FRANCHISING USA JANUARY 2021

Franchising usa $5.95 www.franchisingusamagazine.com

The magazine for franchisees

VOL 09, ISSUE 2, jan 2021

Tide Cleaners

Committing to a Cleaner, Brighter Future

Franchise COVID-OPS

How can franchise brands leverage PR to get more leads?

LATEST NEWS

When Surviving Converts to Thriving

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FRANCHISING USA VOLUME 9, ISSUE 2, 2021 president: Colin Bradbury. colin@cgbpublishing.com

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

Publisher: Vikki Bradbury. vikki@cgbpublishing.com

managing editor: Diana Cikes. editor@cgbpublishing.com

Welcome to our January issue of Franchising USA.

advertising: vikki@cgbpublishing.com jason@cgbpublishing.com

Editorial team: Hayley Drew Sinead Horan-Webb Rob Swystun

Production: usaproduction@cgbpublishing.com

DESIGN: Jejak Graphics. jejak@bigpond.com

COVER IMAGE: Tide Cleaners

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:

As we begin the new year and reflect on the last, here’s hoping the future is bright for all our franchisors and franchisees.

In this issue we welcome to our cover a franchise that is committed to a cleaner, brighter future. Turn to page 10 to read how Tide Cleaners—a tried and tested laundry brand that has been leading the market for more than 73 years—has capitalized on its hallmarks of innovation, agility and giving back to the community to ensure its Tide Cleaners franchisees are surviving and thriving throughout the pandemic.

And on the subject of surviving, franchise consultant and reality TV enthusiast Gary Norris of Norris Ventures (12) offers some great insights on how to harness your resources and evolve your business from a state of barely surviving to utterly thriving, whatever situation you find yourself in. Heather Ripley of Ripley PR (16) explores how franchise brands can leverage PR to get more leads, and Susan Grueneberg, attorney at Cozen O’Connor (24) examines what, if any, changes to the Federal Trade Commission’s Franchise Rule may be on the horizon.

This issue we also meet lots of franchise owners who share their unique and diverse stories —like Chad Coulter (22), ex-clinical pharmacist and now founder of the Biscuit Belly franchise; or Southwest Florida retirees Kurt and Melissa Godwin (38) who decided that a simple Discovery Map franchise was a perfect fit for their funloving lifestyle; or Dr Cedrick Spears (48), an Airforce Veteran who is embracing the emerging IV therapy business by opening THE DRIPBaR’s first franchise.

Plus, as always you will find the latest franchising news, even more expert advice articles and profile pieces, and our A-Z franchise listing directory with all of the best franchise opportunities available right now.

Enjoy the read!

Vikki Bradbury & Diana Cikes

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

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“The past gave us experience and made us wiser so that we can create a beautiful and brighter future.” ~ Debasish Mridha

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

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contents

january 2021

On the Cover 10 Cover Story: Tide Cleaners: Committed to a Cleaner, Brighter Future 12 Franchise Covid-Ops: When Surviving Converts to Thriving 16 How Can Franchise Brands Leverage PR to Get More Leads?

10 In Every Issue 6 Franchising News

Announcements from the Industry

41 Veterans in Franchising Supplement

12

53 A-Z Franchise and Services Directory

Expert Advice 12 Franchise COVID-Ops: When Surviving Converts to Thriving

Gary Norris, CEO Norris Ventures

16 How Can Franchise Brands Leverage PR to Get More Leads?

16

Heather Ripley, CEO, Ripley PR

20 Substantial Pent-Up Demand for Franchise Brands

George Knauf, Senior Franchise Business Advisor, FranChoice

24 Are Changes to the Federal Trade Commission’s Franchise Rule

in Our Future?

Susan Grueneberg, Attorney, Cozen O’Connor

30 Franchise Advantages and Disadvantages

Jill Abrahamsen, Editorial Director, International Franchise Professionals Group (IFPG)

20 Franchising USA

Have Your Say

22

18 Staying Afloat During a Turbulent Year

Michael Arrowsmith, Chief Development Officer, Pinch A Penny

38 Retirees Discover New Direction with Franchising Business

Kurt and Melissa Godwin, Owners, Discovery Map of Southwest Florida

Snapshot

24

22 A Mouth-watering Concept: Q&A with Biscuit Belly Founder Chad Coulter 34 Setting Franchisees up for Success: with Rick Porter, Cinch I.T.

Question Time 28 A Franchise That’s Cleaning Up

Leanne Stapf, Chief Operating Officer, The Cleaning Authority

30

Franchisor in Depth 32 Franchising a Brand with 70 Years of History

Neil Newcomb, CEO, Kelly’s Roast Beef Franchising

Ask the Expert

36

36 What Are the Top 3 Consumer Trends to Watch for in 2021?

Matthew Gourgeot, Head of Corporate and Business Development, Thryv

38 Franchising USA

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what’s new!

Scenthound Opens Wellness Based Grooming “Scenter” in NC

Scenthound, the world’s only wellness-based dog groomer, opened its first North Carolina location in Apex in January.

The brand offers pet parents simple membership options to ensure that their dog is getting the routine care it needs.

The new location is run by local franchisees Raj and Kavitha Kadumpalli, and Amitha and Ram Ravulapati. The group is excited to bring the out-of-state concept to North Carolina for the first time.

“We are so excited to bring this innovative concept to our community because it’s unlike anything out there,” said Raj. “One of the most unique aspects is that we are membership-based. We want what’s best for your dog – which is grooming on a routine basis. On our ‘e-scent-tials’ plan, you can bring in your dog once a month and get them the care they need to stay healthy and clean.

On our unlimited plan, you can bring in your dog every single day if you’d like, and it’s still affordable.”

Scenthound was founded in 2015 after CEO Tim Vogel spent more than 10 years running both a mobile grooming business and local grooming shops, seeing first-hand the shortcomings within the booming pet industry and the lack of education surrounding dog grooming.

“Many pet parents do not realize that just because your dog may not need a haircut, it doesn’t mean they don’t need routine care to stay healthy,” said CEO Tim Vogel. “We started Scenthound as a way to offer grooming services that cater to all breeds. As we expand nationally, we hope to educate as many people as possible and make sure their dogs get the care they need.” www.scenthound.com

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii Expands into Three New Markets Following its purchase by Royal Aloha Franchise Company last year, Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii is moving forward with its aggressive plans to open 150 new franchised locations over the next five years by expanding in Arizona and entering into two new states: Kentucky and New Jersey.

Aaron and Lisa Rutter will bring Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii to the Phoenix area with their first location, currently under site selection, slated for Chandler, Arizona.

In Kentucky, Bryce Walker will open the state’s first Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii in Lexington, where lease negotiation is nearing completion. Walker plans to open in Louisville as well.

Ass ‘ohana and to be expanding our brand into Kentucky, New Jersey and Arizona,” said Scott Snyder, CEO of Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. “What these ground floor franchisees all share with us, and each other, is a vision to build a compelling and unique national brand experience built on quality coffee and with Aloha spirit.”

Tom Soper and Paul Newman are signed to open Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii locations in Northern New Jersey and are in the process of choosing their first location for the franchise.

Since its purchase by the Royal Aloha Franchise Company last year, changes at Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii include new branding, packaging and restaurant design, as well as enhanced marketing, training and franchise support.

“We’re excited to welcome these new franchisees into our Bad

www.badasscoffee.com

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Conserva Irrigation Eclipses 100 Territories with Expansion in 3 States

Conserva Irrigation, the only national outdoor irrigation company founded on the concept of water conservation, announced it has eclipsed 100 territories and signed franchise agreements to grow in Northwest Portland, Oregon; Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas; Northwest Houston, Texas; and Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania. Now operating in 107 territories across the country, the largest franchisor in the irrigation industry is prepared for explosive growth in 2021.

Labeled as an essential business amid the pandemic, Conserva Irrigation’s rapid growth can be credited to innovation, teamwork and culture, as well as Jundt’s creation of a proprietary process to audit irrigation systems. In addition to helping customers save water, Conserva Irrigation operates underneath the Outdoor Living Brands umbrella and remains the only environmentally responsible irrigation company with a franchise business model focused primarily on providing repair and maintenance services for commercial and residential sprinkler systems.

“It’s been a privilege to be part of Conserva Irrigation’s journey and we feel fortunate that the unprecedented events in 2020 haven’t impeded our franchisees’ success,” said Chris Grandpre, chairman & CEO of Outdoor Living Brands.

“Conserva Irrigation operates in an industry that has grown to more than $7B in revenue and it’s always been our vision to build this brand into an industry leader and the household name around the country. Reaching 100 territories in just over three years is just another step in achieving that goal. Our goals for 2021 include opening another 50 territories adding to Conserva Irrigation’s footprint across the United States.” www.irrigationfranchise.com

Checkers & Rally’s Hosts “Mother Cruncher” Monster Truck Event to Farewell 2020 As 2020 came to a close, Checkers & Rally’s gave the year the send-off it deserved by hosting a one-of-a-kind “Mother Cruncher” Monster Truck event to crunch the year 2020 and the items associated with it.

Never one to take a light approach, the brand transformed a farm in Hagerstown, Maryland into a monster truck arena to host the epic Crunch 2020 event – named after one of the brand’s most successful product launches this year: The Mother Cruncher chicken sandwich.

On December 11th, the nearly 900-unit brand invited its loyal fans on social media to share what items they wanted to see crunched into oblivion. Checkers & Rally’s crunched a number of items that symbolize the year 2020, including quarantine, a cancelled cruise, toilet paper, murder hornets, video chats, and the year itself in the form of four salvaged cars with large “2020” banners attached to them.

While many restaurant chains have struggled this year, Checkers & Rally’s drive-thru-only model, closed kitchens, and 15 new “Be Safe/See Safe” procedures have helped the brand not only thrive, but grow amid the pandemic, with more than 50 new restaurants set to open by December 31, 2020.

“Checkers & Rally’s has long been a scrappy, challenger brand, but 2020 has proven that we were built to thrive in a pandemic,” said Chief Marketing Officer Dwayne Chambers.

View the video and learn more about the event here: www.CRUNCH2020.COM

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what’s new!

Salon franchises team up to introduce easy pay system

Donatos Pizza’s Expansion Efforts Continue to Take Flight with Red Robin Salon franchises such as CostCutters, Fantastic Sams, Supercuts, among others have teamed up with fintech company Branch and ProPointSolutions, salon software developer of SuperSalon, to digitally pay employees tips and wages right after each shift at no cost to the salon owners or stylists.

The solution comes at a critical time as salon owners worry about lack of cash and stylist turnover. About 95 percent of customers transactions are paid via credit card, but salons continue to pay stylists and employees their tips in cash.

“The vast majority of stylists work hourly and earn a significant portion of their income via tips. But the rise of cashless payments has disrupted the cadence of those payouts, leaving salons to spend additional time to withdraw cash or distribute tips on fee-laden paycards,” said Branch CEO Atif Siddiqi. “Our partnership with ProPoint Solutions gives salon franchises a simple, fast way to deliver employees their pay and better tools to keep track of their money.”

The partnership offers additional benefits that salon owners can provide to support their stylists, including early access to earned wages and a direct deposit option. Unlike traditional paycards and banking services, Branch eliminates fees for users by providing fee-free FDIC-insured checking accounts and earned wage access at no cost.

Users can also use the application for contactless payments and onboarding, an overview of projected earnings, and auto-budgeting tools. Branch is the first same-day payment provider to be integrated directly into SuperSalon.

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Two years ago, Donatos Pizza and Red Robin began testing a combination of the two concepts with a scaled-down Donatos pizza menu alongside Red Robin’s signature burgers in a handful of Red Robin restaurants.

Today, the two franchises have expanded plans, and Donatos’ franchise expansion efforts are continuing to take flight as a result.

The pizza offering initially began being tested in 2018 and expanded in 2019 to 25 additional Red Robin locations in Ohio, Arizona and North Carolina. Today, the partnership includes nearly 80 total locations across five states, with Washington and Colorado added recently.

“We had a feeling this had the potential to be a significant partnership for us, and the early returns proved as much,” said Donatos CEO Tom Krouse. “After a brief pause during the pandemic, expansion plans have continued.”

For Donatos, the relationship has expanded its name recognition west of the Mississippi and on the West Coast into cities where the 166-unit chain doesn’t yet have a traditional store presence.

Meanwhile, for Red Robin, it means a family friendly menu expansion and a stronger entry into off premise, as well as another way to get more people through its doors.

“Our partnership is bigger than just the complement of pizza and burgers. Culturally we are very aligned with a focus on people and product. And with pizza and burgers the top two most ordered restaurant fare, it’s amazing these two strategies have never successfully intersected before,” added Krouse. “But this has been a real game changer for the both of us.” www.donatospizzafranchise.com

JAN-PRO SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL Sets Sights Across the Pacific For Expansion JAN-PRO SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL – the nation’s premier cleaning and disinfecting franchisor - is looking to expand its presence to Hawaii.

The targeted expansion comes at a time when JAN-PRO CLEANING & DISINFECTING small business owners are on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19, as well as cold and flu season.

The brand’s franchisees continue to play a crucial role in protecting employees and customers in businesses across the United States, often times at a moment’s notice.

“Hawaii presents an incredible opportunity for expansion for JAN-PRO CLEANING & DISINFECTING,” stated Vice President of Franchise Development at JAN-PRO SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, Gregg Quisito. “With the increasing cases of COVID-19 and the potentially dangerous one-two punch with cold & flu season, now

is the perfect time for JAN-PRO Cleaning & Disinfecting to expand their presence so they can continue to protect employees and customers at businesses of all kinds.”

The Hawaii marketplace provides the opportunity for a large Regional Franchise Developer to sign a development deal for over 100 local unit franchisees.

“The ideal Regional Franchise Developer is someone who wants to help develop

small entrepreneurs who own and operate their own businesses under the Jan-Pro Cleaning & Disinfecting brand in their community,” added Quisito. “JAN-PRO Regional Franchise Developers play pivotal roles in their communities and provide people with opportunities to become their own boss and achieve their dreams of being a small business owner.” www.jan-pro.com/franchising

Minuteman Press Franchise Team Receives Giant Thank You Gift from Franchisee The Minuteman Press franchise in Lancaster, California continues to grow sales even during COVID-19 by adapting products and services and continuing to serve clients as an essential printing business.

High demand products include direct mail, wide format printing, banners and signage for social distancing, and custom branded apparel (shirts and face masks).

To show his appreciation for the ongoing franchise support provided during this critical time, franchisee Peter Castorena had a custom-built 8-foot-tall “Giant Minute Man” made and delivered to Nick Titus, President of Minuteman Press International.

Nick says, “When we first received this huge box, I had no idea what to expect. After we opened it up and saw what was inside, I was simply blown away. I called Peter and he explained to me how much our support during COVID-19 meant to him. For us as a team and for me personally, there is nothing more gratifying than helping our franchisees. The fact that he went out of his way to do this for us and send us this incredible piece, it’s really moving and also very cool.”

Peter adds, “There is nothing more that Minuteman Press

International could have done to support franchise owners like me

during this unprecedented time. We really appreciate the leadership and communication shown by Nick Titus as well as the additional marketing resources and ongoing support we have received when we needed it most.”

www.minutemanpressfranchise.com

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cov er sto ry

T i d e Cl e a n e r s

Committing to a Cleaner, Brighter Future Innovation and agility.

These have been the hallmark traits for Tide since the trusted laundry brand came onto the scene in 1946, making it the market leader for more than 73+ years and one of the most iconic brands in the world.

Whether the launch of the wash day miracle or the launch of Tide Pods, Tide has reinvented itself and revolutionized the category for the needs of the consumer.

This was more important than ever as the coronavirus pandemic spread. The workfrom-home trend dealt a blow to many drycleaning businesses, yet Tide Cleaners was determined to both become a resource for its community and to bring its innovative approach to address the changing landscape of the dry-cleaning industry.

“When we started Tide Cleaners in 2008, we knew that we had to uphold the values of Procter & Gamble,” said Clare Moore, Head of Franchising for Tide Cleaners.

“We are humbled by our amazing franchise system of owners who are dedicated to being leaders in their community; people

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focused on creating a space where their customers can feel safe and welcome.”

“We pride ourselves at Tide Cleaners on our ability to innovate and we knew as life began to get harder with Covid-19 that we needed to focus this innovation on giving back. Front Line responders put their safety on the line every day to ensure the health and well-being of everyone. They were working harder than ever with no breaks and having to isolate from their family for fear of bringing COVID home. We knew we had to make an impact. They were under such tremendous stress and we knew that we had to do something to lighten the load.”

Tide Cleaners has always strived to be a part of its local community, and as a brand that prides itself on community engagement, the team at Tide Cleaners once again turned its focus toward finding creative ways to help those most in need.

Giving Back Tide Cleaners is no stranger to finding ways to give back to its communities.

Starting in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Tide created “Loads of Hope,” a disaster relief aid program which took shape as a mobile laundromat at the time.

“We believed then, as we do now, in the power of clean,” said Moore. “For people going through extreme and trying times, clean clothes can make a world

of difference and return a little bit of normalcy in the midst of chaos. The basic comfort of clean laundry in times of crisis restores a sense of hope, dignity, and optimism for those in need.”

Since 2005, Tide has helped renew hope for more than 48,000 families across the country affected by natural disasters. On March 30th, 2020, Tide Cleaners launched a “Loads of Hope” program, providing free laundry and dry-cleaning services nationwide to front line responders and their immediate family members.

“We needed to find ways to give,” Moore continued. “Our number one priority at the beginning of this pandemic was about the people we serve and finding a way to meet their new needs during this crisis.”

Tide Cleaners franchisees were eager to find a way to give back to their communities and embraced the program.

Not only were they able to help front line responders, but many owners were able to hire back workers previously furloughed due to the pandemic. By the end of the program Tide Cleaners had helped more than 100,000 front line responders and cleaned over +1.8 million garments.

Leading the Way to the New Normal As the success of the “Loads of Hope” program continued to grow, the internal focus at Tide Cleaners turned toward the

challenge of addressing the world’s “new normal.” While work-from-home social distancing started as an early response to the pandemic, it became clear that the temporary shift would have a long-lasting impact on the future of businesses and the traditional office environment.

Even before the pandemic, studies were showing that “about 29 percent of college graduates were working from home at least some of the time” with the pandemic itself forcing nearly two-thirds of Americans to work remotely.

“contactless” wash-and-fold laundry, 24hour drive-through kiosks, at home pick-up and delivery, and 24/7 locker service in locations like retail stores, office buildings, and residential areas.

“We are always looking to listen and learn from our customers’ and owners’ needs,” Moore explained. “We want to make sure that we’re providing the most relevant and needed services to our guests and meeting them where they are, whether that’s at the counter, in the drive thru, on their college campus, in a locker, or at their own home.”

Moore and her team had already begun designing methods for Tide Cleaners to address this new normal, but the coronavirus put all their initiatives into overdrive.

But the virus put all program planning into overdrive and moved new programs quickly toward implementation.

Programs had already been designed as additional ways for franchisees to increase and diversify their revenue streams. These programs included initiatives such as

“The future is always difficult to predict.

2020 was hard. It was hard for everyone as individuals, it was hard for business owners, and it was hard for all of us. But

Looking Towards the Future

Tide Cleaners’ owners are a special breed,” Moore says. “They are hard workers devoted to caring, giving, and providing.

They put in a lot of extra effort this past year and we’re all excited to grow and move forward in 2021.”

Tide Cleaners will continue partnering with business-minded owner-operators who have the skills and ability to motivate and train people, possess top-notch hospitality skills, with a commitment to the community and a willingness to become proficient in all aspects of running the business, who operate with F.A.C.E.S. of Integrity (Tide Cleaners’ value system standing for Focus, Accountability, Continuous Improvement, Excellence, and Service Mentality), and, most of all, franchise owners who believe in both giving back and meeting the needs of all Tide Cleaners guests. https://tidecleaners.com/en-us/ partnerships/franchise

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ex per t advice

Gary Norris | CEO | Norris Ventures

Franchise COVID-OPS

When Surviving Converts to Thriving Yeah. I’m that guy. I love survival shows. You know the ones - a man, woman or group of people dropped into a strange environment for a specific number of days or weeks even months, and expected to survive.

I am also the guy who lives vicariously through each of their journeys. I see things I would have done differently - things I would have prioritized over others or distractions I would have ignored. You know the drill. It’s all fun and games until you’re the one alone and trying to figure out how to make it to the next hour much less the next day. There are hazards unknown, natural predators, scarce resources, and unknown weather patterns.

These are things to be considered within the first hour in a new terrain. When the habitat has been harnessed, surviving morphs into thriving. It’s a beautiful thing to behold.

I was watching a popular survival show a few nights ago and began realizing that what businesses are going through right now with COVID restrictions, work from home mandates, and limited social engagement, especially for restaurants and entertainment, is in many ways just like a survival scenario. So in this blog I thought it would bring a new perspective for all

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of us to explore the parallels of surviving, with the end goal of converting surviving into thriving. I am going to speak from a franchise perspective since Norris Ventures works mostly within this vertical.

Ok. Game on. You have been dropped into the cold arctic north of COVID 19. While you know you’re not alone, in this market you are alone. There is no one like you in your market. If you do not agree with this statement, then we need to have a different conversation. Either you have a unique value offering for your immediate market area, or you’re in the wrong business. Send me a message if you need to identify your UVP or UVO. We will find it together because you DO have one...or three. Back to our analogy.

There are several things you MUST assess. First, terrain and topography. What does the landscape look like? Is it hilly, mountainous or flat and endless? Second, inventory natural resources. Where is the water supply? Does the vegetation offer anything edible? Third, assess natural enemies and predators. Are there any tracks or signs of predators? How about shelter? Are there natural formations that could make a good and sustainable shelter?

You immediately survey the landscape to answer these critical questions. It will take not only the answering of these questions but also the harnessing and utilization of these answers to convert surviving to thriving.

Many of you are in this process now with your businesses. Just as in a survival scenario, this terrain is new. Regardless

Gary Norris

of whether you are a franchisor or a franchisee, you didn’t foresee that an international virus would bring our country’s business growth and success to a crawl. None of us did. But here we are.

The terrain is new. It is challenging but not untameable. In the next few lines, I hope to provide some helpful insight on how to transition from surviving to thriving during COVID, from one survivalist to another.

First - Assess the Terrain and Topography This season of restrictions and distancing is unlike anything that has impacted the business culture before, at least in my professional career. Some have compared its effect to the great depression. I wasn’t alive then and wasn’t trying to grow a business then. My grandfather used to talk about it, but he was a farmer. He saw it through the eyes of the land. So what does the terrain look like from where you are?

Is it flat and endless or so mountainous you have to look straight up to see the sky?

Whatever you are seeing in front of you, each has its pros and cons. Here they are.

learn and to be aware presents itself is, “All the smart people are taking notes.” This season is that opportunity. Be the smart people and take good notes.

Flat and Endless Terrain

Mountainous Terrain

If the landscape in front of you is flat and endless, the con is that you can easily get lost. You must be sure to create intentional landmarks to show where you have been.

Remember the places you have been with your business in the 6 months before February 2020. What steps were you taking for growth? To capture market share? To expand your products, services, or menus? To take on new locations?

Keep these markers in place so you will know where you have been and where you are going. Your steps now have to be intentional and with purpose. Do the homework. You can’t afford to waste energy. Every effort matters now. Every task. Every project. Every email. Every marketing strategy. The pro of this terrain is that nothing can sneak up on you. You can see and hear everything for miles. Be always scanning the horizon for changes.

Shiftings. Sounds. There will be things that you will spot which will help you convert surviving into thriving if you pay attention and take good notes. Something we say around here a lot when an opportunity to

Is the terrain mountainous? I was born in the mountains of North Carolina and I love the peaks and ridges. They call to me. So what are the cons with mountains? The climb is steep and burns a lot of calories.

Some of the climb will seem untraversable.

Impassable. Too steep to climb. There are springs on the way up. Find them.

Pappaw would always say, “Where there is a hollar (a deep ridge in the face of the mountain), there is water.” Find the spring and drink. This could be a Chamber Meeting where fellow entrepreneurs talk about their struggles and offer solutions they have found are effective. This could be a meet and greet. This could be just a simple fishing trip with your family. Find the spring and drink. The pros are all in the vantage point of the top. When you get there you will be able to see things that you wouldn’t see from the bottom.

Campsites. Water sources. Food sources.

Other inhabitants. Take your time up there. Observe the valley below from both sides of the ridge. There is a wealth of information up there. Take it all in and….

take good notes. You will use it all when you get back to camp.

Second - Identify Available Natural Resources and Allies Natural resources are those resources that an international virus can’t impede. Water, shelter, clothing, food sources. What are these for you? You have a business you believe in. You have your hard earned experience. You have your trained staff.

You have your proprietary offerings.

Hopefully, you have a comfortable and COVID-compliant consumer experience within the model. You have a phone line that rings. If applicable to your concept, you have an online ordering process that is operational. If you happen to be a restaurant, you have 3rd party services to get your menu to the hungry public. These are resources that are with you right now.

Make sure you are utilizing to the max all of your natural and available resources.

When we try to drive core competencies outside the harnessing of our natural resources, this is where you will make a mistake. And right now, mistakes cost so much more. Use these resources. Cultivate them. Grow them. They are resources you don’t have to go get. They are right here at your campsite. Identify them all and put them all to work for you, everyday.

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ex per t advice

Page 13

ex per t advice

Gary Norris | CEO | Norris Ventures

Third - Identify the Natural Predators of your Survival Every new terrain has a natural predator.

Have you identified what yours are? Here are a few to look out for.

• “I can’t get enough people in the door to cover our overhead.”

This is a number one predator. Have people decided to stop eating or shopping? No. They are just eating something in a different place or buying from a different location. So, how do you get those customers who were formerly sitting at one of your dining room tables to now eat your food at their own dining room table or shopping within your 4-walls, in person, to now making their purchases from their favorite recliner or sofa? Pick up and delivery. Online order and curbside pickup. It should be on every page of your website. It should be on every social media post. It should be on every menu going out the door or every newsletter in the mail. It should be mentioned every time someone answers the phone. Maximize your traffic count based on social distancing protocols and then start filling seats and carts inside of homes.

• “My lease is too high.”

This natural predator means that it’s a great time for a renegotiation of your lease. Most landlords are not wanting to have to shop for new tenants right now, which means you have a valid position to negotiate better terms for your space. In my experience over the last 10 months, landlords have been more than willing to revisit leases to accommodate reduced traffic. If this is something you aren’t

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comfortable with, call us. We are good at it and would love to go to bat for you.

• “I know how to run my business, but I don’t know how to pivot.”

This can be difficult for many, so you’re not alone. What do I mean by pivot?

Pivot could look like eliminating some high overhead things from the menu or buying list, or reducing hours, or reducing staff, or using a delivery service, or adding an internal delivery service. It’s often not necessarily the willingness to do them, but the effective and seamless integration of these things into daily operations. There are resources out there to help you. But make no mistake; pivoting right now is the one crucial thing that must be mastered if you are to convert surviving into thriving.

There are so many more natural predators out there right now looking to prey on your business. Please listen, look, research, and stay alive. This is by no means a comprehensive look at surviving this strange season; but hopefully, it has provoked some thought and provided reassurance that we are here, ready to roll

up our sleeves and get to work as your greatest ally and as a valuable natural resource for your success. We want you to win - and you will - when you successfully transform surviving to thriving by harnessing the resources available to you right here, right now, right around your very own campsite.

Gary Norris is the CEO and founder of Norris Ventures, a firm that helps turn successful restaurant and retail concepts into sustainable, scalable systems; market-ready for either franchising or corporate replication.

With over 30 years entrepreneurial experience, Gary and his team at Norris Ventures lock arms with their clients to ensure success and sustainable growth, every step of the journey. Whether you are considering franchising for your business or you need to kick start franchise growth, Gary and the Norris Ventures Team are the true turn-key solution.

You can reach Gary at: 828-578-3718 or email GaryGale@NorrisVentures.com Learn more about Norris Ventures at www.NorrisVentures.com

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Get the App COMMITTING TO A CLEANER, BRIGHTER FUTURE Innovation and agility.

These have been the hallmark traits for Tide since the trusted laundry brand came onto the scene in 1946, making it the market leader for more than 73+ years and one of the most iconic brands in the world.

Whether the launch of the wash day miracle or the launch of Tide Pods, Tide has reinvented itself and revolutionized the category for the needs of the consumer.

This was more important than ever as the coronavirus pandemic spread. The workfrom-home trend dealt a blow to many drycleaning businesses, yet Tide Cleaners was determined to both become a resource for its community and to bring its innovative approach to address the changing landscape of the dry-cleaning industry.

“When we started Tide Cleaners in 2008, we knew that we had to uphold the values of Procter & Gamble,” said Clare Moore, Head of Franchising for Tide Cleaners.

“We are humbled by our amazing franchise system of owners who are dedicated to being leaders in their community; people

focused on creating a space where their customers can feel safe and welcome.”

“We pride ourselves at Tide Cleaners on our ability to innovate and we knew as life began to get harder with Covid-19 that we needed to focus this innovation on giving back. Front Line responders put their safety on the line every day to ensure the health and well-being of everyone. They were working harder than ever with no breaks and having to isolate from their family for fear of bringing COVID home. We knew we had to make an impact. They were under such tremendous stress and we knew that we had to do something to lighten the load.”

Tide Cleaners has always strived to be a part of its local community, and as a brand that prides itself on community engagement, the team at Tide Cleaners once again turned its focus toward finding creative ways to help those most in need.

Giving Back Tide Cleaners is no stranger to finding ways to give back to its communities.

Starting in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Tide created “Loads of Hope,” a disaster relief aid program which took shape as a mobile laundromat at the time.

“We believed then, as we do now, in the power of clean,” said Moore. “For people going through extreme and trying times, clean clothes can make a world

Franchising USA

of difference and return a little bit of normalcy in the midst of chaos. The basic comfort of clean laundry in times of crisis restores a sense of hope, dignity, and optimism for those in need.”

Since 2005, Tide has helped renew hope for more than 48,000 families across the country affected by natural disasters. On March 30th, 2020, Tide Cleaners launched a “Loads of Hope” program, providing free laundry and dry-cleaning services nationwide to front line responders and their immediate family members.

“We needed to find ways to give,” Moore continued. “Our number one priority at the beginning of this pandemic was about the people we serve and finding a way to meet their new needs during this crisis.”

Tide Cleaners franchisees were eager to find a way to give back to their communities and embraced the program.

Not only were they able to help front line responders, but many owners were able to hire back workers previously furloughed due to the pandemic. By the end of the program Tide Cleaners had helped more than 100,000 front line responders and cleaned over +1.8 million garments.

Leading the Way to the New Normal As the success of the “Loads of Hope” program continued to grow, the internal focus at Tide Cleaners turned toward the

COV ER STO RY

COV ER STO RY

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Tide Cleaners

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THE MAGAZINE FOR FRANCHISEES

challenge of addressing the world’s “new normal.” While work-from-home social distancing started as an early response to the pandemic, it became clear that the temporary shift would have a long-lasting impact on the future of businesses and the traditional office environment.

Even before the pandemic, studies were showing that “about 29 percent of college graduates were working from home at least some of the time” with the pandemic itself forcing nearly two-thirds of Americans to work remotely.

“contactless” wash-and-fold laundry, 24hour drive-through kiosks, at home pick-up and delivery, and 24/7 locker service in locations like retail stores, office buildings, and residential areas.

VOL 09, ISSUE 2, JAN 2021

Tide Cleaners’ owners are a special breed,” Moore says. “They are hard workers devoted to caring, giving, and providing.

They put in a lot of extra effort this past year and we’re all excited to grow and move forward in 2021.”

TIDE CLEANERS

COMMITTING TO Cleaners will continue partnering A CLEANER, Tide with business-minded owner-operators who have the skills and ability to motivate BRIGHTER FUTURE

“We are always looking to listen and learn from our customers’ and owners’ needs,” Moore explained. “We want to make sure that we’re providing the most relevant and needed services to our guests and meeting them where they are, whether that’s at the counter, in the drive thru, on their college campus, in a locker, or at their own home.”

Moore and her team had already begun designing methods for Tide Cleaners to address this new normal, but the coronavirus put all their initiatives into overdrive.

But the virus put all program planning into overdrive and moved new programs quickly toward implementation.

Programs had already been designed as additional ways for franchisees to increase and diversify their revenue streams. These programs included initiatives such as

“The future is always difficult to predict.

2020 was hard. It was hard for everyone as individuals, it was hard for business owners, and it was hard for all of us. But

Looking Towards the Future

and train people, possess top-notch hospitality skills, with a commitment to the community and a willingness to become proficient in all aspects of running the business, who operate with F.A.C.E.S. of Integrity (Tide Cleaners’ value system standing for Focus, Accountability, Continuous Improvement, Excellence, and Service Mentality), and, most of all, franchise owners who believe in both giving back and meeting the needs of all Tide Cleaners guests. https://tidecleaners.com/en-us/ partnerships/franchise

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FRANCHISE COVID-OPS

HOW CAN FRANCHISE BRANDS LEVERAGE PR TO GET MORE LEADS? LATEST NEWS

WHEN SURVIVING CONVERTS TO THRIVING

FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM THE BANKS

TOP LAWYERS’ ADVICE

www.franchisingusamagazine.com Franchising USA

ex per t advice

Heather Ripley | CEO | Ripley PR

How can franchise brands leverage PR to get more leads?

Owning your own business is still a major American dream, and for many entrepreneurs, franchising offers a way to do that with less risk than going out on their own.

in order to attract the best franchisees through targeted public relations.

Predictions for franchise businesses this year are looking pretty good, so now is the time to ramp up your lead generation plans

Many franchisors spend a lot of money on advertising and marketing with questionable results, or worse, not having

Franchising USA

But for potential franchisees, it’s daunting when there are so many franchise opportunities available. How will your franchise stand out and attract the best and most qualified leads? As a franchisor, you can hope for the best, try your hand at marketing and promotion, or hire a professional.

a clear picture about whether their efforts were worthwhile or not. Without the professional help you need, you could be spinning your wheels, rather than signing up solid, committed new franchisees.

Franchise development-focused public relations, crafted by experienced PR professionals, can get your franchise in the public eye, promote your business through bylined articles in trade publications, procure interviews with national news outlets and more, all of which will boost your brand’s image with potential franchisees.

“Now is the time to ramp up your lead generation plans in order to attract the best franchisees through targeted public relations.”

Heather Ripley

no one does. But franchise PR creates visibility across all social channels that are important for your brand. Knowing what channels to focus on is huge, and knowing where the leads are is crucial to getting more business for your franchise brand. But if your social isn’t holistically connected and funneling leads to the right channels, you are wasting time.

A PR agency that specializes in franchise public relations is the best solution for any franchise business that wants to build its business and obtain a steady stream of leads. They have the connections, insight, deep knowledge and specialized understanding of the franchise industry and what potential franchisees are looking for in a franchisor.

Franchise development PR is best left to the experts because it’s very specialized, but when done well, your franchise will benefit from the results. Without PR not much happens, but with the right PR partner, your franchise can attract the type of leads you want.

1. Franchise PR can attract leads through creative press releases. Press releases are not dead, and are actually one of the best ways to create interest in your franchise business. But the trick is knowing how to write it, what keywords to use, who to send it to, and how to follow up correctly. When potential franchisees see your business in the news, or if they see articles that mention it, you have already increased your impact on new franchisee leads.

2. Franchise PR enhances your franchise’s authority and perception.

When a potential franchisee is deciding which franchise to invest in, they notice and are drawn to those that have the most visibility and authority. Franchise public relations professionals are adept at getting clients speaking engagements and spots on industry panels and power discussions, virtually or in-person. When potential leads see your franchise brand as a major industry player, they make a mental note to find out more.

3. Franchise PR can get your business bylines in the news. Franchise PR specializes in developing your brand as a reliable and trustworthy source for news stories. Reporters and journalists appreciate working with PR agencies who know what they are doing. Editors need content for their publications and if a PR agency can provide news sources, spokespersons, and bylined articles that are done well and ready to print, the more likely your franchise brand will be in the news where franchisee leads will see you.

4. Franchise PR works holistically, while developing social media messaging that creates leads. Honestly, does your franchise brand have the bandwidth to be visible on every single social platform every day with amazing posts? NO,

5. Franchise PR takes existing platforms and transforms them. Your website is an important lead generation tool, but is it getting the traffic necessary to generate the leads your franchise needs?

When your PR partner gets your name in the public’s view and potential leads are funneled to your website, what happens then? Many businesses don’t have a great strategy for funneling leads. PR makes sure your SEO is on target and persuades your leads to follow the path you set.

This is why PR is so important now, especially as competition heats up and leads are comparing your franchise to all the others. Everyone researches online now, for just about everything, and franchisee leads are doing the same thing. When they google your franchise brand, will they see what you want them to? PR can help your franchise brand impress potential leads and boost your bottom line.

Heather Ripley is CEO of Ripley PR, a global public relations agency specializing in B2B and franchising.

Orange Orchard, a division of Ripley PR, champions franchisors that cater to environmentally-conscious consumers.

For additional information, visit www.ripleypr.com or www.orangeorchardpr.com

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hav e you r say

Michael Arrowsmith | Chief Development Officer | Pinch A Penny

Michael Arro

staying a turbu 2020 was a turbulent year for retail amid the COVID19 pandemic. How did Pinch A Penny fare as we head into 2021?

Our brand and franchisees were fortunate to fare well during a time that was so challenging for countless others.

Lockdowns and stay-at-home orders fueled more demand to build backyard pools, which has created tremendous opportunity for our business both now and in the future.

Also, while people were hunkered down at home, they used their pools and spas more, so our business proved more important than ever in helping pool owners create safe and sanitary water environments for family fun.

The retail industry has faced vast disruption with the rise of technology and e-commerce giants like Amazon; yet niche retailers seem to be immune to this trend.

Can you share more into why you think that is?

I believe most niche retailers are catering to a specific consumer need and helping consumers with that need. Yes, there has been disruption with technology and e-commerce in retail, but many consumers seek out expertise that niche specialists can offer them in a one-on-one setting.

Take our brand as an example. A lot of

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owsmith of Pinch A Penny on

g afloat during ulent year our customers don’t understand water chemistry and they shouldn’t have to; it’s not common knowledge. But that’s why they come to us, because we’re experts in it. We offer free water testing in all our stores and our specialists help prescribe the proper chemicals, and then either educate them on how to treat their own pools or we come out and do it for them.

Niche retail brands are mostly need-based businesses, and functioning within their specific marketplace allows them to focus on being the best experts in their field.

Consumers being able to access high levels of expertise with a particular niche retailer will keep them coming back into stores because there is a trust there and the need for guidance. In addition, with respect to Pinch A Penny, our stores are locally owned and operated – literally it’s the trust of neighbors helping neighbors.

“With pool development and installations certainly carrying through into 2021, we expect our business to continue growing as much or greater than it has for the past 45 years.”

double-digits, and with pool development and installations certainly carrying through into 2021, we expect our business to continue growing as much or greater than it has for the past 45 years.

Home-focused retailers performed very well in 2020. What has it been like for Pinch A Penny and your franchisees?

As the retail segment continues to evolve, particularly following this pandemic, do you think niche retailers only offering products in-store and online will be enough to survive?

There’s no doubt that home-centric retail brands did well in 2020 as consumers shifted their spending from going out to staying in; spending less on things like travel, entertainment and dining out to more on home improvement, home goods and beautifying their backyards. Pinch A Penny was no exception to this rule.

Our business remained strong and our franchisees have done quite well during the pandemic. Overall, our business is up solid

I believe it varies by brand and the needs of their customers. For our brand specifically, the retail store makes up the largest component of our business but we have a diversified business model – our stores also offer service maintenance and repair, as well as an array of backyard services ranging from leak detection and pool renovations to power washing and landscape lighting. The service leg complements our retail business

and it’s what our customers need. Not only that, but it gives our operators the opportunity to grow their businesses in an organic way because they’re able to diversify without having to invest in other concepts. Combining retail and service allows our franchisees to enjoy top-tier AUVs and, typically, our higherperforming locations are run by operators that are taking advantage of the many capabilities of our business model.

That’s not to say that retail alone isn’t enough for brands to survive. However, at Pinch A Penny, we are able to combine the best aspects of both retail and service and it’s proven to be a pretty powerful combination.

Michael Arrowsmith is the Chief Development Officer for Pinch A Penny Pool Patio Spa. www.pinchapennyfranchise.com

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ex per t advice

George Knauf | Senior Franchise Business Advisor | FranChoice

Substantial PentUp Demand for Franchise Brands I have the great privilege of working with amazing franchise business owners every day. They are entrepreneurial and driven to achieve fantastic goals. I get to work oneon-one with them helping to build their empires.

During these past months of unexpected challenges, they have risen to the occasion and come up with creative ways to serve

Franchising USA

their customers. In many cases they have even grown their businesses.

Now we have light at the end of the tunnel because we can count in months, even weeks, to when life should be getting back to normal. What does that mean for the franchise industry?

I am not the only one that is eager to get out, and to get out often! We are all getting antsy and want to get out of the house, see other people, dine, go to concerts and much more.

I have not spent as much as I normally would, nor have countless others, and that cash is eating a hole in our pockets! The personal savings rate hit 33 percent in

April, the highest it has been since The Bureau of Economic Analysis started tracking that number.

What will those two things alone mean to the franchise industry?

You may be very, very, popular in the coming months if you own a franchise. As we get into the coming months and we put this challenge behind us, consumers will venture out more and more.

Working out at home or 1 to 2 days in the gym will go back to 5-7 days.

Restaurants will be able to seat more and more people inside until they hit or exceed their capacity. And as it warms up, they

“I have not spent as much as I normally would, nor have countless others, and that cash is eating a hole in our pockets!”

Event companies will be getting calls for events that we all put off.

Office cleaning companies will be hard at work.

Auto repair shops will be catching everyone up on maintenance they put off.

Dog sitters and walkers will be pet owners’ best friends.

George Knauf

We will be travelling, seeing friends and family as well as hitting the road for work.

Conferences! We get conferences back!

Brick and mortar locations that contract in the next 60 days may miss any early business spikes but join the party during an upswing in the market. This is outstanding timing as you have a pretty clear vision of the timeline but can still get in early on. The projections are that the real estate market will be advantageous for the coming year.

And that is just part of my personal list…

But I would bet that many of you can relate to it.

Franchisees will have a potential for a perfect storm of pent-up customer demand combined with fewer service providers as those that were not heathy going into this, notably independent business that didn’t have the same resources franchise owners do. That combination looks to be teeing up a very interesting time for franchise owners that are ready for the good times that follow challenging times.

When should you be taking action to be ready to get any rewards? Right now.

may keep the outdoor seating they added so they have more seats to handle more customers.

Retail stores will see all of us that have hit overload on our Amazon Prime accounts and want to see stuff before we pay for it.

We will all miss those boxes and packing material.

Childhood education programs will be fully active and full of eager kids happy to be out among their peers and learning.

Dry Cleaners will be back to cleaning for office workers.

Party Venues will be in high demand as groups can gather.

If you are a current operator, vaccines are rolling out and that means your horizon is closing in. Go win raving fans. Develop any additional revenue streams you can use in the coming years as well. Dial in your marketing plan. Get your team in top shape and ready to grow.

If you are considering a new franchise, or growing a portfolio, this is perfect timing.

Service based franchises get from contract approval to grand opening faster that brick and mortar, but you still have training, finding an office or site, hiring staff, etc.

While faster, that process still takes a little time and you have that right now. Moving fast will get you positioned early in the better times, which helps with growth and positioning against independent players in your market.

If you have the resources, you may want to contract for multiple units and pursue an aggressive development plan (opening schedule). Opening during a more active period can be advantageous to the growth of your location or territory. That said, I know franchisees opening right now when fear would dictate to most people to hunker down—and they are hitting home runs.

The clarity we have on timelines right now is a gift, one that shouldn’t be taken lightly if you are an empire builder.

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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sn apsh ot

Chad Coulter | Founder | Biscuit Belly

A Mouth-Watering Concept

Q&A with Biscuit Belly founder Chad Coulter Tell us about your professional background and the birth of Biscuit Belly.

My background is actually as a clinical pharmacist. I started my career by teaching at a small College of Pharmacy in Louisville and rounding with a medical team in an academic medical center. I started to get the entrepreneurial itch in 2011 when we started a “paint and sip� business and then opened up LouVino, a small plates and wine bar restaurant in 2014. We grew LouVino to 5 locations and then started Biscuit Belly.

We opened the first Biscuit Belly location in May 2019 and have since opened two additional locations. We planned to open five locations in 2020 but obviously with the COVID-19 outbreak, we paused our expansion efforts. We are currently targeting to open 4-5 additional corporate locations and 3-4 franchise locations in 2021.

What makes Biscuit Belly different from other biscuit concepts?

The atmosphere, the food and the people.

Our menu was developed by a classically trained chef, Tavis Rockwell, who spent many years in fine dining. Tavis took the flavors of the south and cooking methods he learned in culinary school to create a standout menu that none of our competitors come close to beating.

Franchising USA

“Brunch and fast casual concepts are trending and we fortunately offer both in one concept which is very attractive to people.”

“Our atmosphere and people really make us who we are with our genuine hospitality and upbeat, fun vibe.”

Every dish is made-to-order including house-smoked meats and vegetarian and gluten-free options. Our atmosphere and people really make us who we are with our genuine hospitality and upbeat, fun vibe.

Unlike other biscuit concepts, we really focus on providing a better overall guest experience by running drinks, food and bussing tables.

Tell us about your business partner, Chuck Schnatter.

Chuck and I met through a mutual acquaintance who worked in M&A and private equity. Chuck initially invested in LouVino and was impressed with our operations and team. I told Chuck that I wanted to eventually open a biscuit concept and he thought I was kidding.

The two of us flew down to Nashville to check out a local concept there and he was very impressed with the amount of people waiting in line and I believe that quickly changed his mind on the concept.

Who is your “ideal” franchisee?

We’re looking for operators who have similar values in line with the culture of our brand and are community-minded.

Working with individuals or groups with multi-unit experience is also important as we want our franchisees to grow with us and open more locations as we seek biscuit dominance.

Given the current climate, is now a good time to start a franchise?

Many experts in the franchising field think 2021-2022 will be some of the best franchising years ever as far as deals signed. Real estate prices should decrease along with the influx of second-generation (former restaurant) spaces, the talent pool is deep, and people are eager to work for themselves after being let go from larger corporations. Also, brunch and fast casual concepts are trending and we fortunately offer both in one concept which is very attractive to people.

Where are your current locations?

We currently operate three locations throughout Louisville and have received a great amount of interest from potential franchisee groups in Florida and Georgia.

We’re targeting the Midwest and Southern regions for growth.

What type of support do you provide your franchisees?

Our commitment to our franchisees’ success is paramount. We help with real estate selection, initial training, ongoing support, site visits, operational advice and best practices and marketing support. We are also implementing the best technology possible to make our franchisees’ lives as easy as possible when it comes to operations.

Have you celebrated any particular achievements in the past 12 months? And what’s your focus for the year ahead?

I would say our biggest achievement is hunkering down during COVID-19 shutdowns and focusing on tightening up our operations, training and systems.

We have had a lot of time to regroup and refocus on areas that needed improvement to get ready for franchising. Additionally, getting our franchise documents completed and launching the franchise program was truly an undertaking and huge accomplishment. www.biscuitbellyfranchise.com

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ex per t advice

Susan Grueneberg | Attorney | Cozen O’Connor

Are Changes to the

Federal Trade Commission’s Franchise Rule in Our Future?

Spoiler alert—probably not, at least not in the near term.

Franchising as a method of product and service distribution has been wildly successful, constituting an evergrowing percentage of business activity, both in the United States and worldwide.

creativity and innovation. Many of the adaptations that have surfaced such as ghost kitchens and increased online marketing, are likely here to stay. But there is still a long road to recovery ahead.

requested comments on whether the Rule was still necessary, whether it should be modified, the cost of compliance and whether technological or economic changes made changes necessary.

Almost universally, the responses were positive about the continuing need for the FTC Franchise Rule. It is hard to find any stakeholder who thinks it should be abolished. In fact, many are happy with the Franchise Rule the way it is and feel that it still serves its intended purpose.

2021 and the post-pandemic economic environment are likely to see even more accelerated growth as disillusioned former employees seek more control over their financial security by purchasing franchises and owning their own businesses.

In the midst of this, there have been signals that the legal regulation of franchising may be changing. Nationally, franchisors are required to provide prospective franchisees with pre-sale disclosure and observe a cooling off period before signing a Franchise Agreement or accepting any consideration.

This is mandated by the Federal Trade Commission’s Franchise Rule. Periodically, the FTC reviews the rules it promulgates to determine if there is still a need for the rule and if any changes should be made.

That process started again in 2019 for the Franchise Rule, more formally known as Disclosure Requirements and Prohibitions Concerning Franchising, when the FTC

While the public health crisis we have experienced has meant disaster for some concepts, for others it has spurred

Franchising USA

In November 2020, the FTC held a virtual public workshop on some areas of change that have been proposed by some parties.

The three-and-a-half hour workshop addressed topics such as financial performance representations; disclaimers, waivers and questionnaires; and the pros and cons of the current Franchise Disclosure Document format. Following are some of the issues discussed:

“Almost universally, the responses were positive about the continuing need for the FTC Franchise Rule. It is hard to find any stakeholder who thinks it should be abolished.”

Susan Grueneberg

• Financial performance representations must have a reasonable basis. What does that mean exactly?

Financial Performance Representations • Should financial performance representations be mandatory?

Pre-pandemic, the percentage of franchise programs making financial performance representations was on the increase. On the one hand, it seems like this is the most important type of information a prospective should want, so why should it be optional? On the other hand, how do you exclude certain programs where disclosing this information could actually be misleading or where the franchisor does not have ready access to meaningful financial data?

• What, if anything, has changed since the last time the FTC looked at this issue?

The FTC previously conducted a formal review of the FTC Franchise Rule from 1995 to 2007. At the time, the FTC concluded that record did not reflect benefits to prospective franchisees that would outweigh the cost to franchisors.

Actually, not that much has changed in terms of the factors that motivate franchisors to provide this disclosure. If anything, market forces encouraged this disclosure. Still, the thought lingers— disclosure of litigation and bankruptcy history is mandated. Why should the most important information be optional?

There is no easy definition of what “reasonable basis” means because it can vary depending on a large number of factors. Luckily, in recent years, the North American Securities Administrators Association has provided us with a number of Commentaries, one of which specifically addressed financial performance representations. The Commentary issued in 2017 provides guidance on what information can be presented and how to present it.

Disclaimers, Waivers and Questionnaires • How do disclaimers and waivers affect franchisees?

According to regulators, disclaimers of the information presented in the Franchise Disclosure Document make it difficult for a franchisee to rely on that information in making an informed decision about a franchise. Waivers jeopardize franchisees’ ability to seek recourse if the information is not correct. From a franchisor’s perspective, disclaimers and waivers protect against unjustified claims by franchisees who

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Susan Grueneberg | Attorney | Cozen O’Connor

“The FTC reviews the rules it promulgates to determine if there is still a need for the rule and if any changes should be made.”

may want to blame the franchisor for financial difficulties.

What is the current state of the law on this? The FTC Franchise Rule does not permit the franchisor from disclaiming the information presented in the Disclosure Document. A franchisor is not allowed to add any disclosure not required by the FTC Franchise Rule itself (or that may be required by a state authority). So adding extraneous disclaimers and waivers is not permitted.

• What are franchise questionnaires and how do they work?

of the compliance process and make sure that no violations of the legal requirement occurred in the offer and sale of the franchise. The counter argument is that a franchisee who might answer the questions in a way that indicated that there was a violation is told that if he or she completes it that way, they won’t be awarded a franchise.

Pros and Cons of Current Disclosure Format • Do franchisees read Franchise Disclosure Documents?

Some franchisors attach a questionnaire to be completed by a franchisee buying a franchise. These questionnaires typically document whether the franchisee received a Franchise Disclosure Document on a timely basis and whether the franchisee received any financial performance representations outside of the four corners of the Disclosure Document. There is no legal requirement for such a questionnaire to be completed and the format and questions vary widely.

Franchise Disclosure Documents have become long and complex. The requirement is that they be written in plain English, but relying on lawyers to write in plain English is an iffy proposition. The concern is that prospective franchisees do not read these documents and often do not consult with an advisor such as a lawyer or accountant to advise them on the purchase.

Franchisors argue that these questionnaires are an important part

Some franchisee representatives have been lobbying for a summary document

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• Should there be a summary of the Franchise Disclosure Document?

of the most important information in the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Beginning in 2020, franchisors have had to include a series of Cover Sheets that highlight some of the most important topics to a prospective franchisee and alert the prospect where to find them.

Stay tuned to see if this trend continues.

Bottom line, the public workshop and comment period are a preliminary step the FTC has taken to determine if a rulemaking is necessary and desirable. The last rule review lasted for 12 years. Even if the determination to proceed is made, we know from past experience that this would be a long and winding road.

Susan Grueneberg has been working with franchisors and multi-unit franchisees in industries ranging from food and beverage to transportation, fitness, senior care, health care, pet services, real estate, children’s activities, automotive care and construction for the past 30 years. She assists franchisors in setting up franchise systems and expanding them nationally and internationally.

To learn more, you can reach Susan at 213-892-7996 or sgrueneberg@cozen.com

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.

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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!

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

Franchising USA

qu estio n tim e

Leanne Stapf | Chief Operating Officer | The Cleaning Authority

A Franchise that’s Cleaning Up Q&A with Leanne Stapf, Chief Operating Officer, The Cleaning Authority Immediately prior to COVID we were in the development phase of our customer facing app. Once COVID hit, we immediately added new functionality that would push notifications to the customer when the cleaners were on the way, and when the cleaners completed the clean so that the customer could socially distance during the clean if they chose to. We were able to launch the app in early April, which was perfect timing in an era where we needed less one on one contact.

To continue to persevere and provide services during these unprecedented times, we transitioned our open houses to virtual meetings to accommodate prospective franchisees. In addition to that, we were able to secure a large order of Vapor Steam Machine for franchise owners, which utilizes dry steam vapor to sanitize and disinfect surfaces. This allowed our franchise owners to differentiate themselves in the marketplace by offering additional services and to earn additional revenue. We also built an extensive training program for our franchise owners through our Learning Management System at time of machine deployment.

Lastly, we introduced the option to set virtual in-home estimates.

Depending on the franchise owner preferences, our national call center began offering appointments for both the traditional inhome estimate as well as virtual estimate to prospects looking for service.

How has the brand pivoted throughout the pandemic?

What qualities make The Cleaning Authority an attractive business for franchise owners?

With COVID impacting every industry, The Cleaning Authority

The Cleaning Authority offers a variety of qualities that make the brand an attractive business for franchise owners.

locations made the decision to close. About two months later, 40%

One being a scalable, recurring revenue. The Cleaning Authority serves more than 45,000 families each week and with most customers averaging a clean every two weeks, our franchise owners are pulling in recurring revenue from a repeat customer base. Elite cleaning services are always in demand and our reputation for excellence, coupled with our franchise model have helped our franchise owners grow large businesses. At The Cleaning Authority, our franchise owners average $1.1 million in annual revenue*.

was not exempt. At the start of the pandemic, several of our

of our locations were open or reopening and the rest were soon to follow.

The professional cleaning services provided by The Cleaning

Authority were, and still are, in-demand. Our franchise owners continued to provide superior cleaning services to ensure

homeowners were able to enjoy their time indoors in a clean, comfortable and safe environment.

Franchising USA

When you become a part of The Cleaning Authority family, you’re provided with the marketing tools and operational infrastructure to build a profitable and sustainable business, while working toward absentee ownership. From our national marketing strategies and customer acquisition processes to management programs and real-time profitability tracking, we provide comprehensive training to franchise owners to ensure they feel confident running their business – even if they’ve had no previous experience in this industry. We’re fully invested in our franchisees success and will continue to provide the resources and support needed to achieve each of our owners’ personal and professional goals, while also providing a healthy work-life balance. Our business model allows owners to set their own schedule and doesn’t require late nights or weekends.

What kind of support did The Cleaning Authority offer at the start of the pandemic and is it still being offered?

During the height of the pandemic, we allowed franchise owners to discontinue their required local advertising. When coming out of the height the pandemic we reduced the requirements and shifted the local advertising program, which was primarily a brochure marketing program to a more digital-based program.

This was done for two reasons; one, customers were spending more time online and two, we could pivot messaging more quickly than direct mail depending on the current state. We also developed new brochure creative to react to the new COVID state.

In addition to Town Halls and regular communications, we worked with various partners to provide webinars regarding SBA EIDL Loans, the Paycheck Protection Program, proper chemical and PPE usage, Employee Retention Tax Credits, business insurance, the CARES Act, etc. We also partnered with several banking brokers and created a committee to assist franchise owners file to secure PPP funding.

We also offered no interest financing for franchise owners that purchased the Vapor Machines or for those that were looking to expand their business through acquisition of competitors.

We created a COVID specific resource catalog for our franchise owners with templated communications to customers, prospects and employees. The resource guide also provided documents to assist franchise owners who were temporarily suspending service and then when they were coming back online. We also created auto-communications that franchise owners could opt into for

terminated customers, customers who had placed their service onhold, or had skipped several cleaning cycles.

Who is the ideal franchisee prospect for The Cleaning Authority? What type of background aligns best with this type of business?

At The Cleaning Authority, we take great pride in our franchise partnerships. We seek out partners that align with our passion for being environmentally friendly and want to carry out our mission.

Candidates should have a net worth between $225,000-$250,000 and liquid asset of at least $60,000. As franchisees are onboarded, they can expect an initial investment between approximately $76,011-$169,044.

Our franchisees come from different backgrounds and have varying financial histories. However, they share some characteristics that are critical to being a successful business owner. All of our franchise owners are committed to delivering a premium customer service experience and developing a professional team that confidently and positively represents the company.

What are your plans for growth and development going into 2021?

While the pandemic has certainly had a devastating impact on many business verticals, it’s also presented opportunities for entrepreneurs to succeed in industries primed for growth – such as the home service industry. With the help of our devoted franchisees, we have positioned ourselves for strong growth in 2021. https://franchise.thecleaningauthority.com

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ex per t advice

Jill Abrahamsen | Editorial Director | International Franchise Professionals Group (IFPG)

Franchise Advantages and Disadvantages:

Consider These Factors to See What Franchise Business Sector is For You If you have decided that franchising is for you, but haven’t decided on a brand or business sector, you still have lots to consider. Luckily there are tons of options out there with something for everyone.

Here, we weigh franchise advantages and disadvantages in five different business sectors.

Senior Care What you’ll do: Senior care franchisees help elderly clients live a more dignified and enriched life. Franchise owners have a team of caregivers who provide in-home support with household chores, cooking, errands and personal care. Some also provide nursing care and administer medication. The service is a lifesaver for families who are faced with the responsibility of caring for loved ones and know that aging gracefully at home is the most ideal scenario.

Advantages: This is a feel-good business in a booming industry. Franchise owners make a real difference in people’s lives.

Franchising USA

The industry has been booming and is projected to keep growing. Besides being an essential business, there is a huge customer base.

Disadvantages: Often a labor of love, franchisees will have to put in a lot of hours early on to establish themselves in their community and build a customer base and team. Franchise owners continually face the challenge of getting reliable help and have to hire strategically as they take on more clients. Since senior care clients rely so heavily on the service, franchise owners may have to step in occasionally to cover a shift if they cannot find a backup.

Cannabis What you’ll do: As cannabis becomes legal in more and more states, additional opportunities will become available in franchising. People can already find opportunities as cultivators, dispensary owners, and in health center-based programs.

Advantages: This fragmented industry is about to explode and has huge income potential for early adapters. This is a truly entrepreneurial opportunity in an exciting new part of franchising. And it has already been deemed essential. As the COVID pandemic shut down the country, cannabis businesses were able to keep operating in states where it was legal.

Jill Abrahamsen

Disadvantages: Owning a cannabis business is not for the risk averse. Even in a franchised model, there are obstacles to overcome including lots of red tape to obtain licenses.

Home Restoration What you’ll do: Home restoration franchise owners offer services including water damage, fire and smoke restoration as well as mold remediation. Some also offer biohazard and virus clean up and reconstruction.

Advantages: This is a feel-good business where you can help people at their worst hour. Many major restoration franchisors have partnerships with—and are approved vendors of—insurance companies who refer business.

Disadvantages: Offering a 24/7 emergency service means calls at all hours.

It also means that work ebbs and flows with an influx of jobs after natural disasters such as hurricanes and other extreme weather events.

Business Consulting What you’ll do: There are many types of franchised business consulting opportunities. Some help business owners work more efficiently and effectively and some work with professionals who want to hone their soft skills. Examples include cost saving analysis, sales consulting and personal coaching.

Advantages: You will provide expertise, but you don’t need to be an expert to get started. Generally, the franchisor will give you all the tools and training to succeed.

As a home-based business, there is low overhead and flexible hours and few (or no) employees needed. You can start off in a part-time structure or go all-in to aggressively build your business. Either way, you will reap the rewards of your

efforts and can enjoy repeat business and referrals once established.

Disadvantages: This is the type of business that takes a while to build a clientele. Since most business consulting franchises are home-based, you’ll have to get out and network including joining local groups such as the Chamber of Commerce.

Educational Enrichment Programs What you’ll do: Run enrichment programs, camps and kid’s birthday parties at elementary schools, day care centers and summer camp facilities.

Advantages: A fun, feel-good business, franchise owners help enrich children’s lives. You get the perks of being a teacher without all the bureaucratic headaches.

Because these types of businesses can be run at the client’s location, no rent and few employees are needed.

Disadvantages: You will have to hustle a bit to build a client base. Franchise owners need to get out and develop relationships

with administrators of local day care centers, schools and camp facilities as well as market and advertise to potential clients.

If you’d like to know more about franchise advantages and disadvantages, you can gain insights from industry publications and by visiting tradeshows. You may also seek the help of a Franchise Consultant, who can answer your questions and provide additional information. These franchise specialists, whose services are free of charge, educate their clients on the industry and, after considering numerous factors and input from clients, guide each individual toward his or her best fit with a particular franchise.

Jill Abrahamsen is Editorial Director at the International Franchise Professionals Group (IFPG), a franchise broker network that helps hopeful entrepreneurs identify and invest in franchise businesses. As Editor of Franchise Consultant Magazine and FranchiseWire, Jill Abrahamsen writes and edits articles about success through franchise ownership.

Franchising USA

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FR A NCH ISOR I N DEP T H

Kelly’s Roast Beef Franchising

Franchising a Bran

70 Years of His Neil Newcomb is the CEO of Kelly’s Roast Beef Franchising and is spearheading the franchise opportunity of the iconic Boston brand. As a nearly 30-year veteran of the franchise industry, Neil started his franchise career with McAlister’s Deli as one of the founding members.

Tell us about your background in franchising.

My family and I founded McAlister’s Deli nearly three decades ago and I spent 15 years on both the franchisor and franchisee side of the business. After co-founding the franchise, I opened four restaurants on my own as a franchisee. I was on the Board of Directors at McAlister’s and after we sold it to Roark Capital Group, I then decided to switch gears and join Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, where I served as head of franchising for the brand before I joined Kelly’s Roast Beef.

What did you learn from being both a franchisor and franchisee?

Before making a decision, franchises need to ask two questions: “Does this please the consumer?” and “Would this be profitable at the unit level?” Neither question is concerned with whether it impacts a

Franchising USA

nd with

story corporate unit or a franchise unit. It is so important to never lose sight of the consumer. Bad decisions are made when the customer experience is diminished in any way, or if the franchisor is focused on short-term profitability. Examples like accepting a poor performing franchisee into the system, or buying a lower quality product because of rebates may benefit the franchisor in the moment but can ultimately harm the entire system longterm.

I also learned than an “us” versus “them” mentality on either side is unproductive.

Any disrespect a franchisor shows towards a franchisee will be noticed by the whole system, including other franchisees and corporate staff. This begins a hard tumbling fall downhill that is painful.

The leader of a franchise should always remember that their franchisees have everything on the line, and treat them with a level of respect that meets the franchisees’ level of commitment. We are all on one team, whether you are a ‘zor or ‘zee.

Why did you decide to launch Kelly’s Roast Beef Franchising?

What makes Kelly’s Roast Beef’s franchise opportunity unique?

I was drawn to Kelly’s Roast Beef because it is a brand with a long history and strong presence in Boston, where it was founded.

The founders of Kelly’s are actually the creators of Boston’s classic North Shore roast beef sandwich. They invented the famous sandwich on a whim one night in 1951 and it has become a local legend ever since. After being around for almost 70 years, the Kelly’s Roast Beef sandwich is

commonly associated with Boston the way people associate In-N-Out with California.

It has been mentioned in movies like Good Will Hunting and TV shows like 30 Rock because of how famous it is here in New England. You do not get the opportunity to franchise a historic brand like Kelly’s often, and knowing how passionate people are for the brand, I was excited at the chance to help grow it as a franchise.

The opportunity itself is one-of-a-kind because of the history and proven track record that Kelly’s has. Our current locations operate like a well-oiled machine, with beef roasting in-house all day and every single sandwich being carved to order. A busy location during its peak season can sell upwards of 20,000 roast beef sandwiches a month. Of our four restaurants and one express location in Boston Logan Airport, we sell about one million sandwiches a year. The demand that has fueled this tremendous volume will poise our franchisees for success as they bring the famous brand to new communities.

The brand recognition also makes the franchise opportunity incredibly unique.

If you know of Kelly’s, you are more than likely a diehard fan. When we announced the franchise opportunity and word got out that we are expanding, we got tons of messages from people begging us to open up in their local communities. The thought of the brand - that has for so long

existed exclusively in Boston - opening up in surrounding areas has been exciting for many people.

Where do you see Kelly’s Roast Beef in the next five years?

We are looking to expand across New England, and one thing that surprised us was the amount of franchise interest we have gotten in Florida. There are a lot of Boston natives who have relocated to South Florida, so we have gotten a lot of great feedback there. With those two regions in mind, we expect to become the leading chain of choice in the next five years. We have such a passionate cult following right now and we will continue to turn more people into Kelly’s fans. Our franchisees will be profitable, strong operators, with AUV’s above $5 million. Our ultimate goal is to have as many as 50 total locations open and operating in the next five years.

About Kelly’s Roast Beef Founded in 1951 and franchising since 2020, Kelly’s Roast Beef is the inventor of the modern roast beef sandwich. Kelly’s roasts its beef in-house all through the day, serves everything fresh and made-toorder, and estimates serving a staggering one million sandwiches a year. Today, there are five locations open in the Boston metropolitan area.

For more information, visit www.kellysroastbeeffranchise.com

Franchising USA

FR A NCH ISOR I N DEP T H

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SN A PSH OT

Rick Porter | President | Cinch I.T.

Setting Franchisees up for Success Franchising USA spoke to Rick Porter, President of Cinch I.T. about its “secret sauce”—a centralized support system, created so franchisees can focus on scaling their business.

How does Cinch I.T. support franchisees?

“Buying a franchise is appealing to many because it allows people to follow their entrepreneurial drive and open their own business, knowing that the franchise already has a proven track record and seamless model. At Cinch I.T., we have made it a priority to provide our franchise partners with the support they need so that they can be successful and confident as a business owner.

“We developed our franchise model specifically to resolve an issue we found within the IT industry. Cinch Central, our corporate tech support helpdesk, handles 80 to 90% of tech support tickets on behalf of our franchisees’ customers, so that our franchisees only have to get involved a small fraction of the time. This allows them to dedicate the majority of their time as a business owner to bringing in new customers and scaling their business. Since we handle most of the tech support, we do not need any of our franchisees to have a background in IT. “We have changed what it means to be a franchisee: as a small business owner, you have the ability to offer your customers the support of a largescale IT team.”

How is your model helping franchisees bring in customers?

“After the abrupt shift to remote work, demand for remote tech support

Franchising USA

skyrocketed. Our support calls tripled as businesses adapted to working from home and found that they needed quick solutions to help their employees work efficiently at home. During times like these, where demand for tech support is high, our model ensured that there was minimal impact on the individual franchisee – and has actually even helped them bring in new customers!

“Many small-to-midsize businesses are not satisfied with their IT support for one main reason: they are not getting the quick and friendly support they need because their one to two in-house technicians do not have the bandwidth to support the entire company in an efficient manner. Businesses with in-house technicians have to pay to train and manage their employees, pay for additional software, and allocate time and resources into managing networks. We provide these small businesses with a team of over 40 tech experts at a fixed rate that is more reliable and affordable than hiring in-house.”

How does you corporate support look out for franchisees?

“Not only does our model provide corporate support to each and every customer, but it also helps our franchisees operate seamlessly once their business is up and running. We have a recurring revenue model that gives franchisees guaranteed monthly payments from customers, while our corporate team handles the entire billing process. We provide IT support, proactive maintenance,

security, and even personal technology consulting to every customer that our franchisees bring in. No project is too big for our small business owners with the support of our corporate team.”

About Rick Porter Rick Porter is President of Cinch I.T., a managed computer and I.T. support brand that provides remote and on-site computer support, and services include I.T. support plans, network security, backup/disaster recovery, cloud computing, cybersecurity software, tech consulting, and more. Rick joined the brand in 2010 and eventually bought out and revitalized Cinch I.T. into a growing business that now has eight locations either open or in development.

For more information, visit www.cinchfranchise.com

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ask th e e x pert

Matthew Gourgeot | Thryv

what are the Top 3 Consumer Trends to Watch for in 2021?

It’s been quite the year. 2020 has forced everyone to rethink their priorities, and while the pandemic is still with us, consumers have been forced to adapt and many of these changes will remain going forward.

As we head into 2021 and with COVID-19 still top-of-mind, Matthew Gourgeot of Thryv is sharing three consumer trends to watch out for in the new year and giving advice on how to adapt to each.

1

The Digital Acceleration of Baby Boomers

COVID-19 has been an accelerant of digital trends, particularly with baby boomers who were born between 1946 and 1964. A recent Wall Street Journal article cited a pandemic study by Mobiquity showing there has been a 47% increase

in the number of baby boomers ordering delivery from a restaurant through a website or app; a 193% increase in the number ordering groceries through a website or app; and a 469% increase in the number who had used telemedicine.

In the same study, 9 out of 10 boomer respondents said they’ll continue to use such technologies after the pandemic ends.

It’s really important for franchise businesses to recognize these shifts, as the

majority of the wealth in the United States still sits with the baby boomer generation.

Providing a digital, yet simplified experience for this group will be crucial as we head into 2021.

2

Customer Experience is Number One

Customer experience has overtaken product and price as the most important brand differentiator. Consumers will stay

About Matthew Matthew Gourgeot is Head of Corporate and Business Development at Thryv, where he is responsible for leading Thryv’s franchise and multi-location division and developing the company’s strategic corporate partnerships. Over the past decade, Matthew has held various leadership roles throughout the organization and at multiple Google Premier SMB Partner companies. He has spent his career supporting Small Business America by helping entrepreneurs start, run and grow their companies while structuring deals with some of the largest business organizations and franchise brands across the United States.

Franchising USA

loyal to a company based on the experience they receive and that experience must be personalized to drive growth and retention. Franchise systems must examine their companies’ customer journey and remove all friction or they risk losing that customer’s loyalty. In 2021, customers are going to demand that your operation is seamless, and their experience exceeds expectations, or they’ll take their business elsewhere. Achieving an optimal customer experience can be accomplished by utilizing the right CRM technologies and marketing automation tools that best fit your particular business operations.

“In 2021, customers are going to demand that your operation is seamless, and their experience exceeds expectations, or they’ll take their business elsewhere.”

3

Brand Citizenship

Consumers have become more aware of a brand’s social and ethical values and that trend is expected to increase in 2021. Ideally, customers want to patronize businesses that care about their employees and make efforts to improve the local communities in which they operate.

Franchisors and franchisees need to be transparent with their customers on this topic and share the work they’re doing through social media, e-blasts, blog posts and other channels. Earlier this year, an Aflac study found that “77% of consumers say they would be more willing to purchase a company’s products or services if the company demonstrates a commitment to addressing social, economic and environmental issues.” The franchising community is a diverse network that has given people from all walks of life a shot at the American dream. The industry and its businesses have a duty to deliver on their brand promises and foster meaningful connections within their local communities that deliver impactful changes. www.corporate.thryv.com

Franchising USA

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hav e you r say

Kurt and Melissa Godwin | Owners | Discovery Map of Southwest Florida

RETIREES DISCOVER NEW DIRECTION WITH FRANCHISING BUSINESS Discovery Map International, a provider of curated tools for exploration to top tourist attractions, cities and towns throughout North America, recently welcomed Kurt and Melissa Godwin as the owners of its newest location, Discovery Map of Southwest Florida.

Discovery Maps are colorful, handdrawn maps that have become a favorite of travelers for navigating local dining, attractions, businesses, cultural experiences and tourist destinations.

Discovery Map franchise owners come from many walks of life. Some are corporate refugees or semi-retired

Kurt and Melissa Godwin, Owners of Discovery Map of Southwest Florida

“The Godwins represent a growing trend of Discovery map franchise owners who took early retirement but were really looking to take a break before deciding on their next venture, something they could build into their new lifestyle.�

Franchising USA

Peter Hans, CEO, Discovery Map International

“Discovery Maps are colorful, hand-drawn maps that have become a favorite of travelers for navigating local dining, attractions, businesses, cultural experiences and tourist destinations.” early retirement but were really looking to take a break before deciding on their next venture, something they could build into their new lifestyle. They were so excited about the opportunity, they told a boating friend of theirs, Mark Fullem.

individuals like the Godwins looking to build a business and supplement their retirement. Others include recent college grads, as well as mothers (and fathers) looking to build a business with hours around the kids’ school schedules.

“Discovery Map is truly a unique and appealing franchise opportunity. It’s not a 9-to-5 gig and you don’t necessarily have to work 12 months a year to run a successful franchise. You just have to be willing to work hard when you work,” said Peter Hans, CEO of Discovery Map International, which is based in Waitsfield, Vermont.

The simple, yet creative Discovery Map franchise was a perfect fit for the Godwins, a fun-loving couple, who weren’t quite ready for full-time retirement. The couple also didn’t want a business that would require 24/7/365 of their attention (The Godwins previously owned Mosquito Joe franchises in Baltimore and Annapolis, MD).

As avid boaters, the Godwins wanted something that would leave them time to travel and pursue their passion for the water. The Godwins had only moved to Cape Coral, Florida a few years ago. So, the business opportunity would need to be something that would be easy to launch in a community where they were relatively new. While the couple had planned for their retirement, they wanted something that ensured certain earnings with growth potential.

Discovery Map met all those criteria and then some.

“We had retired to Cape Coral in late 2019.

On a return trip to our previous home in Maryland this past summer, we kept finding Discovery Maps at every location while on a boat trip to the southern Chesapeake Bay. We absolutely loved them, and it got our wheels turning,” said Kurt. “We were not ready to settle down to complete retirement, so we called Discovery Map and asked if they had a map in our area in Florida. They didn’t. We jumped on the opportunity to start a map down here and are very excited to bring these great maps to southwest Florida.”

Discovery Map of Southwest Florida will include sites and destinations within Cape Coral, Pine Island, as well as Sanibel and Captiva Islands initially. Future plans include expansion to Ft Myers, Ft Myers Beach and Bonita Springs. Naples and Marco Island are also on the radar.

Discovery Maps are typically found on display in local stores, restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions. In addition, DiscoveryMap.com offers curated content to complement the printed map. The interactive map found on DiscoveryMap. com is to scale, thus can be used for turn-by-turn directions, as well as to access detailed information about areas of interest, places to eat, lodging and other noteworthy sites.

The Godwins represent a growing trend of Discovery map franchise owners who took

“When I retired earlier this year, I was looking for an opportunity that would let me relocate to the place I want to be, Annapolis,” said Fullem, who worked as a marketing executive for UnitedHealth Group over the last three decades. “Kurt and Melissa had just purchased the Discovery Map of Cape Coral (FL) and suggested I look into the Annapolis map.

It really seemed like a perfect fit for what I want to do and where I want to be.”

Fullem purchased the Discovery Map of Annapolis in November 2020.

“We have seen a trend with several new franchise owners looking to leave the grind of the corporate world or running a full-time business. Many of these folks have taken early retirement due to the pandemic,” said Hans. “There are many franchise opportunities out there for this demographic. We’re thankful to be one of them and offer an opportunity that checks a lot of boxes for early retirees.”

Hans suggests several criteria to consider when making the decision to buy a business. These should include but are not limited to: • Finding an opportunity that enables you to create your own schedule.

• Location, location, location - some franchise opportunities may provide you the opportunity to live where you want.

• Growth – everyone wants a return on their investment and efforts. Find an opportunity that meets your current and future financial needs.

Discovery Map International has more than 130 maps nationwide.

For more information, visit www.discoverymapfranchise.com

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hav e you r say

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We are members of the IFA and other respected organisations.

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Constant changes within the codes of conduct can create a massive challenge to franchise systems

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of selling franchise systems direct to franchisees for over 35 years.

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For an initial discussion, please contact

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Page 41

Veterans in Franchising january 2021

www.franchisingusamagazine.com

UFC GYM

a franchise that’s fighting fit

the dripbars’ first franchisee continues lifelong mission to help others

oxi fresh

how franchising can help military veterans achieve their goals 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 january 2021 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

Q&A

46 UFC GYM: A Franchise That’s Fighting Fit

46 A Franchise That’s Fighting Fit Adam Sedlack, UFC GYM

48 THE DRIPBaRS’ First Franchisee Continues

Life-long Mission to Help Others 50 Oxi Fresh: How Franchising Can Help Military Veterans Achieve Their Goals

48 THE DRIPBaRS’ First Franchisee Continues

Life-long Mission to Help Others Dr. Cedrick Spears, THE DRIPBaR

Veterans Profile Veterans News 44 PJ’s Coffee, Curio Wellness

50 Oxi Fresh: How Franchising Can Help Military Veterans Achieve Their Goals Douglas Green, Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning

45 RNR Tire Express, Dream Vacations

Franchising USA

V e t er a ns i n Fr a nchisi ng

veteran news

PJ’s Coffee Celebrates Veterans, Awards Military Veteran a Franchise License PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans, a New Orleans-based coffeehouse, has awarded U.S. Army Veteran, Michael Adams, the winner of its annual Veteran Franchise License Giveaway.

PJ’s Coffee received more than 35 applications from veterans across the United States interested in becoming the next PJ’s Coffee franchisee winner.

After a thorough interview process of all applicants, Adams was chosen as the lucky winner, becoming the third overall recipient of this giveaway.

Adams served in the U.S. Army for 22 years and has been a federal government employee for the past 14 years. In his free time, during active duty and as a civilian, Adams volunteers with the local youth by coaching little league teams, both here in the states and overseas. Adams’ military experience, mixed with his love for giving

back to the community, is what makes him the ideal PJ’s Coffee franchisee.

“I am so grateful for the opportunities to serve my country and all that they have taught me. However, I’m looking forward to this next chapter in my life,” said Adams. “Being born and raised in Louisiana, I couldn’t think of a better business to get involved with. This endeavor isn’t just for me, but it is to support my family and allows me to get further involved in my community.”

“We are looking forward to working with Michael and welcoming him into our franchise system as the third winner of PJ’s Coffee’s franchise license giveaway. There are certain characteristics we look for in franchisees, and Michael checks every box,” said Ryan Stansbury, PJ’s Coffee Vice President of Franchise Development. www.pjsfranchise.com/vets

Curio Wellness to Fund Women, Minorities and Disabled Veterans in the Cannabis Industry Medical cannabis and wellness company Curio Wellness has established an investment fund that will connect diverse investors with up to 50 aspiring women, minority and disabled veteran entrepreneurs, providing $30 million in capital funding—and helping the company to further its goal of serving patients with safe, effective and reliable cannabis-based medicine in multiple states.

“In looking at the systemic barriers that women, minorities and disabled veterans face in accessing capital, we decided to develop a solution that directly addresses this massive economic disparity,” said Michael Bronfein, CEO. “The Fund provides qualifying entrepreneurs with the investment capital they need to become a

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Curio Wellness Center franchisee, while ensuring their success through our best-inclass business operations.”

Through the support of committed and diverse investors, the Fund will eliminate the most significant barrier preventing diverse participation in this burgeoning, rapidly growing industry: a lack of capital.

The $30 million Private Equity Fund will expand diversity and enable economic empowerment by providing up to ninetythree percent of the start-up capital needed to launch a branded dispensary. Eligible entrepreneurs, through partnership with the Fund, will be enabled to launch a franchise as the majority owner from day one and enjoy a clear pathway to full ownership as a franchisee. www.curiowellness.com

RNR Tire Express Honors Breast Cancer Survivors RNR Tire Express (RNR), the nation’s leading tire and custom wheel franchise, surprised three women in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, recognizing them for their strength and resilience. Each woman has served as a light in her community: fighting, championing for the cure and in two uplifting cases, beating breast cancer.

After hearing their inspiring stories, (RNR) teamed up with a few of its franchise owners to give back and celebrate these strong women.

At surprise events, Sandra Arredondo (Sebring, FL) and Kimberly Anderson (Anderson, IN) were surprised with a VIP spa day, new tires and $1,000 in cash. Carrie Hodge (Springfield, MO) was surprised with a brand-new Buick Encore on behalf of RNR Tire Express.

RNR Tires said they were honored to have the opportunity to play a small part in bringing a smile to these remarkable women during this challenging year.

fighting breast cancer all while putting herself through college.

Today, she is known by her friends and family for putting everyone else’s needs before her own; on top of being known for her optimistic outlook on life and commitment to advocating for breast cancer awareness, radiating positivity for those around her.

Featured in this photo is breast cancer survivor Kimberly Anderson—an art teacher at her local elementary school and a single mom of two boys, one with special needs. Kimberly was

Find out more: www.rnrtires.com/virginia/specials/military

Discounts for Veterans - RNR Tires offers a 10% discount on any purchase or service for military and first responders.

Nine Military Veterans and Community Heroes Win Free Dream Vacations Franchise Dream Vacations—the number one travel agency franchise for veterans— recently awarded nine military veterans and community heroes with free travel franchises as part of its annual business plan contest “Operation Vetrepreneur: Become Your Own General.”

Currently more than 35 percent of franchise owners within Dream Vacations are military veterans and in the past nine years, the travel agency franchise has awarded 51 free franchises since 2012 valued at more than $637,000 to deserving military veterans.

“While this year was filled with so much uncertainty and budget cuts, eliminating our ninth annual Operation Vetrepreneur program was non-negotiable,” said Drew Daly, senior vice president and general manager of Dream Vacations. “In fact, this year we actually expanded the program

beyond military veterans to include community heroes. This year’s winners have devoted their lives to helping others – whether serving in the armed forces, working on the COVID-19 front lines as a first responder or healthcare professional, or expanding the minds of future generations as an educator.”

This year’s winners are Army Veteran Alecia Kimball of North Augusta, S.C.; Air Force Veteran Darrell Klassy of Pass Christian, Miss.; Army Veteran Jackie

Cox of Fowler, Ind.; Marine Corps Veteran Gamie Ollivierre of West Melbourne, Fla.; Air Force Veteran Robert Earl of McKinney, Texas; and Army Veteran Veronica Loewy of Chicago. The community heroes awarded with a free franchise include Gloretha Mackey, a nurse in Winter Haven, Fla.; Kyle Kiper, a school counselor and retired first responder in Booneville, Ark.; and Bakhtawar Ghaffer, an educator in New Rochelle, N.Y. www.dreamvacationsfranchise.com

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Q& A: Adam Sedlack | President | UFC GYM

A FRANCHISE THAT’S FIGHTING FIT Adam Sedlack explains how UFC GYM is surviving – and thriving - during hard-knock times.

Tell us more about yourself and your professional background.

I’m the president and co-founder of UFC GYM, the first major worldwide brand extension of the premier MMA organization. I joined UFC GYM back in 2008 after holding various sales and managerial roles for over 14 years at 24 Hour Fitness.

How have you been helping your franchisees navigate the COVID-19 pandemic?

With locations spanning across 37 countries, UFC GYM has the unique perspective of a global mindset, observing how each country has handled the impacts of COVID-19. We have seen it all, from navigating new safety practices to enduring forced closures. We also see the immense value in what our industry has to offer society during these times and feel a sense of responsibility to save our industry from decline and have been working closely with each of our franchisees to make sure they have the proper support from our corporate team and that we are communicating with them on a consistent basis. Since the beginning of the pandemic, UFC GYM has provided it’s franchisees with virtual training offerings, marketing support and operational safety recommendations.

What are your 3 communication tips for any business owner dealing with a crisis?

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1. Listen with Empathy – Caring and truly being heard will establish a trust between the ranks in the field through the executives at the corporate office.

2. Show and demonstrate transparency – Manufacturing the narrative never leads to a result that happens the right way. Continue to be honest with team members and trust/ loyalty follow.

3. Surround yourself with experts – In today’s world it is more about surrounding yourself with experts versus being the expert! The responsibility of the end decision still sits with you but by following listening and personally allowing your paradigm to be shifted will lead to the best outcome.

Why is it so important to get people back into the gym during the pandemic?

During the COVID-19 era, people are especially concerned about their health and wellness and are paying close attention to their physical and mental well-being.

Society is facing isolation, illness, job loss, and economic downturn that affects the overall mental health of individuals.

UFC GYM is founded on empowering the fighting spirit and ensuring our members ‘train different’. Our approach has always been to mirror the disciplines that shape a successful fighter, meaning we aim to provide the support of a unique community of like-minded individuals, technique focused training, nutritional guidance and post-workout treatments. This holistic

“We’re proud members of the International Franchising Association’s (IFA) VetFran program and offer qualifiying veterans 25% off their initial franchise fee.”

approach we take to training not only empowers the body but also empowers the mind.

Have you celebrated any particular milestones in the past 12 months? And what’s your focus for the year ahead?

While the past year has certainly had its share of ups and downs, we’re most proud of our continued growth, having opened 35 locations across the globe – including a multi-million dollar facility in Midtown Miami in partnership with MLB superstar, Alex Rodriguez, earlier this summer.

In the next six months we will open up more gyms than any six month period throughout the history of our company.

I’m also really proud of our advocacy work we’ve been doing in multiple fitness alliance groups, in an effort to restore reasonable access to safe indoor fitness throughout the U.S. Our industry has come together, and it is an electrifying feeling.

Yet, our industry isn’t alone, as you’ll see many getting involved from restaurants all the way to Disneyland. We all play a part to join the conversation and help find solutions that serve everyone to the best of our ability.

Does UFC GYM offer any veteran discounts or participate in any veteran incentive programs?

Yes, we’re proud members of the International Franchising Association’s (IFA) VetFran program and offer qualifiying veterans 25% off their initial franchise fee. www.ufcgymfranchise.com

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Q& A: Dr. Cedrick Spears | THE DRIPBaR

THE DRIPBaR’s

First Franchisee Continues Life-Long Mission to Help Others At a time when health and wellbeing is front of mind for most Americans, Franchising USA spoke to entrepreneur, Airforce veteran and franchise owner Dr. Cedrick Spears about the emerging IV therapy business.

What peaked your interest in a franchise and particularly THE DRIPBaR? About 15 years ago I started my own home care agency, Quality Personal Care Inc., in Clarksville, Tennessee and later expanded it to Texas and then Atlanta. I was able to gain a lot of experience in the franchise world by building my own from the ground up and serving around 200 patients at a time, and now I want to broaden my horizons by becoming a franchisee of THE DRIPBaR. In order to become a better mentor and business leader, I know I need to work in both positions to be able to better help others.

I decided to start Quality Personal Care Inc. with the ultimate goal of helping others. THE DRIPBaR also provides me with the opportunity to continue to help my current patients and also expand that support to a wider population in a similar,

Franchising USA

health-related way. Plus, I believe the IV therapy business is similar to how the home care business was 15 years ago.

Home care was rarely talked about, which gave me an edge when I first started in the industry. Now, I have an established agency because I got in at the right time. That’s how IV therapy is today – 15 years from now, everyone is going to want a piece of the pie.

What are your plans with your franchise location in Atlanta and why do you think THE DRIPBaR is seeing interest all over from prospective franchisees?

In the short-term, I’m opening an amazing location in Atlanta and I can’t wait to start servicing people in the Metro Atlanta area. In the long-term, my goal is to have three operating and successful DRIPBaR locations and I want to keep expanding. I would love to continue to help more and more people with new locations.

THE DRIPBaR is seeing interest because the concept offers people a chance to maximize their health at a time when people are being more proactive about leading a healthy lifestyle. The brand is cutting-edge, effective and innovative with everything it does and offers one of the largest selections of IV drips. From my experience, THE DRIPBaR is fully dedicated to ensuring the success of their franchisees and providing them with the proper support.

Explain to us why this franchise is unique and what THE DRIPBaR offers to consumers.

THE DRIPBaR is particularly unique because the brand and the people behind it use modern technology to advance efforts in the overall industry – they aren’t just focused on the brand but rather the whole IV therapy community. The concept uses the new digital age to its advantage in everything to the systems put in place and the training processes to the education of both guests and wider audiences on the benefits of IV therapy. THE DRIPBaR team truly wants to help as many people as they can with their IV therapy drips, and this is how I knew I had made the right choice when I was looking for franchises to become a part of.

For consumers, THE DRIPBaR has one of the larger selections of IV therapy drips so there’s something that works for everyone. For clients with cancer we have the High C, which is our 50g high dose vitamin C infusion and is offered with the Mistletoe drip subcutaneously. For anyone undergoing surgery we have the PreOp and PostOp drips, while our Jetsetter drip is perfect for anyone traveling and the Allstar drip is for those who train, weight lift and pursue athletic endeavors.

How has your past experience in the Air Force and as a Veteran prepared you for this new career venture?

The Airforce prepared me with three core values: integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all you do. These values are what I live by and how I lead by. I believe that to be a great leader, you need to be all about honesty and to serve others first. In everything you do, strive for excellence and not perfection. If your goal is perfection, then you are instantly setting yourself up for failure because you won’t be able to achieve it. But, if you shoot for excellence instead, you’ll be able to rest soundly at night knowing you gave your all.

“The concept offers people a chance to maximize their health at a time when people are being more proactive about leading a healthy lifestyle.” - Dr. Spears

What do you hope to accomplish as the first franchisee for THE DRIPBaR? I hope to be the prime and ideal model of how a successful IV infusion bar should operate. I want other people to look at my location and my work and see me as the standard to aspire to. For THE DRIPBaR, I want to be a trailblazer and show other potential franchisees, the corporate team, and the industry that this is a valuable and successful venture that is capable of helping a great number of people, whether they are seeking IV therapy for health conditions or just to improve and maintain their maximum health.

What would you like consumers to know about THE DRIPBaR? Now more than ever people are actively looking for new ways to improve and maintain their health and this franchise is set to see tremendous growth because of this. THE DRIPBaR cares about your health and well-being and wants to see people achieve their optimum health. We want to see you be your best self with the help of our healthy lifestyle alternatives. We are here for our guests and local residents and we want to see them be as healthy as they can be. https://thedripbar.com/ own-a-dripbar/a-dripbar

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PROFILE: Douglas Green | Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning

How Franchising Can Help Military Veterans Achieve Their Goals New Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Franchisee Douglas Green Shares His Experiences In 1995, I joined the United States Marine Corps and spent eight years serving our country.

During that period of service, I was deployed multiple times around the world.

I spent 18 months in Japan, 12 months in Thailand, and was engaged in multiple tours of duty throughout the Middle East.

I served in Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.

During that time, I learned a lot of valuable things, skills that would help me serve not only as a better Marine but also as a competent business owner when I returned to the United States. These leadership and organizational abilities would become especially important after I experienced numerous injuries.

I received multiple spine injuries, knee injuries, and even had to have one of my shoulders completely reconstructed. My experiences also left me suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

An Unwavering, Entrepreneurial Spirit However, these issues didn’t stop me from pursuing my future. I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur, and these injuries were another obstacle I would seek to surmount. So, after coming home, I opened two businesses and ran them for 11 years.

I’m proud I was able to do that, but I also had to face the fact that, due to my injuries, there were limitations to the physical work I could do.

But, like I said, I learned a lot during my time as a Marine, and chief on that list was the value of persistence. Never once did I feel like I couldn’t be a successful business owner, and that’s a truth I hope other disabled military veterans will embrace.

Franchising USA

So, while I could no longer run my other businesses, I wasn’t going to give up on my entrepreneurial dreams. I began to search hard for opportunities where I could be a business owner and a job creator within my community. That’s where Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning comes in; they are an eco-friendly, fast-drying franchise concept with a history of helping military veterans become business owners.

Though I am a 100% disabled veteran, Oxi Fresh’s model provided me with a roadmap to pursue growth and allowed me to run my business despite not being able to physically go out and do the work. I hope that my becoming a franchisee with this brand serves as an example to other disabled veterans that they too can pursue their own entrepreneurial dreams, and I believe that franchising is a great means by which to do just that.

The Benefits of Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning Having a franchisor like Oxi Fresh has been a great help opening my business amid the pandemic. They have been there to assist me along every step of the way. On top of that, Oxi Fresh has systems and processes in place that are designed to help me grow my business.

The brand provides franchisees with access to a whole suite of new systems, protocols, and technology. Oxi Fresh also assists with things like scheduling jobs and marketing, all of which empowers a franchisee like me to focus on building my business, rather than just running it.

Since my business provides an eco-friendly carpet cleaning service, we have been busy during the pandemic as people look to create a clean environment at home. Demand has really risen during this time, which has been an especially valuable boost for a new business.

A Future with Franchising I’d advise other military veterans to look at achieving their business ownership goals through franchising, especially with Oxi Fresh. Not only does Oxi Fresh offer a discount to military veterans, but the structure of the franchise system pairs perfectly with those who have military experience.

In the military, you are part of an organization that has systems and processes in place to help you achieve your goals, and the same can be said with franchising. The franchisor provides you with a system to help you open, operate, and own your own business.

By becoming a franchisee of Oxi Fresh, I was able to achieve my goal of owning my own business, proving to myself and, I hope, other disabled military veterans that we can be entrepreneurs.

After all, military veterans are some of the most hard-working, skilled, and dedicated individuals out there. Their familiarity with following a plan and structure can really help them excel in a franchise system.

I strongly encourage veterans to utilize the skills they learned in the military to become their own bosses, and I encourage them to pursue franchising as one of the ways they can achieve their business ownership goals.

“Having a franchisor like Oxi Fresh has been a great help opening my business amid the pandemic. They have been there to assist me along every step of the way.”

www.oxifresh.com

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A-Z LISTINGS ARE A GREAT WAY TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS Busine

Depot ss Finance

ializes in ce Depot spec Business Finan and SBA s se lea nt me packaging equip for start-up ng Capital loans Express Worki s. sinesse and existing bu seek ing are franchisors Our main clients s and ee his nc fra w ir ne financing for the for their g cin an fin seek ing manufacturers . es as rch pu equipment

SBA 7(a ) also works with Our company , crowd ancing sources fin ate ern alt ies lenders, es and compan urc so g cin an to funding fin irement funds ret ing us in ze r that speciali Please visit ou s. es sin bu w capitalize a ne on. ati orm inf re website for mo depot.com businessfinance Website: ww w. ancedepot.com sfin es sin bu Email: paul@ 8-3884 Phone: (80 0) 78 Bosley Contact: Paul

Making an appearance every month in Franchising USA magazine.

Each detailed, 4 color A-Z listing comes with a 150 word write up and your logo.

Excellent for branding and recognition.

Choose a 12 or 6 month package or simply add the A-Z directory onto your FOCUS, PROFILE or ad!

To learn about the A-Z directory or any other products, please contact Vikki Bradbury: vikki@cgbpublishing.com

www.franchisingusamagazine.com

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Assisted Living Locators Assisted Living Locators provides the vital function to seniors and their families of identifying their ideal alternative living solutions and other related services – all at no cost to them.

Our proprietary evaluation system results in free residential referrals that enable our clients to make the best possible decisions for their loved ones. Our elder care advisors are trained to find solutions that meet our clients’ needs and to personally accompany them on guided tours of facilities that match their individual preferences.

Ours is a truly turn-key program that puts our owners on the path to success through a proven executive business model with high profit margins, low overhead, minimum employees,

Business Finance Depot

repeat referrals, and residual income. Even more importantly, many of the industry’s most desired areas of the country remain available for new development.

If you’re aware of the unsurpassed value of the assisted living market, if you’ve always dreamed about the freedom and independence that business ownership could bring you, and if you’ve been waiting for the perfect, local, affordable opportunity to carve out your piece of the industry, Assisted Living Locators may be just the match you’ve been seeking.

For more information please contact Mary Ann Russo or Tom Ingle at: Phone: 800-267-7816 Email: franchise@assistedlivinglocators.com Website: www.assistedlivinglocators.com

Business Finance Depot specializes in packaging equipment leases and SBA Express Working Capital loans for start-up and existing businesses.

Our company also works with SBA 7(a) lenders, alternate financing sources, crowd funding financing sources and companies that specialize in using retirement funds to capitalize a new business. Please visit our website for more information.

Our main clients are franchisors seeking financing for their new franchisees and manufacturers seeking financing for their equipment purchases.

Website: www.businessfinancedepot.com Email: paul@businessfinancedepot.com Phone: (800) 788-3884 Contact: Paul Bosley

BODY20

and their life through time condensed technology training. In just 20 minutes per week, our goal is to materially impact the other 10,060 minutes in the week.

There are very few significant technological breakthroughs in fitness, especially ones as fundamental as how the human body builds strength and muscle. BODY20 is disrupting the $25 billion dollar fitness industry and is going to change the way people workout letting every. body.unleash their full potential.

Our mission is to change the way that people workout by helping EVERY.BODY.UNLEASH their super human potential to strengthen their body

BooXkeeping BooXkeeping is a business solution that redefines the bookkeeping industry with focus on small to medium-sized businesses.

BooXkeeping simplifies the process of recording financial transactions saving businesses time to focus on their passion and achieve their financial goals.

BooXkeeping franchisees are dedicating

caring transitions 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

Considering opening a Body20 Studio and want to know if it’s right for you? Are you obsessed with fitness? Are you driven, motivated and a self-starter who wants to jump on board with the future of technology? Are you a leader or entrepreneur looking for something more? Well, you’ve come to the right place. https://body-20.com/franchise/

themselves to ensuring their clients have full accessibility and understanding of their financial records so no extra time or effort is necessary.

For more information Ph: 855-935-2669 Email: Max@booxkeeping.com or swilson@sfdpros.net Web: https://booxkeepingfranchise.com

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.

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

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fr a nchise & serv ices di r ecto ry

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,

Franchise Payments Network Franchise Payments Network (a.k.a. FPN) is the only merchant services company focused exclusively on franchising. Since 2006, we have served over 190 franchise brands and we’ve grown a reputation as a premier vendor in the franchise industry.

Our goal is to help both franchisors and franchisees save money on every transaction. We offer competitive payment processing rates and excellent customer service. More importantly, we assist franchise organizations with payment security and compliance

G.I. TAX The franchise offered is for a unique and distinctive system relating to the operation of tax return preparation businesses, specializing in providing tax preparation and related products and services through a vehicle that would honor and support those who have served in the military.

The G.I. TAX® System is fully branded

International Franchise Professionals Group

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• 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

to minimize the risk of breaches that could place brand equity in jeopardy.

Our team of franchising experts can enhance the consumer experience through secure payment acceptance on any device. Whether it’s online, through a smartphone or tablet, or our many POS integrations, we tailor our services to each individual brand for efficient operations.

Contact: Tom Epstein Phone: (866) 420-4613 Email: tomepstein@franchisepayments.net Website: www.franchisepayments.net

in support of the military, presenting an inviting atmosphere for both active duty and retired veterans, their families and community.

For more information contact: Samantha Wilson Ph: 360-878-8488 Email: swilson@sfdpros.net Web: www.gitax.com/franchise-careeropportunities

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.

Tide Cleaners Tide Cleaners represents Tide, America’s number-one laundry detergent, that has been a trusted brand for more than 70 years.

Agile Pursuits Franchising, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Procter and Gamble, launched Tide Cleaners, a brick-and-mortar dry cleaning and laundry concept, in 2008 with headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Each location allows customers to drop off items for dry-cleaning and pick them up 24 hours a day

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

Window World Window World is the largest window replacement and exterior home remodeling franchise in the United States, with over 18 million windows sold to date.

Window World’s commitment to industry-backed, energy-efficient products and services is a determining factor when consumers choose Window World to improve their homes.

Win home inspection

by using drop boxes and lockers. Drive-through and tailoring services are also offered.

Tide Cleaners is currently the second-largest dry cleaner in the United States based on number of units and is tracking to be number one by the end of 2020.

For more information contact Clare Moore at: Phone: (888) 446-2734 Email: franchising@tidedrycleaners.com Website: https://tidecleaners.com/en-us/ partnerships/franchise

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

Operating from the corporate headquarters in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, and in markets across the country at over 200 franchise locations, Window World is poised to provide next-level window installation and home remodeling services to Americans nationwide.

For more information contact Zach Luffman, Director of Franchising at: Phone: 1-866-740-2100 Email: ZLuffman@WindowWorld.com Website: www.windowworldfranchise.com

WIN Home Inspection is the fastest growing franchise in the essential, multibillion-dollar home inspection industry. We are rated in the Top-100 Franchises nationally.

Our franchise owners have backgrounds in sales, corporate roles, real estate, construction, and a variety of other industries. Also, one-third are veterans and first responders, to whom we offer a 25% discount off the initial franchise fee to thank them for their service.

The home inspection industry is recession resistant. There is no financial stress of inventory, office space or storefront.

Regardless of their different backgrounds, they share common goals. They are looking for:

There are many reasons why entrepreneurs choose WIN:

• Freedom and flexibility that comes with owning a business

• Rigorous training and certifications to instill confidence and help you provide exceptional service.

• Fulfillment in an industry that requires very little capital

• Innovative marketing to help you differentiate and grow your business.

• Opportunity to build a thriving business and legacy

• Ongoing mentorship in a community built on mutual respect, integrity and caring.

ziebart 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

• Comprehensive training, marketing and operations support Please click here to get your free brochure and learn how you could be on your way to building a thriving business in the essential home inspection industry.

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

Franchising USA

fr a nchise & serv ices di r ecto ry

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Franchising USA