Franchising USA September 2021

Franchising usa $5.95 www.franchisingusamagazine.com

The magazine for franchisees

VOL 09, ISSUE 10, sep 2021

the red chickz Restaurant Turns Viral Brand into Red Hot Franchise Opportunity

Culture, Values and Opportunity identifying profitable franchise locations

using multiple linear regression analysis

necessities for

successful franchise owners LATEST NEWS

FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM THE BANKS

TOP LAWYERS’ ADVICE

NOBODY GETS TO THE TOP BY ACCIDENT! We advise many of the top franchise owners in the world. You can get acces to the very same resources that build their empires at no cost!

Contact George Knauf to Start Building Your Empire TODAY! www.MyPerfectFranchise.com

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FRANCHISING USA VOLUME 9, ISSUE 10, 2021 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

editor: Ingrid Nelson. editor@cgbpublishing.com

advertising: vikki@cgbpublishing.com jasonb@cgbpublishing.com

Editorial team: Michelle Quinn Rob Swystun

Production: usaproduction@cgbpublishing.com

DESIGN: Jejak Graphics. jejak@bigpond.com

COVER IMAGE: The Red Chickz

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

Welcome to our September issue of Franchising USA. On our cover this month, we are delighted to introduce you to The Red Chickz.

Founder of the Nashville hot chicken brand, Shawn Lalehzarian shares how the Southern favourite has turned into a national phenomenon through securing its place on social media platforms to gain hundreds of thousands of followers. The Red Chickz are now announcing their exciting expansion plans through franchising!

In our special Trending Franchise feature, we hear from President of Franchise Marketing Systems Chris Conner about what’s working in the franchise industry today, plus we share our top tips on choosing the right franchise for you, and Adam Rice shines a spotlight on the rise of boutique fitness franchising.

As always, we have plenty of insightful advice from the experts including necessities for successful franchise owners, plus how important operational efficiency is for your franchise.

Trusted senior Franchise Business Advisor George Knauf talks about the importance of culture, values and opportunities in your business, as well as how Covid has changed our priorities.

Our women in franchising story shines the spotlight on multi-franchise owner Teresa Fennimore, who shares some of her top secrets to success.

We also share some wonderful stories about our veterans who have drawn on their experience to become successful franchisees and, as always, we bring you right up to date with all the latest news from the industry.

Enjoy the read!

Vikki Bradbury & Ingrid Nelson Franchising USA

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

“Take risks. Failure is a stepping-stone to success.” ~ Arianna Huffington.

The information and contents in this publication are believed by the publisher to be true, correct and accurate but no independent investigation has been undertaken. Accordingly the publisher does not represent or warrant that the information and contents are true, correct or accurate and recommends that each reader seek appropriate professional advice, guidance and direction before acting or relying on all information contained herein. Opinions expressed in the articles contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publication is sold subject to the terms and conditions that it shall not be copied in whole or part, resold, hired out, without the express permission of the publisher.

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THE MA GAZI

NE FOR FRANCH I

THE RED CHIC K

SEES

VOL 09, ISSU

azine.com

E 10, SEP 202

Z

RESTAURANT BRAND INTO TURNS VIRAL FRANCHISE RED HOT OPPORTUNITY

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CULTURE, VA LU AND OPPORT ES UNITY

IDENTIFYIN PROFITABLEG FRANCHISE LOCATIONS USING MU

LTIPL REGRESSION E LINEAR ANALYSIS

NECESSITIES FO

R SUCCESSFUL FRANCHISE OWNERS LAT EST NEW S

14

FIN AN CIA

L ADV ICE FRO M THE BAN KS

TOP LAW YER S’

ADV ICE

On the Cover 10 cover story:

The Red Chickz – Restaurant Turns Viral Brand into Red Hot Franchise Opportunity 14 Culture, Values and

Opportunity 32 Identifying Profitable Franchise

Locations Using Multiple Linear Regression Analysis

34 Necessities for Successful

Franchise Owners

In Every Issue 6 Franchising News

16

Announcements from the Industry

19 Franchsing Feature:

Trending Franchises

43 Veterans Supplement

News and Information for Veterans in Franchising

55 A-Z Franchise and

Services Directory

Franchising USA

1

22

september 2021 Women in franchising 36 Meet Teresa Fennimore - Multi-Unit Owner with

N-Hance Wood Refinishing

30

Expert Advice 12 Don’t Make These Franchise Public Relations Mistakes

Heather Ripley | Founder and CEO | Ripley PR

14 Culture, Values and Opportunity

George Knauf | Senior Franchise Business Advisor | FranChoice

16 How Important is Operational Efficiency for Your Franchise?

George J Newton | Business Development Manager and Content Writer

32

32 Identifying Profitable Franchise Locations Using Multiple

Linear Regression Analysis

Dr. David Kremelberg | Principal and Founder | DK Statistical Consulting, Inc.

34 Necessities for Successful Franchise Owners

Lucas Frey | CEO | Bella Vista Executive Advisors

38 Evolving Economic Landscape Fuels Franchise

Development and Entrepreneurship

Ed Yancey | Vice President of Franchise Development | Blaze Pizza

40 Ask The Expert – Evan Hackel

34

FEATURE: Trending Franchises 20 Franchising News

Announcements from the Industry

22 Franchising Feature: Trending Franchises 26 Have Your Say: What’s Working in the Franchise

Industry Today?

Chris Conner | President | Franchise Marketing Systems

40

28 Expert Advice: Three Key Steps your Franchise’s

Facebook Strategy is Missing Josh Sample | CEO | Drive Social Media

30 Expert Advice: The Rise of Boutique Fitness Franchising

Adam Rice | Founder & CEO | ISI Elite Training

Franchising USA

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what’s new!

JEREMIAH’S ITALIAN ICE CELEBRATES 50TH LOCATION AND 25TH ANNIVERSARY

Jeremiah’s Italian Ice – the hottest brand in the frozen dessert category – has surpassed yet another milestone as the brand prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary, as well as the opening of its 50th location.

Proving itself a frozen force in the QSR dessert space, the brand has successfully grown from 22 corporate units in 2019 to 50 units this year and is on track to open an additional 20 locations by year’s end.

The 50th location was awarded to Hali Brecht and will be opening in Deltona, FL this August. Brecht started working at Jeremiah’s right out of high school as a part-time employee. In less than two years, she became a store manager and eventually an area manager, helping open a dozen corporate stores. Brecht’s new franchise will be located at 605 Courtland Blvd in

Courtland, on the corner of Courtland Blvd & Fort Smith Blvd near Publix.

“Jeremiah’s is a place of so many incredibly important events – first dates, weddings, homecomings,” said Brecht “It warms my heart that one of our customers has even named their child Jeremiah in honor of our exceptional brand. It’s a remarkable testament to how special the Jeremiah’s brand truly is.”

Jeremiah’s is showing no signs of slowing down, awarding 194 franchise units across more than 74 franchise groups and projecting nearly 70 open units by year’s end. In addition, the brand is looking forward to expand its presence into new markets, with franchise agreements awarded in Oklahoma, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Nevada and Colorado.

www. jeremiahsfranchise.com/

“We’re proud to introduce Buddy’s to several new communities

nationwide and offer customers an affordable way to attain home

necessities such as furniture, electronics and appliances,” said Ian MacDonald, President and CEO of BMH.

BMH plans to rebrand the nine SMRTO locations, predominantly located in southeastern Missouri. SMRTO was independently

owned and operated by Gary and Kathy Romine for nearly 40 years.

“We are extremely impressed with the business the Romines have built over the last several decades, and it’s an honor to formally

BUDDY’S HOME FURNISHINGS OPERATOR GROWS TO 75 STORES Buddy Mac Holdings, LLC (BMH), the second largest multiunit franchise operator with Buddy’s Home Furnishings, has grown its nationwide footprint to 75 locations across seven states with the opening of eight new franchises across Texas

welcome them into the BMH family,” said Clifford “Chip” Guy, Vice President of Operations for BMH. “We look forward to working with their seasoned team over the years to come.”

BMH began franchising with Buddy’s in 2015. “It was like

purchasing a tried and true recipe,” said Guy. “You follow the

instructions, and you will have a successful franchise whether

it’s a single or multi-unit network. Buddy’s also has an incredible support team and fosters a culture that strives to treat every

employee as family rather than just another number on the payroll.

We keep growing because we’re well supported, and our people

and Oklahoma, and acquisition of nine Show Me Rent to Own,

continue to be the foundation of our success.”

Inc. (SMRTO) locations.

BuddyRents.com

Franchising USA

WABA GRILL ANNOUNCES ITS BEST SALES QUARTER IN COMPANY HISTORY

SURVEILLANCE SECURE CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL FIRST HALF OF 2021 Surveillance Secure – a security integrator that consults, designs, installs and supports a full range of enterprise grade technology for commercial clients – has started the first half of 2021 with impressive growth. Amid the pandemic, the brand has rapidly expanded across the country as the demand for their services continues to rise. With the help of newly appointed Director of Sales, Chris Rhoades, Surveillance Secure plans to award more territories by the end of this year.

WaBa Grill, one of the nation’s leading healthy rice bowl chains, has announced that Q2 2021 was the top-performing sales quarter in the brand’s 15-year history, with same store sales (SSS) up 39.2% over Q2 2020.

Additionally, the brand’s Q2 SSS represents a jump of a remarkable 28.7% over the same pre-pandemic period for 2019, illustrating extraordinary momentum as the first half of 2021 concluded. Last year, WaBa Grill recorded the best sales year in its history, and the brand known for its healthy and fresh menu is on pace to topple that record.

Thus far in 2021, Surveillance Secure has expanded its presence to Colorado Springs, Phoenix, and Houston. Additionally, the brand recently broke ground on a brand new 20,000 square-foot corporate facility in Frederick and will open its door this September. Looking ahead, Surveillance Secure has plans to expand into several new markets in the latter half of this year.

“Throughout the pandemic, our concept exhibited incredible resiliency,” stated Surveillance Secure CEO and founder Kim Hartman. “The pandemic only increased the increased demand for our services, as businesses and organizations of all kinds continue to re-visit their security needs and protocols.”

“As we recognize our record-breaking Q2 sales, we salute our outstanding and hard-working franchisees who continue to care deeply for their guests and the communities where they conduct business,” said Andrew Kim, President and CEO of WaBa Grill.

“The demand for healthy fast casual continues to flourish, and I’m confident in our lasting ability to thrive in a marketplace driven by quality ingredients, healthy menu options and bold flavors – a trio of consumer demands that are hallmarks of WaBa Grill.”

The ongoing service model that Surveillance Secure provides its clients with has been key to its success. The pandemic created further demand for commercial security technology because of the versatility that security systems provide. The brand’s technology has played a key role in helping businesses create solutions to COVID-19 problems and have helped business owners, facilities managers, and security personnel protect employees and customers and safely reopen and operate safely.

Record-setting results weren’t the only exciting news in Q2. In May, WaBa Grill proudly announced a new plant-based protein option in collaboration with the nation’s #1 tofu brand, Nasoya® Foods USA. WaBa Grill’s marketplace acclaim also peaked in Q2, as the company was recognized as one of America’s topperforming restaurant chains.

“The economic challenges caused by the pandemic show a continuously growing dependence on the electronic security technology that Surveillance Secure provides,” added Hartman.

“The demand for these systems will continue to increase, and our franchisees are equipped and ready to continue serving their clients.”

www.wabagrill.com/franchise

https://surveillancesecure.com/

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what’s new!

MIGHTY DOG ROOFING AWARDS 100 FRANCHISE TERRITORIES IN FIRST SIX MONTHS OF DEVELOPMENT As of July 2021, Mighty Dog Roofing more than doubled its footprint and officially awarded 100 territories to 31 franchisees across 15 states. Of those, 90 are expected to be up and running before the end of the year, with the remainder scheduled to open in Q1 2022.

Mighty Dog Roofing, a thriving roof repair and replacement franchise, has achieved a milestone of 100 franchise territories awarded – all within the first six months since launching development in 2021 by Horse Power Brands, an owner and operator of service-based franchise systems.

The company says it will continue to build infrastructure to support new franchisees as the growth spurt is expected to continue throughout the year. …

The services industry has seen significant spikes in demand, due in large part to consumers spending more time at home during the pandemic and finally getting around to needed repairs and upgrades.

This, coupled with the deteriorating roofs built during the house boom of the early 2000s, is creating a particular surge in the roofing industry. That’s why partners Josh Skolnick and Zachery Beutler – both serial entrepreneurs who have grown successful franchises of their own – saw it as an opportune time to form a company focused on the service-based franchise sector.

Their goal with Horse Power Brands is to sell franchises responsibly, as well as

open them with the tools to ensure the franchisees’ growth and longevity.

“We knew it was the perfect time to acquire a roofing business due to the ongoing demand and need for the service, and we were right,” said Skolnick, who serves as CEO of Mighty Dog Roofing.

“Not only has there been immense consumer demand, but we’re also seeing interest from prospective franchisees who already own other types of home improvement businesses looking to diversify their portfolios, as well as from people seeking entry into the booming industry.”

Over the next year, Mighty Dog Roofing will actively seek qualified franchise partners to grow in markets such as Cleveland, Denver, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Raleigh and San Antonio. https://mightydogroofing.com/

SLIM CHICKENS CELEBRATES FIRST ALABAMA LOCATION Slim Chickens, a leading fast casual franchise, which features dine-in and drive-thru service in the better-chicken segment, announced today its new restaurant opening at 685 Skyland blvd in Tuscaloosa.

Seasoned restaurant group Heart of the South is at the helm of the new location. The better-chicken brand has opened more than 135 locations across the United States and the United Kingdom, and is known for its passionate group of followers in the markets in which it operates. With more than 600 locations in development, the brand’s momentum shows no signs of slowing down. “Opening our first location in Alabama is a huge step for Slim Chickens,” said Jackie Lobdell, vice president of franchise development at Slim Chickens. “Heart of the South has a passion for bringing good southern comfort food and great experiences to Tuscaloosa locals, and we know they are the perfect group to kick start our growth in the state.” The brand prides itself on its cooked-to-order fresh food and strong devoted fanbase, also known as “Slimthusiasts.”

Its menu is broader than many in the segment, offering chicken tenders, fresh salads, sandwiches, chicken and waffles, chicken

Franchising USA

wings and unique side items. The Slim Chickens franchise opportunity differentiates itself with prime markets available for multi-unit development, a passionate leadership team and worldclass franchisee support system. As Slim Chickens expands, it is awarding franchise opportunities to qualified, experienced and passionate multi-unit groups looking to add a dynamic segment to their portfolio. slimchickensfranchise.com.

TUTOR DOCTOR PLANS TO GROW GLOBAL FOOTPRINT TO 775 FRANCHISE UNITS

BY YEAR’S END

MOUNTAIN MIKE’S PIZZA IS ‘GOING BIG’ WITH TEXAS EXPANSION Tutor Doctor, the leader in one-to-one private tutoring, reports an exceptional first-half of 2021 with nearly 50 signed agreements and 45-plus openings planned for the rest of the year.

As demand for its services surge to supplement the pandemic learning gap, Tutor Doctor’s Q2 system-wide-sales is up 90 percent, quarter-over-year. Amid this impressive performance, the brand is on track to grow to 775 franchise units as it continues aggressive expansion with both single and multi-unit owners.

Tutor Doctor’s global success is a collective effort of its dedicated franchisees, loyal team members and exceptional leadership.

Fuelling its growth, Tutor Doctor has made significant steps to invest in people development and performance, from franchise owners to tutors and students. This year Tutor Doctor added Innovation Squads – cross functional teams that collaborate with franchisees - to enhance lead generation, develop product offerings and enhance sales training practices, while also building out performance and skill development tools for home office team members.

“Last year presented the world its challenges, but our team’s resiliency and ability to innovate and adapt has allowed us to remain steadfast and focus on growth and performance,” said Frank Milner, President of Tutor Doctor. “This year, we’ve been able to grow from a development and sales standpoint by prioritizing a people-focused approach to business. By doing so, we have been able to reach more students and more communities with quality, in-home and online tutoring services that are current with educational standards. This people-focused mentality will continue to guide our future strategy as we grow our global footprint.” www.tutordoctor.com or www.tutordoctoropportunity.com

Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading California-based family-style pizza chain for more than 40 years, known for its Mountain-sized pizzas, is opening up new franchise opportunities in Texas after signing a three-store deal with franchise industry veterans Hector Haget and Khris Tate of Jefes Pizza, LLC As the saying goes, everything’s bigger in Texas, and residents of the Lone Star State now can look forward to the brand’s famous 20-inch Mountain-sized pizzas and toppings that could fill a tengallon hat at locations dotting Collin County, including McKinney and Frisco. Other single-and multi-unit deals in the surrounding area are in process with details to be announced soon.

The clamoring for Mountain Mike’s mouthwatering pizzas and family-friendly environment is at an all-time high, and as the company continues to experience record sales and new unit growth, the brand is methodically expanding its footprint throughout the Western United States. As the past two years have shown, the time for qualified franchisees to pursue a successful, resilient and sought-after pizza concept like Mountain Mike’s Pizza has never been better. With several multi-unit development deals already in motion in eight states in the West, it’s a uniquely attractive time to join the Mountain Mike’s Pizza franchise family in Texas, which is likely to be the brand’s second-largest market within the next few years.

“Mountain Mike’s owes its success to some of the most reputable and talented franchisees in the business, and we are actively seeking entrepreneurs in the Dallas area and throughout Texas to join our franchise family during the most exciting time in the company’s history,” said Jim Metevier, President and Chief Operating Officer at Mountain Mike’s Pizza. www.mountainmikespizza.com

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The Red Chickz

Nashville Hot Chicken Restaurant Turns Viral Brand into Red Hot Franchise Opportunity The Red Chickz rises above competitors with massive social media following.

The Red Chickz, the hottest Nashville hot chicken brand, is making its mark on the west coast.

What started as a southern favorite, has now turned into a national phenomenon. As more and more restaurants catch onto the

Nashville hot chicken craze around the country, The Red Chickz has secured its place through posting mouth-watering content on

social media platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok, leading them to gain hundreds of thousands of followers. The Red Chickz is

now announcing expansion plans to achieve their goal of sharing their twist on traditional Nashville hot chicken with as many people as possible through franchising.

“Been There. Seen That” Founder Shawn Lalehzarian knows he is not the only one who is selling Nashville hot chicken, but he does know he is one of

the ones who is doing it best. “We did a lot of market research.

Nashville hot chicken was already popular, but there wasn’t a hot chicken concept in downtown LA back in 2017 or 2018.

We felt it was the right move at the right time, but we wanted to do it authentically. So, my team and I flew to Nashville for two

weeks. We asked everyone — from our Uber drivers to our hotel bellmen to the people we went out with — if they knew anyone

who knew how to make hot chicken. A few folks introduced us to family members with their own homemade recipes, so we got to see different versions of it,” said Shawn.

“It turned out that one of our Uber drivers had a cousin who actually owned a hot chicken restaurant, and we spent the

whole day there. Back of house, front of house. They taught us everything from scratch. We brought what we learned back to

LA, added our own touch to make it really unique, and opened in December 2018. We’ve got one location downtown and another under construction in Culver City.”

Franchising USA

“Smile for the camera” “The Red Chickz started out on Instagram like everyone else, and we also joined TikTok. It was relatively early for that platform — in 2018 or 2019, TikTok wasn’t nearly as popular as it is today,” explained Shawn. “It took us 6-8 months to get to about 15,000 TikTok followers. Then once we hit 17,000, it just went crazy. If I’m not mistaken, we’re still gaining about 10,00015,000 followers a week. Our Instagram does well too, but TikTok has completely taken off.” The Red Chickz’s various menu items have caught the eyes of thousands on social media, leading it to become one of the most popular Tik Tok accounts in the restaurant industry with over 838,000 followers. Whether it’s cutting into their crispy chicken tenders or artfully drizzling Comeback Sauce onto sandwiches, viewers can’t get enough. Their Instagram isn’t far behind, with over 92,000 followers liking and commenting on their posts of the chicken up close to show off every delicious detail.

“Par!” After successfully catering the highly sought-after event in 2019, The Red Chickz is proud to be a sponsor once again for

the 8th Annual ESPNLA Golf Classic at Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda. The ESPN LA Golf Classic is an opportunity to play golf at a beautiful course, meet celebrity athletes and ESPN LA Radio personalities, witness a live broadcast, and enjoy breakfast, catered lunch and a post-round reception complete with food, drinks and amazing raffle prizes. But most importantly, the ESPN LA Golf Classic raises money for a cause dear to the hearts of millions, The V Foundation for Cancer Research ®. The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded by ESPN and legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano with one goal in mind: to achieve victory over cancer. Since its start in 1993, the V Foundation has awarded over $200 million in cancer research grants nationwide.

“Bon Appétit” The Red Chickz makes their Nashville hot chicken to order in six different spice levels and forms such as sandwiches, tenders, wings, and tacos. Shrimp is also featured on the menu and can be tossed in the same spice mixtures. To accompany the mains, The Red Chickz also has some classic Southern staple sides like potato wedges and coleslaw, and makes their own “Comeback Sauce” to dunk in.

But don’t take our word for it, the reviews are in! One Google user says, “I love this place, chicken is amazing, full of flavor and really tasty. The staff is very friendly, and they provide utensils, sauces and napkins without asking for it. Great customer service and great flavored chicken. This spot is hands down the best and I will definitely be coming back for more!”

Another reviewer raves, “MY GO TO SPOT FOR FRIED CHICKEN AND FRIES! Especially if you want something spicy! Their loaded fries are amazing and they are very generous so it’s a plate you can share.”

“Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much” The Red Chickz have big dreams. They hope to be a national franchise someday, and are looking for franchisees that have the same passion and drive Shawn Lalehzarian had when he founded The Red Chickz. The initial investment necessary to open a single location ranges between $364,000 and $821,000.

For more information about franchising, visit www.theredchickzfranchise.com.

Franchising USA

cov er sto ry

“The Red Chickz has secured its place through posting mouthwatering content on social media platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok, leading them to gain hundreds of thousands of followers.”

ex per t advice

Heather Ripley | Founder and CEO | Ripley PR

Don’t Make These Franchise Public Relations Mistakes

We all make mistakes, but PR mistakes can result in major disruptions in business. The good news is they can easily be prevented or properly addressed.

Seek Professional Support in a Crisis

Make Connections Beyond Your Trade

It’s great to grow as a business and have

By taking a proactive approach to your

Seeking professional PR support in a crisis know how to immediately address issues

Let your consumers see your franchises beyond what they provide directly to consumers. What kind of community interaction is involved on a regular basis?

Is there a connection to consumers on a personal level? A strong connection can build trust and generate consumer loyalty, benefiting both you and your franchises.

Whether it’s locally, regionally, or nationally, build another layer of positive recognizability beyond the services your franchises offer.

misunderstandings or all-hands-on deck

Getting Your Story Out There

PR strategy, not only can you alleviate

potential headaches, you can also boost your overall rating in your field. Public perception is a major component of

company success, and consumers respond to how a business handles situations, both difficult and positive. There are several ways you can avoid PR mistakes.

Franchising USA

multiple franchises, but with growth

comes the potential for unforeseen (and

sometimes seen) PR moments to take down what you have built. You may have several overperforming franchises, but it only

takes one destructive moment from one

franchise to spread negatively to the others. is extremely important. PR professionals that pop up, whether they are minor

moments. Having professionals in your

corner will help you and everyone involved be prepared. With more responsibility comes more potential risk.

Everyone has a story. From the plumber who plumbed his 1,000th property, to the roofer just getting started, there is a story to be told. Someone must tell that story for

Developing a Strong Pitch “Everyone has a story. From the plumber who plumbed his 1,000th property, to the roofer just getting started, there is a story to be told. Someone must tell that story for it to be heard.”

it to be heard. If you don’t put it out there,

you’re missing out on the kind of publicity consumers remember and associate with your franchises.

Establishing the Proper Media Channels Whether your franchises are proficient in

landscaping, installing gutters, or any other much needed services, there are preferred media outlets best suited for your specific trade. Finding proper media channels is

vital to reaching your target customer base.

Once your media channels are established, you can progress with a consistent PR strategy.

You may have established which media channels will work best for your franchises. So have other businesses in your field. What’s going to make you stand out from the others so you can get a front-page story, a two-page article, or two minutes on your local prime time news?

Developing a strong pitch is key to landing the best media coverage.

Don’t Wait Too Late to Pitch Media outlets want to showcase what’s most interesting and relatable to consumers, and topics can change daily.

Waiting too late to make a media pitch could end up being the only reason your story or information wasn’t broadcast or written about. Community events specifically need to be relayed to media on time. Are you sponsoring a seasonal children’s program or donating to a holiday-related charity? Let it be known as soon as possible why you chose to help.

The proper public relations strategy can make or break a business, especially one that has been franchised. Each franchise, although separate, has the same name.

Heather Ripley

This means whatever happens with one franchise can be connected to others by a simple Google search. This doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Following a good PR strategy and eliminating mistakes can create a web of positive publicity for your franchises.

Heather Ripley is founder and CEO of Ripley PR, an elite, global public relations agency specializing in franchising, home service and building trades. Ripley PR has been recognized

by Entrepreneur Magazine as a Top Franchise PR Agency three years in a row and was named to Forbes’ America’s Best PR Agencies for 2021. She is the author of “NEXT LEVEL NOW: PR Secrets to Drive Explosive Growth for your Home Service Business.”

For additional information, visit www.ripleypr.com.

Franchising USA

ex per t advice

Page 13

ex per t advice

George Knauf | Senior Franchise Business Advisor | FranChoice

Culture, Values and Opportunity Unpredictable cash flow during Covid for many hourly employees caused them to look closely at how they worked, how they lived and what was important to them.

Some had chosen the restaurant or retail industries as a career path, others fell into it as ready work until they found the job they really wanted.

George Knauf

Among the things changed by Covid is how we view work and how we prioritize the things employees always told people were more important to them than their jobs.

This impacts the franchise industry in two different ways: - Finding the employees owners will need to build their businesses

Growth in jobs like shipping and warehouse roles at Amazon, side gig roles like Door Dash and home-based administrative roles have attracted former hourly restaurant and retail workers for the time being. But as the economy swings back to the in-person experiences we were used to the need for those other roles may diminish, sending the workforce scrambling again for opportunities.

As that pendulum swings employers and franchisors have an opportunity to learn from what went into the decisions employees made to migrate to other types of work to attract a workforce that is, hopefully, a little more stable and contribute more to the business.

Is this a new idea? No. One example, but not the only one comes from a friend of mine that operates a location for a well-known fast-food brand.

- The number and quality of franchise candidates looking into leaving their jobs

Paul has a great role as an operator, he works when he wants to, travels a lot, spends time with his family and makes a good income from running his restaurant.

This did not come to him by accident.

The pipeline of hourly employees for restaurants, retail and service businesses has always been a big focus for business owners and managers. For decades the process hasn’t changed, employers often focused on getting the lowest cost employees they could find without much focus on the work experiences or their lives outside of work.

Both before and during Covid, Paul had a stack of applications and could cherry pick the best employees in the market. This is because of some key moves he makes.

First he pays well above market rate but in return for that gets a far higher productivity level from each employee. He also creates a very good work environment, all employees are respected and treated well.

Franchising USA

He has created a culture where employees like going to work, contribute a lot and stay long term.

One of the very public facing hourly employee contributions was that after they closed their dining room for Covid, they went from one drive through lane to two. Local customers frequented his drive through and while they moved fast the staff figured that they have more capacity if they could gets more cars to the pickup window.

The hourly staff figured out how to add a 3rd drive through lane and substantially increased revenue. Paul was hiking in the mountains that day, his staff was empowered to make change.

His revenue numbers have long been good, but during Covid they increased substantially and his staff stepped up to the plate like never before.

With the hourly workforce increasing in age and the obligations they have at home, it has never been more important to have values they can align with, create a workplace they like spending their time in and provide them opportunities to advance if they wish to. If you dial in those parameters then you may find that you also have a stack of resumes and be able to select those employees that can take your business to the next level.

While the hourly workforce is a consideration, we are also seeing the same desires from franchise candidates coming to us from middle and executive roles.

I am talking daily to executives that have been working from home, spending time with their families. In some cases “working from home” meant moving to a rented home in a dream destination and setting up their work and school operation there. They got to wake up in the place they wanted to be, spending time with the people most

“Franchisors, much like employers, can create a culture for their franchise systems that fits what these highly skilled executives and middle managers want to experience.”

important to them. They didn’t have to put on a suit and play the old corporate game.

They did not have to be a road warrior.

Franchisors, much like employers, can create a culture for their franchise systems that fits what these highly skilled executives and middle managers want to experience. In many ways they already offer some of that via a National map of open territory.

Keep focused on the personal needs and desires of your franchisees. Do what you can to create the culture and voice the values that will increase the personal rewards those franchisees will appreciate.

What is your success story? Let’s go find it!

George Knauf is a highly sought after, trusted advisor to many of the top franchise ownership groups in the world.

With over 25 years of experience in both start-up and mature business franchise operations he is uniquely qualified to advise individuals that have dreamed of Building their own empires. Whether you have an existing portfolio or searching for your first franchise, he can help you to pursue your dreams. Contact the Franchising USA Expert, George’s Hotline: 703-424-2980. www.MyPerfectFranchise.com

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George J Newton | Business Development Manager and Content Writer

How Important is Operational Efficiency for Your Franchise?

Imagine a world where everything in your company is running smoothly. Your goods and services are always of high quality and delivered on time.

Your clients adore you, and your employees are excited to work for you. Imagining this world may seem like some far-off concept, but in fact, it’s a state of business well within your grasp once you start focusing on operational efficiency.

What is operational efficiency?

In a nutshell, operating efficiently highlights the process of maximising the use of resources such as time, people, equipment, inventory, and money to benefit your business. Companies that are efficient are leaner, more nimble, and more profitable.

“However, this may not be as complicated as it first seems. You don’t need to invest in new technologies to see substantial

Franchising USA

improvements (although it can help). In reality, to decrease waste and provide greater value to customers, the first step is usually to better manage your team, processes, and information. It means looking at how you run your business and identifying areas where you can make improvements, which could even be as simple as making a change to your state of mind,” explains Jason Turner, a business writer at Write My X and PhD Kingdom.

Most commonly, the biggest change businesses can make is with their waste, much of which can be reduced with operational efficiency.

For example, in the average small and medium-sized business, just 15 to 20 per cent of an employee’s workday is spent on solely productive activities, according to some estimates.

An operational efficiency mentality aims to reduce or limit the amount of time that employees spend on non-value-added tasks or inefficient operations. An operational efficiency exercise can make a corporation much more competitive and lucrative by maximising the quantity of value-added work people complete.

How do you figure out what’s wrong with your operational efficiency?

Businesses that seek out an efficiency expert typically recognise they have a problem but are too busy with day-to-day chores to remedy it, or they just don’t know where to begin improving their operations, but this holds a series of problems. This approach means that owners and managers are always putting out fires. This addresses the problem, but it doesn’t fix it nor stop it from happening again.

If your business is suffering diminishing earnings, problems meeting demand, or even revenue losses, you, like many other entrepreneurs, can assume you’re suffering from inefficiencies. However, there may be changes you can make for instant benefits.

You just need to look in the right places for the answers, including; • Looking at your financial reports • Your employee experience and feedback • Your customer experience and how they feel • What your vision is • What your goals are

George J Newton

• What your strategy is • What your business policies and structures are • What your workflows are • What your bottlenecks are • What your resource management is like (in other words, how much lost labour you have, how much time lost, how much money is wasted, and so on).

These are all reasons why you need to monitor and keep track of the company’s efficiency in areas including quality control, inventory management, and work procedures. You may even want to use tools like root cause analysis (e.g., a fishbone or Ishikawa diagram) and Pareto analysis; researchers look at the leading underlying causes of problems.

However, once you’ve found the problems, however it is you’ve found them, you can start working on fixing the issues.

Create a list of priority projects and a plan of action Next up, it’s time to highlight what’s important and what issues need to be addressed, which means identifying a list of priorities. The most important and most impactful issues will need to be addressed first. Usually, you’ll identify a problem, and you’ll put it into one of two categories.

“These categories are defined as ‘quick wins’ or long-term adjustments that could take anywhere between a month and a year or longer to make and put into place. Both have their own pros and cons. Quick wins

are great because you can have multiple projects running, and the changes will be seen quickly, and you should start getting results right away. This can be incredibly motivating to everyone involved,” explained Sam Jackson, a recruiter at Britstudent and Australia2write.

Then, long-term developments will be completed during the next few years and are usually larger-scale adjustments that affect your business across the board, typically across multiple departments.

An action plan should be prepared for both types of initiatives that specifies who will carry out each initiative, a completion timeline, and key performance indicators (KPIs) or milestones to track progress and impact.

Identify the appropriate performance indicators You’ll need to be ambitious with your action plans, but at the same time, only give yourself realistic performance objectives in order to reach your production goals. Some of the most common indicators you’ll find include: • Quality - The percentage of rejected units or products is frequently used to assess quality. This indication is frequently used in conjunction with a customer indicator, such as the proportion of returns or the number of customer complaints.

• Efficiency - Efficiency, or the cost of manufacturing, is a crucial metric for enterprises. This indicator is frequently

calculated by comparing the time budgeted for completing a task with the actual time spent on that work.

• Time for delivery - Delivery time is often seen as the most crucial indicator since it monitors the time it takes from receiving an order to final delivery, intending to reduce production time, waste, and errors while also increasing customer satisfaction. This indicator usually has a cascading effect on the others.

You may have other indicators that are specific to your business, and by all means, you can use these. Whatever approach you’re taking, it’s most important that you take the time to choose the best indicators that highlight when you’re making progress.

Then, all you need to do is to keep tweaking your processes. Identify a problem, fix it, track how well you’re fixing it, tweak, monitor, track, and so on. The cycle repeats like this, and this is how you’ll find your business getting better and better over time!

George J. Newton is a business development manager and content writer for Research paper writing services and Assignment Help. He loves helping businesses become the best they can be using his years of experience in the business consultancy industry. He also contributes his work to websites such as Custom Coursework.

Email: george.x.newton@gmail.com

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The public and policymakers need to understand franchising.

Our purpose

@OurFranchise is an industry-wide campaign created to spread the word about the value of franchising and share the stories of men and women just like you, who are leading the way as franchisors, franchisees, and franchise employees. The franchise business model has been proven time and time again to work, but it’s threatened when the public and politicians don’t understand how it operates to benefit local, independent franchise establishment owners and their communities. Putting a spotlight on real leaders succeeding with the franchise model is how we’ll ensure franchising is stronger than ever before.

Follow us

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

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a

x

Our Franchise

@OurFranchise

@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!

FranchisingFeature trending franchises

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the rise of boutique fitness franchising what’s working in the franchise industry today?

3 key steps your franchise’s facebook strategy is missing Franchising USA

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what’s new!

Always An Angel Homecare Expands to Meet Growing Demand

Always An Angel Homecare, a faithbased senior homecare franchise providing non-medical comprehensive home health care solutions, announced today the expansion of the brand’s home office in Putnam County.

The opening of a satellite office in White Plains, New York and the launch of a second affiliate agency to meet the growing demand for home health care.

“We keep a strong finger on the pulse of the demand for quality homecare services,” said Steve Velichko, co-owner of Always An Angel Homecare. “Expanding our corporate office and launching our second affiliate agency is allowing us to propel our

franchise growth initiative and provide the best individualized homecare services for seniors and their families.”

Always An Angel Homecare provides homecare services for families arranging care for senior-aged loved ones and others living with chronic illnesses, recovering after illness or surgery, individuals suffering with dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as those aging with declined strength and mobility.

“We have an outstanding support system in place, and since launching in 2012, we have seen year-over-year growth,” added Roberta Velichko, co-owner of Always An Angel Homecare. “What sets us apart

from other home health care organizations is our top-notch communication and understanding that quality of care is more important than the volume of clients.” www.alwaysanangelhomecare.com

WOWorks Fast-Casual Restaurant Brands on Track for Impressive Growth in 2021 WOWorks family of restaurant brands Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh and The Simple Greek, have achieved steady growth for the second quarter of 2021 and the brands are on track to open more than 70 new restaurants before the end of the year.

In the past three months, the brands have signed 13 new franchise agreements and opened 18 new locations, including debuts in Utah, California, Texas, Massachusetts and Tennessee – proving the consistent demand for fresh, flavorful and healthy fast-casual dining options.

“In addition to continuing to build our traditional restaurant growth, we are looking to redefine the non-traditional restaurant category in unique and relevant platforms. From exploring non-traditional channels such as grocery stores, airports, universities, colleges and ghost kitchens, we are paving the way for growth with all of the brands under the WOWorks umbrella,” said Eric Lavinder, Chief Development Officer for WOWorks.

Franchising USA

“We are especially excited about the possibilities with co-branded WOWorks restaurants that can help franchisees expand revenue hours to include breakfast.”

The newly formed family of brands share a core DNA designed to meet a growing demand among Millennial families and GenZ guests who crave healthy, nutritious and flavorful dining options with a high level of customization and convenience.

WOWorks franchise owners come from

different backgrounds, including existing franchise owners from different brands; varied business ownership backgrounds, such as construction, hotels, and fitness; former professional athletes; and military veterans.

If you are interested in owning a WOWorks brand franchise, visit https://saladworks-franchising.com/, https://fruttabowls.com/franchising/ https://eatgarbanzo.com/franchising/

Two Maids & A Mop Achieves Significant Revenue Milestones in First Half of 2021

Marco’s Pizza® experiencing explosive growth Two Maids & A Mop, the leading residential cleaning franchise, announced today that it achieved significant growth and success in the first half of 2021, attaining a revenue record in June with the highest network revenue record since the brand opened in 2003, and an overall 2021 YTD revenue of $18.8 million.

The company celebrated six new openings and welcomed four newly signed franchise owners, with those new locations to be opened in Fall River, Massachusetts, Reno, Nevada, Columbus, Mississippi and Montgomery, Ohio. The system experienced a 73.4 percent AUV increase from 2019, pre-pandemic impact, to the first half of 2021, showing no signs of slowing down in their growth and success. These solid numbers across the system signify the strength of the brand and its position for a very profitable year, with expectations to open ten additional new locations before the end of the year.

“The strength and success of our system stems from the dedication of our owners and Professional House Cleaners, so we’d like to extend this congratulations on an amazing first half of the year to each and every one of them,” said Ron Holt, founder and CEO of Two Maids & A Mop. We’re lucky to have a network of owners who are so incredibly motivated and capable of achieving success alongside us as they pursue their entrepreneurial dreams, which has always been our mission.

Two Maids & A Mop continues to expand its footprint across the country with its entrance into Utah and Nevada. The force of the brand extends across its entire system, as a staggering 58 of their 90 currently opened locations achieved revenue records in June 2021, in addition to 28 of the other 32 locations achieving revenue records since February 2021. Across the system, the company conducted more than 117,000 cleans in Q1 and Q2, as customers continue to put their trust in the high-quality performance of the brand. www.twomaidsfranchise.com/

Marco’s Pizza, one of the nation’s fastest-growing pizza brands, announces its expansion strategy for the greater Cleveland area, detailing plans to add five new stores to the market by 2025 by partnering with qualified franchise operators.

Nationally, the pizza brand has signed 98-plus franchise agreements year-to-date, with over 200 stores in various stages of development, as Marco’s aims to grow its 1000-plus unit footprint by more than 10 per cent this year.

The fast-growing pizza brand is experiencing explosive growth, record-breaking sales, and continues to innovate and pilot new programs to sustain its performance. Opening a new store every three and a half days on average, the Top 50 per cent of its franchised stores generated $1,059,574 AUV for 2020*.

Marco’s has been operating in the greater Cleveland market since 1989, now boasting 50 thriving locations. With growing brand awareness and open real estate in prime available territories, Marco’s seeks hands-on operators and experienced investors to join its winning team and grow in this established market.

“We’re seeking candidates who are passionate not just about Marco’s Pizza as a brand, but also about being committed to community,” said area representative Matt Baker. “We’re a beloved brand throughout this region and want to be sure we grow with franchise partners who share our passion for community.

While we’ve identified these as prime markets for development, we’re open to other areas in greater Cleveland-Akron-Canton Ohio as well.”

Baker has been a Marco’s Area Representative for 10 years and a franchisee for over 15 years – but most notably, he’s been working for the company since the 1980s when he was just a teenager.

Today, he and his business partners – Jones and Jaynes – are the Area Representatives for 14 stores in the Cleveland territory. www.marcosfranchising.com

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Featu re

I n g r i d N e l s o n | Fr a n c h i s i n g U S A

franchises Are you considering purchasing and owning a franchise business yourself? Which franchises are best suited for your budget and skill set? Which franchises are the safest bet? We share some of the latest trends.

Buying a franchise can be a viable alternative to starting your own business from scratch. Franchises offer people wishing to start their own business the independence of small business ownership supported by the benefits of a big business network. A franchise business often has an established reputation and image, proven management and work practices, access to

Franchising USA

national advertising and ongoing support.

In a franchise business, the franchisor provides a secure way of operating a business model, in return for ongoing payment of fees and/or purchases.

Buying a franchise in America offers many different options. If you are looking for retail, home based, mobile, senior care, automotive, educational, food, and even pet friendly the options are endless for you to start your own business. Some of the top franchise opportunities started right here in the USA. American franchises offer more than other business opportunities in the USA - they give you a proven system to make the best of your franchise journey.

When looking at franchises available in the USA and choosing the best franchise opportunities for you, it is always important that you do your due diligence and speak to experts in the industry

“When looking at franchises available in the USA and choosing the best franchise opportunities for you, it is always important that you do your due diligence and speak to experts in the industry who can give you valuable advice.” who can give you valuable advice. Our

franchise magazine contains a wealth of

expert advice to help you get started with a USA franchise.

Speaking to current and past franchisees

is also a must, as they know what it really

involves to operate a franchise in America.

Most American franchises will allow you do to this, and even recommend that you speak with existing franchisees.

“The franchises that pay attention to trends by listening, observing and reacting to the needs of their franchisees and their customers are not only making sure their business stays afloat during changing times, they’re building the business traditions of tomorrow.”

Franchising and businesses for sale is not a guaranteed path to success, but it is a solid formula based upon tried and tested franchises in the USA that can pave the way to success.

The hottest trend? Resilience!

The ones that have adapted new systems and protocols to keep customers safe, for example, or the ones that have embraced online alternatives to in-person services, or the ones who see future demand for sustainable products and react to meet this need—these are the franchises that are ensuring their franchising system continues to be a trending, relevant one. Many of the changes we have seen in the past year to the way businesses operated were adapted virtually overnight. Some had already been developing over many years; developments like cashless payments, e-commerce stores and home delivery for a wide cross-section of takeaway options have been the norm for some time now. Other developments like QR scans, hygiene stations and social distancing were sudden and reactive.

But after sorting out the initial teething problems, franchisors who rallied to quickly react to, and implement, these changes were able to adjust, adapt and survive.

Franchises that are showing resilience in the face of adversity are the ones that have embraced new trends to stay relevant.

The pandemic also opened up opportunities for some franchises and demonstrated how quickly franchise

Franchises in the USA work because they deliver goods or services in a consistent manner, regardless of location. A USA franchise allows for the flexibility of business ownership without so much pressure. However, even the best franchise opportunities will not work for you if you don’t enjoy what you are doing. It is important to find a franchise that suits you.

And while many franchises have taken a beating this past year due to the global pandemic and subsequent hit to the economy, a remarkable number of franchises were able to get back up, dust themselves off, and become stronger than ever.

systems can respond quickly to unexpected change. When considering a resilient franchise, take a close look at the ones that have been thriving during lockdown and examine what innovations they introduced and how they managed their business, their people and their future strategies during that tumultuous time.

Franchisors looking to the future Looking to the future, many of these changes are likely to stick around.

Customers are likely to continue to appreciate the convenience of home shopping from an online store, menu ordering apps, mobile repair services and increased hygiene and safety standards in home care, health, beauty and fitness services.

Over the past year, many franchisors have also been stepping up to support their franchisees. The good news is this seems like a trend that will continue well into the future as franchisors and franchisees realise the benefits of a strong support network in building resilience and longevity. The franchises that pay attention to trends by listening, observing and reacting to the needs of their franchisees and their customers are not only making sure their business stays afloat during changing times, they’re building the business traditions of tomorrow.

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I n g r i d N e l s o n | Fr a n c h i s i n g U S A

“If you are looking for a trending franchise that offers a safer investment, look for a franchise that has an established track record balanced with a keen understanding of business trends.”

Some of the trends ahead for 2021/2022 A trend for convenience and time

Tips for Choosing a Trending Franchise Whatever kind of franchising opportunity you are considering, keep in mind these important tips before making any big decisions on your franchising future.

• Trend vs Fad: Some business ideas are here today, gone tomorrow. Taking a risk on investing in a shiny new business proposition can be rewarding, but risky. If you are looking for a trending franchise that offers a safer investment, look for a franchise that has an established track record balanced with a keen understanding of business trends.

For example, it might be traditional retail store with household brand name recognition, but one that also offers automated online sales.

• Due Diligence: A key piece of advice for all new franchisees is to thoroughly conduct due diligence. This is especially true if investing in an up-and-coming trending franchise. Do your homework, carefully read the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), attend networking events and discovery days, and talk to other franchisees. Learn what fees, licensing and royalty arrangements are in place. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. A franchisor with a reputable business proposition with established processes in place should be able to

Franchising USA

answer all your questions, confidently.

• Future Thinking: Does the business have longevity? Are the trends they are implementing value-adding to the longterm profitability and trustworthiness of the brand? Again, what you do with the answers to these questions depends on what kind of investment you are seeking.

If you are up for a risk and looking for a franchise that will turn a profit in a short space of time, a ‘trendy’ franchise like a fun and quirky food franchise (think Kramer of classic TV sitcom Seinfeld’s out-there business idea of a “pizza place where you make your own pie!”), may be just the ticket. But if you are looking for a franchise with at least a five-to-tenyear commitment, consider whether the product or service being provided will still be popular or in demand far down the track.

The most compelling part of the franchising industry is that it’s always developing, growing and finding new and innovative ways to make a successful and profitable business. As consumers needs change and expand, so does the economy and therefore franchises. Trends start to falter and new fads create business opportunities that could be the next new thing that everyone needs or wants. There are constant ongoing opportunities to consider and review for investment.

The economy used to be forced and guided by a human need for materialistic products.

Americans took pride in ownership and enjoyed having the best new gadget. While that necessity has never faltered, there is a new driving force behind businesses that has changed the course of business.

Consumers are hooked on the idea of paying for time and investing in convenience. A service that provides freedom and time to be with their families is considered money well spent.

This has created a trend in related franchises, particularly in Cleaning Services. A working family barely has time to keep up with the demands of a busy household. Cleaning services used to be a trend only available to the luxury class because it wasn’t worth the money for everyone else. Now people budget their income to provide for such a service so they can use their free time to be with family and enjoy the things they love.

The cleaning industry is not simply household chores; there are speciality services including window cleaning and dry cleaning, residential cleaning as mentioned above, and commercial businesses - which all have franchising options. There are a variety of options to consider that are profitable within the franchising field. It’s currently a $78 billion industry when you consider all the options available.

Though this field of interest is easily accessible because it has a lower start up cost, there are some drawbacks. The

business is very dependent on its workers and reputation. With strong competition, there is always another option down the street or a cheaper option accessed through social media or service apps. Therefore, a franchisor might want to review cleaning standards, talent and HR management and possible turnover. A cleaning franchise with a reliable operations plan, as well as a successful rate for long term employees and management could be more successful and dependable.

A trend for Education and Recreation Educational development is a newer trend with a wider variety of options in franchising. Parents are more likely to invest in their children’s futures and schooling than ever before. Most parents want their kids to have opportunities that they hadn’t as a child and therefore willing to prioritize money to have a better education - as well as knowledge in other categories outside of the school yard.

The most common opportunity is supplemental education in the form of tutoring. Some of these franchises have a fixed location with tutors reporting to work during certain hours, while other options allow franchisees to work from home and contract out tutors to customers.

These options have different start up costs, responsibilities, and expectations. A large corporation with a steady group of workers has a higher investment fee, but an at home

business may cut into more family and personal time with bigger responsibilities and operational considerations.

Recreational franchises include birthday party celebrations franchises. Birthdays are no longer blown up balloons and freeze dance, but rather a huge business opportunity. There is a growing number of mobile franchises have different entertainment packages that can bring the party to you, like gaming trailers or blow up castles.

The mobile recreational entertainment franchise has a lower start up fee, but there are stabilized franchises that are open to the public every day and offer birthday party venues: trampoline and indoor jungle gyms, arcade and restaurant opportunities are a few examples.

Recreational and sport franchises are on the rise as the demands of parents and children are ever developing. These are great options for those who want to work with kids and run a successful business.

Other poular trends

Mobile businesses are accessible to a lot of people who are interested in franchises and have a lot of options dependent on your passion. Though the work and responsibilities may be a little different than most franchises, it a franchise that is always developing and peaking interest.

The franchising industry has opened its doors to more investors, as opportunities develop and consumers expect more choice but want to spend less money, and now the variety of franchises is endless.

Franchising today offers a bigger world of opportunity than ever before and is constantly developing. Even a trending franchise can grow into new developments that are more popular that it was initially expected.

A trending type of franchise is one within the everyday person’s price range and these include mobile franchises. Without a large location to secure, franchisees work from their home and service people sight on scene.

Either way, all business is developed and determined by the wants and needs of consumers and nowadays busy families want convenience at a lower costs which has been the driving force behind the more popular and trending franchises of today.

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Have Your Say: Chris Conner | President | Franchise Marketing Systems

What’s Working in the Franchise Industry Today?

It’s easy to make the assumption that when times get tough, people run for the hills and certainly don’t take the risk of starting a new business.

Ironically, it’s exactly the opposite, when times get tough, people start businesses.

Based on U.S. census bureau statistics, over 4.4 million new businesses started in the U.S. in 2020 – literally, the highest amount ever on record in U.S. history and almost 25 per cent increase from 2019 – mind blowing! 2021 continued with similar exponential growth in entrepreneurship with over 500k new businesses in January alone. With all of this growth in entrepreneurship, we’ve seen similar growth in franchising. For those folks that have entered entrepreneurship for the first time, franchising offers a valuable and effective way to start a new business with support and guidance from the franchisor.

Who makes up the majority of the franchisee’s buying franchises in today’s market?

Franchisees who have invested since March of 2020 come from all walks of life and areas of the U.S. and Canada as they do in most time periods in franchising.

But what is unique about today’s buyer is the influence of COVID on many sectors of business has also driven people into the market who otherwise may have stayed at

Franchising USA

their job or current business. COVID has in a sense forced many people to pivot to a new line of work and created urgency for franchise buyers. Most recently, Franchise Marketing Systems has a client, Dumpster Today, which rents dumpsters for construction jobs and residential clean outs. The Franchise launched in 2021 and has sold its first seven franchise territories.

Of those buyers, over half were people who either owned a successful business which was shut down by COVID or lost a job due to COVID and were looking for a new opportunity. Essentially, the majority of this new franchise brand’s growth has come because of COVID driving people into franchising. We have seen this in many instances where people who may have at one point looked at their job or career as being safe and consistent and then something like COVID happens and they realize that they don’t have the stability they once thought they did and therefore can justify the risk to start their own business or franchise.

The demographics of franchise buyers are increasingly more and more diverse and broadly defined which is great. Women, minorities and people of all ages are investing in franchises and taking the first step towards owning a business. This can also be seen on the franchisor side, an amazing influx of minority owned franchise systems can be found across the country including brands such as Salon 809, Morning Dew Massage, Joe’s Gourmet and Masti Indian Restaurants.

The diversity and growth of all population segments in franchising showcases the opportunity for literally anyone to join the franchise industry and benefit from business ownership.

So, what segments in franchising have grown and trending in today’s market?

The interesting thing with the pandemic is that we’ve seen a fluctuation in market segments depending on what is the current status of COVID. When the pandemic first set in, Fitness, Food Service and Retail models took a major hit as understandably, people were concerned about investing in

“The diversity and growth of all population segments in franchising showcases the opportunity for literally anyone to join the franchise industry and benefit from business ownership.”

franchises that required the customer to go into a location. On the other hand, service franchises grew at an enormous pace.

Painting, Roofing, Fencing, Landscaping and other service segments in franchising literally took off as people rushed into these “Pandemic Proof” industry segments and bought franchises as fast as they could find the right brand to invest in.

Now, in 2021, it seems that food service, fitness and some of the more traditional brick and mortar-based franchises have returned to high levels of growth and prosperity as well. People are investing in all segments it seems and have gotten past the concerns related to the pandemic and there have been monumental success stories throughout the year including several franchise systems taking the brand Public and multiple large franchise system acquisitions by Private Equity firms. Virtually every franchise brand has had exceptional growth in 2021 and many franchise brands have broken records for sales activity.

Some brands that are particularly exciting and have really taken the market by storm this year.

Anodyne Pain Management is a pain management services clinic which provides wellness services to clients from a retail location model. The brand has added 30 new franchise units during the pandemic and is picking up momentum with an increased demand for health and wellness services. Green Earth Pressure Washing is a commercial pressure washing services franchise that has been able to cover the entire state of Florida with new franchise locations, the brand is well positioned to scale over the coming years. Teaspoon Boba Tea has added over 50 new units since the pandemic and is taking the Boba tea market segment by storm. Kika Stretch, a boutique fitness and wellness services brand has grown to almost 20

units during the pandemic and is also picking up momentum. The industry segments are diverse, unique and showcase how much growth there is in the franchise industry overall.

One thing for certain is that even with the pandemic, franchising is alive and well and the market is doing as well as it ever has.

Both franchisors and franchisees have been able to expand their businesses and brands during the global fight with COVID. We have also seen a rise in businesses and brands which specifically provide services related to managing COVID. Florida based franchisor, Titan Remediation offers a COVID Sterilization service franchise which provides services to residential and commercial clients throughout the Southeastern U.S. and with the growth in demand, the franchise model was developed to offer franchisees a low cost, service based franchise system that could help people with the growing demand for COVID relief services. Along with several other brands including Citrusolutions and Safe Spray, the opportunity to scale a business offering services for COVID sterilization, the consumer market demand for these services has driven franchise growth and innovation.

Chris Conner has spent the last decade in the franchise industry working with several hundred franchise systems in management, franchise sales and franchise development work.

Chris is a franchise consultant and has a specialized focus in franchise development and franchise consulting work. Mr. Conner leads the Franchise Marketing Systems team in franchise consulting and franchise development projects. He holds a B.S. from Miami of Ohio in Oxford and an MBA in Finance from DePaul University. www.FMSFranchise.com

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Expert Advice: Josh Sample | Ceo | Drive Social Media

3 Key Steps Your Franchise’s Facebook Strategy is Missing Last month, one of our fitness franchise clients told his assigned team that he wanted to exit our 12-month agreement for paid social media marketing after only three months.

The relationship was strong out of the gate, we had just traveled across the country to meet the client in-person for the first time, and the account was far surpassing its initial cost-per-lead goal by more than 25 per cent. Needless to say, the team was caught by complete surprise.

“My franchisees are coming at me with pitchforks,” our client explained. “I know we are hitting our cost-per-lead goal, but none of these are good leads. Only 8 per cent have converted so far.

We’re going to have to shut the ads off”.

Does this sound familiar to you? You partner with an agency or hire a social media manager that is supposed to generate leads from Facebook, you run your ads, and after a few weeks, you notice few — if any — of your leads converting, and you conclude that Facebook isn’t the right avenue to market your brand. “My customers just aren’t on Facebook”.

No matter your size or industry, that couldn’t be further from the truth. With 2.8 billion active users, Facebook trumps second-place Twitter by a wide margin of more than 18 per cent. However, at my company, Drive Social Media, we hear our new partners and prospects make this statement on a daily basis.

The problem is not that your customers aren’t on Facebook, or that Facebook ads don’t work for lead generation. It’s that you haven’t yet figured out how to use Facebook as a sales tool. And you’re not alone. One study found that as much as 62 per cent of small business owners believe Facebook ads are an ineffective channel.

But how much of that onus is truly on the platform versus simply user error?

Most of the time, when we meet franchise partners who have struggled to generate a return on investment from their Facebook marketing, it’s because of three factors: 1. They chase the wrong metrics 2. They aren’t using their existing data to build an audience 3. They expect Facebook to sell for them

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If you’re expecting to make non-paid posts, boost posts, and perform broad audience targeting on Facebook, you’re setting yourself up for failure from the get-go.

Here’s three ways to start off on the right foot.

1

Stop chasing vanity metrics

Here’s a fact that should be obvious to most marketers but for some reason is not: Facebook invented likes, comments, and shares. They did it so that businesses could assign some level of tangible results to their Facebook marketing. But that was before paid ads became king on the platform, and before Facebook had the ability to drive leads, track sales, and report on ROI. So those little thumbs and hearts may give you a rush of dopamine, but they won’t do anything to produce revenue for your business. There has never been a correlation between likes, comments, and shares as they relate to purchasing intent.

Stop chasing them.

So what is the right metric to track? Here’s the thing: there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to key performance indicators (KPI) on social media for every brand.

Website traffic and cost-per-click might seem valuable. But if your website isn’t set up to convert, has broken links, slow load times, and shoddy navigation, your traffic won’t convert anyway, so you can’t blame the original source of your visitors if those visitors aren’t being taken to a website that makes it easy for them to buy from you.

On the other hand, it might make sense to focus on leads generated from social as a better KPI than web traffic. But if you don’t have a sales team in place that can effectively follow-up on those leads and keep them on a consistent, scalable process, then you can’t really set a lead goal as a KPI because your closing percentage won’t remain consistent either. In order to evaluate the ROI of social media leads, your sales funnel needs to be mapped out and followed to a T.

2

Utilize Your Current Cu stomer List

Facebook allows you to use virtually any data you have to target potential customers.

But most “social media marketers” that you

can hire on a freelance basis will simply build audiences based on demographics and interests. That’s literally saying that you believe you’re smarter than the algorithm. Lookalike audiences allow you to use the power of Facebook’s Edgerank algorithm to target potential customers based on their behaviors, not just where they live and what they like.

You can get super-granular with this too.

For our partners, we commonly use valuebased lookalike audiences that are built off the business’s current customers with a 1per cent variance. What that means is that we target people who walk, talk, and act just like our partner’s current customers, and we focus-in on the individuals in that audience who are likely to spend the most money.

You can also use your customer list to do things like exclude your current customers so that any campaigns that are targeted to new customers don’t spend money on advertising to people that are already in the ecosystem of your business. Customer data is king when it comes to advertising and Facebook allows you utilize yours more effectively than any other social platform.

3

Follow-up, follow-up, followup

Social media leads are naturally going to be colder than leads that come through your website or call your business. It might feel like they’re all in the same stage of the funnel, but on social media, you are targeting people who have never had a touchpoint with your business, and possibly have never even heard of your business.

The people coming through your website and your phone line found you somehow — they didn’t just magically end up there.

So they’ve actually been nurtured to some extent by your website, Google, word-ofmouth, or some other form of advertising.

They were actively looking for your product or service before they reached out to you.

The leads you generate on social media aren’t people in shopping mode — they’re people who are just trying to kill five minutes while they’re in the grocery line, stuck in traffic, on their lunch break, smoking a cigarette, etc., and your business

Josh Sample

“Paid social media marketing is more than just picking an audience and uploading a picture. The more you understand the platforms, utilize your existing data, and treat social media like a sales machine, the more likely you are to get positive results.” caught their attention at the right time.

They haven’t called you or been to your website or done any advanced research on you. So, they’re above your other leads in the funnel, which means you need to mine those leads like gold. Our internal research shows that when a lead is called within five minutes of submission, they close at a 22 per cent higher rate. A fully developed cadence to work your leads is also necessary and needs to be followed verbatim every single time.

Paid social media marketing is more than just picking an audience and uploading a picture. The more you understand the platforms, utilize your existing data, and treat social media like a sales machine, the more likely you are to get positive results.

Josh Sample is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Drive Social Media, and the creator of Marketing Milk. Josh is passionate about scaling businesses and bringing transparency to the digital advertising world. www.drivesocialnow.com

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Expert Advice: Adam Rice | Founder & CEO | ISI Elite Training

The Rise of Boutique Fitness Franchising The COVID-19 pandemic has energized the health and wellness industry across the board. From healthy eating concepts to fitness centers, people are proactively taking more control of their health and lives through healthy living. But the pandemic didn’t start the health craze. at $27B, with the total market size of the global fitness club industry just over $96B. About the time Olivia, Jane Fonda, Suzanne Sommers, and Richard Simmons were getting physical by sweating to the oldies, fitness centers like Gold’s Gym, 24 Hour Fitness. L.A. Fitness was taking off in popularity. Add in Hollywood action heroes and other personalities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Sylvester Stallone, and Body by Jake (Jake Steinfeld), and you have a heavy-weight line-up of celebrities pushing the fitness industry into a new age.

Adam Rice

It has existed for decades, surging in

the early 1980s. Credit MTV or Olivia

Newton-John’s “Let’s Get Physical” song

and video, health clubs began springing up in cities across America. Today, the fitness industry is big business. Some reports

indicate that the U.S. fitness industry sits

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Even with an all-star cast of fitness types working in the 80s, the overall fitness industry wasn’t considered mainstream.

The 1990s and early 2000s saw an explosion in the fitness industry. Many more regional and national chains started opening their doors. According to an equity research firm, 17 million people in the U.S. spent $6M annually as members of the country’s 10,000 gym locations.

The research firm reports that by 2016 health club locations and memberships more than tripled to 36,000 and 57 million, respectively, and total revenue increased 450 per cent to $27 billion.

Leading up to this time, the fitness industry followed a very similar and easy-toinstitute business model: • Build a facility in a high-traffic location (the bigger, the better) • Fill it with equipment (both old and new workout modalities) • Aggressively sell memberships until all fixed costs are covered • Reap rewards of membership fees more than fixed costs • Target non-fitness types of signing yearly contracts in the beginning when they are super pumped (pun intended) about working out Planet Fitness lead the pack posting record numbers from its first franchise in 2003

INDUSTRY STATS • The global fitness industry is worth $96.7 billion.

• The number of gym members is expected to reach 230 million by 2030.

• High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is at the top of the list of fitness trends for 2021.

• The USA is the world’s largest fitness market with 62.4 million gym members, according to the fitness center industry statistics.

• Europe, Russia, Poland, and Turkey will see the biggest increase this year, predictions about health and fitness industry growth show. who wanted to get back to the “blood, sweat, and tears” workouts that we watched Rocky Balboa conduct time and time again (or at least five movies worth). This breakaway focused on a highly tailored experience and typically cost a bit more than the static gyms of the day.

to 1,400 locations by 2017 with more than 10 million members— 17 per cent of the total market. The company targeted the non-gym members and built a casual “nojudgment zone” to keep people comfortable about their individual fitness levels.

The other areas where gyms and fitness centers knew they could create new revenue streams were adding in personal trainers, aerobic group classes, tanning machines (especially in the 90s), and merchandising.

At this point, fitness centers started to feel static. They all had different names but essentially offered the same thing. At that point, it became a game of real-estate and locking down high traffic areas, but this over-saturated the market, and it started to flatline.

During this time, a phenomenon started to occur. To stand out from the monotony of the big-box fitness centers, boutique fitness gyms began opening, targeting the hardcore fitness clientele. Mainly those

This was the moment when fitness boutiques defined themselves as a viable fitness option while redefining the landscape of the entire industry. Each concept adapted a unique fitness modality to cater to specific age groups, fitness levels, and micro-communities. Many people, at this point, were seeking a more specialized, unique fitness experience other than hitting the weights and the nautilus machine circuits. They wanted to find the joy of fitness again. Highlighting their rapid expansion, the definitive trade organization IHRSA notes that boutique memberships expanded 74 per cent from 2012 to 2015, compared to five per cent for health clubs. Admittedly, boutiques started from a smaller base, but their share of total revenue—some 35 per cent—showcased its staying power. The move of boutique fitness concepts shifted the overall fitness industry paradigm and left the big-box gyms somewhat holding the (punching) bag.

Boutique concepts offer value and experience over hype and promise.

Regardless of laying down a yoga mat or saddling up to our front-row spot in cycle class, the big business of fitness faded into the background. With that said, the shift was taking place and has recast the entire industry into a diverse landscape of select modality boutique fitness concepts.

Starting in the early 2000s, boutique fitness centers grew aggressively and continued to build momentum. People now had

many choices to select the type of fitness regimen they wanted. Through this growth, many boutique fitness concepts launched in regions across the nation. Barry’s Bootcamp in the northeast; CorePower Yoga in the west; Pure Barre (balletinspired group exercise) in the Midwest; and ISI® Elite Training in the Southeast, to name a few. These boutique concepts created unique cultures and fitness beliefs that attracted many.

As we see today, many fitness boutique concepts were either crushed or strengthened by the COVID-19 pandemic. ISI® Elite Training fell into the latter category. Our brand is growing exponentially and has emerged from the initial pandemic phase more vigorously than ever. We’ve sold 62 units in three years, opened three new locations at the height of the pandemic and are approaching 30 locations in development across eight states. Impressively, and a nod to our unique modality and member dedication, we increased membership by 51 percent in the first two quarters of 2021, maintained 84 percent membership rates through the pandemic and kept the community engaged in fitness by pivoting to live, virtual classes. As we’ve transitioned back to fully in-person sessions, all locations that have opened in 2021 have opened profitably and with hundreds of eager and excited members.

Today, we are back to basics, working hard and getting our members fit from the long months of isolation, shutdowns, and poor eating habits. COVID may be around for quite some time, but so is our desire to overcome this challenge together and live happier, healthier lives through proper nutrition and fitness.

In 2011, ISI® Elite Training Founder, Adam Rice opened his first facility in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Adam selected the name ISI® Elite Training based on Proverbs 27:17: “Iron Sharpens Iron, as one person sharpens another.”

In 2019, ISI® Elite Training opened its successful boutique gym concept to franchising built on a philosophy of community alignment where likeminded people inspire, motivate, and hold each other accountable to achieve their desired results.

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ex per t advice

Dr. David Kremelberg | Principal and Founder | DK Statistical Consulting, Inc.

Identifying Profitable Franchise Locations

Using Multiple Linear Regression Analysis

As the old saying goes relating to real estate, it is all about “location, location, location.”

So, when a national electronics store chain found itself floundering because they weren’t able to identify the most profitable store locations, they recognized that a new approach was required.

In addition, another problem this company was experiencing was that they opened too many stores in the same geographical areas, which reduced revenues for these individual stores.

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The company contacted DK Statistical Consulting, Inc. to help them target locations which would allow them to maximize their expected profits from their new planned franchises. Data were collected and supplied on their existing 4000+ plus stores, with these data including a multitude of demographic data. These demographics included the number of ZIP codes in the store trade area, the number of households, total population, median household income and median age, the number of those holding Bachelor’s degrees, and a breakdown of the population on the basis of race, with these demographics all relating to the store trade area.

Additional metrics included the average distance of competitors, the distance to individual competing stores, the number of businesses within the trade area, the number of employees within the trade area, and the number of competitors within the trade area and competitor density. Utilizing these data allowed us to also examine the role of the workplace and workforce on the success of any individual store.

DK Statistical Consulting, Inc. was tasked with the development of predictive models which allowed for the prediction of sales figures on the basis of these demographics and other collected data for current stores.

These results were then applied to potential future store locations in order to determine

“Linear regression is a model used to estimate the relationship between one continuous outcome and any number of predictors.”

a weak store, in terms of total sales, and the extent to which total sales could be accurately predicted on the basis of the data available. Models were constructed for total revenue separately for mobile and non-mobile transactions; this enabled us to determine not only what locations would be ideal for full stores, which were represented by total sales, but also what locations would be ideal for mobile stores, which are smaller and focus primarily on mobile products.

These models were then constructed and run. The vast majority of the predictors included in these regression models were found to achieve statistical significance, indicating, at a high level of confidence, that an increase or decrease in these predictors had either a positive or negative impact upon the outcome, total revenue.

which locations have the highest projected revenues.

First, linear regression models were constructed and run on the data derived from current stores in order to determine whether and to what extent these data were in fact predictive of revenues. · Linear regression is a model used to estimate the relationship between one continuous outcome and any number of predictors. All data were collected on the store level. Determining the significance, strength, and direction of these relationships allowed for the determination of the combination of factors that led any particular store to being a strong store, or

Additional metrics indicated the proportion of the variance in the outcomes that are explained on the basis of all predictors included in the model, while scatterplots of the actual total revenues alongside the predicted total revenues were also constructed in order help validate the accuracy of these regression models.

R-squared values were high, ranging from approximately .50 to .80, indicating that approximately 50% to 80% of the variation in the outcomes were explained on the basis of this set of predictors, with these scatterplots also indicating a high degree of prediction accuracy.

Following the conclusion of these analyses, steps could then be taken in order to apply the resulting regression equations to the data collected on potential future store

Dr. David Kremelberg

locations. This allowed us to determine which locations were best primed for new full and mobile stores, and produced, by location, the predicted total revenues that any individual store could be expected to achieve. These locations were then sorted from highest predicted total revenue to lowest. With this information, decisions could then be made by those managing this electronics store chain on where to place their new planned stores in order to maximize future profits.

Dr. David Kremelberg is the Principal and Founder of DK Statistical Consulting, Inc. and has worked full-time as a statistical consultant since 2009. In that time, he has helped hundreds of clients in over 25 countries and across multiple fields — psychology, sociology, marketing, retail, management, economics, medicine, biology, political science, chemistry, archaeology, and others. www.dkstatisticalconsulting.com

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Lucas Frey | CEO | Bella Vista Executive Advisors

Necessities for Successful Franchise Owners Studies show the first five years of any small business are critical and just 45 to 51 per cent successfully have a sixth year.

Even with the “Operations Guide” and proven business templates for their

particular franchise, not all franchise

owners’ results are the same. Everyone

1 Cautious Risk Taker “Cautious Risk Taker” sounds oxymoronic but, as in all business, franchise owners move ahead taking calculated risks.

Operating a franchise is different than working for a company because it’s your hard work, long days and weeks, lost vacations and it is YOUR money. You’ve already taken a lot of risk. In order to grow, taking calculated risks is vital to keep your business from becoming a stagnant commodity.

loves a top 10 list and here it is to be a

2 Lead by Example – Communicate with Purpose

As an added bonus, there are 2 extra

Franchise owners know their business in its current state and where they want it to go.

Effective communication with your team

successful franchise owner.

franchise owner factors included.

Franchising USA

is critical to continued success. Your team is also taking a risk…in you! Show your passion not only for your business but your team’s success

3 Be Humble with a Steadfast Confidence You are a business owner and, more importantly, you are your business’ leader.

You will receive a lot of information, advice, criticism and occasionally praise.

Franchise owners should know how to accept this information, especially criticism, well and grow. They also become adept at knowing what information is relevant. Most of all, a remarkable franchise owner carries a confidence that others “know it when they see it” in order to persevere the inevitable stumbles.

10 Don’t Hide Your Passion Great franchise owners are passionate about success: success of their team, success for their strategic alliances, success/satisfaction of their customers and when that’s in place, success for you. This passion is evident to everyone you meet and leads to the over-all success of YOUR business and YOU.

Bonus Successful Franchise Owner Factor #1: Know Your Business Arena Lucas Frey

7 Set Mini Goals – Begin at the End

4 Taking Care of Business A franchise owner must have business sense. This can be business sense learned from a previous executive experience at a Fortune 500 or as simply as learning from your childhood lawnmowing customers.

A franchise owner must know and handle finances effectively.

5 Unending Curiosity A franchise owner understands the franchisor’s operations guide and training that goes with it will only take their business to a certain level. To achieve business greatness, you are ever-curious to “know what you don’t know.”

6 Laser Focus on Results All franchise owners receive some help from their franchisor but the hard fact is, this is YOUR business. Success or failure is yours. You set and obtain measurable goals beyond the franchise norms to keep your business moving forward.

Unless you are a genius techie, your business will take time to get close to the picture in your mind when you began.

“Wins” in small increments add up over time. The successful franchise owner keeps this in mind in order to win in the end. Your business plan will inevitably change over time but keeping an eye on the end goal and constantly moving forward with mini-wins keeps you on the path of success.

8 Be a Chameleon…When Needed Yes, a good franchise owner, keeps their eye on the prize, however the path getting there is actually made up of many smaller trails. The key is to be able to adapt to ever-changing circumstances and opportunities. Many small business owners are tunnel-visioned and miss out on highly profitable and beneficial opportunities or a year like 2020 kills their business. More on this in another blog.

9 Player / Coach Mentality The franchisor has successes with others following their playbook and you can be successful too. You get dirty with your team when needed and also inspire them to give their best efforts. The key is not to get caught up in the day-to-day operations to the detriment of driving your business forward. You are the CEO of your company. Act like it.

You know the arena in which you are competing. The list is long but includes specific competition, strategic alliances, power players, etc. With the right amount of information, you can best allocate your time to the growth and success of your franchise.

Bonus Successful Franchise Owner Factor #2: It Can’t All Be Stress HAVE FUN! There will be setbacks and even a few bad days. You see and work through the troubles. This is YOUR business; have a lot of fun with it.

Lucas Frey improves franchise owners’ businesses where corporate support alone isn’t enough. He brings more than 26 years of varied professional experiences including 20 years as a franchise owner of ImageFIRST Cincinnati, six years as an industrial engineer for a Fortune 250 company (three while living in Honduras, C.A.) and 19 years as a volunteer firefighter.

All of these experiences, in addition to Luke’s drive to learn, make him a positive driving force for other franchise owners’ successes. Luke is currently a member of the Center for Executive Coaching and in the final publishing phase of his first children’s book.

Ph: 513.615.6750 www.bellavistaexecutiveadvisors.com.

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/ lukefrey94 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ bella-vista-executive-advisors

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WO MEN I N FR A NCH ISI NG

WOMEN IN FRANCHISING: Teresa Fennimore | N-Hance Wood Refinishing

Meet

Teresa Fennimore

Multi-Unit Owner with N-Hance Wood Refinishing Franchising is an incredibly efficient way to launch and own a business. However, at the end of the day, it’s still your business and the success of it is directly related to your ability to stick to systems, approach it with a cando attitude and bring on the right team to support growth.

Teresa Fennimore has been in franchising since she was just 25 years old. She and her husband, Clay, saw an opportunity to grow a business and develop their own culture, and were immediately interested in learning more about how they could enter the industry, but they didn’t stop there. It started with the purchase of a Chem-Dry franchise in 1992. Twenty years later, they added to their portfolio and bought their first N-Hance Wood Refinishing franchise in 2012 in Jacksonville, Florida. Fast forward to today, and Fennimore owns and operates four N-Hance franchises, expanding to occupy nearly all of Northeast Florida.

“The N-Hance franchise models lends itself to expansion really well, which is why we’ve successfully launched so many over the years. Our services are always in

Franchising USA

demand, whether its home buying season and people are looking to prepare their house or renovate one they just purchased, or whether we’re working with a client that’s lived in their family home for years and have decided they’d like a change.

Kitchens are a special part of the home, and that’s what we like best about running our businesses – we have an opportunity to play a critical role in making that space even more special for home owners.”

Throughout her decades of operational experience in running franchises, it became clear early on that Teresa didn’t want to just run one business, but rather multiple.

Now, a multi-unit franchisee, Fennimore takes pride in the teams she’s grown, culture she’s built and reputation she’s developed, not only locally in Jacksonville, but nationally as she considers herself a representation of the brand.

Across her four N-Hance franchises, Teresa employs seven team members, and spends her days strategically planning for the future of the business through sales, budgeting and marketing. She’s found there are several key components to not only running a successful franchise, but running multiple.

“As a business owner, you have to be prepared for the unpredictable, and trying to figure out what that will mean for your business. Luckily for us, this year many people were spending more time at home, leading to more discretionary income.

Because of this, we were able to still work and provide services that were in demand due to the pandemic – I only have a few

appointments left through the end of the year.”

Another key learning over the years that Teresa attributes to her success is understanding the value of quality work.

Many home service companies will allow the market to drive their pricing, but Fennimore warns against it.

“Setting your own pricing dependent on the quality of work is the best way to bring a sense of predictability to your budgeting and planning. You have to charge what you and your team are worth. But, that’s only half the battle. Once you commit to this approach, you must do everything in your power to uphold those standards you’ve set for yourself, ultimately showing your clients every single time why they may be paying a bit more. People want quality and efficiency – and they’re willing to pay for it, but everyone on the team has to be on the same page for that winning combination to become a seamless part of your business.”

And, having the right team in place is vital.

Over the years, Teresa has found that hiring the right people is equally as important as keeping them around, as many business owners are finding that retaining top talent can be difficult. By creating a solid, supportive culture that values not only hard work, but craftsmanship, Teresa has been able to grow a strong team that allows her to produce quality work for her clients.

Marketing, marketing and then marketing some more – this is another tactic that Teresa swears by for expanding her business and spreading the word on

services. N-Hance of Jacksonville typically sticks to digital advertising via social media and Google, but also advertises in the occasional print publication. Teresa has ingrained herself in her community, observing where people are spending their time browsing content, and has found that Jacksonville residents are still reading print magazines. She directs between 10-15 per cent of gross revenue to marketing.

“People want quality and efficiency – and they’re willing to pay for it, but everyone on the team has to be on the same page for that winning combination to become a seamless part of your business.”

As an entrepreneur, you’ll also want to expect the unexpected.

“One thing I didn’t expect was clients essentially asking me to step into a design consultant role. We refinish kitchens, yes, but most times I’m sitting with home owners at their kitchen tables showing them the latest trends, pointing them toward a few countertops to choose from or explaining how a. backsplash can really help tie everything in the space together.

And, I’ve really experienced such a 180 in design trends. It feels like it was just a few years ago that all the kitchens we refinished were dark, espresso. Now, people are trending toward bright, white cabinets or even jewel tones. I learned early on that people don’t just want a kitchen cabinet refinisher, they look to you as a design partner.”

A veteran franchisee in the N-Hance system, Teresa also shared the importance of leaning on your strong surrounding network for support. In addition to reaching out for input or guidance from the support team, Teresa is big on putting out questions to other franchisees in order to tackle issues or handle certain situations.

“Fortunately for me, N-Hance has a very knowledgeable and kind network of franchisees – there’s really no competitiveness, because when one of us does a good job, we’re all benefitting from that reputation. For that reason, we’re all very willing to help one another. If anyone is considering joining a franchise, that’s a very important factor to consider, and N-Hance has really impressed us – and even come to the rescue from time to time.

That level of support is key.” www.nhance.com

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Ed Yancey | Vice President of Franchise Development | Blaze Pizza

Evolving Economic Landscape Fuels Franchise Development and Entrepreneurship pandemic caused them to rethink their skill sets. However, transitioning from the corporate world to entrepreneurship can be intimidating as executive veterans forego paycheck security and employee benefits.

This has led millions of new business owners to take an interest in the franchise industry and its many advantages.

Ed Yancey

When the world’s economy came to a sudden standstill at the beginning of 2020, the downturn forced many companies to succumb to furloughs in order to preserve spending costs.

These drastic changes across all industries, along with uncertainty, not only redefined the economic landscape of the U.S. market, but it also provoked an entrepreneurial renaissance as people began to reevaluate career choices and focus on personal growth.

Through recent studies, we’ve seen that 72 per cent of workers plan to leave their corporate employment after the

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At Blaze Pizza, we saw this surge translate to our development mid-pandemic, leading to new development agreement commitments in multiple markets including Texas, Florida and Tennessee.

Many of our new franchisees came from an established corporate background and were attracted to our business for a plethora of reasons.

Business Ownership with a Sense of Security After climbing the corporate ladder for seven years to a Chief Financial Officer role, Joseph (Joe) Stein was ready to make a change and become a business owner.

While he initially began this journey by creating an independent consulting company, he realized that he needed the sense of security that he received during his early career.

Following his research on franchising, the opportunity to operate his own business while having the support of an established company was appealing. When Joe committed to develop with Blaze Pizza, he collaborated with our team searching for guidance on opening launch strategies, restaurant training and the small details

that can elevate a business and lay a strong foundation for success. Today, Joe - alongside his partner Rick Forman - is one of the brand’s leading franchise owners with 13 Blaze Pizza restaurants across California and has additional plans to expand in the near future.

Blueprints for Success While Tony and Marina Petro share two different experiences prior to joining Blaze Pizza, both come from extensive corporate careers that later led them to their entrance into franchising. Marina, a former communications consultant, and Tony, a management consultant, began researching franchise opportunities with acute business models complete with maximum business assistance. Utilizing their breadth of experience in the managerial and marketing fields, the couple immediately saw potential with our Blaze franchise model based on its detailed customer value proposition, key resources and proven processes.

Franchising provides new entrepreneurs with a roadmap and playbook to run a successful business. With increasing brand awareness in expanding markets, dedicated franchise developers can tap into a wealth of potential and be a driving force behind creating the culture of the concept in their market. The Petro’s seized the opportunity to launch their Blaze location in Dallas, a key target market for our brand where we’ve experienced continued development, and they will be instrumental in fueling

“Choosing to franchise with a brand whose formula has demonstrated sustainable success is one of many factors in an entrepreneur’s decision.”

“Through recent studies, we’ve seen that 72 per cent of workers plan to leave their corporate employment after the pandemic caused them to rethink their skill sets.”

our ongoing success in the region.

Choosing to franchise with a brand whose formula has demonstrated sustainable success is one of many factors in an entrepreneur’s decision. Product innovation and quality play an important role in generating traffic. Aside from following our business model, the Petro’s success in the Dallas market stems from their embedded presence in the community, strong local store marketing initiatives that they have implemented, and the introduction of a new and unique product in the community. Blaze offers fast, customizable pizzas made with fresh ingredients, a missing feature in the Dallas market that the Petro’s were able to capitalize on.

Being only four months into the business, the couple has already experienced tremendous growth with positive feedback from customers. They plan to continue their growth momentum with two more locations in the Dallas community slated for the upcoming years, and we’re proud to continue supporting their success.

The decision to leave the corporate world and invest in a franchise minimizes risks and maximizes growth potential. Even as the U.S economic landscape continues to improve at a steady rate, workers from all backgrounds are utilizing their newfound entrepreneurial spirits to leave their current job in hopes of garnering new profits in their own businesses. Franchising has quickly become the desired route to help

Americans pave the path to their success.

Ed Yancey joined Blaze Pizza as Vice President of Franchise Development in 2020, working directly with the company’s leadership team to support Blaze’s franchise development growth and nationwide expansion. Yancey has been in the foodservice industry for over 25 years, working in leadership roles at nationally-recognized food brands, including Jersey Mike’s, B. Good and Dunkin’ Brands. Throughout his career, he has spearheaded company growth endeavors through strategic mergers and acquisitions, franchise sales and licensing brand development. www.blazepizza.com

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ex per t advice

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Ask t h e Expert

Evan Hackel

Ask the Expert:

How to Get the Most Out of Being a Member of Your Franchise’s Advisory Council If you have been asked to join your franchise’s advisory council, congratulations on your new opportunity. You are about to enjoy some significant benefits.

One of the most important advantages is that you will have a more direct line to your franchise’s upper management.

You will be able to communicate your suggestions, ideas, discoveries – and maybe even your problems – directly to the top executives of your franchising company.

You will also be able to form closer ties with other franchisees who will be only a phone call or text message away when you need them. You have been tapped to be a leader. Another advantage is that you will probably enjoy traveling to attend meetings.

Getting the most from being a member I have supervised franchise advisory councils. I have been a member too. Here is some advice on how you can get the most from your membership and give your very best to your franchise.

But I have seen it time and again that the people who get the most from council membership are those who focus first on asking other members what they would like to achieve. People who talk only about their own goals, or who push too hard for them, can alienate others and fail to get what they most want.

Empower and nominate other people If another franchisee you met over dinner last night would be a great addition to a new task force that will investigate a particular issue, nominate that person to take part. Perhaps that council member is too modest to put up a hand and volunteer, but that doesn’t prevent you from making a nomination.

The more you can shed a positive light on other people and help them shine, the more you build your own profile as a contributor – and the likelihood that other council members will listen to you and support your needs and opinions.

Do share some hard truths with management

Remember that collaboration wins the day

Some people who join franchise councils believe that the way to get the most from their membership is to approve everything that the franchise company wants to do.

They think that if they smile and pretend, management will return the favor and give them what they want.

We all have goals and lists of things we would like to achieve by joining a council.

In my experience, that approach doesn’t work. The franchisees who earn respect

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from franchise leaders are those who have the guts to be truthful when other people are not. It is the person who says, “I think that ad is completely wrong” or, “our competitor has a better product” who gets noticed. So my advice is, speak up and stand out.

Listen, listen . . . and listen some more In my experience, the people who try to listen and understand other people are the people who stand the best chance of being heard. Again, putting other people first is a practical way to achieve the most. It is funny it works that way, but it does.

Stay away from the negative team Chances are that other franchisees on the Council have gotten there because they are positive. But I have also seen times when that is not the case. I have, in fact, seen Councils where certain groups of negative people have bonded together. They don’t want to support upper management, they want to undermine it. They don’t want to try to develop great new ideas, they want to complain about what isn’t working.

Stay away from them. Their negative way of viewing issues can infect you and make you negative in the way you frame ideas and express your views. And being seen as a negative person will never win you recognition from the people who run your franchise.

business cards with you to your meeting

“The franchisees who earn respect from franchise leaders are those who have the guts to be truthful when other people are not.”

and give them to people when you meet

them – not when you are saying goodbye.

And then when you get back home,

email the people you have met. Let them

Know how you will stay in touch with the people you meet I have noticed that sometimes, people only

think about this critical step when they are leaving a hotel or getting into a cab at the

end of a meeting. They then ask each other,

“How can I contact you” and start to write their contact info on a scrap of paper or start texting each other.

One of the greatest benefits of being on your franchise council will be making contacts, so treat this critical activity with the care it deserves. Take a stack of fresh

know how much it meant to you to meet

them. Comment on one of the issues you discussed. And say how much you are

looking forward to being in touch in the days, weeks and months ahead.

Your new contacts are worth their weight

in gold, so treat them like golden valuables.

About Evan

Evan Hackel

Evan Hackel is a 35-year franchising veteran as both a franchisor and franchisee. He is CEO of Tortal Training, a leading training development company, and principal of Ingage Consulting. He is a speaker, hosts “Training Unleashed,” a podcast covering training for business, and author of Ingaging Leadership. To hire Evan as a speaker, visit evanspeaksfranchising.com. Follow @ehackel or call 704-452-7368.

Why not have Evan Hackel address your group about franchising success?

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Page 43

Veterans in Franchising september 2021

www.franchisingusamagazine.com

supporting

military personnel through a franchise business latest in

veteran news from soldier to multiple franchise owner Franchising USA

Leadership.

Teamwork.

Executing SOPs. Connecting veterans with education, resources and opportunities at vetfran.org

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V e t e r a n s i n F r a n c h i s i n g S u ppl e m e n t s e pt e m b e r 2 0 2 1 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

Franchisee In Action

50 Supporting Military Personnel Through

a Franchise Business

48 How I Went from the Airforce to a Small

Business Owner Ed Cushing | PIRTEK

46 Latest in Veteran News

52 From Soldier to Multiple Franchise Owner – How a Leap of Faith Led to a Successful New Career Terry Pickens | Tide Cleaners

52 From Soldier to Mulitple Franchise Owner

Veterans News 46 The Ups Store 47 Taco John’s

Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming

Profile 50 Supporting Military Personnel Through a Franchise Business Jim Chiodo

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V e t er ans in Fr anchising

veteran news

The UPS Store Opens New Locations on SDSU Campus

Two new The UPS Store locations are now open on the campus of San Diego State University (SDSU) for 2021-22 fall semester. In addition to supporting retail customers with a variety of services including printing, faxing, scanning and notary, The UPS Store will serve as the central mail center for students living on campus, handling all incoming mail and packages for thousands of students. For the university, leveraging The UPS Store for campus mail management helps reduce costs while increasing the convenience and level of service to students, faculty, staff and the surrounding community.

The UPS Store at San Diego State University will utilize state-of-the-art software for processing, tracking and retrieving packages and mail, significantly reducing the time and expense needed to receive, sort, store and retrieve student packages at each dorm. These stores will also be the first university locations nationwide to unveil the completely new and modern retail design for The UPS Store.

Consolidating mail and package fulfillment through The UPS Store also helps reduce the school’s carbon footprint and increases safety on campus by decreasing the number of trucks driving around campus every day delivering mail to more than 20 individual dorm mailrooms. When mail and packages arrive, regardless of the carrier, they will be electronically logged, sorted and safely stored. The UPS Store will notify students by email or text that their mail and/or package is ready for pick up. Students then simply walk into The UPS Store and type their unique notification code into a tablet, which sends a message to store associates who bring the item(s) to the student – with the entire process taking only 25 and 30 seconds. This should help reduce the number of trips that students have to take to retrieve their mail and packages. theupsstore.com

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Taco John’s Announces Biggest Franchise Agreement in Brand History Taco John’s,” said Gary Rose, president and COO of Meritage Hospitality Group.

“We are excited about the Mexican restaurant segment and the Bigger, Bolder, Better direction of the brand. We’re excited to open our first restaurants near our headquarters in west Michigan in 2022.” “This is historic for our brand,” said Brooks Speirs, vice president for franchise development. “As we begin our aggressive growth into new markets, there is no better partner than Meritage.

While getting to know the group, I’ve been impressed with the organizational infrastructure, attention to detail, commitment to people, operations capabilities and development of top-notch restaurants. The best is yet to come for Taco John’s!”

Taco John’s International Inc. (Taco John’s), a leading quickservice Mexican franchise, inked its biggest area development agreement to date with the largest Wendy’s franchisee, Meritage Hospitality Group, Inc. The group will build 50 new Taco John’s restaurants by March 31, 2026 with options to develop an additional 150 restaurants.

“Taco John’s is the perfect fit for our company. While exploring concepts to expand our portfolio, we were quickly attracted to

Differentiating itself in the popular Mexican quick-service segment, Taco John’s prides itself on a unique menu that features delicious, quality-made food. Its commitment to quality has established the brand as the go-to restaurant in its markets.

Additionally, its significant drive-thru business, which represents 65% of systemwide sales, has helped insulate the brand from recent market shifts. www.tacojohnsfranchise.com.

Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Expands Footprint (and Paw Prints) Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, the U.S. leader in specialty pet retail and grooming, celebrates the opening of their newest neighborhood store in Woodforest with a grand opening event bringing the total number of Houston area stores to 11.

Each Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming store is a locally-owned franchise that serves the head-to-tail needs of pets with a personal touch. Houston’s neighborhood pet store provides professional grooming, healthy pet foods, gourmet treats and supplies for complete pet care, wellness and pampering.

“Our expansion in the Houston market demonstrates our long-term confidence in and commitment to the region,” said Paul Allen, Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming CEO. “Our local franchise owners have generated remarkable success and brand loyalty. They cater to Houston customers and their pets with expertise and care, through community-focused, neighborhood stores.”

With an ongoing mission to support local pet communities, as part of this grand opening, the company will donate 1,000 pounds of pet food to be shared between two Montgomery County non-profit animal rescue organizations – Friends of Faye and Camo Animal Rescue.

Greg and Ginger Davis are the owners of the new Woodforest store, as well as locations in College Park and Conroe. They are

passionate about pets and the quality and service associated with the Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming brand.

“Woodforest loves their fur babies and we are here to provide the absolute best experience for both pets and pet parents. From hugs and kisses, to nutrition and wellness that can lead to a long, healthy, happy lifetime together,” said Greg Davis. “We are so excited about this community, the warm reception we have received and the relationships with our neighbors that we will continue to foster.” woofgangbakery.com

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franchisee in action: Ed Cushing | PIRTEK USA South Columbus

Ed and Suzanne Cushing- PIRTEK Columbus South

How I Went from the Air Force to a Small Business Owner After working as an Air Force hydraulic technician primarily in Oklahoma and Okinawa Japan for 11 years, I wanted my next job to be one that would truly challenge me.

A few months after leaving the Air Force in 2001, while exploring a career in computers, I found a job posting on the

Franchising USA

talent bank for a mobile sales and service technician (MSST) at a local PIRTEK franchise. I was soon hired as a MSST and then quickly promoted to operations manager within a year and then general manager in 2017. Little did I know that my relationship with PIRTEK USA would continue for nearly two decades and result in opening my own business.

I was drawn to this franchise because I enjoy the freedom to bounce around at work, visit different sites and work on many different types of machinery. The

reason why I’ve stuck with the company so long in different roles is because I like the variety of jobs and you’re not stuck in a plant doing the same thing repeatedly.

I love that we are in the field and building relationships with customers and that’s the key to success in this business. You get customers to trust you and then you work on their machines and that’s how you grow within the brand. In 2014 and 2015, I was awarded the National Operations Manager of the Year by PIRTEK USA. I found that my career in the military really helped

“I consider myself lucky that I can pick up the phone and call any fellow PIRTEK franchise owner for any advice.”

me succeed with PIRTEK USA. Life in the Air Force instils you with lifelong strengths such as a strong work ethic, professionalism, teamwork and attention to detail.

After many years of career success and satisfaction at a PIRTEK USA franchise location in Detroit, I was at a crossroads when my wife had an opportunity to take the next step in her career by moving to Columbus, OH I ultimately decided to become an owner because PIRTEK USA had recently started offering franchisees the option of opening two types of locations – Tier 1 and Tier 2. Opening a Tier 2 mobile-only location felt like a much more viable and affordable path to business ownership.

One of the challenges of opening the first PIRTEK location in Columbus is making sure to educate the business community about the brand and what we can do for their companies. I also approach new customers by really listening to them with an eye on how they can prevent future problems. I know that downtime is costly, which is why PIRTEK offers a variety of services to eliminate customers’ downtime.

One of our stand-out offerings, is our 1-hour ETA on-site campaign. It seems basic, but it’s very important and in my short time in business, customers have already been impressed with this very simple service. As already stated, another simple thing is to just listen. Listening will afford you the opportunity to solve their problems and not just supply another bandaid fix.

I currently have one employee and myself building the PIRTEK brand in the Columbus area. I feel that it is very important as an owner to be out in the field daily building relationships with customers

“My advice to those who want to open their own PIRTEK franchise is that this is a great, recession-proof business to invest in, but you have to be able to take things apart and put it back together or have a staff that does that for you.”

and even doing jobs. Since opening my PIRTEK USA business, I’ve been happy with the amount of support I’ve received not only from the PIRTEK USA corporate team, but also from other franchise owners.

I consider myself lucky that I can pick up the phone and call any fellow PIRTEK franchise owner for any advice. Sometimes multiple franchise owners service a common customer. As a PIRTEK brand we work together to ensure we manage these customers in the same way to keep things consistent for the customer and ultimately strengthening our brand.

My advice to those who want to open their own PIRTEK franchise is that this is a great, recession-proof business to invest in, but you have to be able to take things apart and put it back together or have a staff that does that for you. You don’t need to have a background in hydraulics, but you need

people that have a good understanding of it. I believe that following the system and using your resources is the key to being a successful franchise owner.

Recently, COVID has proven that this business is recession-proof and pandemicproof because it services many essential businesses in construction, manufacturing, industrial, agricultural, defence, oil and petroleum industries.

In the future, I’m hoping to open up one more location in Columbus and then possibly a third location in Ohio. “To Fly, Fight and Win” is the motto those who serve in the United States Air Force live by during their time in battle – and it’s something I’ve used to transform myself from a PIRTEK USA entry-level technician to a franchise owner. www.pirtekusa.com

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profile: Jim Chiodo

Supporting Military Personnel Through a Franchise Business There is a famous quote that states, “We don’t know them all, but we owe them all.”

This is a saying close to many people’s hearts, mine included. I work every day toward the goal of aiding those who have served our country, and it is not a task I take lightly.

My father is a World War II veteran. His continued guidance throughout my life has taught me how to respect and care for those around me. As I’ve gotten older, my father has begun to share more stories about his experiences he had in the war. These stories have helped me realize my passion for learning from those who have served our country.

My wife Pam and I are the proud franchise owners of 1-800 WATER DAMAGE, a property restoration business, and Blue Kangaroo Packoutz, which focuses on contents restoration. With two restoration businesses, we’ve always had a healthy respect for history and its mementos. Our businesses allow us to connect with many individuals in our area, but notably, we have connected with and served many veterans.

When working with veterans in our community, we share the stories my father has told us while also taking the opportunity to learn about their own

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experiences serving our country. An encounter that truly inspires and sticks with us was with a retired colonel. We were first connected after his home was damaged. Despite the problems he was going through, after hearing about my father’s past, he worked to research and find medals for my father first in spite of the damage to his home. In his own time of need, the colonel prioritized being a veteran over a homeowner and connected with my father in an amazing way. My father’s past and scenarios like this are what drive me to continue building relationships with the veterans we serve.

How We Serve In our line of work, we connect with both civilians and veterans on what could be one of the worst days of their lives. We take that seriously and are aware of the deep level of compassion we need to show all of our clients. Our businesses not only allow us to fight for our community, but more so, it allows us to connect with numerous local veterans and help serve them when they face unexpected curveballs like flooding or accidental fires.

The desire to provide for local veterans and be someone they can rely on during their times of need drove us to become a USAAcertified business. This accreditation allows veterans in our local area to relax knowing that we can support their homes when disaster strikes and swiftly restore their possessions. We know that veterans

pride themselves on mementos they have brought home from their enlistment period, and we take pleasure knowing that we can successfully restore these items during times of hardship.

Outside of the services that we provide for veterans, we also offer them a place of employment. We know that getting a job directly after working in the armed forces can be a difficult transition to make. We want to aid veterans in their transitions into civilian life as much as possible, and we enjoy working beside them. We even get a chance to learn about their experiences as they get back into the swing of things.

Whether or not their journey with us is long-term or for a few months, we encourage them to find work that brings them joy and happily welcome them back if they decide they want to rejoin our team — no questions asked.

How Your Franchise Can Fight for Those in Need Figuring out how to initially start helping veterans in your community can be difficult. Although there are many options to choose from, it is best to figure out a way to get involved within your local veteran community to ensure that you provide the most help.

One of the first steps we recommend is to make your business a friendly environment for veterans where they can go if they need assistance. An easy way to build this

“Whether or not their journey with us is long-term or for a few months, we encourage them to find work that brings them joy and happily welcome them back if they decide they want to rejoin our team — no questions asked.”

Jim Chiodo with his wife Pam, who is the Vice President of both businesses.

atmosphere, and something we have done ourselves in partnership with Farmers

Insurance, is to have Suits for Soldiers

events. These events allow them to sharpen up with haircuts, grooming and fresh

clothes so they can feel confident going into interviews. As mentioned earlier,

transitioning back into civilian life and the workforce outside of the military

is difficult for many veterans. Suits for

Soldiers affairs allow you to build your

relationship with veterans locally while providing much-needed services.

The confidence your business brings to the veterans in your area can be heightened by continued support to their community.

By finding organizations locally that fight every day to support veterans, you can form partnerships that allow you to give frequent donations of supplies and money.

This is just a first step toward forming more connections that will allow you

to continually give back and impact the veteran community as much as possible.

Overall, it is important to keep in mind that we need to do everything we can to serve those who have served us.

Jim Chiodo is the President of 1-800 WATER DAMAGE in Portland, Oregon and Blue Kangaroo Packoutz of Vancouver and North Portland. Jim works closely with his wife Pam, who is the Vice President of both businesses.

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franchisee in action: Terry Pickens | Tide Cleaners

From soldier to multiple franchise owner – how a leap of faith led to a successful new career Enlisting in the military is a path that requires sacrifice and carries daunting risks, but it’s also an opportunity for service members to open new doors and see the world outside of their hometown.

Franchising USA

The valuable training, team building, and leadership development are a recipe for lifelong success. This was the experience of Terry Lee Pickens, II, who was managing a fast-food restaurant in smalltown Ohio at age 17 when he decided he wanted more than his hometown offered.

“I knew I didn’t want to work in a burger joint the rest of my life, and I wasn’t making a lot of money,” Terry says. “There was a chance to ‘get out of Dodge’ by joining the military. So that’s what I did.”

Terry speaks humbly about his time in the

U.S. Army, but it seems his leap of faith destined him for entrepreneurial success in a rather ironic way.

Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, 21-year-old Terry was deployed to Iraq; and was assigned to the laundry and bath unit. Nearly two decades later, the veteran is a Tide Cleaners franchisee who owns or oversees nearly a dozen dry cleaners in five states — an all-too-perfect narrative.

“Believe it or not, there actually is a job to do laundry in the military, and that’s what I did,” Terry says. “We would set up laundry

“Now, with Tide Cleaners locations in Michigan, North Carolina, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas — and plans to continue expanding — Terry uses valuable lessons from his time in the military to successfully manage 115 employees in multiple states.”

trailers with washers, dryers, generators, and other equipment. My job was to perform maintenance, keep the equipment running, and be a guard with a gun on my hip for the first few years of the war.

Seriously, it was the easiest job you could pick in the Army.”

Now a husband and father of four, Terry bravely answered a call to action at an unsettling moment in American history.

Despite his modest account, the young soldier’s time in Iraq was certainly not without challenges.

“We went to Iraq with the initial surge, and there were no resources. We didn’t have food. There was nothing,” says Terry.

“This is a true story. I had a bag of Skittles, a one-litre bottle of water that I had to share, and we would get an apple, banana, or granola bar in the morning. That’s all we had to eat for the whole day. That’s what we lived on for the first three months at war.”

After more than 10 years in the military, Pickens returned to the United States and began pursuing a civilian career. While managing a restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, a job recruiter stopped in for a sandwich

and introduced Terry to Tide Cleaners.

“She said, ‘What’s your background?’”

Terry recalls. “I told her I was actually in a laundry unit in the military. There is no correlation whatsoever with me owning a bunch of dry cleaners, I promise. But it probably did open the door for me to come work for Tide Cleaners.”

Prior to becoming a Tide Cleaners’ franchisee, Terry managed Tide Cleaners’ stores in Columbus, and he climbed the ranks at the franchise’s headquarters in Cincinnati. Eventually, an opportunity presented itself to purchase a store in St. Louis, Missouri.

“My wife, Sonia, is from St. Louis. She was my boss in the military, so that’s how we met,” says Terry. “We were starting our family and knew it was time to move closer to home.”

The couple currently lives in Alton, Illinois, with their children, 19-year-old Chloe, 12-year-old Mya, 8-year-old Myles, and 2-year-old Mason.

Now, with Tide Cleaners locations in Michigan, North Carolina, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas — and plans to

continue expanding — Terry uses valuable lessons from his time in the military to successfully manage 115 employees in multiple states.

“The military taught me that people come from all walks of life, and there are different ways you need to lead, coach, and manage each employee,” Terry says.

“There are 115 different conversations that need to be had to lead 115 people. I want everyone to know they’re important, and I want to help each person achieve their goals and the goals of our company.” https://tidecleaners.com/en-us/ partnerships/franchise

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AAMCO First started in 1963 by Anthony Martino as a transmission repair shop, the company now has nearly 700 locations throughout North America and about 12 years ago expanded into total car care.

AAMCO franchisees benefit from joining a brand that has been in business for over 50 years. Our iconic, Double A, Beep Beep, M-C-O mnemonic brings instant recognition and trust from the American consumer. In

Bloomin’ Blinds Founded the morning of 9/11...our incorporation papers received their approval stamps within minutes of the towers being struck...Bloomin’ Blinds is a family company.

Karen McGuffin founded the company in Dallas and was joined by her three sons within a handful of years. Together they created Bloomin’ Blinds over the next 16 years before the franchise was formed.

Now Karen is retired and the boys are still running the show. Bloomin’ Blinds has always been a “repair company that happens to sell a ton of blinds”.

Business Finance Depot

addition to automatic brand recognition, AAMCO franchisees benefit from an Executive Leadership Team who established themselves by servicing the automotive aftermarket as franchisees. With this franchisee focus in mind, AAMCO provides the brand, tools, guidance and education necessary for new franchisees. This includes financing support, real estate support and training through the entire opening process. http://www.aamcofranchises.com

Early on we realized that retailers were primarily sales only and Bloomin’ Blinds had a significant differentiator in the addition of the repair concept.

The business model has weathered the economic storms that followed 9/11 and the housing bubble pop in 2008.

Bloomin’ Blinds is a technology based, fresh, new approach to an industry otherwise resisting modernization.

For more information contact Kelsey Stuart at: Ph: 1-214-995-1062 Email: kelsey.stuart@bloominblinds.com https://www.bloominblinds.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

caring transitions

with the hassles or laws that involve elderly medical care, though you might want to invest in knowing the companies that do supply such services in your area. Many times our services are needed in order to fulfill the lifestyle changes recommended by healthcare professionals, so putting your leads into contact with upstanding medical professionals can create a favorable impression that causes them to return to you for help with non-medical side of their changing circumstances.

Caring Transitions is a solution-oriented company, and we accomplish this by bringing three services under one roof that are normally all accomplished by separate companies. The three services we combine to provide unique solutions for our customers are: • Senior Relocation • Estate Sales • Downsizing & Decluttering One final thing – we are NOT a medical service company. As a franchisee, you will not be dealing

Phone: 1-800-647-0766 Email: CaringTransitionsFranchising@gmail.com Website: https://caringtransitionsfranchise.com

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Choose a 12 or 6 month package or simply add the A-Z directory onto your Focus, Profile or Ad! To learn about the A-Z directory or any other products please contact Vikki Bradbury: advertising@cgbpublishing.com or 778-426-2446

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Clayton Kendall Clayton Kendall provides comprehensive branded merchandise programs for 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 users the ability to purchase their advertising and marketing tools in one easy to use program.

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

Dough & Arrows

For potential franchisees who are family oriented and who wish to spread joy to the community while being at the forefront of a burgeoning food trend, Dough & Arrows might just be the business family you are looking to join.

The owners of a family oriented business Dough & Arrows aim to expand their business through nationwide franchising opportunities.

Dough & Arrows is well known for their famous Edible Cookie Dough, Gourmet Ice Cream, delicious homemade desserts, and family atmosphere. Based in Hanover, PA, Dough & Arrows is currently looking for potential franchisees all across the United States.

Fastsigns® Now more than ever, businesses look to FASTSIGNS for innovative ways to connect with customers in a highly competitive marketplace. Our high standards for quality and customer service have made FASTSIGNS the most recognized brand in the industry, driving significantly more traffic to the web than any other sign company.

We also lead in these important areas: • #1 Ranked Sign Franchise in Entrepreneur Magazine Franchise 500 three years in a row • Franchise Business Review FBR50 Franchisee Satisfaction Award 2006-2015 • Franchise Research Institute World Class Franchise 2011-2015 ®

FirstLight Home Care FirstLight Home Care offers comprehensive, inhome, non-medical and personal care services to seniors, new mothers, disabled adults and others needing assistance.

FirstLight’s team brings more than 170 years of collaborative experience in health care, franchising and senior services, creating FirstLight’s Culture of Care foundation.

The last 10 years, we’ve received numerous awards, most recently including ranking among Entrepreneur Top 500 Franchises, Forbes’ Best Franchises to Buy,

International Franchise Professionals Group

Franchising USA

We provide marketing collateral, signage, POP 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 can be customized to the unique needs of your community. Customer service is our forte.

Ph: 717-969-8481 E-mail: info@doughandarrows.com www.doughandarrows.com

• Franchise Research Institute #1 Rated Sign & Graphics Franchise 2014-2015 • CFA Franchisees’ Choice Designation 2004-2015 • FASTSIGNS is one of only a handful of franchises approved for $21 million in SBA financing for approved franchise candidates FASTSIGNS has over 400 markets approved for development in the US and Canada and is also seeking Master or Area Developer expansion in markets worldwide.

For more information: Phone: 1-214-346-5679 Email: mark.jameson@fastsigns.com Or visit our Website: www.fastsigns.com

& Franchise Business Review’s Top 200 Franchises for franchisee satisfaction. In the $80 billion home care, demand for our services already exceeds market supply in many areas. In 2015, the babyboomers turning age 65 in the U.S. reached 10,000 per day! By 2025, it will grow to nearly 72 million.

We’re looking for people who are passionate and strive to provide exceptional service. If you want to make a difference in people’s lives while building a powerful business, THIS is this franchise for you.

Phone: 866-985-4031 Email: jdavis@firstlighthomecare.com Website: Firstlightfranchise.com

IFPG to power their business. All of these individuals understand the value of being associated with IFPG.

The International Franchise Professionals Group (also known as IFPG) is a membership based organization that has over 700 members. Our members consist of Franchisors, Franchisor Brokers, Lenders, and other Franchise Professionals that help potential candidates in the process of buying a franchise.

The IFPG is a strictly membership based organization that does not participate in any referral fees from our franchisor members or our brokers, thereby allowing all of our members to work freely together.

Our long-term success is predicated on retaining our members and providing all the tools needed to help you sell more franchises, and close more deals.

Hundreds of nationally recognized franchise companies have chosen the IFPG and its members to represent their brand; hundreds of experienced franchise consultants and brokers have chosen the

If you’re a franchisor, franchisor broker, or another profession that serves the franchising industry call us today at (888) 977-IFPG to learn about membership opportunities.

Infinity Martial Arts Infinity Martial Arts was established in 2005 on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. We began as a single club focusing predominantly on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, with only a handful of members under the guidance of our head coach and black belt Neil Owen.

Our programs focus on a self-defence style of martial arts and combat sport, which is predominantly based on grappling and submission holds. Our curriculum focuses on the skill of taking an opponent to the ground, controlling one’s opponent, gaining a dominant position and using a number of techniques to either force or defend a submission.

Over the years, many of those initial members became black belts themselves and helped to grow our business into what it is today. With 13 academies now in QLD and two other affiliate clubs in NSW & QLD we are one of the largest franchised martial arts academy names throughout Australia, leading the way in Brazilian JiuJitsu.

With classes ranging from expert to beginner and suitable for both adults and children starting as young as 2 years old, our academies are warm & friendly environments. We have a strong focus on creating a fun culture where our members become part of the family.

QC Franchise Group (DBA QC Kinetix)

with BMAC, regenerative cell therapy with amniotic membrane tissue, A2M therapy and PRP therapy. With such a wide array of regenerative medicine treatments available, we make sure to discuss all the therapeutic options with each of our patients. While not all patients may be candidates for all therapies, we will help guide you to make the most appropriate decisions for your particular condition. We treat everyone from weekend warriors and professional athletes to active aging patients who want to stay active.

QC Kinetix is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based franchise company leading the way in helping people maintain an active lifestyle using comprehensive regenerative medicine treatments to address musculoskeletal conditions and joint pain.

QC Kinetix is the place to go when you’ve been told invasive surgery is your best option, or after you’ve tried everything to eliminate the pain and immobility of your condition without success.

We provide comprehensive regenerative medicine injection treatments, including stem cell therapy

sanondaf Founded in 1959, Ziebart is the worldwide leader in detailing, films and structural protection services providing complete car care solutions. Backed by over 60 years of experience, the brand has evolved from its roots as the pioneer in rust protection services to become the most respected global company offering aftermarket total vehicle protection products and services.

Today, Ziebart International Corporation operates more than 400 locations, with 1,200 service centers, in 37 countries.

The brand is committed to helping its customers customize and protect their vehicles by offering services that range from detailing and film installation to structural protection.

Ziebart’s mission is to support customers’ pride in vehicle

The red Chickz We’ve Done the Heavy Lifting for You We know the restaurant business and have done our homework. From the homestyle kitchens of Nashville to The Red Chickz restaurants that will be popping up everywhere, we’ve created something really special in an untapped, sizzling market.

We make it simple. Our team has worked our tails off to create a superior business model that is streamlined and simple to

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

For more information visit: www.infinitymartialarts.com.au

QC Kinetix clinics are dedicated to maximizing the body’s ability to help heal and repair itself from the inside out for vastly improved function and overall quality of life. https://qcfranchise.com/

ownership and to protect their investment with the highest quality products, services, exceptional workmanship, and a knowledgeable staff that provides solutions for extending the life of all vehicles.

The brand is continuing to grow through franchising and offers a best-in-class investment for qualified prospects.

Ziebart franchisees gain a built-in team with decades of experience to help launch their business every step of the way. As an established automotive enthusiast brand, Ziebart has been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as a Top 500 Franchisor as well as a Top 200 Global Franchise.

For more information contact Amanda House at: Phone: 248-837-3944 Email: ahouse@ziebart.com Website: www.ownaziebart.com

operate. We designed this with systems and growth in mind, so you can become the next proud owner of a The Red Chickz restaurant franchise with ease.

An investment in a restaurant franchise like The Red Chickz is an excellent way to break into the foodservice business or expand your already existing restaurant portfolio. We seek qualified business owners who understand or appreciate the restaurant industry and are fired up about our brand. www.theredchickz.com

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

Franchising USA

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Franchising USA