processes prior to implementing them in live locations.

Drive-Thru Focus Many of the Scooter’s Coffee franchises are 450 square-foot drive-thru locations that are placed along busy commuting corridors. Sometimes they have a walkup window if the drive-thru kiosk is located along a walking route or in a vibrant retail center. Where appropriate, Scooter’s Coffee will build larger 1,500 to 2,000 square-foot sit-down cafes, which will also feature drive-thrus, as the drive-thru is really the core of the brand’s business model. “Drive-thru is a very fluid and fast way for customers to get coffee in the morning and not leave their car,” Graeve noted. Founded by Don and Linda Eckles in 1998, the brand quickly began franchising a few years later in and around Omaha to friends and acquaintances. After those initial few franchise stores opened, the brand picked up momentum and has been expanding ever since.

“By this May, we’ll consolidate our offices into one space. We’ll have a much larger warehouse, roasting facility, and bakery, which will allow us to stay ahead of the curve on a rapidly growing franchise system.” - Todd Graeve Currently, Scooter’s Coffee has 181 stores and will add another 35 by the end of this year. While the more typical franchisee 20 years ago was a single-unit owner, Graeve said, there has been a shift recently to multi-unit ownership. While the brand still does sell single units to people, franchisees are starting to think bigger and often want to build business portfolios rather than just be single store owners. “As we go from 181 stores to 1,000 stores, I believe we’ll begin to see much larger franchisees emerge, not only in terms of current owners advancing their holdings in Scooter’s Coffee, but also new franchisees that come in with line of sight set on 10 or more stores,” the CEO observed. Graeve himself got involved with the company in 2005 as an area representative and franchisee with his business partners. Together, he and his partners had an agreement with Scooter’s Coffee to develop 50 stores in Kansas City and across the state of Kansas. In 2010, Graeve took a position as the

Chief Financial Officer of Boundless Enterprises, Scooter’s Coffee’s parent company, and when Don Eckles moved to Chairman of the company in 2016, Graeve replaced him as CEO.

“We’re a Midwest brand and we intend to

Midwest Footprint

world-class headquarters and training

Scooter’s Coffee’s primary point of focus for expansion is in the Midwest, with a hyper-focus on 8 to 10 states surrounding Nebraska. However, Graeve pointed out, with the right franchisees in select areas of the country, Scooter’s Coffee has interest in expansion.

deepen our footprint in the Midwest while

seeking the right opportunities nationally,” he said.

In its 20th year and with a brand new,

facility about to open, Scooter’s Coffee

is an ideal opportunity for entrepreneurs in the Midwest and across the country

who are interested in single or multi-unit franchising.

franchising.scooterscoffee.com

Franchising USA

cov er sto ry

Page 11

ex per t advice

Jason Leverant, COO and President, AtWork Group

Jason Leverant

Franchising USA

Technology Closes the Gap Between Franchisors and Franchisees Communication is tops among tech trends

“Advances in communications technology have helped franchisees build bridges to both corporate offices and their peers and helps promote the sense of belonging to a larger team.” This can be accomplished in a number of ways, and has been for quite some time via telephone and, more recently, email. But in-house platforms like Slack and those offered via services like FranConnect have made communication more immediate and efficient, without the internal cost of programming, for instance, internal message boards.

Off the island Traditionally, franchisees were trained and left on an island of sorts. Advances in communications technology have helped franchisees build bridges to both corporate offices and their peers and helps promote the sense of belonging to a larger team.

In the franchise world, it’s all about keeping owners excited and engaged, and the hive mind can help. While robotics and artificial intelligence garner headlines, technological advances in the franchise world have vastly improved the most human function: Communication. Technology is used differently by franchises across sectors, but one tech tie that binds is its utility in keeping lines of communication open, and enhancing them, between and among franchisees and owners.

Say a professional-services franchisee has a question or wants feedback on a particular challenge. Gone are the days of waiting for a voicemail or message to be returned. Intra-office services such as Slack, which can be downloaded to phones, laptops and desktops, now allow both the home office and franchisee peers to be pinged simultaneously and immediately, allowing for almost real-time responses and suggestions. This makes the entire franchise more cohesive and less monolithic.

Sector-wide effects And sexier technologies play an even larger role in the retail franchise sector. Artificial intelligence and machine learning can help with inventory tracking and even help clerks make personal suggestions based on the customer’s store-browsing and purchase history. Inventorying, customer-interaction and human-resources management technologies are also expanding in the franchise food sphere. Look at the new ordering kiosks in McDonald’s, for instance, or the table-top payment options in casual dining franchises such as Chili’s or Applebee’s. But the use of technology to actually bring

franchise personnel together at a more human level is, perhaps paradoxically, the highest use.

The medium carries the message Interconnectedness between franchisors and franchisees also allows for constant reminders of why the franchisee got into the business in the first place. When franchisors, franchisees and employees log into any number of available social platforms these days, the franchise mission and philosophy get more daily eyeballs than ever before. These avenues of connectivity help promote company values and constantly show a value proposition and speed of response. In today’s 24/7 business cycle immediacy is paramount, and that’s key to keeping your owners happy. Connectivity has always been there, but never in such an immediate form. Engaged owners are more content owners and the more validated they feel, the faster your franchise system will grow. Granted, not everyone across franchise systems, be they owners or bosses at corporate, buys into these available technologies. But they fail to do so at their own risk, and might find themselves indeed alone on an island. Jason Leverant is COO and president of AtWork Group, an award-winning and nationally known staffing franchise. As COO, he keeps abreast of technological trends across industries and ensures AtWork maximizes technology and leverages its use to promote efficiencies and improve productivity. Leverant recently spoke at Staffing World® 2017 about ‘Robotics and Humans at Work.’ Knoxville-based AtWork has grown to be cited as one of Staffing Industry Analysts’ top U.S. staffing firms. www.atwork.com

Franchising USA

ex per t advice

Page 13

snapsh ot

A N Y L A B TEST N OW™ in pretty good shape. Just like his days on the Great Britain Olympic team, he goes to the gym daily. He continues to challenge himself. Just last year, a few months before his 55th birthday, he leg-pressed more than fifteen hundred pounds! “His dedication to his physical training is amazing. He sets a goal, trains and goes for it,” says his wife.

Going for Gold:

Olympian Lessons Inspire Franchising Success ANY LAB TEST NOW™ CEO Clarissa Bradstock makes her franchisees her number one priority every day. Under her leadership, the direct access lab testing company has grown to 169 locations in 30 states and is among the fastest growing franchises in the health care industry. Clarissa says she could not have done it without the lessons she’s learned by

watching the Olympian in her house, her husband, Roald Bradstock.

FOCUS “Roald is a record-setting javelin thrower who made it to the Summer Olympics twice and even competed in the Olympic Trials when he was 50,” she said. “His focus on tuning his craft is amazing to watch. He will throw a javelin dozens and dozens of times in one day, just to find the perfect range of motion; it’s all very inspiring.” Roald is not only an athlete. He’s an artist, too. He was invited by the International Olympic Committee to live in the Olympic Village in PyeongChang, South Korea, to paint murals with the non-artist athletes. This is another accomplishment — requiring great patience and focus — that Clarissa learns from.

“My training as a stand-up really changed the way I look at public speaking,” she said. “Successfully presenting four minutes of content changes the whole way you present yourself and gives you a whole new level of confidence. You’ve proved to yourself you can be creative on your own and do so naturally.”

COMMITMENT As a child, Roald was diagnosed with spina bifida and his parents would not allow him to play contact sports, so he started swimming, weightlifting and javelin throwing. His commitment to his sport landed him on England’s Olympic team in 1984 and 1988. “When Roald suffered an injury, he did not let it slow him down,” Clarissa explained. “He pushed through it and just six years ago, he became the oldest medalist at England’s Olympic Trials and he even set a world age record.”

TRAINING

Committed to her craft, Clarissa plays a big role in the franchising community. She’s a mentor with the International Franchise Association and encourages women in the franchise business to network with others in the field. “It can feel isolating at times when you own a franchise,” she said. “Giving back, meeting others who are facing the same challenges can be eye-opening. I am committed to helping others fully understand and navigate the world of franchising; by doing so, I feel like I am helping to build the next generation.”

Like most former Olympians, Roald is still

www.anylabtestnow.com

Clarissa puts a laser focus on Any Lab Test Now franchisee satisfaction, and that pushed the company to the top of its game. “We have added two dozen new locations since 2013. This happened by focusing on the franchisees needs as well as unit level economics,” Clarissa said.

Franchising USA

Clarissa started training to be a CEO very early in life. She managed to earn her first Vice-President title just a few years out of college. Clarissa now has decades of experience evaluating business models, culture and financial plans. She’s also a former stand-up comedian who frequently reflects on her time on stage while serving as CEO.

Page 15

M ee t fa ce -to -f ac e w it h ove r 4 0 0 p rove n fr at T h e In te rn an ch is e o p p o rt at io n al Fra n ch u n it ie s is e E xp o . Eve ry inve st m en t leve in d u st ry. Eve ry l. Ta ke th e n ex t step to w ar d w it h ro u n d ta b b u si n es s o w n er sh ip le se ss io n s an d ed u ca ti o n al th e fo re m o st se m in ar s ex p er ts in fr an h o sted by ch is in g .

MAY 31-JUNE 2, 2018 • THE JAVITS CENTER • NEW YORK, NY REGISTER FOR FREE AT IFEINFO.COM US E P R O M O C O DE F RA NU SA Sponsored By

Supported By

MFVexpo.com

Franchising USA

ex per t advice

Evan Hackel, CEO of Tortal Training and Founder of Ingage Consulting

The Art of Measuring Training Results:

Why it is critical to focus on key performance indicators and the right metrics Here are some performance indicators that you might decide to monitor: • The number of sales per employee • Average sale size • The number of customers who return and buy again • The number and cost of product defects and employee errors • Customer satisfaction rates or Net Promoter Score • Sales made during the holiday selling period in each of the last five years • Days from order to delivery • The closing rates of sales Evan Hackel

Is your franchise doing very well, pretty well . . . or not too well? That is a question that everyone in any franchise operation asks all the time from the executives in headquarters to the franchise owner who is greeting customers right now. But although it is a common question, it cannot provide the specific, measurable answers you need to identify and understand the specific processes that need to be improved to make your franchise perform better. What are those processes? One way to pinpoint and improve them is to develop a set of Key Performance Indicators that you can measure over time and use as yardsticks for positive change.

Franchising USA

• The cost of goods sold vs. profits • The number of new sales leads that you are generating • Data about sales you are making online - the number of sales you are making, average ticket size • Data about the most and least profitable hours at your locations There is so much power in the simple process of identifying and monitoring performance indicators. When you do that, you become involved in what your employees focus on and what they need to achieve. And when they do achieve the levels of improvement in them that you have set as goals, your people also can congratulate themselves on success. Ultimately, when you do those things, the bottom line that you care about − your net profits − will improve as a result. And remember, profit is not a Key Performance

Indicator, it is a result. Key Performance Indicators are measures of the activities that will improve your profitability if you handle them well.

Learning to Measure Both Hard and Soft Metrics Because the first aim of training is to improve the way people do things, all training programs should be evaluated by measuring “hard” metrics - which are almost always measurements that can be translated into numbers and evaluated. They could include data on: • Are our salespeople making more sales calls, closing more sales, or increasing the size of the average order? • Have our product assemblers increased their output and reduced the number of quality defects? • Are our phone reps now resolving more customer issues on the first call? • How many more positive reviews are we getting online? • Six months after training ends, are more customers placing repeat orders? Without hard metrics like those, how will you know whether your training has achieved its goals or repaid your investment? But it is important to measure soft metrics too. Often misunderstood, they have to do less with observable performance, and more to do with attitudes. They too can be measured before and after training as a way to evaluate results. Some examples:

“There is so much power in the simple process of identifying and monitoring performance indicators. When you do that, you become involved in what your employees focus on and what they need to achieve.” • Do members of your hotel’s front desk staff feel calmer and more confident

about resolving customer complaints? • Do your new hires now feel more

enthusiastic about working for your

company than they did before training began?

• Do employees now expect to remain

at your company for longer periods of time?

• Has training improved employees’ attitudes?

The Art of Measuring Soft Metrics There is an incorrect assumption that it is difficult to collect data on soft metrics. In fact, soft metrics can be measured by having trainees complete surveys or by having them interview with members of your training or HR team. Another way to gauge soft metrics is to measure behaviors. After training your call center staffers, for example, do they arrive more punctually and call in sick less often? That could indicate improved motivation and morale. Or after training your retail salespeople, has the rate of their retention improved after six months or a year? That could indicate that your training made their jobs less stressful and more satisfying.

Another reason to measure soft metrics is that they help you identify any “extra” benefits your training achieved. If the primary purpose of your training was to teach your restaurant workers to deliver better customer service, for example, but they also became bigger believers in your brand. Evan Hackel, the creator of the Ingaged Leadership concept, is a recognized franchise expert and consultant. Evan is CEO of Tortal Training, a leading training development company in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Principal and Founder of Ingage Consulting, a consulting firm in Woburn, Massachusetts. To learn more about Ingage Consulting and Evan’s book Ingaging Leadership, visit Ingage. net. Follow @ehackel.

Franchising USA

ex per t advice

Page 17

Don’t miss an issue COV ER STO RY

Page 11

S c o ote r ’s C of fe e

COFFEE FRANCHISE CELEBRATES TWO DECADES IN BUSINESS with Shiny New Headquarters and Training Center Scooter’s Coffee CEO Todd Graeve said the new headquarters should be open next month.

Scooter’s Coffee CEO Todd Graeve

Scooter’s Coffee is celebrating 20 years in business and the birthday gift they’re giving their employees and franchisees is a world class headquarters and training facility. The company is currently in the process of putting the ﬁnishing touches on a massive new warehouse and ofﬁce in Omaha, NE that will be the home for both Scooter’s Coffee and its sister company Harvest Roasting, which roasts beans and distributes them to all Scooter’s Coffee franchisees around the country.

Franchising USA

“Right now, we’ve outgrown our current facility and we’re located in multiple ofﬁces around the city,” he said during a recent interview. “By this May, we’ll consolidate our ofﬁces into one space. We’ll have a much larger warehouse, roasting facility, and bakery, which will allow us to stay ahead of the curve on a rapidly growing franchise system. And, we’re going to invest substantially in high capacity production equipment, including a much larger coffee roaster to handle growing volume.” Also a feature of the new facility will be a full-sized and fully functional Scooter’s Coffee store for training and testing purposes. “It will have the same dimensions as our drive-thru kiosk store on the road, and it will be fully functional with coffee production equipment, headsets, order box and pickup window,” Graeve described. “While training, it will feel like you’re in a drive-thru kiosk out on the road, but yet in a safe environment for optimal training and preparation.” This will allow the Scooter’s Coffee franchisor to train new franchisees and their managers in a controlled environment before furthering their training at corporate-owned locations around Omaha and then continuing their training at the franchisees’ locations.

All of this training is to ensure that franchisees continue the Scooter’s Coffee tradition of providing excellent customer service quickly and efﬁciently, which is a big part of what Graeve says sets the franchise apart from other coffee brands in the country. The new training kiosk will also enable the company to test out new equipment and processes prior to implementing them in live locations.

Drive-Thru Focus Many of the Scooter’s Coffee franchises are 450 square-foot drive-thru locations that are placed along busy commuting corridors. Sometimes they have a walkup window if the drive-thru kiosk is located along a walking route or in a vibrant retail center. Where appropriate, Scooter’s Coffee will build larger 1,500 to 2,000 square-foot sit-down cafes, which will also feature drive-thrus, as the drive-thru is really the core of the brand’s business model. “Drive-thru is a very ﬂuid and fast way for customers to get coffee in the morning and not leave their car,” Graeve noted. Founded by Don and Linda Eckles in 1998, the brand quickly began franchising a few years later in and around Omaha to friends and acquaintances. After those initial few franchise stores opened, the brand picked up momentum and has been expanding ever since.

Franchising USA THE MAGAZINE FOR FRANCHISEES

Currently, Scooter’s Coffee has 181 stores and will add another 35 by the end of this year. While the more typical franchisee 20 years ago was a single-unit owner, Graeve said, there has been a shift recently to multi-unit ownership. While the brand still does sell single units to people, franchisees are starting to think bigger and often want to build business portfolios rather than just be single store owners. “As we go from 181 stores to 1,000 stores, I believe we’ll begin to see much larger franchisees emerge, not only in terms of current owners advancing their holdings in Scooter’s Coffee, but also new franchisees that come in with line of sight set on 10 or more stores,” the CEO observed. Graeve himself got involved with the company in 2005 as an area representative and franchisee with his business partners. Together, he and his partners had an agreement with Scooter’s Coffee to develop 50 stores in Kansas City and across the state of Kansas. In 2010, Graeve took a position as the

COV ER STO RY

Get the App

VOL 06, ISSUE 6, APRIL 2018

$5.95 www.franchisingusamagazine.com

SCOOTER’S COFFEE CELEBRATES TWO DECADES IN BUSINESS

Chief Financial Ofﬁcer of Boundless Enterprises, Scooter’s Coffee’s parent company, and when Don Eckles moved to Chairman of the company in 2016, Graeve replaced him as CEO.

WHO IS A GOOD Midwest Footprint FIT TO OWN A Scooter’s Coffee’s primary point of focus for expansion is in the Midwest, with a FRANCHISE? hyper-focus on 8 to 10 states surrounding Nebraska. However, Graeve pointed out, with the right franchisees in select areas of the country, Scooter’s Coffee has interest in expansion.

“We’re a Midwest brand and we intend to

deepen our footprint in the Midwest while

seeking the right opportunities nationally,” he said.

In its 20th year and with a brand new,

world-class headquarters and training

facility about to open, Scooter’s Coffee

is an ideal opportunity for entrepreneurs in the Midwest and across the country

who are interested in single or multi-unit franchising.

BUYING VS. LEASING COMERCIAL SPACE

franchising.scooterscoffee.com

Franchising USA

SPECIAL

MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISING FEATURE LATEST NEWS

FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM THE BANKS

TOP LAWYERS’ ADVICE Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand 1

www.franchisingusamagazine.com

FranchisingFeature m u lt i - u n i t

april 2018

multi-unit franchises

scaling to success

Leading Australian brands heading for us shores

why not two franchises?

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

what’s new!

UFC GYM® ANNOUNCES EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH TD LIFESTYLE

UFC GYM struck a 10-year partnership agreement with TD Lifestyle, plc. to bring more than 100 franchised locations to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. UFC fighter and current UFC GYM franchisee Michael Bisping, a UK native, is partnering with TD Lifestyle to open these gyms. The move further expands UFC GYM’s global reach, adding to its more than 150 locations in 11 countries and similar multifranchise deals announced in India and Mexico in the past year. “This is a huge opportunity for both the UFC brand and UFC GYM, as the U.K. and Ireland markets both have significant populations of MMA fans and fitness enthusiasts,” said UFC GYM President Adam Sedlack. “This is an important step for us as we continue to bring our Train Different philosophy to fitnessminded people around the world.” The development deal includes a mix of UFC GYM’s Signature, Core and CLASS by UFC GYM models, which provide options for locations with larger or smaller footprints. “We’ve been working for a couple years to bring UFC GYM to England, Scotland, Wales and all of Ireland,” said TD Lifestyle

Director Joe Long. “We’ve negotiated an unprecedented partnership to launch all three club formats and our UFC GYM locations will be very different compared to anything currently being offered in the U.K. UFC GYM’s possess a versatile fitness platform while offering the highest caliber training facilities within an aspirational and high energy environment.” ufcgymfranchise.com

AtWork Group Named a Franchisee Satisfaction Award Winner AtWork Group, an award-winning national staffing franchise, has been named to Franchise Business Review’s Best Franchise Opportunities of 2018, the only franchise list based solely on reported owner satisfaction. Franchise Business Review annually surveys approximately 30,000 franchise owners to gather data about franchisee satisfaction. The feedback from the surveyed owners is then used to select 200 franchises across four size classes to represent the best opportunities for prospective franchise owners to invest in. These four size classes are Small (under 65 locations), Medium (65 – 120 locations), Large (120 – 299 locations) and Enterprise (300+ locations) with each class being represented by 50 franchises on the list. With close to 100 locations nationwide, AtWork was selected as part of the Medium class. “The fact that this award is based on franchisee satisfaction alone makes it incredibly special,” said Jason Leverant, president and COO of AtWork Group. “When a franchise owner is satisfied and passionate about their business, it translates directly to their daily interactions with clients and job seekers. Offering ongoing support

Franchising USA

and comprehensive training to all our franchisees is a top priority for us, and we will work hard to maintain this level of satisfaction for all our franchise owners.” AtWork Group is currently operating in 26 U.S. states and plans to award more than 100 new franchise locations to local entrepreneurs by 2022. The company offers staffing solutions to businesses in all industries, providing quality candidates for administrative, call center, customer service, accounting and light industrial positions. Flexible employment solutions are available including temporary, temp-to-hire, payrolling and full-time placements. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit www.atworkfranchise.com.

Subway® To Launch North America Loyalty Program That You’ll Definitely Want to Join Earn tokens for every visit and receive rewards, exclusive deals, surprises and more with Subway MyWay™ Rewards at approximately 28,500 participating restaurants Subway® asked its most dedicated customers what they want from a loyalty program. They want a program that gives them flexibility in how they earn and redeem. They want more rewards, and a surprise or two. Oh, and they want a completely personalized experience. This March, customers will get just that with Subway MyWay™ Rewards. More than a loyalty program, Subway MyWay Rewards will redefine choice and accessibility to Subway’s more than 37 million sandwich and salad combinations. The program will be a customized experience – from how customers join, earn and redeem, to surprise rewards and exclusive offers. “We know time and money are important to our guests,” said Subway® Chief Digital

Officer Carissa Ganelli. “It’s important to us that we deliver a seamless, convenient experience to help our customers get what they want when they want it - and what they want is our delicious, nutritious, and affordable food.” With an estimated 28,500 participating restaurants in the U.S. and Canada*, Subway MyWay Rewards will be the largest loyalty program for earning and redeeming rewards in the quick service restaurant industry. Subway MyWay Rewards is part of Subway Digital’s work to transform the customer experience through an omnichannel approach, with the integration of the app, remote ordering and, in-restaurant kiosks. For more information visit Subway.com.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe Promotes Industry Veteran Tropical Smoothie Cafe, the leading fast casual cafe concept known for its better-for-you food and smoothies with a tropical twist, announced today that industry veteran Kristi Kingery has been promoted to senior vice president of supply chain and quality assurance. In her new role, Kingery will oversee quality assurance, supply chain and culinary for Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s more than 635 locations nationwide. She’ll also be responsible for spearheading food safety and supply chain risk initiatives by implementing new processes for auditing supplier facilities and evaluating product needs for both suppliers and distributors. “Kristi is an integral part of our team and greatly contributed to the brand’s success

last year by optimizing our supply chain efforts,” said Mike Rotondo, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Kingery joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in 2017 and in less than a year, made a significant impact on the brand’s supply chain by successfully developing and implementing a strategy to improve profitability for franchisees. These efforts resulted in savings of more than $3,000 per cafe, per year and reduced delivery case shortages by 78 percent. “Supply chain operations are a vital part of any business and Tropical Smoothie Cafe is committed to executing the most efficient processes to increase profitability for its franchisees,” said Kingery. “Over the last year, our team has focused on

developing and implementing strategies that reduce costs, minimize risk and increase the rate of production, which ultimately contributed to the overall success of the brand and local cafes.” tropicalsmoothiefranchise.com

Franchising USA

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Page 21

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

what’s new!

CoreLife Eatery Secures Major Franchising Deal to Bolster Florida Presence area of Tampa. Franchisee William Janikies and his family-owned operation have a proven record of franchising success and a history of building and bolstering brands like Burger King, Krispy Kreme, Popeye’s and more. “The Jan Companies began with a single Burger King in 1969 and today operates 82 Burger King units nationwide. That’s the kind of tremendous success and growth we foresee coming from this partnership,” Janikies said. “There is endless potential with a brand like CoreLife Eatery, where the focus is on flavor and delivering fast, fresh, healthy food, and we’re excited to deliver it to communities across Florida.”

For CoreLife Eatery, an active lifestyle restaurant offering a variety of greens, grains and broth-based dishes, the future is

This agreement is in addition to two large development deals CoreLife Eatery has recently cemented in Cleveland, Ohio and Raleigh, North Carolina.

business headquartered in Rhode Island. The Jan Companies

CoreLife Eatery, which offers a wide variety of fresh ingredients that are transformed into custom-created dishes, has experienced tremendous and rapid growth since opening its first restaurant in 2015. CoreLife Eatery currently has 27 operating eateries and is on track to open 300 restaurants within the next five years.

the first eatery on track to open this August in the Carrollwood

For more information on franchising opportunities, please visit www.corelifeeatery.com/franchising.

looking bright in the Sunshine State. CoreLife Eatery recently signed a 32 restaurant development

agreement with The Jan Companies, a second-generation family have an aggressive plan for opening restaurants in Florida, with

British Swim School Franchisee Celebrates Platinum Anniversary Celebrating a platinum anniversary (that’s 20 years!) with franchise brand British Swim School is Antony White, who originally hails from the UK and has two territories of the renowned swim school in the Chicago and North Shore areas of Illinois. “I have been working with British Swim School since the late 90s and was instrumental in the whole franchise process – it is a product and service I very much believe in.” As the brand progressed further toward the franchising route, White recognized it was something he wanted to remain a part of, because he loved (and still does) the day-to-day that comes with working for himself, while contributing to a brand that

Franchising USA

is serving the greater good. “I’ve always loved the day-to-day operations of the swim school – greeting parents and students, working closely with my team, being there at the helm guiding my business how I want.” If he could leave others with any one piece of advice, it would be to find something they are passionate about, and turn it into a career. To celebrate the milestone, White’s agenda includes developing a stronger, deeper relationship with the Illinois community – working to spread British Swim School’s ultimate mission of educating on the essential, life-saving skill that is swimming and water safety. franchise.britishswimschool.com

partnership with Pilot Flying J Travel Centers in 2017, accounting for five of the total 12 locations open throughout the year, with a commitment for an additional 20 in 2018.

Dunkin Donuts Expands Non-Traditional Portfolio Dunkin’ Donuts, America’s all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, announced earlier this year that its franchisees opened more than 86 new non-traditional locations across the country in 2017. Being a leader in convenience, the brand’s franchisees continue to open restaurants throughout the hotel sector, including a Great Wolf Lodge location in Bloomington, Minnesota and two

restaurants in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino located in Las Vegas and Biloxi. Other notable non-traditional partnerships throughout 2017 include a three-unit deal with nationally recognized grocer Price Chopper in Kansas and the opening of 12 rest stop and travel center restaurants across the country. The brands franchisees opened a total of 12 travel center restaurants around the country, also significantly increasing its

Dunkin’ Donuts continued to expand its partnership with Great Wolf Lodge in 2017, opening a new restaurant at its Minnesota resort in December, marking the tenth restaurant to open under a franchise agreement between Dunkin’ Donuts and Great Wolf Resorts. Additional locations are slated to debut this summer, one in the outskirts of Atlanta and another just outside of Chicago. In 2017, Dunkin’ Donuts franchisee opened its first non-traditional location at the University of Hawaii in October. A total of 8 restaurants on college and university campuses opened during 2017. Dunkin’ Donuts’ non-traditional offerings are located at a variety of different venues from airports, mass transportation terminals, casinos, resorts, hospitals, stadiums, grocery stores, military bases, and universities. To learn more about Dunkin’ Donuts, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com.

MOSQUITO SQUAD LAUNCHES INTERNATIONAL MARKETS IN EAST AFRICA

Mosquito Squad, the largest and most trusted mosquito and tick control franchise in North America, has announced its global expansion with the launch of its first operation in East Africa through an agreement that covers Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. These are the first international markets for Mosquito Squad, which currently has more than 240 operating territories throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Owned and operated by Fred Rariewa, Mosquito Squad will initially focus on Nairobi, Kenya by providing mosquito protection to areas where pest-born illnesses are prevalent and growing. “We are thrilled to have selected a talented operator to represent

our brand and provide Mosquito Squad service in this important international market. Our presence in East Africa will provide an important community service by helping to prevent citizens in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from being affected by dangerous mosquito-borne illnesses,” said Chris Grandpre, chairman and chief executive officer of Outdoor Living Brands, parent company of Mosquito Squad. “As a long-time financial supporter of Malaria No More, we’ve worked for years to educate and prevent the spread of malaria throughout Africa where more than 425,000 children die every year from this preventable and treatable disease. By bringing our mosquito control services directly to the people of East Africa, we’ll have the opportunity to make an even greater impact.” By providing useful mosquito management knowledge and consistently delivering exceptional services, Mosquito Squad has earned the trust of consumers and continues to experience rapid growth as a result, with over 240 locations nationwide. www.MosquitoSquadFranchise.com

Franchising USA

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Page 23

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Cover Story: Retail Food Group (RFG)

Leading Australian brands heading for US shores Retail Food Group (RFG) is a global food and beverage company, with a network of more than 2,400 outlets across nine Brand Systems spanning over 80 licensed international territories. From humble beginnings in 1989 as the owner and manager of around 50 Donut King and bb’s Café stores, RFG is now Australia’s largest multi-brand retail food franchise owner, developer and manager. RFG has its sights set on expanding its international footprint, with a focus on introducing some of its well-known and muchloved food retail brands – including Donut King, Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar, Brumby’s Bakery, Michel’s Patisserie and Pizza Capers – to American shores. RFG’s presence in America is already represented by its gourmet specialty coffee brands, Gloria Jean’s Coffees, which currently has over 65 coffee houses and It’s A Grind, which has 20-stores in California and two new stores opening over the next two months. Gloria Jean’s Coffees is a brand success story. After opening its first coffee house in Australia in 1996, the Gloria Jean’s Coffees business model was perfected for international growth

Franchising USA

and the footprint has grown to approximately 900 coffee houses worldwide, across over 50 licensed territories. Keeping the brand fresh and relevant to consumers in an ever changing and dynamic retail environment is critical to RFG’s success. RFG has invested considerable resources into researching the ‘Gloria Jean’s of the future’, and in February this year launched a complete brand refresh in Sydney Australia, which is currently being rigorously tested before being rolled-out internationally. The new brand positioning includes a new logo, store design, coffee blends, menu, uniform and more. “We have completed reviewed all aspects of the value chain to ensure that Gloria Jean’s will remain a forerunner in coffee franchising in the future,” said RFG’s Chief Executive – International, Mike Gilbert. “We are particularly excited about launching the Gloria Jean’s Coffee rebrand into the USA market, as we believe it has a unique positioning and modern feel from the store design to the menu, that US consumers will love,” said RFG’s USA President, Sam Ferreira. The Company is also a roaster and supplier of high-quality coffee and affiliated products, operating four coffee roasting facilities, with a fifth under development in the Middle East, that supply Australian and international markets through a suite of wholesale coffee brands.

“Our Brand Systems are leaders in the food retail space in Australia, and they’re ripe for international growth.” - Sam Ferreira

“Sourcing, blending and roasting our own coffee gives us great control over one of the key success factors to our brands, being of course coffee,” said Mr Ferreira. “We have our own coffee roasting facility here in LA which roasts to order, ensuring that high quality espresso coffee is delivered to our consumers time and time again”. RFG’s international expansion model is based on recruiting Master Franchise Partners or Area Developers who purchase a license to develop a certain Brand System in a defined territory. This model provides the Company and local partners with the opportunity to forge sustainable partnerships to successfully develop RFG’s Brand Systems internationally. “RFG considers its international licensees more like business partners. Our international model is collaborative and supportive, and we work with our partners on a broad range of operational matters, including development schedules and growth strategies, as well as marketing and training,” said Mr. Gilbert. “Our Brand Systems are leaders in the food retail space in Australia, and they’re ripe for international growth,” he added. “While we’re always looking for exciting, uncharted new territories, we have already identified the US market as a fantastic fit for us,” said Mr Ferreira. “We’re currently brewing plans to expand both our existing Gloria Jean’s Coffees presence here and bring some of our other brands to the US for the first time.” “While we’re always looking for exciting, uncharted new territories, we have already identified the US market as a fantastic fit for us,” said Mr Ferreira. “We’re currently brewing plans to expand both our existing Gloria Jean’s Coffees and It’s A Grind brand presence here, and bring some of our other brands to the US for the first time.” Donut King, Brumby’s Bakery and Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar are just three core brands that RFG have identified as being ripe for global expansion. All three brands have a strong heritage and are proven franchise models in their home market. “Donut King and Crust have recently been licensed to new partners in the UK market with outlets set to open in 2018,”

“We are particularly excited about launching the Gloria Jean’s Coffee rebrand into the USA market, as we believe it has a unique positioning and modern feel from the store design to the menu, that US consumers will love.” - Sam Ferreira said Mike Gilbert, adding “We are expecting strong growth of these leading brands across the UK and into Europe and are excited to be offering them to the US market as well.” RFG’s President, USA, Sam Ferreira, said the impact of RFG’s expertise in terms of retail, franchising and coffee is instrumental to the brand’s strength. “The backing provided by RFG is world class,” he said. “They have been invaluable in creating a holistic service and support package for new Master and Area Partners joining any one of our nine brand systems, including proven methods in training, marketing, procurement and menu innovation, all of which are centered on supporting Masters in their operations.” www.rfgbrands.com

Franchising USA

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Page 25

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Featu re

b y G i n a G i l l Fr a n c h i s i n g U S A

multi-unit

FRANCHISING FEATURE

Multi-Unit Franchising is a simple concept in which a franchisee owns and operates multiple units within the same area. Sometimes this process is agreed upon immediately and a slow roll out of each unit is scheduled and organized between the

franchisee and franchisor. While other times, a franchisee has already managed a unit and wants to further their profit and responsibility by extending their operations.

Sometimes a franchisee can operated numerous franchises by

applying their knowledge and abilities to each unit successfully and establishing a trustworthy management team to run each business.

Franchising USA

It’s become a more popular concept over the years; however, it takes a lot of investment and funding. If prepared properly, franchisees can use extra profit from one franchise to invest in another. Multi-unit franchise corporations usually only align themselves with successful and well-branded franchises, which makes the success rate more guaranteed and the reliability secured. It’s unlikely that a multi-unit investment would be with an unstable company.

“For those comfortable in their franchise success and looking for opportunity to grow, a multi-unit franchise is one of the easiest and most profitable options, allowing for an eventual work-life balance.”

When considering a franchise investment, it would be wise to ask if the option of multi-unit is available and what the opportunities are for growth and extension before investing. Once a franchisee has a pretty good handle on a single unit, multiplying their investment may be a simple and easy transition, depending on the franchisor. One of the downfalls of multi-unit franchising is definitely the small niche of opportunity. You can’t generate multiple businesses in a specific area when the demand is not available. Sometimes the opportunity you’re looking for might not be in the desired location. Early research in your territory, as well as investigation into the type of multi-unit franchise you’re interested in would be the best first step. Consider whether or not this franchise has performed multi-unit franchises successfully in the past and research how well it performed in comparison to others multi-unit franchises.

New and Fast Moving Brands A great business opportunity for those interested in multi-unit franchising is a new and upcoming business. A small business that found exceptional growth in the first year and began franchising may be looking for someone to manage the opening of multiple units immediately. A lot of restaurants and coffee shop start off small and find their product gains momentum through word of mouth. After a few locations are opened there is a large demand to keep the businesses growing in more locations. This start up gig is a great way to begin multi-unit franchising, if

that is what the franchisor is considering. The business may need a quick turnover that demands back-to-back openings as well as an outside source to franchise the business.

consider expansion when the first unit is functioning on it’s own and successfully. You must be confident in the employees you have hired before moving forward with more investments.

This type of multi-unit may be spread over many locations, which may mean some of your time would be on the road.

Usually a franchisee takes their current brand and franchises it at another location. This is the easiest transition for franchisees because they are familiar with the operating system and product at hand, plus it’s likely that the franchisor was planning to extend the business in other locations.

Though most franchises likely have a great work life balance, a new franchise with multi-unit ownership may have higher hands-on expectations. The investment and hard work would be heavy at the beginning, eventually it would have a great pay off. Taking the time and effort in talent would be extremely helpful. A reliable and experienced staff placed at each unit allows the franchisee to step away and manage all his franchises from a distance.

Same Brand Units Nearly 88 percent of multi-unit operators are in one brand. In order to expand the units, franchisees most prove that the opening of a new location would not hinder their current business. They must also show that they can operate both locations successfully, possibly in different territories. It’s important to only

Franchisors also benefit from having the same franchisee further their brand. Once a franchisor has established a reliable source that can extend their profit and guarantee success, it’s an easy investment on their end as well.

Restaurants Multi-unit owners now control over 75 percent of franchise restaurants, one of the most popular types of business franchises. Restaurants are one of the easiest franchises to start, though it comes with a hefty investment price tag – it is likely a guaranteed success. Restaurants have figured out operating systems, marketing, locations and all the many means involved

Franchising USA

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Page 27

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Featu re

b y G i n a G i l l Fr a n c h i s i n g U S A

“It’s important to only consider expansion when the first unit is functioning on it’s own and successfully. You must be confident in the employees you have hired before moving forward with more investments.” in a successful business. It’s one of the first forms of franchise and a lot of restaurants eventually turn franchise depending on demand. For those interested in multi-unit franchise, it’s easy to invest in numerous restaurants within your own territory, but also running a specific restaurant and later setting it up in another location would be an easy transition. It allows for same brand ownership or different brand ownership. Franchise restaurants don’t leave a lot of room for creativity; they follow a format no matter where they are located. Menus are the same, greetings have the same script, and even layouts can be similar. Though that consistency can be extremely beneficial to those interested in managing multiple units, it makes for a very easy transition. Research and conversation has to happen before considering a restaurant franchise.

Franchising USA

There are so many options that it’s best to take advantage of the wide variety of choice. Some options are extremely successful, while some garner a large profit, while others are easy to run. Develop an understanding of possible choices, while also creating a support group of multi-unit franchisors as a guide. Restaurants tend to have a high turnover rate, and multi-unit franchisees depend on their staff to mainly run the floor. Be prepared to jump in once and awhile when short staffed or when employees are newly trained. Multi-Unit franchises are a great way to invest in multiple businesses with ease and support. The idea has gained more traction over the last century with 53 percent of U.S. franchise units making it a growing trend. It takes a lot of funding, as well as experience and research before being able

to continue the growth into a multi-unit franchise. It’s not going to be much of an option at the beginning of a franchisee’s career but worth consideration at initial investment. For those comfortable in their franchise success and looking for opportunity to grow, a multi-unit franchise is one of the easiest and most profitable options, allowing for an eventual work-life balance. It’s a growing form of franchise that helps franchisees continue their own entrepreneurial growth as well. 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.

Look out for our next special feature:

automotive FRANCHISING

The public and policymakers need to understand franchising. Our purpose

busi n ess serv ices FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Page 29

@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.

Share the tools and resources offered on AtOurFranchise.org/resources

Help us keep the momentum going

Since our launch in June 2016, we’ve reached 1.7 million people through outreach efforts, including events in key cities and states, where we spoke directly with business owners, employees, policymakers, and the media. Additionally, we’ve reached people across America through our website and social media channels, digital advertisements, and the promotion of We the Franchisees on Politico – but there is much more work to do. As a franchisor, franchisee, or franchise vendor, you are a leader in your community – and we need your support, now more than ever.

You beneﬁt by joining

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

Our Franchise

@OurFranchise

This is just the beginning

Make sure you stay up to date with the campaign’s latest efforts through email updates and social media. Visit our website to read and share the latest stories of franchisors and franchisees making an impact in their communities. Become a franchise advocate to help ensure Americans, now and in the future, have the opportunity to start franchise businesses. Take the lead today!

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Expert Advice: Christopher Conner, President of Franchise Marketing Systems

Multi-Unit Franchis Scaling to Success In Franchising, the pinnacle of success as a franchisee is the multi-unit franchise owner. Multi-unit franchising is not for the faint of heart, but more so the hardened, business savvy investor; the courageous business leader who shows no fear. Franchising USA

The difference between a single unit franchise owner and a multi-unit franchise owner is the focus on scalability. Yes, multi-unit franchise owners have access to more capital and generally more business acumen, but what really separates them from those of us who get stuck as operators is the never-ending commitment to scaling a business model.

“Multi-unit franchisees . . . invest in people and look to their staff as being an asset, not an expense. They believe in culture, vision, brand the bigger picture.” unit franchisees and others get stuck in a single location, essentially buying a job? First, the Multi-unit franchisee is not looking at a daily Profit and Loss Statement. They manage with a longer term approach to the business, making decisions initially week to week, then month to month, then quarter to quarter. There is planning incorporated into decision making and in how to manage the business in order to avoid short term “fires” and obstacles that prevent the business from achieving success. A successful multi-unit owner manages from a position of strategy as opposed to fear.

ses:

As a business owner, it many times is easy to get caught up in the small details of what makes the business work day to day and be pulled into $10/hour positions, flipping burgers or mopping the halls. Multi-unit franchisees don’t even let this be a consideration, although they focus on details, they are willing to sacrifice short time profitability for long term gains in the business. They invest in people and look to their staff as being an asset, not an expense. They believe in culture, vision, brand the bigger picture. So why do some people succeed as multi-

Second, the multi-unit franchise owner puts an extreme emphasis on systems and structure as opposed to just dollars. Operational, Marketing and Technology systems are imperative to a successful multi-unit franchise investment. There is a core focus and belief that with good, proven systems and structure, the profitability will soon follow,;short term profitability without systems doesn’t last. When investing in franchises, the training platform, KPI’s, unit level performance, franchise marketing systems and other mechanisms are what drive a franchise investment decision, not short term fads. Third, the multi-unit franchisee appreciates leadership and vision from the franchisor. They want to know, understand and believe in 5, 10 and 20 year plans for the business. They need to see and feel that the franchisor is motivated by long-term success that matches their commitment to the brand. Good multi-unit franchisees generally do not make quick decisions and instead evaluate options carefully and with great scrutiny. Once a strong franchise investment is made, they continue to invest in that brand now that the unit metrics are understood

and the business model is proven. VR Junkies, a virtual reality franchise based in Utah recently sold a Multi-unit franchise offering to Martin Hall, a proven and successful Multi-unit franchise and business owner. The plans include the development of 15 units, with groups of 5 units each to prove consistency. With each five unit group succeeding, the next group will be opened and developed. What attracted Mr. Hall to the VR Junkies brand was the unique market positioning in virtual reality, strong operating systems, simple operating model and a leadership team focused on capturing market share in virtual reality. Multi-unit franchise ownership requires an ability to pull away from emotionallydriven business decision making. Business and franchise owners who act out of fear or emotional swings have a tough time getting out of the day to day business and scaling. The long term benefits of multiunit franchising have been proven to be enormously profitable for some – in fact, people have launched public companies of multi-unit franchise chains and build massive organizations using the model. When it comes to franchising, it pays to think from the perspective of scale. 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. www.franchisemarketingsystems.com

Chris Conner

Franchising USA

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Page 31

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Expert Advice: Peter Hans, President, Discovery Map International

Why Not Two Franchises? “Just remember that the first order of business is always getting franchise number one up and running smoothly— and profitably--before considering expansion or another franchise opportunity.”

Peter Hans

“Let’s play two”. That’s how baseball Hall of Famer Ernie Banks responded to a beautiful day for baseball. That’s also the thought process of many franchise owners whose businesses get off to a good start. Yet before planning a second franchise, it’s important for franchise owners to make sure some ducks are in a row with the first.

Franchising USA

If you’re a location-based business—e.g. dry cleaner, restaurant, etc.—you want to get through your grand opening and be turning a profit. You want to have a good sense of the buzz about your business from customers. Comments like, “we have so desperately needed this service in this area” or “I wish we had one of these in my town” or something along those lines are things you want to note. Most importantly, you want to smooth out the operational hiccups before entertaining expansion plans. Some things you will want to consider: • What’s the current state of the commercial real estate market? – Are rents currently high? You may want to wait on expansion. Maybe there’s an area you are targeting that’s on the rise and you can get in low? • Do you have enough employees? If you’re hands-on in your current franchise, how can you be two places at once? The answer is you can’t. That’s why having reliable and dependable staff is a must to help run at least one of your locations. Or maybe your current

staff will be part of both locations? You may have to hire for both locations. • What about a loan? Will the bank that helped you secure funding work with you again? If not, what’s your alternative? • Family support – Many franchise opportunities are quite demanding and can impose on family time. Is your family okay with that? Will they be part of your staff/support for an additional location? This can be a particularly important conversation if your spouse or older children want to help but have other interests they want to pursue. Considering these things is very important before taking a next step. For home-based franchises, you don’t have the challenge of finding a second physical location. You do need to have your operations and systems in place to accommodate the additional work. For example, let’s say a franchisee has Springfield, Massachusetts as its territory and wants to add Amherst, Massachusetts. Much like a franchise with a storefront, the systems need to be in place to make

“Before planning a second franchise, it’s important for franchise owners to make sure some ducks are in a row with the first.”

the first franchise successful. That could be something as simple as a set schedule: Mondays and Thursdays are for sales calls; Tuesday is for administrative work; Wednesdays are for networking groups; Fridays are to visit existing clients, etc. If the Springfield, Massachusetts franchise owner wants to add the Amherst, Massachusetts franchise, he/she will have to first plan how to manage the same activities for two locations. It also presumes the Springfield territory is up and running smoothly with enough revenue to sustain things while building up Amherst.

franchise owner is to purchase a different franchise that complements your current one. For example, the restaurant owner purchases a dry-cleaning franchise. In addition to the restaurant being able to utilize the services of the dry-cleaning franchise, there are cross promotional opportunities (e.g. dry-cleaning customers receive coupons off their next meal at Restaurant Y; Restaurant Y customers receive 10 percent of their next drycleaning order).

unit franchise owner, there are many ways to skin the proverbial cat. Just remember that the first order of business is always getting franchise number one up and running smoothly—and profitably--before considering expansion or another franchise opportunity.

Now, the presumption is that the franchise owner takes on all the duties for both locations. That might not be plausible. Maybe the franchise owner hires a bookkeeper or other back office staff, so he/she can focus on what he/she does best, sell. When it comes to being a multi-unit franchise owner, there are many ways to get the job done.

Different franchise opportunities can be complementary in other ways as well. For example, our franchise owners often work seasonally. So, they work hard for four to six months and can ease up for the rest of the year. That means they could pursue additional locations within our system and set it up to run when the other location is slow. Or, they could find a different franchise opportunity to run year-round and figure out a system for the months when our franchise is front and center.

Peter Hans has served as the President of Discovery Map International since 2005. In addition, he is a member of and has had an interest in Flagship Associates, LLC, which is a Vermont limited liability company and real estate holding company in Waitsfield, Vermont, from July 2003 to the present as well as being a managing member of Berkley Holdings, LLC, a Waitsfield, Vermont limited liability company and real estate holding company, from June 2007 to the present. In 2017, Hans became a partner in Discovery Map POI, a franchisor of map locations across Slovenia and into neighboring countries across Europe.

Another way to become a multi-unit

As you can see, if you want to be a multi-

www.discoverymap.com

Franchising USA

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Page 33

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Expert Advice: Josh Allen, Director of Marketing at Location3

It is more important than ever for franchise brands to take the reins in managing the presence of every one of their locations online. As mobile adoption rates and online user activity on mobile devices continue to grow at an exponential rate, franchise businesses have an opportunity to capture the interest of potential customers on mobile and drive them in-store to make a purchase. However, in order to maximize the reach of your business locations online, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to consider the key factors that make them discoverable by consumers.

Your Local Digital Footprint

Are Your Franchise Locations Discoverable Online? From a local search marketing (non-paid) perspective, these factors are broken down into two primary categories: (1.) Local Business Listings (i.e. Google My Business / Google Maps) and (2.) Local Organic Search Results. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a look at some of the fundamental tactics your franchise can start implementing today within each of these categories to ensure your brand and locations are front and center in capturing the attention of online users.

Franchising USA

“In addition to local business listings, your franchises have the opportunity to rank prominently in local organic search results if your website and franchise pages are structured properly.” Local Business Listings Each year, a group of digital and local search marketing industry experts and thought leaders compile the definitive report outlining the top factors that contribute to your business’ ranking in search engines like Google, and other directories. It’s no secret that the actual proximity of the online user to your physical business has a significant impact on whether or not your location appears in the user’s results. However, proximity isn’t the only factor that impacts how/ when/where your franchise shows up. First and foremost, it’s critical that the primary “NAP” information (Name, Address, Phone) is accurate for each and every one of your franchises. That’s simply table stakes for ranking well. Second, it’s important that your business locations are categorized accurately for every location using Google My Business Categories. In selecting categories, it’s important to be specific while also ensuring they are representative of your actual business. For example, instead of selecting a broader category like “Salon”, it may be more impactful to select “Dry Bar” or “Nail salon” instead. Because you can select more than one category, the primary category of choice should be most relevant. If you have a coffee shop that is an extension of your restaurant, you might choose “Family restaurant” as your primary category and “coffee shop” as an additional category. After populating your franchise business listings with the correct NAP information and accurately categorizing each one, it’s important to incorporate robust content like hours of operation, brand logo, website URL, quality images, and other information that can serve to create a quality experience for your potential customer. Speaking of

the customer, don’t forget to regularly read and respond to your customer reviews! Not only is this a best practice for improved customer service, data shows that a higher rate of positive reviews and a higher rate of review response by the franchise owner can help your listings rank higher and ahead of your competition.

Local Organic Search Results In addition to local business listings, your franchises have the opportunity to rank prominently in local organic search results if your website and franchise pages are structured properly. A comprehensive Local SEO strategy is needed to establish a sound technical foundation for your website, while also incorporating franchise location pages and hyper-local content that is relevant to users, market-by-market. If you’re planning to create location pages, it’s important to build them as an extension of your brand website using what is called a “Subdirectory” (NOT “Subdomain”.) An example of what this looks like from a URL structure: www. mybrand.com/denver/store-123. The reason for using a Subdirectory is that it allows each franchise page to leverage the pre-existing search ranking authority already established by the brand website URL. Subdomain architecture (i.e. denver.mybrand.com) simply does not allow your location pages to tap into this valuable ranking factor. In addition to site hierarchy, it’s important to approach each franchise page much like a business listing and firmly establish local content like NAP information, hours of operation and specific products/services offered at each franchise. You can then layer on content that is more personalized for each franchise like specific menu information, community engagements and more. Lastly,

Josh Allen

once your location pages are live, be sure to take those unique location URLs and implement them on your business listings for even greater local search integration.

In Summary When it comes to helping your franchises capture the valuable attention of online consumers, start by focusing on your Local Business Listings and developing franchise location pages that are not only an extension of your website, but truly an extension of your business. In using a consistent approach to implementing key business information system-wide, while also providing a localized experience for each franchise when appropriate, you can own more search result real estate and help send customers to your business before they find the competition. As Director of Marketing, Josh Allen is responsible for planning, developing and managing Location3 and LOCALACT brand strategies, with a focus on establishing new business partnerships among franchise systems and multilocation brands. He also works with Location3 client partners to establish key initiatives for increased franchise engagement and growth. He is an active member of the International Franchise Association and has previously been featured by the American Marketing Association, Franchise Update Media, MediaPost and more discussing franchise digital marketing strategy. www.location3.com/franchise-digitalmarketing

Franchising USA

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Page 35

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Expert Advice: Alex Wilkes, General Manager, Pearle Vision

Growing your Fra with Area Development Programs

Franchise growth will remain a top priority for brands year after year, but strategies vary among franchisors. Although there are several ways to ignite expansion, a well-planned area development program has the potential to propel large-scale growth throughout a sustained period of time. Franchising USA

Rather than signing one unit or two unit deals, a traditional area development program involves awarding large territories for individual franchisees to open multiple locations within the regions they are granted rights to develop. A little more than a year ago, after several months of planning our comprehensive area development go-to market strategy, Pearle Vision introduced the program to our franchise system as well as our new franchisee prospects. We implemented a more traditional program, the type that awards franchisees the opportunity to own several locations within the region they obtain the rights to develop. As we ignite expansion through carefully selected strategic growth initiatives, we

are encouraged by the initial success and positive response to our area development program. Now, we are expanding on the program, as it has become one of our most important vehicles for growth. Similar to Pearle Vision, as your brand continues to evolve, here are three notable benefits you may also find from incorporating an area development program into your franchise growth strategy.

1. Unified Operations In business, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imperative to have consistency across all aspects of operations. Though, in franchising, uniformity often becomes more difficult to control as more independent business

anchise “An area development plan can facilitate operational consistency by offering franchisors a smoother training process and ensuring there is a well-structured business plan put in place across a particular region.” Alex Wilkes

owners are added to the mix. An area development plan can facilitate operational consistency by offering franchisors a smoother training process and ensuring there is a well-structured business plan put in place across a particular region. By working with a single operator or operator team as an area developer, your franchise can better maintain an operational consistency in high-quality customer experience at the local level, which can have a positive effect on the brand’s reputation as a whole. Our area development program was designed to be an enticing “win-win” for the area developer and the brand. In exchange for a per-unit development fee, area developers receive limited exclusive rights to their territory and a reduced royalty fee, which provides the potential for a strong return on their investment. We are able to offer flexible development plans of five to 20-units. Having enticing incentives helps franchisors better attract developers who can grow a single region and enhance operational consistency.

2. Qualified Franchise Partners to Depend On In order to maintain a strong culture across the franchise system, franchisors only seek individuals that fit their brand’s criteria. If your company has unique requirements for prospective partners, such as industry certifications or notable net worth, your franchise may have a

smaller pool of qualified candidates. Thus, if you’re signing a skilled franchisee that fits your criteria and has an eagerness to grow the brand, your system can benefit from offering the individual an area development deal to open multiple locations across a larger territory. Recognizing the benefits of reserving large geographic territories through our area development program, two of our seasoned franchisees were early adopters who now own large territories in the Phoenix and Tampa markets. As an area developer, they have an opportunity to maintain a growth schedule and reach their entrepreneurial ambitions.

3. Attainable Growth Projections Once you’ve secured a dependable area developer to grow a particular region, your team will spend less time vetting through additional prospective franchise partners for that area. With talented area developers in place, franchisor teams can focus on developing additional new territories and dedicate resources to other needs within the company. In turn, the franchise will likely have less time between location openings in the area developers region and you’ll be able be to establish a routine and solid relationship with the franchisee. Plus, when only one franchisee is involved in the development schedule, the owner will often choose to work with the same set of local vendors throughout the build-out process, from site selection to opening day.

Ideally, if a lesser number of third parties are added into the mix, the projected growth plan stays on course. As your area developer reaches the fourth or fifth location, the procedure becomes simpler for everyone involved. Our strategy to award large development territories to skilled franchisees has provided steady, predictable expansion in communities through our key growth markets. In just over a year, our area developers in Tampa and Phoenix are already benefiting from the support structures, decreased royalties and growth schedules as they continue to open additional units in their region. As you strategize your own development plans, I encourage you to further contemplate area development programs to drive your franchise’s growth for years to come. Alex Wilkes has been General Manager for Pearle Vision since March 2016, and recently guided the company through the launch of the brand’s area development program, which has already produced growth results in the Tampa and Phoenix markets. Established as one of Pearle Vision’s key pillars for growth, the benefits to entrepreneurs of the area development program include limited exclusive rights to their territory and a reduced royalty fee. www.ownapearlevision.com.

Franchising USA

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Page 37

mu lt i-un i t FR A NCHISI NG FE AT U RE

Profile: Miracle Method Surface Refinishing

Long-Time Employee Takes Ownership of Miracle Method of Charlotte Miracle Method Surface Refinishing, the nation’s largest professional bathroom and kitchen refinishing franchise, announces Miracle Method of Charlotte has a new owner, but he’s no stranger to the business. For 15 years, Armando Garcia has worked at Miracle Method of Charlotte, working his way up from employee to general manager. Now, he’s the owner. “I’m excited about the opportunity. During my time here, I’ve enjoyed working with people, and I know firsthand that we have a product of great value that helps customers save money and keeps smiles on their faces,” said new franchise owner, Armando Garcia. Miracle Method of Charlotte offers kitchen and bathroom surface refinishing and specializes in bathtubs, tile, and countertops. They serve Charlotte and the surrounding areas, including Cherryville, Concord, Denver, Fort Mill, Gastonia, Hickory, Huntersville, Lincolnton, Matthews, Mint Hill, Mooresville, Rock Hill, and Shelby. Garcia purchased the franchise last month after 15 years of experience under the previous owner. He plans to bring a fresh perspective, while maintaining the strong work ethic and company values. “I like the fact that I can bring my family into the business and mold a future generation to understand that with hard

Franchising USA

Miracle Method of Charlotte’s new owner Armando Garcia and son Alec

work and commitment, you can create a business that will stand strong through the years,” Garcia said. Gwyn O’Kane, VP of franchise development said, “This is a great example of the ideal opportunity Miracle Method offers as a franchise. The exiting owner has a great business to sell and in this instance they are selling to a long term employee who can carry on the legacy of great service. For Armando it is the opportunity to take all his years of experience working for Miracle Method and now run his own business forging a promising future for his family. It is not unusual for employees of Miracle Method to start a new franchise location, but in Armando’s case he was able to secure the one he was familiar with.” Miracle Method has been offering an affordable alternative to kitchen and bathroom replacement for more than 38 years, and is the fastest growing company of its kind with a 73 percent increase in sales over the last six years. Entrepreneur magazine ranked them No. 1 in their category on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list. They are also listed as a Top 50 Franchise for franchise owner satisfaction

by Franchise Business Review. Miracle Method of Charlotte is located at 4301- R Stuart Andrew Blvd., Charlotte, North Carolina, 28217. To find out more, call 704-676-4976 or visit miraclemethod. com/charlotte.

About Miracle Method Surface Refinishing Miracle Method is the nation’s largest bathroom and kitchen surface refinishing franchise, with 140+ locations throughout the U.S. Founded in 1979, Miracle Method specializes in tub, ceramic tile, and countertop refinishing and strives to constantly improve their areas of expertise. The award-winning franchisor was listed on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500® list in 2018 and is also an actively participating member of Vet Fran. Miracle Method’s franchise owners all live in the markets they serve and pride themselves on being independent, local small business owners building outstanding reputations in their communities. To learn more about franchise opportunities, visit fss.miraclemethod.com or call 877-434-5096.

A uniquely FLAVORFUL FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY

Pollo Campero has served flavorful chicken made with our original family recipe since 1971. Our menu includes fried, grilled, and boneless chicken for wholesome, customizable, easy-to-share meals. Join our family!

Compounded Annual Sales Growth of 12% for the past six years 25 best fast-food chains in America – #6 Business Insider Over 350 restaurants system-wide with rapid expansion plans in 2018 and beyond

Learn more about franchising with Pollo Campero at CAMPERO.COM/FRANCHISING

POLLO CAMPERO Franchising USA : 7”x4.875”

JEJAK GRAPHICS is a freelance graphic design business based in Melbourne, Australia working with clients worldwide. With over 20 years experience in the design and print industry specialising in magazine layout and advert design as well as offering a number of other graphic design services including: t "EWFSU EFTJHO t $PSQPSBUF TUBUJPOFSZ t #SPDIVSFT BOE nZFST t 1PTUFS BOE CBOOFS EFTJHO

Adverts

t &EVDBUJPOBM NBOVBMT t 4QPSUT QSPHSBNT t .POUIMZ OFXTMFUUFST t 8FCTJUF FNBJM BOE TPDJBM NFEJB CBOOFST Artwork is tailored to your brand and focused on your message and target audience. No job is too big or small.

Stationery

Posters

$POUBDU NF UPEBZ UP EJTDVTT IPX +FKBL (SBQIJDT can make your company or organisation leave ‘a lasting impression’.

JEJAK GRAPHICS

a lasting impression

03 5977 8804 | 04222 676 39 jejak@bigpond.com EXAMPLES: www.issuu.com/jejakgraphics

Logos

Manuals

ex per t advice

George Knauf, Senior Franchise Business Advisor, FranChoice

Who is a Good Fit to Own a Franchise? Used to be that the most typical franchise buyer was a white male, mid 50â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to 60 years old, college degree, married, middle management, frustrated with his job and wanting a modest retirement income from an owner operated business. That is now just one of many types of franchise candidates. The dissolving of the old social contract

Franchising USA

between employees and employers where if a person went to college they would get a good job and if they worked hard they would keep that job, then after a certain number of years they could retire and do what they really wanted to do all along (but rarely did)â&#x20AC;Ś That social change has been a massive game changer! Now the people we work with daily are the best and brightest in the country. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always leave their jobs, at least right away. What some do is to keep pursuing a corporate career track but we begin a parallel line of portfolio development where they own a manager run business and keep adding units. Some immediately jump in full time. A recent candidate was the President of a Billion dollar investment fund. He went through our process and quit his very

secure job (where he hated his boss) to run his franchise. The key is the franchise model. Not everyone can, or wants to, reinvent the wheel. The candidate above has awesome skills; he just wanted to mitigate risk and get all the advantages of a proven system with all of the resources a franchise company offers. My theory on Entrepreneurship vs Franchising: At some point everyone that is successful hires experts. Entrepreneurs bootstrap their start-up, build cash flow, grow their business and if they are successful they eventually bring in experts to fine tune the parts of the business that they ran on entrepreneurial chutzpa in the absence of expertise in that

“What kind of person gets involved with a franchise? . . . Short answer: Anyone that has a drive to control their destiny and can follow a proven system.” • Drive to control your destiny and create the life you have always wanted • Skills from your corporate business apprenticeship: Management, sales, marketing, etc (not expert at all, just solid business skills and we will figure out where to make best use of them) • The willingness to follow a proven system (some people won’t, even if they know it works) • Money is always a point of discussion but we have one franchise company that can get people going with the most modest financial commitment we have ever seen on up to people that commit millions of dollars. • There are also great funding approaches from 401K rollovers to SBA loans that can ease that part of the process What kind of person gets involved with a franchise? • People tired of job insecurity and pay gaps • Anyone that has been downsized particular area. Their goals often focus on building a successful business that they enjoy running. Franchise owners hire all their experts up front. Their goals often focus on building a successful business that they enjoy running as well. Because they always have someone to call for help they tend to sleep better at night, have more time with their family and enjoy the business growth process more. They build a revenue stream that remains in their community and assets that grow within the community as well. The employees they hire also have an impact on the community. We see huge personal changes as people move from detached global operative to connected local business owner. So, with all the experts at your finger tips, what does it take to be a franchise owner?

• Successful corporate executives • People seeking their perfect lifestyle • Moms returning to the workforce • Millennials wanting to create cash flow with their own stamp on it

George Knauf

• Anyone that thinks businesses might offer better tax advantages • And much more Short answer: Anyone that has a drive to control their destiny and can follow a proven system. Does everyone fit every franchise? NO! Franchise systems are often built around certain skills or personas. In our company we match the person (or investment fund) to their perfect franchise based on certain criteria that paint a picture of their skills, strengths, likes, dislikes, how they want to work and what their goals are… and all in a particular period of time. So the franchises that are best fits for you today might be different than what you need 5 years from now. Bet you expected just the short answer… I love talking about this stuff! What is your success story? Let’s go find it!

• People that want to grow their communities

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.

• People that want to create local jobs

www.myperfectfranchise.com

• Current owners of businesses looking to grow their portfolio • Investment funds looking to diversify with the benefits these brands offer • Investors (stock market, bonds, real estate, really anything) • People tired of being road warriors • Parents with kids at important stages of life

Franchising USA

ex per t advice

Page 41

ex per t advice

Jeff Grandfield and Dale Willerton, The Lease Coach

Buying vs. L Commercial

Pros and Franchise

The most common reason franchise tenants lease space instead of buying a location is because of availability – or a lack thereof – with 95 percent of all commercial space available for lease and not for sale.

a strata title unit, small strip plazas or centers where you’re now a landlord to other tenants as well, or standalone buildings on a small parcel of land. Major factors that impact this decision for the average commercial tenant are the longterm commitment of purchasing a building and the ability to obtain the financing.

If you are in an enviable position to purchase property there are several opportunities available to you: a business condo where you occupy the one unit,

Paying a mortgage is better that paying rent. Lease payments last for the entire duration of your lease, but your mortgage will eventually be paid off. Often, your

Franchising USA

For those commercial franchise tenants able to purchase, here are a few pros and cons to consider:

Pros:

mortgage payment may be very close to your rent obligation. In most cases, you will gain equity in your property. Over the course of time, your property may double – or even triple – in value. This increase in value is in addition to the value of your business contained within the property. You’re in charge. You don’t have to deal with the hassles of a landlord or property manager.

Cons: There may be some sacrifice on location, because many of the prime locations may not be available for purchase.

“When you’re looking for the right property, having a checklist of desirable criteria can help you stay on track.”

Leasing l Space:

d Cons for e Tenants

If you’re vacating an existing location (with regular customers, leasehold improvements, and fixtures in place), you may be leaving a great opportunity for a competitor to move into your location. Being in charge is a con as well as a pro. When you purchase property, you’re the one responsible for all repairs and maintenance that a landlord would normally handle. When making the decision to purchase or lease commercial space, don’t make the decision to buy simply for the sake of owning real estate. Only consider purchasing a space or property if you would be prepared to lease that same location anyway.

Also, when deciding to purchase or lease, remember to think outside of the box. What we mean here is consider all opportunities – both conventional and unconventional. We live in an “anything goes” or “whatever works” society and that philosophy often applies to business locations as well. A major restaurant chain located near The Lease Coach office went under and the freestanding building was quickly snapped up by a group of doctors for new office space. A former residential property can be converted into a hair salon or massage clinic. Another tenant moves in where a fitness facility failed and so on. There are both conventional and unconventional opportunities for every business industry. Perhaps a trophy location will make sense for your franchised business? This is a specific unit that outshines all the other spaces for lease or purchase in a property because of its prominence and visibility. Trophy locations do not sell or lease cheaply; however, for some franchise tenants, having a trophy location can make their business far more conspicuous. But do all franchise tenants need to be located in the same type of buildings? Of course not. You need to evaluate every type of building or property that is available because its unique qualities can represent the 20 percent advantage your need to be successful over your competitors.

For a copy of our free CD, Leasing Do’s & Don’ts for Franchise Tenants, please e-mail your request to JeffGrandfield@ TheLeaseCoach.com. Dale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield The Lease Coach are Commercial Lease Consultants who work exclusively for tenants. Dale and Jeff are professional speakers and co-authors of Negotiating Commercial Leases & Renewals FOR DUMMIES (Wiley, 2013). Got a leasing question? Need help with your new lease or renewal? Call 1-800-738-9202, e-mail DaleWillerton@TheLeaseCoach.com or visit www.TheLeaseCoach.com.

Franchising USA

ex per t advice

Page 43

Want to stay on top of the latest news and whats happening at the forefront of franchising?

Franchising USA THE MAGAZINE FOR FRANCHISEES

Subscribe to Franchising USAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newsletter and receive all the latest franchising news delivered straight to your inbox, every week!

To subscribe visit: www.franchisingusamagazine.com

Page 45

Veterans in Franchising april 2018

www.franchisingusamagazine.com

s.t.o.p.

franchise giveaway

7 questions

to ask your employees every quarter

franchise Fee Discount for Veterans 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.

• 650 franchise companies participating • 151,000 veterans and their spouses found careers in the franchise industry • 5,100 veteran franchise owners

Page 47

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 2018 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

48 STOP: Franchise Giveaway

52 DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen

50 7 Questions to Ask Your Employees Every Quarter

54 United Franchise Group

54 Franchise Fee Discount for Veterans

Expert Advice 50 7 Questions to Ask Your Employees Every Quarter Chris Hallberg, Author of The Business Sergeantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Field Manual

Franchising USA

V e t er ans i n Fr anch isi ng

cover story: Service Team of Professionals

FREE FRANCHISE GIVEAWAY AnnounceD BY SERVICE TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS

Service Team of Professionals (STOP), provides premier water, smoke, fire, mold and bio/environmental damage restoration services to residential and commercial clients across the country. The STOP brand has been built on a foundation of customer service and technical expertise with our experience reaching back four decades in the cleaning and restoration industry.

Veteran Support Normally, STOP shows its commitment to veteran business ownership by offering a discount of $4800 on the initial franchise fee. As part of our ongoing efforts to

Franchising USA

honor veterans, STOP has announced its VETERAN FRANCHISE GIVEAWAY. STOP will grant a 100% discount on the initial franchise fee (normally $48,000). The men and women with military service often exemplify the very core values that STOP looks for in prospective franchisees. STOP is proud to currently have 5 veteranowned franchises. The franchise giveaway will go to one qualified U.S. military veteran. The contest is open to all retired (or soon-toretire) service members and honorably discharged veterans from any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. Starting April 15, 2018 with an entry deadline of June 15, 2018, STOP is inviting prospective franchisees to register on our website. Veterans must visit www. stoprestorationfranchising.com/become an owner/ and submit a completed ‘Request for Consideration.’ In the comments section of the form, please reference “veterans’ giveaway.” Applicants will

“The contest is open to all retired (or soon-to-retire) service members and honorably discharged veterans from any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.” receive an email with contest rules and the required steps to complete their entry. *Additional capital will be required to start your franchise location.

STOP Teamwork We rely on our STOP franchise owners to deliver consistently exceptional results and customer service. In return, we offer unmatched support, a proven business model in a recession-resistant industry and the opportunity to own and build a business that helps residential and commercial property owners in each community we serve. If this sounds like

“We are looking for those that are confident, competitive, team builders, want to help others, managementminded and willing to learn new things.”

your kind of culture, we can train and guide you – and no prior restoration or construction experience is needed to excel with STOP.

History of STOP STOP began as a business consulting firm that served the restoration industry from 1971-2008 and began seeking start-up franchisees in 2008. STOP grants large territories and currently has 34 franchised units nationwide. STOP provides its franchisees with the tools they need to succeed, including extensive training and support, and three conventions each year. With decades of success stories, it is safe to call STOP a proven business model that’s scalable to suit one’s lifestyle. STOP’s trained and incredibly supported franchisees understand how stressful water, smoke, fire, mold and biohazard damage can be. Experience and training make the restoration process as easy as possible. The word “team” is in our name and is the foundation of STOP’s culture. Since inception, STOP has earned respect for our technical capabilities, uniform branding, and of course, our dedicated franchisees to create one of North America’s top property damage restoration franchises. To date, they’ve helped an estimated 170,000 home and business owners get back on their feet after the devastation of fire, water, smoke, mold and biohazard damage. Our focus has been on these ordinary home and business owners

since the beginning. As one’s business scales, institutional and larger commercial work can be targeted as well.

What are we looking for, and what do we offer? We are looking for those that are confident, competitive, team builders, want to help others, management-minded and willing to learn new things. No prior restoration or construction experience is needed. Our franchise owners represent a diverse group of men and women. Some come from a background in water damage restoration. Other times, this industry is brand new to them. Either way, the STOP brand offers extensive training in management, marketing and technical areas, an established reputation, name recognition, and credibility, putting our franchisees far ahead of independent business owners trying to start from scratch. We are committed to helping our franchisees be the best they can be and provide them with the training and tools they need to grow and succeed. When you become a property restoration franchise owner with STOP, you’ll start with written goals and timelines for achieving those goals. Your training and ongoing support will provide everything you need to hit the ground running. We make owning your own business easier than ever with clear-cut steps to ownership

and a low initial investment. The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Service Team of Professionals Franchise business ranges from $78,400 to $138,500. With solid business and marketing planning, you can launch a STOP franchise with a limited amount of equipment, no shop (work from home), and few to no employees. All new STOP franchisees get over 26 days of training in the first year, which includes: • Six days of Initial Training • 13 days of industry “certified” technical training • 6 days of on-going training (at our three annual conventions) • 12 hours – estimating software training In addition to our first-year training program and annual conventions, we offer our franchisees unlimited support via on-call consulting. We understand that many people choose franchising because they want that dedicated support and collaboration, and that’s what our on-call consulting is all about. Whenever there’s a question, a need for guidance, or a refresh on specific training, our team is just a phone call away. With more than 40 years of industry experience, we offer our franchisees proven strategies designed to help achieve success in the property restoration business. In fact, in the most recent calendar year, our “five-years plus” franchisees averaged over $1,300,000 in sales. When you join STOP, we’re dedicated to helping you succeed! www.stoprestorationfranchising.com/ become an owner

Franchising USA

V e t er ans i n Fr anch isi ng

Page 49

V e t er ans i n Fr anch isi ng

Expert Advice: Chris Hallberg, author of The Business Sergeant’s Field Manual

7 Questions

to Ask Your Employees Every Quarter Most leaders (the less than great ones) can become afraid of learning their employees’ true feelings towards the company and its overall structure. In turn, they shy away from even initiating such conversations and asking the important questions. Chris Hallberg

Franchising USA

Strong leaders, on the other hand, happily ask these questions with an eye on

making things better for their team. When everyone is heard and acknowledged, only then can a leader make the right decisions and give each employee what he or she needs. If you don’t ask, who will?

1. What is your overall satisfaction with your team? This question is pretty straightforward, but perhaps the most powerful. As a manager, it allows you to gain access to the big picture—providing key understanding on what’s working and what isn’t, directly from your staff. It’s no secret that dissatisfaction with overall team performance is a primary reason for top talent to exit. Taking the initiative to ask your employees for feedback, and

“When everyone is heard and acknowledged, only then can a leader make the right decisions and give each employee what he or she needs. If you don’t ask, who will?” tools to compete and win? Do you train them in new skills and technologies that allow them to be more effective?

3. How well does your leader hold you accountable? This is very important to a highperformance culture. Highly engaged and highly accountable teams outperform those who lack both. When you have the right people in the right seats, the best employees don’t mind being held accountable for their actions and their results. Those standards are what make them feel “elite.” After all, who wants to be part of a team that anyone can be a part of? If they are accountable, they know others are held accountable too, and that’s one of the main ingredients to employees giving their best day in and day out.

4. How well does your leader hold OTHERS accountable?

frequently, will not only provide you with valuable insight, but put you in a position to rectify concerns before the damage is done.

2. How well does your leader do with supporting and developing you? (Consider time, tools and training.) One of the top responses on employee satisfaction surveys, across the board, is how well we do with making our people a better version of themselves. If you are not actively investing in your employees, they will eventually move on to find someone who will. Do you give them enough of your time? Do you give them the right

This question smokes out if your employees feel like there is any favoritism or double standards in play at your company. Obviously, you want to treat everyone on the team the same, but sometimes that doesn’t happen. Oftentimes you’ll discover that leadership and the “favorites” get a pass and the troops get the stick. When leaders are held to a higher standard and not a special one, you’ll find that it’s much easier to get buy-in and acceptance for so many things that seem tough to get. This is particularly relevant to family-owned businesses, where your last name matters more than it should.

to get hired. My company is world-class!” Or would the conversation be more like, “Well, if you can get past a ton of B.S., politics and red tape, you can grind out a living just like I do!”

6. Do you feel adequately recognized for your contributions to the team? This is another top response that I see on employee satisfaction surveys. Employees work hard, sometimes stay late, give their all and go above and beyond. If they aren’t recognized for these sacrifices, they will usually stop these activities because they don’t seem to matter. Sometimes others unjustly steal credit for their work, or leaders are simply oblivious to their contributions. What is your format to make sure this doesn’t happen at your company?

7. How likely are you to seek advancement at your company? This is a great way to identify your next leaders. It also speaks to how your leaders are perceived by the staff. If they feel your managers are a bit of a joke, are clueless and cannot imagine themselves being one of those types, you might have a bigger issue on your hands. Not everyone wants to be a leader, and that is perfectly OK. If they say no, ask why, but don’t try to “sell” management to them. It’s better to understand what their reasons are and to respect them.

5. How likely are you to recommend your company to a friend that is looking for work?

The sum of all of these questions together will give you valuable information on where you are doing well and where needs immediate attention. If you ask these 10 questions every 90 days, you can compare your team’s last quarter responses and spot any problem areas before things get too caustic to your beloved culture. Again, if you don’t ask, you are guessing and that might not work out well for you or for your team!

This is like the Net Promoter Score for you as a leader, and for the company at large. If they were at a BBQ with their friends on a weekend and the topic came up, how do you think your team would respond? Would your employee say, “You’d be lucky

Chris Hallberg, ranked #9 on Inc.’s “Top 50 Leadership and Management Experts,” is a seasoned business consultant, turnaround expert, United States Army veteran, and author of The Business Sergeant’s Field Manual.

Franchising USA

V e t er ans i n Fr anch isi ng

Page 51

V e t er ans i n Fr anch isi ng

Profile: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen

DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen a Military Times Top Franchise for Vets “the best options” for veterans interested in franchising.

Don Dwyer Sr., the father of DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen President Doug Dwyer, founded the IFA’s VetFran program. It is one of his many enduring legacies.

DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen has been recognized as one of the best franchises for veterans by Military Times. The remodeling franchise was named a Top Franchise for Veterans based on a number of factors, including the company’s culture, performance, costs and the support it offers current and former service members and their families. The list features 53 franchises that are considered

Franchising USA

“The franchise brands on this list make the extra effort for their veteran and military-connected franchisees,” said George Altman, the Military Times editor in charge of the rankings. “They earned their places on these rankings through their dedication to current and former service members, and their efforts should get the attention of veterans considering their launching a franchise.” DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen was founded as Worldwide Refinishing Systems by Don Dwyer Sr, the creator of the International Franchise Association’s VetFran Program. A Vietnam veteran, he started the Vet Fran Program after the Gulf War to help veterans across the country become business owners through franchising. Today, the franchise is known as DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen and is run by his son, Doug Dwyer, who prefers the titles of Chief Stewarding Officer (CSO) to CEO. He notes that while the discount is a small acknowledgement of the sacrifice and dedication of service members, it pays great dividends, adding that veterans make excellent franchise owners. The exact traits that they learn and express through their

service — dedication, honor, commitment to excellence, leadership, attention to detail, perseverance, camaraderie — are the same traits that help a business owner succeed, especially when they are able to work with proven systems and enjoy training and ongoing support. “If you are a veteran, first of all, thank you,” he said. “We owe you a tremendous debt. Without the efforts of you and your fellow service members, we wouldn’t enjoy the freedoms that have allowed us to build a growing business based on Biblical principles. DreamMaker is working to make lives better for veterans, whether they need help remodeling, or are looking for a new career.” In addition to offering service members and veterans a $5,000 discount, VetFran provides other incentives, mentoring and education about franchise ownership. The program has helped more than 5,000 veterans become franchise business owners since 2010, according to the International Franchise Association. DreamMaker is no stranger to veteran outreach. Many DreamMaker franchise owners have remodeled homes for disabled veterans — creating more accessible baths and kitchens, and backyard decks with ramps instead of stairs. At the same

time, the company has created a path for veterans to move into skilled trades and to become franchise owners. One such veteran franchise owner is Air Force Veteran Nate Coombs, Owner of DreamMaker of Ogden, Utah. The father of three is committed to making homes safer for veterans, and notes that there are grant programs to help disable veterans remodel their homes for greater accessibility. “Disabled veterans and seniors often face obstacles in their homes as they age, and it takes someone with universal design

expertise to help them start making life a little easier,” he says. “It always amazes me that many small changes in homes can be huge for veterans and seniors,” he said. Several of DreamMaker’s most successful franchisees come from backgrounds outside the construction and remodeling industry. DreamMaker’s business systems, coaching and support help people learn the business and thrive. And business is good. DreamMaker unit store sales growth has increased by more than 80 percent over the past six years

Times, Air Force Times and Marine Corps Times. The company is part of Sightline Media Group, a Regent company. The rankings are published in each of the newspapers’ print editions and online at MilitaryTimes.com, as well as ArmyTimes. com, NavyTimes.com, AirForceTimes.com

Military Times includes Army Times, Navy

Franchising USA

V e t er ans i n Fr anch isi ng

Page 53

V e t er ans i n Fr anch isi ng

Profile: United Franchise Group

United Franchise Group Offers Franchise Fee Discount for Veterans VetFran Program Offers up to 50 Percent Discount

people haven’t learned to identify and trust an established, successful process. With UFG, there is a logical, systemic approach to becoming a franchisor, with the training, backing and support of the parent company, as well as support from other franchise owners.”

Nancy Montgomery, U.S. Navy veteran and Signarama franchise owner

As tens of thousands of service men and women return from deployment, expanded opportunities are needed to ensure veterans and their families can transition successfully into the civilian economy. With its rapid training opportunities, scalability, and need for operational execution and excellence, the franchising industry provides an ideal career path to enable returning veterans to become leaders of and productive participants in the U.S. economy. United Franchise Group’s (UFG’s) brands are proud members of the VetFran program, which helps returning service members access franchise opportunities through training, financial assistance and

Franchising USA

industry support. The franchise industry is offering attractive career opportunities for veterans in this growing, diverse business sector. As a global leader for entrepreneurs, UFG is taking the lead in offering veterans unique opportunities for a pathway to success through discounts on franchise fees for their brands.

“The way that I learned to trust a set of guidelines in the military has helped me with opening my own franchise. As a bonus, my husband has institutional knowledge with work as a graphic designer and digital press operator, which made him a great partner with me in the Signarama business model, so this was a natural fit for our family,” continued Montgomery.

UFG brands Signarama®, Fully Promoted®, Experimac®, SuperGreen Solutions®, Jon Smith Subs®, Transworld Business Advisors® and Venture X® each offer discounts on the full new franchise fee, for veterans. The discounts are based on years of service, with a 10 percent discount for fewer than 11 years of service, a 25 percent discount for 11-20 years of service, and an impressive 50 percent discount for veterans who have served over 20 years.

“Nancy is a perfect example of how the VetFran program can help veterans transition into starting a successful business, with all the tools they need to make it work,” said UFG CEO Ray Titus. “We don’t want the franchise fee to be a barrier for entry in this field for our veterans, who have been loyal in their service to our country and are now looking for the right opportunity for post-service employment. This is our way of giving back to those who have already given so much to our country, and to help strengthen the economy at the same time through the addition of new business locations for these proven, successful brands.”

“In the military, there is a process for everything, even if it isn’t clear at first,” said Nancy Montgomery, U.S. Navy veteran and Signarama franchise owner. “You learn that trusting the process brings great results. In the civilian world, many

Veterans interested in the VetFran program can visit: unitedfranchisegroup.com/veterans/ to learn more about the program or to enroll, or call 561-425-6829 for more information.

Franchise opportunities are now available locally and worldwide with new and existing shops. If you enjoy working with people, leading your own team, learning new skills and are ready for an exciting new challenge, contact us today! The Subway® franchise fee is $15,000 which is included in the total investment. The total investment can range from $147,050 to $320,700+ (See Franchise Disclosure Document for further details.) Restaurant owners should have half of the total investment in cash and finance the other half. Please visit subway.com or call Ralph Piselli, Franchise Sales Manager: 800.888.4848 x 1312 .

Franchising USA

V e t er ans i n Fr anch isi ng

Own your own sandwich shop.

Page 55

ex per t advice

Melissa DiGianfilippo, Partner & President of PR at Serendipit Consulting

6 PR Strategies You Can Implement Now for Your Franchise Every franchise has a story to tell, but without a strong PR strategy, that story may never reach your audience. PR helps the brand authentically connect with your audience, increase your visibility and elevate your credibility, keeping your brand out of the advertising abyss.

Melissa DiGianfilippo

“Learning how to expertly disseminate your content through several channels will increase your views and reach a broader audience, all with a single story.” Franchising USA

If you haven’t given any serious thought to your PR efforts, or you aren’t seeing any positive results from your current efforts, here are six PR strategies you can implement right now.

Understand the evolution of Influencer Marketing In the age of social media, influencer marketing can be your PR secret weapon - especially for a franchise. This tactic allows you to reach a large yet targeted audience through an authentic personality

that your consumers already trust. By partnering with an influencer, you can engage users with creative content through various social media platforms. It’s worth spending the time to identify the right influencer - one whose demographic and style align with those of your brand - and build a relationship with them. Keep in mind that there is some crossover between PR and advertising with influencer marketing, as many influencers require compensation or at the very least, complimentary product or services.

Create a reliable crisis management plan and process Every franchise will encounter some kind of crisis sooner or later. A crisis can be something as seemingly small as a negative social media comment that goes viral, or as major as the recent Massage Envy scandal. What’s important is how you react, how you respond and how you get the world to move on as quickly as possible. Preparing a strategy before the

“In the age of social media, influencer marketing can be your PR secret weapon especially for a franchise.” crisis hits is vital. When disaster strikes, no matter what shape or form, you need to have a proven process in place that will keep you focused and help you bounce back quicker. Importantly, make sure your crisis strategy includes step-by-step actions for how social media is handled.

Create valuable content, not ads PR is not advertising in the traditional sense. Your PR strategy should focus on creating content that brings value to your audience, instead of shoving your product or service in the face of your customer. Create inspiring content that converts your target audience into loyal followers and regulars to your franchise. Invest in a strong creative team to create the articles, stories and videos that your audience wants and needs. Then, deliver that content through the right channels and publications that your audience regularly consume. This strategy will naturally help with your search engine optimization efforts, too.

Repurpose PR wins and engage with your audience The real power of PR is rarely in the moment as a story runs. It’s really in how well you repurpose and reshare that piece of third-party content with your target audience. This could be through your blog, social media, email marketing, and more. Learning how to expertly disseminate your content through several channels will increase your views and reach a broader audience, all with a single story. You can also continue to revisit your favorite PR wins as often as you’d like by reposting them. As a franchise, don’t be afraid to re-share positive news stories from your brand in other markets or locations. This is still relevant news to your customer and will help achieve more interaction and engagement on your social media outlets.

Give traditional press exclusivity Opening a new location, adding a new service, or expanding your current location? No matter the news, if you know one key outlet that absolutely MUST cover a story for you, go to them first and offer them the exclusive. In doing this, you commit to not sending the idea to anyone else until that outlet either publishes the story, says “no” or doesn’t respond within the period of time you’ve given them. Be sure to give the outlet plenty of advance notice to cover a breaking story, and be clear on your timeline up front. Once the story runs, you are free to pitch to all of your other target media or distribute on the newswire.

Leverage video content through social platforms With proposed changes to Facebook’s timeline algorithm currently underway, video content reigns supreme on social media, but you don’t have to invest in costly, high-production videos in order

“The real power of PR is rarely in the moment as a story runs. It’s really in how well you repurpose and reshare that piece of third-party content with your target audience.” to make a splash. Take advantage of organic, live video tools on Facebook and Instagram. Live videos allow you to engage directly with your audience increasing your transparency and authenticity. This will build an amazingly loyal fan base that you can’t replicate through other mediums. In the end, remember that PR takes time, patience, and persistence. Melissa DiGianfilippo is the co-owner and president of public relations at Serendipit Consulting, where she leads the firm’s clients’ public relations and communications efforts including traditional media relations, crisis communications, internal communications, community outreach and more.

Franchising USA

ex per t advice

Page 57

Click here to find out more...

FRANGUIDE.COM 703-424-2980 FIND YOUR FRANCHISE WITH FREE GUIDANCE FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS

7-Eleven Franchising with the world’s #1 convenience store is easier than you think.

Been looking for. Your earning potential is as big as you want to make it. We offer a gross profit split, which means your success is as important to us as it is to you.

It also might be the smartest business move you’ve ever made.

It’s turnkey – we provide the store, land and equipment. Start-up is fast (3-6 months). You get extensive training and support from 7-Eleven pros.

As a 7-Eleven Franchisee, you’ll be partnering with a brand known and loved around the world. We’re consistently ranked as a top-five franchisor with more than 54,200 stores worldwide.

Our field consultants and operations teams offer a wealth of support and information. Leveraged vendor relationships mean national buying power.

World-famous brand. World-class opportunity. Take a second and learn why franchising with 7-Eleven could be the career changer you’ve

Phone: 1-800-782-0711 Fax: 972-828-5017 Website: Franchise.7-Eleven.com Email: Franchise.Inquiries@7-11.com

bluefrog Plumbing +Drain

loyal, cheerleader clients,” describes the inspiration of the business.

bluefrog Plumbing + Drain is a Limited Liability Company that was formed on December 30, 2013. Franchises have been offered since January of 2014 and are granted for the operation of a plumbing repair business using proprietary methods and the bluefrog Plumbing + Drain mark. The headquarters are located in Phoenix, Arizona. The bluefrog Plumbing + Drain management team consists of Gary Findley, CEO, Jeff Moody, President and COO.

bluefrog Plumbing + Drain is a modern day approach to the plumbing industry. It is a strategic plumbing company that strives for perfection and makes customer service it’s number one priority. The market for plumbing products and services is well established and highly competitive; By utilizing state-of-the-art technology and streamlined systems and processes, the owner operates his or her business with simplicity, efficiency, and profitability.

The mission of bluefrog Plumbing + Drain is to make a positive difference in people’s lives. The vision statement: “bluefrog Plumbing + Drain, the premier franchise plumbing service company in North America. Founded on brand

Contact: Gina Roberson Phone: (888) 354-2806 Email: gina@bluefrogplumbing.com Website: www.bluefrogplumbing.com

brumby’s bakery

Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor:

Brumby’s is one of Australia’s most iconic bakeries. With a history of baking fresh bread every day since 1975, it has fostered a loyal legion of customers who buy more than 10.5 million loaves each year, featuring more than 200 stores across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Brumby’s Bakery is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Brumby’s Bakery. Area Developers or Country Master Franchise

BurgerFuel Worldwide Meet the ultimate gourmet burger franchise We’re BurgerFuel, a global, gourmet burger concept – and we like to do things differently. We live, eat and play by the motto ‘life’s too short to eat bad burgers’ and this drives us to provide an even better, healthier, more gourmet alternative to fast food. As a BurgerFuel Franchisee or Master Franchisee, you’ll benefit from the robust operational support, and sophisticated systems, world-class training and innovative marketing programs that we provide to support our premium brand.

Business Finance Depot

• Full training of the brand system • Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager • Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts • Supply chain and procurement support. Brumby’s Bakery is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA. Email rfginternational@rfg.com.au

When you buy a BurgerFuel franchise, you’re not just buying into gourmet burger business. BurgerFuel is a 360-degree lifestyle experience where fast cars, street art, music and creativity reign supreme, and our unique culture is something other brands can’t emulate. We’re currently seeking Franchisees and Master Franchisees to join the BurgerFuel movement as we expand within Indiana (and beyond). Hit the application link to take the first step in your BurgerFuel USA journey. Contact: Chris Mason Phone: +1 646 287 1078 Email: chris@burgerfuel.com Website: www.burgerfuel.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

Franchising USA

fr anch ise & serv ices di r ecto ry

Page 59

fr anch ise & serv ices di r ecto ry

CAFÉ2U Cafe2U is a van based franchise, delivering the highest quality espresso based beverages to non-traditional locations; being anywhere that a consumer would not expect to access a high-quality espresso based coffee. Since the first van launched in Sydney, Australia in 2000, the brand now boasts more than 250 franchises worldwide, including over 100 across the UK, New Zealand and South Africa. Cafe2U is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Cafe2U. Area Developers or Country

Chronic Tacos Chronic Tacos is a California-inspired Mexican grill that celebrates authenticity and the individuality of its guests through fresh, made-to-order Mexican food. The Chronic Tacos experience consists of walking down the prep line and personally choosing everything that goes on your meal. Founded in 2002, the Southern California-based company has over 40 locations operating across the United States and Canada, as well as a Japan expansion on the way. Chronic Tacos is committed to serving only the highest quality ingredients and all-natural meats. They offer a wide variety of traditional Mexican items including: tacos, burritos, bowl-ritos and more! The

Clayton Kendall 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

Crust Gourmet Pizza Since its inception in 2001, Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar has grown to over 160 stores in Australia and has expanded into Singapore and is soon opening in the United Kingdom. Crust Gourmet Pizza is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Crust Gourmet Pizza.

Franchising USA

Master Franchise Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor: • Full training of the brand system • Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager • Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts • Supply chain and procurement support. Cafe2U is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA. Email rfginternational@rfg.com.au

menu also features kid’s meals and a breakfast menu available all day. Customers can choose from vegetarian and gluten-free options, as well as choices of: Carne Asada, Carnitas, Al Pastor, Pollo Asado and variations of fish or shrimp. There is something for everyone. Each restaurant incorporates original artistic designs inspired by traditional “Day of The Dead” art, creating a unique ‘Taco Life’ experience at each location. For more information or to find the nearest Chronic Tacos, visit www.chronictacos.com. Phone: (949) 680-4602 Email: info@eatchronictacos.com Contact: Randy Wyner / randy@eatchronictacos.com Website: www.chronictacos.com

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’. Contact: Dan Broudy, Chief Executive Officer Phone: 412-798-7120 Email: dan@claytonkendall.com Website: www.claytonkendall.com

Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor:

Crust Gourmet Pizza is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA. Email rfginternational@rfg.com.au

donut king

receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor:

The first Donut King store opened in Sydney Australia in 1981 and has since evolved into a network of close to 300 stores throughout Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and will be opening in Sweden and the United Kingdom in 2018. Donut King lives by a ‘Make it Fun’ brand mantra, with seriously delicious treats available at vibrant stores served by energetic and engaging staff.

Donut King is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Donut King.

Donut King is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA.

Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners

Email: rfginternational@rfg.com.au

• Supply chain and procurement support.

Foot Solutions Are You Passionate About Helping People Look Good and Feel Great? Foot Solutions is the world’s largest specialty wellness franchise focused exclusively on helping people feel good from the feet up. We offer an individualized Holistic Foot Analysis, top-quality customized orthotics and expertly-fitted stylish shoes that are comfortable and supportive. If you want a business that gives back to your community and improves the lives of people with foot

G-FORCE™ Franchise Group LLC Founded in 2017 and franchising since 2018, G-FORCE™ prides itself as the go-to resource for all things line striping and pavement marking – New Layout, Re-Stripe, ADA Compliance, Stencil Markings, Warehouse Flooring, Parking Structure Markings, Outdoor Basketball Courts, Athletic Field Markings and more. With attention-grabbing, distinctive camouflage

gloria jeans Since first entering the Australian market in 1996, Gloria Jean’s Coffees is now a global success story, serving guests in close to 900 coffee houses in over 50 territories worldwide.

and alignment conditions including diabetes, arthritis and more, Foot Solutions might be the perfect fit for you: Reasonable Hours | High Margins | Low Labor Requirements | High Consumer Retention | Not Impacted by Economy | Not Seasonal | Fastestgrowing Market Age 40+ | Opportunities from $85,000 - $240,000 Single and Multi-unit For more information: Call 770.955.0099 Email fscorp@footsolutions.com Visit www.footsolutionsfranchise.com.

trucks and service trailers, state-of-the-art equipment and military-influenced logo and uniforms, G-FORCE™ has built its brand around today’s Veteran and stands as one of only two Veteran-focused franchise brands and the only one of its kind awarding franchises exclusively to Veterans. Contact: Jack Child Phone: 844-464-3672 Email: info@GoGForce.com Website: www.GoGForce.com

Coffees. Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor: • Full training of the brand system

The flexibility of our coffee house design means that all formats can be adapted to a broad range of locations and localised to suit individual markets. General store format options include:

• Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager

• Kiosk • Small coffee house • Large coffee house • Drive thru

• Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts

Gloria Jean’s Coffees is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Gloria Jean’s

Gloria Jean’s Coffee is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA.

Grease Monkey Franchising, LLC Grease Monkey® and SpeeDee Oil Change and Auto Service® centers provide preventive maintenance and repair services that help customers meet vehicle manufacturers’ recommendations and warranty requirements. With over 500 locations, Our Less Hassle, More Hustle customer service approach is designed to help customers make educated, informed decisions about maintaining their vehicles in a comfortable, nopressure setting.

HealthSource – America’s Chiropractor HealthSource — America’s Chiropractor ® — is the industry leader in chiropractic and physical rehabilitation care. Our highly profitable franchise clinics provide state-of-the-art care to their local communities. We offer single and multi-unit opportunities

• Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Supply chain and procurement support.

Email: rfginternational@rfg.com.au

With over 60 years of combined automotive experience, Grease Monkey ® and SpeeDee® franchise owners enjoy a proven system and business model. Each process offers a flexible approach, so franchisees can customize their facility and menu of services for a specific market and investment profile. Contacts: Jeff King, Director Franchise Development; Jon Piper, Manager of Franchise Development Email:

jking@greasemonkeyintl.com; jpiper@greasemonkeyintl.com

Phone:

303-308-1660

Website: www.greasemonkeyfranchise.com

for individuals looking to join the recessionresistant healthcare industry. Contact us to learn how you can own a business that cares for the community, is highly profitable, and that you can be proud of! Contact: Wes Sattler Phone: (440) 934-5858 Email: development@healthsourcechiro.com Website: www.healthsourcechiro.com

Franchising USA

fr anch ise & serv ices di r ecto ry

Page 61

fr anch ise & serv ices di r ecto ry

honkamp krueger Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C. (HK) is a Top 100 CPA and business consulting firm in the U.S. and the 3rd fastest-growing Midwest-based firm (Accounting Today, 2017). Specializing in franchise services, HK offers 40-plus forward-thinking, innovative solutions to franchise organizations in all 50 states. In addition to our tax, accounting and consulting services, HK offers total hire-to-retire solutions through our human capital management affiliate, HKP. Through our HK Financial Services affiliate, HK offers world-class wealth management solutions.

Hooters of America, LLC Since being founded in Clearwater, FL, in 1983, Hooters has become a part of Americana. From day one, Hooters has committed to making customers happy. With our world famous, often imitated but never replicated, chicken wings, and numerous other quality menu items, Hooters

International Franchise Professionals Group

When you partner with HK for your franchising needs, you will always have easy access to one of our owners who will walk in your shoes with you and who has a unique perspective on being an entrepreneur and business grower. Phone: 888.556.0123 www.honkamp.com

is that special place where everyone can enjoy a great meal, in a warm and inviting environment, with exceptional customer service. Contact: Stephen Sweetman Phone: 770-951-2040 Email: franchising@hooters.com Website: www.hooters.com/franchising

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.

Image One Facility Solutions

Image One franchisees work for themselves in a unique relationship with the franchise company. Image One provides them with customer support for their business, ongoing training, along with assistance with billing, equipment, and sales training. Franchise territories are available nationwide.

Image One is a national commercial cleaning services business with over 100 franchise owners. The Image One franchising model was formed on the principles of transparency, training, and top-notch financial and customer service support. It is regularly recognized as a top franchise by third-party franchise and business publications, having been featured as a top low-cost franchise opportunity on CNBC.com, Entrepreneur.com and in Franchise Business Review.

It’s a grind Founded in 1994 in Long Beach, California, It’s A Grind’s mission is to provide high-quality signature coffee, espresso beverages and delicious food offerings in a comfortable and locally-focused atmosphere. It’s A Grind has stores in the USA, Middle East and Asia. Sourcing its coffee from around the globe, It’s A Grind then roasts each batch in Southern California, ensuring consistently fresh, smooth and flavorful coffee. It’s A Grind is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including It’s A Grind. Area Developers or Country

Franchising USA

Our depth and level of franchising expertise along with our track record for providing independent and objective franchise advisory/consulting services clearly differentiates HK from all other franchise advisors across the country.

For information on the franchise, visit ImageOneUSA. com. Contact: Scott Kochanski Phone: 800-223-1985 Email: scott@imageoneusa.com Website: http://imageoneusa.com

Master Franchise Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor: • Full training of the brand system • Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager • Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts • Supply chain and procurement support. It’s A Grind is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA. Email rfginternational@rfg.com.au

Jiffy Lube International Jiffy Lube pioneered the fast-lube category more than 35 years ago, changing the way millions of drivers care for their vehicles. Today, Jiffy Lube remains the #1 name in the quick lube industry in North America. With more than 2,000 independently owned and operated service centers across the U.S. and Canada, Jiffy Lube sees more than 20 million customers each year.

Little Caesars As the largest carryout-only pizza chain in the world, Little Caesars is doing something right. Little Caesars is an international brand and household name. It’s come a long way since starting as a single store in metro Detroit in 1959. The Little Caesars brand and distinction of being named “Best Value in America”* for the last ten years is proof of its commitment to satisfying customers by providing one of America’s favorite meals at an affordable cost. Today, Little Caesars is looking for franchisees to bring HOT-N-READY® pizza to a wide range of communities

Mathnasium Learning Centers Mathnasium is an international franchiser of more than 900 math-only learning centers world-wide, where students K-12 attend to boost their math skills. Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, Mathnasium specializes in teaching kids math the way it makes sense to them through customized learning plans and our patented Mathnasium method. Mathnasium has been ranked as one of the fastest growing educational franchises in the world by

Michel’s Patisserie Michel’s Patisserie has French inspired cafés across Australia. With a history spanning over 30-years, Michel’s Patisserie is renowned for its delicious specialty cakes, pastries, treats, savouries and exclusive award-winning coffee. Michel’s Patisserie also includes an added cafe menu, including breakfast and light meals. Michel’s Patisserie is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Michel’s Patisserie.

A proven model, Jiffy Lube offers convenient, quality service including the Jiffy Lube Signature Service® Oil Change using premium Pennzoil lubricants, brake and tire service as well as ancillary service offerings. Contact: Aimee Menard Phone: 800-327-9532 Email: aimee.menard@shell.com Website: www.jiffylube.com/franchise

nationwide. The company also offers opportunities in non-traditional franchise venues, including convenience stores, college campuses and military bases. Little Caesars works closely with franchisees to develop locations with customized architectural and build-out plans. *“Highest Rated Chain-Value for the Money” based on a nationwide survey of quick service restaurant consumers conducted by Sandelman & Associates, 2007-2015. Phone: 800-553-5776 Email: USdevelopment@LCEcorp.com Website: www.LittleCaesars.com

Entrepreneur magazine, a top franchise to buy by Forbes magazine, and has remained in the top 50 franchises for franchisee satisfaction by Franchise Business Review. With Mathnasium you can be a part of a community of franchisees who do well by doing good. If you are ready to take the next step, contact us today! Phone: 855-351-MATH (6284) Website: Mathnasium.com/Franchise Email: FranchiseAd@mathnasium.com Contact: Franchise Development Team

Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor: • Full training of the brand system • Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager • Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts • Supply chain and procurement support. Michel’s Patisserie is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA.

Area Developers or Country Master Franchise

Email rfginternational@rfg.com.au

Midas

Midas has built a stellar reputation in the automotive service and repair industry nearly six decades. We want to help you succeed. Before you open a location and as you continue to operate your shop, Midas will help you with the following:

Midas, a recognized brand throughout the world and highly renowned name in complete car care, is proud to be one of North America’s original franchise opportunities – and one of its best. With Midas, you experience the best of both worlds - the support of an experienced franchise organization and the satisfaction of operating your very own auto service enterprise. As a Midas franchisee, you become a trusted name the day you open your doors for business. Building consumer trust is at the heart of our brand. We work every day to earn that trust by providing expertise, responsiveness, and the best value to every customer every time. Benefit from nearly 60 years of “The Midas Touch”

• Business management system for your shop • New franchisee orientation • Ongoing training and training resources • Operational support. • Development support • Optimizing and marketing your business: Join Midas today by calling 1-800-365-0007 or visiting www.midasfranchise.com! This website and any request for information or forms are not a franchise offering or an offer to sell a franchise.

Franchising USA

fr anch ise & serv ices di r ecto ry

Page 63

fr anch ise & serv ices di r ecto ry

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. 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. Thousands of satisfied business owners throughout the United States attest to the success and effectiveness of the Our Town America program, while dozens of locally-owned franchises validate the Our Town America concept as a viable business opportunity. Franchisees are neighborhood

pinot’s palette Pinot’s Palette is a pioneer of the paint and sip experience – a revolutionary way to enjoy art and wine, meet new people and bond with friends. #1 paint and sip for franchisee satisfaction – Pinot’s Palette is a unique, art-inspired entertainment concept catering to adults, corporations and kids. By combining art and wine into a single concept, Pinot’s Palette now offers an inclusive, social activity for guests to enjoy with friends, family or work team members.

Pizza capers Pizza Capers was launched in 1996 and has outlets across Australia and have recently launched in India. Pizza Capers has successfully created a new segment in the take-away / dine-in pizza category for high quality, everyday gourmet pizza. Pizza Capers is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Pizza Capers. Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an

Pollo Campero Pollo Campero has served flavorful chicken made with our original family recipe since 1971. Our menu includes fried, grilled, and boneless chicken for wholesome, customizable, easy-toshare meals. In 2017, we were named #6 in Business Insider’s “25 best fast-food chains in America right now.” With 350 system-wide locations, including company-owned and franchised stores, we have established a support network for franchisees who want to join our growing family.

Remedy Intelligent Staffing Remedy Intelligent Staffing is a nationwide staffing organization with over 50 years of recruiting and selection expertise to match qualified candidates with employment opportunities where they will succeed. Our franchise brands, Remedy Intelligent Staffing and Westaff, place candidates in a variety of positions, primarily light industrial with a secondary niche of administrative/clerical. Our three core offerings include temporary, direct hire and temporary-to-hire staffing services.

Franchising USA

marketing consultants, showing local business owners how to target their best prospects with enticing offers via direct mail. 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. Website: http://ourtownamerica.com Email: franchising@ourtownamerica.com

Pinot’s Palette’s entertaining environment, expert guidance from trained local artists and exceptional customer experience creates strong word of mouth, community recognition and a loyal customer base. Pinot’s Palette looks for franchisee partners who love to entertain and values that fit comfortably within the Team Pinot culture. Not art experience required! Franchising since 2010 with more than 130 locations in 33 states, Pinot’s Palette is an established, awardwinning concept leading the paint and sip industry. Website: www.PinotsPalette.com/Franchise or Email: Franchise@pinotspalette.com

established Franchisor: • Full training of the brand system • Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager • Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts • Supply chain and procurement support. Pizza Capers is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA. Email rfginternational@rfg.com.au

With 6 straight years of Compounded Annual Sales Growth, we are now positioned to rapidly expand throughout the US. Franchising with Pollo Campero means serving up fresh, unique flavors with broad appeal and taking part in a franchise opportunity with strong earnings potential. Join our family! Phone: (972) 770-2800 Website: us.campero.com/franchising Email: franchising@campero.com Contact: Gustavo Duran, Executive Vice President

The parent company, EmployBridge, with corporate headquarters in Atlanta, GA, operates more than 490 offices nationwide and is the 10th largest provider of staffing and workforce solutions in the world. With annual sales over $3.2 Billion, we employed over 460,000 associates on assignment at more than 19,900 companies throughout the USA. Contact: Chad Wright, Franchise Development Director Phone: 877-478-4033 Email: franchise@employbridge.com Website: www.remedyfranchise.com

scooter’s coffee Founded in 1998, Scooter’s Coffee roasts the finest coffee beans in the world at its headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. In two decades of business, Scooter’s Coffee’s success is simple: stay committed to the original business principles and company core values.

employees is: “Amazing People, Amazing Drinks... Amazingly Fast!”™ It reflects a commitment to providing an unforgettable experience to loyal and new customers. Scooter’s Coffee is quickly approaching 200 locations in 16 states and has 135 franchise commitments to build new stores. Franchise opportunities are available.

A partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation to source shade-grown coffee to protect the rainforests reaffirms its commitment to contribute to a “chain of good”. The company’s Brand Promise, recited to franchisees, customers and

Phone: (402) 934-7284 Website: https://franchising.scooterscoffee.com Email: Kelly.crummer@scooterscoffee.com Contact: Kelly Crummer- Franchise Development Manager

Service Team of Professionals (STOP) As an owner of a Service Team Of Professionals (STOP) franchise, your day will primarily be filled with marketing and management tasks. Operating a STOP franchise will consist of marketing your company at least half of the day. This will take you into your community to meet business professionals, primarily from the insurance industry. To start, you will primarily market simple water and mold jobs for residential and commercial property. Other services like fire, smoke, bio and reconstruction are available to you if you choose. As job referrals begin to come in, you will refine your skills at estimating the scope and price of jobs with customers and insurance professionals. Initially, hiring quality part-time labor and technicians will assist in you completing the work. As your

SUBWAY® When you own a Subway sandwich shop, you’re part of the world’s largest Quick Serve Restaurant chain and one of its most recognized brands, and you’ll get the support and experience that comes with it. ®

Be part of a winning brand that keeps customers coming back for delicious meals made just the way they want. Subway® is the undisputed leader in fast, wholesome food. Our sandwiches are made to order right in front of the customer, precisely the way they want - using

franchise gains more of the market share, the responsibilities related to Administration, Production and Marketing will also increase. Some of these tasks will be filled with part-time or fulltime employees, which will allow you to continue to market your company to anybody that could benefit from the services STOP offers. From day one, STOP consultants will continue to guide, coach and train you in the skills and requirements needed to operate a successful franchise. We want to be with you every step of the way. Our on-going training and insistence that you call us A LOT, ensures that we are working together. Your work ethic and application to the STOP systems will ultimately dictate your success. Contact: Daren Clark Phone: 800-452-8326 X1 Email: daren@stoprestoration.com Website: www.stoprestoration.com

freshly baked breads, select sauces and a variety of delicious toppings. When you join the Subway® family, you’ll get world-class support before you even make your first sandwich and well beyond. Our franchise support system features: training, product development, advertising, purchasing cooperative, field support and much more. Contact: Ralph Piselli, North American Franchise Sales Manager Phone: 203 877 4281 Email: Franchise@subway.com Website: www.subway.com

The Dry Boys

We are the ONLY water-damage restoration franchise that rewards exclusive territories.

The Dry Boys is a water-damage restoration company that concentrates strictly on floods, water damage and any water related disasters of any size.

You will receive customized One-On-one training on your schedule from myself, I will teach you and relay to you everything I have learned and experienced over the past 25 years on the field, I will duplicate real-life scenarios, floods and disasters in our state of the art training center so when you go out in the field, you have already seen it all. But training is only the beginning; the support that follows is what will make the big difference.

From a small flood in your basement to a major hurricane disaster we are ready and capable of restoring your residential of business property in rapid fashion. We’ve implemented a unique system that allows us to be more efficient when we respond to any job and our locations have an advantage of getting the work done with a resourceful process that benefits the home owner and the franchise owner alike.

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

You can get more information about our business at our website www.TheDryBoys.com or call us at 844 99-DRYBOYS – I urge you to take a look at the site and learn more about our company.

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

Franchising USA

fr anch ise & serv ices di r ecto ry

Page 65

fr anch ise & serv ices di r ecto ry

the inspection boys The home Inspection business is one of the most In-Demand trades in the country and The Inspection Boys is the lowest Start-Up franchise inspection business opportunity in the nation. The Inspection Boys has a unique marketing structure to get you up and running quickly, has an amazing training and support system to ensure that you’re ready to go out and conquer your territory and most of all it offers a corporate team that will be with every step of the way. Besides for being the lowest start-up inspection

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

The pizza press Founded in 2012, The Pizza Press is a unique concept dedicated to elevating the ‘build your own pizza’ model to an experiential level, by creating an immersive 1920s Americana newspaper theme in which great food, craft beer, ambiance, and service are combined. The theme, inspired by the special dough press, harkens back to an era of simpler times of neighborhood newsboys. Guests are encouraged to created their own custom pizza or select one of the signature pizzas named after

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.

Veterans Business Services 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 offers multiple marketing methods that have proven effective with helping franchise organizations with their expansion plans. Utilizing custom email marketing

Franchising USA

franchise business in the nation, The Inspection Boys also offers you the lowest royalty program, the lowest overhead cost and the largest territory sizes in the trade. When you join the Inspection Boys, you will join more than just a franchise business, you will join a family oriented team that cares and looks out for your success and accomplishments. Reach out to us today at 800 819-4403 or at info@theinspectionboys.com and find out for yourself. You may also check us out at TheInspectionBoys.com

• 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

major newspapers such as “The Times,” “The Tribune,” “The Chronicle” and others. The pizzas are published in under four minutes. Pair your pizza with over 18 different craft beers, which change regularly and regionally. Seasonal offers, featuring local and fresh ingredients, keep things topical. Order in person or online, from our new loyalty app, or from our catering menu. Contact: Cassandra Bremer Phone: 417-612-9217 Email: cbremer@franchisedynamics.net Website: www.thepizzapress.com

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. Phone: (708) 249-1090 Fax: (708) 957-2395 Website: www.topfiremedia.com Email: info@topfiremedia.com Contact: Matthew Jonas

campaigns, news press releases, and online franchising e-magazine articles, VBS gets the message to qualified Veterans who are invested in starting a franchise. 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. Contact: James Mingey Phone: 202-349-0860 Email: info@veteransbusinessservices.us Website: www.veteransbusinessservices.us

Page 67

2IILFH H[SHQVH $GYHUWLVLQJ WR 3XUFKDVH (PSOR\HHV 6WRFN WR 3XUFKDVH :DUHKRXVH +RXU :HHNV

Why Become an...

IFG 50/50 Franchisee? Â&#x2021; :RUN LQ D SURYHQ HQYLURQPHQW

Â&#x2021; :RUN IURP D KRPH EDVHG HQYLURQPHQW Â&#x2021; %H SDUW RI D \HDU ROG LQWHUQDWLRQDO RUJDQL]DWLRQ Â&#x2021; <RXU JURZWK FRPHV IURP KHOSLQJ EXVLQHVVHV JURZ Â&#x2021; &RQGXFW EXVLQHVV ZKHUH \RX ZDQW QR WHUULWRU\ Â&#x2021; 9LUWXDOO\ QR SDSHUZRUN IUDQFKLVRU KDQGOHV DOO GD\ WR GD\ SDSHUZRUN Â&#x2021; 1R FROG FDOOLQJ Â± WHOHPDUNHWLQJ DGYHUWLVLQJ RU GLUHFW PDLO Â&#x2021; 6WDUW ZLWK D PRGHVW FDSLWDO LQYHVWPHQW DQG JURZ DW \RXU RZQ VSHHG

We DUH LQYRLFH discounteUV

:H EX\ LQYRLFHV WR DFFHOHUDWH RXU FOLHQWV FDVKIORZ :H GR QRW OHQG PRQH\

GRZQORDG WKH IUHH HERRN

IFGfranchise.com

)RU 0RUH ,QIRUPDWLRQ &RQWDFW 'DYLG %DQILHOG 3UHVLGHQW 7HO ([W (PDLO LIJ#LQWHUIDFHILQDQFLDO FRP Franchising USA

keep your finger on the pulse with

Franchising USA With 30 years experience in providing high quality business information, with a particularly strong focus on franchising, our global presence allows opportunity for international franchise marketing solutions.

Franchising U S A

THE M AGAZ

INE FO R FRAN C

HISEES

SCOOT COFFEEER’S CELEBR

VOL 06, ISS

UE 6, APRIL

$5.95 www.f

ranchisingus

2018

amagazine.c

AT TWO DEC ES A IN BUSIN DES ESS

WHO IS A G FIT TO OWN OOD A FRANCHISE? BUYING VS . LE COMERCIAL ASING SPACE SPECIAL

MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISIN FEATURE G LATE ST NE WS

FIN AN CIA

L AD VIC E

FR OM TH E BA NK S Business

T H E

Canadian Franchise Magazine

TO P LA WY ER Franchise

M A G A Z I N E

ISSUE 3#1 - 2016

w w w. c a n a d i a n f r a n c h i s e m a g a z i n e . c o m

S’ AD VIC E

Australia and New

F O R

AUSTR ALIA and NEW ZEALA ND

Zealand 1

F R A N C H I S E E S

VOL 12 ISSUE 03

SIGNARAMA CANADA:

MARCH/APRIL 2018

BUILD YOUR FUTURE WITH A RETAIL ICON

S HOWING OFF A NE W S IG N OF ITS OWN

FE ATUR E

BUSINESS SERVICES

YOU CAN’T CUT CORNERS ON COMPLIANCE

BUYING A FRANCHISE

SUPPLIER FORUM