OMAHA FRANCHISE COMMUNITY

We asked local franchise owners: What is your “why” behind owning a franchise and the specific industry you are in?

RYAN HAHN CO-OWNER, THE EXERCISE COACH

My wife Sommer and I were a part of starting a new church. The experience was very fulfilling and life-changing (not to mention we determined that we worked well together). We wanted to experience this again, but this time for additional reasons such as financial independence, flexibility, and vocational purpose. With those motivations along with the impact we saw happening through the church, our filter for identifying an industry and ultimately a company was our ability to transform lives and create community. The fitness industry and The Exercise Coach is a way to do both. Science-based strength training with our caring coaches and our proprietary equipment is making a difference for the 80% of individuals for whom the conventional fitness options and approaches don’t work.

Gabriel Ruiz Fibrenew Omaha South

With a franchise, you’re in business for yourself, but not by yourself. You have a team behind you to help you get started and help you over any bumps along the way. Often times you’re also not starting at zero, as the master franchise has not only a proven business model but the tools to let you hit the ground running. Versatility. This particular franchise opens up the doors to a lot of different types of businesses, instead of being stuck in just one industry. With that, the model is fairly recession-proof, and pandemic-proof. It’s ecofriendly, and cost-effective.

KATIE DESANTIS OWNER, VITALITY BOWLS SUPERFOODS CAFÉ

As an Omaha native, I was motivated to bring something innovative and beneficial to Omaha when I moved back from the East Coast five years ago. My husband and I observed that despite Omaha’s rich culinary scene, there was a noticeable gap in the area of healthy, fast casual dining.

The merits of franchising are numerous. A primary advantage lies in the solid support from corporate, and the reassurance of a business model that has proven to be sustainable in multiple markets. The blend of corporate backing and our ability to input innovative leadership and ideas has proven to be a rewarding experience.

We are profoundly thankful for the warm reception and ongoing support from the Omaha community during our first four years operating Vitality Bowls in Aksarben and west Omaha. I continually seek collaboration opportunities with other local franchise owners, particularly within the wellness sphere. It gives me great satisfaction to provide healthier dining alternatives to the Omaha community!

TOM RIEDL OWNER / CEO, 101 MOBILITY

For me, owning a franchise made perfect sense. I wanted a business with an established model and record of success. The “why” behind why I chose 101 Mobility is that we have the opportunity to help people on a very personal level. Finding a solution so that someone can regain or maintain their independence and freedom is very rewarding. It’s a great feeling when our team completes a job and the customer is so happy with the result. A typical response we get is “Thank you so much - I haven’t been able to get up my stairs without being afraid of falling for several months. Now I can get around my entire house with ease.”

Franchising

BY DAVID KUBICEK