www.insightssuccess.com
VOL.04 | ISSUE 08
The
Decoding Legalese How to Read Your Franchise Disclosure Document
All About Startups Essential Startup Costs You Should Expect as a Small Business Owner
1
Disruptive
Franchises of 2022
Rick Mayo
Alloy Personal Introducing Superlative Personalized Training to Your Fitness Community
Franchising Through Ages www.insightssuccess.com
VOL.04 | ISSUE 08
The
1
Disruptive
Franchises of 2022
D
o you remember our school history textbooks emphasizing the word 'dark age' in the context of middle age?
Well, there are plenty of reasons for historians to denote this term, with hundreds of famines- the black death plague, violent uprisings- for getting a fair wage, and general discontent among people – religious conflicts as well as the administrative affair, the Middle Age wasn't looked upon as a fabulous time to be human. But is it entirely true? Can we, as HUMANS ignore the rich and apparent cultural advancements and the contribution of different civilizations that benefitted the world with art, science, philosophy, architecture, and political system? Though there were sufferings, there were many positives that were taking place on daily basis. As strange as it sounds, business models of Franchising started to appear in the Middle Age. In those days, local governments granted licenses to maintain order and assess taxes. As interesting as it sounds, the individuals were given the right to hold markets and
in exchange, they had to pay a royalty to the lords who held a monopoly over commercial ventures.
by our in-house editorial team and a piece of CXO standpoint.
And that's how the process of granting franchises began. It has come a long way from royals granting licenses to business owners expanding their ventures worldwide. It has offered people a chance to own, manage, and administer businesses without having to take all the associated risks. As the business is already established and there is a support system in place for easier financing, which maximizes the success rate and lessens the chances of failure.
In order to commence your curiosity, delve in and flip the pages!
With a vision to integrate the world, just like the role of franchises, we at Insights Success have come up with this edition, "The 10 Disruptive Franchises of 2022." We have enlisted franchises that are offering a very affordable startup model with high returns on investments. While immersing through the journeys of these franchises, make sure to have a quick rundown of the articles written
- Shrutika Khedekar
08
Articles 22 Decoding Legalese How to Read Your Franchise Disclosure Document
36 All About Startups Essen al Startup Costs You Should Expect as a Small Business Owner
Alloy Personal Training Introducing Superla ve Personalized Training to Your Fitness Community
Ac onCOACH: A Favoured Franchise Choice A Convenient and Reliable Crypto Exchange
16
ClaimTek Systems Simplifying Medical Billing through Ar ficial Intelligence
26
Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ A Favored Franchise Choice
32
Internet Removals Assis ng to Remove Online Content with Exper se
38
PickUp USA Fitness The Best Way to Play Your Top Game
44
Send Me a Trainer An Emerging Franchise Enabling Mobility and Convenience
48
Editor-in-Chief Pooja Bansal Senior Editor Anish Miller Managing Editor Bhushan Bhad Assisting Editors Trishika, Shrutika Visualiser David King Art & Design Head Rohil Shinganapurkar Co-designer Paul Belin Art & Design Assistant Mrunalinee Deshmukh Business Development Manager Sherin Rodricks Marketing Manager Joseph D'souza Business Development Executives Kelly, David Sales Executives Mark, Alice Technical Head Jacob Smile Assistant Technical Head Amar Sawant Technical Consultants Prachi, Rajeshwari, David Digital Marketing Manager Alina Sege Assistant Digital Marketing Manager Renuka Kulkarni SME-SMO Executives Gemson Research Analyst Eric Smith Circulation Manager Tanaji Fartade sales@insightssuccess.com
April, 2022 Corporate Ofce Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-859-2600 Email: info@insightssuccess.com For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.com
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Company Name
Featuring
Brief
ActionCOACH actioncoach.com
Brad Sugars CEO and Founder
ActionCOACH is the global business coaching franchise that offers aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals personalized oneon-one mentorship from its team of skilled, highly qualified business coaches.
Alloy Personal Training alloyfranchise.com
Rick Mayo CEO and Founder
Alloy personal training programs are among the most effective personal training and fitness assessment programs in the world for helping people who want to look and feel their absolute best.
ClaimTek Systems claimtek.com
Brian Weaver Vice President of Business Development
ClaimTek has a proven, traceable record since 1993. The company runs a billing operation in Orange County CA, develops its own software, and develops its own marketing tools based on active involvement in the marketplace.
Crave Hot Dogs & Barbecue iwantcrave.com
Samantha Rincione CEO
Crave, recently named one of America’s best restaurants, is a unique BBQ and Hot Dog Restaurant, that offers smoked brisket, pulled chicken and pulled pork.
Creatif, LLC creatif.com
Jaya Aiyar Founder and CEO
Camp Créatif provides campers of ages 5 to 12 years, with the opportunity to participate in artistic exploration through exciting STEAM based projects.
HandyPro handypro.com
Keith Paul CEO
HandyPro takes a detailed approach to its home modification services to ensure its clients’ unique needs and budgets are always met.
Internet Removals internetremovals.com
Ian McKinnon Director
Internet Removals is the longest operating content removal agency in the USA. Internet Removals has serviced over 32 countries and has offices in the USA, Australia, UAE, UK, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
PickUp USA pickupusafitness.com
Jordan Meinster CEO
PickUp USA Fitness is the premier franchise opportunity for basketball enthusiasts. Its gym offers private basketball training, group basketball training, full weight, and cardio rooms.
Send Me a Trainer sendmeatrainer franchise.com
Bary El-Yacoubi Co-Founder and CEO Muhssin El-Yacoubi Co-founder and CFO
Send Me a Trainer is a free online platform connecting fitness professionals with clients in select cities nationwide.
Daniel Reese Owner
The Maids, founded in 1979, is a leading residential cleaning company in the U.S. and Canada. The Maids is a quality leader among the many cleaning companies in the industry, with more than 180 franchises serving over 90 major U.S. and Canadian cities.
The Maids maids.com
Cover Story
Alloy Personal
Training Introducing Superlative Personalized Training to Your Fitness Community
With our franchise concept, which we launched in late 2019, we took our heritage, systems, experience, and knowledge and packaged it up as a great turnkey franchise business opportunity.
Rick Mayo Founder and CEO Alloy Personal Training
The 10 Disruptive Franchises of 2022
P
eople all over the globe have become increasingly conscious about maintaining good health in the last couple of years. This consciousness is the result of people developing various health issues because of the sedentary lifestyle that they've become accustomed to due to their work nature. The rise of these health issues, which were previously not so prevalent in the population, have made people focus more on adopting a healthy lifestyle and become more proactive. In the light of leading a healthier life, people have started going to fitness centers and gyms, designing their diets to support their fitness goals, and in general doing everything that there is to do to maintain their health. Despite the fact that individuals are now making efforts to achieve a healthier self, more often than not, they need a coach/personal trainer who has all the necessary knowledge to help them do so. Getting a healthier body is not a linear and easy journey; along with a lot of dedication and consistency in the routine, one needs a personalized fitness program that will suit their needs and lifestyle and also effectively help them achieve their fitness goals faster. One such company helping people and the fitness community to get healthier through their customized personal training programs is Alloy Personal Training. With a team of certified physiologists, dieticians, therapists, and other advisory board behavioral specialists, the Alloy fitness franchise concept has been facilitating the industry and its clients. In the following interview, Rick Mayo, the CEO, and Founder of Alloy Personal Training talks about his journey in the fitness industry and how his company has been the epitome of what you can call the true fitness expert.
The Alloy franchise is a very affordable business investment compared to other tness franchises.
Please brief our audience about Alloy Personal Training and how it is currently positioned as a leading name in the fitness industry. When I founded Alloy in 1992, my intention was to create a business that provided clients with high-quality personalized fitness coaching. Since that time, we have built our brand and supported licensees worldwide in over 2,300 gyms and health clubs. With our franchise concept, which we launched in late 2019, we took our heritage, systems, experience, and knowledge and packaged it up as a great turnkey franchise business opportunity. We believe our brand and business model is well-positioned for a host of reasons. The trends we see with consumers today seeking health and fitness solutions reflect the tremendous strength and appeal of our business model and brand, delivering the personalized, quality fitness coaching services people really want. Clients want to know they can trust the advice and support they receive, and they want to see results for their
efforts. Clients want to be comfortable; they want to be taken care of. The Alloy Personal Training Franchising model delivers on these things very well. Tell us more about your offerings, through which you have ascertained your stronghold within the personal training niche. Over time we have learned how to scale personal training beyond a one-to-one model. The Alloy concept has combined the best aspects of group fitness and the community it creates with individual and specialized fitness training for each of our clients. This combination enables our franchisees to scale their business and reach more clients with quality fitness coaching services. What are Alloy Personal Training's franchise strengths, and what can a possible franchisee expect to receive? The Alloy franchise is a very affordable business investment compared to other fitness franchises. Our model
What started as a side hustle evolved over the course of almost 30 years into a really unique franchise opportunity.
is very proven. In addition, our 30 years of hands-on experience with helping thousands of operators around the world run their fitness businesses successfully has led to our highly developed systems and processes. We cover it all, from technology to marketing and from site selection and construction to training. Our motto, after all, is "Stronger Together," and we believe in that, so we think our franchisees will love being a part of the Alloy culture as well. Rick, please brief us about yourself, your journey in the industry, and how you have contributed to Alloy's success. I was always a fitness nut and worked my way through college as a personal trainer to help pay for my education. That inspired me to lay the groundwork for the Alloy Personal Training concept, my first-ever personal training center. What started as a side hustle evolved over the course of almost 30 years into a really unique franchise opportunity. The finished product is a result of years of learning from major competitors in the fitness industry. I used that knowledge to streamline and build a bullet-proof business model. When I opened the first location back in 1992, "I thought, what if I could take this amazing (personal training) service and put four walls around it?" Thankfully it didn't take long to build a loyal customer base, and then we started getting attention from some big names in the fitness industry.
We were first approached to take our Alloy concept and essentially drop it into larger gyms and fitness studios. After a while, we started helping over 2,000 gyms and studios worldwide, from Tasmania to Dubai and everywhere in between through licensing agreements. The relationship with these global health clubs and gyms was like 'franchising light.' We developed our business and systemized it in a way that could be duplicated over and over again, and the result was a really unique business model that worked. At some point, we started to reconsider how we were operating. Instead of continuing to power other brands, we decided to fully reap the rewards of franchising, which enabled us to offer a turnkey franchise package. We refined our systems even more and created a concept studio specifically for franchising in 2016. By late 2019 we began offering franchise opportunities and now have over forty locations in development. We keep awarding more franchises almost every month now.
Our motto, after all, is "Stronger Together," and we believe in that, so we think our franchisees will love being a part of the Alloy culture as well.
Along the way, I have had the chance to meet a lot of great fitness business leaders and speak at conferences around the world. I also have had the honor of serving some great organizations like the American Council on Exercise, where I was an industry advisor. It was humbling as well to be recognized by the Association of Fitness Studios in 2019 as The AFS Fitness Business of the Year. The award represents a studio or gym brand that excels in all areas of business and whose owner has demonstrated the ability to create unsurpassed customer experiences, dedicated staff, motivated clients, and leadership in their community. It has been a great ride, and we are just getting started. During the COVID-19 pandemic, what challenges did you face, and how did you sustain operations while ensuring the safety of your employees? We faced a shutdown, of course, in our home location, and this led to some clients being reluctant to come into the studio and participate in our programming. However, thanks to our technology solutions which enable personal coaching for clients when they are not in the studio and the relatively small groups of people who train together physically when they are at our locations, the business was impacted not nearly as bad as other larger health clubs, studios, and gyms. Earning our clients' trust is something we really focus on, and after having earned it, we went fairly unscathed. Our service model is all about quality, not quantity, and with how we integrate technology into the mix, we are well prepared to thrive in the future.
We cover it all, from technology to marketing and from site selection and construction to training.
What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the fitness and personal training space? Today it is really important to be patient, study, and learn. We are really proud of the content we create and offer through our podcast, vlogs, and articles as well, across almost all of the various Internet platforms out there. So, information which pertains to the fitness business is available for any and all entrepreneurs thinking about getting into the fitness industry. A real advantage obviously for a person interested in getting involved in fitness and personal training is identifying a concept like Alloy, which has figured out a proven niche. By offering a turnkey package, we can help entrepreneurs realize their dreams and reduce their risk. That is one of the great advantages of franchising in general. How do you envision scaling your company's operations and offerings in 2022 and beyond? Well, we are well on our way to expanding our brand, and selecting franchising as a key aspect of our growth strategy is the key to scaling the business. Our team includes a group of highly experienced and capable folks in all aspects of operations. Of course, sticking to the values and mission of our business and helping others realize their dreams along the way is so important. We are just really excited by everything that has happened in the past few years.
A Favoured Franchise Choice
T
oday, technology has emerged as one of the most competitive weapons. It has not only advanced the competition, but also the industry’s need. Subsequently, business requirements are distinct. Hence, a comprehensive approach with great leadership is essential to succeed in the industry. For this, intense training is the need of the hour as training will help you to set long-term and short-term goals strategies, also you will get better employees. Therefore, there is a high demand for a franchisee to provide executive coaching, business coaching, mentoring, and training to business owners. This training will benefit both you and your organization with amazing results such that your business will grow faster, and you will easily meet the industry’s needs. Fortunately, we have such a unique franchisee ActionCOACH – a business coach, that provides eyeopening and engaging webinars to help your business. This franchisee provides executive coaching, mentoring, and training to business owners mainly in small- to mid-market business sectors. ActionCOACH makes business ownership simple and effective. This franchisee takes great care in providing the needed training and support for a variety of different levels of business acumen. As a result, now it is operated in more than 70 countries and has approximately 1100 franchise partners strong worldwide. In an exclusive interview with Insights Success, Brad Sugars, CEO and Founder, sheds light on the company’s journey, the current industry scenario, and his vision for the company’s future.
16 | April 2022
What makes your company a preferred franchise choice over your competitors? ActionCOACH is the organization that started the business coaching industry back in the early 90s. Now an international success, ActionCOACH is the largest and most successful business coaching franchise in the world. Our unique and in-depth system and business model offers our franchise partners a quick ROI with very limited startup costs. Extensive training and ongoing support are made available to franchise partners in the form of IT, Marketing, Sales, and ongoing personal and business development. ActionCOACH now operates in more than 70 countries and has nearly 1100 franchise partners strong worldwide. Tell us more about your franchising opportunities, eligibility criteria, and benefits that a probable franchisee may receive. ActionCOACH offers a franchise model geared for the entrepreneur that wants to own an asset that will increase in value over time. Our ‘FIRM model’ allows an owner to operate a professional business coaching firm in an exclusive territory, where they can add and bring on an unlimited number of employee business coaches to improve their revenue stream and serve their community. Business experience for our franchise owners is key, but ActionCOACH takes great care in providing the needed training and support for a variety of different levels of business acumen. In-depth coaching and system training prepare our franchise owners and accelerate their business trajectory quickly.
www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Disruptive Franchises of 2022
Brad Sugars started ActionCOACH out of a spare bedroom in his parent’s house in 1993 in Australia. Quickly realizing that small and medium-size businesses needed accountability and guidance from professional business coaches, he developed a system to improve profits, increase revenues, build powerful teams, and establish a business process in any organization that makes a long-term impact on results. Consultants only point out a laundry list of issues with a business owner but don’t partner with the owner to implement real, lasting change. Brad’s system ensures that business owners learn new and practical ways to transform their organizations. Sugars built ActionCOACH on the foundation of 14 points of culture that guide every aspect of the business. Brad continues to stay at the helm of ActionCOACH, guiding its evolution and making it the largest business coaching franchise in the world. Add new programs, new training sessions, and new strategies to grow his franchise partners and their clients’ businesses. A sought-after international speaker and best-selling author, Brad continues to pour his knowledge and expertise into ActionCOACH. Leading conferences, serving as the keynote speaker and motivator, he is focused on growing ActionCOACH’s impact worldwide. His vision statement for ActionCOACH is “World abundance through business re-education”, and his mission is to have “a coach in every business”. He firmly believes that small business success is critical to growing economies and wealth worldwide and through business coaching efforts. With one in five small businesses failing in the first year of operations, Sugars feels certain that ActionCOACH franchise business owners are making a difference in lives across the globe every day.
Brad Sugars
COVID has forced us all to be better and ActionCOACH has stepped up in all areas. ActionCOACH and our founder Brad Sugars have continued to be on the cutting edge with the rollout of new products and services which has helped ActionCOACH to maintain its #1 ranking in the global coaching industry.
CEO & Founder
17 | April 2022
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Marketing and sales support, as well as ongoing IT expertise, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure our franchise partners succeed. The coaching system has been developed, proven, and tested over more than 25 years and continues to be enhanced and improved to meet the business needs of today’s ever-changing marketing place. How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact your daily operations and what were the challenges that you faced? The global pandemic brought our franchise community together in several ways. Weekly webinars, daily check-ins, and increased activity on our social media-focused the entire organization on providing businesses globally the support they needed in this unprecedented time. More than 300 pieces of content were created including videos, infographics, tip sheets-books, checklists, and more to help small businesses manage and navigate the turbulent times. Our coaches quickly adapted to the virtual delivery of coaching and grew their group coaching offerings to serve more businesses in their community. ActionCOACH offered franchise partners in the hardest-hit areas royalty relief and additional coaching support to keep
their businesses viable through the worst of the lock-down periods. The ActionCOACH culture is shown through franchise partners banding together and supporting one another, co-hosting virtual events, and sharing webinars filled with learning and inspiration around the world. ActionCOACH never stopped moving forward and encouraged our franchise partners to help their clients pivot to meet the demands the pandemic has put on their business. Over the last two years collectively, our franchise partners have not only seen a growth in their revenue and client base in our 2021 ‘Net Promoter Survey’, but results also showed that 80% of more than 900 clients surveyed said, since they started working with ActionCOACH their business’ revenue had increased even in the midst of the worldwide COVID pandemic. When it comes to adapting to the evolving customer needs and trends, do you think it is necessary to align one’s business with the latest technological developments? If yes, how does your company cater to this necessity? ActionCOACH employs a full team of technology and marketing experts who are at the cutting edge of new trends. Our coaching tools, the coaching portal, and other programs like ActionCOACH Membership (launching this quarter) are all examples of new innovations and new opportunities for growth that ActionCOACH is bringing to our community. ActionCOACH is constantly seeking out expertise to bring their knowledge to our community during our regional and global conferences. Strong and lasting strategic alliances with vendors and providers give our franchise partners a distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace. As an established franchise leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs planning to own franchise business? ActionCOACH believes that doing your homework is important. Due diligence is critical to understanding the nuances of any business opportunity. Talking to existing owners is a great way to help with decision-making, but ActionCOACH also doesn’t believe in over-thinking it... Gather information and ensure that you have a strong support team is in place.
18 | April 2022
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Make sure that those around you believe as much as you do in the endeavour you are about to undertake. Dream BIG, but don’t let those who don’t believe in you hold you back. Don’t be held back by those that can’t see your vision and finally don’t wait until the perfect time, because it simply doesn’t exist. If you want to transform your life and create a business that will actually change the lives of owners in your community while avails you the lifestyle you have always dreamed of, waiting will only delay your future. Recognized by industry leaders around the world, ActionCOACH is listed among the most profitable, most rewarding, and best franchising opportunities available. Affordable, attainable, and filled with unlimited potential, an ActionCOACH franchise partner’s success is almost guaranteed. How do you envision scaling your company’s operations in 2022? ActionCOACH has a goal to be in more than 120 countries by 2025. We are launching franchises in Central Africa and Scandinavia this year, and we are encouraging our Master Licensees to seek out new pockets of business in their communities and regions. The development of Corporate Firms gives our Master Licensees a way to build territories and increase their value by creating a ready-made business that they can market. Our largest and more successful ML in the UK has used the firm model and the corporate model to become the dominant business coaching provider in the United Kingdom. We are working with our partners in India, Japan, Ireland, and South Africa to do the same.
19 | April 2022
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How to Read your Franchise Disclosure DOCUMENT
22 | April 2022
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Decoding Legalese
I
n the business world, the organization that aims to establish itself as a commercial entity has a manifold of dimensions to look after. There are multiple sanctioning authorities, government red tapes, and transnational guidelines to follow in order to authenticate itself as a certified business institution. Be it a company in the primary, secondary, or tertiary sector, the legalities of state, national, and international governance authorities are always the prominent factor in an organization's authenticity. In such a scenario, it becomes essential that an in-depth understanding of the legal procedures and documentation is known, and its execution is backed by thorough research. Once a company is known about the legal know-how of clearing the protocols of government registration and authority certifications, nothing may stop the company from its deserving success. Speaking about the government intervention while establishing a commercial entity, franchises have not been left behind; rather, it has earned the global spotlight. Being said that, it is interesting to look at the global corporations that opened their franchise facility. As soon as a company opens up to provide its franchising authority, investors wish to utilize the opportunity, set up the franchise unit, and facilitate the market with an accessible option of a farfetched located brand. For instance, if you are in Europe and are craving a KFC experience, you don't need to fly all over to Kentucky, United States of America. You may just find the KFC franchise unit near you and order your favorite cuisine with a hassle-free experience. This comfortable arrangement at the consumer end has caused the franchise solution to be on the top priority list of investors. Understanding the necessity for entrepreneurs, corporate professionals, and investors to read the franchise disclosure document, this article will prove to be your guiding light. Let's dive in! If you scout around the globe to know "How to Read Franchise Disclosure Document," you will land upon the Federal Trade Commission Rule. The disclosure document suggests that every franchisor facilitates the document to the potential franchise buyer with validated information that helps the franchise make a balanced decision. The document includes general and legal disclaimers with its distinctive 23 items. This item offers answers to major questions that a franchisor might encounter.
23 | April 2022
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Let's drive through the major answers that a disclosure document answers. Franchisor's History As an individual decides to become the franchisee, the immediate question that pops out is, "what is the history of the franchisor?” This segment helps the franchisee in seeking the background check of the franchisor and the organization and helps the franchisee analyze the red flags, work experience, inflated backgrounds, and course litigation. Following are the items that cover the mentioned segment. •
•
•
•
Item 1: A disclaimer that focuses on outlining the franchisor's history, predecessors, affiliated organizations, or parent companies, if any. Item 3: This segment mentions all the current, past, or ongoing litigation. This is one of the major concerns of every franchisee. Knowing the franchisor's clean conduct helps the franchisee make a balanced decision. Item 4: The following items disclose the bankruptcies from the end of the franchisor or the founder of the company/brand/organization. Item 20: One of the significant aspects that must be on the franchisee's priority list is in-depth research about the company. This segment informs about all the existing outlets and necessary information about the franchise.
Cost of Buying the Franchise Moving ahead with authentication of the franchise, one might look at the cost of purchasing the franchise. Along with the question of "how much investment is required to buy the franchise," the most significant question is "how much the franchise can make?” Answering these questions are the three most essential segments of the disclosure document mentioned below: •
•
•
Item 5: To start with the franchising process, this item specifies the starting fees associated with the franchisee that consists of franchising fee, multi-unit fee along with necessary materials required. Item 6: This item informs about the ongoing fees, including training fees, technology fees, along with renewal fees, and marketing fees too! Item 7: Estimating the cost of running a franchise can be a tricky business. This particular item focuses on construction, fixtures, signage, IT systems, insurance deposit, and miscellaneous expenses.
24 | April 2022
Promising Support in Running a Franchise As known worldwide, investors like investing in the franchise due to one of its most promising factors – Franchisor's Support. The disclosure document's four items's facilitate information about the same. • • •
Item 8: It discusses the operational item and supply sources. Item 11: The mentioned item specifies training, operations, and assistance required. Item 14: Every company has its intellectual property and copyrights reserved. Having a piece of complete information about the IP and copyrights helps the franchisee regarding the key aspects and USP of the business.
Knowing the Obligations With the vital information and perks of running a franchise, there are certain obligations on the part of the franchisee too! The three significant items that explain the obligation along with the red tapes involved in the business. Below are the mentioned significant items that a franchisee should adhere to! Item 8: The part includes the sourcing restriction for the brand's products and raw materials. Item 9: It discusses the specific obligation and rules on the part of the franchisee! Item 15: It's said, "expectation kills the cat," but it works opposite if the same expectation of a franchisor is left unknown. Item 15 informs the details of expectations that are set concerning the present participation in the organizational business that outlines where you need to and need not to be personally involved. In Conclusion When stepping into the business of owning a franchise, it is best to go by the rules and follow the FDD guidelines that not only guide you along your investment path but also keep your economic balance intact. So, next time you are looking forward to investing in a franchise business, make sure to follow the inputs provided and manage your operations - efficiently and economic expectations - sky high! - Bhushan Bhad
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ClaimTek Systems Simplifying Medical Billing through Arti cial Intelligence ince the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, world healthcare systems have been comprehensively tested, and many new challenges have bubbled to the surface. One such challenge among the public is that of medical billing.
S
Lower overhead for the business owner means better pricing for their providers. Our owners can provide more comprehensive solutions than many of their competitors due to the ClaimTek business infrastructure they have immediate access to as licensees.
Medical billing is the process where medical services are converted into payment for the provider. Often, providers and patients are required to track and follow the filing and claim process manually once the medical service is delivered, which is inconvenient and, at times, debilitating for the patient's health and recovery.
Tell us more about your franchising opportunities, eligibility criteria, and benefits that a probable franchisee may receive.
This is where ClaimTek Systems comes into the picture. ClaimTek is the only company in the healthcare industry that facilitates a smooth, automated, and hassle-free experience for patients and providers. Brian Weaver, Vice President of Business Development at ClaimTek Systems, shares their vision and the impact the company has created in the healthcare system in an exclusive interview conducted by Insights Success. Below are a few excerpts from the interview: What makes your company a preferred franchise choice over your competitors? ClaimTek is the only company in the healthcare industry that provides full training and certification in both medical and dental billing while developing our software systems designed specifically for billing companies to service any provider in healthcare while providing integrations to any other software on the marketplace through our ClaimTek AI artificial intelligence. Allowing our Licensees to start, build and grow a successful business without any prior experience in Revenue Cycle Management (RCM). These key facts also make it much easier for our Licensees to acquire clients because we can provide better pricing than other billing companies due to our low or even no costs to use our software systems month to month.
26 | April 2022
The American health care system is modernizing just as a significant portion of the population enters retirement, and the demand for health care professionals who can process important data is growing on a daily basis. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the outsourcing medical billing field is expected to grow by 15% between now and 2024. Some benefits for a potential licensee are listed below• Start a business for yourself, but not by yourself with ClaimTek! • Interesting and respected career - Recession-proof industry. • Shortage of doctors means more pressure to outsource. • Affordable start-up and low cost to operate and maintain • Flexible hours – workdays or nights, start part-time or full-time. • No experience necessary! Full training and certification in medical & dental billing are included. • Operate locally or remotely from anywhere, home or office.
ClaimTek's value proposition helps patients and providers ensure they receive focused attention to its respective areas of strength.
www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Disrup ve Franchises of 2022
Brian Weaver Vice President of Business Development
ClaimTek Systems
27 | April 2022
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• No territories, contract with doctors & dentists in all 50 states. ClaimTek's value proposition helps providers ensure they receive focused attention and a customized approach to practice management. The medical billing outsourcing market, valued at $4.3 billion in 2020, is expected to reach a value of $10.0 billion by 2028. Our turn-key business programs allow anyone to start and grow a successful business for themselves in the recessionproof and booming healthcare field anywhere in the US. ClaimTek will help you take control of your future and unlock your potential. Brain, please brief us about yourself and how you have contributed towards the company's continuous success. Over the past two years, I (Brian Weaver) have created more than 75 videos with more than 20 hours of video coaching content that go into the specifics of direct marketing, internet marketing, and associational/referralbased marketing. It is designed for continued education training for business development, strategic marketing strategies, and dynamic digital metrics, which can drive new client acquisition for our licensees. This video coaching series is called our 'Friday 5@5 to Thrive' and was designed to help individuals who have never run a business before or marketed themselves or services to help them become true professional business owners in every sense of the word. How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact your daily operations, and what were the challenges that you faced? Everyone has been impacted by the new coronavirus, but
ClaimTek Systems continues to focus on ways to improve its technology and build new advanced systems for continued Licensee success.
28 | April 2022
none have been affected as much as healthcare providers. Not only are they seeing an extreme increase in patient visits, but doctors are having to learn about brand new rules and regulations on getting paid for the COVID-19 testing. These tests need to be billed a specific way to get paid and dealing with the new rules is an additional and unnecessary added pressure that healthcare providers face in a time when they should be focusing all their attention on patient care. My advice to you is to not delay at all. Start as soon as possible so that we can get you trained, and you can get out there to win business, now that the opportunities are in abundance. Many elective surgeries and non-essential procedures were being canceled during this crisis. Practices are flooded with patients who need care, and non-essential procedures would likely spike later in the year as priorities shift. 2021 was the busiest year in healthcare ever recorded in history. It could very well be the most profitable or the least profitable year for practices depending on how they managed their practice and revenue cycle. While we recognize the seriousness of the circumstances, this is an fortunate time to promote and grow a practice management business by contributing to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our health care system. Throw some light on the Telehealth Benefits for Medicare Beneficiaries During COVID-19 Outbreak. The Trump Administration announced to expand Medicare telehealth coverage that would enable beneficiaries to receive a wider range of healthcare services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility. Since March 6, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) started temporarily paying clinicians to provide telehealth services for beneficiaries residing across the entire country. Back then, the FDA was on the verge of approving consumer testing kits for COVID-19. These kits were limited in supply, and providers can (if obtained) sell them to their patients to earn retail profits. Having resources like this and a contingency plan in place when things go sideways is so important for any healthcare provider. This has been the loudest wake-up call for all healthcare providers' professional careers.
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Consider the business potential for a healthcare provider who is engaged with the war on COVID-19. Medicare also recently announced the fee payment structures for test kits and testing reimbursements. Knowing the proper claims processing methods and oversight of the procedure and diagnosis codes that correspond with these tests and testing kits can be an incredible benefit for an understaffed or overwhelmed clinic. Our value proposition helps providers ensure they receive focused attention and a customized approach to practice management. Medical administrative personnel is home caring for kids as school closures, and family priorities leave a void in the clinical environment, not easily filled. Outsourcing to our licensees for support services should be well-engrained in a Contingency Plan. Don't have one? We can step in to help in minutes, not days or weeks. Staff is concerned about getting paid as other family members are being told to stay home from worklimiting a provider's ability to fully contribute to this crisis. We can certainly help make things easier. While the front desk team will likely be busier than ever, they should have an ear for an experienced professional offering to help. An office administration contingency plan is a must-have for any privately owned healthcare office. This is our time to shine. When it comes to adapting to the evolving customer needs and trends, do you think it is necessary to align one's business with the latest technological developments? If yes, how does your company cater to this necessity? You can now automate 50% or more of the billing process with ClaimTek's new artificial intelligence to help you work faster and more accurately, allowing each biller to take on more accounts and generate more profit for their business.
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You can take your billing business to the next level by implementing automation and artificial intelligence. You just have to connect your billing software to any Electronic Health Record (EHR) system on the market. With ClaimTek AI, you will no longer need to worry about what software a medical provider is using for you to work and service their practice. You can work with them all and support any provider in healthcare with ClaimTek Systems and ClaimTek AI. By creating seamless communications from system to system to improve accuracy and efficiency of data migration and claims data uploads to the clearinghouses, ClaimTek AI has the ability to replace medical billing employees and staff members to allow a single biller to handle what would normally take 2-3 full-time employees. As an established franchise leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs planning to own franchise business? Find a reputable company in a competitive, if not a recession-proof, industry with a track record of success. Innovate, while maintaining a strongly grounded effort to help their owners profit and grow with them without mandatory ordering, which can bleed a company dry in the wrong economic community. How do you envision scaling your company's operations in 2022? We focus on steady, strategic growth that allows us to take a special interest in each Licensee's business to help them succeed. We continue to focus on ways to improve our technology and build new advanced systems for continued Licensee and provider success.
www.insightssuccess.com
Crave A Favored Franchise Choice
H
ot dogs will remain an American favorite till the end of time. Who doesn't love that classic snap when you bite into a juicy dog? Hot dogs can be enjoyed by people of all ages with different flavor profiles and toppings. Hot dogs are one of the trendiest foods in the United States of America as over 20 billion hot dogs are consumed by Americans each year and almost 40% of American adults eat hot dogs and French fries every day. Realizing this escalating demand, an innovative franchise brand, Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ came into existence with the mission to deliver a menu where there is something for everyone and you leave happy, not hungry. Crave, one of America's best and unique BBQ & hotdog restaurants, offers smoked brisket, pulled chicken, and pulled pork, grilled hot dogs, brats and sausages, and much more!
Our biggest factor to success, is that we are involved from start to finish to include real estate assistance, marketing, operations, training, ongoing support, SBA loans, and more. Having the founders of a brand at your side every step of the way, further demonstrates our loyalty to our franchisees and motivation for the Crave Family as a whole to be successful.
In an interview, Samantha Rincione, the CEO shares her knowledge and her contributions towards the company's continuous success, and her vision for its future. What makes Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ a preferred franchise choice over your competitors?
followed by a wow factor with the food and service. We have trivia, family game nights, bingo, karaoke, and all different types of events including ax-throwing!
At Crave, we are extremely innovative. We strive to stay relevant with technology, food, and atmosphere. When you enter a 'Crave' there is a wow factor in the environment,
We also have multiple revenue streams, creative food dishes, and more. Our biggest factor to success is also that we are involved from start to finish to include real estate
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About the Leader The first part of success is knowing your strengths and weaknesses and putting forth your strengths. Samantha Rincione founded Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ with her husband Sal Rincione in 2018. Together, they are truly a dynamic duo. Samantha oversees the company as well as the day-today operations making sure things are running smoothly and efficiently. She also heads the marketing department and oversees finance and legal. Sal oversees the franchise sales, real estate, and buildout of the stores. "Having one of us onboard the new franchisees, finding the real estate and assisting in their loans, while the other runs the day-to-day operations, marketing, finance, menu innovation, etc., allows us to hit all major aspects of the business. We also have a top-notch team that is a huge reason our company operates as smoothly as we do today" Samantha concluded.
assistance, marketing, operations, training, ongoing support, SBA loans, and more. You are never alone when you are a part of the Crave family. Tell us more about the opportunities, eligibility criteria, and benefits that a probable franchisee may receive. To become a Crave franchisee, first and foremost you must be excited and believe in the Crave brand. Excitement and support from family and friends go a long way. In addition, you will need to meet the standards for liquid and net capital as well as credit score.
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Veterans receive a veteran's discount on the franchise fee. In becoming a franchisee, you receive all our systems and manuals of a proven business model as well as our support and guidance. How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact your daily operations and what were the challenges that you faced? Like most restaurants, in the beginning, many locations had to alter their capacity and seating. We instituted outdoor seating in all locations, pushed our drive-thru, and ensured
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Exhibiting Excellence After being in the hospitality industry for 15 years, it was apparent to me that I wanted to own my own restaurant. After much research of different concepts, we came across Crave. When I inquired, I was able to speak with the founders of the company Samantha and Sal Rincione. It was apparent immediately that they had the same values and vision as my wife and me. We instantly fell in love with the food, concept, and especially technology that Crave offers its customers. When we saw Crave had won the award for "Best BBQ Franchise in the US", we knew we had to be a part of that. We look forward to opening a location and bringing the delicious food and self-serve Beer to Raleigh.
Eric Reyes, Raleigh NC
Over the past year, our family has been working closely with Sal and Samantha. We cannot say enough good about them, we truly feel like family from day one. They have been very supportive and informative throughout the entire process. There is nothing too big or too small that they won't assist with. Their knowledge and expertise in the hospitality industry are truly second to none. We are excited to see what the future will hold and feel very fortunate to be part of the brand.
After retirement from public service, the race for the second half of life was on. Our visionary/partner began research on different franchises and CRAVE stood out. The hands-on approach that Samantha and Sal Rincione give is huge. Their years of experience in the foodservice industry render a sense of security. You know you will be taken care of just like family. We are glad we chose Crave and became a part of the Crave family!
Karin Wulf, Baton Rouge & Shreveport LA
Cynthia Kay - Spring, TX
We stopped at Crave and we were blown away. My husband who is an avid beer-drinker could not believe how much fun he had at their self-pour beer area. They have 32 different crafts on top. He could try flights and different pairings. I enjoyed the wine selection. Well, see you next week for trivia Crave!
Holy Moly what a good find. This is finally a good true BBQ in Texas! The Mac N Brisket sandwich has me in love for life! I love the décor too very inviting. I'll be back very soon!
Joan Lyle
Jay Walsh
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we had our app available for curbside, takeout pick-up orders ahead. We also added self-order kiosks to the locations. We also have a self-pour beer wall that allows customers to socially distance themselves while drinking and enjoying their food. We adapted and overcame as a whole! Very proud of all our franchisees and staff for that. When it comes to adapting to the evolving customer needs and trends, do you think it is necessary to align one's business with the latest technological developments? If yes, how does your company cater to this necessity? 100% we are always up on the latest trends. We have utilized all social media platforms, have an app that allows curbside, delivery and takeout, self-order kiosks, and many different food options for all diets.
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We also are incorporating ax-throwing lanes into our restaurants so people can enjoy throwing on a lane, drinking ice cold crafts, and eating good food. Currently we have trivia, bingo, live music, family game nights and more as well. As an established franchise leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs planning to own franchise business? Be strong, don't give up, be ready for the unexpected, and innovation is key to success. How do you envision scaling your company's operations in 2022? We plan to have over 30 units open and 50 more sold by the year-end of 2022 at a minimum. We also expect to have at least 10 food trucks on the road.
www.insightssuccess.com
All About Startups
Essential Startup Costs You should Expect as a
Small Business Owner
W
hile most people dream about starting a business, only a few ideate strategies, take the necessary steps, and make it a reality. As we know, establishing a startup in a consumer market has several factors that need to be considered and planned in detail. One of the most important aspects of a startup is budget planning. A budgeting exercise helps in estimating possible business costs in the early stages. Having a ready budget plan enables business aspirants to seek funding actively. By listing minor to major costs on the paper, one can also figure out ways to optimize the costs or distribute them more wisely with each iteration. Today, there are so many smart ways to distribute an organization's budget to minimize unnecessary spending and ensure high success rates. Keeping the above in mind, let's explore the essential startup costs you should expect as a small business owner. Costs of Licensing and Insurance Even if it is a small startup, an entrepreneur should acquire basic legal registration, taxation, and trademark license documents in the initial stages. Having these documents quickly establishes business authenticity. It also helps new businesses to get certified by local and national governments. While budgeting for these procedures, it is suggested to make a proper inquiry about fees and costs with government offices and industry seniors. Additionally, beginners in business need to allocate a
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budget for insurance and safeguard themselves from the risks that could arise in the future. Startups could face risks like faulty machines, customer lawsuits, employee health issues, transport vehicle safety concerns, and so forth. However, insurance requirements are completely dependent on the service industry, company size, and region. Technology Costs (MVP) Digitization has paved the way for entrepreneurs to bring their dreams of starting a business into reality. It has also enabled them to get maximum traction with small-scale investments. So many costs these days are taken care of by Internet-connected technological gadgets. As an entrepreneur, one may very well be aware of the importance of technology in starting a small business. Nowadays, one can get several things done with the help of technology, speedily, and by specialized professionals across the world. For the technology budget, one needs to allocate funds for digital devices, internet charges, websites, software, application(s), and so on. While budgeting for technology, do not hesitate to allocate extra to ensure quality over quantity. Having resourceful technology gadgets and services available will save owners from the hassles of documentation. One smart way to save some costs in the initial days entrepreneurs can utilize the outsourcing option for meeting business purposes. It is an effective way to keep some essential funds to invest in other important factors.
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Inventory Costs If one is planning to sell manufactured products through a new business, then he or she will need to allocate an essential amount to inventory purchases. According to a study, allocating around 20% to 25% of the total funds will suffice to ensure adequate production levels for the first few months. Business aspirants need to do proper market research on similar businesses first. Most importantly, one should not hesitate to seek advice on budget allocation for production from experienced businessmen. Manufacturing Costs The most important aspect of organizing a budget for a startup is focusing on cost efficiency. If manufacturing is involved, a startup owner will require a substantial budget for buying equipment, machines, and other basic supplies that are essential in the production of the particular product. Initially, entrepreneurs can also choose to rent the machines or equipment, which will allow the saving of vital capital for other necessities that may arise in the future. One can choose to buy the machines in the future as the business starts generating returns. Marketing and Advertising Costs Today, it is of the utmost importance for startups to do marketing to reach their customers. It is possible by using social media platforms to get a new business noticed without spending a penny. However, allocating the budget for marketing and promotion activities is essential to gaining a wider reach. It would be advantageous for a entrepreneur to first focus on online marketing to reach a targeted audience. This will help in getting the ideal customer quicker. There can be numerous ways to market a startup business online and offline effectively. It will be the owner's call to choose the
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most budget-friendly option that suits their business needs. Other Essential Costs to Cover Considering today's technological advancements, a single person can start a small startup business from home, providing services and products that he or she intends. This may enable one to save lots of money on factors like employee expenses, office utilities and rent, consulting services, insurance, and so on. Even if new business owners can manage the tasks on their own in the initial stages, as time passes, they will need to consider expanding operations. For this, entrepreneurs will have to make funds available for all of the above segments slowly and steadily to improve their business operations. However, if the funds are sufficiently available, one must start allocating the budget for the above factors right from the beginning. A new business can also start steadily investing in them, depending on the way the business proceeds. Also, for the benefit of all, in almost every service, right from logistics, data processing, manufacturing, accounting, and more, there are outsourcing services available. With just a few clicks, a business owner can share his or her work requirements with outsourcing companies and get work done within a given deadline. This will allow business owners to focus their funds on other important aspects of their business. The Bottom Line Today, there are several ways one can launch a small business within days or weeks. However, it is said that Rome wasn't built in a day; the saying also applies here. A business enthusiast will have to patiently do things. Go over the budget allocations again and again to optimize and refocus on the most important factors. Advanced planning of the budget for the first three to six months will help startup owners smoothly utilize the available funds. There will always be lots of challenges, but with persistence and effective planning, one can take a startup business to the next growth phase. - Vishal Golekar
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Ian McKinnon Director
Internet Removals
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Our personnel including licensees are the key to our success. Customer relationships, marketing, and sales provide us with a great opportunity to perform our unique services.
www.insightssuccess.com
The 10 Disruptive Franchises of 2022
S
ince the world made heavy strides in digitization, the volume of data, specifically the data generated online, has reached unprecedented levels. Over 60 percent of the global population uses the internet to upload and store their content. The age group of 18 to 25 comprises the most active users of social media content. Everyone can see and access that content and even can download it to their systems. Since the reach of online content is very big, it became easy to drive any type of content online. Abusive reviews, hate spreading from unauthorized pages, film piracy, inappropriate private content, and more that is not supposed to be published are there accessible to everyone.
So, privacy and security are much needed. Some companies and governments monitor the data which goes online. But to remove content that is harmful or inappropriate is a long task or procedure to do. Internet Removals is a revolutionary company that provides assistance to remove online content. They have facilitated this service for more than 30 countries. With technology experts, they have a diverse staff that provides this service to individuals and organizations, who have different languages and cultures. Recently we had a conversation with Ian McKinnon, the Director of Internet Removals, to know more about how much the threat has risen on the internet and how they operate to give their client the best services. Below are the highlights of the interview:
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What makes Internet Removals a preferred franchise choice over your competitors?
w Conservative entry point Licensing Fee w Minimal setup costs w Minimal plant and equipment (computer and internet w w w w w w w w
connection) No requirement for office or retail commitment High profit Limited ongoing financial commitment Unlimited low-cost qualified leads Quick start-up and income generation Great return on investment Topical and addressing a growing social problem Pandemic proofing
Tell us more about your franchising opportunities, eligibility criteria, and benefits that a probable franchisee may receive. Internet Removals (IR) is engaged by persons and businesses to assess and remove illegal online content. Online content is now a major risk and problem. Our business is unique and has very limited competition. IR provides its services and deals on platforms such as Google, Facebook, websites, ISP’s and in some cases, offenders. The licensee acquires the license to brand and market and sells the IR services within the area, using the IR proven and tested marketing and sales process and formula. Essentially there is a huge market, and one could say that there are
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unlimited qualified and ongoing leads. Other services include monitoring and review management. For IR, what entails as starting a franchise are the follows:
Furthermore, our business does not rely upon its personnel traveling to and from office environments, ensuring business continuity.
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When it comes to adapting to the evolving customer needs and trends, do you think it is necessary to align one’s business with the latest technological developments? How do Internet Removals cater to this necessity?
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IR provides all training and ongoing support at no charge. The IR Licensee markets and sells to prospects. HQ provides the application and removal service. The Licensee and IR split the fee 50-50. Apart from a very small monthly administration fee associated with the use of our software and telephone system, there is no ongoing license fee. The licensee is for five (5) years (if exclusive) and can be renewed by both parties at the end of the period. There are limited fixed costs or overheads. A prerequisite is an internet connection.
Our personnel including licensees are the key to our success. Customer relationships, marketing, and sales provide us with a great opportunity to perform our unique services. What were the challenges that are faced by Internet Removal? The COVID-19 pandemic had little if no effect. Despite some businesses suffering others thrived, resulting in a continuation of requests for service. In addition to this, the increased use of social media and other online platforms increased the need for our services to be provided globally.
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IR provides its services and deals on platforms such as Google, Facebook, websites, ISP’s and in some cases, offenders
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Customers can always benefit from businesses employing the latest technological innovations and trends and, while businesses often bear the cost of implementing these new technologies, they improve the customer journey. Our primary focus at Internet Removals, is ensuring the customer journey is as good as it can possibly be, so that customers who are already experiencing stressful events, can manage their matter without unnecessary friction. Furthermore, adopting new technologies can improve our own internal capabilities which in turn, often passes on tremendous cost savings to our customers. As an established franchise leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs planning to own franchise business? Ensure that your business is successful as a stand-alone business before considering franchising or licensing. Ensure that you have ironed out all issues prior to replication. Why replicate a problem? Ensure that a franchisor or licensee will make money from your offer. If they lose money, it will be like being locked into a bad marriage. Only Franchise or License if you are prepared to provide the highest level of customer service and support to your franchisee or licensee. Remember, it was you who induced them into this deal. It being your brand, you are responsible to ensure their success as if it was one of your family. How do you envision scaling Internet Removals operations in 2022? We will continue our licensing program to achieve market saturation. At the same time, we will continue to reinvest in technology, the know-how, and systems to provide all personnel and customers with an enhanced experience.
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Jordan Meinster CEO - PickUp USA Fitness
Selected franchisees benefit from having a playbook to follow on every element of their business from financing to site selection to marketing, sales, and operations.
44 | April 2022
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The 10 Disruptive Franchises of 2022
PickUp USA
Fitness A
top-performing player always knows his game. Because he has been trained by those, who know the perfect game plan. Thus, the future star players will instinctively realize who could be their best bet, when it comes to training and playing with. PickUp USA Fitness – A Basketball focused fitness club. You say the name, you join them, and then play your top game. They are there for you forever, with all the best ways to support you, owning your play business, with their decade honed and forty franchisees old, nationwide playbook.
The Best Way to Play Your Top Game
PickUp USA Fitness is the premier franchise opportunity for basketball enthusiasts. Our gym offers private basketball training, group basketball training, full weight and cardio rooms, PickUp basketball with referees, basketball tournaments, and full-service youth programs. For people looking to start a business focused on basketball, we are a great option. Tell us more about your franchising opportunities, eligibility criteria, and benefits that a probable franchisee may receive.
Jordan Meinster, the CEO of PickUp USA Fitness, has started the first location in Irwindale and is currently leading the company in its nationwide franchising campaign. He oversees the marketing, operations, real estate, finance, and development teams at PickUp USA Franchise Company. He also oversees the operations at PickUp USA's corporate-run stores. So, when Insights Success was searching for "The 10 Disruptive Franchises of 2022," we always knew that we had to catch this fantastic leader and pick up a discussion with him. Mr Meinster too, was very big-hearted to accommodate our list of queries, which most of the wishful future franchise collaborator's also have. Here are his insightful answers. What makes your company a preferred franchise choice over your competitors?
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PickUp USA Fitness has franchise opportunities across the United States. We have awarded 40 franchises and are increasing our development schedule. To be eligible to franchise with us, we are looking for people who are passionate about our service offerings and who will be actively involved in running their club. Selected franchisees benefit from having a playbook to follow on every element of their business from financing to site selection to marketing, sales, and operations. We also have a 365 day a year support team in place with dedicated representatives at every step of the journey. We work as hard as our franchisees. How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact your daily operations and what were the challenges that you faced? In March of 2020, all of our gyms suspended operations due to public health orders. Within a few months, the gyms started opening. Our anticipation was that the membership count, attendance, and revenue would drop. We planned for the worst. As the gyms started reopening, we were thrilled that most of the members enthusiastically came back to the gym. 2020 turned into our best year ever for systemwide sales, and 2021 beat 2020 as our best year-to-date. We implemented comprehensive cleaning and safety procedures and helped our franchisees plan for cash flow disruptions during the closures. We made it through COVID-19 as a stronger company and are poised for continued growth. When it comes to adapting to the evolving customer needs and trends, do you think it is necessary to align one's business with the latest technological developments? If yes, how does your company cater to this necessity? Basketball is inherently low-tech. You need a ball, a court, and some hoops. That said, we have incorporated a ton of technology into our operations to benefit our franchisees and our customers. A big part of this is our PickUp USA University™ program that serves as the foundation for our franchisee knowledge development. We have heavily invested in our learning management software to ensure that our franchisees have all of the tools necessary to train their teams and run their clubs. We have also invested in customer amenities,
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including our proprietary queuing system, The Casey Queue™, which organizes our basketball games and keeps tracks of wins, etc. We continue to invest in technology to ensure our members get the world-class service they expect from our brand and that the franchise owners have the tools to operate their clubs in an efficient and profitable fashion. As an established franchise leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs planning to own franchise business? Owning a franchise business is a great way to be in the business for yourself, be your own boss, do something you are passionate about; all the while having a team and an established brand supporting you at every step of the way. If you're willing to put in the work, you can be a very successful business owner. It takes hustle but the payoffs can be huge. How do you envision scaling your company's operations in 2022? We signed a lot of new franchise owners in 2021 into our system and we anticipate opening several new clubs in new and existing markets for us in 2022. Our brand has a ton of momentum right now and we've built an army of top-notch franchise owners to help us scale our concept.
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Send Me a Trainer’s franchise model is designed to be in line with the modern way of doing business.
An Emerging Franchise Enabling Mobility and Convenience
48 | April 2022
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The 10 Disruptive Franchises of 2022
I
f you are reading this, you are probably aware that McDonald’s is the world’s largest fast-food restaurant chain. But have you ever considered how it all happened? It was the natural result of McDonald’s franchise-based business strategy. When a person enters a franchise business, he gradually gets access to the credentials of that brand or the company with permission to sell its products within the mentioned location in that specific area. This gradually decreases the brand owner’s efforts by avoiding the heavy task of promoting the brand, which most new companies encounter in the initial stages. Startup capital, speed of expansion with minimal risk and effort, motivated management, and many more benefits are the key benefits for any firm or individual entering the franchise industry. One such company that enables these firm factors, enabling mobility and convenience altogether is Send Me a Trainer. Send Me a Trainer is a free online platform connecting fitness professionals with clients in select cities nationwide. It is the first franchise model to bring technology and Silicon Valley to the franchising world. The franchisees of this company can expand the total addressable market by adding additional categories on the app such as music instructors, tutors, other categories etc. In the following interview, Bary El-Yacoubi, the Cofounder and CEO and Muhssin El-Yacoubi, the Cofounder and CFO shed light on the company’s journey, their opinion on the current industry landscape, and their vision for the company’s future. What makes Send Me a Trainer a preferred franchise choice over your competitors? Send Me a Trainer is the first technology marketplace for in-home services (personal trainers, tennis coaches, etc.) available as a technology franchise. We just happened to start with personal trainers and sports coaches. We have awarded over 50 territories and expanded Internationally to the UK and Dubai all within our first two years of Franchising. Tell us more about your franchising opportunities, eligibility criteria, and benefits that a probable franchisee may receive.
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Key Features and Competitive Advantages Low start-up and overhead costs (Get started for under $50k) Ÿ Proprietary technology and mobile app Ÿ Scalable and flexible business model - Multiple service categories Ÿ Work from home Ÿ
Ideal Candidate: No Fitness Experience Required We are looking for outgoing franchise owners who have sales, marketing, and/or management experience, and who are results oriented. A person who can build relationships, lead a team, and who has the motivation to excel! To qualify, franchisees’ need: Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ
Proven record of accomplishment Strong sales and communication skills Minimum of $49k in liquid capital to invest in your business
How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact your daily operations and what were the challenges that you faced? We are rapidly expanding given the boom in home Fitness. The fitness industry has changed due to COVID with home fitness and home-based services now booming. Home fitness was already popular; however, the pandemic accelerated more consumer adoption. Industry experts indicate that the total addressable market of the home fitness industry has increased by ten billion dollars annually due to the pandemic driving consumers away from fitness clubs. When it comes to adapting to the evolving customer needs and trends, do you think it is necessary to align one’s business with the latest technological developments? If yes, how does Send Me a Trainer cater to this necessity? Send Me a Trainer is the first technology marketplace for in-home services (personal trainers, tennis coaches, etc.) available as a technology franchise. We evolved our business to be entirely mobile app-driven and in line with the latest technology. We also automated the operations of the business through technology.
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Awards and Recognitions Since launching our franchise strategy about 2 years ago, Send Me A Trainer has been: Awarded over 50 territories in the US, UK, and Dubai. Featured on the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine as a relevant franchise of the future and the founders are on the cover alongside some of the most influential leaders of this post covid era such as Zoom CEO, LinkedIn CEO, Magic Johnson, a few guest Sharks from Shark Tank and others.
With Send Me a Trainer, we designed our franchise model to be in line with the modern way of doing business: Work from home or on the go, technology-driven, low start-up cost, easily scalable. How do you envision scaling Send Me a Trainer’s operations in 2022? We will continue to grow our footprint, both in the US and with more international expansion. Being a technology company, we can scale faster. Our franchisees will also launch additional service categories within the markets that their existing clients are looking for. Comrades Exhibiting Excellence
nd
Ranked 2 by Franchise Gator for Top Emerging Franchise brands in 2021 Listed in the top 100 Fitness Franchises by Franchise Connect Magazine Featured in Authority Magazine as disruptors in the fitness industry Those looking to start a business now, and specifically a franchise, can now franchise a technology on-demand business. We are the first to make technology available as a franchise model. The new generation of business owners are looking for modern business models and our franchise model is technology-oriented, and we streamline all operations through technology. An example of this is that franchisees do not waste time running payroll, our system automates that completely. Franchise owners can focus their precious time on things that matter and grow the business and not be stuck in the operations of the business. We are also disrupting the franchise industry by bringing technology and Silicon Valley to the franchising world.
Bary and Muhssin El-Yacoubi (brothers) are Co-founders of Send Me a Trainer. Bary has over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship and start-ups in the fitness and wellness industry with specializations in sales and marketing. Bary earned his Bachelor of Science in Sports Management and Exercise Science. Bary holds many certifications including the National Academy of Sports Medicine – Certified Personal Trainer certification, Performance Enhancement Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, and Fitness Nutrition Specialist. Muhssin has over 15 years of experience in Entrepreneurship, Private Equity, and Investment Banking across multiple sectors and geographies including, the United States, the Middle East, and India. Muhssin earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance and Accounting from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia and his M.B.A from the Kellogg School of Management at North-western University with a specialization in finance and entrepreneurship.
As an established franchise leader, what would be your advice for the budding entrepreneurs planning to own franchise business? Think about the lifestyle that you want to achieve by becoming a business owner and ensure that the franchise you select is in line with your goals.
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