September 2017 Franchising USA 5#11

Franchising usa The magazine for franchisees

HealthSource Chiropractic:

VOL 05, ISSUE 11, sep 2017

$5.95 www.franchisingusamagazine.com

The Future of Healthcare Franchising

The Day You Quit Your Job special

Homebased & Home Services FEATURE A Guide to Purpose-Driven Franchise Investing LATEST NEWS

FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM THE BANKS

TOP LAWYERS’ ADVICE

The public and policymakers need to understand franchising.

Our purpose

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

Follow us

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

Help us keep the momentum going

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

You benefit by joining

By joining @OurFranchise, you’ll get access to exclusive stories and resources that can help grow your franchise business, educate employees at all levels about the franchise business model, and share the economic importance of franchising with consumers. You will also have the opportunity to share your franchise success story with your peers.

Visit AtOurFranchise.org Contact Erica Farage, Senior Director of Political Affairs and Grassroots Advocacy and Multi-Unit Franchisee Engagement International Franchise Association efarage@franchise.org (202) 662-0760

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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!

Franchising usa The magazine for franchisees

FRANCHISING USA VOLUME 5, ISSUE 11, 2017 president:

Comments

Colin Bradbury. colin@cgbpublishing.com

Publisher: Vikki Bradbury. vikki@cgbpublishing.com

advertising: Jane Jacob. advertising@cgbpublishing.com

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

Editorial team: Gina Gill Rob Swystun

Production: usaproduction@cgbpublishing.com

DESIGN: Jejak Graphics. jejak@bigpond.com

COVER IMAGE: HealthSource

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Welcome to the September issue of Franchising USA. Recently several “titans” of franchising were brought together and asked to reveal their secrets for long-term success. So what was the common denominator in their success? It was revealed that paradoxically, a stable business is one that is continuously reinventing itself to meet changing customer needs. Keeping franchisees happy was also a common thread in the advice given by this group of franchising powerhouses.

Our September Cover Story features HealthSource Chiropractic, a health industry franchise that clearly understands the secrets of success and is committed to staying on top of changing trends in healthcare to become “The Future of Healthcare Franchising.” Turn to page 10 to read about the company’s 10 year vision and how it plans to move forward to open a thousand clinics over the next decade.

Our Special Feature this month is Homebased & Home Services Franchising, with bluefrog Plumbing + Drain on the Feature Cover. Plumbers who want to own their own business are encouraged to hop on board with a growing franchise that’s getting ready to take a giant leap forward and is looking for success-minded entrepreneurs. Our Feature this month also examines the

incredible rise in volume of homebased businesses throughout the world, with our industry expert Christopher Conner taking a look at opportunities made possible by technology in an industry where Virtual is “In.” Our Veterans in Franchising Supplement this month features America’s Swimming Pool Company (ASP), a pool franchise that’s looking to expand and keep its franchisees geared towards success. Turn to page 48 to learn how Veterans can enjoy year-round savings from the United States’ No. 1 swimming pool repair, maintenance and renovation company, and how a lucky few can save even more.

And last but not least we feature sage advice from our Industry Experts, as George Knauf looks at The Day Your Quit Your Job and offers advice on how you can turn your fears into personal power. Ben Midgley provides a Guide to Purpose-Driven Franchise Investing, while Tim Conn offers advice on How to Create Strong Feedback Loops with Your Franchisees. This is just a sampling of topics our Experts have covered this month, so be sure to catch them all or you might miss out on some of the practical tips and advice.

It’s well known that knowledge is the main ingredient in a recipe for success.

I hope the knowledge and advice we’ve gathered for this issue helps inspire you to move forward in creating your own unique recipe for continued success.

Happy reading!

“Creating opportunities means looking where others are not.”

- Mark Cuban

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

september 2017

On the Cover 10 Cover Story: HealthSource Chiropractic:

The Future of Healthcare Franchising

12 The Day You Quit Your Job

12

19 Special Homebased & Home Services Franchising Feature 14 A Guide to Purpose-Driven Franchise Investing

In Every Issue 6

What’s New!

Announcements from the industry

26 Homebased & Home Services Franchising Feature Article

14

45 Veterans Supplement

News and Information for Veterans in Franchising

63 A-Z Franchise and Services Directory

Franchisor In Depth

16

26

Our Town America

Expert Advice 12 The Day You Quit Your Job

George Knauf, Senior Franchise Business Advisor, FranChoice

14 A Guide to Purpose-Driven Franchise Investing

Ben Midgley, CEO and Co-founder, Crunch Franchise

38 Five Tips for Protecting Your Franchise’s Information

30 Franchising USA

David Zimmerman, CEO, LC Technology International

58 How to Create Strong Feedback Loops with

Your Franchisees

Tim Conn, President and Co-founder, Image One Facility Solutions

17

32 Focus

42

The Interface Financial Group

Spotlight On Service

60

Honkamp Krueger

38

Homebased & Home Services Franchising Feature On the Cover 24 Bluefrog Plumbing + Drain: Amphibious Franchise Set for

Major Expansion Looking for Success-Minded Entrepreneurs

30 Home Based Businesses – Virtual is “In”

42

In Every Issue 20 Feature News 26 Feature Article Expert Advice 30 Home Based Businesses – Virtual is “In”

Christopher Conner, President, Franchise Marketing Systems

32 Accomplishing a Home Care Brand’s Growth Goals

58

Julie Smith, COO and President of Homewatch CareGivers

34 Launching an International Brand: The Need-to-Knows

Bill Redfern, Founder, CEO and President of A Buyer’s Choice Home Inspections

36 Three Ways Home Care Franchises Can Improve Industry

Professionalism, Standards and Services Through Advocacy Leann Reynolds, CEO, Homewatch CareGivers

60 Franchising USA

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what’s new!

Woof Gang Bakery Celebrates its 10th Anniversary by Selling its 100th Franchise and Expanding Services

After opening its first store in Jupiter, FL November 2007, Woof Gang Bakery commemorates its tenth anniversary as the most innovative and customer-oriented pet store chain in the United States.

The company, supported by a growing focus on its diversified

offering of high-quality services, now has 90 locations in 12 states across the U.S. – and will sell its 100Th franchise by the end of this year.

“One thing that anyone should smile about is when a company

with no investors or loans grows from nothing to 100 stores in a ten-year period”, said Paul Allen, Woof Gang Bakery President and CEO. “When I look back, I can’t believe we did it with no

money. Our stores will gross more than $50 million in the next

12 months and we expect to reach the number of 300 stores in the next few years.”

Woof Gang Bakery recently announced the launch of its Wellness Centers, where pets enjoy services that range from traditional grooming to massages, yoga and veterinary care. Customers

can also take advantage of the new dog-walking service, which, together with the dog day care service already offered at some stores, rounds out the one-stop-shop concept for pet care. The

company now operates three types of stores: Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming full service stores; Woof Gang Bakery boutique stores; and Woof Gang Bakery at Home.

To learn more, visit woofgangbakery.com.

Rising Roll Refocuses Franchise Strategy, Turns Attention to Developing Traditional Units Rising Roll has been a fast-casual food underdog for way too long. But that’s about to change, with the Atlanta-based chain set to undergo a transformation thanks to its refocused franchise strategy.

Armed with a new logo, new restaurant design and service model, and an expanded menu, the 19-unit gourmet sandwich concept, once named the “nation’s best for a sandwich” by USA Today, is refocusing its franchise strategy and turning its attention on the development of more traditional locations.

“Like countless other brands over the past decade or so, we saw the entry into non-traditional spaces as a way to build brand recognition and provide our product

Franchising USA

to a growing consumer base,” said CEO Mike Lassiter. “However, as demand continued to grow for our product, we realized that the brand held a favorable position compared to the others for whom traditional avenues had been saturated.”

Today, Rising Roll is aggressively seeking single- and multi-unit franchisees looking to partner with a more than 20-year-old brand in the multi-billion dollar fastcasual restaurant segment. The burgeoning brand is also offering territories for Area Representatives to develop which offer successful individuals the chance to develop a market and share in the franchise fees and royalties. risingroll.com

Naranga Names Mark Montini as CEO; Tariq Farid to Transition to Chairman success for franchisees by providing the best technology to franchisors,” said Farid.

Naranga, LLC, the second-largest provider of franchise operations software has appointed Mark Montini, CFE, as chief executive officer. Tariq Farid, the founder and CEO of Edible Arrangements and Naranga, will transition his role as Naranga’s CEO to serve as Chairman of Naranga’s Board of Directors.

“Mark has a refreshing, modern approach to leadership that’s proven incredibly effective delivering results and attracting top talent in the technology space. He’s the right person to lead Naranga as we aggressively pursue our vision of driving greater

Montini, a certified franchise executive, brings to Naranga a history of successfully leveraging technology to help national brands drive better results for their local affiliates. He was the founder and CEO of Promio, an automated franchise marketing platform that tracked franchisees’ exact return on investment related to their local marketing campaigns. Montini sold Promio in October 2016.

Naranga is a comprehensive franchise technology provider that delivers software solutions to help franchise businesses scale, at any size. Naranga has over 180 clients representing over 250 brands. Their software enhances overall operations, lead management, brand standards/field auditing and employee training.

For more information, visit naranga.com.

Digital Air Strike Launches Its Newest Consumer Engagement AI Platform, Mission Control Digital Air Strike, the leading social media and digital engagement company, announces the addition of Mission Control to its portfolio of award-winning social marketing and online reputation management tools.

The artificial intelligence social media listening and consumer engagement platform provides Digital Air Strike’s thousands of clients the ability to track all analytics in a single and very straightforward dashboard.

Mission Control provides actionable social

media feedback and survey data from consumers at every level – from a single brick and mortar store to a multi-location brand. The platform tracks customer reviews on top sites as well as average ratings, sentiment and survey analysis, competitor comparisons and more. It was designed to be easy-to-use, truly mobile-friendly and totally customizable by account, user, department and staff to choose the data most relevant to them.

“Mission Control is the easiest solution to staying on top of your online reputation,” Derstine said. “By constantly evolving to stay ahead of technology, Digital Air Strike is helping me keep on top of a changing marketing landscape and grow my business efficiently.”

Digital Air Strike client Brandon Derstine finds the platform intuitive and effective.

Find out more at: digitalairstrike.com/mission-control

Mission Control recently won an American Business Award People’s Choice Award for Favorite Product in 2017.

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what’s new!

The Gents Place Dunkin Donuts Opens Announces Expansion into Houston New Location in Hard Gents Place, a lifestyle club bringing men’s grooming to Rock Hotel & Casino The the next level, announced it has signed a six-unit franchise Dunkin’ Donuts, America’s all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, has opened a new Dunkin’ Donuts location inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas in partnership with leading travel industry retailer Hudson Group. This new restaurant marks the first Dunkin’ Donuts ever to be opened in a Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and will serve as the brand’s 27th restaurant to open throughout the state of Nevada.

The newly opened Las Vegas location is one of over 20 Dunkin’

Donuts restaurants operated by Hudson Group. The state-of-theart restaurant can be found on the first floor of the hotel near the main entrance and is open 24-hours a day, seven days a week,

serving Dunkin’ Donuts’ menu of delicious food and beverages.

For 30 years, Hudson Group has operated as the traveler’s best

friend, and this collaboration with Dunkin’ Donuts is reflective of the brand’s mission toward achieving that goal. Dunkin’ Donuts has been strategically expanding in markets across the country

with a long-term goal of having more than 17,000 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in the United States alone, and this expansion includes

development agreement to expand the concept into the Houston market. New franchisee, Jeff Stocks, will plan on opening the first location in the River Oaks neighborhood in Fall 2017.

Stocks will also target other communities in and around Houston, including Galleria, City Centre, Washington/Heights, Katy and Rice/West University neighborhoods. This agreement is part of The Gents Place aggressive expansion plans to grow the brands presence throughout the state and beyond, with an ultimate goal of opening 150 clubs in the next five years.

The company currently has three lifestyle clubs in North Texas (Dallas, Southlake and Frisco), a location in Leawood, Kansas in addition to the development of locations in Chicago and Austin.

The company is seeking qualified franchisees to join the brand and currently has opportunities nationwide in markets such as Texas, Georgia, Florida, California, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, and Virginia. The brand is aggressively targeting Atlanta, and South Florida for franchise expansion.

more than 750 alternative points of distribution. Franchise

opportunities remain available across Las Vegas and beyond.

Financing is available through the Small Business Administration for qualified franchisees.

For more information visit https://www.franchiseregistry.com.

To learn more, visit www.dunkinfranchising.com.

www.tgpfranchising.com

Franchising USA

Phoenix-based Commercial Cleaning Franchise OpenWorks Reinforces Commitment to Armed Services with Care Package Assembly J. Anthony Hobson, Vice President of Corporate Operations at OpenWorks, a veteran himself. “Our team’s effort is a reminder of the sacrifices our troops make, and a way for us to show our deep appreciation.”

The finished care packages included a wide variety of items ranging from cleaning supplies to personal hygiene items, snacks to playing cards. And, a very special addition to the packages was added through a partnership –messages and drawings from local schoolchildren at Primrose School Tatum.

In a show of support for United States troops serving overseas, OpenWorks representatives training at the company’s headquarters recently spent the day assembling care packages for the nonprofit Support Our Troops.

OpenWorks, one of the nation’s leading commercial cleaning franchises, saw employees from coast to coast come together for the cause.

“With some members of the military now being deployed a year or more, away from family and friends, receiving additional support from ‘home’ makes them feel more connected,” said

Continued Hobson, “Making the choice to serve in the military deserves the respect of every citizen of this great country.

An opportunity to show support, however big or small, is an opportunity to say thank you for the incredible sacrifice our troops make each day.”

OpenWorks is a strong supporter of American servicemen and women, and places an emphasis on opportunities for veterans within its own ranks. As a franchise company, OpenWorks also provides a lower franchisee purchase rate for veterans, helping them find a new career outside of the armed services through a business ownership.

For more information on OpenWorks, please visit openworksweb.com.

Hooters Opens New Location in Taipei Xinyi, Taiwan Hooters unveiled the opening of a new international location this summer, Hooters of Taipei Xinyi, led by franchisee Destination Eats Pte Ltd. The new location is part of a 35-location Southeast Asia development agreement between Hooters and Singapore-based international franchisee, Destination Eats Pte Ltd., which also recently opened Hooters locations in Marina Bay and Fusionopolis, Singapore, as well as Jakarta, Indonesia, and Koh Samui, Thailand. The franchisee has plans for additional locations this summer in Phnom Penh, Cambodia as well as multiple locations in Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

The new location incorporates the latest design features that deliver the familiar, fun-loving persona of the Hooters brand

along with contemporary elements that combine to deliver a oneof-a-kind guest experience. While guests will still enjoy Hooters craveable burgers, wings, appetizers and salads, they can expect some additions to the menus to suit local taste buds.

Hooters continues its acceleration of restaurant openings, on pace to open more than 30 new locations globally in 2017 and is actively seeking qualified franchise partners to open new locations in select markets across the U.S. and around the globe. www.hooters.com/franchising

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H ealthSou rce

HealthSource Chiropractic: The Future of Healthcare Franchising

One health industry franchise has set itself a lofty goal to hit within the next 10 years, but if current conditions are any indication, it should have no trouble reaching that goal.

Not only does HealthSource – America’s Chriopractor aim to set the standard in chiropractic care throughout the industry, according to the company’s 10-year vision, the franchise also wants to open a thousand clinics over the next decade.

Franchising USA

“We’re going to hit that goal,” CEO Dr. Chris Tomshack proclaimed during a recent interview with Franchising USA. “I’ve got nine years left on that plan, so we’re absolutely going to hit it.”

‘Hey, I tried chiropractic in the past, but it didn’t work or it worked temporarily,’ and after hearing that as a clinician I knew we had to deliver a much better level of care,” he explained.

Tomshack’s confidence stems from HealthSource’s already existing 300 franchise locations and the fact that he has seen an emerging trend where new franchisees tend to purchase multiple locations rather than just a single one.

To offer that better level of care, he took it upon himself to research any new advancements that had been made in chiropractic and rehabilitation care in an effort to evolve the level of care that chiropractors provide.

HealthSource, a franchise that specializes in chiropractic care and rehabilitative care primarily for musculoskeletal injuries, has been around now for 11 years.

Currently, HealthSource is in 44 different states and just opened a location in Canada.

“We’re going to be going further internationally in 2018,” the CEO said.

“In addition to Canada, we’re looking at Europe — Great Britain and Ireland specifically — New Zealand and Australia.”

Tomshack said he decided to start the HealthSource franchise because of what he was hearing from patients in his previous clinics.

“The most common complaint we heard from new clients who would come in is:

Chiropractic experience not necessary Tomshack’s first ever location launched in the city of Vermillion, OH. That was in 1994 back before HealthSource was a franchise. The first franchise location was opened in Cleveland 11 years ago.

Back when HealthSource first started franchising, all the franchisees were chiropractors. But now, Tomshack has opened it up to business people. He described an ideal franchisee as someone interested in healthcare and interested in providing a service to people who are living with pain that doesn’t involve drugs or surgery.

A perfect example of an ideal HealthSource franchisee is a recent one who joined who used to be a high level

executive at McDonald’s. She and her team were really interested in healthcare and they love the fact that the franchise is helping people deal with their pain long term without the side effects of drugs or surgery.

HealthSource helps its non-chiropractor franchisees hire the best chiropractors, even helping them with things like identifying the best personality traits to look for in a chiropractor, Tomshack said.

Training and support The HealthSource CEO called the training and support offered to new franchisees extensive.

“That starts pretty much the minute they sign a franchising agreement,” he outlined.

“We immediately launch them into an onboarding process that is about threeand-a-half months long right now.”

New franchisees head to HealthSource’s corporate headquarters in Avon, OH for a five-day intensive training program called HealthSource University. After that, every Tuesday sees a weekly training program delivered to all franchisees and their teams to help their clinics run as efficiently as possible.

Because it’s healthcare and every individual patient is different, a deeper level of training is required to deliver a consistent level of service across the whole franchise, Tomshack noted.

Along with that, franchisees have an annual convention, regional conventions and field-based support teams all across the country training with the owners and their teams.

“So, they have on-site training every month,” Tomshack said.

This superior training, along with how they care for their patients, is what sets HealthSource apart from other healthcare franchises, he noted.

Chiropractors get business training Although many chiropractors opt to start their own clinics, there are some distinct advantages to either working for a HealthSource clinic or starting

“We’re going to be going further internationally in 2018. In addition to Canada, we’re looking at Europe — Great Britain and Ireland specifically — New Zealand and Australia.” - Dr. Chris Tomshack one for chiropractors, Tomshack noted.

With the failure rate of new businesses being so high, joining the HealthSource franchise gives practicing chiropractors a leg up with being a part of or running a successful clinic.

Solo practitioners usually can’t keep up

New doctors often don’t know the ins and outs of business, he said, and don’t equate running a clinic with running a business.

Medically, HealthSource stays ahead of

“When they graduate, they don’t have the skill set to run their own clinic,” Tomshack noted. “We provide that whether they choose to own their own HealthSource or they decide to work at a HealthSource franchise.”

Part of the help they will get is HealthSource’s proprietary software system that essentially runs the operation portion of the practice, allowing it to run much more efficiently.

Marketing is another area where franchisees get a lot of help, as HealthSource is working with four different agencies to constantly develop marketing material, particularly digital marketing.

“Our goal is to own the digital space for every clinic we open,” Tomshack stated.

with the marketing demands it takes to

keep a clinic open while also taking care

of patients, he added. They’ve never been trained to handle marketing and hiring a marketing agency is prohibitively costly. its competition by performing constant research to evolve the care they are

offering so they are always at the forefront of chiropractic care and rehabilitation.

As currently only 14 percent of the Unites

States population uses a chiropractor; that leaves an immense untapped market for

future franchisees in this recession-proof

business that also boasts, what Tomshack called, fantastic profit margins. In 2016, HealthSource clinics had an average

revenue of $447,000 and $259,000 in

gross profit. Tomshack believes profits will continue to rise as chiropractic’s popularity grows.

With so much upside to it, HealthSource seems destined to reach and surpass its

goal of opening a thousand clinics over the next decade.

www.healthsourcechiro.com

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ex per t advice

George Knauf, Senior Franchise Business Advisor, FranChoice

The Day You Quit Your Job Then comes the reality check, courtesy of your fight or flight copilot system.

After that adrenalin rush your superpower of being ready to take on the world seems to let its guard down just long enough for the Kryptonite of fear to sneak in for a visit.

George Knauf

There may be no better feeling in the work world than the day you get to walk into your boss’s office to hand them your resignation letter so that you can start your own business. An adrenalin rush, a sense of relief and more control than you have ever felt at work before.

Concurrently there may be no day as scary either!

Nearly all of us business owners remember that day as either the day we quit, or for some the day they got laid off. There is an adrenalin rush as you realize that nobody else controls your destiny, nobody can fire you, the fear of getting laid off is a thing of the past and you no longer have to say yes when what you really mean is no. That adrenalin rush is an empowering feeling that you will never forget.

Franchising USA

But this isn’t a bad thing, we are going to use it for our benefit. The key is to channel that fear to focus our attention onto the things that we need to be sure are dialed on for success. More importantly we can use that fear for motivation.

No, seriously, we are going to use the fear for motivation. But were is that fear coming from?

While we may have been the super star of corporate sales or management we were really just a cog in the system. There were many hands in every project, every sale, every client outcome. Now that we have quit our job it all lands on us. The buck, and bucks, really do stop at the business owner.

Walking out of our boss’s office the fearful thoughts hit: “What if I am not as good as I think I am?”

“What if I can’t do this?”

“What if I fail in front of my spouse, family, friends or neighbors?”

That is your physiological system telling you to do your homework and make good decisions. It is fight or flight at one of its strongest levels. If you know it is coming then it becomes just part of the process.

how to focus it.

As a business owner you need to move your brain from specialist to generalist.

You are no longer just a salesman, manager, accountant or technician. Those are specialties. You are now all of those things at various times.

As you begin operating your business that fight or flight feeling will pop back up from time to time as you do something new, hit skills you need to develop more or in places where you need to hire great employees. As a franchisee you may find that the things that fire up your fight or flight system are places that you can call on the franchisor or fellow franchise owners to assist you.

This is a key success strategy; any time that feeling appears pick up the phone and call the franchisor or another franchisee.

Most franchisors tell us they don’t hear from their franchisees as much as they wish they would.

Another use for that feeling is for the motivation to move the ball forward.

Employees don’t feel that anxiety when they have a day off, they go play golf or spend the day binge watching tv shows.

Business owners may still go get their round of golf in then check in on their business, make sure that client was taken care of or that the cash deposit was made.

The business becomes like a child you have to keep an eye on so that it stays on the right path. With the right nurturing and attention it could be a great success.

Take a deep breath and look back at the homework you did before you quit your job. Is it complete, are your ready to be in charge?

So you quit your job today, tonight you are worrying about that decision. Tomorrow you check over your homework and in the next day or two you start laying the ground work for your business.

Ready to go? Great! Then let’s talk about

The homework you are doing will inform

the fears and push them back in their box.

It will be a rewarding feeling time and time again to begin to realize the fears are not usually telling you to avoid doing something, but rather to do it right!

You may not believe this now, but when I feel that feeling it is an assurance that I am likely doing the right things, stepping into new and rewarding spaces and seeking informed answers. Moreover, I know my competitors are more likely to be retreating to comfort and stagnation.

Look for this book: “Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway”, by Susan Jeffers The adrenalin rush you felt when you quit your job will now reappear at times you aren’t expecting it to but when your successes can be realized as measurable results in your life: When you are at your child’s sporting events, when you get to surprise your spouse with a dream vacation, when you buy that car you

“The homework you are doing will inform the fears and push them back in their box. It will be a rewarding feeling time and time again to begin to realize the fears are not usually telling you to avoid doing something, but rather to do it right!.” wanted when you were a kid or when you get to start your next business.

George Knauf is a highly sought after,

In time the adrenalin rush will likely be a more regular visitor than the fears, but they will still appear from time to time to keep you focused.

Public, Independent and Franchised, of

Turn fear into personal power!

Now that you know what is coming or have a better understanding of what happened already as you quit your job I hope it gives you the confidence to do your homework, find a great path, take the leap and work thought the fears and build a home run business.

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

trusted advisor to many companies; all sizes and in many markets. His 20 plus years of experience in both startup and mature business operations makes him uniquely qualified to advise individuals that have dreamed of going into business for themselves in order to gain more control, independence, time flexibility and to be able to earn in proportion to their real contribution.

Contact the Franchising USA Expert George’s Hotline 703-424-2980. www.myperfectfranchise.com

Franchising USA

ex per t advice

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ex per t advice

Ben Midgley, Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder, Crunch Franchise

A Guide to

Purpose-Driven Franchise Investing Can a capitalist, profit-seeking society also embrace social responsibility?

Yes, it can. And yes, it is.

mutually gratifying relationships between brands and consumers. But beyond

that, it’s also becoming the foundation

the world through investing. It’s very

Your gut instinct may tell you that creating a business from scratch is the only way to actually achieve your greater purpose — and that may be true. However, you should be aware that launching a business is no small feat. Even if you succeed in crafting a great business model, building an attractive brand, and hiring an excellent staff, it could take several years before you finally have your intended impact.

Yet for these impact-minded investors,

Fortunately, an easier option exists: franchise investing.

of attractive, emotionally fulfilling investments.

According to a recent Legg Mason survey, 69 percent of financial advisors have seen an increased interest in environmentally

A growing number of consumers and companies are gravitating toward purposedriven initiatives. Profit and prosperity are no longer their sole goals; they also seek to give back to society in meaningful ways.

In fact, 90 percent of consumers say they expect businesses to address social and environmental issues, and 64 percent of CEOs say corporate social responsibility is a core aspect of their business models.

and socially responsible assets. Their

In the modern era, social impact is becoming the foundation of long-lasting,

and produces your desired effect on

Franchising USA

Franchise Investing: Your Path to Purpose

clients are looking to break free from

the mold and have a positive impact on admirable.

identifying precisely how to achieve this greater purpose can be a tricky task. It

isn’t always easy to find an opportunity

that both satisfies your financial objectives society.

The franchising sector is growing at breakneck speeds and covers a tremendous range of business models and opportunities. Quite possibly, some franchisors will have purpose-driven outlooks that closely resemble your own.

“Don’t dive headfirst into the vast seas of franchising. . . . Instead, create a list of industries you feel most passionate about. Make sure they match your purpose-driven mission.”

2

How much flexibility will I have?

Don’t feel discouraged if you struggle to find a brand that perfectly mirrors your greater purpose. Honestly, consider yourself lucky if you do.

On the bright side, the right franchisor will allow for some flexibility and creativity.

It will encourage franchisees to flex their entrepreneurial muscles and incorporate regional quirks and personal passion projects into the operation. These are the types of companies you want to invest in.

Be sure to meet with the top franchisors on your list to gain clarity on the amount of flexibility you’ll be granted.

These companies have already done the dirty work. They come equipped with brand recognition, a targeted clientele, and proven processes and systems. All you have to do is steer the ship.

As you begin vetting franchise investment opportunities, ask yourself these four questions:

1

What’s my industry shortlist?

Don’t dive headfirst into the vast seas of franchising. You’ll drown in the countless options. Instead, create a list of industries you feel most passionate about.

Make sure they match your purposedriven mission. Then, limit your search to those realms.

Franchise investing will not always be smooth sailing, but compared to traditional entrepreneurship, it gives you a serious head start on your path to success. But no matter how large your lead, you’re going to want to feel enthusiastic about your product, brand, and overall industry. This will keep you motivated and focused.

3

How big are my dreams?

Do you want to run one store that has a localized impact, or do you want to run an empire that changes the world? Both are impressive goals, but if your dream is to create an empire, you need to factor scalability and financial feasibility into the equation.

Gravitate toward business models that make adding a second, third, and fourth store easy. Furthermore, before you set out to revolutionize the world, make sure your finances can handle what you want to do. What is your debt comfort zone? How much equity do you desire? How can you leverage other assets and your open stores in a low-risk manner?

At the end of the day, don’t overextend on your dream; base it on your real-life financial profile. If you plan well, you will be rewarded in many ways. Not least of all, you’ll gain peace of mind and less stress.

4

Am I in it to win it?

How much effort are you willing to pour into your business’s success? What

Ben Midgley

time frame are you looking at for the investment? What toll will running the business take on your life? Before signing on the dotted line, look at how a franchise investment would fit with your other plans.

Do your due diligence, create models, and crunch numbers. Depending on your goals, craft an appropriate scalability plan and exit strategy.

As purpose-driven investing continues to rise in popularity, franchises will be seen as an avenue that provides the most flexibility, more support, and higher odds of financial success and personal fulfillment.

Franchises allow investors to have an immediate positive impact on the world around them in their own unique manner, just with a little help — and that alone is priceless.

Ben Midgley is the chief executive officer and co-founder of Crunch Franchise.

Since 2010, he has led the creation and development of Crunch Franchise, turning it into the fastest launch of any full-size franchise in the history of the fitness industry. Previously, Ben served as the executive vice president of Planet Fitness and the senior director of corporate sales for 24 Hour Fitness.

Ben is the co-author of “Golden Circle Secrets,” a book that was rated the No. 1 sales management and No. 1 customer service book on Amazon. crunchfranchise.com

Franchising USA

ex per t advice

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O ur Tow n A mer ica

Our Town America

offering Open Territories to Prospecting Franchisees “Our Town America franchisees are outgoing, self-driven, and invested in the success of their communities.”

The national leader

Our Town America, the nation’s leading New Mover Marketing franchise, has territories across the nation available for development.

While a sales or marketing background is ideal, the ability to build relationships with local business owners is just as important.

Now in its 45th year, the company is undergoing a dramatic expansion that includes a new 44,000 square foot headquarters in Clearwater, FL. The company has a growing national footprint and is looking to expand in the Boston, New York City and New Jersey metro areas, as well as throughout Texas, North Carolina, Utah, and California.

Franchising USA

The nation’s leader in New Mover Marketing has come a long way since June 1972. The company was launched when a hard-working Newton, Iowa restaurant owner named Michael Plummer Sr. saw how responsive new movers were to his one-time housewarming offers. The company grew markets in Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, and Arizona, and then began franchising in 2005. Today, Our Town America has more than 60 franchisees around the country.

Son and namesake Michael Plummer Jr., had been working alongside his father at Our Town America for many years, but after the unfortunate, life-ending heart attack of his father in 2009, the company was in need of a dedicated leader who had the business’ best interests in mind. Who better to take the reigns of the business than Michael Plummer Jr. The young military veteran has worked diligently to expand upon his father’s legacy and, based off the tenure of franchisees, partnered businesses, and the corporate staff, it seems Our Town America has remained at the forefront of its industry.

In just eight years, Plummer has grown Our Town America into the nation’s most

profitable and fastest growing New Mover Marketing franchise. The company, who generated $8.9 million dollars in systemwide revenue in 2016, has expanded to 62 franchises in 27 states.

Plummer says sales experience is paradigm for new franchisees, but not required, as the company’s new franchise training program will ultimately prepare them for the field.

“We’re looking for a good community organizer, maybe somebody who is involved with a Parent-Teacher Association or a real estate agent,” Plummer said. “We need people who can talk to people.”

Quick ramp up New franchisees will see that once past the initial qualification steps, developing a new franchise territory is less complicated than most franchise systems due to low overhead and a low startup cost. In fact, Our Town America makes Franchise Business Review’s “Top Low Cost Franchise” list every year.

While Our Town America specializes in direct mail, all printing and production is done at the corporate office, alleviating franchisees of mass-printing costs

“The corporate staff at Our Town America handles the majority of the work for the franchisee, including all design and production. This allows for franchisees to focus primarily on creating business relationships.”

including paper for their new mover gift certificates, postcards, and other supplies.

The corporate staff at Our Town America handles the majority of the work for the franchisee, including all design and production. This allows for franchisees to focus primarily on creating business relationships.

Our Town America’s support team ensures that franchisees don’t have to perform client start-up work and other preparation.

An in-house corporate team calls businesses in the franchisee’s territory and makes the initial sales appointments so they go in ‘warm’. Franchisees can access their appointments calendar and obtain timely lead intelligence around the clock via our customer resource management system.

Your home is your office Franchisees have the freedom to set their own schedules, as well as the option to set up their office in the comfort of their own home. While some franchisees prefer to have a dedicated work office, most current Our Town America franchisees work from home.

determine whether they are a good fit for the New Mover Welcoming program.

Client businesses, referred to in-house as Sponsor businesses, have a one-time-use housewarming gift certificate in the Our Town America Welcome Package that’s mailed to a new set of new movers every month. New residents, who are unfamiliar with the area, redeem their gift certificates at your partnered sponsor businesses’ locations.

Who is the ideal franchisee?

Sales and marketing experience is ideal, but the ability to build strong relationships with people in the community is just as important. Our Town America franchisees are outgoing, self-driven, and invested in the success of their communities. They don’t simply make a sale and walk away.

They maintain consultant relationships with their sponsor businesses.Corporate also supports franchisees with that consulting relationship, too. The corporate support staff helps sponsor businesses design their certificate, make use of good customer reviews, and design additional marketing campaigns.

We back our franchisees with technology Our Town America’s use of innovative technology, including the use of a smartphone app to track redeemed gift certificates is a big selling point for

potential sponsor businesses. Franchisees have access to decades of Our Town America data and redemption information, making customer information the most timely in the industry. Our Town America runs our new mover lists through 12 primary sources with a combination of priority technology we developed to ensure the best list available.

The Our Town America TruTrak™ mobile app, which is available to every sponsor signed up with Our Town America, helps businesses collect and use customer data for supplemental marketing campaigns.

It is the first mobile app in the industry, leaving our competitors in the dust.

What more can we say?

We are a Franchise Business Review “Top Validated Franchise”, as well their “All-time Top Company.” In addition to industry recognition, our franchisees, some who have been with us over 20 years, can tell you how successful they’ve been since investing in an Our Town America franchise.

That’s because we allow franchisees to concentrate on what they do best: Making genuine connections with business owners within their community.

If you are interested in learning more about Our Town America franchisee opportunities, please visit www.ourtownamerica.com/franchise-us or call 1-800-497-8360 ext. 232

Franchisees are responsible for meeting with leads, which are potential business clients in their territory. Once a franchise meets with the decision maker, they

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H O M EBASED & H O M E SERV ICES FR A NCH ISI NG FE AT U RE

what’s new!

Mosquito Squad Makes Inc. 5000 List for 7th Consecutive Year For the seventh consecutive year, Mosquito Squad, the largest and most trusted mosquito and tick control franchise in North America, has made Inc. magazine’s annual list of America’s fastest-growing private companies. This milestone further emphasizes the company’s remarkable growth and position as the clear leader in the industry.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized by Inc. magazine for the seventh consecutive year,” said Chris Grandpre, chairman and CEO of Outdoor Living Brands, parent company and franchisor of Mosquito Squad. “Only two percent of Inc. 5000 honorees can say they’ve reached this milestone and we’re extremely proud to be part of that elite group. Our accelerated growth has enabled us to deliver millions of barrier treatments nationwide and remain true to our commitment to keep our clients protected.”

With the risk of mosquito and tick-borne illnesses growing significantly over the past few years, Mosquito Squad has prioritized consumer education initiatives, such as its Protect Your Squad campaign, to communicate the importance of staying informed and protected. By providing useful mosquito management knowledge

and consistently delivering exceptional services, Mosquito Squad has earned

the trust of consumers and continues to

experience rapid growth as a result, with nearly 250 locations nationwide.

More information please visit www.mosquitosquadfranchise.com.

A Day to WOW! On Friday, April 28, 2017, WOW 1 DAY PAINTING franchises came together and collectively made their communities say WOW! A Day to WOW is an annual event, focused exclusively on giving back in the neighborhoods we call home.

During this company-wide campaign, our WOW franchises participate in projects across the U.S and Canada in an effort to create the biggest possible impact in a single day. Each year WOW teams identify causes they care about and give back by helping paint the interiors and exteriors of their facilities.

Easter Seals House in Vancouver, BC, and AdaptAbilities in Edmonton, AB. Ahead of McHappy Days we helped renovate the Ronald McDonald House in Calgary, AB and gave the Salvation Army of Moreno Valley that new coat of paint they had been waiting for. In Arizona, we partnered with the city of Scottsdale’s Operation Fix It program and helped a well deserving senior get a much-needed paint job for her home.

children, to seniors, veterans, and victims.

A Day to WOW could not have been possible without our amazing vendors who helped support projects across our system.

Together we were able to make a bigger impact in our communities.

This year we helped organizations like the

Together we helped everyone from

wow1day.com

Franchising USA

FirstLight Home Care Honored with Third Consecutive Inc. 5000 Ranking FirstLight Home Care, a leading national provider of non-medical home care, was ranked for the third year in a row as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in 2017 with a place on Inc. Magazine’s 36th annual Inc. 5000 list. FirstLight was ranked for the third year in a row and placed at No. 2,143/ “With the booming senior care industry, we are honored to be recognized for our rapid expansion nationally,” said Jeff Bevis, CEO of FirstLight Home Care. “We know our franchisees’ commitment to providing dedicated service is integral to our continued growth as a company, and to being included on this prestigious list.

Since opening our first franchise location in 2010, we now have more than 240 locations in 33 states.”

The annual Inc. 5000 list represents the most successful companies with the American economy’s most dynamic segment – its independent small and midsized businesses.

“The Inc. 5000 is the most persuasive evidence I know that the American Dream is still alive,” says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. “The founders and CEOs of the Inc. 5000 tell us they think determination, risk taking, and vision were the keys to their success, and I believe them.”

that secured a place on the list, will be

FirstLight, along with the other companies

visit www.firstlightfranchise.com.

honored at the Inc. 5000 Conference and

Gala to be held at the JW Marriott Desert

Springs Resort in Palm Desert, California on October 10-12, 2017.

For more information about FirstLight Home Care’s franchise opportunities,

Handyman Matters Offers Industry-First Online Appointment Scheduling Platform via New Website Consumers can now choose from available time slots and book 24/7!

Handyman Matters’ recently launched website features cutting-edge technology that allows consumers to book their own appointment times with a local office.

Designed to increase the convenience of booking an appointment, consumers simply provide details on the project need, estimate the number of hours needed, choose from available times and submit.

Handyman Matters offices receive this data live in their calendars and confirm.

Owner and founder, Andy Bell stated,

“Redefining Home Improvement has been our goal since we started nearly 20 years ago. Providing customers an easy way to book a professional, multi-skilled craftsman was a no-brainer! Our research showed that our customers were looking for a no-hassle and easy way to find a reputable and trustworthy company to work on their most valuable asset, their homes. We just made it even easier to book with us.”

as well as while on the job, Handyman Matters guarantees their work and offers a “like it’s our home” promise.

Focused on exceeding customer expectations during the scheduling process

For more information, visit www.HandymanMatters.com.

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H O M EBASED & H O M E SERV ICES FR A NCH ISI NG FE AT U RE

what’s new!

Restoration 1® Acquires bluefrog Plumbing + Drain® Franchise Network

The Dry Boys Open New Territories In North Jersey

Restoration 1®, one of the fastest-growing and most-trusted restoration franchises in North America, has acquired the bluefrog Plumbing + Drain® franchise network with plans to aggressively grow the business across North America.

“This is a monumental acquisition, broadening the franchise brands and complimentary services that we will deliver to a growing residential and commercial customer base across the United States,” said Gary Findley, CEO of Restoration 1.

Based in Phoenix, Ariz., bluefrog Plumbing + Drain launched in January of 2014 and has grown to 15 franchise locations across nine states.

“Restoration 1 brings great synergy and an incredible support team to bluefrog that will expand our operations and significantly scale our business for the road ahead,” said Jeff Moody, president and COO of bluefrog. Moody, who was instrumental in the creation of bluefrog, said he looks forward to the expansion of a proven concept that has plenty of room to grow.

The Dry Boys, a Water-damage restoration franchise company, has announced the opening of three new territories in North jersey. Local entrepreneur, Jim Brown, who is a well-respected and well-known name in the local community, led the acquisition and launch of the franchise, which originated in East Brunswick, NJ. A home-based business that is easily recognized on the streets with its branded vans and trailers, The Dry Boys provides homeowners, landlords, property managers and business owners with a highly focused, around-the-clock, water-damage restoration solution and emergency cleaning resolution.

“I am beyond excited to join The Dry Boys family and to start serving the local community with the highest level of restoration service in the nation”, said Jim Brown.

The Dry Boys is a Water-Damage restoration franchise service that focuses its resources strictly on Water and water related (i.e.

Mold, Mildew, etc.) disasters, thus focusing on the individual person or family at their most vulnerable time, assisting them with the latest technology and proper tools to quickly restore their lives to normal.

“Plumbing and drain cleaning are a complimentary industry to our restoration business. We are poised to do for bluefrog all that we have achieved at Restoration 1 in record time,” he said.

“It’s always exciting to expand the business into new territories, but when you’re able to secure a talent like Jim Brown to your team, it’s just an extra-special moment for the entire company”, said Curt Swanson, co-founder and Director of Operations. “His work ethic, his professionalism and outlook on life, is a breath of fresh air and will not only help his local territory but will energize the entire company, and we’re eagerly awaiting to see his success right out of the gate.

www.restoration1.com

For more information, please visit TheDryBoys.com.

Findley said he expects bluefrog to have at least 100 locations by the end of 2018.

Franchising USA

Remodeling Franchise’s Unit-Store Sales Earnings Outpace Industry Growth With residential remodeling expecting to continue it’s tremendous growth through 2020, average unit store sales at DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen are trending upward at a significantly faster pace than the industry as a whole.

More than triple the industry growth for that matter. DreamMaker franchises have grown more than 92% over the past five years, while the remodeling industry as a whole grew 28%, according to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

In 2016, average DreamMaker franchisee sales grew 14.2%, marking five straight years of sales growth. Among the reasons, Dwyer says, is that franchisees can take advantage of group purchasing; marketing tools and materials that help franchisees reach more potential clients; and business coaching to help improve every aspect of the business.

growth numbers bear that out,” says company President & Chief Stewarding Officer Doug Dwyer. “Our average sales are more than three times overall remodeling industry growth over the past five years.”

“Our franchise systems and support set franchisees up to scale up quicker than independent remodelers, and our recent

The continued growth reflects the company’s dedication to quality, as is reflected in a number of major

national awards. Over the past 3 years, DreamMaker franchises have won 13 Guildmaster awards from GuildQuality, an independent customer satisfaction surveying company focused on the remodeling, homebuilding and home improvement industries.

For more information visit dreammakerfranchise.com.

Home Based Boulder Designs/Border Magic Reports Rapid Growth in 2017 Rapid franchise growth has been the hallmark of the first six months of 2017 for Waco-based Boulder Designs/ Border Magic, which has seen a record increase of almost 25% in new franchise agreements. Since January, Boulder Designs/Border Magic has welcomed 26 new businesses, bringing the total number nationwide to 164 units, with 54 Border Magic franchises and 110 Boulder Designs franchises.

“We’ve seen fantastic growth in the past few months, mainly because people realize that this is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs. Nobody else in the marketplace is doing exactly what we’re

doing,” said Butch Mogavero, CEO of Boulder Designs/Border Magic. “Both businesses are very family friendly and allows the owner to run their operation from home.”

Boulder Designs creates custom boulders from sand that are any shape and size, which can be used in many applications including commercial

signage and landscapes. Boulder Designs’ sister business, Border Magic, is a

complementary service company. Boulder Designs actively seeking franchisees for both companies in many areas of the United States.

mybordermagic.com myboulderdesigns.com

Franchising USA

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H O M EBASED & H O M E SERV ICES FR A NCH ISI NG FE AT U RE

bluef rog Plu mbing + D rain

Amphibious Fra Set for Major Ex Looking for Suc Minded Entrepr Plumbers who want to own their own business are encouraged to hop on board with a growing franchise that is getting ready to take a giant leap forward.

Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ and launched in 2014, bluefrog Plumbing + Drain currently has 15 franchise locations spread over nine states across the country from Arizona to Florida to Connecticut and it’s looking to expand further.

“Our focus is on helping people build plumbing businesses and taking care of clients so those clients want to do business with us again and tell other people about us,” president and COO Jeff Moody said during a recent interview.

Helping the company with its expansion goal is its recent acquisition by the Restoration 1 brand. Moody said bluefrog is ready to put its expansion into high gear

Franchising USA

now that it’s part of the the Restoration 1 family.

the Restoration 1 brand is about to go through a significant expansion itself.

Restoration 1®, one of the fastest-growing and most-trusted restoration franchises in North America, has acquired the bluefrog Plumbing + Drain® franchise network with plans to aggressively grow the business across North America.

And this pending expansion by both Restoration 1 and bluefrog is why it’s an ideal time for people to get on board with the plumbing and drain brand.

“This is a monumental acquisition, broadening the franchise brands and complimentary services that we will deliver to a growing residential and commercial customer base across the United States,” said Gary Findley, CEO of Restoration 1.

The COO said bluefrog largely targets individuals in the plumbing field who have the ambition to own their own business, but who face roadblocks to making that a reality for themselves.

“We grew a regional franchise into an award-winning national chain in less than a year at Restoration 1, and we are ready to do it again with bluefrog Plumbing + Drain,” Findley said.

“Restoration 1 has a strong franchise development department and they’re expecting us to have another 15 units by the end of the year and a hundred by the end of 2018,” the COO outlined.

Going from 15 to 30 and then onto 100 locations by the end of next year is a perfectly feasible goal, he added, because

Brand Name Recognition

Within the plumbing industry, he noted, there are essentially three types of business units. The first is what Moody called the “man in the van,” who is an owner-operator that runs a one-person show. A step up from that is a plumber who has expanded to a handful of vehicles, which Moody labeled a “plumbing company in transition.” On the top tier are the successful businesses, which the bluefrog president called “strategic plumbing companies.” Bluefrog is looking for “man in the van” and “plumbing companies in transition” enterprises to

anchise xpansion ccessreneurs turn into strategic plumbing companies.

The franchise does this by helping franchise partners with client acquisition, team building, financial management, service standards and brand name recognition, which clients appreciate, Moody said.

In fact, the bluefrog name sets the brand apart from the myriad plumbing franchises that all seem to have a common root to their name.

“There are so many ‘rooter’ companies out there and that leads to brand confusion in the client’s mind,” Moody pointed out.

A lot of the major plumbing franchises also have limited territories available throughout the country, a problem bluefrog doesn’t have, as availability is wide open at the moment.

sellable asset if that’s their desire.

However, he added, people don’t necessarily require a plumbing license to be a bluefrog franchise partner. The various states have different licensing requirements and usually they require at least one licensed plumber to be on staff, Moody pointed out.

“We have franchise owners who are not licensed plumbers,” he explained. “They’re more on the business side of it, so they will hire someone with that skill set. In other areas we have licensed plumbers who are running the show. So, we have a little combination of both.”

The plumbing brand has a strong support team that focuses on training franchisees on bluefrog’s various systems like it’s client acquisition system. This system helps franchisees make their phone ring and provides training on how to answer the phone and engage a client so they buy services.

started out of a home, it’s preferable for the business to quickly transition to an industrial location where it can store a little bit of inventory and accommodate some machinery.

One of the key differences between bluefrog and it’s competition, Moody said, is that bluefrog doesn’t just want to go in and do the work and get out. They want to educate the client on their plumbing services so the clients understand what’s going on.

“We want the client to understand their plumbing systems and how those systems fit together,” Moody said.

He was brought on board right at the beginning of bluefrog’s formation because he has a lot of experience with plumbing franchises. Moody used to work with another major plumbing franchise and bluefrog brought him on board in late 2013 to help launch the franchise.

Franchisees also receive training in financial management and business analysis that teaches them to look at their key indicators so they know what’s going on with their business and where they need to focus their energy.

Now, with the help of Restoration 1’s guidance, Moody is looking to take bluefrog Plumbing + Drain to the next level and help the right entrepreneurs realize their dreams of business ownership and success.

Although a bluefrog franchise could be

www.bluefrogfranchise.com

Check Local Licensing Requirements Bluefrog has the systems in place to take a person who essentially just has a plumbing job and teach that person to run a successful company and end up with a

Franchising USA

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H O M EBASED & H O M E SERV ICES FR A NCH ISI NG FE AT U RE

Featu re

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

HOMEBASED & HOME SERVICES FRANCHISING FEATURE

Nowadays, it’s so easy to connect with people on so many levels. The world has become a much smaller place with the advancement in technology. Between social media, the internet, text message and Skype, communication has extended beyond anything we could have ever imagined.

We can reach out to businesses on different platforms at any time of day. This access to communication has changed the world of business in a variety of ways. This advancement has allowed the economy to take up space in different locations, including the home.

With families working full time and commutes to and from the office taking up the majority of people’s workday, the benefits of working from home have

Franchising USA

“There are a lot of opportunities for homebased franchises now; it’s in your best interest to truly navigate the system before investing.” become an idealistic situation for a lot of business owners. The American family wants to reclaim their personal time and be more available to their loved ones. Of course a franchise provides a better work life balance but a homebased service allows a franchisee to be more committed and stabilized within their household.

There are many benefits from running a homebased business; clearly the time not wasted traveling can lead to more time spent on productivity while also allowing more time for family.

From a franchisor’s perspective, one of the most consuming costs is location and office space. In the case of a home business there is not office space to rent nor a building to construct. On the downfall, you may have to provide your own office supplies, which may seem minute in the grand scheme of things but it can all add up. Before investing in a home base franchise, speak with the franchisor regarding expectations and costs. It’s important to understand where your startup fees are allocated and what is necessary to run such a franchise.

Would being at home mean that employees would have to be within your space at times?

If so, is that infringing on your privacy?

Do you like the idea of having your office within the comfort of your own home?

There are a lot of opportunities for homebased franchises now; it’s in your best interest to truly navigate the system before investing. Reach out to other franchisees and ask them what their worklife balance has been like, have a prepared set of questions for franchise offices and inquire about your own personal goals with a home business.

The drawback of homebased services is the lack of tangible office space. Many people work from home but without distinct separation of work and home, family members or house calls can interfere with work and the balance and can be a constant conflict. Depending on what you desire from a home work space, you can set fine lines that help create separation in any home. Some people refuse any personal infringement during their work time to establish that separation while others enjoy running around with a laptop in one hand and a kid in the other.

Compare and contrast what you would be spending on location including rent and bills, as well as transportation costs compared to living at home. It’s important to consider how much would be expected from you outside of the home and how a certain franchise would fit into your lifestyle.

Franchising USA

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Featu re

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

to step into the business as needed and work on their own time. For those interested in putting in a day’s work on their couch and never missing another birthday party or concert or school play.

A homebased business could be the right fit for people who want to have control of their time and the freedom to be with their family.

“A franchise now provides numerous home based businesses to consider so not only do you work from the comfort of your own home, you determine what type of work you will be doing. It truly is the American dream.”

That’s the great part about working from home: you set the rules and you determine what kind of environment works in your favor to be successful.

Sometimes a lack of location can set a business back in some ways. Having a stable office space makes you more accessible to the public but some home based franchises do not need a space to function; therefore research is necessary to determine the expectations of the business.

With the internet becoming a powerful shopping location, it’s easy to take advantage of technology and generate a profit. A lot of homebased franchises are delivery or mobile programs and how those systems are scheduled and work would determine how a franchisee would work from home.

Of course, a passion for an industry would be helpful. A lot of us dream of working from home, but in a field of interest would be preferable.

A franchise is a great opportunity to create the perfect work life balance. It can allow more time at home and a stress-free environment, and it also allows investors

Franchising USA

Some homebased businesses would create longer working hours. Global communication has been beneficial to the economy but sometimes conference calls may be on the other side of the world. The time difference can make for odd working hours and irregular schedules. Franchises usually work with you to create a schedule that suits your needs and provide support and efforts to avoid such a chaotic schedule. In comparison with other home businesses, franchises have a support system and a home office that guarantees a better lifestyle for their franchisees.

Home businesses are the ideal for most Americans and a franchise is an accessible and safe way of achieving that dream. In fact, 70 per cent of home based businesses succeed within 3 years versus 30 per cent of regular businesses. Families would have more time with one another; people would have more personal time for themselves and spend less time on the road. It’s a lifestyle that’s always been hard to achieve but technology has changed the discourse and possibility of how we run business. A franchise now provides numerous homebased businesses to consider so not only do you work from the comfort of your own home, you determine what type of work you will be doing. It truly is the American dream.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: After receiving an

English Degree, followed by a Journalism Diploma,

Gina Gill became a freelance journalist in 2008. She has worked as a reporter and in communications,

focusing on social media. She currently works as a

community information officer with Epilepsy Society, while pursuing her writing career at the same time.

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H O M EBASED & H O M E SERV ICES FR A NCH ISI NG FE AT U RE

Christopher Conner, President, Franchise Marketing Systems

Home Based Busines

Virtual is

In today’s increasingly digital-dependent community, the business world has transitioned to one of an increasingly virtual work setting.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number increased from 19% of the workforce in 2003 to

Franchising USA

24% in 2015, and this number is expected to continue rising. The truth is that with technology, comes the ability to almost work from anywhere as effectively as we once did it all sitting together in an office at one time. So how does this transition affect the franchise community?

There has been an incredible rise in the volume of home based businesses throughout the world. Some of the early adopters to home based businesses were concepts that were oriented towards home

services, such as painting, landscaping and other services, but today the range of home-based franchises is so broad there is very little one couldn’t find as a home-based business. Financial Services, Fitness, Education, Senior Care, Food Service, Event Planning and others all fall into this home-based franchise category and in most cases have performed exceedingly well.

What are some of the key drivers to the home-based business model’s success and

sses –

“In” “The truth is that with technology, comes the ability to almost work from anywhere as effectively as we once did it all sitting together in an office at one time.”

why has this paradigm shift occurred at such a rapid rate? First, the element of not needing to invest in real estate and fixed costs such as equipment or heavy labor expenses allow for someone to open a home-based business at a much lower cost of entry. Many home based franchises quote investment ranges under $100,000 including working capital.

This lower financial requirement makes the investment appealing for obvious reasons and if the model produces strong

financials, the return on investment can be significant and achieved in a much shorter time period. Home-based businesses also allow for a solid work-life balance and allow the business owner the freedom and flexibility to make choices about what time is allocated to family vs. work in any given day. In addition, I have found that homebased businesses allow for the business owner to maximize their work schedule and avoid time-wasting activities like a commute into work.

The downsides to home-based franchise models are that the business owner needs to be extremely diligent and self-motivated in order to be effective without oversight or someone to hold them accountable; if someone has trouble waking up in the morning, a home-based business probably isn’t the best route. One of the downsides to a home based franchise is also the lack of personal interaction that a business owner has with other people increasing the feeling of isolation and loneliness. Homebased business requires intense focus and a love for the work being performed.

Some of the models we have come across recently we like a great deal are TIP – a home based franchise opportunity that helps businesses find Transportation Excise tax savings. The business model is simple, well-defined, the franchisor provides the processing work and all the franchisee needs to focus on is driving results and marketing the services. The TIP Franchisee is paid a percentage of what they save the client offering great service on a performance based model.

Another brand we’ve seen amazing results from in a home-based business model is a brand called EventPrep, which provides event planning services to businesses and groups holding mid to large scale events or group functions. The franchisee runs the business entirely from a home office location and is paid a fee for delivering event planning services to clients. Both opportunities present significant financial opportunities and require a fraction of the investment required to start a traditional franchise business.

What has become clear to me in working with a variety of home-based franchise

Chris Conner

models is the need for a strong franchise marketing system to be in place. Homebased businesses don’t have the organic traffic that might come from a retail business with foot traffic and street exposure, so they are reliant on a strong marketing and sales model to be in place. Good home-based franchises have a marketing mechanism in place that will drive leads and opportunities to the franchisee and good metrics to base the sales model on. Strong homebased franchise owners then have the opportunity to step into these franchise systems and execute consistently.

I am a proponent for home-based businesses and believe in them to a large extent, and recommend investigating a home based business if the right opportunity arises. Before taking the leap, just make sure that you have the personality that fits a home-based business lifestyle.

Christopher Conner is the President of Franchise Marketing Systems and has spent the last decade in the franchise industry working with several hundred different franchise systems in management, franchise sales and franchise development work.

His experience ranges across all fields of franchise expertise with a focus in franchise marketing and franchise sales but includes work in franchise strategic planning, franchise research and franchise operations consulting. www.franchisemarketingsystems.com

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H O M EBASED & H O M E SERV ICES FR A NCH ISI NG FE AT U RE

Julie Smith, COO & President, Homewatch CareGivers

Accomplishing a Home Care Brand’s Growth Goals Most franchises, regardless of industry, quickly come up against the challenge of meeting annual expansion goals while also maintaining a brand’s value proposition—as seen by both existing franchisees and customers.

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These dual goals can create friction between growth and ongoing operations, especially when a franchise organization’s infrastructure is not fully built out with talented professionals on both sides of the business. You run the risk of depleting the quality of the brand if you focus too much on one side at the expanse of the other.

The home care industry is no different – as a home care franchisor, we must protect the equity we have built in our business as trusted providers of caregiving services, yet also be fully invested in our franchise development. In fact, to reach our franchise expansion goals it is crucial

we achieve excellence on both sides of the business.

As a home care company with nearly four decades of experience behind us, we, like many others in our sector, are in a unique position to blend our growth with the benefits of our operations. Businesses like ours have an incredibly strong emotional appeal; franchisees can enter the business of care and make meaningful differences in the lives of others. Additionally, demand for home care will only continue to rise—more than 75 percent of the roughly 10,000 people who will turn 65 each day want to age at home.

So, how do we distinguish ourselves from other franchisors trying to leverage the same aspects of the home care industry to grow their companies with qualified franchisees? The key lies in finding the balance between brand differentiation and franchisee support that facilitates growth system wide—tools that can be applied to brands across the franchise industry.

Identify what sets your brand apart Above all, a home care brand needs to prove that its value proposition is a better fit for a prospective franchisee’s business aspirations than all the other franchise opportunities out there.

Value to franchisees is determined by how well franchise brands administer training programs, personal development opportunities and annual franchisee conventions. Although nearly every home care franchise offers a similar stable of at least rudimentary supportive benefits meant to ease a franchisee’s entrance into the system and to cultivate their experience going forward, an interested franchisee is looking at what makes your franchising experience unique, and hopefully better, than the competition.

It’s not about finding a secret, previously undiscovered method of franchising home care services. Prospective franchisees are technical, and they are looking for the details that set a brand apart from the competitors. This means a brand is best served by taking a thorough assessment of its existing care standards, franchisee support systems and other benefits and quantifying just how much they distinguish a home care franchise from all the rest.

I recommend home care franchises emphasize differentiators such as promoting decades of brand equity, creating upper-tier quality metrics and implementing annual improvements of franchisee support methods. Robust processes and systems at the franchisor level can make it easier to reinforce these differentiators and utilize them as tools for growth on a local level. If you can show a prospective franchisee that he or she is investing in a business opportunity

with measurable benefits, your home care franchise will already be setting itself apart from other concepts that are not as strategic in their messaging and execution efforts.

Think local, grow national The key to franchise growth for a national home care brand may seem counterintuitive: think local. There should ideally be little to no national sales drivers, or national advertising efforts. Instead, a system modified to support referrals and targeted lead generation on a smaller scale can pay off in meaningful, long-term franchise development.

A local model recognizes that every market is different and every franchisee has their own unique set of strengths, providing the flexibility for a franchisor to more precisely target potential franchisees that are the best fit for a specific market.

With a more locally focused growth model, a corporate team can work directly with a prospective franchisee and walk through the opportunities that particular owner has in their market. That same staff can then help a new franchisee execute his or her plan to get their business off the ground with a strategy put in place for ongoing success.

Make existing franchisees strategic partners in growth As any growing home care franchisor knows, often the best validation for a brand is its existing network of franchisees. Sustained growth results from a franchisor prioritizing the needs of a franchisee throughout the life-cycle of his or her business—from when an individual is only a soft lead all the way a franchisee making a succession plan for retirement to pass on the business to a family member. Rather than getting lost in the numbers of percentage sales and increases, a calculated commitment to franchisee support can make franchisees true partners in growth for a franchisor.

Home care companies create those partnerships through support teams that are separate from franchise development specialists. A true support team is primarily focused on supporting an existing franchisee or location, not

Julie Smith

on exclusively developing franchise opportunities. Establishing support systems such as peer groups allow existing owners to share best practices and wisdom with a group of franchisees that have similar challenges and different expertise.

It also shows the corporate support center is committed to providing the best tools and processes to strengthen its franchisees’ businesses.

Franchisee support in turn endorses the franchise opportunity being offered by the franchisor. Validating a franchise opportunity with existing franchisees is a well-known component of the development process for many prospective entrepreneurs. So when an existing franchisee can confidently say a home office is dedicated to supporting their business, he or she may convince a prospective owner better than any other franchise development tool in a franchisor’s arsenal.

With a strong growth strategy that emphasizes brand differentiators and is rooted locally, a home care company will unquestionably have the ability to facilitate its expansion. Meanwhile, by prioritizing franchisee support on a local level, existing franchisees will support new growth with powerful brand validation.

Julie Smith is Chief Operating Officer and President of Homewatch CareGivers. www.franchise.org/homewatchcaregivers-franchse

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H O M EBASED & H O M E SERV ICES FR A NCH ISI NG FE AT U RE

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H O M EBASED & H O M E SERV ICES FR A NCH ISI NG FE AT U RE

Bill Redfern, Founder, CEO & President, A Buyer’s Choice Home Inspections

Launching an International Brand:

The Need-to-Knows

“Within the competitive home-based franchise industry, it is no secret that you need to diversify your brand.”

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International expansion is the natural next step for franchisors looking to broaden their reach. But it’s not as easy as simply selling your franchise concept to someone in a different country and crossing your fingers that it will be successful.

There are hundreds of considerations to think through before the brand continues down the road to international success, but the first step must be to conduct thorough research. Both internal and external research can have a powerful impact on the success of international growth.

I have learned an array of lessons through my experience of launching three brands internationally, but all can be boiled down to three key findings.

Immerse yourself in the culture Finding success within a new market starts with research. Extensive research and exploratory travel are the keys to finding the hidden gems within the culture that the brand can mold around in order to thrive.

Conducting market research through physically taking a trip to your target market to explore the culture and learn the business etiquette will immediately set you apart within the industry. Take every opportunity to connect with industry professionals in the area to learn what it takes to run a business there from the experts themselves.

Miscommunication is unavoidable when there is a cultural barrier. During your research and immersion phase, take precautions into consideration and hire translators who can help guide you through specific customs. They can help

take your brand’s message and convey it in a respectful, appropriate manner. By showing the locals you care enough to take the time to understand their business customs, your brand will gain trust and respect.

Hold yourself to a proven standard Regardless of location, the brand should provide all customers with the same experience. This can be attributed to a thorough initial training, the consistency of a proven business model and supporting your franchisee. Take pride in the fact that your company is able to grow internationally because of your franchise partners – the brand is only as good as they are.

One key finding that is used throughout my brands is a three-level support structure: franchise partners, regional master franchisors and home office. Each level supports each other in a unique way, but by dividing the support into three groups ensures that no single group ever becomes overwhelmed.

As you grow your brand, be considerate of near and long-term goals of both the brand and the network of franchisees within. Acknowledge the fact that those you are working with have personal and professional goals they are working toward to further drive the brand as a whole.

Diversify your brand Within the competitive home-based franchise industry, it is no secret that you need to diversify your brand. This can also include initial training, utilizing a proven business model and consistently supporting franchisees because franchisees will be your leading asset.

With franchisees being the day-to-day face of the brand, it is important that everyone is telling the same company story.

Through means of marketing techniques, public relations, both local and national

Bill Redfern

and personal networking interactions, the brand’s voice should be the biggest factor in diversifying your brand.

Finally, the greatest lesson in diversifying and growing your brand internationally in my experience is that old-fashioned customer service and attention to detail both in dealing with consumer customers and our franchise partners has made the most potent impact to date.

A proven expert in international franchising, Bill Redfern, Founder, President and CEO of Global Franchise Opportunities, is responsible for the development, growth and success of the standout home-focused concepts of A Buyer’s Choice Home Inspections (ABCHI), iCare – Intelligent Home Care Solutions and iHandyman. His first concept, ABCHI, became the largest Canadian home inspection franchise after only two years of operation, and subsequently grew into one of the world’s largest home inspection companies.

Today, ABCHI has over 200 franchises operating in 15 countries around the world. Following ABCHI’s worldwide success, Redfern launched iCare – Intelligent Home Care Solutions in 2014 to meet the home healthcare needs of seniors everywhere and iHandyman in 2015 to meet every home repair need across the globe. gfobrands.com

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H O M EBASED & H O M E SERV ICES FR A NCH ISI NG FE AT U RE

Leann Reynolds, CEO, Homewatch CareGivers

Three Ways Home Care Franchises Can Improve Industry Professionalism, Standards and Services Through Advocacy All home care companies have a vital role to play in shaping policies and standards of the broader industry.

Each home care brand can be instrumental in establishing best practices that raise

the industry to new heights to increase the professionalism and quality of care of all

providers, but only if the home care brands make advocacy a priority at an industry level. This includes home care company executives taking a more active role in representing the entire industry with their expertise and principles to more clearly define industry-wide standards.

From caregivers who visit clients’ homes and the support staff that keeps local offices running, to the franchise owner who provides services and the corporate team on the brand level, professional private duty home care franchises have a responsibility to provide care that is high quality, affordable and professionally delivered.

Professionalize caregivers with education and training

Leann Reynolds

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Caregivers are in a unique position to provide extraordinary care that can truly make all the difference for aging or ailing clients and their families. In order to provide that professional level of care, many home care brands have come to rely on training and extensive education for caregivers. Companies who employ caregivers directly often reimburse employees for those training and education expenses, and oversee training schedules to ensure staff are current on all training requirements.

Related to education and training, the impact of home care advocacy is clearly illustrated by the industry discussion around the strengths of the employerbased model. Many home care franchises believe in a business model where senior care is provided by caregivers who are employed directly by the franchise owner, rather than by registries of privately contracted caregivers. When franchise locations employ caregivers directly, they provide oversight and supervision. This training and education allows franchisees to better protect both their employees and their clients because their staff is trained regularly on relevant topics related to the care they are providing.

Helping clients to understand the difference between the two models is important because it can be a significant deciding factor when choosing between multiple home care providers. By advocating for more transparency when disclosing hiring and training processes, home care companies are able to provide potential clients with a clearer understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of both contracted and directly employed caregivers. A more informed decision can lead to increased client satisfaction.

Use standards of care as a tool to keep step with the broader industry Thanks to the growing advocacy of a larger group of home care companies than ever before, there are broader standards of care available in the industry that have gone a long way in strengthening the services delivered by all providers. There are many tools available, like improved training and education technology, background checks and rigid hiring requirements, and quality assurance processes. Plus, the best part of being involved in advocacy in the home care industry is seeing more companies recognize the market demand for high quality care. More companies are working together to pool resources and make sure as many providers as possible are adhering to the same care standards, making those important tools even more accessible and mainstream for local franchise owners.

Franchisors are also in a position to take advantage of these advances in industry care standards. Both franchisees and their clients benefit from incorporating these industry tools and standards into daily operations.

Become an involved voice in the industry Once training and standards of care have been established, the next step as a franchisor is to act as a unifying voice in the industry. Home care company executives must realize their roles as advocates on behalf of franchise owners, and even as a group of competitors; it would be great to see brands come forward and advocate for their owners, who are busy serving their communities and don’t always have the ability to advocate at the federal or state level for national policies or practices. However, franchisors can encourage local owners to advocate on a grassroots community level, and educate their friends and neighbors on what home care is and why it’s important.

In the end, the futures of all home care companies are linked. It’s essential for everyone to have a good reputation, through caregivers and the services each

“Home care providers, especially franchisors, should be active participants in the advocacy conversation, because of the often-vulnerable populations that are served and for the caregivers that are employed.” brand provides, because one bad seed can harm the reputation of the entire

industry. Home care providers, especially franchisors, should be active participants in the advocacy conversation, because

of the often-vulnerable populations that

are served and for the caregivers that are

employed. Home care services improve the lives of thousands of people in need each

day and it’s the industry’s responsibility to advance these.

Leann Reynolds was promoted to CEO at Homewatch CareGivers in March 2016 after serving as president for almost 10 years. She is responsible for the strategic direction of the company, and acts as an advocate for the employee-based home care model.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Home Care Association of America. www.homewatchcaregivers.com

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H O M EBASED & H O M E SERV ICES FR A NCH ISI NG FE AT U RE

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ex per t advice

David Zimmerman, CEO, LC Technology International

five Tips for Protecting Your Franchise’s Information

In the spring of 2017, Chipotle announced “most” of its more than 2,200 locations were affected by a malware hack that exposed customer credit card information.

The company was already in “brand management” mode after experiencing food-borne illness outbreaks, and the hack was another crisis that the company wished never occurred.

While companies cannot prevent every single attack, especially against sophisticated and dedicated hackers, there are several steps franchises can take to make them a less inviting target. Hackers are focusing on franchises because they have so many data entry points. The

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corporate office manages data, as does the individual franchises, and there is a security risk with every computer terminal or POS system.

Proper data management practices are essential for keeping proprietary internal and customer data away from the hands of hackers. Here are steps every franchise operator should take to organize, store, and protect data:

1

Create a plan

Both franchisees and the corporate management need a formal data plan. For the individual franchise, this plan should detail the various sources of data and denote which people are responsible for handling that data. With a written plan the franchise creates transparency and accountability, and gives every employee a role in keeping information safe. The plan should be as comprehensive as possible and could include for example: how often the POS system should be updated, who

David Zimmerman

sets system passwords, and how franchises should submit data to corporate.

2

Organize the information

Franchises generate a considerable amount of data, and it should be very clear where this information is routed and how it is stored. There’s data coming through the POS systems, as well as inventory info, internal marketing data, and financials on the franchise’s performance metrics. Storing all of this information at a centralized location is imperative. It’s not only a safer approach, but also more efficient. Organization also encourages transparency and helps the company protect data from loss. And the costs of loss can be great. Wendy’s experienced a

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ex per t advice

David Zimmerman, CEO, LC Technology International

“There’s data coming through the POS systems, as well as inventory info, internal marketing data, and financials on the franchise’s performance metrics. Storing all of this information at a centralized location is imperative.”

data breach and not only lost the faith of some customers, but was then subject to

lawsuits from various financial institutions.

3

Backup the backup data – and back it up again

Organizing the data into a central location

is useful for productivity and accessibility, but not protection. Franchises should use

a mix of physical storage (such as external hard drives) and cloud storage to keep all of this information. They should work

closely with corporate to understand any requirements on data storage and rules

about backing up important information.

Storage is exceedingly inexpensive, and is a classic “risk/reward” where the risk of a small amount of cash and some

operational time is greatly outweighed by

the risks of data loss. Franchise managers should utilize secure cloud-based storage

instead of placing sensitive information on their laptops. And they can then duplicate the information onto another provider’s cloud platform for extra peace of mind.

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4

Use and update virus and malware protection

Franchises and the corporate office should both employ the latest virus and malware tools, so their systems can detect and proactively stop breach attempts.

Franchisees should ensure their POS solutions are auto-updating so they can be certain the system will be covered under security patches or the latest virus definitions.

5

Manage data access

Preventing breaches is often a people problem. A disgruntled employee might decide to give an outside agent their credentials. Or an employee forgets their training and makes a password of “1234” for their POS login. The franchise owner should work under corporate guidelines to restrict data access and have the ability to revoke access credentials as needed. If an employee quits, then the franchise manager must be able to remove their login info immediately. It’s another aspect of security that requires transparency. Franchise owners must have

an understanding of who is accessing the company’s information and whether or not that access is appropriate.

Both individual franchise owners and the corporate management should be concerned about data management and preventing security breaches. Even if a data-loss event occurs at just only one franchise, the consumers in another state might lose faith in the franchise brand as a whole.

LC Technology International, Inc. is a global leader in data recovery, file system utilities and data security technology. Clients include original equipment manufacturers, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, corporate security specialists and IT consultants, among others. Available worldwide and published in more than 24 different languages, LC Technology products are available direct or through several major manufacturers. Founded in 1997, LC Technology is based in Clearwater, Florida. www.lc-tech.com

Page 41

The Ultimate Professional Franchise Opportunity

www.interfacefinancial.com/franchise Franchising USA

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FOCUS

T he I nter face Fina ncial G roup

A Truly Unique Franchise!

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We all like to use the word unique and we all like to be considered as unique, but are we really?

Unique is probably one of the most overworked words in the English language, and one that has taken on a new meaning over time. It’s perhaps similar to the word gourmet which is likewise greatly overworked and has lost its true meaning – we now have a ‘gourmet corner’ in a mall food court!

How does unique fit into the franchise scene and, especially, how does it relate to the IFG 50-50 franchise?

Firstly, let’s establish a workable definition of the word unique – we think it’s best defined as ‘being the only one of its kind – unlike anything else’.

Even a speedy review of franchise listings shows that virtually all franchisors consider their franchise offering to be unique. We see the IFG 50-50 franchise likewise as unique – but we believe there are very specific features about the franchise that make it unlike anything else, and thus it really does qualify for the unique label.

Our marketplace We operate in the business-to-business marketplace working with client companies that are usually small and medium-sized. Usually they are also growing at a rapid rate. While we provide an in-demand service to these clients, we certainly would not see that market sector as unique.

Our service We are invoice discounters – our job is to accelerate the cash flow for our clients.

We do this by purchasing specific current quality invoices from our clients. This means that they receive cash today for invoices that are scheduled to be paid at some future time, thus accelerating their cash flow by many weeks. Offering this

“While the IFG 50-50 franchise may not be totally unique, as is probably the case with most franchises, we do believe that we have some very unique features that make us stand out from the crowd.” service to our clients on an ‘as-needed’ basis makes us unique and one-of-a-kind.

Our history We have been doing business under the banner of The Interface Financial Group for over 45 years. In franchising terms, this is a lengthy heritage. That longevity has enabled us to create a franchise that is definitely tried and tested in the business world. However, while 45 years is a long time we would not see ourselves as unique in this particular area.

Our reach The Interface Financial Group currently has operations in eight countries and is truly an international organization. One of the great benefits of the international structure is that it enables franchisees to do cross-border transactions in a very cost and time-effective manner. This is something that is of considerable benefit to our clients involved in the import and export of goods and services. While the international aspect is not necessarily unique, the fact that we can apply our service internationally is a unique approach.

Our franchise While we like to add the tag ‘unique’ to our franchise, it does in fact resemble many other franchises in the way that it is formulated. We offer a homebased environment as do many other franchisors. We offer a franchise where normally there are no employees; there is no requirement to purchase inventory; there is no requirement for customized equipment, advertising or promotion; and

it is basically paperless from a franchisee’s point of view.

Having introduced a large element of technology into our franchise, we have created an opportunity for franchisees to work in a paperless environment - there are no forms to fill in, no contracts to prepare and review, no reports to write and submit, it’s all about people ‘work’. There may be an element of uniqueness in this aspect.

Our franchisees I am quite convinced that all of our franchisees are 100% unique! We look for individuals that have a mature and solid business background. We are not overly concerned on their specific background, in terms of which branch of industry they came from, but rather more on the fact that they have ‘been there and done that.’ Because we see the IFG 50-50 franchise as a blend of technology and people we look for franchisees that have exceptional people skills, while we take care of the technology aspects. We look for great networkers, people with excellent communication skills and individuals that are comfortable working in a one-on-one people environment.

While the IFG 50-50 franchise may not be totally unique, as is probably the case with most franchises, we do believe that we have some very unique features that make us stand out from the crowd. For individuals that are interested in owning their own white-collar financial service franchise and working in a professional environment, then certainly our uniqueness is something to explore. www.interfacefinancial.com/franchise

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FOCUS

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Veterans in Franchising september 2017

www.franchisingusamagazine.com

ASP Pool Franchise Looking to Expand

Offers Veterans Valuable Discounts

Military Skills

Opened the Door to Leadership Role

From Military Mechanic to Franchise Architect Franchising USA

SAME DRIVE. DIFFERENT BATTLEFIELD. TAKE THE NEXT STEP > VETFRAN.COM OFFERING FINANCIAL SUPPORT, TRAINING & MENTORSHIP Veterans interested in franchising can take their skills learned in the military to successfully own and develop small businesses. Learn more and support veterans in franchising at www.vetfran.com.

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

Page 47

V e t e r a n s i n F r a n c h i s i n g S u ppl e m e n t s e pt e m b e r 2 0 1 7 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

Veterans Profile

45 American Swimming Pools: Pool Franchise

Looking to Expand Offers Veterans

Valuable Discounts

52 J. Anthony Hobson, OpenWorks

52 Military Skills Opened the Door to

Leadership Role

News and Expert Advice

50 From Military Mechanic to Franchise Architect

50 From Military Mechanic to Franchise Architect Jerry Hancock, Founder, Sub Zero Nitrogen

54 EventPrep

Ice Cream

54 Moments of Truth in the Customer Experience Roger McCoy, Franchise Business Consultant

and Army Veteran

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V e t er ans in Fr anchising

A mer ica’s S w im ming Pool C ompa ny ( ASP )

Pool Franchise Looking to Expand Offers Veterans Valuable Discounts

Veterans can enjoy year-round savings from the United States’ No. 1 swimming pool repair, maintenance and renovation company, but a lucky few get even more.

That’s because every year around Veterans Day, America’s Swimming Pool Company (ASP) holds a contest among veterans vying to become franchisees and waives the entire fee for the winning veteran.

Two runners up also receive a 50 percent discount on the franchise fee.

And during the rest of the year, all veterans enjoy a 15 percent discount on the franchise fee, Jef Flournoy, VP of Franchise Sales and Development at ASP, explained during a recent interview.

At the moment, the Macon, GA-based franchise has about a dozen veteran owners among its 99 franchise locations.

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Flournoy praised the great work ethic of veterans and called them not only great business owners, but great leaders within the ASP family.

Great for Customers and Owners Founded by current CEO Stewart Vernon in 2002, ASP has been franchising for the past 12 years.

With the swimming pool industry being so fragmented and offering a relatively low quality of service at the time, Vernon saw the opportunity to create a company that would become a national brand in the industry that promised professionalism, stellar service and the use of the latest technology for both customers and franchisees alike.

On the consumer side, ASP has Pool Ops. With Pool Ops, franchisees can schedule appointments and then track those service calls. When service is complete, Pool Ops will send a complete report via email to a pool owner outlining everything that was done to their pool — from a simple cleaning to any maintenance they

requested — along with a time-stamped photo of the clean pool or the piece of equipment that was worked on. From this report and photo, the owner knows for certain the service was completed.

The report even gives details like which chemicals were used to balance the water, how much of the chemicals were used and which technician completed the work.

On the franchisee side, ASP boasts a comprehensive training program and a strong support system.

For 11 days from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m, franchisees attend ASP’s Pool School on its campus in Macon, which features 14 working pools that have every kind of pool equipment conceivable. But, Pool School isn’t actually the beginning of their training.

“Before Pool School starts, they would receive between 30 to 35 hours of what we would call pre-Pool School training,” Flournoy explained. Much of this training happens online.

At Pool School, in addition to the hands-on maintenance training, franchisees receive instruction in every aspect of running

a business from marketing to billing to running QuickBooks.

After Pool School, brand new franchisees go through ASP’s Guerrilla Action Marketing Plan for another 10 weeks of training. This training is a little less demanding, consisting of a call once per week with an ASP operations team leader.

“We really want franchisees to get off to a good start and get into good habits,” Flournoy said.

Along with a local marketing team, the company has a national PR firm that supports franchisees, plus staff at headquarters who handle technical questions from franchisees throughout the day.

Regional round table meetings are held where franchise owners get together to discuss best practices and build relationships between each other. Flourney described those as meetings where six to 13 people who are all involved in the pool industry gather in a room to share their best ideas and best practices with the goal of making everyone a better business person.

Lastly, the annual owners meeting lasts for two days and is a smorgasbord of information for franchisees where industry vendors give presentations on the latest technology in the swimming pool market.

Nationwide Expansion Flournoy himself is a former ASP franchisee. About 10 years ago, right before his wife enrolled in dental school in Augusta, GA, he bought an ASP franchise in that city and ran it for about eight years while his wife attended school. After she completed her pediatric residency, she received a lucrative job offer back in Macon where the couple were both from.

Flournoy sold his ASP franchise, the couple moved back to their hometown of Macon and he immediately called ASP and requested a job on the corporate side of things where he remains today.

Typical ASP franchisees are between 25 and 55 years old and have to be willing to follow the franchise system. They do not need to have swimming pool experience, Flournoy noted, but will usually have

some kind of customer service or sales experience, although that’s also not required. But they do need to possess an undergraduate degree.

Right now the franchise is in 21 states, but the VP of Franchise Sales and Development is expecting to expand that.

“In the next three to five years, we should be in 30 to 35 states,” he outlined.

The only places the franchise is completely sold out is in Dallas, Atlanta, Orlando and in Montana.

There are franchises available everywhere else throughout the country and ASP is particularly interested in expansion in Houston, Memphis, Richmond, VA, Las Vegas and Tampa, FL.

“We really want franchisees to get off to a good start and get into good habits.”

- Jef Flournoy ASP starts as a predominantly homebased business and generally grows into a business that requires a small office and warehouse space, Flournoy noted. While it’s not really a retail franchise, some franchisees have added a retail element to their businesses.

For veterans looking to become business owners, America’s Swimming Pool Company offers great opportunities and for a lucky few, an amazing opportunity at savings while getting started. www.aspfranchising.com

Franchising USA

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V e t er ans in Fr anchising

Jerry Hancock, Founder, Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream

From Military Mechanic to Franchise Architect

connec

Franchising USA

Putting my militaryfunded college degree and access to the U.S. Military Surplus to use, I founded an entirely new franchise concept.

I went through many ups and downs, years of preparation and even experienced a failing franchise before I realized what I needed to do to be a successful franchisor – use my military resources to create a process I believed in.

Finding the Right Process I was always attracted to the process of franchising. Seeing a designated formula for success and a method that makes sense is so important to me and to most veterans.

That’s why I believe veterans do well in franchising; we’re used to a definitive

“The military offers you a lot of ctions, networks and resources – use them!”

process. Everything in the military is a process and no soldier deviates from it. As a franchisor, I see the differences between veterans and civilians. Civilians will question everything and at times won’t follow the plan, where veterans follow the plan just as it’s laid out.

Veterans contemplating franchising need to consider all of their options. There are so many franchises out there that there’s almost always a proper fit. First thing to do is to evaluate the people behind the franchise. Determine their business plan, goals and their motivation to seeing the franchise succeed. You’ll also want to find a business that makes sense to you, something you can easily understand and execute. Perhaps most importantly though, select a process you believe in.

I originally went into a franchise that I thought I could stand behind. However, I wasn’t seeing the returns I had hoped for and quickly noticed the absenteeism of the corporate team. That’s where I originally started what would later become my own franchise. Looking for extra revenue and having to think of new ways to profit, I started selling ice cream using liquid nitrogen.

It took me almost five years to figure out how to find the best process to create never before seen ice cream. Thanks to my military background where no matter how good you are, you quickly learn to take your time to get the job done right. Once I figured out a profitable and efficient way to execute the process, I began franchising my own brand.

Using the Military as a Resource Most vets don’t have the capital to start a new business or buy into an existing franchise. That’s why we must be resourceful in finding funding. Luckily, the military offers many options. I used the U.S. Military Surplus as my main resource to buy the necessary equipment for my franchise.

I was so excited to combine my chemistry degree and love for ice cream to start an ice cream franchise, but I couldn’t afford a liquid nitrogen tank to experiment on my own. I found the best way to experiment

Jerry Hancock

with the creation process was to use the equipment found at the U.S. Military Surplus. I knew the military would help me in life but I’d never think that I’d be using the military’s equipment to operate a business!

One of the other ways the military can assist is through networking options.

Finding the right business partner with the same morals and goals or highlighting veteran friendly franchises are useful tools when launching a business. The military offers you a lot of connections, networks and resources –use them!

The military gave me the patience, the understanding and the leadership abilities to become a successful franchisor and I’m forever grateful for my experience.

Jerry Hancock enlisted in the Air Force Reserve in 1985 and trained as a mechanic for the F-16 ejection seat, and in 1992 he was deployed to Alaska.

While serving, he attended Brigham Young University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. After a short hiatus from the Reserves, he re-enlisted in the Air National Guard in 2003 and served as a Network Communications Specialist with a Top Secret clearance in the 151st Air Refueling Wing. While serving in the National Guard, he was deployed to Guam to assist in setting up their unit communications. Jerry founded Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream in 2004. www.subzeroicecream.com/franchising

Franchising USA

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O p enWor ks

J. Anthony Hobson

Profile

Military Skills Opened the Door to Leadership Role with National Franchise Company For J. Anthony Hobson, life as a Sergeant in the Marine Corps taught him essential skills for business leadership.

As a veteran, Anthony had to face the difficulties of finding a career that fit his desire to lead. At OpenWorks, a national commercial cleaning franchise, he found a role helping fellow veterans succeed as franchise owners.

J. Anthony Hobson served in the Marine Corps from 1991 until 1997, eventually earning the role of Sergeant. After his service, Anthony decided to go back to school to finish his degree, and found work at a customer support call center.

He found “starting over” challenging, especially compared with the leadership roles he was used to in the Marines.

Luckily, Anthony found OpenWorks, a national commercial cleaning franchise company headquartered in Phoenix, where he stepped into a corporate operations role that enabled him to serve the company with his leadership skills and smarts.

“Veterans are often skilled communicators, leading small to large teams comprised of individuals from all walks of life, capable of accomplishing difficult missions,” says Hobson. “They can effectively follow a scope of work, communicate with customers of all types, train and lead staff members, and be organized and efficient.”

OpenWorks offers veterans transition from military life into civilian life through franchise ownership. What’s more, OpenWorks has recruiting systems in place and discounted rates that provide more support to veterans looking to begin in the franchise ownership business.

OpenWorks knows that veterans bring a certain skill set that most people do not have. Anthony found that many of the essential skills that veterans develop in their military career such as honesty, discipline, attention to detail and organization are useful in business.

Anthony believes that choosing OpenWorks was a great decision for him and is certain it would be for all veterans.

Anthony’s journey from veteran to OpenWorks leader was not easy, but it completely changed his life. He realizes

Franchising USA

that to get to where he is, it takes a lot of hard work, but also, support from the community. Today, he participates in veteran’s organizations even outside of OpenWorks, to help veterans that were just like him in the beginning.

“I have found my military experience to be invaluable in my professional career, and often rely on skills I learned during my time in the Marine Corps to achieve my objectives. The franchise system is an outstanding choice for veterans from all branches of service, and we would be honored for them to consider becoming an OpenWorks Franchisee. Semper Fi!”

By J. Anthony Hobson, Vice President of Strategic Business Operations at OpenWorks openworksweb.com

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

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Page 53

V e t er ans in Fr anchising

Roger McCoy, A Franchise Business Consultant

Moments of Truth in the Customer Experience Do you control your moments?

Have you broken down the important steps franchise employees have with their customers and documented the best possible actions, feelings, and words that should be taken to enhance each experience – each Moment of Truth? You may offer exciting products and services, or sophisticated technical skills or tools.

But the perceived value of what you offer the customer can be reduced to zero by the wrong thing said or action taken during a contact with your customer.

Roger McCoy

Each customer contact is composed of decision points where the customer relationship can be enhanced or diminished.

Each point may just take a “moment”, but they combine to determine whether the

customer had a valuable experience with the company. In sum, these Moments of

Truth lead to a commitment for continued contact, or convince the customer they

want no further activity with your firm.

There are many factors that go into a

company’s success or failure. This is a

discussion of one of the most important factors; providing a predictable,

exceptional customer experience through contact with your employee team.

Franchising USA

model, the franchisor should take actions to ensure that it’s being used and prescribed practices followed. A typical franchise system has thousands of employees, continually having experiences in the name of the franchise.

Can they each be trusted to behave for the benefit of the franchisor without a clear, understandable experience model available, trained, and enforced for the betterment of all, including the customer?

Most companies have determined the cost of acquiring a new customer, and it’s typically very high. Once you’re in contact, you need to ensure nothing is done to prevent the retaining of that customer. It is typically hard to gain customers, but very easy to lose them.

We need to ensure our employees take the right customer-facing actions.

We’re not talking about creating “robots” reciting trained scripts and procedures.

Instead it’s providing a flexible structure of concepts and actions that free the team member to customize the experience within set guidelines and personalize the experience, while ensuring all key steps are completed. The personality of the team member must come through to allow the creation of trust and rapport required for a positive customer experience.

Your Franchise Model

A training exercise

Does your Franchise Model clearly detail the customer experience that will enhance the customer relationship? I expect many of yours do. But if not, that should be a priority for your near future.

A predictable, exceptional customer experience is your goal. And that can only be reliably achieved if your team understands the value of these Moments and understands how best to enhance them. Relying on each team member to use their “best judgement” in the customer contact experience provides unpredictable behaviors and results.

Along with offering the enhancement

When I visit franchisees, I will frequently offer training for their employees. As part of an exercise to reinforce previous training, the team will generate a list of our Moments of Truth that make up our customer service experience. I’ll moderate as the team helps me list these steps and I’ll ensure nothing is overlooked. This exercise has training reinforcement value itself. But then we’ll get down to the real value of the session.

I then break the team into groups and assign Moments to each group. Each group will then be given time to list what behaviors or actions go into getting the

“It is typically hard to gain customers, but very easy to lose them.

We need to ensure our employees take the right customer-facing actions.”

most out of each Moment. Then together we’ll review the findings of each group.

As expected, they list many of the steps that are part of the franchise model. Other groups will fill in the steps that may have been missed. And the entire process is reinforced for the team. It’s proven to be a useful exercise.

And occasionally something extraordinary happens. A group will offer an additional step or a step enhancement to improve the franchise model. We’ve found the most exciting ideas come from the field. This is a method to reinforce and enhance our model.

Your competitive advantage…

Your Franchise Model is a description of who you are and how you differ from the rest of the marketplace. You can’t depend upon each franchisee employee to make their best effort to maintain the integrity of the model. There must be a “road map” the employee follows consistent with the underlying franchisor’s intent.

If you have a customer experience model, make sure you train and enforce it. If you don’t have a model, develop one that will provide you confidence that your entire organization’s team members are consistently providing their customers

predictable and valuable Moments of Truth.

Roger McCoy is a Franchise Business Consultant for a national home services provider. Roger has held management and ownership positions in the home services industry since 1994, the last 13 have been in franchising. He is a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE), has a Texas HVAC contractor’s license, and is a US Army Veteran. He is currently working toward his PhD in Management.

Franchising USA

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V e t er ans in Fr anchising

EventPrep 速

Military Veterans Join Ranks to Launch New HomeBased Franchise Model

Paul Trapp and Steve Davis are the founding owners of National Conferencing, Inc. which is currently dba/ FederalConference.com.

With over two decades of successful event planning and management experience in the private and government sectors, Paul and Steve have harnessed the science and the art of successful event planning and established themselves as industry leaders. In 2013, FederalConference. com earned the #2 spot on the Inc500 List with $49 million in revenues and a 24,830% growth, and was subsequently

Franchising USA

named to the top five places to work in the industry by Meetings and Convention Magazine. Today, FederalConference. com employs over 50 full time event planning and management professionals at their Northern Virginia headquarters, and successfully plans and executes over 3000 events annually.

In 2016, Paul and Steve leveraged their industry experience, resources and professional relationships to create and launch a new brand: EventPrep速.

EventPrep速 operates as a homebased franchise model as opposed to their previous corporate-owned growth strategy.

The franchise approach was chosen to scale more quickly while providing franchisees the opportunity to be in a successful business for themselves, but not

by themselves. The first two franchisees (Florida and Colorado) experienced

remarkable success and exceeded every

established benchmark the company set out to achieve during their beta test.

Paul and Steve are both military veterans and consistently credit their success to

the experience and education they were afforded during their time serving our country. They know from experience

that veterans make great business owners, and as such, they offer all honorably

discharged veterans a 20% discount off the initial franchise fee.

For more information about EventPrep速, please visit www.eventprepfranchise.com

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

ld and highly ughout the wor ized brand thro ud to be one Midas, a recogn car care, is pro e in complete s – and nitie ortu opp renowned nam e chis a’s original fran of Nor th Americ one of its best. lds - the wor best of both experience the organization and With Midas, you nced franchise erie vice exp ser an o of t aut suppor r ver y own of operating you trusted the satisfaction you become a as franchisee, lding Mid a Bui As s. . ines rise enterp doors for bus you open your wor k every name the day of our brand. We ness, sive t is at the heart pon trus res er se, sum con ng experti t trust by providi day to ear n tha er every time. e to every custom valu t bes the and ch” “The Midas Tou rly 60 years of Benefit from nea

otive ser vice tion in the autom t a stellar reputa t to help you Midas has buil decades. We wan stry nearly six continue to indu air you rep as and location and a n ope you wing: succeed. Before you with the follo p, Midas will help sho r you rate ope your shop for tem sys nagement • Business ma ee orientation • New franchis resources ing and training • Ongoing train suppor t.

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ex per t advice

Tim Conn, President & Co-founder, Image One Facility Solutions

How to Create Strong Feedback Loops with Your Franchisees

A happy franchisee makes for a strong franchise system. If you are already in the franchise community, you have likely been to an event where someone uttered a phrase along those lines.

empowers franchise owners and aims to keep their achievements and challenges top of mind. One of the best ways of doing this is to be intentional about creating a feedback loop with franchisees. You need to have processes in place that allow you to gain insights from owners in your system. And, you need to be vulnerable enough to accept feedback from the people in the trenches.

It is simple and true — and yet, perhaps one of the biggest challenges in all of franchising is for franchisors and franchisees to stay in harmony.

Check in on franchise owners — beyond just your scheduled visits

As a franchise brand, we have learned the importance of creating a system that

Franchising USA

Here are three practical steps for obtaining franchisee feedback.

1

One of the first ways to start that feedback loop is to listen to your franchisees. What are their hopes and dreams, their highs

and lows? How are they doing in the field?

While your operations team may have regularly scheduled visits to go through additional training or offer advice, create touch points outside of that. A simple call from one of your executives to see how a valued franchisee is doing can go a long way. We just had a franchisee praise us for doing that: He was impressed with the spontaneous check-ins from one of our executives and made a point of it when talking to one of our team members. He is someone who has been a franchise owner with other systems and said he appreciates the fact that we check in outside of scheduled appointments. To him, it shows our level of commitment.

It doesn’t take too much time — it just takes a proactive approach from your

“The more honest feedback you have from franchisees the better you can address their needs and predict future needs of other franchisees.” productive, informative meetings.

At our franchise, we have started a franchisee roundtable discussion held every month. It is open to all our owners and serves as a way for them to talk to each other and learn from shared experiences. As a franchisor, we are there to simply facilitate. We listen, we take notes but we do not lead the discussion.

So far, we have received some excellent feedback from these meetings. Our franchisees share precious knowledge with each other and, quite frankly, we learn something new during every meeting.

Tim Conn

While we have a great deal of faith in our operations and system, we know that we can always evolve and grow. The best franchises out there are constantly pushing forward and refining. Who better to learn about what to fine-tune than from the people who have invested so much of their time, money and energy into your system?

For franchises on limited budgets, consider running anonymous surveys with sites like Survey Monkey or through Google Forms (a free service). The more honest feedback you have from franchisees the better you can address their needs and predict future needs of other franchisees.

3

Gather intel using surveys or third-party researchers

franchise’s executive and operations team to make a point of checking in on franchises. Pencil it into your busy day to call them out of the blue and listen to them. It will go a long way.

2

Set up a recurring roundtable with your franchise owners Listening to franchise owners can be an eye-opening experience. As a franchisor, you are putting yourself in a vulnerable position because you may face potential questions about processes and even challenges from your franchisees.

If you are intentional about these listening sessions, you have a much better chance of creating an environment where they are

Finally, consider using third-party research and insights to learn more from your franchisees. One concrete way that we do this is through participating in Franchise Business Review’s franchisee satisfaction surveys. Franchises with more than 10 franchisees can participate in this thirdparty research: Franchisees are asked a series of questions about various aspects of the franchise and all answers lead to an overall rating of franchisee satisfaction.

Again, this sort of experience leaves franchisors open and vulnerable. But, it provides essential data for your franchise.

Another way to do this is through finding market research firms or consultants who can poll your franchisees and collect the data. While their services certainly aren’t free, they can provide you with a great deal of insights you might not get if you are the one asking the questions.

The franchisor-franchisee relationship is a two-way street. Creating consistent feedback loops and listening to the insights coming in from your valued franchisees will only help you polish your franchise system. Growing — and I’m not just talking about unit numbers — is a good thing. Really stretch yourself and grow your franchise. You will learn something and create a better franchise system along the way.

Tim Conn is president and co-founder of Image One Facility Solutions, a commercial cleaning franchise based in the Chicago suburb of Rolling Meadows, Illinois, with nearly 100 locations across major cities in the U.S. that trains franchisees in all facets of the business, including sales, operations, and quality control. The company has received recognition for franchiseowner satisfaction by the authoritative Franchise Business Review. imageonefranchise.com

Franchising USA

ex per t advice

Page 59

SPOT L IG H T O N SERV ICE

H onk a mp K r u eg er

Work On Your Franchise Versus in Your franchise With Decision Support Think back to why you purchased your franchise business. What was your “why” for getting into it? Passion for the industry? Sparking your entrepreneurial spirit?

Making a difference in people’s lives? Gaining personal wealth and a sense of security for your family?

coaching our clients to reach their business and personal financial goals.

Today, are you working toward your “why” or have you become inundated with the daily tasks of keeping your business afloat that you have not set a clear, strategic path to reaching why you got into this business in the first place?

• Improve accountability at your franchise business

Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C., a Top 100 CPA and business consulting firm that specializes in franchise consulting, accounting, tax planning and preparation payroll/human capital management, and more, often sees this happen with our business owner clients. The gusto that got them into business in the first place gets lost in the daily grind of putting out fires, keeping up with tax and human resource law, keeping the books in order, etc. That is why we developed decision support services, which is a systematic approach to

Franchising USA

With decision support services, we are with you every step of the way to help you: • Make real-time, data-informed decisions • Identify and continuously monitor the key performance indicators (KPIs) most important to your franchise • Create a roadmap of where you want your business to go • Develop your team members and leadership group to a common, agreedupon path to your franchise’s vision, mission and core values • Establish effective processes that produce results

So how does HK accomplish this?

Through data-informed decisions, HK uses data and metrics to overcome typical roadblocks and obstacles that often halt implementation of new business objectives.

Franchisees and franchisors who undergo decision support services are provided with the tools needed to make smart decisions and move past the barriers that often hold you back. HK uses an efficient and impactful process, taking your vision into account, to help properly prioritize and allocate your time and resources to achieve your desired return on investment.

Through a series of six phases, decision support services helps you realize your franchise’s true potential.

Phase 1: $COPE Assessment Survey The $COPE Assessment Survey ($-financial, C-customers, O-operations, P-people, E-end in mind) takes into account all of the aspects that make your franchise what it is today and how to get your business to where it needs to be in the future.

Phase 2: Discovery The goal of the discovery phase is to break down silos that could potentially exist between locations and management styles, and drive cohesive alignment of all your locations and processes. Your $COPE session will have highlighted the common areas of agreement and disagreement amongst your team members, and through discovery, HK provides you with the tools to communicate and collaborate to work toward alignment between all team members and locations.

Phase 3: Planning The planning phase is where you get to design your road map. Our decision support specialists work with you to define a clear vision and focus, understand the big picture, establish long-term targets, and develop a practical and measurable plan to move your franchise forward. Whether you desire to scale existing locations or add more locations, the planning phase will help identify the necessary steps to help you achieve your goals.

Phase 4: Follow up Phase 4 is where we put your plan into action. This is the time to ensure your roadmap is practical, the deadlines are realistic, the communication to your employees across all locations is handled appropriately, and our role in assisting with implementation and accountability is clear. No plan can come to fruition without employee buy-in, so we help you determine the appropriate course of action to get everyone on board.

Phase 5: Accountability As your accountability partner, HK’s team will meet with you at least quarterly to ensure tasks are being completed in order to achieve your goals. We’re here to help you stay focused on the tasks at hand to ensure your franchise continues to move forward.

Phase 6: Continuous planning As you move along in the process, we will celebrate your successes and provide

“Our decision support specialists work with you to define a clear vision and focus, understand the big picture, establish long-term targets, and develop a practical and measurable plan to move your franchise forward.” outside accountability, perspective and inspiration to keep you pressing onward and exploring new possibilities.

Those who have undergone decision support services find it has helped them to: • Clearly articulate their vision, improving the chances for continued growth and profitability • Develop their leadership team and groom the next generation • Align their strategic vision with the dayto-day activities within the franchise • Improve the focus of their leadership team and energize and engage employees • Establish effective processes and gain valuable insights on how small changes can make a big difference

• Improve communication and create an environment of continuous improvement HK believes you can’t expect anything to change unless something changes.

Through decision support services, you can change the way you view and run your business and get back to your “why.” The added value this process brings to your business pays off dividends and can be translated to greater returns down the road for you and your legacy. Whether you’re an entrepreneur who is just starting their franchise journey, or an industry veteran who wants to maximize value in your final years before retirement, decision support services can help put you on the path to achieving your goals. www.honkamp.com

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SPOT L IG H T O N SERV ICE

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

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

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

It’s turnkey – we provide the store, land and equipment.

Start-up is fast (3-6 months). You get extensive training and support from 7-Eleven pros.

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

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

World-famous brand. World-class opportunity.

Take a second and learn why franchising with 7-Eleven could be the career changer you’ve

America’s Swimming Pool Company Dive into the America’s Swimming Pool Company Opportunity ASP is the nation’s most recognized swimming pool franchise with over 254 locations in 20 states.

If you are seeking an affordable, turn-key business with proven profit potential, the ASP swimming pool franchise opportunity is the clear choice.

As the recognized industry leader, ASP offers a proven pool service franchise system to help you succeed faster, grow bigger and enjoy all the benefits of working

Airport Van Rental At AVR we continue to be a pioneer in the van rental industry We have expanded to 14 locations in 7 states & we are excited for what lies ahead.

Why Should I Join the Airport Van Rental Franchise Network?

• We Have a Solid Model for Success. We became a specialized van rental company since 2007.

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

for yourself—no pool experience necessary!

An ASP franchise opportunity offers a proven system to succeed and grow in the thriving swimming pool business. Our franchise leads the industry with a commitment to reliable brand reputation, world-class training, technologically advanced systems, original marketing strategies, exceptional franchisee support.

Ready to test the water?

Contact: Jef Flournoy Phone: 888.814.8093 Email: jefflournoy@asppoolco.com Website: www.ASPfranchising.com

• We’ve Fulfilled a Major Need. We are confident that with our extensive fleet, we will be able to provide our clients with the van that fits their needs.

• We Provide Complete Training & Support. During training, we address the key points to running your own van rental franchise. Even after you open the doors, we will be here to help you continue to grow your business.

• We Prove There is Strength in Numbers. As recognized leader in Passenger Van Rentals, when you invest in a van rental franchise, you will join a network of highly determined individuals.

Contact: Alex Emdadi Phone: (844) 372-6100 Email: franchise@airportvanrental.com Website: www.airportvanrental.com/franchise

bluefrog Plumbing +Drain

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

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

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

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

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

Clayton Kendall

displays, printed materials, promotional products and apparel. Our services include graphic design, merchandising, sourcing, warehousing and fulfillment, kitting and proprietary technology with advanced management reports. All programs are scalable and user-friendly. Customer service is our forte’.

Clayton Kendall provides comprehensive branded merchandise programs for more than sixty franchise communities nationwide, resulting in greater brand exposure, cost-savings, streamlined operations and brand compliance.

With a customized online store as the organizing principle, our websites give franchisees the ability to purchase their advertising and marketing tools in one easy-to use program.

We provide marketing collateral, signage, POP

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

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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

Foot Solutions Are You Passionate About Helping People Look Good and Feel Great?

Foot Solutions is the world’s largest specialty wellness franchise focused exclusively on helping people feel good from the feet up. We offer an individualized Holistic Foot Analysis, top-quality customized orthotics and expertly-fitted stylish shoes that are comfortable and supportive.

• 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

and alignment conditions including diabetes, arthritis and more, Foot Solutions might be the perfect fit for you: Reasonable Hours | High Margins | Low Labor Requirements | High Consumer Retention | Not Impacted by Economy | Not Seasonal | Fastestgrowing Market Age 40+ | Opportunities from $85,000 - $240,000 Single and Multi-unit

If you want a business that gives back to your community and improves the lives of people with foot

For more information: Call 770.955.0099 Email fscorp@footsolutions.com Visit www.footsolutionsfranchise.com.

franchising usa

Excellent for branding and recognition.

A-Z Listings are a great way to promote your business, giving you a presence within our publication and also the Franchising USA website.

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

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

HealthSource –America’s Chiropractor HealthSource — America’s Chiropractor ® — is the industry leader in chiropractic and physical rehabilitation care.

Our highly profitable franchise clinics provide state-of-the-art care to their local communities.

We offer single and multi-unit opportunities

Franchising USA

• Franchise Research Institute #1 Rated Sign & Graphics Franchise 2014-2015

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

With over 60 years of combined automotive experience, Grease Monkey ® and SpeeDee® franchise owners enjoy a proven system and business model. Each process offers a flexible approach, so franchisees can customize their facility and menu of services for a specific market and investment profile.

Contacts: Jeff King, Director Franchise Development;

Jon Piper, Manager of Franchise Development Email:

jking@greasemonkeyintl.com; jpiper@greasemonkeyintl.com

Phone:

303-308-1660

Website: www.greasemonkeyfranchise.com

for individuals looking to join the recessionresistant healthcare industry.

Contact us to learn how you can own a business that cares for the community, is highly profitable, and that you can be proud of!

Contact: Wes Sattler Phone: (440) 934-5858 Email: development@healthsourcechiro.com Website: www.healthsourcechiro.com

honkamp krueger Honkamp Krueger & Co., P.C. (HK) is a Top 100 CPA and business consulting firm in the U.S. and the 3rd fastest-growing Midwest-based firm (Accounting Today, 2017). Specializing in franchise services, HK offers 40-plus forward-thinking, innovative solutions to franchise organizations in all 50 states.

In addition to our tax, accounting and consulting services, HK offers total hire-to-retire solutions through our human capital management affiliate, HKP. Through our HK Financial Services affiliate, HK offers world-class wealth management solutions.

Huntington Learning Center Huntington Learning Center is the #1 revenue producing tutoring franchise, with an average earning of 61% more revenue than our closest competitor.

Huntington was founded in 1977, began franchising in 1985 and has grown to be one of the most established and well-respected brands in education.

Today, Huntington operates nearly 300 centers in 38 states from coast to coast as a recognized pioneer and leader in the tutoring industry, providing quality instruction to tens of thousands of students through our national network of franchised and company-

International Franchise Professionals Group

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

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

Phone: 888.556.0123 www.honkamp.com

owned tutoring centers.

For over 40 years, Huntington Learning Center has been the leader in the tutoring and test prep industry with an established reputation of providing highquality, individualized programs for students of all ages and in all subjects. As a Huntington franchisee, you will inherit our reputation for excellence and be recognized in your community as an industry leader and premier brand of tutoring services.

For more information, contact Gina Elliott at: Email: Franchise@HLCmail.com Phone: 800.653.8400 Website: www.huntingtonfranchise.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

Little Caesars

nationwide. The company also offers opportunities in non-traditional franchise venues, including convenience stores, college campuses and military bases. Little Caesars works closely with franchisees to develop locations with customized architectural and build-out plans.

As the largest carryout-only pizza chain in the world, Little Caesars is doing something right. Little Caesars is an international brand and household name. It’s come a long way since starting as a single store in metro Detroit in 1959.

The Little Caesars brand and distinction of being named “Best Value in America”* for the last ten years is proof of its commitment to satisfying customers by providing one of America’s favorite meals at an affordable cost.

Today, Little Caesars is looking for franchisees to bring HOT-N-READY® pizza to a wide range of communities

Midas Midas, a recognized brand throughout the world and highly renowned name in complete car care, is proud to be one of North America’s original franchise opportunities – and one of its best.

With Midas, you experience the best of both worlds - the support of an experienced franchise organization and the satisfaction of operating your very own auto service enterprise. As a Midas franchisee, you become a trusted name the day you open your doors for business. Building consumer trust is at the heart of our brand. We work every day to earn that trust by providing expertise, responsiveness, and the best value to every customer every time.

Benefit from nearly 60 years of “The Midas Touch”

*“Highest Rated Chain-Value for the Money” based on a nationwide survey of quick service restaurant consumers conducted by Sandelman & Associates, 2007-2015.

Phone: 800-553-5776 Email: USdevelopment@LCEcorp.com Website: www.LittleCaesars.com

Midas has built a stellar reputation in the automotive service and repair industry nearly six decades. We want to help you succeed. Before you open a location and as you continue to operate your shop, Midas will help you with the following: • Business management system for your shop • New franchisee orientation • Ongoing training and training resources • Operational support.

• Development support • Optimizing and marketing your business: Join Midas today by calling 1-800-365-0007 or visiting www.midasfranchise.com!

This website and any request for information or forms are not a franchise offering or an offer to sell a franchise.

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Our Town America For 45+ years, Our Town America has been providing new movers with traditional hospitality by mailing warm housewarming gifts from local businesses in a premium welcome package.

It is Our Town America’s mission to welcome new movers into their community, to help local businesses gain new loyal and long-term customers, and to provide franchisees with an excellent business opportunity.

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

pinot’s palette Pinot’s Palette is a pioneer of the paint and sip experience – a revolutionary way to enjoy art and wine, meet new people and bond with friends. #1 paint and sip for franchisee satisfaction – Pinot’s Palette is a unique, art-inspired entertainment concept catering to adults, corporations and kids.

By combining art and wine into a single concept, Pinot’s Palette now offers an inclusive, social activity for guests to enjoy with friends, family or work team members.

PIRTEK USA PIRTEK is the fluid transfer solutions leader in sales and service and the only franchise of its kind in the United States. With more than 30 years of experience in this field, PIRTEK boasts more than 400 Service & Supply Centers and a fleet of Mobile Service Vehicles in 23 countries.

Powered by an industry-leading approach to sales and service and backed by a corporate center passionate about its franchisees and customers, PIRTEK offers unmatched service and logistics.

This is a sales-driven, service-based business that

Remedy Intelligent Staffing Remedy Intelligent Staffing is a nationwide staffing organization with over 50 years of recruiting and selection expertise to match qualified candidates with employment opportunities where they will succeed.

Our franchise brands, Remedy Intelligent Staffing and Westaff, place candidates in a variety of positions, primarily light industrial with a secondary niche of administrative/clerical. Our three core offerings include temporary, direct hire and temporary-to-hire staffing services.

Restoration1® Restoration1 is the fastest growing restoration franchise in the emergency restoration industry for mold, water, fire and smoke damage, handling jobs of all sizes across the nation for residential and commercial property’s. ®

Our business is based on local and regional relationships with insurance adjusters, building inspectors, subcontractors and policy holders.

It is always in high demand and not affected by economic trends because it is based on necessity, not discretionary spending.

Our model is a powerful opportunity for the right

Franchising USA

marketing consultants, showing local business owners how to target their best prospects with enticing offers via direct mail.

Since beginning to franchise in 2005, Our Town America has been consistently ranked a Top 50 Franchise by the Franchise Business Review, making them the only Advertising brand to land a spot in the 10-year Hall of Fame and the sole company to be crowned the Franchise Business Review’s All-time Top Company.

Website: http://ourtownamerica.com Email: franchising@ourtownamerica.com

Pinot’s Palette’s entertaining environment, expert guidance from trained local artists and exceptional customer experience creates strong word of mouth, community recognition and a loyal customer base.

Pinot’s Palette looks for franchisee partners who love to entertain and values that fit comfortably within the Team Pinot culture. Not art experience required!

Franchising since 2010 with more than 130 locations in 33 states, Pinot’s Palette is an established, awardwinning concept leading the paint and sip industry.

Website: www.PinotsPalette.com/Franchise or Email: Franchise@pinotspalette.com

focuses on repairing and maintaining hydraulic- and pneumatic-powered machines. Although the brand might sound like an opportunity better suited for someone who can work a wrench, it’s a business well-matched for entrepreneurs who understand the value of building relationships and are prepared to capitalize on the opportunity to thrive wherever industrial equipment is used—and it is used virtually everywhere.

For more information contact: Lu-Ann Senia, Executive Assistant Phone: 321.504.4422 Email: lsenia@pirtekusa.com Website: www.pirtekusa.com

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

candidates, as it involves no inventory, no brickand-mortar location and high-volume growth that continues through almost any economic climate.

Our ethics, professionalism, quality and availability are carried out at each of our franchise locations.

Our team is committed to giving franchisees the support system they need to succeed in these same areas. Restoration 1 Franchisees can reach full potential with our superior training, technical support and in-territory support.

Contact: Gina Roberson Phone: 800-993-0803 Email: gina@restoration1.com Website: www.restoration1.com

ServiceM8 Field service & franchise management software ServiceM8 is a field service management app which empowers small business to thrive.

It’s a cloud-based Software for field-based contractors and home services businesses like electrical contractors, plumbers and pool care specialists. Field staff use the software via a native app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.

With powerful communication, job dispatch, estimating and invoicing capability, and real-time visibility on job status and staff location in the field, ServiceM8 helps businesses get work, complete work, and get paid faster.

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

Be part of a winning brand that keeps customers coming back for delicious meals made just the way they want. Subway® is the undisputed leader in fast, wholesome food.

Our sandwiches are made to order right in front of the customer, precisely the way they want - using freshly baked breads, select sauces and a variety of delicious

ServiceM8 Franchise further extends the job management platform to empower field service franchises. Franchisees use the ServiceM8 app to manage and streamline their daily operations, while each franchisee account links back to the franchisor’s head-office account. This provides amazing network-wide visibility of operations and performance, and the ability to instill great business processes and professional brand representation across an entire franchise.

Contact: Steve Olson,

Business Development Manager North America Phone: (844) 688 2880 - USA Toll-free Email: steve.olson@servicem8.com Website: www.servicem8.com/us/franchise

toppings. When you join the Subway® family, you’ll get world-class support before you even make your first sandwich and well beyond.

Our franchise support system features: training, product development, advertising, purchasing cooperative, field support and much more.

Contact: Ralph Piselli, North American Franchise Sales Manager Phone: 203 877 4281 Email: Franchise@subway.com Website: www.subway.com

sweetFrog Premium Frozen Yogurt

and even birthday parties. At sweetFrog, we take pride in being a part of our community and we treat our guests like family.

sweetFrog Premium Frozen Yogurt is not only one of the most rapidly-expanding frozen yogurt concepts; we are one of the fastest growing franchises of any category in the nation!

In addition to offering the best in quality service to our communities, sweetFrog has a proprietary line of our very own yogurt which ranks well above the rest in taste tests across the globe. As the industry leader, our Research and Development team is constantly searching out and testing for the next great and most delicious flavor!

Voted the #1 frozen yogurt shop in the US in 2016 by The Daily Meal, sweetFrog continues to offer amazing franchise opportunities for all entrepreneurs.

Our stores have become pillars in each community, hosting little league celebrations, school fundraisers,

Phone: 804-835-6761 Website: www.sweetfrog.com/franchise Email: shemar.pucel@sweetfrog.net Contact: Shemar Pucel

The Dry Boys

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

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

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

From a small flood in your basement to a major hurricane disaster we are ready and capable of restoring your residential of business property in rapid fashion.

We’ve implemented a unique system that allows us to be more efficient when we respond to any job and our locations have an advantage of getting the work done with a resourceful process that benefits the home owner and the franchise owner alike.

the inspection boys The home Inspection business is one of the most In-Demand trades in the country and The Inspection Boys is the lowest Start-Up franchise inspection business opportunity in the nation.

The Inspection Boys has a unique marketing structure to get you up and running quickly, has an amazing training and support system to ensure that you’re ready to go out and conquer your territory and most of all it offers a corporate team that will be with every step of the way.

Besides for being the lowest start-up inspection

The

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

franchise business in the nation, The Inspection Boys also offers you the lowest royalty program, the lowest overhead cost and the largest territory sizes in the trade.

When you join the Inspection Boys, you will join more than just a franchise business, you will join a family oriented team that cares and looks out for your success and accomplishments.

Reach out to us today at 800 819-4403 or at info@theinspectionboys.com and find out for yourself. You may also check us out at TheInspectionBoys.com

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The Interface Financial Group – IFG 50/50 The Interface Financial Group – IFG 50/50 is an affordable home-based franchise that provides short-term working capital to small and medium-sized businesses by purchasing current, quality invoices at a discount, thus accelerating the client’s cash flow and growth.

All transactions are syndicated 50/50 with the franchisee and the franchisor, and that means less working capital required to fund transaction: IFG does the bulk of the due diligence and the ‘paperwork’ for the transactions, and IFG 50/50 franchisees will concentrate their efforts on building the referral relationships – they do the ‘people work’.

Key advantages of being an IFG 50/50 franchisee include: • No staff to hire, fire, or manage

TopFire Media TopFire Media is an integrated digital marketing and public relations agency, specializing in the franchise industry.

Our clients benefit from our years of experience in franchise SEO service, public relations, media relations, content writing and management, social media marketing, and web design. We work to bring all of these elements together to achieve a common goal – our clients’ success.

UFC GYM Mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world, and UFC is the leader of MMA. UFC GYM allows everyone to train like MMA athletes. Members can get in incredible, shape in a UFC Gym. Each class offered is an experience. Being the brand extension of UFC®, UFC GYM is the first to combine the world of mixed martial arts and fitness

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.

www.interfacefinancial.com

Our integrated approach combines our public relations and franchise SEO service prowess and is designed to generate brand awareness, drive consumer engagement, and build credibility for your company.

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

together. UFC GYM’s TRAIN DIFFERENT® approach has developed a fun and energetic atmosphere where members can feel and see their fitness results.

UFC GYM is not what you expect, and more than you can imagine.

Contact: Jason Losco, Director of Franchise Development Phone: 714.668.0911 Email: Jason.Losco@ufcgym.com Website: www.ufcgymfranchise.com

campaigns, news press releases, and online franchising e-magazine articles, VBS gets the message to qualified Veterans who are invested in starting a franchise.

VBS supports service disabled Veterans who are enrolled in the self-employment track within the Veterans Administration and provides outreach efforts to transitioning military through TAP and ACAP programs. As a graduate business of the Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Veterans (“EBV”), we also assist other graduates of EBV and provide coaching support through mentoring programs. VBS is where Veterans turn to make their franchise dreams a reality.

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

Contact: James Mingey Phone: 202-349-0860 Email: info@veteransbusinessservices.us Website: www.veteransbusinessservices.us

franchising usa

Excellent for branding and recognition.

A-Z Listings are a great way to promote your business, giving you a presence within our publication and also the Franchising USA website.

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

Franchising USA

• No storefront to own, lease, or maintain • No Inventory or stock to purchase • No extensive travel because IFG franchisees do business locally • Business-to-Business, professional environment with regular business hours of operation • Flexibility to relocate for part of the year or permanently and continue doing business Our franchisees are excellent communicators, relationship builders with decision-making and problem-solving skills, and much more sales & marketing oriented. IFG has been in the ‘invoice discounting’ business since 1972, and employs its franchise network in the US, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, the UK, Ireland, Australia, Mexico and South Africa.

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

Adverts

Posters

Stationery

Logos

Manuals

Jejak Graphics is a freelance graphic design business based in Melbourne, Australia working with clients worldwide. With over 20 years experience in the design and print industry specialising in magazine layout and advert design as well as offering a number of other graphic design services and print solutions including: • Corporate stationery • Brochures and flyers • Poster and banner design • Educational manuals • Sports programs • Monthly Newsletters • Product labels and packaging Artwork is tailored to your brand and focused on your message and target audience.

No job is too big or small.

Contact me today to discuss how Jejak Graphics can make your company or organisation leave ‘a lasting impression’.

Jejak GRAPHICS

a lasting impression

jejak@bigpond.com EXAMPLES: www.issuu.com/jejakgraphics

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