ESU Spring 2024

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COONNTTEENNTS TS

24

Rose Signor and Andrew Smith with some cold ones at their hot bar, The Silver Stamp, in Las Vegas.

CONTENTS

Victoria Beaty’s plant store, Botanical Bar, stands out for its customer (and plant) service. P.30

14 You Have 5 Jobs

STARTERS FRANCHISE

7 Start Here!

What this issue is all about, and why it’s important to your business.

8 Turn a Side Hustle Into a Full Hustle

Blavity cofounder Morgan DeBaun has advice: Do it carefully and strategically.

12 The Greatest Meetings Policy Ever Want to improve team morale? Steal this meetings policy.

You may not realize it, but you do. And if you want to find meaning at work, you must know about them all.

18 Find the Right Customers

You won’t know who you’re truly selling to until you try, try again.

20 Are You Speaking Your Customers’ Language?

This entrepreneur wasn’t, and nearly failed. Then he learned a very important lesson.

48 Changing Careers?

Here are five reasons to consider franchising.

50 Life Is Preparation

She had no experience in pest control or lawn care. Here’s how she succeeded in the industry anyway.

52 Serving a Sense of Belonging

This franchisee saw an opportunity to serve his Native American community in more ways than one.

54 How to Pick the Right Franchise for You

Not every brand is a great fit. Here’s how to know.

56 From Business Rookie to Super Seller

This Olympic athlete got a fresh start in franchising—and her learnings can boost your sales.

58 The $10 Million Strategy

This franchisee is doing huge business. Here’s how.

84 The Real Magic Word

If you say this word more, even when it seems like you shouldn’t, good things will happen.

EDITORIAL

MANAGING EDITOR Monica Im

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RESEARCH Andre Carter, Eric White

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CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Liz Brody

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kristen Bayrakdarian, Bruce Feiler, Nate Hopper, Jim Judy, Kim Kavin, Nicole Lapin, Sarah Kellogg Neff, Ray Titus

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STTAARRTEERRS S

Your Small Business Is About to Get Bigger

Your Small Business Is About to Get

That’s what this issue is all about. Read on! by JASON FEIFER

Want to build an amazing company? Do things that don’t scale.

That advice was popularized at Y Combinator, the famed tech startup accelerator that helped launch Airbnb, DoorDash, Dropbox, Reddit, Stripe, and many more household names. But the advice applies equally—and, we would argue, even more importantly—to small businesses.

Why? First, let’s talk about what it means. Doing things that don’t scale means devoting a time-consuming amount of care to things. “Startups take off because the founders make them take off,” writes Paul Graham, one of the founders of Y Combinator. That means recruiting customers yourself, one at a time. Having long, thoughtful conversations with them. Going out of your way to delight them. Providing hands-on, customized services.

When a company reaches the scale of Airbnb or DoorDash, those kinds of things are nearly impossible. There are too many customers! Too many moving parts! The human touch just doesn’t scale But companies like Airbnb and DoorDash started as tiny companies doing unscalable things, which is what got their momentum going.

If you’re building a business of any size, here’s the important thing to remember: Your company does not need to reach Airbnb-level success in order to be successful. It can stay small and local forever, and still provide you a great living, and create enormous value for your customers. But to succeed, you, too, will need to do things that don’t scale—and to keep doing them. Because if you’re a small business, and you compete with larger businesses, your competitive advantage will be all those unscalable things!

You can recruit customers

yourself. You can get to know them. You can personally delight them. You can make them feel special, and create experiences only for them. That is the incredible power of being a small business—of meeting your customers where they are, at the ground level, and always being there for them. This issue of Startups is all about that. We’re sharing some of the best small business advice we’ve published in Entrepreneur magazine, and showcasing some of the greatest small businesses across America. In fact, many of them appeared in our list “America’s

Favorite Mom & Pop Shops,” which we published in partnership with Yelp in 2023.

The couple on our cover, owners of The Silver Stamp bar in Las Vegas, were on the list too—and won our online competition where readers chose the best of the best. When you read the story about them, you’ll see why: They understand that a bar is more than a bar. It’s a community hub. It’s a place where people feel catered to, and where every detail counts. In other words: The thing that makes them special is unscalable. And that’s what’s so special.

STARTERS

When It’s Time to Go All In

Do you have a side hustle? Do you want to make it a full-time hustle, and escape your 9-to-5 job? Blavity founder Morgan DeBaun has some advice: Do it carefully, but steadily. by NICOLE

LAPIN

Want to grow a side hustle into something bigger? Morgan DeBaun knows something about that.

Back in 2014, she was working full time at Intuit when she started a side hustle. It was called Blavity—a media company for a Black audience. “It wasn’t an immediate, ‘OK, I’m going to quit my job to pursue this,’” she says. She had bills to pay, after all. But she started plotting her way forward, and eventually went all in.

Today, Blavity is very much her full-time job—along with employing 150 others. DeBaun has raised $12 million, the company reaches 100 million millennials and Gen Zers each month, and now it also develops technology to help companies recruit diverse employees. Here, DeBaun lays out her path from side hustle to full hustle—and why you should think differently about what makes you “wealthy.”

You started Blavity while at Intuit. Was there a catalyst for quitting to pursue Blavity full time?

It was a few things. I started Blavity with friends from college. We launched a minimum viable product in July 2014, and it was doing OK. Like, people were reading things, watching things on the site. Then Mike Brown was killed a couple weeks later,

and that’s when I decided there is a unique place for me in this space, and this is something I’m really passionate about.

So that was the beginning of saying, “OK, now I need to build a pathway to quit my job.” But I did not quit immediately. I waited a couple more months, and then I took on a consulting gig so that I could pay the bills.

I’m assuming you walked away from a nice salary. It wasn’t quite six figures 10 years ago, but the equivalent of six figures today.

Are there any business milestones that you would recommend someone reach before they commit to their business full time? There are different phases of commitment.

My 9-to-5 job prevented me from growing the business, because I could only work on it for so many hours. So I got a side hustle with the consulting gig. That gave me more flexibility. I could batch my work— only working a couple hours a week, or 10 hours a day for one day a week—which gave me more time to work on Blavity as my main hustle.

I kept that up for three years while I was building Blavity, even after I had raised our initial round of funding, because I wanted to make sure that every

penny we were making in the business was going back into the business and not paying my cost of living and my bills.

So you essentially bought more time to make Blavity work, while it earned you nothing? Yup. Negative dollars.

When you were raising money, did investors know you had a consulting gig? Oh, absolutely not. I didn’t even tell my employees. There would just be a time block on my calendar where it was like, I don’t know where she went. I didn’t want people to feel like I wasn’t committed to Blavity.

Did they ever find out? I told them after the fact. It took probably two years.

You talk a lot about the difference between a wealthy versus rich mindset. Can you unpack that?

Yeah. A lot of people have materialistic things as their goal. They want to be rich. But what I really want people to understand—and what has been critical to my success—is valuing your time over everything.

A wealthy mindset is, “I know that I’m the moneymaker. My brain is the moneymaker. So I should protect my time, my peace, and my health as my

primary source of wealth generation.” That means making decisions like, instead of walking late at night where you’re going to be stressed out, you take the Uber. Maybe you bought a firstclass flight on the way to a big meeting because you want to be refreshed, so you can close the deal for your business. It’s a lot of different choices. But the whole point is, you must value yourself as the asset that is the key to unlocking your full potential.

And you can always get more money. You can’t get more time. Never ever, ever, ever, ever.

What financial advice do you have for entrepreneurs who want to turn their side hustle into a full-time hustle?

Don’t commingle your funds. Have a separate bank account for your side hustles. It will give you more visibility into how you’re doing. Write out your budget for the next three to six months. Make sure you have enough savings and build an “if this, then that” plan. Like, “If I’m not able to replace my salary with my side hustle within the next three months, then what am I going to do?” Because then once you have that plan, if it happens, you’re not emotionally paralyzed and you can act.

Many people don’t open business bank accounts when they start a side hustle. They keep it all in their personal account. Did you start with separate accounts?

I didn’t for the first two years, and I learned from my mistake. My taxes were a mess. And I didn’t get the tax benefits from having a business. ▶

“A lot of people have materialistic things as their goal. They want to be rich. But what I really want people to understand—and what has been critical to my success—is valuing your time over everything.”

STARTERS

Let’s run through a few side-hustle scenarios. If I sell merch on Etsy, and I’m not sure if it can become something bigger, what do I do?

If you also have a day job, then the first question is: Is this going to replace your income, or is this creating supplemental income?

If you’re making a profit, and if it’s not taking up all your time, and if you feel like you can continue to grow it at a slow pace,

then do that. If it’s not broke, don’t try to fix it. I think a lot of times, people try to solve a problem that maybe isn’t there.

Here’s another scenario: I have an idea for a side hustle. How do I know if it has legs? Are you making money?

If you’re not making money, it’s a hobby.

The next question is, how much did you spend on this side hustle? If you’re making $10,000

a month, but you’re spending $10,000 a month, you’re treading water. I need you to be moving forward with your side hustle.

Do you suggest testing your side hustle?

I do. Testing is smart. You can run Facebook advertising, you can create a landing page before the product is shipped. Do a wait list. There are all types of ways to test without putting too much of your money on the line.

Do you have a money tip that helps with financial anxiety? Never be dependent on what somebody else will or will not give you. Invest in your skillsets, and in your core capabilities, so you can always make sure you have an income.

Nicole Lapin is the founder of Money News Network. Find Nicole’s podcast Money Rehab wherever you get podcasts.

Morgan DeBaun left her job and created a company that employs 150 others.

STARTERS

MANAGEMENT

Don’t Come To My Meeting

As CEO, I’ve created an unusual meeting policy at my company. It helps build a culture of respect, agency— and substantial productivity, too.

by SARAH KELLOGG NEFF

At the company I lead, anyone can opt out of any meeting, at any time, for any justifiable reason—even if it’s with me. Zero judgment. Zero repercussions.

The way I see it, meetings are more than just gatherings of people; they are structures to build healthy respect for people’s time and talents.

I want those ideals to be core to my company.

Also, let’s face it: Most meetings suck.

As they’re currently conducted, meetings trigger a forceful undercurrent related to our worth. How and when meetings are requested, accepted, or run (and by whom) has an outsized impact on our sense of value.

When did meetings become so fraught with subtext? And more urgently: Does it have to be this way? The answer is an unequivocal no. Let’s unpack.

As CEO of The Lactation Network, part of my job is to shape our company culture. In its simplest form, I believe that “company culture” is what it feels like to be part of an organization. How do you feel when you turn on your computer in the morning? Do you feel rested? Are you looking forward to something? When you log off at night, did you accomplish something? Do you have permission to rest?

I’ve learned that improving company culture starts with an honest exploration of what’s true about your culture today, identifying the attributes of the culture you want and why, and then aligning every aspect of the company toward that aspiration. This alignment starts with job descriptions and runs right on through the hiring process, onboarding, and perhaps the hardest part: day-to-day, on-the-job expectations.

That’s where meetings come in.

Years ago, I worked at digital agencies where I was tasked with operationalizing creativity: How could I capture the brilliant, busy minds in the room and get their neurons firing as quickly as possible? How could I set them up to be successful and consistently demonstrate respect for their time?

In the process of building that framework, I realized meetings rarely had their intended effect. Political and professional maneuvers often came at the cost of efficiency—and revealed we’re all still clamoring to be picked, noticed, needed.

For many companies, these

virtual or in-person rooms are filled with unspoken cultural nuance or raucous, haphazard posturing that often leaves employees feeling disoriented, frustrated, and disrespected. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Meetings are here to serve us. We’re not here to serve them. Our work only works when our meetings work—for us, not against us.

What if meetings were a fundamentally flexible device? What if we got to decide whether a meeting is the best use of our time, instead of our bosses? What if we got to determine what purpose a meeting serves ahead of time, and could hold attendees accountable for arriving at our agreed-upon destination? What if every single employee, no matter their title, got to check in to ask, “Is this oneon-one/all-hands/recurring meeting still serving us?”

If these questions don’t feel like ones you and your team have the agency to ask, then you’ve got a problem. Meeting culture is a mirror to the values your company holds about who (and whose time) matters. And if we start with the assumption that everyone’s time matters, then everyone deserves a say in how they best contribute to their teams. I get it. There’s a difference between a 114-person operation like mine and large corporations. We’re nimble, and folks throughout our company get to see me model these meeting practices in real time. But calibrating meeting culture is less about what size your business is and more about a commitment to breaking hierarchy stigmas reinforced by poor meeting culture. It’s tough—but most worthwhile things are.

STARTERS

It’s one of your five jobs. And if you want to find meaning at work, you must identify all of them.

by BRUCE FEILER

Cornell Thomas lost his police officer father in New Jersey to cancer when he was four, and he grew up watching his dental assistant mother struggle

to support her family. “Once, in sixth grade, I asked if we could order pizza,” he says.

“Mom gave me a look that said, No. Don’t ask again.”

To help out, Cornell turned

to entrepreneurship. “My mother had these packs of WeightWatchers cookies that tasted like death,” he says. Cornell put on his baseball uniform and sold the cookies to his neighbors for 50 cents a pack. “I made $50. It was like a million bucks.”

After his dream of playing pro basketball was cut short, Cornell returned to his entrepreneurial roots, opening a youth academy and giving motivational speeches. But his childhood fear of deprivation still haunted him: “I was an adult before I realized I had a horrible relationship with

money. I would cry rather than ask people to pay me.”

Money was Cornell Thomas’ ghost job. We all have one.

We may also have four more jobs. But before we discuss those, we must look at the way we work now—and how it’s changed in ways we may not have noticed.

Over the last six years, I’ve collected and analyzed 400 life stories of Americans of all backgrounds and vocations, looking for patterns that could help all of us survive and thrive in times of change. For the last three years, I’ve been look-

ing specifically at the future of work. What I’ve found is that today’s workers—younger, more female, more diverse—are busting through old myths and discovering new possibilities for individuals to write their own stories of success.

Specifically, Americans are debunking the three lies about work.

LIE #1 ▶ You have a career. For most of human history, humans lived where they worked and worked where they lived. There was no word for “career” because no one had one. The idea of a career was invented in the 19th century as millions of Americans fled farms for cities, and millions more joined them from overseas.

In 1908, Frank Parsons, a journeyman engineer and writer, opened the first career training center in the U.S. Overnight, schools across the country started offering career counseling. Parsons popularized the idea that you chose a career when you were young and stuck with it the rest of your life (at least if you were male; his program was not offered to women). Within a few decades, another new invention, the résumé, normalized the idea that a career was a linear progression of jobs, each one more important than the last.

Few ideas have squandered more human potential. Sure, some people lock into a dream early and follow it for decades. But far more of us rethink our choices, find new passions, and break away from stifling expectations. In my study, 85% of people did not “follow their passion” when they were young; they discovered it along the way.

LIE #2 ▶ You have a path.

All the metaphors we’ve used to describe a career—the track, the path, the ladder—have one thing in common: They reinforce the idea that work is linear. By contrast, our work lives today are nonlinear. They’re marked by an endless stream of pivots and swerves. I call these destabilizing events “workquakes”—moments of disruption, inflection, or reevaluation that redirect our work in meaningful ways.

The average person goes through 20 workquakes in their life—that’s one every 2.85 years. But younger workers go through them more frequently than older workers; women more than men; and diverse workers more than nondiverse workers—which means that number is only going to rise. We simply must begin to think of our lives as more unsettled and serpentine than we already do.

LIE #3 ▶ You have a job.

At first glance, it may seem inaccurate to say that this is a lie. Of course I have a job! How else do I pay my bills? Still, it’s true.

Today, no one has one job anymore. As I said previously, everyone now has up to five.

I asked everyone in my conversations a simple question: “How many jobs do you have?” The average answer was three and a half. A quarter said five or more. At first, I was surprised by these numbers. The more I probed, the more surprised I became.

Economists have traditionally defined a job as work you perform for money. But even by this definition, 63% in my cohort have more than one job. And the full picture is even more complex.

The emerging way that people use the word “job” goes well beyond paid work and is closer to the original definition of a job as a task. The first of the five jobs is a main job—which sounds simple, but is not. Today, fewer than half of all workers even have a main job; in my research group, it was 39%. But is a main job the one where you spend the most time, earn the most income, or derive the most meaning? For many people, those jobs are different and change over time.

The second type of job, which two-thirds of us have, is a care job, like caring for children or aging relatives.

The third type of job, a side job, gets a lot of attention, and that’s no wonder: Threequarters of us have a side job. Half of all side jobs involve entrepreneurship. They allow someone to either experiment with self-employment while supporting themselves with a main job, or sustain themselves with self-employment by using the side job for extra cash. In both cases, the side job provides the primary source of meaning while the main job provides the primary source of cash.

The fourth type of job also appeals to would-be entrepreneurs: a hope job. This type of job is something you do that you hope becomes something else, like writing a screenplay or selling jewelry on Etsy. Eighty-nine percent of us have a hope job, including many people who feel stuck in a main job that drains them of energy. These are the people who get through their days by dreaming of starting a company.

The fifth and final job

brings us back to Cornell Thomas. It’s a ghost job: an invisible time suck like battling self-doubt, struggling with mental health, or worrying about money. It is so pervasive that it feels like a job. Ninety-three percent of us have a ghost job.

While at first glance having all these jobs might seem to be a drain, in most cases the opposite is true. We use these various jobs to get the meaning we crave from our work. Maybe we do one job for income and benefits, but we do another job for meaning and purpose—and for most of us that allotment changes over time in response to fluctuations in our circumstances, our family situations, or our health. It’s precisely this fluctuation that gives rise to the one big truth about work today: Only you can decide what story you want to tell. Only you can decide what brings you meaning.

Like Cornell Thomas and hundreds of others I’ve interviewed, only you can tap into your childhood longings and dreams, evaluate the priorities you hold at the moment, and begin to reshape a future made only for yourself.

Only you can tell the most important story you’ll ever tell: the story of what makes you a success.

Bruce Feiler is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including Life Is in the Transitions and The Secrets of Happy Families. His three TED Talks have been viewed more than four million times. His latest book is The Search: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World, from which this piece is adapted.

STARTERS

“Don’t believe you always know the truth,” says Facet’s Brent Weiss. “That can take you on the wrong path.”

SALES

If at First You Don’t Get Clients…

Try, try again? That’s the lesson of Facet, an innovative financial planning startup that tried everything to get its first customers. by LIZ

BRODY

Agreat business idea is worth nothing, until you can find paying customers. But how? Here’s a start: Think like the founders of Facet. It’s an online financial advisor platform that spent years (and multiple pivots) figuring out how to get members.

Now it has 22,500 of them, and brings in $37.7 million in annual recurring revenue.

Facet was partly born out of a new rule issued in 2016 (but ultimately never implemented) by President Obama’s Department of Labor. It required financial advisors to become fiduciaries

(meaning they must act solely in their clients’ best interests). What caught the attention of Brent Weiss and Anders Jones was a number they saw in the public comments: The planning industry said this would make services too expensive for 8 million people currently using advisors.

Weiss was a financial planner; Jones an investor. And both had already been wondering about a more affordable solution. So with a third cofounder, Patrick McKenna, they launched Facet, which offers planning services by fiduciaries for a flat annual fee, rather than traditional (and more costly) commissions. All they needed now were customers.

TACTIC 1 ▶ Please, anyone!

In December 2016, Facet registered with the SEC—and a ticking clock began. The government requires fiduciaries to have at least $100 million in assets or clients in 15 states—typically five in each, or 75 total—within a year. Facet had neither.

At first, the founders figured it would be easy: They’d buy clients from other financial advisors! After all, services were about to become more expensive, and advisors would lose clients—so why not sell them to Facet? “Just about every one of them was like, ‘Great idea…oh, but not my clients,’” says Weiss.

Soon the founders were scrambling, frantically calling friends, family—just about anyone. “We’d go, ‘We’ll give you a discount. We’ll do great things for you. But we need to hit this number,’” says Weiss.

TACTIC 2 ▶ A new B2B channel Facet scored 84 clients in the first year, allowing it to squeak by the SEC rules. Looking

back, Jones says, they should have abandoned the original plan sooner. “If we’d set up success criteria and said, ‘OK, out of 20 people, one of them has to convert in six weeks,’ we could have quickly realized that this was not the right channel for us,” he says.

Over the next two years, the founders explored other ways of finding clients. One idea: What if they partnered with employee benefits and 401(k) providers, as well as large companies that offer those perks? As workers save money, the theory went, Facet could help them plan what to do with it. “Again,” says Weiss, “all the signals were, This is a great big market. But there was just no engagement.”

TACTIC 3 ▶ Straight to consumers

Finding those first customers through someone else—a financial advisor, a benefits provider, or a company— didn’t seem to work. But in late 2018, they switched to a direct route: “We would get a list of a thousand [potential customer] names and just start cold-calling,” says Weiss.

Person to person, they could fully explain their value. And it worked! At first they spent a few thousand dollars a month on buying leads. A year later, they were spending 15 times as much.

Today, rather than betting on just one customer acquisition strategy, they’re constantly experimenting. “Don’t be afraid if that first client doesn’t come from where you want it to,” says Weiss. “It’s like in science: Most discoveries aren’t made from the tests being run. They come from the—pardon my French—Oh shit, what was that?”

STARTERS

Wilde’s old branding (right) wouldn’t sell. The new branding made all the difference.

BRANDING

‘People Don’t Buy What They Don’t Know’

This snack brand was failing. Then its founder discovered the problem: He wasn’t speaking his customers’ language. by JASON FEIFER

JJason Wright made a new kind of snack chip, and he knew it was good. When people tried it, they bought it. He even launched inside Whole Foods—a dream for many food brands.

So after it launched, why were sales dead?

To save his business, Wright needed to untangle a problem that bedevils many innovators: The concept was so new that consumers found it off-putting. “Because having a product that’s never been done

before, with a name that they’ve never seen before,” he says, “puts people in a bad place, or they just walk by it.” Instead of showing them his idea, Wright realized he needed to speak their language first.

Wright never actually set out to make snack chips. His company, Wilde Brands, began with protein bars made with real meat—like an updated beef jerky. But Wilde had a larger competitor it couldn’t keep up with.

“I was thinking of how

to save Wilde, and I was depressed,” Wright says, in his South Carolina twang. “So I turned to my Southern roots—comfort food. I was eating potato chips. And meat was on my mind, because we’d been making protein bars out of meat.”

Then it hit him: Maybe he could make chips out of meat? Protein-infused chips exist in the market, but they’re typically made with protein powder. He could differentiate with crunchy, snackable chips made with real ingredients.

Wright quickly put the pieces together: He worked with professors from Colorado State University and Boulder, Coloradobased food lab Spork & Ladle, created the product, and slapped together some packaging. On the front of the bag, in big letters, it described the product: chicken chips.

That’s what went onto Whole Foods’ shelves. When he gave out samples in the store, people bought the bags. But without samples, the bags didn’t move.

Wright struggled over the problem. What was wrong? He watched people as he gave them a bag. “They would look at it, read the words ‘chicken chips,’ and the expression on their face was not positive,” he says. Oh no, he thought. What if the term “chicken chips” is disgusting?

Wright was stumped on what else to call it. He didn’t want to use “protein chips,” because of all the powder-based protein chip brands on the market, but he couldn’t come up with something else. He thought

about what differentiated Wilde. It was the ingredients. Maybe that was a good start?

Unlike before, when his team created packaging without any market testing, Wilde approached this rebrand more carefully. It started testing many variations on its bags, and zeroed in on a solution: The main description would be “protein chips”— which, despite Wright’s reservations, is at least a familiar phrase to consumers—and underneath it would say, “Crafted from real ingredients including,” followed by the three main ones: chicken breast, egg whites, and chicken bone broth.

During the research, he heard people say that this chip “checks all the boxes” for them. “So I said to our creative designer, ‘Why don’t we add a check box beside each ingredient?’” They did. It was the clear winner in tests. “Immediately people just understood it.”

When the new bags hit shelves in 2021, they finally started selling. Wilde has since expanded into Sprouts Farmers Market, where it has 15 SKUs, and online sales are strong. It outgrew its headquarters in Boulder, Colorado, and opened a new one in Nashville, Tennessee, in June 2023. And Wright is thinking about expansion— growing into new categories. When he does it, though, he’ll always be mindful of what his customer is already familiar with—in order to whet their appetites for his big new ideas.

“A smart gentleman once told me, ‘People don’t buy what they don’t know,’” Wright says. “And it’s 100% true.”

DO WHAT YOU LOVE!

How to build a business that makes you you (and everyone (and else) happy.

Last summer, Entrepreneur magazine published a first-of-its-kind list: It was called “America’s Favorite Mom & Pop Shops.” In collaboration with Yelp, we identified the 150 local businesses across America that were most beloved (and highly ranked), and then dug into the secrets of their success.

Our goal: By learning what fueled these beloved local companies, we could help other small businesses thrive too.

Now, in this issue of Startups, we’re taking that mission a step further. On the following pages, you’ll find many stories inspired and informed by the 150 companies on our list—including lessons on how to win against larger competitors, how to use smallness to your advantage, and how to connect deeply with customers. You’ll also gain insights from the CEO of Jersey Mike’s—a guy who turned a single, tiny sandwich shop into a national brand.

And we have a big reveal: We held a contest on Entrepreneur.com and on Entrepreneur’s social media, where readers could vote on their absolute favorite of the 150 companies on our list. The winner was The Silver Stamp of Las Vegas—a local bar whose owners think deeply about how to create a unique environment and help people feel at home. You’ll meet them in this issue. By the end, you’ll have a great sense of what it takes to act big and think small. Then the fun part begins.

Rose Signor and Andrew Smith opened The Silver Stamp in 2021, and it’s already a Las Vegas mainstay.

MAKING PEOPLE COMFORTABLE DOESN’T HAVE TO COST A FORTUNE

Just ask the couple who built a basically unmarked bar that, within three years, has become one of the most beloved mom-and-pop shops in the country.

by KRISTEN BAYRAKDARIAN

You might not guess that in Las Vegas—a place known for luxury resorts,

opulent casinos, and just about any amenity imaginable—one of the city’s most beloved establishments is in a single-story building a six-minute drive from the Strip.

There’s a sole neon sign in the window that says, simply, “Open.” But inside is a bit of magic: a bar, called The Silver Stamp, that makes just about everyone feel like they’re back home, no matter where they’re from. And in a city like Las Vegas, that’s a high-wire act. “It’s a transient city,” says Andrew Smith, one of The Silver Stamp’s co-owners. “We have so many different people coming here.” And not just locals. Tourists seek the bar out in almost equal measure.

The Silver Stamp has become so beloved that when Entrepreneur held a vote to select America’s favorite

mom-and-pop shop (out of 150 of the most popular small businesses in the country, selected in partnership with Yelp), the dive bar won first place.

This is all the more impressive given that Smith and his co-owner and life partner, Rose Signor, only opened the business three years ago, in February 2021. In that short time, they’ve paid off their two small investors, the business has averaged 23% revenue growth year over year, and by popular demand, extended their hours from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.

So what is the Silver Stamp getting right?

“A lot of people say, ‘I don’t know what it is, but I just feel so comfortable in your space,’” Signor says.

Comfort—it’s no small thing. It’s possibly the most important feeling a mom-and-pop

shop can evoke. But it’s also mysterious. You can’t simply buy comfort. You can’t follow a checklist to create it. You have to understand, deeply, what it means to you

SIGNOR AND SMITH met in 2017, when she hired him to work at Atomic Liquors, the oldest freestanding bar in Las Vegas.

“It was an instant connection,” Smith says. They’d both been in the service industry for years— Smith had managed a nearby

bar before coming to Atomic Liquors—and they both shared an interest in the craft beer industry. Smith had planned to move to the Northwest at some point, but when he met Signor, he had a good reason to stay. And Signor had actually moved from Las Vegas to Seattle back in 2011—only to move back a year later. She missed Las Vegas and the desert, and was inspired to infuse Sin City with some of the wholesome beer culture she loved.

But Signor and Smith’s connection went deeper than a love of pilsners and IPAs. They’d grown up in small towns on opposite sides of the country—Peru, New York, and Yuma, Arizona, respectively— that instilled in them a strong sense of community and, perhaps more importantly, empathy. “I remember seeing situations [growing up] where I felt truly bad for people getting treated poorly and embarrassed because they didn’t have

enough money,” says Signor.

When Signor and Smith discovered that they had both, individually, been saving to open their own bars, joining forces was a no-brainer. “We knew we wanted to do something together,” Smith says. They started dreaming about the bar they’d open, and even collecting decorations. A vintage clock here, a disco ball there. A wooden toucan to hang from the ceiling, sock monkeys to dress in funny,

seasonal outfits. Their nostalgic, oddball, something-foreveryone aesthetic was representative of their mission for the business. “We’d been to so many establishments that have not made us feel welcome, or have made us and others feel like outcasts,” Signor says. “We wanted everyone to feel included.”

In May 2018, they took the leap. They quit their jobs together and backpacked for nine months through

Europe and the U.S. to learn more about the history of beer. When their former boss at Atomic Liquors, Lance Johns, reached out and told them he had bought a few buildings in the downtown area, and he would lease one to them, the couple jumped at the chance. They had a vision, and they were ready.

CONSTRUCTION on the Silver Stamp began at the end of 2019. A few months later, we all

know what happened: The pandemic hit.

Smith and Signor had planned to hold other jobs as they built out the space, but the shock to the service industry left them unemployed. They had already sunk $60K of their savings into gutting the space, buying materials and paying contractors, so they pressed ahead. But there were mistakes and setbacks during construction, and the funds dried up way before the bar was finished.

“We were beside ourselves,” Signor recalls. “I remember stepping outside and thinking, We don’t really have any money left.”

At some point, the couple assessed their situation. Nothing was going to plan, sure, and the money was gone. But they had their own two hands, and a community of friends who were willing to help.

They began spending long nights repurposing old, tornout wood, running electrical

lines, and laying plumbing themselves, to cut costs. They sought out any help they could get. “One of the biggest things I learned during this process,” Signor says, “and this is even after we’ve opened—is to not be afraid to ask as many questions and to reach out to as many people as you can. Sometimes you think you’re bothering people, but in that dire moment, I remember panicking and hitting everybody up, asking for suggestions, and looking to people that

have a little bit more experience with the situation. There were some really surprising people that came forward to help us just by mentioning what our situation was.” People coached them through different processes, gave them a discount on their services, or lent them materials and machinery. They turned to others for counsel or attempted to replicate, through trial and error, what seemed to have worked for other successful establishments.

One person they leaned on a lot was Lance Johns, who knew how hard they worked from when he was their boss. “Lance is somebody that will give back to people who give to him,” says Signor. “Having a mentor saved us a lot of time not having to second-guess ourselves.”

One thing they never doubted was how they wanted their bar to feel: inclusive and, of course, comforting.

They poured those values into every detail and decision. Christmas lights strung across the ceiling help keep the ambience neither too dark nor too bright. Bar stools are repurposed gaming chairs, designed for people to sit in one place for an extended period of time. The collection of cozy nooks and small seating areas encourages intimate conversations, and the music is kept at a low enough decibel that you can hear your neighbor talk. There are only two screens, an anomaly in otherwise tech-saturated Las Vegas. And this low-tech ethos extends to printing physical menus, even though the bar has served over 1,700 different beers in three years—averaging out to nearly two new beers a day. Finally, there’s the diversity of decorations and memorabilia—a bubbling lava lamp, vintage beer posters, kooky seasonal decorations, scavenged beer-can art installations—that Signor and Smith had collected over two years before the bar’s opening. They’re now strewn across the wood-panel walls and, really, everywhere, so that customers have something fun and different to look at in each corner. Customers have even begun adding their own contributions to the decor.

“We have been to enough bars in our life to know what makes us feel comfortable,” Signor says, “So how we created the bar was based on our own preferences.” By trusting their own well-defined feelings, they built something universally relatable.

BUT CREATING an environment that is comfortable and relatable is about more than just creative decisions. It’s also about financial decisions, and from the start, Signor and Smith were determined to keep costs down. “We have low overhead because our decisions weren’t fueled by [trying to make] money,” Signor says. “We intentionally made choices like a cheaper building off the beaten path and being our own managers and cutting out that salary.”

Being intimately involved in the day-to-day operations of the space has also helped them foster the spirit of the bar and its employees. “Our definition of a bartender isn’t someone just serving drinks,” says Signor. “It’s about building a relationship with these guests. When we’re hiring, we look for people who genuinely appreciate other people, treat them with respect and kindness, and create a really safe space that people want to come back to.” Their ideal hire is someone who has positive energy, is able to leave their personal life at the door, can laugh and joke with people, and is humble (which they define as “not intimidating and able to put people at ease”).

It’s painful to let people go when they don’t live up to those standards, Signor says. But it’s also essential. “When prioritizing what to do next, I always think of the guest sitting in that barstool,” she explains. “We tell the staff to pretend we’re the guests on the other side. What are they seeing? Really envision it from their perspective.”

But, while Signor and Smith want their employees to put themselves in their customers’ shoes (or, rather, stools), they also believe that employees have to be happy for customers to enjoy themselves. They offer health benefits—something they say is mostly unheard of in their industry, but something they wanted when they were

“WE’VE HAD GROWN PEOPLE CRY WHEN THEY FIRST WHEN THEY COME IN HERE. THE SPACE TOUCHES THEM IMMEDIATELY.”

employed by others. They are also transparent with their employees about finances and business decisions, sharing numbers and providing reasoning for changes. They take their workers’ thoughts into consideration, whether it be opinions on events or on shifts in workflow. And they don’t ask employees to do anything they wouldn’t want to do. (The pair continue to work bar shifts alongside their staff—including cleanup duty.)

“Don’t be afraid to get feedback,” says Signor. “Our staff is so important to us and really we wouldn’t be the bar that we are without them. So we lean on them, and they lean on us.”

The same way she encourages her employees to look at things through the customer’s eyes, she makes a habit of looking at a situation from the viewpoint of her employees. “I’ve learned to always try to put myself in the mindset of the other person,” she says. “I roleplay with myself in my head: If I say this to them, what do I think their response will yield? And could I say it differently? I just really try to understand where they’re coming from before we approach the situation.” She adds, “And then if we’re frustrated, we sleep on it. That was something that my mentor told me: ‘Always take a couple of days to reflect.’”

These days, when Smith and Signor reflect on their business journey, it’s notable that, in a city known for its fabulous

attractions, The Silver Stamp has become its own must-see destination. “We’ve become a bar people bring their families to when they’re in town because they have to show their parents, their uncle,” Smith says.

Signor adds, “We’ve had grown people cry when they first come in here. The space touches them immediately.”

People are always looking for comfort, and the Silver Stamp shows that if you devote yourself and your business to that quality above all, people will feel it—and deeply appreciate it. You just need a vision, and a willingness to get your hands dirty. “Every single aspect of this bar we’ve had our hands in,” says Smith. He and Signor think it’s funny that one of the bar’s quirks that locals and tourists love—the fact that they don’t have signage outside their building, giving the bar that local, in-the-know vibe—came about because they couldn’t afford the sign they had designed.

That’s the kind of thing you never could have planned for. So, while Smith and Signor have received offers to franchise the bar, they don’t think what they’ve created can be replicated. They do have other plans in the works. But The Silver Stamp will remain dependably unique—news that is its own kind of comfort.

Kristen Bayrakdarian is a journalist at the New York Times

YOU’LL ONLY FIND THIS HERE

When a local, independent business becomes known for something special—a product or service, or even just a unique vibe— customers love knowing they’re getting a truly one-of-a-kind experience. Here, seven mom-and-pops around the country share what helps them stand out.

1 ▶ The Roxbury

Roxbury, New York

“When people ask us about our hotel we say, ‘Imagine if Alice in Wonderland married Willy Wonka, and they took up residence in Oz.’ That’s what we want The Roxbury to feel like. We met in NYC in 1988, and have been married for 34 years. We spent our first decade together in the theater, but putting food in our mouths became so overwhelming that Greg let a temp job on Wall Street turn into a real job. Then 9/11 happened. We realized we were happiest ‘putting on a show’ together. We had this little cabin in the Catskills, and we bought a rundown motel 30 minutes down the road. Never in our wildest dreams did we foresee that 21 years and four expansions later, we’d have 43 rooms, suites, and cottages.”

—Owners Gregory Henderson and Joseph Massa

2 ▶ ReWax and UnWine

Jersey City, New Jersey

“Our hands-on candle-pour parties offer our customers an opportunity to let loose in an immersive candle-making experience. We meticulously designed these parties to be a multisensory experience, so from the moment customers enter our studio, they are greeted by a soothing ambiance, Top-40 music, and ‘scentsational’ aromas. Our staff guides them through the entire candle-making process, and customers get to choose from a wide range of fragrances, colors, crystals, and florals. We’ve really tried to create a haven where people can escape the stress of everyday life and find solace in the simple act of making candles.”

—Owner Ashley Shillingford

3 ▶ Botanical Bar

Indianapolis, Indiana

“Botanical Bar is known for our beautiful selection of indoor houseplants that also have health and wellness benefits. We also provide in-house plant repotting, since we know repotting can be a daunting task. We’re the first Black- and woman-owned plant shop in Indianapolis, and during our first year in business, we hosted a series of community workshops aimed at helping people become better plant parents. The response from the community was overwhelming, with people of all ages and backgrounds attending and actively participating. Witnessing the joy and excitement as attendees gained confidence in their plant care abilities was incredibly rewarding.”

—Owner Victoria Beaty

4 ▶ Cheaper Than Therapy

San Francisco, California

“Our customer service is what I’d like to be known for—we’ve never had a drink minimum because I hated that at other comedy clubs; comedians stay and party with the customers; and I even learned to play piano to keep the party going after the show—but to be honest, we’re most easily remembered for a giant foam clown head that sits in our downstairs bar. We operate in the old Shelton Theater, and many, many years ago they did a play and had a custom giant clown head made. It was made downstairs and is too large to go through any doors, so we moved it into the bar during a remodel, and it just lives there now.”

—Owner Jon Allen

5 ▶ Pinballz Arcade

Austin, Texas

“Pinballz is known for having one of the largest collections of pinball machines and classic video games in the country, along with many other attractions—from wrestling to comedy nights, e-Sports, live music, murder mystery events, whiskey tastings, brew fests, kid-specific events, and much more. Over the last 13 years, we’ve seen couples meet at Pinballz—some got married here and many now bring their children. We even helped one young man pop the question. At that time, all our games spit out redemption tickets. We had Willyoumarry me?come out of one of our Skeeball games as she played. Her answer: ‘Yes!’” —Owners Darren and Mikki Spohn

6 ▶ Alpacas of Oregon

Sherwood, Oregon

“Most alpaca farms allow you to interact with animals through a fence, but on our farm, people sign up for a one-hour immersive experience. They get to hand-feed and pet alpacas while we educate them, and they also have the opportunity to visit our barn store to buy alpaca yarn and other products. People tell us every day how much they appreciate spending time with the animals. We get people from all over the world, but our favorite customer is Angela Marie. She is a lovely person who has visited the alpacas probably over 40 times. After she visits, she usually texts us a couple of edited videos that are ready to be posted on social media. She’s so good to us and very talented!”

—Owners Doug and Suzanne Campbell

7 ▶ Oakwell Beer Spa Denver, Colorado

“Our unique service is called ‘beer therapy.’ Guests unwind in a giant tub packed with fresh hops, barley, and medicinal herbs. Hops are a mild sedative, and their extract offers antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Barley is rich in vitamins and antioxidants. We’re excited to break the stigma of a day spa as a female experience. With our gender-neutral design and warm customer service, we want everyone to feel comfortable. In fact, nearly half our guests are first-time spagoers, typically coerced by their partner with the promise of beer. By the end of their experience, that person is often begging to come back! Many couples have made Oakwell Beer Spa their monthly date night.”

—Owners Jessica French and Damien Zouaoui

HOW ONE MOM & POP SHOP EXPANDED

2,700 TIMES

Jersey Mike’s famously began as a single shop owned by a teenager. Now it’s everywhere. How exactly does that happen?

by NATE HOPPER

It

was 1975,

and Peter Cancro was 17 and in love. The object of his affection was a small mom-and-pop deli in the beach town of

Point

Pleasant, New Jersey, called Mike’s Subs.

Peter had worked there since he was 14—at first wrapping subs, then waiting for the day he’d earn the right to slice meats. “Only certain people would slice,” he recalls, “because that was, like, where you had to really nail it.” Alongside his colleague buddies, he was always talking to the tourists who flocked to the ocean. There’s no way to know for sure, but Cancro thinks the deli had to be the highest-volume sub shop in the country, even back then. On an average summer day it went through “850 giant loaves a day,” Cancro says, “or $130,000 in sales a week, in today’s dollars.” He was always serving people, always memorizing their orders. Always tracking the details.

Then one night, Cancro heard from his mother that the shop’s owners were planning to sell. What happened next is a story Cancro has long relished telling. His mother asked him, “Why don’t you buy it?” With that question in his head, he started heading upstairs to bed. By the time he got to the top of the stairs, he thought, Why not me?

Cancro was still in high school (and planning to attend The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with notions of becoming a lawyer), but he skipped classes to research the financials and look for backers. Desperate, one Sunday after 9 p.m., he knocked on the door of his former football coach—who was, helpfully, also a banker—

and asked for a loan to meet the brothers’ $125,000 asking price. The coach said yes. The deal went through. Peter Cancro became the owner of a momand-pop deli, while still living with his mom.

This is the origin story of Jersey Mike’s Subs, told and retold in media and marketing. Often, the story quickly flashes forward to the present day—where Cancro’s little store is now a franchising behemoth. How big? Big enough that Danny DeVito appears in its national commercials, and it has more than 2,700 locations with plans to have 3,000 locations in total by the end of 2024—on track for its annual target of 15% unit growth. In January 2020, the average unit volume was $850,000;

today, it’s $1.3 million. And this year, Jersey Mike’s is No. 2 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list.

So, pretty big.

But a love story that skips from infatuation to happy ending is like a sub made only of bread: It’s potentially delicious, and comforting in a fluffy, carb-y kind of way, but it lacks real substance. So what is the rest of the story—the meat and veggies of it? How did a local deli, in what Cancro says was an undeniably poor location (“No parking. You don’t see the sign. You go by it and never see it.”) become one of America’s most successful food franchises?

The answer is, you find a way to scale that mom-and-pop mentality—to stay small, even when you’re getting huge. ▶

MORE THAN a decade went by before Jersey Mike’s expanded. For years, while Cancro prepared subs, customers told him they were taking the sandwiches back home—sometimes across the country, sometimes across the Atlantic, even into the Soviet Union. Then, in 1987, some of those customers started taking the brand home with them too, by becoming some of his first franchisees.

Cancro and his crew were hands-on with the newcomers, teaching everything they’d learned from the original store. “I’d be behind the slicer,” Cancro says. They’d also cook up excitement by going door to door around the community to offer free subs, or by supporting local community organizations. Then, when the store would get hectic, Cancro would become a coach. “I’d take the franchisee: ‘Alright, listen, go over here during the rush,’” he says.

Charitable giving was an important part of Cancro’s vision from the start. Growing up in Point Pleasant Beach, he’d been impressed by two men who respectively owned an ice cream store and a local lobster shanty in the area. “They gave unconditionally to the youth, to the first aid, to the community,” Cancro recalls. “Watching that in high school, I said, ‘Well, that’s what we’re gonna do.’ So we started our mission statement to give and make a difference. ‘The power of the sub sandwich,’ we called it. People know us for that now, as much as they know the product. They say, ‘We hear what you’re doing for the kids. We hear what you’re doing for the community.’”

It’s that same ability to build communities within Jersey Mike’s that Cancro credits for the company’s success. To grow beyond a single mom-and-pop store, Cancro believes in building what he calls a “nucleus.” This is the “stay small while getting large” insight at the heart of his company’s growth. The nucleus,

to him, is a small collection of shops in the same area, which work together to build training teams and master multi-unit operations. At first, this will likely develop near the original location, but later, new regions can develop their own nuclei.

Why is this useful? Because this way, no one Jersey Mike’s location feels like a tiny part of a giant system. Instead, each store has a nearby community of support. In addition to ongoing help from the corporate training team, it’s comforting for a mom-and-pop to know there are a couple seasoned franchise aunt-and-uncles and grandma-and-grandpas down the road.

And even once a franchisee is well-established, the franchisor should still be there to help them grow. For instance, whether a franchisee is opening their first location or their fifth, it’s essential to take leasing and site selection seriously. To this day, Jersey Mike’s helps franchisees pick locations, starting with their basic criteria: “You’ve got to see it. You’ve got to be able to get to it. You have to be able to park,” Cancro explains. (Which is to say, it should be nothing like the original Jersey Mike’s.) But on top of that, before signing a lease, you need to know every single potential expense, down to, say, the HVAC or the grease trap. “You include everything, because if you don’t, you’ll be $30,000 short,” he says. “You’ve got to be truthful in your numbers.” Only then can you “open to win,” as Cancro puts it—meaning, open for the least amount of money and with everything turnkey. Otherwise, oversights and surprises can submarine your sub shop.

Then comes the rest: The franchisor develops a training manual, divided into modules, that explains every detail learned from years of momand-pop operation—including specifics like how long it should take to slice something.

“WE STARTED OUR MISSION STATEMENT TO GIVE GIVE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE... PEOPLE KNOW US FOR THAT NOW, AS MUCH AS AS MUCH AS THEY KNOW THE PRODUCT.”

And then, of course, managing other owners is a whole new skill set for a franchisor to master. “What are you going to do when the franchisee says, ‘No—I’m doing it this way’?” Cancro asks. It’s no longer just the owner’s business. “If you have a problem, you gotta go in and work with the people and come up with: What do we need to do? Are they doing everything correctly?” By leading multiple shops, franchisors learn to apply their knowledge to new challenges. “You’ve got to be able to turn it around.”

By the end of the ’80s, Jersey Mike’s had about 30 shops—no longer just in New Jersey but also in Tennessee and Ohio and beyond, each region building its own nuclei along the way. “It really started happening,” Cancro recalls. “We hit really well.”

Then the world outside the Mike’s community brought trouble.

AS THE ’90S began, Jersey

Mike’s was all in on expansion. “Everything we made was going into paying our people and into marketing, and just trying to create our business,” he remembers. “We spent everything we had, plus, plus.” But then, banks began to fail. A recession began. “When the banks fell, and no new stores were coming, we were like, ‘Uh-oh. Where’s our capital?

Where’s our money coming from?’ We didn’t have a small business equity line of credit or anything to draw on.”

Even though the existing shops continued to succeed, they couldn’t grow—and Cancro could no longer afford his staff of six at company headquarters. He had to lay them all off. “I was there alone, above one store,” he remembers. “You find out how many bills you can pay when you don’t have any payroll.”

To Cancro, this underscored the importance of having a financial support system. When aspiring franchisors ask him for advice today—especially if they’re in the food business—he now tells them: “Go to some of the restaurant shows and find out about who is offering capital to restaurants or to fast-casual or quick-serve. Most banks will say, ‘Get away from me.’ But there are lenders out there that charge a few more points and will do restaurants.” Though there’s still value, of course, in trying to work with a local bank when you’re starting out: “They know you. They know your brand.”

Even as franchisors grow, they still need to keep in mind that it won’t only be their franchisees taking on the expenses of each new franchise. “You can’t just franchise and hope it does well,” he says. “It’s a people expense for the training,

“WHEN THE BANKS FELL, “WHEN THE BANKS AND NO NEW STORES WERE AND COMING, WE WERE LIKE, WERE ‘UH-OH, WHERE’S OUR OUR CAPITAL? WHERE’S OUR MONEY COMING FROM?’”

nurturing, mentoring, coaching, opening the store, ongoing training and assistance, ongoing site visits. That all costs a lot of money for the franchisor.”

To succeed requires a community.

Jersey Mike’s avoided bankruptcy and survived the recession. Within a year and a half, Cancro was able to rehire his headquarters team. As bank failures make headlines today and talk of another recession looms, though, Cancro admits he’s unsure what lessons to take from his experience. “I wish I had capital lined up for ’91 and didn’t spend all my money, thinking that it was just going to keep coming in,” he says. That said, he doesn’t exactly regret spending all his money on expansion either. “It helped our growth. So would I do it over again? Yes.”

JERSEY MIKE’S growth happened fast. It hit 100 units within its first 10 years. “We were too busy to even stop and congratulate ourselves,” he says. When he doubled that, Cancro recalls talking with Truett Cathy, the late founder of Chick-fil-A, who told him, Peter, you’re at 200 stores. There’s no stopping you now.

But there certainly were things that could slow them down. By that point, Jersey Mike’s had a formula for expansion, and most of the time it

worked. Since they first started franchising (and even to this day), when arriving in a new region, the company tends to target suburban areas with a higher-educated, middleplus-income population.

(“Our product is not cheap,” Cancro notes.) This made sense in a stable economy, but it set the brand up for some bumps—like in the early aughts, when the tech bubble burst.

This deeply hurt local economies that Jersey Mike’s had bet big on, such as the Research Triangle in North Carolina. “That was another tough time for us,” Cancro says. “But we slowly came out of it.”

The brand continued to grow, and the more it did, the more customers in new regions seemed hungry for its arrival. Still, there is no numerical critical mass that makes a franchise infallible. The way Cancro sees it, the bigger you are, the more you need to be able to rely on the team you’re building. “When you get up to 100 or 200 stores, you’ve got enough capital and enough people, and you really figure things out,” Cancro says. “Hopefully you have the right people coming in. The franchisees, the owners—they help you grow.”

Jersey Mike’s team is still full of zealous trainers (and Cancro himself will take any chance he can to hop behind a slicer). “A lot of chains out there are,

like, five, 10 days training,” says Cancro. “Ours is 2.5 months [and] three people to open up a Jersey Mike’s.” The staff makes the subs in real time—“it’s not like a burger where the buzzer goes off and you flip it”—so the new owners have a learning curve. It still takes at least a month to get on the slicer.

In owners, managers, and younger staff, Cancro and his team seek—as much as anything—energy: “The pace, the speed, the sense of urgency.” The training enables them to work swiftly from opening day, encouraged by the two-week presence of at least two Jersey Mike’s corporate staffers overseeing operations and lending a hand. “We do not leave until they’re really good.”

This, too, comes out of that “nucleus” way of thinking— that no Jersey Mike’s location should feel like it’s out there on its own. It’s always part of something that feels small.

On top of the support they get from corporate, Jersey Mike’s owners around the country have taken it upon themselves to build training facilities for their staffs to learn in. “And then at the training stores, you have managers, assistant managers—they become your army of ambassadors to be able to help open the stores,” Cancro says. And just how committed to training is this company? Well, that original Jersey Mike’s location is still standing—and still in the original location, with no parking and little visibility. But it’s no longer open for business. Now it’s a training facility for franchisees and their managers and assistant managers.

TODAY, 49 years on, Peter Cancro is older but still in love, sitting in the conference room of that training facility—though this half of the space wasn’t part of the original shop, but an adjoining hairdresser’s. Next door, on the other side, there’s a pizza-and-subs spot that local high schoolers stop by during

their lunch period, revving their engines and honking and joking. Several of Cancro’s own high school colleague buddies from the original Mike’s went off and became teachers or state troopers. “You know what happens the first month after they retire?” asks Cancro. “They get a check. I retire, I get nothing.” Of course, life is easier now. “I don’t drive to Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio, to Nashville, to Atlanta, and home. I fly. I stay in better hotels,” he says, with a laugh.

But there’s still business to be done. In March 2023, Jersey Mike’s raised $21 million for local charities, which included one full day of sales on the company’s annual Day of Giving. His owners are looking to open more shops—though in some cases they’ve maxed out the number of Mike’s that their region can reasonably contain. So Cancro is looking into buying a new concept—likely coffee, chicken, or Mexican— that his franchisees can bring to their communities instead. And he keeps in mind the specter of other sandwich franchise collapses—like Quiznos and Blimpie, which both went from thousands of restaurants to just a few hundred. Cancro says he hasn’t studied the reasons for those collapses (analysts tend to chalk them up to issues with capital, company ownership, and poor relations with franchisees), but that doesn’t stop him from using their stories to affirm his success strategy: “Maybe they didn’t pay attention to the details.”

Cancro still has that restless energy he looks for in others. The bigger the company gets, the more people they can feed, the more good they can do, and the more energized Cancro becomes. You can sense it in the questions he’s still asking, driving his lifelong love affair into its next chapter: “What are we doing? How are we serving? How are we raising up together?”

THE BEST OF THE BEST

Nearly 5 decades of provenand-tested franchise concept

Ranked 37 consecutive years on Entrepreneur’sTop 500 Franchises

Over 29% higher 2021 average revenue than our closest competitor

Diverse services ensure multiple revenue streams (grades K – 12)

Low initial investment starting at $148,017

$5 billion industry and projected to grow to $18 billion by 2028

(Source: Grand View Research)

HOW DAVID BEATS OUT GOLIATH

Can mom-and-pop shops truly compete against big-box behemoths and e-commerce giants?

Yes, experts say—but they have to think and act truly local.

by FRANCES DODDS

Amazon, Walmart, and other big brands can do a lot of things: They can leverage their size to sell at very low prices. They can offer two-day, one-day, and sometimes even same-day delivery. And their return policies can be very flexible. So how can a mom-and-pop shop compete with all that? Well…they can’t.

But they also shouldn’t try to.

“You can’t ‘out-tech’ big business,” says Jon Reily, an e-commerce expert and senior vice president at Bounteous, which creates digital experiences for brands. “But you sure can ‘out-touch’ them.”

In an age of internet shopping and big-box consolidations, Reily says consumers are hungry for bespoke products and genuine connections—and that’s not something big retailers do well. “I would actually argue that we’re at the beginning of a ‘golden age’ for small and independent businesses,” he says. “Big-box stores have found their niche for consumables and ‘disposable’ items, but they can’t compete when it comes to specialty goods, craftsmanship, or services.”

Case in point: Last year, Entrepreneur published a list called “America’s Favorite Mom & Pop Shops”—a list of 150 companies, produced in partnership with Yelp, that identified the most popular local businesses across the country. Many of them offer unique, high-quality products or one-of-a-kind services. It’s right there in their names: Maui Goat Yoga, Pinballz Arcade, Cheese Importers, Oakwell Beer Spa, and ReWax and UnWine (that last one offers boozy candle-pouring parties).

Lea Lana’s Bananas is another company like this. “We offer a very unique product,” says owner Lea Lana Gutierrez, who operates in Las Vegas. “There is no other business that offers gift boxes of chocolatedipped frozen banana pops in a half dozen or dozen.”

Gutierrez says their biggest competitor is Edible Arrangements, which also offers chocolate-dipped fruit and same-day delivery. But Lea Lana’s Bananas wants to stand out with its quality and customer service. “We use a specific banana—no substitutions—and only Ghirardelli chocolate, except for our vegan chocolate,” she says. “We could save a lot of money by switching to cheap chocolate or cheap bananas, but it’s something I just won’t do.”

Gutierrez hires mostly teenagers—including her own three kids— but takes her “banana squad” very seriously. She’s looking for happy, positive, hardworking people—which is why she trains them carefully and pays them competitive hourly wages, even during slow seasons, and offers quarterly raises based on performance. “These teens make more money than I do!” she says with a laugh.

Mom-and-pop shops also have an edge when it comes to creating “experiences”—something consumers increasingly want.

“Amazon does not provide an experience; it’s simply a transaction,” says Marguerite Pressley Davis, founder of Finance Savvy CEO, which helps small business owners improve their financial literacy. “Your job as a small business owner is to think through how you can turn a purchase into an experience. Is it about the packing, the follow-up, the communication, or customer services? All these create an experience that people are willing to pay for.”

At Botanical Bar in Indianapolis, Indiana, which sells high-quality houseplants, owner Victoria Beaty thinks about this a lot. She’s built a store with a “calming atmosphere, infused with boho-chic and Neo soul vibes,” she says, and offers special services like plant repotting. She’s also hosted community workshops to help customers become better plant parents, and says, “The response from the community was overwhelming, with people of all ages and backgrounds actively participating.”

That’s why it works—because at the local level, it’s all about community.

MAKE A PLAN AND STICK TO IT

There’s no one way to market a small business. So how do you get the word out? Experts say you must experiment...and really stick with it.

by KIM KAVIN

Marketing opportunities are endless, but marketing budgets are finite. Is it better for a mom-and-pop business to put money into online and social media marketing, or to invest in real-life sponsorships and events?

As with many things in business, you can only find out through trial and error, says Rus Graham, cofounder of New England-based Rushton Gregory Communications.

“The difficulty with marketing programs is that everyone is unique,” Graham says. “There isn’t a cookie-cutter approach.”

Graham urges clients to think about the difference between qualitative and quantitative marketing. A qualitative opportunity might be something like a local summer fair where a business can set up a booth, and the owner can have high-quality, in-person interactions with possible customers. By comparison, a quantitative opportunity is something like digital advertising, where the goal is getting in front of as many eyeballs as possible.

“Often, if I’m doing a campaign for somebody new, it’s a mix of things,” he says. “I’ll use an e-newsletter or sponsored content or something like that to tell the brand’s story in their voice. That’s a smaller reach, but it’s more qualitative, so they can try to get people to engage. Then I combine that with straight banner ads on a website or in a newsletter. That’s qualitative, because somebody signed up for the newsletter or went to the site. But with those, you look at impressions. You can put your logo in there, an image that projects who you are, and maybe four words or your URL.”

Michael Babcock uses a combination of marketing tactics for The Book Loft of German Village in Columbus, Ohio. Offline, he plans book signings with authors and partnerships with libraries and other local organizations. Online, the store uses platforms like Twitter. “We use them as a humorous way to interact with people. Focusing on interactions and not ‘promotion’ in the traditional sense has drawn a great deal of attention and customers to our store.”

Jessica French and Damien Zouaoui, owners of Oakwell Beer Spa in Denver, say they also promote their beer-inspired spa services through a combination of offline and online methods. Offline, they replicate their spa experience at The Great American Beer Festival each year. Online, they do email marketing to share their story and mission, and use public relations and social media to showcase client experiences. They’re mostly on Instagram, but they also post on TikTok and Facebook.

Trying out creative ideas is good, but it’s key to track every effort to ensure marketing dollars are being spent wisely, says Wanda Kenton Smith, owner of Florida-based Kenton Smith Marketing.

“Always monitor your spend using all available marketing analytics and measurement tools,” she says. “Determine prior to investment how you will quantify ROI, and then doggedly track every campaign so you know exactly how your campaigns are performing and can make adjustments accordingly.”

Graham agrees, adding that particularly when you’re just starting a mom-and-pop business, it’s less important how much of the budget to put into marketing, and more important to think about what, specifically, you are trying to achieve.

“Get a feel for the competitive landscape” he says. Be thoughtful about the marketing plan you lay out, and then stick with whatever you implement. Graham says one of the biggest mistakes people make is quitting too soon on a good marketing plan.

“Once you put it in place, know that the horizon is farther away than you think,” Graham says. “Don’t second-guess yourself. You may make little tweaks to your plan, but if you’re heading in the right direction, stick with it.”

MY FAVORITE CUSTOMER

For small, independent businesses, loyal patrons are benefactors, protectors, muses, and mascots. They make sure the show goes on. Here, three business owners celebrate an irreplaceable member of their community.

1 ▶ The Book Loft of German Village

Columbus, Ohio

“Our store is known for its very unique layout. Inside is a maze of 32 rooms, all with different genres of books, connected by a series of staircases and hallways. To enter the store, you walk through a city-block-long courtyard which, during warmer months, is a garden. For a number of years, one of our most special customers, Stephanie, would visit and bring her dog, Harvey. He would wait patiently in the courtyard as she picked up her books and had a few laughs with staff. When it was time for Harvey to pass, we made a nice spot in a flower bed in our courtyard to bury his ashes. Now Stephanie brings her new puppy, Mabel, to the store.”

—Store manager Michael Babcock

2 ▶ Resurrect Art Coffee House

Seward, Alaska

“Our business is in a former church. Many of our customers went to Sunday school in the church, and a handful were married here before it was converted to a coffeehouse and art gallery in 1993. But our standout customer is Mike Brittain. He’s been a boat captain in our harbor for nearly 50 years. He comes in almost every morning, and is incredibly kind, quickwitted, and warm. On mornings Mike is out captaining, we usually have a sticky note by the register that says, ‘Mike B won’t be in today, but he’ll be back tomorrow.’”

—Owners Micheley Kowalski and Michael Stewart

3 ▶ Skull & Combs Co.

New Haven, Connecticut

“We have mismatched antique dressers and mirrors as styling stations, vintage dentist office furniture in the waiting area, tons of pop culture artwork to gaze at, and even a shop dog named Boba who jumps on your lap while you’re being shampooed. People from all walks of life can come here and be treated with respect. But our most loyal customer ever is Mercedes. She’s been coming in every Friday at 11 a.m. for a shampoo and blowout for more than four years. She’s from Spain and is a professor at Yale, where she teaches Spanish, and she is the sweetest woman. She adores disco-era music— which we play for her regularly—and particularly loves ‘Dancing Queen’ by Abba.”

–Owner Jason Bunce

WRANGLING THE MANY-HEADED MONSTER

For mom-and-pop business owners, just as inflation calms in one area of operations, it rears its head somewhere else. The best way to stay on top of it, experts say, is to stay flexible. by KIM KAVIN

Every month, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) asks its members to name their most pressing problem. The survey lists lots of possible answers—taxes, regulations, labor, and more—but as of January, 20% of small businesses said inflation is “the single most important problem” in their business. That’s down from about 25% of small business owners a year ago, but it’s still a historically high level of concern about inflation.

“Anecdotally, we hear from small business owners all the time about their struggles to deal with inflation pressures. Whether it’s in the product that they sell or increased compensation, it spans all the different types of costs they have to absorb,” says Holly Wade, executive director of NFIB’s Research Center.

Mom-and-pop businesses are trying many strategies to buffer the blows. At Savannah Taste Experience, which offers food tours in the scenic Georgia city, cofounder Stu Card says inflation has “impacted the cost of every dish, and has slowed tourism measurably.” Card has responded by changing the tasting menus at some restaurants to feature different foods, paying more for the same tastings, absorbing some costs while passing others on to consumers, and offering additional, cheaper tours when they can.

Founder Charles Foreman at the Everyday Sundae ice cream shop in Washington, D.C., says he’s lucky he locked in product prices on two-to-four-year contracts before the current inflation surge, but he’s still feeling the hit on paper goods and utilities. “One thing I’ve done is train my staff on proper portions and specs for each item,” he says.

Card and Foreman are doing exactly what the NFIB urges its members to do: understand that inflationary pressures will come and go, impacting different parts of a business at different times, so it’s best to be flexible and ready to try different tactics to address them.

“Summer of 2022 was the pinnacle of the energy crisis, with higher gasoline costs and things like that,” Wade says. “That has eased off now, but labor has not, and inventory and supplies— depending on what they need—has not. For those in the restaurant industry, for instance, food is still very expensive for a lot of them. For construction, a lot of the supplies are very expensive still.”

Supply-chain disruptions, too, continue to contribute to inflation pressures, according to the NFIB’s monthly surveys. That’s not likely to change, Wade says, because of the way economies of scale function.

“The larger companies get the first deliveries, and then it goes down the food chain,” she says. “So when there’s a supply-chain disruption, even a mild one, it disproportionately affects those smaller businesses. The bigger companies have people to navigate those bottlenecks and have a better chance of securing the goods.”

NFIB members report that they’re battling inflation with a combination of cutting in-house costs, absorbing price increases on products and services, finding ways to increase productivity, and figuring out where to raise retail prices without sacrificing sales.

A key tip is to think granularly, Wade says. For instance, don’t just raise prices across the board. Instead, try to determine which products make the most sense to raise prices on.

“It’s often hard for a small business owner to take the time to think through where they can become more efficient,” she says. “Maybe they can arrange their employees’ tasks to be more efficient and curb costs in that capacity.”

She also recommends using the SCORE program through the U.S. Small Business Administration, which offers webinars on managing inflation pressures and cutting costs.

“When things start getting disrupted,” she says, “it’s really important to take inventory of how you run your business so you can not only see how to cut costs, but where it makes sense to cut costs.”

FRANCHISE

by RAY TITUS

We’ve all been there: Stuck in an unfulfilling job and hoping for a

change. If that sounds like you, but you don’t want to land in another version of the same situation, it could be time to promote yourself from employee to boss as the owner of your own business. How? By buying a franchise.

You don’t need entrepreneurship experience. At my company, United Franchise Group, we’ve worked with about 1,600 people who have become franchisees—and most of them transitioned from another career. Many people can do so without having worked in the industry they’re investing in, as long as they have drive and ambition. If that also sounds like you, then here are five reasons to make owning a franchise your next job.

1 ▶ It works.

Franchising is a fresh start in a proven business model, with an attractive balance of risk and reward. When you purchase a franchise, you get a company whose products and processes have been tested and perfected in the real world, with actual customers and employees. Plus, you get the strength of representing an already established brand that’s recognized and trusted.

2 ▶ You’ll get invaluable training and support.

Franchising gives you all the benefits of big business with the freedom of being a local owner. Unlike starting an independent business from scratch, joining a franchise gives you training, setup assistance, and support, including shared resources like cooperative advertising and mass purchasing. Thanks to programs like these, when you open your business, you can focus on growth right away.

3 ▶ There’s a franchise to fit (almost) anyone.

Franchise opportunities are available in pretty much every industry, and you’re likely to find one that suits your personality, skills, and goals. In my experience, all personalities work in franchising except the “know-it-all” who refuses to follow established procedures. You need to follow the system, so if your ego won’t allow you to learn from others, a franchise is not right for you.

4 ▶ No experience is necessary.

Sometimes, lack of experience can even be a benefit: You’re not bringing old habits that might go against your franchisor’s procedures. But you do really need to like the business, and especially what that business can do for your lifestyle. Choose a field you’re interested in or

have some affinity for, and look for a company where you can utilize your strengths. But be sure to really research the industry. Meet the franchisor to get a gut feeling, and then talk to other owners. Visit their competitors, too, and speak to professionals in the business before making a final decision.

5 ▶ Franchisees still have control.

While corporate leadership does dictate that certain procedures be followed, the franchisee still has a lot of freedom and flexibility in managing their business. Every team should include management, marketing, sales, production, and technology, but how those teams are utilized is up to the franchisee.

ALL BUSINESSES ramp up differently, depending on sales and expenses, but the typical time frame is six to 18 months. That first year or so is always the toughest for any kind of business. You’ll be learning a new industry, hiring all-new staff, and finding your way—but franchisees have resources to make the experience a little less overwhelming, including a manual you can refer back to at any time. Plus, you can always rely on corporate leaders and fellow franchisees to have your back.

Ray Titus is CEO of United

Franchise Group.

FRANCHISE

When Life Is Preparation

Vanesa Ellis was no expert on mosquitoes or lawn care. But as it turns out, something else made her the perfect fit for two home-care franchise brands.

by CARL STOFFERS

Vanesa Ellis had no pest control experience. She’d also been out of the workforce for 15 years, having left a job at Wells Fargo to raise her kids. Then she opened a Mosquito Squad franchise in 2016, and it’s thrived ever since. How’d she make the transition so easily? Because, Ellis says, her back-

ground helped prepare her in unexpected ways.

“I wouldn’t change the experience of immigrating to the U.S. for the world,” she says. Ellis moved from Argentina to the Bronx at age 11. She didn’t speak English at the time, and had to quickly learn how to navigate new situations and take care of herself. That, she

says, turned out to be a massive learning opportunity—and it helped her master Mosquito Squad, a pest control brand that’s based in Maryland and has more than 200 locations, and then open a franchise with Conserva Irrigation, which provides sprinkler systems based on water conservation principles. Here’s how she did it.

Are there things you learned growing up as an immigrant in the Bronx that translate to your entrepreneurial career? It made me tough. I was living in this little coastal vacation beach town in Argentina, and then at 11 I was thrown into New York. The street smarts had to come out. I think it got me ready for being in this male-dominated business.

What’s that been like—being a woman in your industry?

Everyone I’ve worked with in the industry has been really respectful, but a handful of times I did show up with a technician because a client needed to see the owner. And if the client was a gentleman, he would inevitably look past me and say, “Well, where’s the owner?” That type of thing.

What led you to choose franchising instead of starting a business from scratch?

Flexibility. My family’s always been a priority and I wanted to make sure I could be at home with my kids in the mornings to take them to school, and be home when they got home. Mosquito Squad offered me that flexibility. It was also appealing to have an established business model to follow. We knew we’d have to invest our time and effort, but we didn’t have to reinvent the wheel.

Could you describe what your typical day looks like now?

After spending the morning with my children, I head to the office. My goal over the past few years has been to delegate more and empower our employees to get the job done. So everyone sees me every day, but I am focused on building a competent team with a reliable office manager, operations manager, and sales manager now. We are still really young as a business, so it’s step by step.

What kind of marketing do you use to promote your franchise?

We started with HomeAdvisor in the beginning but have since stopped. We also did some direct mail. Our growth primarily comes from our online reviews and wordof-mouth referrals. We are fortunate to have over 200 five-star reviews, which have been extremely beneficial. And since the footprint of both my franchises is nearly identical, there’s opportunities to cross-market. So I’ll tell an irrigation client, “Hey, if you have a mosquito issue…” or vice versa.

What is the biggest challenge for your business?

The biggest challenge is finding the right people. The younger kids these days don’t want to be outside sweating and digging, and it’s a bit like a lost trade. We’re hoping to bring that back and get those kids who can’t or don’t want to go to college and show them they can make good money and have a good future to take care of themselves and their family.

WE ARE FUN: Our lively studios create unforgettable experiences for guests and franchisees alike.

WE ARE FRANCHISEE-FOCUSED: Our leadership is laser-focused on studio profitability & innovation.

WE ARE SUPPORTIVE: By offering comprehensive training and marketing expertise, we provide unparalleled support to our franchisees.

WE ARE GROWING: Our expanding nationwide presence is a testament to our franchise’s success.

FRANCHISE

Serving the Underserved

When Dennis Johnson opened a Pizza Ranch in Minnesota, he hoped to serve the nearby Native American communities in more ways than one.

by CARL STOFFERS

Many things make Bemidji, Minnesota, a special place. Among them: It’s the central city for three Native American reservations, it’s the northernmost city connected to the Mississippi River, and it’s where the folklore figure Paul Bunyan was supposedly born. But according to an entrepreneur in the area, it was sorely lacking something important: Pizza Ranch, a buffet restaurant that’s thriving in the Midwest.

“I live in South Dakota, so we’re in Pizza Ranch country,” says Dennis Johnson, a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa, who’d been working in commercial real estate. When he visited Bemidji in 2020, he was surprised not to find one there. That’s too bad, he thought; Pizza Ranch could be a gathering place and a steady employer for local tribes. He asked around and met local entrepreneur Bob Bush, who’d had the same thought. “I said I

the real estate,” Johnson says. “A partnership was born.” Johnson and Bush opened their first location in Bemidji in January 2023, and then a second in Kearney, Nebraska, that September. Here, Johnson talks about what the Pizza Ranch brand can offer his Native American community.

Did you know anything about operating pizza restaurants when you started this journey?

No, and I said, “Pizza Ranch is fabulous, but I don’t want to be the guy running it.” Bob said he had someone to run it. So three of the five members of our management team came with that partnership. I’ve always said I wouldn’t want to own a restaurant, but of all the times to start one, this idea was born in June 2020, in the middle of COVID. Not just a restaurant, but a buffet restaurant on top of that. It seems kind of crazy, doesn’t it?

You must have really believed in the opportunity.

100% conviction. Pizza Ranch is a warm and inviting atmosphere. “Gathering place” is really the best term for it. You’ll have multiple generations at the tables. And we’ve got arcades attached to some of our restaurants. They have proven to be a big part of Pizza Ranch’s growth, and they take less human capital to run since you’re leveraging games and technology.

Do you feel like Native American areas are often underserved with franchises?

I do. I think that’s one of our success factors in Bemidji. We opened last January and fast-forward to this January, we ended 2023 at approximately 7% above our forecasted revenue budget. I attribute a lot of that to the Native American communities. We also have many tribal people working for us. We’ve even had some people that said the only reason they applied to work here was they heard it was a tribal-owned business. I love that.

Have there been any challenges for you as a Native American business owner?

No. Historically that’s been a problem, but there does seem to be a changing tide. The city of Bemidji has reached out to at least one of those three tribes and met with them in the last year to say, “Hey, we’d love it if you guys did more business in Bemidji. We’d love to have more tribal representation here.” I don’t know if that would have been the case 20 years ago.

Do you have expansion plans? I’ve got a plan to do another 10 locations over the next five years, and we’d like to expand to 20 in a seven-to-10-year period. And if all goes as we anticipate, we can even accelerate that a little bit.

FRANCHISE

How to Pick the Perfect Franchise ForYou

There are a lot of great brands out there. But that doesn’t mean they’re all a great fit. by JIM JUDY

With new franchise brands entering the market almost daily, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest trend. But prospective franchisees should think twice about choosing a brand that the experts are calling “the next sure thing.”

You’re not making a quick bet on a favored horse or a booming stock. You’re making a major investment in a new life. So whenever a franchise

candidate asks me what’s hot in the industry, I say, “You are.”

Because even if they align with what the buzzy new brand is looking for, they’re often better suited for something else.

To find the right fit for you, ask yourself these five questions:

1 ▶ Which brands meet my professional goals?

If you need help defining your goals, start with the basics: Do you want to be actively

engaged in the business on a daily basis, or do you want a manager to handle most of the day-to-day duties? Do you envision yourself working in an office or a retail space, or does working from home appeal to you? Are you hoping to build a family business or to sell? And by when? Do you see yourself owning a single unit or running an empire?

Understand what your ideal franchisee life looks like before doing anything else.

2 ▶ What skills can I offer a franchise business?

Franchises are awarded by the franchisor—who is looking for candidates with relevant skills.

So ask yourself: Are you a natural salesperson or a customer service connoisseur? A savvy marketer or a numbers whiz? A one-man show or a manager? It’s about more than whatever the franchise is selling. What are you selling?

3 ▶ What type of lifestyle do I want the franchise to support?

Owning a franchise is life-changing, especially if you’re emerging from a corporate environment. You set the clock. You’re the boss! But do you want strict boundaries between work and life? Is it important to be home for dinner with your family? Or to not work weekends?

Knowing how you want the business to fit into your life is critical to finding happiness as a franchisee.

4 ▶ What kind of support does the franchisor provide?

The type and level of backing varies by brand. Do you want structure or freedom? Who handles the advertising strategies? What about human resources, accounting, and online support? No matter how good a candidate you are, you’re going to need help to grow your business.

5 ▶ What does success look like to me?

Some franchisees define success by how much their company advances a personal mission or purpose—like being environmentally friendly. Others want their business to contribute generously to their community through sponsorships and events.

If making money is how you define success, then how much will it take for you to feel successful? How soon can you expect to make a profit, and what type of return on investment can you expect? Knowing your answers to these kinds of questions will make you a hot pick for the perfect franchisor.

Jim Judy is a franchise business consultant at Try Franchising.

How This Business Rookie Became a Top Seller

After competing in two Olympics, Cammile Adams dove headfirst into her second career—and became SafeSplash Swim School’s #1 franchisee. Here’s how. by

KIM KAVIN

Cammile Adams was on the world’s biggest platform— then went to one of the smallest. It was 2016, she was 24, and she’d just served in her second Olympics as the women’s swim team captain. Then she started a new career as an elementary school teacher. “There’s nothing more humbling than showing up the day after you finish the Olympics, and you walk into a fifth-grade classroom, and they don’t care who you are,” she says.

1 ▶ Shadow the experts.

Adams was the boss, but acted like the student—shadowing the franchise’s existing general manager for nearly nine months to learn the business. She also shadowed other franchisees. “Have some cash to go spend a week with a successful franchisee,” she advises. “The more collaborative you can be, and the more open you are to seeing how people do things—it really does make you more successful.”

2 ▶ Think like your customers.

After two years of that, she realized she wanted to teach the thing she did best: swimming. A fellow Olympian introduced her to SafeSplash Swim School, a franchise that had six locations for sale in Adams’ hometown of Houston. She and her husband, Rad Brannan, bought them all. They’ve since opened a new one, with plans for another in 2024—helping make them the brand’s top franchisees. “I’m so lucky and blessed that I found my dream job before I was 30,” Adams says.

Here, she shares her franchisee success strategies.

Adams is a mom, and her customers are moms. So how do moms think about swim schools? “Mom is not going to pass one swim school to go to another unless her friend told her the farther one is amazing,” Adams says. So she maximized on proximity by leaning heavily into hyperlocal, neighborhood-based marketing—and when choosing sites for her new locations, she built near new housing.

3 ▶ Excite your staff.

If you want to offer a quality service, you need a quality staff. Adams enjoys empowering the high-schoolers and college students she hires—treating them not just as workers, but as learners on a new career journey. “It’s really inspiring for them to see that I’ve found what I love to do at such a young age, and that they don’t have to work the 9-to-5,” she says.

HOW CAN OTHER PEOPLE SUCCEED LIKE CAMMILE ADAMS?

Connections, says Chris Harkness, president of SafeSplash’s parent company Streamline Brands. Yes, she has the business fundamentals down, but she also focuses heavily on people—giving constant feedback to SafeSplash’s leadership team, engaging with other franchisees, and being ever-present in her community by sponsoring a swim team and local charitable endeavors. “She keeps her school at the forefront in her community,” he says, “and that attracts customers.”

JFRANCHISE

He Does $10 Million-Plus in Sales

When Jeffrey Bell gave up horse training to buy a Floor Coverings International franchise, he wanted to get out ahead of his new pack. To do that, he had to learn to delegate. by KIM KAVIN

effrey Bell once had a problem: “I really believed I was the best at everything,” he says. “But if that’s true, you better be a heart surgeon.”

Bell is a former horse trainer who, in 2010, bought a Floor Coverings International franchise in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Once he realized he couldn’t run it all by himself, he started investing in a team that could. Last year, his business did nearly $11 million in sales, making him the top-performing franchisee among Floor Coverings’ 256 locations.

Here’s how he did it. ▶ FRANCHISOR’S TAKE

1 ▶ Focus on ‘who, not how.’

Focus on not how.’

Floor Coverings International sends franchise owners books to read. Most recently, it was 10X is Easier Than 2X by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy. Bell agrees with one of the book’s core lessons: “If you hire a good salesperson or a good marketing person, you don’t have to figure out the ‘how.’ They know the ‘how.’ You, as the franchise owner, just need to figure out the ‘who.’ If I have the right people, I can leave them alone 80% of the time.”

2 ▶ Market with data.

Bell takes a high-tech approach to his consumer marketing. “We do things like geofencing, which is when you do a job and capture the IP addresses of all their neighbors to try and sell them too,” he says. “If you walk into a flooring store with your phone in your hand, I can capture that, and the next time you go online, you’ll see a banner ad for my store. I know it’s creepy, but it’s the world we’re living in.”

3 ▶ Build up repeat business.

“When I look at franchises that are struggling, 95% of their business comes from paid-for leads,” he says. “That’s OK in your first year. It may be OK in your second or third year. But if that’s how it is in your fourth year, if you have no repeat business, you’re doing something wrong.” Bell focuses on relationships and bringing his customers back, which is why 80% of his business last year came from repeat customers.

HOW CAN OTHERS SUCCEED LIKE JEFFREY BELL?

When Floor Coverings CEO Tom Wood looks at Jeffrey Bell, he sees a guy who thinks outside the box—and outside the system. “One of his mentors is a franchise owner over at California Closets who did $40 million last year,” Wood says. “That’s who Jeffrey makes sure he talks to a couple times a year to think about the next level.”

That’s smart. Although fellow franchisees have much to offer, don’t limit yourself to one small community. Outside ideas can help you think bigger.

LISSTTIINNGGS S

The Top 300 Low-Cost Franchises

Looking to buy a business on a budget?

These are the top brands you can buy for less than $50,000, less than $100,000, and less than $150,000.

by TRACY STAPP HEROLD

Startup costs can be one of the biggest hurdles to becoming your own boss—but they don’t have to be. If you’ve been thinking about taking the plunge into business ownership, you might want to begin here with our list of the top franchises that can be started for less than $50,000, less than $100,000, and less than $150,000.

These lists are ranked based on the scores that each company received from Entrepreneur’s 2024 Franchise 500 ranking. That ranking analyzes each brand based on more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. A brand’s inclusion on a particular list (e.g. the “less than $50,000” list) means that it’s reasonably possible that some franchisees will be able to start the business for that amount—but it does not guarantee it will be possible for all franchisees. The full startup cost range for each company is listed for reference.

These lists are not intended as a recommendation of any particular brand. Make sure you do your own research—including reading the company’s legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to current and former franchisees—before you invest.

1

Top 100 FRANCHISES for LESS THAN $ 50,000

7

$2.3K-$23.5K

/ CO.-OWNED) 2,719/1

8

Corvus Janitorial Systems

2 Jan-Pro Cleaning and Disinfecting

$4.8K-$58.1K

3

$11.3K-$68.3K

5

6

Commercial cleaning STARTUP COST

$9.6K-$34.5K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 1,959/0

9

Skyhawks & SuperTots

Sports Academy Children’s fitness programs STARTUP COST

$30.3K-$89.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 177/70

10

Goosehead Insurance Property and casualty insurance STARTUP COST

$40K-$118.5K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 1,344/0

11

Leadership Management

International Leadership and organizational training and development STARTUP COST

$20K-$27.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 489/0

12

Estrella Insurance Auto, home, and business insurance STARTUP COST

$12.3K-$84K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 200/0

STRATUS BUILDING SOLUTIONS

No. 1 franchise for less than $50K

13

WIN Home Inspection Home inspections STARTUP COST

$49.4K-$57.5K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 280/0

14

RooterMan

Plumbing and drain cleaning STARTUP COST

$45.1K-$82.5K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 722/0

15

ShelfGenie Custom pull-out shelving for cabinets and pantries STARTUP COST

$38.7K-$133.6K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 260/17

/ CO.-OWNED)

/ CO.-OWNED)

/ CO.-OWNED) 1,092/0

LISTINGS

H&R BLOCK

No. 23 franchise for less than $50K

19 Unishippers

Parcel and freight shipping services

STARTUP COST

$34.6K-$233.3K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 237/74

20 Sign Gypsies

Special-occasion yard sign rentals

STARTUP COST

$4.2K-$9.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED)

715/1

21

$2.4K-$53.2K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 1,042/13

22

$31.6K-$207.1K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 105/0

23

H&R Block Tax preparation, electronic filing STARTUP COST

$31.7K-$158.3K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 3,055/6,582

24

Destination Athlete

Equipment, apparel, fundraising, and performance solutions for youth, high school, and college athletic teams

STARTUP COST

$28.3K-$93.6K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 229/0

25

National Property Inspections

Home and commercial property inspections

STARTUP COST

$40.6K-$49.4K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 223/0

26

Card My Yard

Special-occasion yard sign rentals

STARTUP COST

$9.8K-$18K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 531/2

27

Augusta Lawn Care Services

Lawn care and landscaping STARTUP COST

$12.99K-$82.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 126/7

After-school drama classes and

Commercial scent marketing and odor control services

STARTUP COST

$45.9K-$171.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 114/7

33

Colors On Parade

Mobile automotive paint and dent repair

STARTUP COST

$21.5K-$97.5K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 222/0

34

Combo Brands

Ghost kitchens/restaurants, personal-care services, homeimprovement services, children’s enrichment services, pet care

STARTUP COST

$7.8K-$353K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 126/1

LISTINGS

JAZZERCISE No. 40 franchise for less than $50K

37 Jantize America Facility services and commercial cleaning STARTUP COST

$8.2K-$49K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 151/0

Martinizing Dry cleaning and laundry services

STARTUP COST

$36.1K-$743.6K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED)

Christmas Decor Holiday, event, landscape, and permanent architectural lighting

STARTUP COST

$23.6K-$110.3K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED)

Hangar 54 Pizza Pizza, chicken, breakfast STARTUP COST

$9K-$349K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED)

TSS Photography Youth sports, school, and event photography

STARTUP COST

$20.4K-$74.7K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED)

Sculpture Hospitality Bar and restaurant management solutions

STARTUP COST

$45.5K-$64.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED)

Chefs For Seniors In-home meal preparation service for seniors

STARTUP COST

$12.6K-$29.4K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED)

Proforma Printing and promotional products STARTUP COST

$7K-$27.7K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 542/0

51 SuperGlass Windshield Repair

Windshield repair, glass and acrylic scratch removal, headlight restoration

STARTUP COST

$37.6K-$112.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 232/0

52 Lapels Cleaners

Dry cleaning and laundry services STARTUP COST

$40.1K-$730.1K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 85/0

53

Sit Means Sit Dog Training Dog training

STARTUP COST

$31.8K-$128.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 160/0

54 Surface Specialists

Bathtub repair and refinishing, tub liners, bath remodeling

STARTUP COST

$43.2K-$56K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 48/0

55 Mr. Sandless

Interior and exterior sandless wood refinishing

STARTUP COST

$33.8K-$89.1K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 199/0

56 Abrakadoodle

Art-education programs for children STARTUP COST

$38.7K-$82.6K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 481/2

57

Fun 4 US Kids

Family calendar/directory websites for local communities

STARTUP COST

$10.7K-$47.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 15/6

58

Rhea Lana’s Children’s consignment events

STARTUP COST

$25.6K-$45K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 109/2

59

Mint Condition Commercial cleaning, building maintenance

STARTUP COST

$4.6K-$32.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 395/0

60 Kinderdance

Children’s dance, gymnastics, movement, fitness, and yoga programs

STARTUP COST

$18.3K-$47.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 230/4

61

G-Force Parking Lot Striping Pavement marking services

STARTUP COST

$34.8K-$120.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 44/0

62

The Groutsmith Tile and grout restoration

STARTUP COST

$42.5K-$49.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 49/1

63

Wize Computing Academy Coding, robotics, and design classes, camps, and competition prep

STARTUP COST

$40K-$70K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 19/2

64

Club Z! In-Home Tutoring Services

In-home tutoring

STARTUP COST

$33.5K-$57.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 357/0

65

Assist-2-Sell

Discount real estate

STARTUP COST

$12.5K-$33.99K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 121/1

66

Overtime Athletics

Youth sports programs STARTUP COST

$45.9K-$73K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 37/0

67

FRSTeam

Restoration of textiles and electronics

STARTUP COST

$44.4K-$411K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 41/12

68

The Grout Doctor Grout, tile, and stone cleaning, restoration, and maintenance STARTUP COST

$23.6K-$37.7K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 83/2

69

Acti-Kare Nonmedical home care STARTUP COST

$32.5K-$57.6K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 147/0

70

3% Realty Real estate

STARTUP COST

$47.2K-$79.3K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 48/2

71

Town Money Saver

Direct-mail and digital advertising STARTUP COST

$16.7K-$28.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 38/1

72

AeroWest

Odor control, restroom care, hygiene, scent marketing

STARTUP COST

$35.2K-$91.3K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 25/11

73

Coffee News

Weekly publication distributed at restaurants and waiting areas

STARTUP COST

$11.2K-$12.3K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 390/3

74

Twinkle Toes Nanny Agency In-home childcare

STARTUP COST

$44.4K-$71.9K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 19/1

75

Spoiled Rotten Photography On-site preschool photography

STARTUP COST

$46.7K-$59.8K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 18/2

76

SnapHouss

Real estate photography, videography, 3D virtual tours, aerial/drone photos/videos STARTUP COST

$31.2K-$60.2K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 33/1

77

Fit4Mom

Prenatal and postnatal fitness and wellness programs for mothers STARTUP COST

$8.2K-$28.7K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 226/1

78

Tapinto

Local online news and digital marketing platforms STARTUP COST

$7.5K-$11K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 95/3

LISTINGS

79 Network Lead Exchange Business referral networks

STARTUP COST

$12.5K-$25.2K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 36/0

80 Stroll

Monthly publications for upscale neighborhoods STARTUP COST

$1.5K-$9.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 537/39

81 Executive Image Building Services

Commercial cleaning and building maintenance STARTUP COST

$39.1K-$83K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 51/1

82

Best Brains Learning Centers

Learning centers

STARTUP COST

$31K-$118.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 150/1

LITTLE KICKERS

No. 98 franchise for less than $50K

83 Let Mommy Sleep In-home newborn and postpartum care

STARTUP COST

$38.6K-$57.3K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 11/0

84 DivaDance

Dance classes and parties for adults

STARTUP COST

$32.4K-$69.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 26/4

85

ACFN

Automated teller machines STARTUP COST

$39.2K-$63.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 234/0

86 Toro Taxes

Tax and accounting services STARTUP COST

$17.8K-$74.2K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 193/15

Top 100 FRANCHISES for LESS THAN $ 50,000

87

Singers Company

Noncompetitive music and dance performing groups for girls

STARTUP COST

$4.7K-$31.7K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 53/0

88

Get A Grip Resurfacing Countertop, cabinet, tub, tile, and shower resurfacing; fiberglass repair

STARTUP COST

$43.6K-$92.7K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 22/1

89

JPAR Real Estate

Real estate STARTUP COST

$36.7K-$237.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 42/26

90

In Home Pet Services

Pet-sitting, dog-walking STARTUP COST

$9.2K-$35.1K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 12/1

91

FranNet

Franchise consulting STARTUP COST

$33.8K-$62.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 41/0

92

Computer Troubleshooters

Technology consulting and services for small businesses

STARTUP COST

$19.5K-$45K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 191/1

93

1st Inspection Services

Commercial and residential inspections

STARTUP COST

$31.4K-$115K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 11/0

94

Grand Welcome Vacation rental property management

STARTUP COST

$37.9K-$169.8K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 44/8

95 Frios Gourmet Pops Frozen pops

STARTUP COST

$40.9K-$71.8K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 86/0

96

City Publications Publications for affluent homeowners

STARTUP COST

$45.1K-$268.7K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 48/0

97

CompuChild Entrepreneurship and STEAM enrichment classes

STARTUP COST

$29.5K-$49.5K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 9/7

98 Little Kickers Preschool soccer programs STARTUP COST

$38.1K-$53.2K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 332/0

99

Parker-Anderson Enrichment Enrichment programs

STARTUP COST

$43.7K-$130.7K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 14/1

100 Moms on the Run Fitness programs for women STARTUP COST

$9.9K-$17.1K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 36/12

LISTINGS

Top 100 FRANCHISES for LESS THAN $ 100,000

1

$68.4K-$146.6K

/ CO.-OWNED)

HomeVestors of America

Home buying, repair, and selling STARTUP COST

$89K-$461.3K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 1,124/5

Signal

Private security guard and patrol services STARTUP COST

$57.5K-$273.2K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 1,084/0

Merry Maids Residential cleaning STARTUP COST

$94.5K-$144.4K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 1,640/0

Mr. Rooter Plumbing Plumbing, drain, and sewer cleaning STARTUP COST

$83.1K-$225.4K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 244/3

11 Real Property Management Property management STARTUP COST

$91.7K-$266.2K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 438/0

12

Mosquito Shield Outdoor pest control STARTUP COST

$98.9K-$139.95K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 375/0

13 Property Management Inc.

Commercial, residential, association, and short-term rental property management STARTUP COST

$70.1K-$148K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 413/2

14 Miracle Method Surface Refinishing Kitchen and bathroom surface refinishing STARTUP COST

$96.4K-$190.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 173/1

15 Carvel Ice cream, ice cream cakes STARTUP COST

$67.9K-$536.4K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED)

352/0

16

ASP-America’s Swimming Pool Company

Swimming pool maintenance, repairs, and renovations

STARTUP COST

$84.4K-$207.4K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED)

379/0

17

Sylvan Learning

Supplemental education, STEM camps, college prep

STARTUP COST

$98.1K-$199.6K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 547/5

18

Mr. Appliance

Residential and commercial appliance installation and repairs

STARTUP COST

$94.9K-$177.3K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 343/0

19

Chem-Dry Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning

Carpet, upholstery, wood floor, and area rug cleaning, tile and stone care, granite countertop renewal

STARTUP COST

$71.1K-$234.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 2,027/0

20

Expense Reduction Analysts (ERA)

Business coaching and consulting STARTUP COST

$71K-$95.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 687/0

21

The Junkluggers Environmentally friendly residential and commercial junk removal STARTUP COST

$98.1K-$359.3K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 124/4

22

Homewatch CareGivers Home care services

STARTUP COST

$92.3K-$154K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 222/0

23

Your CBD Store CBD stores

STARTUP COST

$93.3K-$148.6K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 289/1

24

Color Glo

Leather, vinyl, fabric, carpet, and surface repair and restoration

STARTUP COST

$56.3K-$61.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 138/0

25

ServiceMaster Clean Commercial cleaning

STARTUP COST

$87.7K-$125.2K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 671/0

26

Two Maids Residential cleaning STARTUP COST

$93.4K-$149.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 136/0

27

SafeSplash

Child and adult swimming lessons, parties, summer camps

STARTUP COST

$45K-$2.1M*

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 117/31

*The low end of SafeSplash’s initial investment range applies to a single unit of its “hosted location” model. The company recommends franchisees using this model operate at least two units.

28

Griswold Home Care Nonmedical home care

STARTUP COST

$95.9K-$174.1K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 170/16

29

ComForCare

Nonmedical home care

STARTUP COST

$72.98K-$161.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 229/0

30

The Grounds Guys

Lawn and landscape design and maintenance

STARTUP COST

$79.3K-$192.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 266/0

31

The Cleaning Authority Residential and commercial cleaning

STARTUP COST

$79.1K-$175.3K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 222/3

32 HomeTeam Inspection Service Home and commercial property inspections and related services

$60.1K-$86.8K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 203/0 33 Maid Brigade

cleaning STARTUP COST $85.2K-$113.9K

UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 388/18

Assisting Hands Home Care Home care

COST $87.95K-$160.2K

UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 188/5 35

Man

care

COST $80.5K-$107.8K

UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 317/31 36 HomeWell Care Services Home care

COST $52.4K-$230.8K

UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 136/0 37 Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services

/ CO.-OWNED) 148/2 38

/ CO.-OWNED) 246/0

Top 100 FRANCHISES for LESS THAN $100,000

39

$88.7K-$157.7K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 690/26

40 Richard’s Painting Painting

STARTUP COST

$60.2K-$106.5K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 18/2

41 i9 Sports Youth sports leagues, camps, and clinics STARTUP COST

$59.9K-$69.9K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 233/0

42 Hommati

3D tours, aerial and interior videos, photography, augmented reality, and other services for real estate agents STARTUP COST

$64.97K-$79.5K TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 146/4

43

Mosquito Authority Mosquito control

STARTUP COST

$54K-$127.7K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 543/1

44

Dale Carnegie Workplace training and development

STARTUP COST

$92K-$252K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 213/1

45

Heaven’s Best Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning

Carpet, upholstery, tile, and wood floor cleaning

STARTUP COST

$55.96K-$110.1K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 451/0

46

Made in the Shade Blinds and More

Window coverings

STARTUP COST

$65.9K-$74.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 140/0

Enviro-Master Services

Commercial cleaning and disinfecting

STARTUP COST

$90.7K-$359.5K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED)

Premier Pools & Spas

Residential pool construction

STARTUP COST

$58.95K-$119K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED)

Social Indoor

Indoor print and digital advertising

STARTUP COST

$54.1K-$140.7K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 52/3

50

Caring Transitions

Senior transition and relocation, online auctions, and estate liquidation management

STARTUP COST

$58.9K-$84.6K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 278/0

51

Snapology

STEAM education programs

STARTUP COST

$73.7K-$611.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 156/3

52

Dryer Vent Wizard

Dryer-vent cleaning, replacement, installation, and maintenance

STARTUP COST

$80.7K-$159.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 151/0

53

The Patch Boys Drywall repair STARTUP COST

$59.2K-$90.2K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 317/0

54

Challenge Island Educational enrichment programs

STARTUP COST

$53.4K-$68.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 216/7

55

Jet-Black/Yellow Dawg Striping Asphalt maintenance

STARTUP COST

$66.7K-$115.6K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 118/6

56

Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Tax preparation

STARTUP COST

$96.1K-$127.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 3,092/2,195

57

HouseMaster Home Inspections Home inspections and related services

STARTUP COST

$58.3K-$92.2K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 194/0

58

Eye Level Learning Centers Supplemental education STARTUP COST

$52.3K-$121.7K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 514/752

59

ATAX

Tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, and incorporation services

STARTUP COST

$57.7K-$74K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 103/2

60

Sam the Concrete Man Residential and commercial concrete services STARTUP COST

$92.1K-$145.4K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 72/2

I9 SPORTS No. 41 franchise for less than $100K

LISTINGS

CPR CELL PHONE REPAIR No. 64 franchise for less than $100K

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 225/0

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 428/1

FRANCHISES for LESS THAN

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 125/1

$61.6K-$482.7K TOTAL

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 51/13

$70.6K-$105.4K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 46/3

$93.3K-$180K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 172/5

$22K-$159K*

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 338/2

*Brightway Insurance currently offers a model that can be started for less than $50,000, but this model will likely not be available after this year, so most new franchisees can expect to spend more than $50,000 to start their business.

$92.6K-$204.5K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 73/5

75 Neighborhood Barre Barre fitness classes, apparel, merchandise STARTUP COST

$78.5K-$248.5K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 22/3

Top 100 FRANCHISES for LESS THAN $100,000

NATHAN’S FAMOUS No. 100 franchise for less than $100K

76

$99.7K-$134K

UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 50/0

77

TruBlue Home Service Ally Home repairs and maintenance, and home modifications for seniors STARTUP COST

$65.1K-$91.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 96/0

78 Get Up And Go Kayaking

Guided clear kayak tours

STARTUP COST

$55.7K-$99.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 23/2

79

StretchMed

Assisted stretching STARTUP COST

$70.4K-$185.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 25/1

80 Crestcom

Leadership development and training

STARTUP COST

$91.9K-$104.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 164/0

81 NaturaLawn of America Organic-based lawn care

STARTUP COST

$57.5K-$122.7K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 86/12

82

Board & Brush Creative

Studio

DIY wood-sign workshops

STARTUP COST

$65.5K-$89.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 254/2

83

Footprints Floors

Flooring installation and restoration

STARTUP COST

$78.5K-$113K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 78/1

84

Tile Liquidators

Flooring stores

STARTUP COST

$79.7K-$160.2K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 16/0

85

All County Property Management

Property management and real estate services

STARTUP COST

$72.5K-$170.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 75/6

86

PatchMaster

Drywall repair and installation

STARTUP COST

$86.5K-$111.95K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 106/16

87

Bark Busters Home Dog Training

In-home dog training STARTUP COST

$65.7K-$99.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 129/0

88

Astrawatt Solar Solar system sales and installation STARTUP COST

$89.9K-$158.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 8/4

89

Fortune Personnel Consultants (FPC)

Executive recruiting STARTUP COST

$74.7K-$134.9K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 66/1

90

Zoomin Groomin Mobile pet grooming STARTUP COST

$57.9K-$152.9K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 43/0

91

U.S. Lawns Commercial grounds care STARTUP COST

$59.5K-$192.6K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 206/0

92

Totally Nutz Cinnamon-glazed almonds, pecans, and cashews STARTUP COST

$65.4K-$226.5K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 59/17

93

Pigtails & Crewcuts Children’s hair salons STARTUP COST

$99.5K-$256K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 71/2

94

Super Soccer Stars Soccer programs

STARTUP COST

$72.8K-$105.8K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 47/13

95

Options For Senior America Senior care

STARTUP COST

$85.8K-$110.4K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 14/10

96

Criterium Engineers Consulting engineering firms

STARTUP COST

$68.98K-$138.2K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 31/1

97

Patrice & Associates Hospitality, executive search, retail, and sales recruiting STARTUP COST

$90.1K-$92.8K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 199/0

98

Fitness Machine Technicians (FMT) Exercise equipment maintenance and repairs

STARTUP COST

$86.5K-$127.99K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 115/3

99

DPF Alternatives

Diesel particulate filter cleaning and aftertreatment system restoration

STARTUP COST

$86K-$289K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 68/0

100

Nathan’s Famous Hot dogs, hamburgers, seafood, chicken, cheesesteaks STARTUP COST

$82.2K-$2M

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 232/4

Immerse yourself in the life of a CMIT Solutions franchisee. This documentary-style video takes you behind the scenes through the early morning hustle to the satisfaction of a day well-spent. Step into the heart of their world, navigating challenges and celebrating their achievements as entrepreneurs.

www.cmitfranchise.com/stories/day-in-the-life

Top 100 FRANCHISES for

THE UPS STORE No. 1 franchise for less than $150K

1 The UPS Store Shipping, packing, mailboxes, printing, faxing, shredding, notary services STARTUP COST

$101.8K-$476.99K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 5,568/2

2 Budget Blinds

Window coverings, window film, rugs, accessories

STARTUP COST

$140.5K-$211.8K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 1,472/0

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 77,886/5,893

4 Express Employment Professionals Staffing, HR solutions STARTUP COST $140K-$400K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 863/2

LESS THAN $ 150,000

7

Mathnasium

Math tutoring

STARTUP COST

$112.9K-$149.3K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 1,106/4

8

Minuteman Press Printing, graphics, and marketing services

STARTUP COST

$78.2K-$219.5K*

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 987/0

*The low end of Minuteman Press’ initial investment range applies only to the purchase of an existing store. Franchisees starting a new business will invest more than $100,000.

9

Molly Maid

Residential cleaning STARTUP COST

$133.7K-$191.7K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 454/0

10

Kitchen Tune-Up

Residential kitchen remodeling STARTUP COST

$129.9K-$188.9K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 290/0

11

$125.5K-$199.5K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 651/4

6 Mac Tools Automotive tools and equipment STARTUP COST

$119.9K-$343.4K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 1,159/0

Lawn Doctor Lawn, tree, and shrub care; mosquito and tick control

STARTUP COST

$117.7K-$143.2K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 635/0

12

Two Men and a Truck Moving, storage, and junk removal services

STARTUP COST

$105.5K-$446.6K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 345/3

13

Stanley Steemer Carpet, upholstery, HVAC, and air-duct cleaning; water damage restoration

STARTUP COST

$139.2K-$410.2K TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 213/57

14

Ace Handyman Services

Residential and commercial repairs, restoration, and maintenance STARTUP COST

$127.6K-$204.1K TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 352/7

15

Pop-A-Lock Mobile locksmith and security services

STARTUP COST

$137.8K-$170.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 508/7

16

Bin There Dump That Residential-friendly dumpster rentals

STARTUP COST

$116.2K-$235.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED)

246/0

17 Auntie Anne’s Soft pretzels

STARTUP COST

$104.6K-$572.1K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 1,974/11

18

Home Instead

Nonmedical senior care

STARTUP COST

$98K-$125K*

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 1,213/4

*Although the low end of Home Instead’s initial investment range is $98,000, the company advises that most franchisees can expect to spend more than $100,000 to start their business.

19

Spring-Green Lawn Care Lawn and tree care, pest control

STARTUP COST

$116.99K-$125.99K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 130/26

20

Signarama

Sign products and services

STARTUP COST

$120.2K-$318.2K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 669/0

21

Century 21 Real Estate

Real estate STARTUP COST

$24.7K-$459.3K*

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 12,911/0

*The low end of Century 21’s initial investment range applies only to the conversion of an existing business. Franchisees starting a new business will invest more than $100,000.

22

Mr. Electric Electrical services

STARTUP COST

$139.9K-$288.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 212/0

23

Senior Helpers

Personal, companion, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s home care STARTUP COST

$127.8K-$171.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 356/5

24

Superior Fence & Rail Fence sales and installation STARTUP COST

$130.5K-$206.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 82/2

25

YESCO Sign & Lighting Service

Sign and lighting service and maintenance STARTUP COST

$65K-$389.2K*

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 58/42

*The low end of YESCO’s initial investment range applies only to someone adding onto or converting an existing business. Franchisees starting a new business will invest more than $100,000.

26

Fibrenew

Leather, plastic, and vinyl restoration and repair STARTUP COST

$100.6K-$120.6K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 308/0

27

Mosquito Joe Outdoor pest control STARTUP COST

$112.8K-$153.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 419/2

28

The Entrepreneur’s Source Franchise/business coaching and development STARTUP COST

$114.4K-$125.95K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 173/0

29

Pro Image Sports

Licensed sports apparel and accessories STARTUP COST

$108.9K-$580K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 160/0

30

MaidPro

Residential cleaning STARTUP COST

$105.6K-$130.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 267/0

31

Window Gang

Window, gutter, roof, and dryervent cleaning; pressure washing; chimney sweeping STARTUP COST

$108.2K-$148.6K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 228/0

32

Image360

Signs, graphics, displays, digital imaging, visual communications STARTUP COST

$132.1K-$522.1K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 281/2

33

Jamba

Smoothies, juices, and bowls

STARTUP COST

$129.8K-$1M

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 794/2

34

TeamLogic IT IT managed services for businesses STARTUP COST

$111.5K-$147.8K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 269/0

35

Fish Window Cleaning

Low-rise commercial and residential window cleaning STARTUP COST

$105.3K-$170K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 265/1

36

Allegra Marketing Print Mail Printing, marketing, direct mail, signs, promotional products STARTUP COST

$129.5K-$456.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 237/2

37

British Swim School Swimming lessons for ages 3 months and older

STARTUP COST

$109.96K-$145K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 178/0

LISTINGS

Top 100 FRANCHISES for LESS THAN $150,000

38

COST

$84.8K-$110K* TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 195/0

*Although Conserva Irrigation’s initial investment range starts at $84,800, the company advises that this only covers the first 90 to 120 days in business, and additional funds will be necessary for full startup.

39 Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions Commercial kitchen maintenance services STARTUP COST

$123.6K-$139.3K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 344/0

40 Rosati’s Pizza Pizza, Italian food

STARTUP COST

$147.2K-$1.2M TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 122/1

41 BrightStar Care Medical/nonmedical home care, medical staffing STARTUP COST

$111.1K-$195.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 344/29

42 One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning

Heating and cooling repairs, replacements, and maintenance; indoor air quality services

STARTUP COST

$128.95K-$223.7K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 392/33

43

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Residential and light commercial plumbing services STARTUP COST

$128.95K-$223.7K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 321/10

44 Gotcha Covered Window treatments

STARTUP COST

$100.1K-$122.1K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 161/0

45 Mr. Handyman

Residential and commercial repair, maintenance, and improvement services

STARTUP COST

$121K-$157.6K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 334/0

46

Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids

Children’s hair salons

STARTUP COST

$117K-$400K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 113/1

47

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors

Home inspections

STARTUP COST

$101.7K-$132.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 510/0

48

Outdoor Lighting Perspectives

Residential landscape, architectural, holiday, and hospitality lighting

STARTUP COST

$85K-$184.1K*

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 126/0

*Although Outdoor Lighting Perspectives’ initial investment range starts at $85,025, the company advises that this only covers the first 90 to 120 days in business, and additional funds will be necessary for full startup.

49

Precision Door Service

Residential garage door repair, installation, and service STARTUP COST

$137.9K-$302.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 119/0

50

Five Star Bath Solutions

Bathroom remodeling

STARTUP COST

$114.5K-$248K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 104/6

51

Mister Sparky

Residential electrical maintenance, repair, and replacement services

STARTUP COST

$118.95K-$213.8K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 155/7

52 Men In Kilts Window and exterior cleaning STARTUP COST

$127.5K-$222.95K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 42/0

53

Precision Tune Auto Care Auto repair and maintenance STARTUP COST

$134K-$310.3K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 270/28

54

KeyGlee Wholesale real estate STARTUP COST

$122.3K-$296.6K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 98/5

55

1-800-Plumber +Air Plumbing and HVAC services STARTUP COST

$92.2K-$279.3K*

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 42/2

*The low end of 1-800-Plumber +Air’s initial investment range applies only to the conversion of an existing business. Franchisees starting a new business will invest more than $100,000.

56

Weichert Real estate

STARTUP COST

$62.5K-$326.2K*

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 364/103

*The low end of Weichert’s initial investment range applies only to the conversion of an existing business. Franchisees starting a new business will invest more than $100,000.

57

Archadeck Outdoor Living Outdoor living space design and construction STARTUP COST

$84.5K-$118.6K*

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 86/0

*Although Archadeck’s initial investment range starts at $84,450, the company advises that this only covers the first 90 to 120 days in business, and additional funds will be necessary for full startup.

PILLAR TO POST No. 47 franchise for less than $150K

LISTINGS

58 LIME Painting Residential and commercial painting, coatings, and surface restoration STARTUP COST

$125.7K-$201.1K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 31/5

59

UBuildIt

Construction consulting STARTUP COST

$107.4K-$222K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 64/15

60 Bath Tune-Up

Bathroom remodeling

STARTUP COST

$104.9K-$158.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 52/0

61

Everbowl Health food bowls

STARTUP COST

$133.9K-$451.6K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 64/2

62

Rytech Restoration Water, mold, fire, and smoke restoration; COVID sanitation

STARTUP COST

$141.4K-$213K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 85/1

63

Padgett Business Services Tax, accounting, compliance, payroll, and advisory services

STARTUP COST

$14.5K-$100.7K*

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 263/0

*The low end of Padgett’s initial investment range applies only to the conversion of an existing business. Franchisees starting a new business will invest more than $100,000.

64

Fully Promoted Branded products and marketing services

STARTUP COST

$103.3K-$353.2K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 269/0

65

Nurse Next Door Home Care Services

Medical/nonmedical home care

STARTUP COST

$115.1K-$211.6K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 182/1

66

Surface Experts

Interior hard surface repairs

STARTUP COST

$139.3K-$225.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 75/0

67

Window Genie

Residential window cleaning, window tinting, pressure washing STARTUP COST

$140.7K-$237.1K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 115/0

68

ERA Real Estate Real estate

STARTUP COST

$27.4K-$435.1K*

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 2,386/0

*The low end of ERA’s initial investment range applies only to the conversion of an existing business. Franchisees starting a new business will invest more than $100,000.

69

FirstLight Home Care

Nonmedical home care

STARTUP COST

$124.4K-$199.7K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 197/0

70 Code Ninjas

Computer-coding learning centers for ages 5 and up STARTUP COST

$149.8K-$378.1K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 378/7

Top 100 FRANCHISES for LESS THAN $150,000

71

iTrip

Short-term rental property management

STARTUP COST

$110K-$150K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 106/1

72

30 Minute Hit

Boxing/kickboxing circuittraining programs for women STARTUP COST

$123.4K-$324.95K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 81/0

73

911 Restoration

Residential and commercial property restoration STARTUP COST

$79.6K-$218.4K*

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 288/3

*The low end of 911 Restoration’s initial investment range applies only to those converting an existing business or using financing. Franchisees starting a new business will invest more than $100,000 without financing.

74

Fastest Labs

Drug, alcohol, and DNA testing, background screening STARTUP COST

$101.2K-$153.7K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 137/1

75

Painting with a Twist Paint-and-sip studios STARTUP COST

$121.5K-$261K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 223/1

76

Visiting Angels

Nonmedical home care STARTUP COST

$125.5K-$171.2K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 692/0

77 CMIT Solutions Outsourced IT services

STARTUP COST

$101.95K-$154.95K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 251/3

78

Pool Scouts Pool cleaning and maintenance

STARTUP COST

$104K-$136.4K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 76/2

79

Comfort Keepers In-home senior care

STARTUP COST

$100.1K-$171.2K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 638/105

80

Groucho’s Deli Sandwiches, salads, sauces STARTUP COST

$105.1K-$597.1K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 26/2

81 RSVP Direct Mail Advertising Advertising STARTUP COST

$109.7K-$371.7K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 55/1

82

AdvantaClean Mold remediation and indoor air quality services STARTUP COST

$115.98K-$196.5K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 132/0

83 bluefrog Plumbing + Drain Plumbing and drain services STARTUP COST

$140.5K-$347.4K TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 41/0

AWARD-WINNING FRANCHISE OWNAN

LISTINGS

STRETCH ZONE

No. 92 franchise for less than $150K

84

ATC Healthcare Services

Medical staffing

STARTUP COST

$128.7K-$209.5K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 68/0

85

Amada Senior Care

Home care and assisted-living placement

STARTUP COST

$115.2K-$270K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 156/1

86

Crushr

Mobile commercial on-site trash compacting

STARTUP COST

$136K-$390.1K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 64/1

87

Tapville Social Self-service and self-service beer taproom restaurants/kiosks/ mobile units

STARTUP COST

$134.8K-$1.4M

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 23/1

88

GrassRoots Turf

Lawn, tree, and shrub care; mosquito control

STARTUP COST

$100.8K-$151.6K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 19/1

89

Sir Grout

Residential hard surface restoration and maintenance

STARTUP COST

$121.8K-$182.7K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 57/0

90

Money Pages

Local direct-mail and digital advertising

STARTUP COST

$107.5K-$148.5K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 15/13

91

Window World

Residential windows, doors, siding, roofing, and other exterior remodeling products

STARTUP COST

$122.9K-$328.2K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 212/0

92

Stretch Zone

Assisted stretching STARTUP COST

$113.9K-$226.9K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 300/3

93

DRYmedic Restoration Services

Disaster restoration services STARTUP COST

$133.5K-$317K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 27/16

94

Woofie’s Pet-sitting, dog-walking, mobile pet grooming

STARTUP COST

$129.1K-$246.4K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 23/2

95

Closet & Storage Concepts/ More Space Place

Residential/commercial closet and storage systems; Murphy beds STARTUP COST

$110.3K-$624.9K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 35/5

96

Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop

Candy, soda, and gift stores

STARTUP COST

$124.9K-$266K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 90/0

97

Temporary Wall Systems

Rental, installation, and service of modular containment systems

STARTUP COST

$145.4K-$352.5K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 75/0

98

Duct Doctor USA

Residential and commercial airduct cleaning

STARTUP COST

$44.1K-$201.5K*

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 17/8

*Duct Doctor requires franchisees to purchase a $125,000 truck. The low end of the initial investment range considers only a 10% down payment on that vehicle, rather than the full payment.

99

Prism Specialties

Restoration of electronics, art, textiles, and documents

STARTUP COST

$149.95K-$322.4K

TOTAL UNITS (FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 153/3

100

Purchase Green Artificial Grass

Sales, installation, and maintenance of artificial turf, putting greens, and sports turfs

STARTUP COST

$110.1K-$550.7K

TOTAL UNITS

(FRANCHISED / CO.-OWNED) 27/21

BACK PAGE

Do You Say ‘Yes’ Enough?

We don’t give ourselves enough credit for trying. So let’s start doing it—right now. by JASON FEIFER

Entrepreneurs often feel overwhelmed. We have too many deadlines, too much responsibility, and not enough time for it all.

So here’s a way to help you feel better, and to gain the clarity you need. To start, let’s play a game. I’ll ask you to do two things.

First: Quick—congratulate yourself on a recent accomplishment!

Do you even have one in mind? I don’t, to be honest. “Accomplishments” are big things to me, and they don’t happen daily. So now that prompt has got me thinking about all the stuff I want to

accomplish but haven’t yet.

Next: Quick—congratulate yourself on saying yes to something!

Is this easier? It is for me. I’ve said yes to plenty of things lately—lunch with a friend, an intriguing meeting, a potential business opportunity.

The “yes” is easier because it’s not tied to outcome. It’s only tied to effort. And we don’t give ourselves enough credit for effort. Instead, we hold ourselves to impossible standards—as if everything we’re doing is supposed to be perfect, or well-balanced, or stress-free. We judge ourselves by whether we hit the bull’s-eye, not by

whether we threw the dart.

But you know what? Saying yes is hard. Most people don’t do it. So what if we give ourselves a break, and start congratulating ourselves for just getting into this mess? Instead of not trying, we tried. We are trying. Isn’t that worth celebrating?

If your work or life is making you feel a little crazy, then try this:

List out five things you said yes to recently. Here’s the sole qualification for a “yes” worth listing: You had to consider your answer, however briefly.

Maybe you thought: I don’t have the time. I don’t have the energy. I’m not sure I like that. That sounds risky. That sounds uncomfortable. That’s weird. But then you said yes anyway. Now please keep saying yes. This did not come naturally to me. I grew up as a “no” kid— the kind of person who defined himself by what he wouldn’t do, or who he wouldn’t hang out with. Those kids? Screw them. That music? Hate it. That

party? Never.

But in college, I read an essay by the writer Dave Eggers that changed my perspective. At the time, around the year 2000, Eggers was going from indie darling to Very Famous Writer Guy. Some people accused him of “selling out”—a concept that barely makes sense today, but back then was a grave insult. It meant abandoning your credibility for money.

“I really like saying yes,” he wrote in reply to the accusations. “I like new things, projects, plans, getting people together and doing something, trying something, even when it’s corny or stupid. I am not good at saying no. And I do not get along with people who say no. When you die, and it really could be this afternoon…you will not be happy about having said no. You will be kicking your ass about all the noes you’ve said.”

Later, he added: “What matters is that you do good work. What matters is that you produce things that are true and will stand.”

That is what you are working to do right now.

Yes, sure, it’s not easy. It’s slow going. It’ll make you crazy. I feel that every day. I am overcommitted and regularly kick myself for not juggling it all perfectly. I am behind on so many things. I missed my deadline for writing this column! But you and I are on this path because, at some point, we said yes to something. And that led to another yes. And then another. And now we’re saying yes more, again, often, as often as we can, even though it doesn’t turn out perfectly.

“Yes” got you here. And it’ll get you there. That’s worth celebrating, isn’t it? Even in all its messiness and imperfection? Yes, it is.

Franchise Opportunity with an Impact

Looking to make a difference in your life, career, and in the community? Now is the time!

• Multi-unit ownership opportunities

• Vast educational child care demand

• Average revenue of $1,950,038*

• 325+ Academies operating in 39 states and the District of Columbia

• Control your own destiny

• True work-life harmony

• Option to own or lease Academy real estate

*Disclaimer: Average gross revenue for calendar year 2022 based on reports from 260 Academies open for 24 full months or more as of December 31, 2022 (see Item 19 of our March 31, 2023, FDD for details). This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by a prospectus first filed according to state law and which complies with the FTC rule. A new franchisee’s results may differ from this performance.

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