Franchise Journal October 2022

Page 1

FR ANCHISE OCTOBER 2022/ FranchiseJournal.com JournalTM LEARN The Fibrenew Process with Bob Johnston p. 40 THE SCOOP The Remodeling Franchise That Is An Experience p. 50 HOW TO Get Started With An Electrical Franchise p. 140 Chairman and CEO, Jeff Dudan Homefront Brands
FranExpoUSA.com

MIAMI

HOUSTON

Miami Airport Convention Center March 13- 14, 2021

Stafford Center February 19-20, 2022

DALLAS

TAMPA

Irving Convention Center March 19-20, 2022

Tampa Convention Center April 24-25, 2021

ORLANDO

SAN ANTONIO

Orange County Convention Center March 26-27, 2022

Henry B. Gonzalez Conv. Ctr. May 1-2, 2021

MIAMI

ATLANTA Cobb Galleria May 15-16, 2021

Miami Airport Convention Center April 9-10, 2022

TAMPA

Tampa Convention Center April 23-24, 2022

WASHINGTON DC Dulles Expo Center September 18-19, 2021

ATLANTA Cobb Galleria May 14-15, 2022

ORLANDO

CHARLOTTE

Charlotte Convention Center June 11-12, 2022

Orange County Convention Center October 9-10, 2021

NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

New Jersey Expo & Conv. Cntr. September 10-11, 2022

WASHINGTON DC

HOUSTON Stafford Center October 16-17, 2021

Dulles Expo Center September 17-18, 2022

DALLAS

Irving Convention Center November 6-7, 2021

AUSTIN

Palmer Event Center October 1-2, 2022

DALLAS

Fort Worth Convention Center October 8-9, 2022

HOUSTON

Lone Star Convention Center November 12-13, 2022

FranExpoUSA.com FranExpoUSA.com
FranExpoUFranExpoUSA.com SA.com
 

THE DESIGNERY

6 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM contents OCTOBER 2022 18 Protecting Your Biggest Investment: The Appeal of Home Improvement Franchises by Seth Lederman 22 Interview with Vickie Storm by Rich LeBrun 28 Get to Know Anthony Farrell and Complete Pest Solutions by Dave Roemer 32 Content Recovery Specialists by Dave Jones 36 When A Business Partnership Gone Bad Sparks The Road To Success by Dave Sullivan 40 The Fibrenew Process with Bob Johnston by Greg Mohr 44 NEIGHBORLY What Home Services Franchises Does Neighborly Offer? 50
The Remodeling Franchise That is an Experience From Start to Finish by Abi Pepin 54 FLOOR COVERINGS INTERNATIONAL Couple Goes From Mexico to Canada to Join No. 1 Mobile Flooring Brand by Rhonda Sanderson 156 THE GROUNDS GUYS® 54

58 BLUE MOON ESTATE SALES

Providing Life Simplification Through Home Liquidation by Bob Lang

62 CORPORATE CLEANING GROUP

Owning a Cleaning Franchise Could be Your Path to Success by Kinsey Cooper

66 NEIGHBORLY

Advice For Women Looking To Start A Franchise

70 WRAPMATE

Franchise Vehicle Graphics To Market Your Brand For As Little as $2.10 Per Day by Javier Lozano, Jr

74 BIGFOOT FORESTRY

Bigfoot Found: Nowhere To Hide by Ben Bartnikowski

78 PET BUTLER

Top Home Service Brand, Spring-Green Enterprises, Acquires Pet Services Franchise by Rhonda Sanderson

82 NEIGHBORLY

6 Reasons Why Women Are Embracing Franchise Ownership

86 CEILING GURU

90 LIME PAINTING

This Physician-Turned-Franchisee Shares Tips for Successful Franchise Ownership by Mary Vinnedge

MOSQUITO JOE®

5 Reasons Why Starting A Seasonal Franchise Is A Smart Decision

98

TEMPORARY WALL SYSTEMS

Can Lead to Long-Lasting Success by Samantha Stanich-Romasiewicz

102 FLOOR COVERINGS INTERNATIONAL

From Finance to Flooring — Floor Coverings International Helps Launch A New Career Path by Rhonda Sanderson

106 NEIGHBORLY

Women Owners: Choosing The Right Franchise For You

110 COVER STORY: HOMEFRONT BRANDS

The Homefront Advantage

118 KITCHEN SOLVERS

Kitchen Solvers Supplies an Always Needed Service With a Smile! by Samantha Stanich-Romasiewicz

120 NEIGHBORLY

4 Perfect Franchises For People Interested In Cleaning And Organization Businesses

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022 7
94
62 94

124 WINDOW WORLD

Why Replacement Window Sales is a Recession-Resistant Business by Zach Luffman

128 PATCHMASTER

PatchMaster Fills a Critical Niche in Home Services by Kinsey Cooper

132 DRYER VENT WIZARD®

Franchising With Dryer Vent Wizard, An Essential Home Service

136 PAINTER BROS

Your Professional Painting Service Company by Bailey Rayner

140 MR. ELECTRIC®

Getting Started With An Electrical Franchise

144 POOL SCOUTS

Pool Scouts Sees Double Digit Signings and Tremendous Growth in First Half of 2022 by Lynlea Rudell

148 PILLAR TO POST HOME INSPECTORS®

New Franchisees are Looking for the Cutting Edge Technologies the Brand Has to Offer by Rhonda Sanderson

154 NEIGHBORLY

168 Bring Your Franchise Model To The U.S. by Barbara Andrievk Ruiz

172 DISASTER BLASTER

Property Services

Franchising: Caring For A Home With Neighborly by Brad Stevenson

156 THE GROUNDS GUYS®

Owning a Landscaping Franchise: What to Know

160 WINDOW HERO

Avoiding Seasonality in Exterior Cleaning by Abi Pepin

164 HOME CLEAN HEROES

The Importance of Businesses Giving Back by Kathy Turley

Father, Son Team Bringing Back “The American Dream” by Emily Louis

176 REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT®

Why Should You Consider a Property Management Franchise Today?

180 FIVE STAR PAINTING®

Getting Started With a Painting Franchise

184 RODA CHALFANT FRANCHISE LAW

Yes, it’s already time to start thinking about your 2023 FDD Renewal — and that’s a good thing! by Drew Chalfant

8 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
164 144

welcome NOTES

A$657 BILLION

DOLLAR MARKET.

Larger than the GDP of Ireland or Sweden. That’s the amount that goes into property services in the United States every year. The pandemic blew gale force winds into the sails of the home service franchise category propelling it to significant and unprecedented growth over the past two years. Those tail winds are becoming headwinds as interest rates are increasing and home sales are slowing. What will this do to the property services category?

With hindsight it’s obvious why this category grew so rapidly. People sitting in homes that were becoming more valuable by the hour and looking around thinking about what they could do to fix their home.

EVERY CATEGORY SAW GROWTH.

The myriad of services required in the home is vast; painting, plumbing, roofing, flooring, closets, landscaping, windows, doors, gutters, driveways, kitchens, bathrooms, the list goes on and on, and gives you a perspective, as to exactly why this is one of the largest categories not only in our economy, but also in franchising.

Quality franchisors that offer multiple offerings like HomeFront Brands, Neighborly, HorsePower,

Authority Brands and others continue to see massive growth in their systems.

These types of businesses are typically very cost-effective and provide a high return on investment. Many of them rely on outsourced services, giving white-collar entrepreneurs the ability to manage a business and focus on the marketing and sales of the underlying service, while outsourcing work to a ready labor force. While that labor force has become increasingly expensive due to inflation, there is always a willing participant if the price is right to do the work.

Many of these new property services franchisees took their interest in fixing their home and went and looked for businesses

that they reasoned others would need the services of. This thesis largely held true and quality franchisors experienced tremendous growth.

2022 has been a transitional year for the home service market. The Total Addressable Market (TAM) grew by an additional $62B, reaching a new high of $657B; however, the rate of growth slowed down from 18% last year to 10% this year.

The explosive growth rate we saw last year as massive portions of consumer spending shifted to the home during the global pandemic has begun to taper off. While this return to market normalcy is expected, periods of dynamic market change are important to understand for two reasons.

12 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

2022 HAS BEEN A TRANSITIONAL YEAR FOR THE HOME SERVICE MARKET.

FIRST, elevated growth rates – like the 20% year-over-year growth experienced in 2021 are difficult for any market to maintain regardless of macro conditions: supply chains, product manufacturing, and skilled labor usually lack the capacity to grow as quickly as consumer demand. This means normalized growth rates are to be expected regardless of macroeconomic circumstances.

SECOND, a reduction in the rate of growth must not be confused with a reduction in the absolute size of the market. Furthermore, rapid price increases in the form of inflation, the underlying drivers of spending, and changes to consumer sentiment all impact how businesses and investors should understand what the market will look like on a goforward basis.

Rising interest rates hurt consumer spending and home sales, but higher rates also anchor people into their existing homes and disincentivize moving (which in turn boosts remodeling). Inflation erodes buying power and hurts consumer sentiment, but it also reduces the effective burden of mortgage debt. Rising home prices push new buyers out of the market, but they also pad the wealth of existing buyers in the form of additional home equity. In addition, the property services category is

massively fragmented and many of the providers across vast categories are getting older which gives younger entrepreneurs the ability to build a business based on demand.

These dynamics – each competing to shape spending in its own way – are combining with existing long-running macroeconomic and demographic trends that are also having profound impacts on the industry. Family formation, aging in place, consumer preferences for style of living, home amenities, geographic location, and changing technology are all impacting the size of the consumer market, while pressure to innovate, save time, improve efficiency, streamline business logistics, and preserve margin are all shaping the pro side of the market.

Creative franchisors providing quality services into a vast market, a rotation of labor and ownership coupled with rising interest rates and decreasing housing values will be the stories that we are watching closely at Franchise Journal for this category.

The bottom line is that everyone needs shelter and the desire (and need) to keep that shelter functional and beautiful is a dynamic that will continue to provide support and growth for this extraordinary category.

FOUNDER

NICK NEONAKIS

DESIGN DIRECTOR

DIGITAL DIRECTOR

MEDIA EDITOR

ONLINE EDITOR Mike Ciccarelli

VIDEO PRODUCER

Matt Panepinto

CONTRIBUTORS

Ben Bartnikowski

Drew Chalfant

Kinsey Cooper

Bob Lang

Rich LeBrun

Seth Lederman

Emily Louis

Javier Lozano, Jr

Zach Luffman

Greg Mohr

Dave Jones

Abi Pepin

Bailey Rayner

Dave Roemer

Lynlea Rudell

Barbara Andrievk Ruiz

Rhonda Sanderson

Samantha StanichRomasiewicz

Brad Stevenson

Dave Sullivan

Kathy Turley

Mary Vinnedge

14 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
ART
STAFF
SOCIAL
ASSOCIATE

PROTECTING YOUR BIGGEST INVESTMENT: The Appeal of Home Improvement Franchises

During the pandemic, we all spent a LOT more time in our homes. So it should probably come as no surprise that an outcome of this was a big increase in home repairs and renovations. How big an increase? More than 75% of American homeowners engaged in some form of home improvement project in 2020, while the U.S. remodeling industry reportedly earned $1.1 billion in revenue in 2021.

But that was then, and this is now. So, what is the forecast for franchises that deliver various property services? Statista reports that home improvement sales in the United States was about $538 billion in 2021. By 2025, it’s expected to reach more than $620 billion. The fact that half of U.S. homes were built before 1980 and the growth in interest with smart tech for the home (three out of four homes bought a smart tech device for their home in 2021) should only add to the demand from homeowners to renovate or update their living spaces— and their biggest investment.

To fuel all of that home improvement, plus the work the industry anticipates in the years to come, people need trusted, professional

home services companies. That makes any area of the franchise world connected to home improvement and repair a solid bet for those entrepreneurs interested in owning their own business. The options truly are dizzying, with just about every aspect of a home’s interior and exterior up for grabs in terms of franchise business opportunities.

Here’s a quick look at just a few of the categories to consider, if you think a home improvement or property services franchise could be the right business move for you and your future.

HOME PROPERTY SERVICE FRANCHISES FOR INSIDE THE HOME

One of the quickest ways to

18 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

refresh the interior of a home is with a new coat of paint. And consumer’s interest in this type of home improvement was proven during the pandemic, with interior painting ranking among the top home service projects in 2021. Multiple franchise options exist in this category for anyone interested in this line of work who wants the backing of a proven business model, as well as help marketing from the franchisor.

Window coverings and blinds is another option to pursue. Many of the available franchise options offer services that include multiple categories from more traditional window coverings (such as blinds, shutters and shades) to drapes and more.

While DIY home improvement has been all the rage in recent years, many homeowners who tried it quickly realized they were in over their heads. One survey found that about 63% of Americans who attempted a DIY project regretted it. Handyman franchises, as well as interior decorator franchises, can help people fix (or avoid!) costly mistakes when it comes to the repair or beautification of their houses.

FRANCHISES FOCUSED ON A HOME’S EXTERIOR

Safety is top of mind for many homeowners. An easy way to increase a home’s safety is with exterior illumination. Blingle! Is a premier lighting company that provides not only landscape and patio lighting installation but also holiday and event lighting. As one of the fastest-growing brands in the country, they

“HOME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY.”

offer a wide variety of lighting solutions for homes.

Other exterior franchise opportunities include painting, window replacement or cleaning, roof replacement, driveway repair, gutter replacement and cleaning, and the list goes on. Truly, any part of a home’s exterior presents options for someone interested in owning a franchise.

Finally, don’t forget about the yard! Whether it is keeping the bugs away, creating outdoor living spaces or simply providing lawn care and maintenance, franchise opportunities abound for entrepreneurs in this segment as well. For instance, demand for mosquito services has risen, with more than 60% of customers specifically requesting a mosquito service, making it a smart franchise choice.

GREEN AND TECHBASED HOME FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES

From solar panels to efficient HVAC systems, there are a growing number of property services franchise companies focused on helping homeowners live an eco-friendlier and more techsavvy life.

Worldwide, connected devices in the home are expected to be a $75 billion industry by 2025. Any homeowner looking to capitalize on this when they eventually sell their home is

going to be looking for a home improvement company to help them capitalize on this trend. Handyman franchises that focus on or include connected home services are poised to capitalize on this trend that should only grow in the future.

Interest in installing solar panels also continues. The cost of installing solar panels has fallen dramatically since 2010, and more than half of Americans in the country’s most coal-reliant states have even expressed a willingness to potentially buy solar panels.

If you’re interested in exploring the many home improvement and property service franchise opportunities offered today, or any franchise opportunity, it is wise to consult with an experienced franchise advisor. Not only can one of these experts save you time and money, but they also can assist you in determining the best franchise match for your needs, putting you on the path to being your own boss and a successful business owner.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Seth Lederman, CFE, a Franchise Acquisition and Development Specialist, is a multi-faceted entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in small business success, including ownership and sale of his business enterprises. He is a frequent contributor to The Franchise Journal and is on the exclusive Forbes Business Council. Contact him for more information and to find out how to get started pursuing your entrepreneurship dreams today at seth@ thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022 19

Interview with Vickie Storm

VICKIE STORM has been with iTrip since 2016 and has had a progressive leadership career in sales management, operations management, and team building financial industry. Vickie has proven to be a change agent with focused strategic initiatives and positive, results-driven orientation.

Vickie’s personal mantra is: “Attitude is Everything.”

RICH: Tell me the story of how iTrip got started?

VICKIE: iTrip started in 2008 by three friends (Steve Presley, Tom Bessemer, Todd Morrison) who were owners of short-term rentals who were frustrated with lack of quality property management companies who specialized in short term rentals as well as the limited inventory to choose from. Coming from the tech world they had the foresight to see that what used to be a cottage industry, could be transformed by the use of technology to add value to the customer experience. Being real estate owners themselves they knew what the need was, the level of quality of service required and saw the future of technology as being a critical component. They set out to create proprietary software model

that was initially a licensure model which eventually grew into a franchise. Itrip now has markets in both seasonal locations as well as urban areas.

RICH: What differentiates your brand from the others in the market?

VICKIE: Our technology far exceeds that of our competitors.

In addition, we serve the shortterm rental market which includes those seeking to rent prominent locations for vacation, medical reasons, short term business needs, attending special events and even for college exploration.

Our newest and most explosive growth came out of

22 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

the pandemic where employees who are working from home (“the remote worker”) who want a change of scenery from time to time for a short period.

HERE ARE 5 WAYS WE FEEL WE ARE DIFFERENT FROM OUR COMPETITION

1. We off a full array of services to the property owner, from staging units, taking attractive photos to market the property, collecting rent, pay bills and managing the day-to-day operations which includes cleaning and maintenance.

2. We have the largest marketing reach in advertising the availability of our clients’ properties availability. We not only market on over 80 listing sites we are also posting on all the social media platforms on a daily basis.

3. Our advanced technology allow our franchisees to run the business from an app on their smart device. In addition, we create a private portal for each of our clients so they can be kept up to date on the performance of their properties

4. Selected as VRBO elite partner every year since 2018. 5. Our owners are full time operators.

RICH: How Is iTrip different from AIRBNB type businesses?

VICKIE: The best way to explain the difference between AIRBNB (and other similar services) to iTrip is to compare them to the MLS system that residential brokers use. The MLS is a listing site where data on properties can be found, yet the MLS performs no other services to the consumer. Airbnb is a listing site, yet they

VICKIE’S PERSONAL MANTRA IS: “ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.”

don’t manage properties. iTrip will put their clients’ properties on AIRBNB and 80 other sites but will provide management services for their clients.

RICH: What’s your vision for the future of the business?

VICKI: We are very strategic in our growth and are selective when it comes to prospective owners. We want to assure we have a great fit between our franchisees and the corporate office. We set a pace of 2030 new owners every year. This allows us to spend the important time needed with each franchisee to help them grow their business. We still have multiple territories still available throughout the US and have our eye on international expansion in the not-toodistant future.

RICH: What do you want your future franchisees to know about you and your team?

VICKIE: We value servant leadership, and we enjoy a collaborative culture amongst all parties. We take our owners step by step through each segment of the operation. We have iTrip University filled with vast content to support our franchise owners. In addition, we provide each owner with a coach for the first year to help them launch successfully. We have designed iTrip to be a home-based business with no accounts receivable, no inventory, no employees, and which can be easily scaled quickly.

RICH: Who is your ideal owner?

VICKIE: We like to see our

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022 23

owners have at least 15 years or more of prior business experience. Our owners come from a variety of industries and diverse backgrounds with positions that range from middle management to CEO’s.

RICH: What do you see is the future for the industry of short-term rentals?

VICKIE: We see it going from booming to exploding. As mentioned, prior to the pandemic has brought a whole new interest in short term rentals. We now know that over 50% of travelers now prefer rental properties over hotels. Travelers trust the cleaning protocol of single units over hotel staff and feel if they need to, they could easily quarantine while enjoying the amenities of the unit and location of their choosing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rich LeBrun is the founder and CEO of LeBrun Advisory group Inc. and owner in the Franchise Consulting Company, working with clients around the US and many parts of the world. Rich is an author of “What’s My Next Move”. Rich is a certified franchise broker (CFB) and commercial investment manager (CCIM). Contact Rich at rich@thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

24 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

Get to Know Anthony Farrell and Complete Pest Solutions

ANTHONY FARRELL is the president and CEO of Complete Pest Solutions. I sat down with Anthony to learn more about him, his company and why he decided to franchise his brand

Q: Tell me how complete solutions got started.

I bought Complete Pest Solutions after working for another pest company and building that company up to 27 technicians. Unfortunately two chiefs in one house doesn’t work. So I went ahead and took over a company that was failing in the Massillon, OH area and that's when I started Complete Pest Solutions.

Q: And you started franchising in 2019.

We filled our paperwork, we got our operations manual, we did the franchise agreement, the franchise disclosure documents, all in 2019.

Q: And after running your company for, what, eleven years or so, you began franchising?

That’s right

Q: Why did you decide to franchise?

Because I have a little bit of a crazy goal. I want to have my brand up and down the coast, the east coast. I would love to have from Ohio all the way down to Florida to have at least one working branch in each of the 50 states. It would be pretty cool in my time to have that done. And then I had kids and realized that any time away from family for a long period of time is not healthy. So franchising is my answer. I get to expand my brand. I also get

to use my skill set in helping people start a business, get it going, run it, and hopefully have their personal goals achieved through pest control.

Q: So what makes complete pet solutions different from all the other pest control companies that are out there?

I have I have two things that I that I try to focus point on that separate us. One of them is we do everything. We are a one stop shop pest control. So if you have termites, we take care of that. If you're a termite customer and then you get bats in your attic, you just call on us. So it gives that customer that peace of mind that they've already used you. They're comfortable with who you are.

28 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

They know how your company operates by your dealings with them first, on the phone and then the technician coming out servicing your account. They're not they're not going to call somebody else. They're going to call you back. As long as they had a good experience with you, they're calling you. So we do it all and there are not many companies that get into wildlife because it is expensive, it's demanding, it's extra training, it's extra exposure for injury on the job.

The other thing is I am involved in the day to day operations. If one of our customers has an issue they can reach me directly. I will pick up the phone. I will call them back, I will chat with them and I will try to solve the problem. A lot of companies, you get the management and that's kind of where it ends. I will call that customer. I want them to have a good experience. I want them to use us even if we don't agree initially on something. Normally we come to an understanding that normally gets us that customer for life.

Q: What makes you different as a franchisor?

We believe that we succeed only when our franchisees succeed not the other way around. We are investing in technology and systems which we test in our company owned territories to make sure they work and are worth the investment. We also have a sales team that we will send into an area to help our franchisees secure large contracts if the franchisee wants that additional help

and is willing to pay a little more for it.

We also have worked hard to keep the initial investment low.

If a candidate has a truck or van that is in decent shape, we let them wrap it and use it. We don’t make them buy a new vehicle. Also, the first 6 months of materials are included.

Q: What should prospective franchisees know about Anthony Farrell?

What drives me is my desire to help people own their own business and build a legacy for themselves. If they want to turn over the business to their kids one day, that’s great.

Whatever their goals are, I am driven to help them realize those goals. Like everyone else, I want to make money. That is not however my number one driver. I love seeing people succeed and knowing I helped them get there.

Q: Who is your ideal franchisee?

Someone who is driven to succeed. They don’t need to have ever owned a business before. We will help them figure it out. They need to be willing to learn from us though. We don’t know everything but we know a lot and we are learning more all the time. We share everything we learn with our franchisees so they need to be willing to learn.

So owner/operators are one type of franchisee we look for. The other is a semi-absentee. We want franchisees who are involved in the operation. That can be someone who does the work in the beginning or someone who hires and trains

a technician and maybe does the sales piece. Eventually we want all our franchisees to have a team of technicians and sales people and we will help them get there.

Q: What do you see as the future of the pest solutions business?

Before the pandemic, pest control was not really seen as an essential business by general public. Health departments saw us as essential but that was about it. Now, since people spent so much time at home during the pandemic, if they have an issue with pests, bees, hornets or any type of wildlife, they have to take care of it. So in the next 10 or 20 years this industry will grow maybe double digits every year. And because we can do it all, our business will explode. Now is a great time to get in the pest industry in general and Complete Pest Solutions in particular.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dave Roemer is a consultant at The Franchise Consulting company and an almost 40 year veteran of the franchise industry. Dave’s book So, you bought a franchise, NOW WHAT? Is available on amazon. com and barnesandnoble.com.

Contact David at droemer@ thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

Content Recovery Specialists

When disaster strikes, be there to make a lasting impact in someone’s life.

In a world of uncertainty, wouldn’t it be nice to have a stable future in a timetested industry? 100% proven Pandemic and Recession Proof. Now is the prime time to converge on this amazing opportunity.

Since the early 1900’s insurance has been the comforting force when

homeowners or business owners are faced with a fire, flood, or other disaster. The restoration industry has proven to be a lucrative and rewarding environment for thousands of business owners across the United States. The problem with fullservice disaster restoration is a saturated market, complicated claims handling, and exhausted staff members working 24/7/365.

Until now, most restoration contractors were faced with no

other option than to repurpose their carpenters and mitigation technicians to pack out homes. The personal property portion of a claim was lumped in with the reconstruction. This meant, to get the job the contractor had to deal with the pack out cleaning and storage of the insured’s belongings.

32 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

This has always posed a problem as the restoration contractor had to repurpose their employees to complete work they weren’t really hired or trained to do. This often resulted in damages and not good quality in cleaning and deodorization. Additionally, they lost revenue as the efficiency wasn’t in place to handle pack outs and cleaning.

What are the contents you ask? If you take a home and flip it upside down, everything that would fall out would be contents. Everything that stays put would be structured. We handle everything from total loss (non-salvageable) inventory and disposal to packing, cleaning and ultimately pack back. Content Recovery Specialists focuses solely on the personal property side of a claim making you a much-needed asset in the industry as a whole. As of late, insurance carriers have been focusing heavily on personal property claims. This has resulted in these content claims being broken out into their own assignments and their own referrals direct from the insurance carriers. It’s for this reason that the Content Recovery Specialist brand is so powerful and poised for success. Some of the other benefits of CRS are as follows:

• Minimal to no outside sales efforts needed: CRS receives customers directly from insurance carriers and restoration contractors who have established relationships. No need for

Facebook, Google ad-words, Radio commercials etc.

• Low Investment/High Gross: Minimal initial investment is all that’s needed to get your business up and running to start creating revenue

• Low Yearly Customer Count: With a high gross average ticket your customer count and ultimately your overhead is reduced

• Buildable Platform: You can scale your staffing as you see an increase in business. No need to hire a full staff day 1.

• True Semi-Absentee business model: Tested and proven our business model suits those interested in either full or semi-absentee ownership

• Make Money while you sleep: With items being stored for 6-12 months your making money even when your closed

• Backed by over 100 years of industry experience: Our executive team and support staff has over 100 years combined experience in the industry

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dave has 26 years of Corporate Experience with organizations like Proctor and Gamble and Matthews International, where he was Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Product Development. With an undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Economics from Washington and Jefferson College, a Master’s in Business from Carnegie Mellon University, two U S Patents in merchandising and over 14 years of franchise experience (from all perspectives), he is well prepared to help with your evaluation of owning your own Franchised business. Contact David at david@ thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022 33

When A Business Partnership Gone Bad Sparks The Road To Success

Imagine

your reaction: your business partner says to you, “Ron, you don’t like working with me, I don’t like working with you, you care about people too much and you can’t care about people in business.” How many red flags can you find in that sentence? Veritably a true story, but more importantly, spoiler alert, this story turned from disaster to record breaking success in a matter of 17 days.

Talk about timing, within moments of this startling conversation, a LinkedIn request pops up on Ron’s phone. Coincidentally, I reached out with a request to talk about franchises at the precise moment that his partner

went rogue. Can we say Divine intervention? I think so. Ron Redfern, and his wife Janet were rigorously, and quickly on the hunt for an opportunity that involved a sound business practice. Initially Ron explored many franchise options, but he realized that it was vitally important to align your core values with your business model. Coupled with his wife Janet’s full endorsement, they both knew immediately that

investing into City Wide, a B2B Facility Solutions franchise, was the perfect fit. Going full throttle into super-sonic hyperdrive if you will, as the race was on to jump start and re-direct a new career path, the contract was signed in a matter of days, and they never looked back.

You would typically be right to think that this warp speed method may result in a tragic career setback. But when God intervenes, and you are introduced to a professional first-class dynamic organization, equipped with top-ranked leadership, you can beat those odds by a landslide. The Redfern’s were sold on this business model, they worked diligently with the City Wide team, and were up and running in just under 3 months.

THE SERVICE INDUSTRY IS TRENDING, AND NOT ONLY IS CITY WIDE RECESSIONRESISTANT, BUT IT IS ALSO PROVEN TO BE PANDEMICRESISTANT.

36 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

The service industry is trending, and not only is City Wide recession-resistant, but it is also proven to be pandemicresistant. Ron and Janet came out of the gate in December of 2019, with strong returns in 2020 and more than doubled those earnings in 2021. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, they have been growing and leveraging steady year after year. This B2B approach is offering them large recurring revenue, producing solid gains again in 2022.

Founded in 1961 and based out of Lenexa, Kansas, City Wide serves territories throughout the United States and Canada, offering maintenance solutions to relieve the stress and time management struggles that face busy corporations today. A large draw to this concept, franchisees have very few, if any, hourly workers, no equipment, and no inventory. They bridge the gap between the needs of clients and the workforce that provides the services, making huge impacts in both places. City Wide began franchising in 2001 and now has more than 80 operating territories. For the fifth consecutive year, they have made the Inc. 5000 list, with a 95% three-year revenue growth rate. They signed on 16 new locations in the past 12 months and have plans to add more than five locations before year's end.

Ron and Janet offer above and beyond the mandatory attributes that City Wide looks for in a franchisee. They are the dream team, driving on the road to success today. What fuels that success?

The Redfern’s do care about people, both clients and team members, and their own corporate goals are precedent. “Our mission is to make a positive impact on the people we serve so our ripple effect is far and wide. With that in mind, our purpose as an organization is to make your life better! We are focused on people within our community, and our priority is serving others. You are City Wide’s purpose,

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

and we believe you can help us live our mission every day by positively impacting the people you encounter as well!” Janet finds that this business brings their family a sense of purpose and a reason to work harder because they love to help other people.

City Wide’s second location is opening in Canada this month and territories are available in 45 US states. For more information go to: www. gocitywide.com.

David Sullivan is a Senior Franchise Consultant at The Franchise Consulting Company offering more than 35 years of business ownership experience and 15 years within the franchise industry. Dave’s mission is to help his clients determine if they have the necessary ingredients to be successful business owners and assist them in selecting the best business to get that accomplished. One of Dave’s passions is mentoring others and over the last 30 years he’s been privileged to assist hundreds of people all over the US establish their own businesses. Dave remains dedicated to the interests of his clients even after they have started their business. For more information, contact Dave at daves@ thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022 37

The Fibrenew Process with Bob Johnston

Myrole is to help educate and get people to understand what our model is. We're not here to sell you, we're here to educate you.

WE HAVE A FIVE-STEP PROCESS HERE.

STEP 1: Our first call is an interview where we get to know each other, I'll ask you a number of questions, I'll give you more information about Fibernew the call typically runs about an hour. When you're done with that call, people always tell me boy, Bob, I walked away today with a wealth of information. If you're going to give me an hour of your time, I want to make it very worthwhile. So, you really have a good understanding of what our model is about.

STEP 2: If you like that, then

we're going to go to step two, which is a PowerPoint presentation, it's going to go deeper than what we talked about on the first call. But on that call, if you're married or you have a significant other or a partner, I really encourage you to have that person on the call, because it is a family decision. And we want to cover those bases and make sure you know you can tell them about it. But telling it is one thing, having them see it is another. The second call, it's question and answer period time from both spouses.

STEP 3: The third step of our program is where the fun begins, you get to actually call and talk to franchise owners.

You can ask them any questions you want. And we have an open-door policy. We have over 285 franchises. So, trust me, you're going to have a number to choose from. But you can ask them all the personal questions. When we complete seven to 10 validation calls, and you get your map figured out, you will find we're quite different than some of the other companies out there.

When we have you work on the development of your territory, you work with our mapping department. And you get to actually construct the territory from scratch. We build them by ZIP codes, they have to be contiguous. And that's

40 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

your territory. We actually have you even do homework assignments to ensure to you that you're checking out all the avenues of business. So, you're really covered. And I can't tell you the compliments we get about that.

Then we go to Step four. People just rave about it. Step four is you physically go on a ride day with a selected franchise owner. We have 16 owners that provide a physical ride so you can actually see what a day in the life is all about. And You get in there, get your hands dirty, you get the see it. And what I always hear from everybody after that is, oh my gosh, Bob, it was like going to a magic show, I love everything I saw. And then they say, I was so worried Bob, could

you really teach me how to do that. But it's a step-by-step process. And it's the products that do the work. And that really takes a lot of pressure off of them. And then of course, they get to see their books. And after what they've heard, and validation about our margins being very high, they get to see it, because the branches are very open on letting them see their books.

So, the ride day, is an accumulation of all these steps we do. And that kind of puts it at the pinnacle. After they get done with the ride day, I typically meet with them two days later, discuss with them what their thoughts are of the franchise owner, and the franchise owner also sends us a report, because it is a two-

way street, we want to make sure we're the right fit, for one reason is you're spending a lot of money. And we're also spending a lot of time and training and due diligence. So, we want to make sure we're going to be the right fit for each other. We have very open and honest discussions about it. I would tell you that anybody that goes on a ride day, I would say right now 90% are approved. Because typically we won’t let people go on a ride day unless we feel they're the right fit. Because why waste your time? Why waste the franchise owner’s time?

I will tell you 98% of them join our program in our system. And when they say Yeah, Bob, we'd like to be a part of it, then we set up a presidential call with Jesse Johnstone. Jesse wants to confirm with them is, do you have any unanswered questions? And if they say no, they really covered it all, then he says we'd like to award you the franchise, if you'd like to become part of our family, and part of our team.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Greg Mohr is the Wall Street Journal Best Selling author of “Real Freedom, Why Franchises Are Worth Considering and How They Can Be Used For Building Wealth”, and has managed restaurants, been a micro-electric circuit engineer, owned and operated dry cleaners, storage units, rental properties, and franchises. Greg has helped hundreds of people invest in a few hundred franchise units. Greg is also the podcast host of the Franchise Maven Podcast. Contact Greg at gregmohr@ thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022 41

What Home Services Franchises Does Neighborly Offer?

The home services industry is one of the fastest growing industries today thanks to the essential and valuable services providers offer to residential homeowners and businesses. Because of this growth, it’s also the perfect place for anyone ready to leave the corporate world and take control of their future.

At Neighborly®, we offer more than a dozen different types of home services franchises across

six different categories. This network of brands offers potential franchise owners a wide range of choices as well as training and support, technological tools, and world-class branded marketing. Let’s take a closer look at Neighborly’s six service categories and the brands that make up each one.

CLEANING & ORGANIZATION

There are three brands currently in Neighborly’s cleaning and organization

category that focus on helping clients and customers keep their homes and businesses clean, safe, and organized.

Molly Maid®: A nationally recognized professional cleaning franchise that offers a range of services for both residential and business customers.

44 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

ShelfGenie®: An up-andcoming brand offering custom cabinet storage solutions for kitchens, bathrooms, closets, and more.

replacement and installation along with repair services and garage door opener installation.

MAINTENANCE & REPAIR

systems that attract – and keep – home services customers happy.

Window Genie®: One of the fastest-growing franchise brands in North America, Window Genie offers window cleaning, window tinting, pressure washing, gutter cleaning and more for homes and businesses.

WINDOWS, GLASS & DOORS

This service category includes brands working with windows, glass, and doors. These businesses give customers a reliable place to turn for both repairs and replacements.

Maintenance and repair businesses are more in demand than ever, especially with the increase in time spent at home. The businesses in Neighborly’s maintenance and repair service category certainly offer unique opportunities for business owners looking to provide a range of valuable home services.

Mr. Appliance®: A nationally recognized appliance repair brand with growing and thriving opportunities.

Appliance repair is both needsdriven and tech-based, making it an essential business that is full of opportunity.

HVAC, ELECTRICAL & PLUMBING

Glass Doctor®: A booming brand that provides home and auto glass replacement and repair as well as assisting businesses in emergencies whenever and wherever glass breaks.

Precision Door Service®: A respected national brand offering quality garage door

Dryer Vent Wizard®: An international brand that offers dryer vent cleaning, repair, and inspection for both residential and business customers.

When it comes to essential, in-demand services, few categories can top businesses offering HVAC, electrical, and plumbing services. Often considered among the most resilient of businesses, these Neighborly brands are both widely respected and needed by home and business owners.

Five Star Painting®: A rising star in the house painting industry, with low inventory requirements. This franchise can handle a combination of residential and commercial opportunities.

Mr. Handyman®: Offering quality home repair and renovation services using proprietary

Aire Serv®: This HVAC franchise is one of the top choices among homeowners, offering essential heating and air conditioning maintenance, repair services and indoor air quality.

Mr. Electric®: In a tech-driven world, this franchise is rising to meet the opportunities. If you’re looking for a high demand home services business with a wide range of offerings, this franchise is full of potential.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022 45

specialized services or cater to a particular client base.

Mr. Rooter®: One of the best needs-based services for business owners, offering quality plumbing services that are always in demand.

OUTDOOR

If you enjoy spending time outdoors, one of Neighborly’s outdoor home services franchises may just be the perfect fit for your next venture. Our unique approach to franchise business ownership helps owners in these brands capitalize on seasonal demand and keep business growing all year round.

Real Property Management®: A leading property management franchise offering quality services to rental property owners and investors.

Rainbow Restoration®:

When disaster strikes, people everywhere need quality restoration and reconstruction services like those provided by this franchise.

MORE INFORMATION

The Grounds Guys®: Offering quality landscaping and lawn care services, franchise owners of this instantly recognizable brand can grow quickly with unmatched support.

Mosquito Joe®: A distinct brand in the mosquito and outdoor pest control industry, offering a range of essential services for home and business owners.

PROFESSIONAL & SPECIALIZED SERVICE

These Neighborly service brands offer new, tech-driven ways to provide essential

HouseMaster®: Offers quality home inspection services to homeowners to make the home buying process as worryfree as possible.

When you are ready to own a highquality home services business, be sure to contact the Neighborly Franchise Development team and get our help finding the opportunity for you. Neighborly is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses, through a single, trusted, far-reaching source to meet any service needs inside or outside their home or business.

46 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

The Remodeling Franchise That is an Experience From Start to Finish

Forget everything you know about remodeling franchises! The Designery is a turnkey, full-service design, build and installation solution that uses a collaborative, customer-focused approach to create spectacular kitchens, bathrooms, and closets from design and sourcing to installation. What really makes them stand out from the crowd is a business model that delivers value and affordability for customers while still offering the potential for profitability to Franchise Owners. Combined with an expected 4.1% CAGR from 20212027 for the $340 billion U.S. Home Remodeling Market, this differentiator sets up Owners for huge success and growth.

THE INTERACTIVE DESIGN CENTER USES INDUSTRY-LEADING TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS CUSTOMERS TO VISUALIZE THEIR DESIGNS AND BRING THEIR IDEAS TO LIFE.

THE RIGHT CUSTOMERS AND THE RIGHT BUSINESS MODEL

The Designery’s value can’t be beat when it comes to high-quality products and experiences that are affordable for customers. Their intimate design center setting creates a polished experience where customers work with professional designers to create beautiful and functional spaces. The Interactive Design Center uses industry-leading technology that allows customers to visualize their designs and bring their ideas

50 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

to life. The centers are open and clutter-free to attain the best customer service experience possible. The Designery’s locations optimize building space to provide a beautiful product showcase and design setting for clients.

Plus, Owners are given retail buildout assistance and the design creates a flexible footprint for the Design Center and Studio.

When it comes to installation, The Designery offers a custom cabinet, leading countertops, tile, flooring and more, look and feel without custom prices, creating great value for the price and providing better margins for Owners.

With turnkey solutions for both contractors and homeowners, Franchise Owners will have diverse revenue streams across B2B and B2C clients. Homeowners love the professional design support and exceptional value and contractors love having a one-stop-shop to send their clients and receiving a single invoice.

As a Homefront Brand, The Designery is backed by a corporate team that brings years’ worth of industry and franchising experience to their roles. As a result, their support systems and business model are designed to help Owners achieve their goals every step of the way. One key system they offer is the Advanced Vendor Alliance Program. This program provides highquality materials with a lower

price tag benefitting both customers and Franchise Owners. Vendors are located across all regions, providing exclusive, advantageous pricing only available to The Designery, giving Owners access to options and services that are unlike any big box retailers.

In addition to the Vendor Alliance Program, The Designery team offers Franchise Owners:

• Comprehensive Training

• Lead Generation & Marketing

• Administration, Time Management, and Efficiency Coaching

• Remote, On Demand Field Support

HOW TO JOIN THE DESIGNERY FRANCHISE FAMILY

The Designery’s Franchise Owners have three different owner options that are successful with this business model: Owner-Operator,

Semi-Absentee and Empire Builder. With such flexibility, Franchise Owners are able to own their own market and build it out. Ideal Owners for The Designery should be homebuilders, home remodelers or designers. Brining general business acumen and relationship building skills to the role will help make new Owners successful. Owners should have excellent

customer service, sales and communication skills, as well. With a business model that has the potential for high ROI and a mix of services, this new franchise opportunity is perfect for your clients. If you have a client that fits this description, reach out to thedesignery@ frandev.co today!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Abi Pepin, a content writer for FranDevCo, is an Appalachian State University alumni. With a degree in communications, journalism, Abi is using her writing skills to create content that promotes brands.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022 51

Talk About Getting a Move On! Couple Goes From Mexico to Canada to Join No. 1 Mobile Flooring Brand

There’s no denying that buying a franchise is a major life decision. It’s an investment that requires passion, drive, and commitment. Juan and Andrea Gortarez decided they were ready for such an undertaking, but they added a variable that very few franchise owners must ever consider; they moved to a new country to launch their business.

The couple relocated from their native Mexico to Northeast Vancouver in British Columbia and launched operations with Floor Coverings International, the brand that’s consistently ranked No. 1 in the mobile flooring category. They will visit customers’ homes in a Mobile Flooring Showroom stocked with thousands of flooring samples from top manufacturers.

“I would say it in one word: Reborn! That’s how we both feel,” 51-year-old Juan said. “It is a great adventure. It has moved us from our comfort zone and brought us back to life. We were looking for something different in our lives and here we are in a new country, with a new lifestyle, a different language, and a new business.”

Juan was formerly the CEO of a private security company in Mexico for 12 years, while Andrea has 15 years’ experience in project management

and customer service. But both wanted to explore new opportunities and decided to move to Canada because they considered it the perfect place

54 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES
"WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN OUR LIVES AND HERE WE ARE IN A NEW COUNTRY, WITH A NEW LIFESTYLE, A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, AND A NEW BUSINESS.”

to launch a new chapter in both their personal and professional lives. Although there have been inherent challenges, Andrea said they are well-prepared for the endeavor.

“Our learning curve is steeper and more extensive in a new country,” Andrea said. “But we’ve been an effective team for so many years. That makes our work tasks easier. We know each other’s strengths and shortcomings, and just as it has helped us in bringing up our kids, we believe it will help in how we run our business. In addition, we chose Floor Coverings International because of the fantastic support they offer.”

In Floor Coverings International, Juan and Andrea found a company that has tripled in size since 2005 by putting a laser focus on consumer buying habits and expressed desires, its impressive operating model, growth ability, marketing, advertising, and merchandising. Floor Coverings International further separates itself from the competition through its customer experience, made up of several simple and integrated steps that exceed customers’ expectations. For this, Floor Coverings

International was given the Innovation Award for Customer Response from Franchise Update Media in 2020, and the same award again in 2021 for Best Use of Technology. Franchise Update is the benchmark publication and conference entity that is the Gold Standard of Franchising.

“In our research to establish a new business we were looking for a recognized, supportive, and profitable franchise. Our options were reduced to a few opportunities, and we decided to talk personally to people within the organization,” Juan said. “That’s when we realized Floor Coverings International was our best bet. We saw and felt that everyone on the Floor Coverings International team was committed to helping us succeed.”

With the home improvement industry booming, the flooring market is also keeping pace. The global flooring market was estimated to reach $409 billion in 2021, according to Grand View Research. The market is expected to grow at an annual rate of more than six percent through 2028, reaching overall sales of $621 billion.

“We’re looking forward to having the opportunity to help

our clients create better spaces in their most key place – their home,” Andrea said. “Customers now are much more conscious of having a better place to live, but also to work.”

ABOUT FLOOR COVERINGS

INTERNATIONAL

Norcross, GA-based Floor Coverings International has ranked consistently as the No. 1 Mobile Flooring Franchise in North America by Entrepreneur Magazine. The 181 franchisees and their Design Associates offer a unique in-home experience with a mobile showroom that comes directly to the client’s door. More than 3,000 flooring choices are available to view in the home with and alongside the existing lighting, paint, and furniture. The company will open several more locations throughout the U.S. and Canada through franchise expansion in 2022. For franchise information, please visit www.opportunities.flooringfranchise.com and to find your closest location go to www. floorcoveringsinternational.com.

#FranchiseStars

Rhonda Sanderson is a franchise expert who has owned and operated Sanderson & Associates and Sanderson PR, both specializing in, traditional, social media and crisis PR in the franchise space since 1986. She has authored many articles, helped grow numerous franchise chains and is considered one of the Top 30 Small Business Influencers (Fit Business) in the U.S. Find her at Rhonda@sandersonpr.com or on LinkedIn where she is the author of Franchise Stars at https://www. linkedin.com/in/rhonda-sanderson-a6b658/

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022 55

Providing Life Simplification Through Home Liquidation

Blue Moon Estate Sales Franchising Supplies National Right-Sizing Services

From decorating and renovating to cleaning and organizing, homeownership can be an exhilarating but taxing responsibility. When it comes time to part ways with a home or its contents, further stressors often present themselves. Right-sizing may be daunting, but with a bit

of guidance, reducing clutter can significantly improve both a home’s structure and a family’s lifestyle. Blue Moon Estate Sales professionals prepare, host and promote liquidation sales to help homeowners turn a profit on possessions that are simply taking up space.

Giving new life to previouslyloved belongings allows

families to feel good about letting go. Estate liquidators determine the hidden value of just about anything inside or around the home including cherished memorabilia, everyday household items, furniture, antiques, and even vehicles. Items selected to be sold are positioned with home staging, and estate sale events are held over

58 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

the course of a few days. Blue Moon sales provide unique shopping experiences where walkthroughs nurture imaginative upcycling and the reuse of secondhand items.

Currently, over 100,000 Blue Moon Estate Sales shoppers earn rewards through a loyalty program and can opt-in to receive weekly newsletters highlighting upcoming events.

Homeowners around the nation are looking to relocate, revamp their space, clear out storage for a new season, or transition into a new stage of life. According to the National Association of Realtors, 6.5 million existing homes were sold in 2021. In these circumstances, home liquidation quickly becomes an essential property service by not only reducing moving expenses and stress, but also giving residents some spare cash and room to adapt and grow. Selling personal property that is no longer needed can improve real estate showings, mobility through the home, ease of cleaning, focus, and a positive mindset.

Estate sales may take place after a divorce or the loss of a loved one, but 80% of current franchise owners’ clientele are retirees looking to reduce their belongings before relocating. With the senior population predicted to rise to almost 90 million people by 2050, a record number of clients will soon need estate liquidation services.

"With growing national

trends of downsizing estates and businesses, Blue Moon Estate Sales' services are needed more than ever," said Bob Lang, president of Blue Moon Estate Sales. “Estate sales are not tag sales or garage sales. They are professional events with professional people who go through our training, managed by the American Society of Estate Liquidators. We abide by those standards, so this is highbrow.”

Blue Moon franchising offers home-based business management with lowoverhead and continuous growth opportunities. Blue Moon Estate Sales delivers a well-established framework for franchise owners to benefit from a proven business model, detailed training, and management support. Franchisees are empowered to provide timely and considerate sales with proper appraisals, professional staging, event management, and marketing and promotion. As the only estate sales franchise operating on a national scale, Blue Moon provides an elite network of over 85 like-minded owners for peer encouragement and collaboration.

“There are tremendous resources in the company,” said franchise owner Ethan Draddy. “If you’re good at listening and taking good advice from those who have been down the trail before us, I don't think it takes a lot of time to become profitable.”

Blue Moon Estate Sales has made incredible industry momentum, even being named a 2022 Franchise Times “Best Franchise to Buy.”

Both business-minded and service-driven entrepreneurs thrive in the home liquidation environment. Estate sales management presents ample opportunities for those entering the workforce, leaving the corporate realm, or transitioning careers to act on their love of eclectic items, eco-conscious resale, connecting communities, and helping others.

ABOUT BLUE MOON ESTATE SALES

Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., Blue Moon Estate Sales is a growing national franchise with 85 locations in 26 states. Established in 2009, Blue Moon Estate Sales was created to set the highest of standards in an unregulated industry. After five successful years in the Raleigh market, founders Deb, Ken and David Blue wanted to bring their proven business model to a larger audience. Thus, in 2013, Blue Moon Estate Sales started franchising, running an industry-leading training program and providing ongoing support, and is now part of the Best Life Brands family, with private equity backing by The Riverside Company.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bob Lang is the president of Blue Moon Estate Sales. He is responsible for the strategic operations and growth of the Blue Moon Franchise Systems and is passionate about helping Blue Moon franchisees achieve their entrepreneurship dreams.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Visit bluemoonestatesales.com/ franchising

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022 59

Owning a Cleaning Franchise Could be Your Path to Success

Cleaning

or janitorial franchises offer many business features that can help put franchise owners on the fast track to achieving their entrepreneurial dreams. Some of the benefits of investing in a commercial cleaning franchise include:

• Resistance to recession impacts because cleanliness is not optional for many businesses;

• They often have lower startup costs than opportunities that require brick and mortar to operate; and

• Owners don’t need to purchase or maintain a ton of inventory.

Corporate Cleaning Group’s franchise opportunity not only offers these benefits but also a proven business model and decades of experience that create all the conditions for ultimate success.

THE SECRET TO FINDING AND KEEPING CLIENTS

One challenge for janitorial franchises can be standing out from the competition. Corporate Cleaning Group has solved this issue by focusing

on four key markets that need specialized cleaning or that are too complex for other janitorial service companies. The benefit of attracting these larger clients in education, religious, medical, and corporate buildings is the ability to tailor services to meet their specific needs, which makes Corporate Cleaning Group an easy choice for new clients. Two other benefits of this Niche Market Strategy for Franchisees is that they are able to charge premium pricing for the services they offer and gain recurring revenue thanks to contracts that auto-renew.

Because the Corporate Cleaning Group team has nearly 30 years of experience, new Franchisees don’t need to feel intimidated by the challenges these spaces can present. They provide Owners with the support and tools they need to delight and impress from the first bid throughout the life of a partnership with a client.

This proven business model, along with experience and guidance from the corporate team, lets Franchise Owners bring a level of sophistication to janitorial services that keeps customers coming back again and again.

62 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

PRIORITIZING SUPPORT FOR FRANCHISE OWNERS

Corporate Cleaning Group’s strong franchisee support systems encompass all aspects of building a successful business, including acquiring clients. Because they want Owners to be successful from day one, they provide a Client Acquisition Team located in corporate headquarters. This team does a lot of the heavy lifting for finding and making initial contact with potential new clients. They tackle everything from building prospect lists and sending out initial mailers introducing the business to making cold calls to prospects and setting up sales appointments for each Owner. That leaves Owners free to focus on the business and building strong client relationships.

As Owners build up their client lists, this team works with them on how to achieve their goals through weekly meetings with a Sales Coach and other tools. Additionally, there is a Sales Administrator that handles the Owner's paperless proposal system, marketing materials, email marketing, and local website.

Another top-of-mind concern for anyone looking to own a franchise is staffing. Corporate Cleaning Group addresses staffing issues by providing Owners with resources to build the right team. These resources include a monthly webinar on training and hiring, outlines of

the recommended candidate profiles, and an employment model.

Even in the field, Owners aren’t alone on their entrepreneurial journey and will have access to operations coaches to help with matters in the field. These coaches can be contacted Monday-Friday, and are available to assist

with technical questions, HR questions, policies, procedures, banking, purchasing of equipment & supplies, and training and payroll questions.

HOW TO GET STARTED WITH CORPORATE CLEANING GROUP

Corporate Cleaning Group looks for partners who are business professionals and can focus on building and managing a team while securing cleaning agreements. Well-rounded business managers who are driven by success will find it a good fit. For more information on this incredible franchise opportunity, visit corporatecleaninggroupfranchise.com or email corporatecleaning@fradev.co.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

FranDevCo's Content Marketing Manager Kinsey Cooper has spent her career in marketing, public relations and strategic communications. She uses her skills to help brands showcase what makes their business unique.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022 63
CORPORATE CLEANING GROUP PROVIDES OWNERS WITH THE SUPPORT AND TOOLS THEY NEED TO DELIGHT AND IMPRESS FROM THE FIRST BID THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF A PARTNERSHIP WITH A CLIENT.

Advice For Women Looking To Start A Franchise

The nature of work today, and the goals workers have for their professional lives, are in many ways different from times past. This is especially true of many professional women, as more and more of them are looking into business ownership as the path to realize their financial and lifestyle goals. Franchising can offer an intriguing option for women owners, but questions abound on how to get started, or where to turn for advice. Franchisor Neighborly® provides a community for their owners to give them opportunities to collaborate and share best practices with fellow owners and peers. This can be helpful for those starting out, and Neighborly has a strong track record with women franchise owners setting the standard for success and achieving major milestones. If you’re a woman looking to start a franchise, listen to what others have had to say about franchising and the unique opportunities it presents for female franchise owners today.

Q: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER WOMEN LOOKING AT STARTING A FRANCHISE?

“BE PATIENT WITH GROWTH IN THE BEGINNING. Have a plan and be flexible. Don't give up when you feel like you have put too many hours of your time and sacrifices in your life because success is around the corner if you can persevere. Always remember the ‘iceberg.’ Where everyone sees success above the water, but never sees the time, commitment, sacrifice, persistence, rejection, and hard work below the surface. If it was easy, everyone would have their own business.”

“TAKE THE JUMP! Join a franchise if you are able to - the system is already laid out. Don't be afraid to get into a business you know nothing about- just hire great people who do!”

“OUR WOMEN BUSINESS OWNER NETWORK IS HUGE AND GROWING EACH AND EVERY DAY! There are only obstacles if you put them there yourself. We have avenues for business loans and business incentives available for any woman who wants to be a successful business owner.“

66 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

“GO FOR IT! There will be challenges, hard work in the beginning, but the payoff is so personally rewarding. It is totally worth it!”

“DON'T WORRY ABOUT IF THE BUSINESS YOU ARE CONSIDERING IS A "MALE DOMINATED" FIELD. As long as you have a supportive franchisor, it doesn't matter. And, you don't have to know everything about a field to be a franchisor in that field. Make sure your franchisor has a system in place to teach you what you need to know about your field. I personally don't do much handyman work. I build and support a handyman team.“

LEARN MORE

Every success journey begins with the first step. Are you ready to launch your own high-quality home services business or interested in learning more about a potential franchise opportunity? Contact the Neighborly Franchise Development team today.

Neighborly is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses, through a single, trusted, far-reaching source to meet any service needs inside or outside their home or business.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022 67
“DON'T BE AFRAID to ask for help and surround yourself with successful owners/people.”
Jo McCabe, Mr. Handyman® Franchise Owner

Franchise Vehicle Graphics To Market Your Brand For As Little as $2.10 Per Day

Today’s marketplace is louder, more crowded, and busier than ever.

Consumers are yanked at all day long from every direction. How can you stand out from the competition?

It probably comes as no surprise to you that vehicle wraps have become one of the most effective and costefficient forms of marketing for any business.

Vehicle wraps go to work pounding the pavement for you 24/7/365.

NUMBERS DON’T LIE

98% of Americans responded that they notice media that target vehicle drivers and passengers. Those roads aren’t getting any less congested any time soon!

And 29% of them said outdoor advertising caused them to visit a retail store within a week of seeing the ad out on the road.

This form of advertising is generally more well received since they’re seen as less intrusive.

Plus, vehicle advertising boosts your name recognition 15 times greater than other traditional advertising media. And it’s FAR less expensive!

CONSIDER THIS.

• Radio costs $5.92 per thousand impressions.

• Billboards cost $1.78 per thousand impressions.

• Vehicle wraps cost $.07 per thousand impressions. (And as low as $2.10 per day to advertise your franchise.)

You can expect up to 70,000 daily impressions, and that’s just on one vehicle!

According to one 3M report you’d have to spend $135,000 to get the same marketing effectiveness of advertising on television as a single vehicle wrap. Plus, wraps have 3,400% ROI.

MORE REASONS TO WRAP

The cost-effectiveness is huge. The results are through the roof. But, there are plenty of more reasons to wrap your vehicle.

• Vehicle graphics get noticed. People are just trying to get from point A to point B. But bright, attractive vehicle wraps stand out. A plain white van is barely noticed. But your logo and message on a quality wrap can generate you

new leads.

• Many people prefer doing business with local companies. Vehicle wraps will help you create exposure around your local area. It shows that you are a local business serving that community, despite how large your franchise may be.

• Wraps are mobile billboards. Your team will be traveling from location to location anyway. Take advantage of it. Your message goes where your vehicle goes. And, it positions your business as more professional than your competitors.

THE BIG QUESTION

Wraps are a no-brainer for any franchise brand, from HVAC companies, plumbers, and construction businesses, to restaurants, sports and entertainment venues, hotels, pet services, and much more.

But there’s still one little problem. Who do you turn to? Who can you trust to get your vehicles wrapped right?

70 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
ABOUT US

Every installation shop is different, and results will vary wildly. There are no organized standards from shop to shop and there’s zero oversight between shops.

Furthermore, some shops use low quality vinyl and offer mediocre customer service at best during and after the install.

This chaos all leads to one thing… inconsistent branding.

FINALLY, A BETTER WAY TO WRAP!

Wrapmate now offers franchises an easy one-stop shop for all of their vehicle wrap needs.

Our in-house design pros will create a custom wrap design that fits your franchise’s unique brand. We’ll match your exact colors, logo, and brand guidelines on every vehicle, as well as desired coverage to fit specific vehicles. Cheers to consistency!

Every franchise will get a custom-built, co-branded

website where franchisees can select and order vehicle wraps based on their desired coverage or vehicle type. This is truly a turnkey solution for all franchise owners.

And to help with each of your franchise locations, we offer nationwide support. Our network of

1,457 Pro installers can wrap 1 to 10,000 vehicles in any US city, using the highest quality 3M vinyl films on the market.

Wrapmate’s flexible pricing structure also ensures zero costs are charged to the corporate entity. There are no setup costs or monthly management fees. Just simply promote the program to your franchisees and we’ll take care of the rest.

You’ll enjoy a comprehensive, one-stop turnkey program with flexible pricing, branding consistency, standardized

logistics, the highest quality 3M film on the market, and nationwide installation coverage for wraps and graphics on any vehicle type or quantity. It’s that easy!

We don’t stop with your franchise either. Wrapmate can also support other large format printing and installation your franchise may need like window signage, wall murals, and floor graphics for any or all of your franchisee locations.

There’s a reason Wrapmate is trusted by thousands of business owners nationwide.

Schedule a free demo by visiting wrapmate.com/ franchise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Javier Lozano, Jr. is the CMO of Wrapmate, a national vehicle wrapping company. Wrapmate has created a turnkey wraps and graphics program for franchises needing to wrap 1 to 10k vehicles.

71WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

BIGFOOT FOUND Nowhere to Hide

Iamhonored, privileged, and humbled to have the opportunity of writing this article and telling the untold stories of Bigfoot… Forestry.

My name is Ben Bartnikowski, I am the owner and founder of Bigfoot Forestry, LLC. None of this would be possible without our wonderful team, our friends, new and old, and of course our family.

Relationships to us, as you will find in this article, are most important. I personally came from a background in marketing which I had fun with for a long time. As seasons changed so did the

Corporate way of business. Everything became transactional and I was a relationship person. What I enjoyed most was going to see people and forming new friendships. With that being said, I left the corporate world to start a new venture in equipment brokering and started my first business, Atlantic Coast Aerial Equipment, LLC. While having a fantastic time creating new contacts in this business as a dealer for multiple manufacturing brands I saw a need for a business model that would include forestry mulching and land management. At this point, and after many conversations with JCB, I bought my first piece of equipment, wrapped it with our brand, and set forth on another new adventure.

At this point let's go back, as a little boy in Western Pennsylvania just north of Pittsburgh my grandfather would take me for walks in the woods looking for Bigfoot. We would laugh

74 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

and have a good time as these became some of the most wonderful memories I have of my grandfather. Years later, once my family and I, moved to Rock Hill South Carolina and my daughter and son were young I did the same thing with them. At that time the TV show Finding Bigfoot was aired on television and I would find my daughter and son in the woods knocking on trees and calling for Bigfoot. We still laugh about this today.

Now back to prior delivery of our first machine, I thought, what would be a better name for a company that is in the woods and has in it’s connotation some of the best memories I have ever had than Bigfoot Forestry! As we were out looking for bigfoot while creating larger backyards and managing land (making it harder for bigfoot to find places to hide) our tagline was formed. Bigfoot Forestry “Nowhere to Hide.” Once we started creating new relationships and making new friends with our customers, our second tagline became call Bigfoot Forestry “We will be your new B.F.F.” (BigFoot Forestry). We stand behind that today. We have developed a brand known in our community. Folks driving by our office call us when Bigfoot is not sitting in our window wondering when he will be back, their kids want to know! Our number one goal, first and foremost, is having respect for others and their time. We take this statement very seriously as our customers are entrusting us to enter their family’s property.

Our quality of work doesn't change from whether we are doing someone’s small backyard or working on a horse pasture in an open field. Our quality of work does not change.

After completing hundreds of residential and Commercial projects we have developed a national commercial book of business that will be passed on to each territory that we open, when available. Forestry mulching is a wonderful way to clean your backyard, create more space, create trails, and much more; with no haul-away. Bigfoot Forestry can be a single operator territory or a regional, multi machine territory.

Communication and transparency is a must for anyone representing Bigfoot forestry. As a team we work together in taking care of our customers, and each other, while having fun along the way. Time and relationships are more

important to us than anything. We are only here once and look forward to making as many new friends along the way as possible. Please reach out to me personally or one of our wonderful team members for more information. We will be your new BFF!

MORE INFORMATION

Bigfoot Forestry, LLC. specializes in land management and forestry mulching services. Developing a plot of land for your next project is a big undertaking. Our customers and our quality of work are the #1 most important piece of our organization! Look no further than the professional team at Bigfoot Forestry.

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:

Forestry Mulching • Brush Removal • On-Site Emergencies • Landscaping • Stump Grinding • Excavation Services • Installation of Fencing • Snow Removal • Soil Erosion Control Services • Timber Logging, Felling, and Hauling Services • Geological Test Site Trail Clearing

75WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

Pet Services Are Among The Hottest Segments in Franchising so it’s No Shock

a

Spring-Green Enterprises, Acquired One and is Building it Beautifully!

In 2017, the wildly successful Spring-Green Enterprises, parent company of 45-yearold Spring-Green Lawn Care and SGE Marketing Services, acquired a small pet service franchise Pet Butler, and has since nearly tripled its revenues with nearly a third of the original operators.

One of those great operators who fit the bill for the newer profile of franchisee was an experienced and business savvy couple from Ohio. With one fell swoop, Todd Figgins and RJ McKay became the second-largest, independently owned franchise in the Pet Butler

system, which provides dog poop-scooping services and pet-waste removal to homes and multi-family communities for thousands of clients across North America. When the former owners retired from the business, which serves the Greater Dayton and Greater Cincinnati areas, Figgins

78 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
That
Top Home Service Brand,
PROPERTY SERVICES

and McKay didn’t miss a beat when they purchased the franchise. That’s because the couple already know a thing or two about small-business ownership.

Todd is a CPA, who left his accounting career to focus his attention on Pet Butler. RJ is a financial analyst who is happy to lend business skills, good judgment and moral support while keeping his career going. In fact, both can count on their skills and experience from owning and operating

time to work for ourselves and have the flexibility to work from home.”

The timing could not be any better for Figgins and McKay, who have several employees and a seven-vehicle fleet.

According to a recent study by Morgan Stanley, the $100 billion pet industry is poised to nearly triple to $275 billion by 2030 thanks to favorable demographics and surging increases in new pet owners and spending. What’s more, 65 percent of 18- to 34-year-

are more than willing to spend – and spend a lot – on their furry friends.

“We love dogs. We have three rescues ourselves,” said Figgins. “Pet Butler allows us a great work/life balance. We researched quite a few businesses and Pet Butler was the right fit with the incredible branding, marketing and back office support.”

ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY BY MORGAN STANLEY, THE $100 BILLION PET INDUSTRY IS POISED TO NEARLY TRIPLE TO $275 BILLION BY 2030 THANKS TO FAVORABLE DEMOGRAPHICS AND SURGING INCREASES IN NEW PET OWNERS AND SPENDING.

a successful, seven-room bed and breakfast in the Short North Arts District of Columbus for a strong foundation as they diversify their business interests.

“We felt the need to consolidate all of our business skills into a business that benefits both of us,” Figgins said. “I always enjoyed helping people in public accounting and now we are providing a great service to pet owners. Plus the pandemic presented us with the reality that it was

olds say they plan to acquire or add a pet in the next five years, helping drive what’s expected to be a 14 percent increase in pet ownership by 2030.

And while you might think the economic impact of the pet poop industry is just a drop in the bucket (sorry), that’s not the case. According to the latest figures from market research publisher Packaged Facts, retail sales of pet cleanup products was expected to reach $4 billion in the U.S. And it’s no surprise that pet owners

ABOUT PET BUTLER

They currently have 36 franchise owners located in 26 states with long-term plans to open 60 more within the next five years. Pet Butler provides an opportunity for pet lovers to turn their passion for pets into a business. To learn more about how Pet Butler serves pets and their people, visit www. petbutler.com and connect on Facebook and LinkedIn. To inquire about a franchise call 844-777-8608 or go to www. petbutlerfranchise.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rhonda Sanderson is a franchise expert who has owned and operated Sanderson & Associates and Sanderson PR, both specializing in, traditional, social media and crisis PR in the franchise space since 1986. She has authored many articles, helped grow numerous franchise chains is considered one of the Top 30 Small Business Influencers (Fit Business) in the U.S. Find her at Rhonda@sandersonpr.com or on LinkedIn where she is the author of Franchise Stars at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-sanderson-a6b658/

79WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

6 Reasons Why Women Are Embracing Franchise Ownership

According to a recent study from Silicon Valley Business

Journal, more women than men started a small business during the COVID-19 pandemic, an ownership trend that we’ve also seen within the home services industry. In fact, Franchise Business Review found that female franchise owners have increased 38% in the last decade. Why are women entrepreneurs finding franchise ownership

so compelling today?

1. Realistic Risk Taking

While no two women are alike, women tend to be more cautious in professional and financial settings than their male counterparts. But that doesn’t mean they are afraid of risk, they just prefer a defined plan and direction, something that franchise businesses are often able to provide. Franchises have brand recognition and product quality that

consumers count on, which allows franchise business owners to start from an established base.

2. Opportunity to Be Part of An Established, Respected Brand

Part of the appeal of a quality franchise opportunity is the chance to join a brand that people already know and love. This is particularly true for women, who are more likely to offer products and services that they personally believe in.

82 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

“I am particularly proud of having the success we are experiencing in a typically male-dominated industry,” said Gayle Patrick, Dryer Vent Wizard® Franchise Owner. “I believe women account for less than 15% of the owners in this space. It is a win-win scenario, as we are able to provide a much-needed service in the community while continuing to scale the business and gain market share. It is a business where you feel proud of your contributions on a daily basis. It doesn’t get any better than that!”

3. More Control & Flexibility

Franchising can offer a sense of control and flexibility that the typical 9-5 job often cannot provide. Whether looking to spend more time with family, pursue another interest or hobby, or just fit work around the times they are most productive throughout the day, starting their own franchise can often give women the time and flexibility to find the balance. Home service franchises are particularly attractive to those seeking to regain control of their daily schedule, and this makes businesses like Neighborly®’s brands great franchise options for women.

4. Networking Opportunities

Owning a franchise is far more collaborative than many people realize. Franchisor’s like Neighborly provide their franchisees the ability to

connect to other owners across the world, including other women. This can help with advice seeking from another franchise owner in the same brand, or networking with different types of franchise owners in an area.

“Find a franchise or someone to shadow and follow them around. Watch how they interact with people,” said Elena Brooks. Brooks and her husband, Neils, own a Molly Maid® franchise. “If I can’t give you the expertise, I can show you where to get the answers. I’m not just offering knowledge and experience, but I can point others in the right direction.”

5. Skill Development

Every single person that comes to franchise business ownership does so with different strengths and weaknesses. But what franchising offers (and doit-yourself startups don’t) is training and guidance. For women looking to grow into entrepreneurship, owning a franchise business is a great way to cultivate the skills and knowledge you’ll want and need.

“I had a huge learning curve but found out that taking care of people doesn’t change no matter your profession. It’s organizational,” said Christine Kainz, Mr. Electric® Franchise Owner, “Before I joined Mr. Electric in 2013, I talked health care needs. Now,

I can talk about the safety of customers.”

6. Future Opportunity

Not all franchise opportunities are created equal, which means that choosing the right franchise, in the location of your choice, is key. Quality opportunities like those you’ll find at Neighborly are often listed among the best in the business, and one reason why is Neighborly’s commitment to both quality and techenhanced convenience.

The home services industry is an area of dynamic growth and opportunities to offer essential, in-demand products and services in new and exciting ways. In fact, to franchise opportunities in the service industry because they offer something other small business models can’t: future growth potential. This can be a perfect fit for women entrepreneurs. Does anything here sound like anything someone you know might be interested in? If you or anyone you know would like to know more about property service franchise opportunities, contact a Neighborly Franchise Developer today.

ABOUT NEIGHBORLY

Neighborly is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses, through a single, trusted, farreaching source to meet any service needs inside or outside their home or business.

83WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

Ceiling Guru

Ceiling

Guru focuses exclusively on highquality, attractive custom stretch ceiling designs and how it is manufactured because we believe that all of our clients deserve to get Premium quality service only. The Ceiling Guru Franchise is the only company in the USA that will help you grow your business in stretch ceilings and the lighting industry. But don’t forget, it starts from your mindset.

A Home provides security, control, belonging, identity, and privacy, among other things. But most of all, it's a place that provides us with

a centering, which is why it is so important to feel good in your home and love your home. The personal spaces in our home set the stage for many moments in our lives, it is crucial that your personal spaces provide comfort, support, and positive emotional energies. You deserve to spend time in a space that makes you feel great and is a reflection of your unique personal style! With Ceiling Guru you can incorporate your own design and get creative with your home.

WHAT IS CEILING GURU?

Ceiling Guru is changing the way designers and

homeowners approach ceilings. Ceilings can be an afterthought in the design process, however an experienced interior designer will consider all surfaces, including the ceiling. Ceilings are an interior feature you hardly notice until they become dated or damaged. Ceiling Guru-certified stretch ceilings are a safe and versatile alternative to outdated ceilings. Homeowners choose them for several reasons, one of the

86 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

many reasons is to upgrade the look of your interior spaces.

Stretch ceilings are perfect for any space, including residential homes, public facilities, commercial retail, office, institutional, education, just about any space that has a ceiling that needs improvement. They are moisture resistant and better insulate any space they’re in, making them perfect for Florida Coastal living. Ceiling Guru stretch ceilings are fireproof, waterproof and protect your home from leaks and floods. They are certified as nonflammable and help prevent the spread of fire to other parts of your home. If there is ever a leak in your primary ceiling, the Ceiling Guru stretch ceiling will

expand to accommodate any water accumulation.

FRANCHISING

Franchising allows businesses to branch out and grow, while giving individuals the opportunity to run a business while being guided by a larger company that has a proven formula for success. The vision is to have driven entrepreneurs run Ceiling Guru from some of the world's most populated cities and offer the most compelling ceiling system in the world.

Ceiling Guru prides itself on creating relationships to obtain a high level of professionalism and reputation throughout the designing and construction industry. Using social media content and luxury design magazines we have been able to showcase and promote our

ceilings and lighting while also reaching out to enthusiastic business people who understand our vision, our product and goals to have Ceiling Guru recognized worldwide.

A successful Franchise owner should be passionate and dedicated, someone who likes to network and values a community connection.

THE MAN BEHIND IT ALL

International entrepreneur and founder of Ceiling Guru Rustam Junusov, was originally born in Europe where the idea of Stretch Ceiling first originated. He moved to the US at a young age in hopes of pursuing his dream to own a successful business.

“I AM Passionate about stretch ceilings and the lighting industry”

“I try it first, I fail sometimes, I learn and then I educate and share my knowledge with others.”

“We have been in the Stretch Ceiling business since 2009 and since then we have completed numerous projects to the utmost satisfaction of our customers. Our flexibility, ability to work quickly and the ultimate focus on our clients led us to gain one of the strongest positions in the market.”

Ceiling Guru - The Most Innovative Franchise Model!

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact Rob Petka at RobPetka@ TheFranchiseConsultingCompany.com or call him at 561-234-5500"

RUSTAM JUNUSOV, FOUNDER OF CEILING GURU

87WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022
"OUR FLEXIBILITY, ABILITY TO WORK QUICKLY AND THE ULTIMATE FOCUS ON OUR CLIENTS LED US TO GAIN ONE OF THE STRONGEST POSITIONS IN THE MARKET.”

This Physician-Turned-Franchisee Shares Tips for Successful Franchise Ownership with LIME Painting

provides high-end painting services to an upscale customer base.

The endeavor marks a big change for Mukundan, who built his personal reputation for excellence while holding senior management positions in several large organizations including a Fortune 500 company. He is committed to using his previously developed skills in inspiring his LIME Painting franchise team to serve clients as the brand promises, with Love, Integrity, Mission and Excellence.

WHY LIME PAINTING FRANCHISE?

to every customer and on every job.

Mukundan, who lives in Glendale, Ariz., with his wife and their twin sons, has been pleased with his choice.

“The close-knit community, amazing corporate support and commitment for continuous improvement” set the LIME Painting franchise opportunity apart from the competition, he says. In particular, Mukundan applauds the assistance he has received from LIME Painting’s headquarters.

Shan Mukundan, a physician for almost 20 years, diagnosed a great franchise opportunity in LIME Painting and took the plunge into entrepreneurship. His enterprise, Coatz Inc. doing business as LIME Painting of Phoenix, opened in August 2021. As company president as well as owner, Mukundan leads an expert team that

Mukundan invested in his LIME Painting franchise after investigating various options for business ownership.

“I chose LIME because of its proven model, strong owner community, and the mission,” to always provide the highest-quality painting and related services, along with excellent customer experiences, to residential and commercial clients, he says. From beginning to end, LIME Painting of Phoenix pledges to deliver concierge service

“The level of ongoing support from corporate and the camaraderie in the LIME community have been outstanding at every turn,” he says.

FOLLOWING LIME PAINTING’S PROCESS

Every part of the business has unfolded as expected, starting with opening day. “The proven methods that were imparted to us at LIME Painting boot camp were invaluable,” he says. “They work like a charm as long we practice them consistently.”

His busy Phoenix franchise

90 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

has two employees (in addition to Mukundan himself) and one vehicle. He has four subcontractor crews. A typical day for Mukundan, who supervises the operation from his office, begins with “a morning check-in with employees, followed by reviewing commercial bid opportunities,” he says. “Later I update invoices and manage QuickBooks.”

Fridays are a little different, though. “They’re usually team meetings, visits to builders and prospective clients, and conversations with paint company reps,” he says. And from time to time, Mukundan says “we have virtual meetings set by corporate for ongoing strategy discussions.”

SUCCESS WITH LIME PAINTING

In his experience, he believes there are three vital rules for success with a LIME Painting franchise:

• “Trust and follow the process at LIME,” Mukundan advises. After all, the company has laid the foundation with a proven business model. That’s what gives you an edge over competitors that probably have started their businesses from scratch and must follow

a trial-and-error path. LIME Painting already has figured out the whatworks-best approach for its franchisees.

• “Mentor and nurture your employees.” Do right by them, and they will do right by you. Reward them for jobs well-done. Get to know them and listen to them. Be fair and be kind.

• “Treat your customers as you would want to be treated.” This axiom, of course, is mission-critical in all service-based businesses, and a LIME Painting franchise is no exception.

ABOUT THE LIME PAINTING FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY

LIME Painting has carved out a niche in serving the high-end, luxury paint market. It’s a premium brand serving an affluent demographic that insists on flawless workmanship and peerless customer service. LIME Painting franchisees

enjoy freedom and flexibility in running their businesses; they can manage their homeimprovement businesses via LIMEWare, a centralized mobile-based platform.

A LIME Painting franchise is quick to start – it can be up and running within 30 to 90 days from the awarding of the franchise. A franchisee’s initial investment ranges from $124,700 to $162,375. Qualified franchisees need $50,000 in liquidity and a net worth of at least $150,000.

MORE INFORMATION

Lime Painting is supported by REP’M Group, a franchise growth and sales organization that helps franchise brands grow in a sustainable and responsible manner. For more information about a LIME Painting franchise, email DTarr@Repmgroup. com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Vinnedge is an award-winning writer who has served as editor in chief, managing editor and senior editor at national and regional publications, including SUCCESS and Design NJ magazines.

91WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

5 Reasons Why Starting A Seasonal Franchise Is A Smart Decision

If you are like most high performers, your work plays a major part of your life. That’s all well and good, but sometimes you want time to focus on other important things in your life like family, friends, or other business ventures. For people like that, a seasonal franchise business can be a gamechanger. Seasonal businesses are a great option for prospective business owners looking for high potential growth and profitability during a concentrated time frame. Franchises like Neighborly’s Mosquito Joe® consistently rank among the top franchise business opportunities – for good reason. So if you haven’t considered the benefits of seasonal businesses, these five reasons may help convince you why exploring one may be worth your time.

1. Vacation in the Off-Season.

One of the biggest benefits of owning a seasonal franchise is taking advantage of the off-season. For seasonal businesses, this could mean a busy summer season and a quieter winter depending on your location. As a result, many franchisees use this time to take a well-deserved vacation. Whether you want to hit the slopes or escape to a warm-weather destination, owning a seasonal franchise lets you enjoy your time off without having to worry about your business. And when the busy season rolls around again, you can come back rested and refreshed, ready to take on whatever challenges come your way.

2. Explore Additional Growth Opportunities.

One of the best ways to use the off-season to your advantage is to refocus on growing your franchise. In fact, many owners of seasonal franchises use the off-season to develop new marketing materials, reach out to potential customers, and build name recognition. You can also use this time to focus on areas of your business that need improvement and figure out new ways to make your

franchise more successful next season.

3. Personal and Professional Skill Development.

Owning a seasonal business can give franchise owners time to use the off-season to explore new ways to expand and improve their business. Many franchisees use the off-season for professional development or to get involved in local volunteer work. This can help you to build new skills and knowledge that you can use to improve your business. In addition, it can also help to build goodwill within the community, which can be beneficial on a personal and professional level.

4. Increase Family Time. Unlike typical corporate 9-to5 jobs, owning a franchise business offers more schedule flexibility. In fact, wanting more time with family is one of the top reasons that people invest in a franchise business. When you are your own boss, you have more control over your schedule and can make time for the people that matter most to you. Some franchise owners also increase family time by getting family members involved in the

94 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

OWNING A SEASONAL BUSINESS CAN GIVE FRANCHISE OWNERS TIME TO USE THE OFF-SEASON TO EXPLORE NEW WAYS TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THEIR BUSINESS.

business itself. Not only can you teach your children and loved ones valuable skills, but you can help them develop a strong work ethic while they spend quality time with you.

5. Provide Essential Services. The property services industry provides essential services that home and business owners need on a regular basis. There are few things more gratifying than knowing the work you do helps people, families and communities thrive.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Hopefully this has helped to highlight the many ways a seasonal franchise in a service industry can offer opportunities you may not have considered. These businesses have recurring revenue models that help you to capitalize on potential repeat customers while giving you

time in the year to dedicate to other things that matter to you.

If you would like to know more about a seasonal franchise like Mosquito Joe, be sure to contact the Mosquito Joe Franchise Development team and they’ll answer any questions you have.

ABOUT MOSQUITO JOE Mosquito Joe provides mosquito control treatment services to residential and commercial customers. Our technicians are trained mosquito control experts dedicated to one thing: getting rid of mosquitoes so you can enjoy being outside again. Each Mosquito Joe operation is an independently owned franchise offering customers reliable and effective service from a trusted community member, backed by a national network of technical expertise.

95WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

Temporary Wall Systems Can Lead to LongLasting Success

There is a lot of opportunity in the $35 billion U.S. commercial remodeling industry and Temporary Wall Systems (TWS) Franchisees are well positioned to take advantage of those opportunities. That’s because remodeling and construction can present real challenges for facilities that need to keep conducting business. In those instances, construction companies use temporary walls to contain dust, debris, sound, and unattractive visuals. Temporary Wall Systems is brand new to the commercial market and fulfills the demand for full-service temporary wall rentals that not many other companies can meet.

WHO NEEDS

TEMPORARY WALLS?

There are many businesses that require safe and secure containment during construction or remodeling and TWS offers a turnkey solution that is cost effective and stress free for the customer. Some of the facilities TWS is used in most

frequently include:

• Laboratories and cleanrooms

• Healthcare facilities

• Telecommunication and data centers

• Retail facilities

• Educational institutions

• Office and commercial spaces

• Airports and public transportation

• Businesses in the hospitality field

The modular walls used by TWS are airtight and meet the infection control risk

assessment (ICRA) Class IV requirement for hospitals. ICRA requires barriers to be able to prevent dust and dangerous pathogens from entering patient care areas, to be impermeable to fungal spores, and to comply with local fire codes. This is critical in healthcare facilities and scientific research cleanrooms, because they help protect the facility from contamination. When used in telecommunication and data centers, the modular walls protect vital assets such

98 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

as computers and hard drives from construction debris. Plus, the walls look professional in any environment because they are designed to be sleek, clean, and presentable.

WHY IS TWS A GREAT FIRST-TIME FRANCHISE?

Temporary Wall Systems is perfect for first-time Franchisees because it offers the potential for high reward income with minimal effort. Once Owners purchase a wall panel, the only additional output is labor for the average lifespan of a panel, which is about 7-10 years. With an average rental period of 2-3 months, franchisees can install the modular walls once and then collect revenue for as long as the panels are deployed. This creates passive

income between installation and disassembly of the containment projects while also providing a good work/ life balance and flexible hours for the Owner.

TWS has also created a franchise opportunity that is quick and affordable to launch. Potential Owners can start their first franchise from the comfort of their homes and, when they are ready to grow their business, TWS makes it easy to scale.

One of the hallmarks of a good franchise opportunity is a support structure to help new Owners as they get started and when they encounter challenges. As a Homefront Brand, TWS is backed by a seasoned team of property services business builders and franchise executives. Combined with the industry expertise of founders Juli and Ryan Lemire, this team provides all the tools needed to excel, including leading support systems, in-house consumer lead

generation, and customer care services.

IDEAL

FRANCHISE OWNER

Temporary Wall Systems is looking for business professionals who want to be a part of the solution in their community. Owners should share TWS’ vision of creating a safe, budgetfriendly, zero-waste, timesaving environment for all spaces under construction. Potential franchisees should be entrepreneurs with general business acumen and excellent skills in customer service, sales, communication and relationship building. Owners don’t need a background in construction, but some commercial construction knowledge is helpful. Since the business model creates passive income, TWS Owners can be semi-retired professionals seeking a secondary income. For more information on this extraordinary Franchise opportunity, contact tempwall@frandev.co today!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Samantha Stanich-Romasiewicz, one of FranDevCo’s content writers, is a graduate of E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University and has an MA/MFA from Wilkes University. Her degrees in journalism and creative writing help her create content to promote brands.

99WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

From Finance to Flooring —Floor Coverings International Helps Launch A New Career Path

In a way, Bill Crouch took all the aspects of what he loved about his former career and scaled it down to snow-globe size. And he couldn’t be happier. The Marblehead resident is a new franchise owner, having launched operations in August with Floor Coverings International, the brand that’s consistently ranked No. 1 in the mobile flooring

category, visiting customers’ homes in a Mobile Flooring Showroom stocked with thousands of flooring samples from top manufacturers.

Floor Coverings International of North Boston serves customers in Marblehead, Swampscott, Salem, Danvers, Peabody, Beverly, Reading, North Reading, Lynnfield, Middleton, and ManchesterBy-The-Sea.

Crouch spent 25 years in the finance industry, traversing the country almost every week, meeting with clients to understand their needs and wants in addressing their financial goals. Crouch loved the freedom and sense of fulfillment he got from his career until it all came to a screeching halt because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The first few months of

102 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES
Bill CrouchFloor Coverings International of North Boston

COVID I felt like I was in prison,” Crouch said. “The lack of travel and meeting with clients in person was so different that I felt like I was going crazy.”

Despite having his world turned upside down, it also gave Crouch a new perspective. His restricted travel schedule made him realize how much he appreciated having more time with family and friends, as well as the opportunity to be more engaged in his community and everything it offered.

That’s why Floor Coverings International proved the perfect fit for Crouch. Instead of having to travel across the country, he can do everything he loved in his old career within the beautiful communities of North Boston with the added beauty of running the whole show himself as a smallbusiness owner.

“My former career was very satisfying, but I know all my experiences are applicable to the flooring business,” Crouch said. “And coming from the corporate world and being a W-2 employee my entire career, I had always envied my industrious friends who worked for themselves and the independence they had in many ways that I could only imagine. Now, I’m in their shoes.”

In Floor Coverings International, Crouch found a company that has tripled in size since 2005 by putting

a laser focus on consumer buying habits and expressed desires, its impressive operating model, growth ability, marketing, advertising, and merchandising. Floor Coverings International further separates itself from the competition through its customer experience, made up of several simple and integrated steps that exceed customers’ expectations.

For this, Floor Coverings International was given the Innovation Award for Customer Response from Franchise Update Media in 2020, and the same award again in 2021 for Best Use of Technology. Franchise Update is the benchmark publication and conference entity that is the Gold Standard of Franchising.

With the home improvement industry booming, the flooring market is also keeping pace. The global flooring market was estimated to reach $409 billion in 2021, according to Grand View Research. The market is expected to grow at an annual rate of more than six percent through 2028, reaching overall sales of $621 billion.

“Everyone needs a floor, that’s a fact,” Crouch said. “But the current and emerging generations of homeowners seem more interested in using their free time for causes they care about and travel and leisure. They don’t want to waste time in big box stores

waiting for help and they seem less inclined to want to learn how to install flooring and are willing to hire professionals they trust for such purposes.”

ABOUT FLOOR COVERINGS

INTERNATIONAL

Norcross, GA-based Floor Coverings International has ranked consistently as the No. 1 Mobile Flooring Franchise in North America by Entrepreneur Magazine. The 181 franchisees and their Design Associates offer a unique in-home experience with a mobile showroom that comes directly to the client’s door. More than 3,000 flooring choices are available to view in the home with and alongside the existing lighting, paint, and furniture. The company will open several more locations throughout the U.S. and Canada through franchise expansion in 2022 and 2023. For franchise information, please visit www.opportunities.flooringfranchise.com and to find your closest location go to www. floorcoveringsinternational. com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rhonda Sanderson is a franchise expert who has owned and operated Sanderson & Associates and Sanderson PR, both specializing in, traditional, social media and crisis PR in the franchise space since 1986. She has authored many articles, helped grow numerous franchise chains is considered one of the Top 30 Small Business Influencers (Fit Business) in the U.S. Find her at Rhonda@sandersonpr.com or on LinkedIn where she is the author of Franchise Stars at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-sanderson-a6b658/

103WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

Women Owners: Choosing The Right Franchise For You

Franchising can be a great option for women looking to start their own business.

As franchisor Neighborly® has found, women franchise owners have seen incredible success over the years, and the growing opportunities in property services suggest that this trend will not slow any time soon. What are their secrets? Neighborly recently asked some of their owners to share their stories on how they arrived at the decision

to open a franchise, and why they chose the brands they did. Their insights can provide food-for-thought for others considering following this path.

Q: Why did you decide to open a franchise?

Brenda Boudry, Mr. Handyman® Franchise

Owner:

“I was a single woman and wanted to open my own business. The support offered

by a franchise system was important to me.”

Sherry Dawson, Mosquito Joe® Franchise Owner: “We always wanted our own business to be able to work for ourselves and felt that a franchise would give the support we needed to grow and be successful, yet still have local control of our business.”

Megan Deas, Dryer Vent Wizard® Franchise Owner:

“I opened a franchise for freedom of movement, freedom of time and financial gain.”

Kris DeWald, Rainbow Restoration® Franchise Owner:

“I had worked for a couple other restoration companies that were local shops –the appeal of owning a franchise came down to the national presence. What has become the most valuable piece in relation to the franchise aspect is having a national network of other Rainbow owners that are not competition but rather are invaluable partners that have always been willing to help us work through obstacles we have encountered over the years.”

Kim Owczarzak, Mr. Handyman

Franchise Owner:

“After many years working in C-Suite roles in banking and insurance, it was time to find a means to an end of my professional career. Franchising was the right option as it allowed me to take

106 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

all the skills and experience I had gained throughout my career and apply it to our own business. Since I was not ready for full-time retirement, owning a franchise provided an opportunity to own and run a business, continue to learn both personally/professionally, and certainly, was a wonderful bridge to our retirement.”

Cindy Parks-Talley, Mr. Handyman Franchise Owner: “I liked the idea of an established business model, vetted vendors, and managed marketing. I was aware that franchises are typically more successful than startups.”

Q: Why did you choose your franchise?

Boudry: “As a single woman, I had a house that needed lots of repairs. I couldn’t find anyone to help me that didn’t creep me out, or that would arrive on time and do quality work. At the same time, I was looking for a franchise to invest in. Mr. Handyman seemed like a perfect fit, and I welcomed the opportunity to help people in similar situations as mine.”

Dawson: “We liked the fact that Mosquito Joe was a seasonal business, allowing us to initially do our other jobs (I'm a Physical Therapist and my husband Jeff works with amputees in the prosthetic industry). We eventually want to be able to just run our business and have time in the

off season to travel a bit. We love Mosquito Joe’s growth and brand recognition and the fact that we are helping people get outside and be active in their backyards during the summer months. This goes hand and hand with my PT background: getting families and kids outside and active. Kids need to develop their gross motor skills more!”

DeWald: “The leadership and technical team at the Rainbow Restoration corporate office were my loudest cheerleaders. I was never treated like anything other than an owner that they wanted to see succeed. When I joined Rainbow Restoration, Marla Mock was on our concept’s management team. She was a fierce example of a woman leader and I could relate to her. I had other Rainbow Restoration people I could emulate and count on to support my efforts to get the company up and running. We also have many other franchise locations that are led by strong women.”

Owczarkzak: “As a hobby, my husband and I flipped homes and realized how difficult it was to hire a handyman that was reliable and did quality workmanship. As we began our business ownership journey that continued to be on the forefront of our minds, we began interacting with other owners within

the Mr. Handyman family. We realized our core values were so aligned that we made the decision to purchase the franchise. It has been the best decision we have made.”

Talley: “I probably reviewed 75 different franchises over the course of a year. I have some family members who spent decades in franchising, as both franchisees and franchisors. They really emphasized the importance of a quality franchisor. I originally planned to purchase a different Neighborly franchise. However, someone purchased the area I was interested in before I was ready to pull the trigger. But I couldn't get my experience with the franchisor out of my mind. Neighborly stands head and shoulders above all the other franchise companies I spoke with. I kept comparing every franchisor I met after that to them, and I ended up purchasing another Neighborly brand because I believed in Neighborly so much. I am so thankful I made the choice to buy a Mr. Handyman franchise. Our leaders have a track record for franchisee development, growth, and support. I see them consistently do things because they think it is the right thing to do.”

MORE INFORMATION

Neighborly is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses, through a single, trusted, farreaching source to meet any service needs inside or outside their home or business.

107WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

IT provides businesses with technology support and services that range from simple computer systems support to managed IT services and project outsourcing. As an owner of your own TeamLogic IT business, you’ll help small- and medium-sized companies with a broad range of IT services. Your clients will come to rely on you to keep their technology current and their businesses running effi ciently. You’ll help them with proactive, preventative and responsive IT services. Our monthly recurring revenue model is a win-win for you and your clients. And, the camaraderie, peer support and drive among our network of franchisees are like none other in the industry.

FRANCHISE OWNER PROFILE

ideal candidate for a TeamLogic IT business is a person who wishes to work in a business environment, understands technology, has an aptitude for sales and/or building relationships, and enjoys working with other business professionals while building a team to deliver outstanding service and support. Many of our franchise owners were previously IT directors for small companies, executives in corporate America, engineers or technology consultants.

TeamLogic IT 949.683.3314 26722 Plaza, Mission Viejo, CA 92691 IN-DEMAND BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY TeamLogic
The
READY TO LEARN MORE? CONTACT US TODAY. 866.TEAMLOGIC Join the premier managed IT services franchise, TeamLogic IT pspaan@teamlogicit.com teamlogicit.com teamlogicfranchising.com AWARDS AND RECOGNITION • The Channel Company ® MSP 500 ELITE 150 • Channel Futures™ MSP 501 #37 • Entrepreneur ® Magazine Top 500 Franchise • Forbes Best Franchise to Buy • Franchise Business Review™ Top Franchise • Franchise Times ® Top 200 Franchise • Franchise Gator Top 100 Franchise • Inc. 5000
America's KitchenPremier Remodeling Franchise AFFORDABLE START-UP NO REMODELING EXPERIENCE NEEDED CASH-BASED BUSINESS RECESSION RESILIENT CUSTOMIZED BUSINESS PLAN A L L S T A R C U L T U R E FBR Average Rating Kitchen Solvers Rating 71 82 INVESTMENT RANGE SBA APPROVED VETERAN DISCOUNT$99,472 - $132,622 kitchensolvers@frandev.co 704.207.0643

THE HOMEFRONT ADVANTAGE

In times of economic uncertainty, people look for calm in the storm.

Launched in January 2022, Chairman and CEO Jeff Dudan created HomeFront Brands to house a collection of carefully selected property service brands that meet a rigid set of requirements including proven leadership, strong unit economics, and a high market potential. HomeFront Brands inspires entrepreneurs to take action in their local community.

“We aspire to do great things with great people in a high-performance, family first environment,” said Dudan. “Property services are durable and provide a perpetual haven for people who want to follow their entrepreneurial dreams and achieve their personal and professional lifetime goals through franchising.”

110 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

THE HOMEFRONT PORTFOLIO

HomeFront Brands boasts a quality portfolio of businesses that serve the residential light-commercial segments, with expertise and strategic presence in the business-tobusiness market segments of national commercial accounts, builders, and governmental facilities.

Window Hero: Founded in 2006, Window Hero, a leading exterior cleaning franchise, provides window cleaning, pressure washing, soft washing, gutter cleaning, gutter guard and window film installation to both residential and light commercial customers.

Temporary Wall Systems:

Founded in 2017, Temporary Wall Systems is the world’s first and only, modular containment system rental franchise provider for retail, commercial, and institutional projects.

The Designery: Founded in 2015, The Designery is the premier kitchen, bath, and closets design and installation franchise offering. The Designery boasts a leading contemporary design center inside of

a strategic, minimized footprint, delivering worldclass design, sales, and product installation.

Biltrite Home Inspections:

Founded in 2006, BiltRite offers certified inspection services for residential and light commercial buildings. With proprietary inspection report technology, BiltRite offers both franchisees and consumers a competitive advantage in their marketplaces.

Top Rail Fencing: Founded in 2014, Top Rail provides a variety of fence and rail product, design, and installation to residential and commercial customers. Top Rail, currently spanning 4 states, 10 operating locations, and 30 service territories, will be launching its franchise program in the Fall of 2022.

Mozzie Dome: Founded in 2022, Mozzie Dome offers services to eliminate mosquitoes, ticks and the diseases they can bring to families and communities. Currently operating in a select cohort of existing HomeFront franchisees, Mozzie Dome will be launching its franchise program in the Fall of 2022.

111WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

THE HOMEFRONT ADVANTAGETM

HomeFront Brands offers franchisees agile and durable systems, education, and core customer acquisition support services in-house, creating the HomeFront Advantage.

HomeFront Business Intelligence Platform: Comprehensive managed services platform, centralized data, advanced local analytics and insights, and standardized chart of accounts across each brand.

HomeFront Learning Accelerator: Customized coaching and training across all functional areas of each brandboth upfront and ongoing.

HomeFront Lead Generator and Scheduling Center: In-house managed paid media, and a full-service sales & appointment-setting center - generating, closing and scheduling jobs for our franchisees.

HomeFront Territory Optimization: Trusted addressable market geographies and profiles, go-to-market planning, preopening support, and 90-Day Success Plan.

“Investing in this unique combination of capabilities demonstrates our commitment to excellence,” Dudan declares. “We care very much about contributing to the health and wellness of our economy by empowering entrepreneurs and expanding the reach and relevance of the franchise business model to do so.”

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Backed by Decades of Experience

Jeff Dudan believes that people are a company’s greatest asset, and alignment in purpose and values is fundamental to building a great company. HomeFront has worked hard to attract proven, talented and knowledgeable executives who are committed to serving franchisees.

Chief Operating Officer

Michael O’Driscoll has been a part of the HomeFront Brands team since its inception. As a Certified Franchise Executive, O’Driscoll has held executive positions in five different franchise businesses across three countries, including two multi-billion dollar businesses and as a franchise finance executive with CitiBank. O’Driscoll has experience across franchise finance, property services, consumer finance and transport and describes his time with HomeFront Brands as a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”

“Rarely in my 35 years of

franchise sector experience have I seen this level of dedication to investment in and excellence at all levels of an organization,” O’Driscoll said. “Jeff is tuned into making sure we do right by the franchisees plus create a brand platform that even the most seasoned franchise executives would want to be a part of.”

Brand President Todd Bingham joined HomeFront Brands in July of 2022, bringing over 20 years of franchise experience with him. He began his franchising career with FranNet, a leading franchise brokerage, quickly ascending to Vice President of Operations and eventually President. In 2017 he joined the executive team at what would ultimately become Stellar Service Brands serving as a Brand President, Chief Operating Officer, and Vice President of Franchise Development for multiple brands.

112 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

Todd joined HomeFront Brands to join an organization that put the franchisees first and whose values align with his own. “The motto within HomeFront Brands is to always do the right thing by the franchisee. That’s how strong franchise systems are built,” Bingham said. “The company offers many opportunities to potential franchisees with brands that all work together leveraging shared services including marketing, finance and operations.”

Brand President David Blue joined HomeFront Brands in June 2022 to bring his franchise brand-building expertise to a new concept. David was the co-founder and Vice President of Blue Moon Estate Sales Franchise systems, which he sold to Best Life Brands in September of 2019. “We’re building worldclass franchise systems supported by world-class talent and technology. Now is an unprecedented time

to make a difference in our country, and I am happy that I have aligned myself with business partners who believe in the same purpose.” Blue feels that the right decision was made when he joined the team. “We’ve gone from concept to reality in a short few months. Whether you’re a franchisee or franchisor, the path to greatness can be treacherous, but HomeFront Brands provides both the race car and the pit crew to navigate those curves with speed and grace.”

DUDAN GROUP

HomeFront Brands is a portfolio company of Dudan Group, a catalyst for enterprise growth for franchised brands. The Dudan Group invests capital, provides expertise, and offers services that enable people

to join, buy, build or expand franchise systems. The Dudan Group is led by Jeff Dudan, founder of AdvantaClean, co-founder of Thrivemore Brands, and HomeFront Brands, as well as Senior Advisor to industryleading service providers including FranDevCo and Franchise Genesis.

Partner Mike Dudan’s career included 16 years with the National Football League’s Carolina Panthers franchise. He served in a variety of financial roles, finishing his time with the Panthers as Chief Financial Officer.

Partner Zack Dudan holds a degree in finance and economics, and his experience includes lowermiddle market mergers and acquisitions, owning and operating franchise locations, franchise legal, and franchise finance.

113WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

Xponential has been very successful with other brands. And so this being their ninth brand we’ve, we had a real sense of comfort that this was also going to be very successful. You have the edginess, the cool factor and then you have a team that’s been successful doing this….we had a real sense of security that we were going to be successful and the team was going to ensure success. That’s what we wanted to be a

part of!”
- Karen & Nate Nelson, West Frisco, TX
Shaun Grove Rumble Boxing President
7 Years at Xponential 26 Years Industry Experience

Founded in New York City in 2017, Rumble is a group fitness concept delivering a combination of boxinginspired circuits and the transformative power of resistance training. Pro and amateur fighters glove up together, no matter their fitness level or skill, to reveal their inner fighter. The experience is a 45-minute, 10-round, full-body cardio and strength workout crafted around specially designed water-filled, teardrop-style boxing bags.

THE OPPORTUNITY

THE MODEL

THE MONEY

CONTACT INFO Multi-unit opportunity with wide open markets Social community - Celebrity backed Executive model/semi-absentee - scalable High value proposition, Reasonable price point Rumble’s a no BS, authentic experience - every time.
Membership based - EFT reoccurring revenue Straight forward business model - manager operated, minimal staff Proprietary training programs, wide array of classes 2,500-2,700 sq/ft for boutique and 3,500-4,500 sq/ft for signature salesinfo@xponential.com rumbleboxinggym.com Item 7 Range Boutique | $393,700 - $575,900* Item 7 Range Signature | $3,258,833 - $4,028,333* * Please see Item 7 of the 2022 FDD for explanatory notes and details. Xponential Fitness, LLC is a franchise seller/broker representing Rumble Franchise, LLC (“Rumble”). This advertisement does not constitute a franchise offering or the solicitation of an offer to buy a Rumble franchise which may be made only after your receipt of the Rumble Franchise Disclosure Document, which first must be registered with certain states. Rumble franchises are offered solely by means of the franchise disclosure document issued by Rumble Franchise, LLC, 17877 Von Karman Ave., Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92614, and at (949) 346-9764. Certain states and foreign countries have laws governing the offer and sale of franchises. If you are a resident of one of these states or foreign countries, Rumble will not offer you a franchise unless and until it has complied with all applicable legal requirements in your jurisdiction. Please consult with your franchise seller/broker at Xponential Fitness, LLC for an updated list of jurisdictions where franchises can be sold. RESIDENTS OF NEW YORK: This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by a prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. Copyright © 2022 Rumble Franchise, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
10 ROUNDS. 2 FISTS. ZERO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY.

Kitchen Solvers Supplies an Always Needed Service With a Smile!

There is no shortage in kitchen and bath remodels, and Kitchen Solvers is up for the challenge.

Kitchen Solvers is celebrating a successful 40-plus years of kitchen transformations for 50,000+ satisfied homeowners. The Franchise has had four decades to develop a deep understanding of the industry, and knows that kitchen and bath remodeling is a needed service. Kitchen and bath trends are constantly changing, and Kitchen Solvers always has the solution.

ALWAYS EVOLVING AND SUPPORTING

Kitchen Solvers is a Franchise that is always evolving to support potential Franchise Owners. The Franchise recently updated their website with a new structure that adds SEO value, individual location pages and links to career pages.

Franchise Owners have an immersive training experience at Kitchen Solvers’ Home Office in La Crosse, Wis. The training consists of an in-depth review of Kitchen Solvers’ Business System Manual, including information on

operations, sales, vendors, and marketing. The Home Office also goes over writing estimates and setting up dayto-day operations, and creates a customized Franchise Vision Plan for the first three to five years of operation. Franchise Owners also have 70 hours of training in cabinet refacing and installation, accounting, business, financials, personnel management, marketing,

advertising, sales and operations, and 22 hours of onthe-job training.

Kitchen Solvers also recently rolled out a new call center for their Franchise Partners! Their Home Office team stays very involved with Franchise Partners throughout their entire legacy with the

116 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

Franchise, and the call center is one more helpful tool. The call center team handles inbound and outbound calls to answer questions and schedule appointments. Plus, it is designed to sync seamlessly with Franchisee scheduling software for a smooth handoff.

With a robust and innovative system that is continually updated throughout the changing times, Kitchen Solvers supports Franchise Owners in multiple ways. A few other resources available to their Franchise Partners include weekly system-wide conference calls, check-ins and video-conference training as needed, and of course, a dedicated support staff.

POSITIVE CULTURE

The Franchise provides topnotch coaching to ensure Franchisees start building trust with customers from day one. They are selective about their Franchise Partners looking for a cultural fit for their organization as they truly are one big family. Their positive culture and support contributes to their above-industry-average Franchise Partner success. Kitchen Solvers’ dedication to customer service and industry knowledge allows them to succeed in a needed field.

“Styles change. Cabinets break. Kitchens….Will last forever,” Zach Nolte, president of Kitchen Solvers, laughed. He reimagined the quote from the comedy sports movie The Replacements where the underdogs show everyone they were the

best choice. Now, Kitchen Solvers is far from being underdogs, but they are dedicated to showing their customers that they are the best and the right choice for their remodel projects. They pride themselves on being America's premier kitchen remodeling franchise with over 50,000 kitchens remodeled. Kitchen Solvers is a brand and a culture that takes pride in giving their customers a very pleasant remodeling experience!

A GROWING INDUSTRY

Kitchen Solvers offers homeowners quality, costeffective options in three key categories of home remodeling services. According to Houzz, who surveyed over 2,000 homeowners between July 21 and 27, 2021, 45% of homeowners are renovating because they finally have the means. Kitchen Solvers helps homeowners achieve a “likenew” look for just a portion of the cost of complete cabinet replacement.

Kitchen and bath remodeling generates $352 billion in remodeling services annually, so there is no doubt there’s plenty of opportunities for Kitchen Solvers Owners to succeed. The Franchise offers multiple solutions to kitchen and bath remodeling projects, and takes away the homeowner’s stress of having to coordinate with multiple contractors.

IDEAL FRANCHISE OWNER

Kitchen Solvers offers a thoughtful business model

with lower overhead as a home-based launch, lower franchising fees, minimum royalties waived during the first six months, and a tiered royalty structure on a sliding scale. They are looking for potential Franchise Owners who want to focus on running a business. The Franchise wants Franchisees driven by success and are not satisfied with business complacency. Potential Franchise Owners aren’t required to have prior remodeling experience, but they should share Kitchen Solvers’ customer service etiquette, being respectful and courteous. Kitchen Solvers treats every customer’s home as their own, so Franchise Owners must be customeroriented with excellent communication skills.

With various start-up and expansion choices, Kitchen Solvers is always prepared to build a strong Franchise Partnership. Reach out to kitchensolvers@frandev.co for more information.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Samantha Stanich-Romasiewicz is a graduate of E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University and has an MA/MFA from Wilkes University. Her degrees in journalism and creative writing help her create content to promote brands.

117WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

4 Perfect Franchises For People Interested In Cleaning And Organization Businesses

Ifyou've ever considered owning a cleaning franchise, look no further than a few of the best in the business.

Property services franchisor Neighborly® has four great cleaning and organizing businesses that are worth your time to check out: Dryer Vent Wizard®, Molly Maid®, ShelfGenie®, Window Genie®

Curious to know more?

Read on.

DRYER VENT WIZARD

If you are looking to own a cleaning service that has a significant impact on your community, Dryer Vent Wizard may be for you. After all, over 2,900 home clothes

dryer fires are reported each year, causing an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries and over $35 million in property loss. Dryer Vent Wizard offers cleaning and maintenance services to help prevent these fires from happening.

Along with helping prevent the loss of property and lives, Dryer Vent Wizard customers can also save money on their energy bills and prolong the life of their dryers. This essential service has seen an increase in demand as homeowners realize the need for professional cleaning in their homes that can increase longevity of their assets.

In addition, there are many

opportunities for franchise owners to give back to their local communities, leaving a lasting impact beyond clean dryer vents.

Click here to learn more about Dryer Vent Wizard.

MOLLY MAID

As life continues to return to normal post-pandemic, the demand for cleaning services is increasing in both residential and light commercial spaces. As this is taking place, customers are often looking for a brand they recognize and trust to get the job done. Molly Maid has been around for over 35 years and has more than 500 franchise locations across

120 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

the United States, making it a highly recognizable name in most areas. Franchise owners also receive the benefits that come along with starting a Molly Maid, including a proven business model designed to set owners up for success as well as a support system to answer their questions along the way. From ongoing training to the technology to run the business, franchise owners are given the tools needed to succeed and grow their business.

Click here to learn more about Molly Maid.

SHELFGENIE

If you are a passionate organizer, or maybe an entrepreneur looking for a business that offers a unique and innovative product, ShelfGenie may be the perfect franchise for you. ShelfGenie is the leading provider of custom shelving and storage solutions, and our franchise owners help their customers transform their homes and lives through better organization.

Compared to some franchise opportunities, ShelfGenie is a relatively lower-cost investment, but one with a high potential for growth. This, along with the scalability, flexibility, and ease of management, makes this business great for individuals who are ready to hit the ground running with a franchise. You don't have to be a professional organizer or even have installation experience to start and grow a successful ShelfGenie.

When you come on board, you’re given comprehensive training, access to technology, assistance finding subcontractors for design and installation, and continuous hands-on support to help you succeed. The job of the franchise owner is to focus on the bigger picture of managing and building the business. Click here to learn more about ShelfGenie.

WINDOW GENIE

Despite the name, Window Genie does much more than just window cleaning. Other services offered include window tinting, pressure washing, gutter cleaning, and hanging holiday lights. This gives the business multiple revenue streams that can service both residential and commercial customers yearround, while also allowing for the establishment of a recurring customer base. There are a long list of benefits that come with starting a Window Genie, and high among the list are the training and support you receive

from day one and the proven business model that franchise owners follow to build and grow their businesses. Click here to learn more about Window Genie.

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND

Neighborly is proud to offer a variety of cleaning and organization franchises within our family of home service franchises. Dryer Vent Wizard, Molly Maid, ShelfGenie and Window Genie are all viable options for potential franchise owners depending on territory, start-up costs and financing. If you or anyone you know is interested in business opportunities in the cleaning and organization space, be sure to reach out to a Neighborly franchise developer to learn more.

Neighborly is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses, through a single, trusted, farreaching source to meet any service needs inside or outside their home or business.

121WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

Why Replacement Window Sales is a RecessionResistant Business

Whether in a neighborhood or commercial

area, if you walk outside and look around, you’ll see more windows than you can count. We all know the home improvement industry is booming, including window repairs, replacements, and installations.

Researchers with the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University expect home improvements and repairs expenses to reach $450 billion at the start of next year. As for all those windows on homes, a Principia Voice of Customer Survey found the U.S. residential window product industry worth $17 billion in 2020. Almost two-thirds of that industry is replacement window sales.

The Covid-19 pandemic initiated the rise in home improvements because everyone spent more time at

home and personal savings skyrocketed. In addition, with the housing market experiencing high sale prices and low volume, people are more willing to spend money improving their homes than moving into new ones.

JUST A FAD OR A LASTING TREND

With this turbulent economy, it is fair to question whether that trend will last. However, it is important to note that the home service industry tends to fare better than other types of businesses during economic downturns or recessions. Most of these services, like window replacement, new roof installation, or gutter repairs, are all essential for homeowners to perform. These services require a unique knowledge base, tools, and skill set that most homeowners do not have. Therefore, they will turn to trusted companies that provide them.

Window World has over 25 years of experience in upgrading our customers’ most important investment, their home. During those years, we have built relationships with our vendors to sell the best products at competitive prices. In addition to our national brand recognition, those prices help our franchisees beat the local competition. Unlike most of our competitors, we have a team dedicated to ensuring our franchisees have a wide array of quality products available to provide worldclass service.

OLDER HOMES, MORE REPAIRS

Less space to build new homes is leading people to buy older homes, which there are many. Research by Zippia finds that 59% of homes in the U.S. were built before 1980, which means they’re at least 40 years old. The typical lifespan of a

RESEARCH BY ZIPPIA FINDS THAT 59% OF HOMES

IN THE U.S. WERE BUILT BEFORE 1980, WHICH MEANS THEY’RE AT LEAST 40 YEARS OLD. THE TYPICAL LIFESPAN OF A WINDOW IS 15 TO 20 YEARS.

124 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

window is 15 to 20 years. So most likely, those windows in older homes already need to be replaced. To back that up, the Principia Voice of Customer Survey found that most of the revenue made in the multi-billiondollar residential window business is from repairing and remodeling homes rather than installing windows in new homes.

People are looking for products that provide ongoing value in these challenging times of rising prices. One way to do that is through energyefficient windows. U.S. Energy Information Administration research estimates that Americans waste $45 billion per year nationwide on energy-inefficient windows. One of the first parts of a home people should check when they notice their electric bill is rising is their windows. A few signs include cracking or damage to windows, hard-toopen windows, and moisture or fog between panes.

A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES

At Window World, we focus on our customer experience. Our franchisees provide top-notch service not only in window replacement but also in entry and patio doors, siding, roofing, shutters, gutters, garage doors, and storm doors. These expanded services allow our franchisees to earn repeat customers for other projects in their homes. Once customers determine they can rely on a company for quality services, they will return for other projects. They will also provide

online or word-of-mouth recommendations to others about the company’s services

Once franchisees get off the ground with their Window World location, they can easily grow and expand. With Window World’s proven business model, franchisees will capture market share through local lead generation, a value-based sales methodology focused on integrity, and quality installation services. They can also scale their business by cross selling additional products to homeowners. Window World also offers opportunities to own multiple

franchises.

The home improvement industry is one of the fastest growing sectors right now, with window replacements being a necessary project to complete. New entrepreneurs can capitalize on the industry boom by franchising with Window World. Even when this trend fades, Window World will continue to replace aging windows, siding, doors and more.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zach Luffman is an attorney and the Director of Franchising at Window World, Inc. Zach oversees all new territory and franchise development for the brand.

125WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

PatchMaster Fills a Critical Niche in Home Services

For most of us, buying a house will be our largest and most important purchase. Because a house is often both a home and an investment, buyers want to protect their investment and maintain it for their enjoyment. That’s where PatchMaster has found its niche in the home services market.

PatchMaster is North America’s #1 drywall repair company that offers a convenient, affordable, and professional option to complete the work homeowners and contractors

often cannot or don’t want to do: high-quality, same-day drywall and plaster repair, texturing, and paint matching.

Most people recognize drywall (sheetrock) or plaster as the material that creates the walls and ceilings in their homes. Unfortunately, these materials become damaged during remodeling, repairs, or daily living activities. When it comes to fixing that damage, most people–and even contractors–don’t have the necessary skills. For PatchMaster Franchisees, this means nearly unlimited potential when finding

<< L to R: Alex Reinhart

PatchMaster Serving Northern Columbus; Illya King PatchMaster Serving Southwest DFW; Michael Clements, PatchMaster Serving Austin Metro; James Maggard, PatchMaster Serving Greenville

customers because both businesses and homeowners need their services. With 40+ years of home services experience, the PatchMaster corporate team outperforms the competition with industryleading business processes and competitive advantages. Plus, PatchMaster takes pride in leaving behind happy customers after every job, so Owners can develop lasting relationships that create repeat business and word-ofmouth referrals.

THE RIGHT BUSINESS MODEL AND STRONG FRANCHISEE SUPPORT

In addition to offering a highdemand service, PatchMaster’s franchise opportunity prioritizes profitability and support. Owners get a concept with low staffing needs, low competition, no lease commitments, and a low cost of goods and services. Combined with high demand

128 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

BEFORE AFTER

and a low initial investment, these features create the potential for a high return on investment, a quicker path to profitability, and the ability to scale quickly.

PatchMaster also operates under a Franchisee-first philosophy. The corporate team has implemented thoughtful, robust training and support programs and is always looking for ways to improve outcomes for Owners. Its mission is to provide the best foundation during launch, continued ongoing operational support, and the tools and resources necessary to build a thriving business. New Owners can expect extensive hands-on training covering equipment, materials, safety, drywall basics, tips and tricks, textures, painting and finishing. In addition, they

receive classroom training that covers everything from an operational standpoint, including pricing and profitability, software, marketing, vendors and environmental concerns.

PatchMaster’s 120step RightTrack Program facilitates a fast track to positive cash flow and allows the support team to efficiently collaborate with Franchisees through every step in the start-up and business growth process.

They also have a team that works with Owners to provide additional support in various areas, including PatchMaster’s proprietary Financial Insights Tool (FIT). This tool can help forecast P&L, solidify business plan assumptions, and run “what if” scenarios to help Owners

make the best decisions for their business.

PatchMaster also teaches Franchisees how to develop a referral-based business in their local markets through grassroots marketing efforts. In addition, its inhouse marketing team partners with its Franchisees to launch targeted social media marketing campaigns throughout the United States and Canada.

With more than 120 locations and 70 Franchise Owners in North America, there is no shortage of realworld proof that PatchMaster’s concept and Franchisee-first approach works in any market.

AN OWNERSHIP MODEL FOR EVERY TYPE OF INVESTOR

The PatchMaster business model offers entrepreneurs the perfect opportunity to build a thriving, scalable home service business backed by some of the most successful and experienced team members in franchising. Recognizing that people have different personal and professional needs, PatchMaster offers multiple ownership models to fit every investor’s goal.

For more information on investment opportunities and how PatchMaster Owners cultivate success, visit patchmasteropportunity. com or email PatchMaster@ frandev.co.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

FranDevCo's Content Marketing Manager Kinsey Cooper has spent her career in marketing, public relations and strategic communications. She uses her skills to help brands showcase what makes their business unique.

129WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

Franchising With Dryer Vent Wizard, An Essential Home Service

Aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners

face many challenges today: the state of the economy, supply chain hurdles, labor costs & shortages, inflation, consumer spending & behavior, and the list goes on. Owning requires managing through a variety of factors to build a strong and lasting business. But the truth is that this is always the case; there will always be economic ebbs and flows, changing market

dynamics and changing customer needs. But that is what makes ownership so compelling and rewarding, and the real secret is that there are businesses that flourish in good economic times, or bad.

The key often lies in finding the right opportunity. After all, if a prospective owner can find a known brand with little competition in a market, low overhead and one that provides an essential service, they may have found a recession

resistant business that can thrive in any economy.

A franchise can be the way to achieve this more quickly than starting from ground zero. Along with offering these advantages, home services franchises like those in the Neighborly® family of brands have a proven business models with an on ramp toward success for aspiring owners. An interesting franchise in Neighborly’s portfolio is Dryer Vent Wizard®, a brand that

132 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

serves a lesser known, but highly needed niche.

DRYER VENT CLEANING

– A SOMETIMES HIDDEN OPPORTUNITY

Dryer Vent Wizard specializes in residential and commercial multi-unit dryer vent cleaning, repair and installation in North America. Many prospective owners seeking the right business to start may overlook dryer vent cleaning; but when they learn more they are often surprised to find it can be a lucrative business opportunity. But the reality is that clogged or improperly routed ventilation systems are extremely common, and these clogs are a key factor in dangerous and expensive fires in homes and commercial properties. This has created a $20+ billion industry, and Dryer Vent Wizard has

been catering to this market for over 18 years, finding success in a recession-resilient industry.

FRANCHISING IN THIS MARKET

Dryer Vent Wizard’s franchise model is built around:

• Executive Ownership Model

You can work on your business, not in your business. While you’re focused on the backend business, you’ll hire a team to take care of the handson execution of installation, repairs and cleaning.

• No Office Space Required

You can keep your initial overhead low and work from anywhere.

• Work/Life Balance

Owning a Dryer Vent Wizard franchise provides you with the flexibility you’ve always wanted. This means family-friendly hours, fun work environment and the freedom to live your life, your way.

• Essential Services Provided Installation, repair, and cleaning of dryer vents is a needed service. Did you know it also saves homes and lives? Dryer fires cause over $233 million dollars in damage per year. While dryer vents used to be more commonly located on exterior walls, with little need for duct work, today’s customer desires of convenience and accessibility have led to placements that require longer ducting, which means more maintenance required.

• Repeat Business

Cleaning dryer vents isn’t a one-time service. Over time, dryer vents will continue to collect lint and require scheduled cleanings to prevent fires. Helping to provide safety to the homes of the families served is one of the reasons over 100 business owners have chosen to franchise with Dryer Vent Wizard.

HOW TO GET STARTED

If you haven’t looked closely at dryer vent cleaning business in the past, it is worth a second look. And if you want to learn more about Dryer Vent Wizard, reach out to a Dryer Vent Wizard Franchise Developer today to get more details on this fantastic franchise opportunity.

ABOUT DRYER VENT

Founded in in 2004, Dryer Vent Wizard has over 100 locally owned and operated franchise locations throughout the United States and Canada that enjoy strong national systems, training and marketing support from our brand headquarters. Additionally, Dryer Vent Wizard is a member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) with franchisees across the country working with local fire departments to help raise awareness on how to prevent dryer fires.

133WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022
DRYER VENT WIZARD SPECIALIZES IN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL MULTI-UNIT DRYER VENT CLEANING, REPAIR AND INSTALLATION IN NORTH AMERICA.

Your Professional Painting Service Company

Strategic alliance partnerships, proprietary software, and pre-developed locations. Painter Bros has been building its brand across the United States for the past ten years through national accounts, its own custom state-of-the-art SaaS application, and brand recognition in every state, ensuring optimal success of its franchisees.

PARTNERSHIPS

The keys to success start with a solid foundation. Painter Bros has been building and developing its core foundation

for nearly ten years, with franchising in mind from the very beginning. Creating strategic partnerships, their zee’s open their locations knowing they are in a market with an already positive reputation and have the opportunity to work with Fortune 500 companies when they are ready to do so. Painter Bros has recently locked in new partnerships with companies such as Janus International and Prologis, both of which are international companies’ part of multibillion-dollar industries. Add these partnerships to their existing commercial

customer pool, and you have no shortage of work no matter where you are located.

Commercial contracts are not the only area Painter Bros brings in revenue. With residential painting as your main line of work on a local

COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS ARE NOT THE ONLY AREA PAINTER BROS BRINGS IN REVENUE. WITH RESIDENTIAL PAINTING AS YOUR MAIN LINE OF WORK ON A LOCAL LEVEL, YOU CAN BID OUT JOBS ANYWHERE FROM SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TO APARTMENT COMPLEXES.

136 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

level, you can bid out jobs anywhere from single family homes to apartment complexes. Franchisees get the freedom to work as a residential painting company, to doing handy man work, to facilities maintenance with larger commercial companies. The sky’s the limit with what you can do and how much revenue you wish to bring in with a recession proof model, Painter Bros brings the top premier values to the table.

TECHNOLOGY

The strong point of Painter Bros is they are a technologybased company, proving

to be a key point of their foundation. Managing your home services business has never been easier with a tech backed company. Brining you to the front of the line and ahead of the rest of the industry with an ever-evolving software, Painter Bros is rolling out its newest addition to its executive SaaS operating system. Full communication and call tracking abilities between franchisees and customers, you’ll be provided standard of excellence metrics in real time, ensuring effective communication and optimal success day in and day out.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Operating in every state, every day, Painter Bros has a need to fill, and that is to give people opportunity. From Las Vegas to Boston, Painter Bros has recently landed multiple six-figure jobs, in markets where franchisees are needed. What better way to open a territory, than with work already landed. Painter Bros national accounts can rest assured, knowing from east to west, their properties will be handled with care, precision, and integrity, because of Painter Bros consistency in training, branding and reputation with each and every franchisee and crew member on the job.

Painter Bros has taken a fresh approach to the way business is conducted, expanded, and grown. With old school values and integrity combined with modern day advanced technology, they understand the balance of professionalism at its core while trailblazing the way into the future with tech sophisticated yet simplified, all generations can be a part of the Painter Bros dream.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bailey Rayner has been working with Painter Bros for over a year. As the Brand Manager, she works in software development, franchising and expansion of the business.

137WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

Getting Started With An Electrical Franchise

Franchises come in all shapes, sizes and industries. When exploring franchises as an opportunity and investment, a good rule of thumb is to look for something in a category that is needed, growing, and has good prospects near and longer term. Electrical businesses fit the bill nicely. What makes an electrical business opportunity so compelling?

RECESSION RESISTANT

Electricity is a necessity for everyone, from homeowners to commercial businesses and beyond. This means that electricians remain demand even in economic recessions.

This makes starting an electrical business a recessionresistant option.

HIGH DEMAND

There is increasing demand for electrical work in the residential and commercial construction industries. Homeowners and businesses regularly need wiring work done, from basic repairs to electrical upgrades and beyond, and these trends are likely to continue as homeownership expands and regular upkeep and services are needed.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Innovations in electrical technology will also create new opportunities for electricians

and electrical businesses. For example, many homeowners and businesses are now hiring electricians to install electric charging stations, smart home technology, smart security features, and much more. In fact, researchers from the University of Detroit Mercy recently estimated that the installation of electric charging stations alone will increase demand for electricians by 25% over 20 years, suggesting future growth potential for the industry.

AN ELECTRICAL SERVICES FRANCHISE

Those seeking to run an electrical business as the employer (and not the

140 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

sole employee), may find franchising to be a great option. Investment in franchise is a way to get started in the industry, whether you are an entrepreneur, an established electrical contractor, or just entering the field.

Among the benefits of franchising, a primary one is that you will have experienced assistance with your business. Not only will this save time, but it can help you avoid making costly mistakes, too. Most small business start-ups struggle to stay in business long-term because most small business owners lack the support and resources that a franchisor has to offer.

Other advantages of franchising:

• The business model is already established

• No industry experience is required

• The benefits of a national brand name

• Access to both initial and ongoing training and support

With these valuable resources, buying an electrical business franchise is generally a much less risky proposition than starting a business from scratch.

FRANCHISE IN FOCUS:

MR. ELECTRIC®

One of the nation's top electrical business franchises is Neighborly’s Mr. Electric® As a respected brand, Mr. Electric provides expert electrical installation and repair services to both commercial and residential customers in locations nationwide. Let's take a closer look at what you

can expect as a Mr. Electric franchisee.

Mr. Electric

Franchise Services

Some of the quality services that Mr. Electric offers include:

• Residential electrical repairs and service

• Generators installs and service

• Electric vehicle car charging installations

• Commercial lighting and lighting retrofit

• Commercial contracting services

• Residential outdoor lighting

• Low voltage systems

• Innovation: Franchisees benefit from research and expertise in new and growing areas of the electrical industry, such as solar, electrical vehicle charging, and lighting retrofit.

TRAINING

Our Sure Start training is currently a 4–6-week program combining classroom-style business operations, sales, and marketing training. You won’t be conducting electricity — at least, not literally – you’ll be running a business, and our comprehensive training will ensure you know how.

TECHNOLOGY

Our custom business management software simplifies your day-to-day administrative duties. It’s an allin-one system for job estimates,

tracking leads, assistance with leadership, workplace culture and more.

HIRING

Your people will make all the difference in your business. A third-party, industry-leading hiring and onboarding platform helps you find the right people to deliver quality services in your community.

MARKETING

In addition to your local marketing efforts, we keep the national marketing engine running on your behalf, with a hyper-focus on digital ads that continuously raise awareness and drive leads to your business.

If you see the potential and growth in the industry, and would like to explore options with owning a franchise, contact a Mr. Electric Franchise Developer and they would be happy to provide you with more information on the opportunity.

ABOUT MR. ELECTRIC

Established in 1994, Mr. Electric® is a global franchise organization providing electrical installation and repair services. Recognized by Entrepreneur magazine among its “Franchise 500,” Mr. Electric franchisees provide these services to both residential and commercial customers in over 200 locations worldwide. Mr. Electric is a subsidiary of the Neighborly® family of service franchises

141WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

Pool Scouts Sees Double Digit Signings and Tremendous Growth in First Half of 2022

Pool Scouts, a 110-plus territory pool cleaning franchise, has seen accelerated growth in Q1 and Q2 of this year, with the brand celebrating several accolades. The company, which operates under parent franchisor Buzz Franchise Brands, saw double-digit signings and openings in the first six months of 2022.

Pool Scouts signed 10 franchise agreements and continues to extend to various parts of the country. The

brand also celebrated 21 new franchisee openings, which has brought the company into eight new markets and six new states.

One new franchisee is Nora Farhat, who owns another Buzz brand, British Swim School, and became Pool Scout’s first owner to sign from the sister company. She opened a Pool Scouts in Detroit and has been hard at work using the skills she learned from British Swim School and corporate support

to ensure her success.

Another notable event involved franchise owner Tiffiny Consoli of Pool Scouts in Raleigh, North Carolina, who was recognized as Franchisee of the Year by the International Franchise Association (IFA) in March.

The brand, which was also recognized on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list, had commendable success with its charity initiative during Water Safety Month. Pool Scouts raised more than $16,000 to donate to the Hope Floats Foundation to provide over 800 swim lessons to children in need across the country.

Internally, the brand also has seen growth with its leadership team. Pool Scouts recently hired Russell Gesher as the new director of operations. Gesher, who has over two decades of experience leading multi-unit

144 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES
The pool cleaning franchise broke into several new markets and celebrated accolades as it heads into the second half of the year with positive momentum.

operations through scaling, joined the brand in June and is excited to be a part of the brand’s tremendous growth.

As the company looks to Q3, Pool Scouts is focused on supporting its franchisees through the busy summer season and working with the 10 owners who have signed agreements this year to get them trained and prepared for opening.

Speaking of 10, see below for the top ten reasons to choose Pool Scouts.

The start-up costs for a Pool Scouts franchise range from $70,950 to $88,350. To learn more about franchising with Pool Scouts, visit https:// poolscoutsfranchise.com/.

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Pool Scouts:

1. Low-cost business opportunity. Since a Pool Scouts business can be run out of your home or virtually anywhere, the upfront investment is low and scalable.

2. Selling fast. The Pool Scouts brand is quickly becoming a household name across the country. Claim your territory before it’s gone.

3. The recurring business model gives owners predictable income.

4. The model is equally successful in seasonal markets as year-round markets, with income generated from opening, closings, and recurring services in between.

5. Not your average pool boy. In fact, a lot of Pool Scouts franchisees and operators are female, including the leading franchisee in our system.

6. The Pool Scouts brand stands out! The logo and visuals are bright, colorful, and memorable compared to the competition, and our proven marketing program brings in the customers! The professional look instills credibility and trust, so customers know they’re in good hands and stay year after year.

7. Availability: there are still hundreds of territories available nationwide in ideal markets with high concentration of pool owners.

8. Because everyone wants to be on the winning team, Pool Scouts has a track record of success! From making Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list, to being repeatedly named among the top low-cost and home-base/mobile franchise opportunities, Pool Scouts has built a strong reputation within the industry.

9. Pool Scouts is a part of the Buzz Franchise Brands family. The company leadership has over 150 years of combined experience in franchising, and has launched hundreds of successful franchise businesses. This strong team of experts are all united by one common goal: to enable people to realize their dreams.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lynlea Rudell is the Director of Marketing with Pool Scouts. She joined the company in June of 2020, prior to Pool Scouts she was in the advertising industry for 17 years.

10. Endless support. In order to keep up with our growth Pool Scouts has more than doubled the support staff, adding more technical and business coaches and a new Director of Operations. Each franchisee receives handson training from the corporate team before opening their business. Pool Scouts also host monthly training sessions in which franchisees are invited to join or send their staff for training.

145WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

New Pillar To Post Home Inspectors® Franchisees are Looking for the Cutting Edge Technologies the Brand Has to Offer

After working for seven years in sales of roofing and foundation repairs, Amarillo resident Danny Shetter decided it was time to pursue his dream of owning his own business by joining the largest home inspection brand in North America, the Pillar To Post Home Inspectors family. Shetter hit the ground running in his new business which opened September 1st and serves Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle.

As far as choosing home inspection as a new career, Shetter says that tradespeople are perfect for home inspection, since they are likely experts in several areas of the structure of the home after years of experience. And these are facts. The U.S. building inspector industry, measured by revenue, is estimated to have a market size of $4.9 billion in 2022, according to global research firm IBISWorld.

One of the many reasons Shetter chose Pillar To Post Home Inspectors, is the

PROPERTY SERVICES
148 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

innovative technologies the company introduced in the past 18 months. These advanced technologies, along with the business model, provide an exceptional home inspection with unique and innovative features that are all delivered within a seamless brand experience. All were in the process of being developed pre-pandemic, but when the pandemic struck, the new features were a complete blessing to Realtors and home buyers and sellers. The “contactless” home inspection was invented and further highlights Pillar To Post Home Inspectors’ standing as a visionary in its industry. The package is now known as the Ultimate Home Inspection and it’s revolutionizing the home inspection industry. So much so that the company was just awarded with a much coveted Best Innovators prize by Franchise Update Media in the category of “best customer service tools”. Those tools are:

PTP360: available with every home inspection and provides an interactive, 360-degree visual inspection summary that brings the inspection report to life and

includes every room and a home’s exterior. It can be accessed anywhere, anytime from any device and shared with family or contractors.

PTPEstimates: provides a cost estimate for inspection summary items. This upgrade is extremely useful for sellers who do a pre-listing inspection, letting them learn what recommended repairs will cost based on prices charged in their area. Estimates can be requested with one click.

PTPFloorPlan: provides an accurate floor plan of the entire home. This useful upgrade can be used to determine furniture fit and placement, and also provide exact dimensions to contractors for estimating purposes.

PTPHomeManual: is an upgraded service that provides a digital owner’s manual for a home, letting users download manuals/ warranty information, find safety recalls on appliances, learn the age and useful

remaining life of systems and much more.

“I very much wanted to be a part of the best franchise system in my chosen industry,” shared Shetter. “One I will grow as big as I like and turn into a family business eventually. With the kind of support and programs offered by Pillar To Post, those dreams are well within reach.”

ABOUT PILLAR TO POST HOME INSPECTORS®

Founded in 1994, Pillar To Post Home Inspectors is the largest home inspection company in North America with home offices in Toronto and Tampa. There are nearly 600 franchises located in 49 states and nine Canadian provinces. They’ve ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise500® for 26 years. Long-term plans include adding 500 to 600 new franchisees over the next five years. For further information, please visit www.pillartopost.com or for info about a franchise go to www.pillartopost franchise.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rhonda Sanderson is a franchise expert who has owned and operated Sanderson & Associates and Sanderson PR, both specializing in, traditional, social media and crisis PR in the franchise space since 1986. She has authored many articles, helped grow numerous franchise chains is considered one of the Top 30 Small Business Influencers (Fit Business) in the U.S. Find her at Rhonda@sandersonpr.com or on LinkedIn where she is the author of Franchise Stars at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-sanderson-a6b658/

149WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

Property Services Franchising: Caring For A Home With Neighborly

The excitement of buying a home doesn’t stop after making the first down payment, loading up the moving truck, or even unpacking the last box. It’s the actual act of living in your new home and building a lifestyle within its four walls that I’d argue keeps the excitement going daily. To properly enjoy

all that a home has to offer, homeowners must routinely care for their space with property services.

Property services are an essential part of allowing homeowners to reap the benefits of homeownership and independent living every day. Having service professionals you can trust

for house cleaning, lawn care, plumbing issues, or air conditioning and heating problems gives homeowners the peace of mind that their home is functioning to the best of its ability, so they can enjoy the full experience of living in a home, outside of just owning one. Caring for your home on a regular basis is one of the

152 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

biggest joys of calling a space your own, and the best part is, you don’t have to do it alone.

Neighborly® is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining, and enhancing homes and businesses. Our local network of home service brands connects homeowners to very specific vetted experts to offer a wide variety of property services, from plumbing to painting and everything in between. We understand how the demands of family and work can lead to little or no time to tend to your home, which is why Neighborly has every homeowner covered with top professionals to take care of your property backed by our Done Right Promise®. Some of our brands include but are not limited to Molly Maid®, Mr. Appliance®, Mr. Electric®, Mr. Handyman® and ShelfGenie® among others.

While Neighborly keeps the homeowner and their needs at the center of what we do, we also extend that help to renters through Real Property Management®, the largest property management franchise in its space with nearly 400 franchises. Real Property Management takes care of all types of residential rental properties for their clients from houses, condos, multiplexes, duplexes, and triplexes to even small apartment complexes,

helping rental homeowners maximize their rental income while minimizing expenses and inefficiencies.

In addition, some Real Property Management offices manage common interest communities or Homeowner Associations (HOAs), institutionally owned and real estate organization Real Estate Owned (REO) properties, and commercial property. Service offerings include ongoing communication, comprehensive marketing, and advertising through tenant screening and selection, full-service leasing, timely rent collection, regular inspections, cost-effective, reliable maintenance, strict and compliant evictions, and comprehensive accounting.

No matter what type of home people choose to live in, whether they are renting for the short term or owning for the long haul, the need for property services remains. That’s what makes the property service industry so malleable amid a rapidly changing economic world. Owning a property services franchise creates the opportunity for entrepreneurs to be their own boss and give back to their local neighborhood in a timeless industry. There will always be a need for the trades as homes age and many homeowners today lack the skills or time to care for their homes, thus opening the door for job opportunities for yourself and

the team of employees you build with owning a franchise.

Not to mention, Neighborly makes owning a franchise a seamless process with an established model that helps entrepreneurs launch and grow their business to success.

More information about Neighborly®, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com.

To learn about franchising opportunities with Neighborly®, click here.

Neighborly is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses, through a single, trusted, farreaching source to meet any service needs inside or outside their home or business.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brad Stevenson is the Chief Development Officer for

Neighborly, the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries. Neighborly focuses on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses, through a single, trusted, far-reaching source to meet any service needs inside or outside the home or business.

153WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

The Real Leader in Property Management

empowers more than 5,000 franchise owners the opportunity to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams

benefits exclusive to an organization of our scale, performance, and experience through our 17 leading North American brands.

key benefit exclusively available to Neighborly brand franchise owners, ProTradeNet® negotiated millions of dollars in upfront discounts and returned over

million in

to

franchise owners in 2021.

• Dedicated business support • Recurring revenue model • Nationally recognized A
$7
rebates
Neighborly
Neighborly®
with

FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY

LIVE Hydration Spa is an IV therapy spa that offers IV hydration in addition to vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. We listen to what our client’s needs are and we try to accommodate them in their own personal goals with health and wellness. We are looking for owners who would like to own multiple territories. We are looking for owners who have a desire to help people, are willing to network and build relationships within the community. Franchisees who dedicate time early on in their business should be positioned for a future that could focus on additional territories, absentee ownership, or resale potential.

What to

Our development program takes franchisees from signing day through launch in as few as 60 days.

Qualify: Have an introductory call and complete a personal review form. Explore: Join an opportunity presentation, review documents, and discuss with the Director of Franchise Development.

Validate: Interview with co-founders Casey Kuhl and Felicia Janovich. Discovery Day: Visit the corporate office to meet our executive team and observe a franchise in action.

Your Investment Franchise Fee $49,500 Royalty 7.5 % Startup Estimate $180,000 (Price will vary depending on location)
Expect
LiveHydrationSpa.com/Franchise LEARN MORE

Owning a Landscaping Franchise: What to Know

Landscaping businesses provide a wide range of services that can encompass designing, building, and maintaining outdoor spaces. From mowing lawns and basic plant care, to fullservice landscape installation, landscape professionals are dedicated to transforming the outdoors for homes and businesses.

And it can be a lucrative business; The industry continues to show significant growth as more homeowners and commercial properties outsource their lawn care. With consumers demanding landscaping that is sustainable and ecofriendly, services such as installing water-efficient irrigation systems, planting herb and vegetable gardens, and designing native plant gardens are rising in popularity.

To capitalize on this opportunity, some may decide to start a business from scratch while others look to buy into a local business already operating in their area. But an option many don’t initially consider is franchising. Franchise brands like The Grounds Guys® offer a wealth of opportunities for prospective owners, and can be a great way to start a landscaping business using

an established business model. There is value in working with a company that can provide tested tools and resources to help owners get off on the right path to realize their dreams. Here are just a few of the ways franchising might be worth investigating for those seeking to own a landscaping business.

FRANCHISING VS. STARTING FROM SCRATCH

Why is franchising a landscaping business so intriguing? For many, starting a landscaping business from scratch can be intimidating. There are factors to consider, like market size, equipment, marketing plans and setting up back-office support that

156 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES THE INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO SHOW SIGNIFICANT GROWTH AS MORE HOMEOWNERS AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES OUTSOURCE THEIR LAWN CARE.

can be challenging for new entrants. For these reasons, many entrepreneurs who want to own a landscaping business may find that investing in a landscaping franchise is a better option for them.

Among the benefits of choosing a franchise like The Grounds Guys are:

• An established business plan and model

• Training and support

• Classroom-style business operations, sales, and marketing training

• Financial support options

• Software provided

• Marketing and branding provided

• Franchising allows entrepreneurs to go into business for themselves, but not by themselves.

EVALUATE COST DRIVERS

How much does it cost to start a landscaping business? The amount can vary depending on the services you’re looking to offer, the equipment you need to buy, the estimated size of your territory, projected customer base, and if you plan on doing it alone or hiring a team.

New Landscaping business owners can expect start-up costs to include:

• Equipment and tools

• Mower

• Trimmer

• Blower

• Rakes, hoses, etc.

• Vehicle/trailer

• Permits, licensing, and certifications

• Insurance

• Equipment Storage

• Website and Marketing

• Staffing

This is another area where franchising can be more costeffective than starting from scratch. The Grounds Guys provides business advice along with discounts that can help business owners get started thanks to the Neighborly partnership with ProTradeNet.

PERMITS, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATIONS

It’s important for anyone considering owning a

landscaping business to be aware of the necessary permits, licenses, and registrations needed to begin operating. The rules and regulations regarding specific paperwork requirements will vary state by state. Seeking out advice from a business advisor, attorney, and/ or accountant about starting a landscaping business is always advised, as these professionals can assist with any permits and licenses required as well as provide relevant information regarding taxes and insurance. Consultants available through franchise agreements can provide guidance on options for best approaches to obtaining the services you need to keep your landscaping business plans on track.

SOUND INTERESTING?

Experts at the The Grounds Guys can help provide much of the support and knowledge you need to get started in the landscaping business and make business ownership goals in this lucrative industry a reality. If you would like to know more, reach out to The Grounds Guys and work with one of their Franchise Developers to find out if landscaping franchise ownership is a good path for you or someone you may know.

MORE INFORMATION

The Grounds Guys is widely recognized brand built on the principles of excellent workmanship, customer satisfaction, and real care. Part of the Neighborly family of franchise brands, The Grounds Guys provides commercial and residential landscaping services from more than 200 franchise locations around the U.S. and Canada.

157WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022
FIRST OF ITS KIND PRE-FABRICATED OIL CHANGE FRANCHISE! I n n o v a t i v e D e s i g n S p e e d t o O p e n L o w L e a s e P a y m e n t M i n i m a l S t a f f i n g S t r e a m l i n e d M o d e l c o s t a @ f r a n d e v . c o l 4 2 5 . 4 7 0 . 4 4 1 5

Construction Cleaning is a specialized cleaning company, our clients include General Contractors and Developers who are looking for companies that focus on construction cleaning.

Fast growing busine Specialized cleanin Low cost of entry High demand service Booming construction industry CPR
cprclean.com info@cprclean.com (602) 300 5906 NOW AWARDING FRANCHISES

Avoiding Seasonality in Exterior Cleaning

Whilespring is considered the best time to clean your home, fall

can be just as significant when it comes to window cleaning. As colder weather approaches, homeowners are closing their windows, turning on heaters, and noticing the build up of dust and debris accumulated during summer. Just like in the spring, that leads to a spike in demand for exterior cleaning franchises like Window Hero.

With 15 years of proven experience, Window Hero specializes in delivering exterior window cleaning, power washing, gutter cleaning, and gutter guard installation

services with a customer-first approach. Their list of simple services has been thoughtfully curated to provide yearround cleaning services to homeowners that avoid the seasonality similar franchises often face.

WHY WINDOW HERO IS A GREAT FRANCHISE OPTION

With quarterly and annual service plans across multiple service lines that create recurring revenue; no large initial investments in real estate or multiple pieces of expensive equipment; high customer satisfaction and retention; and a post-launch plan for success, Franchise Owners who choose Window Hero are

choosing to be fully supported in building a thriving recession-resistant business. Below are some key reasons Owners choose to invest in Window Hero over other franchise options.

OPTIMIZED BUSINESS MODEL

Streamlined for simplicity and to minimize costs, Window Hero Owners can work from home and use a garage or small storage space for equipment. This makes it a concept that is quick to launch. With the ability to scale when it’s time to grow and clear benchmarks for when it’s time to expand, their

160 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

optimized business model is designed for Owners that want to work on a business, not in it.

HIGH CUSTOMER RETENTION

When it comes to acquiring customers, Window Hero focuses on measurable goals and builds their targeted marketing efforts on real data. Some of the many reasons homeowners choose Window Hero over local, independent operators is because of their fully insured, fully trained technicians, ladders that prevent damage, and their customer-first mindset. That helps Franchise Owners gain market share. With an exceptional customer experience and 100% customer satisfaction guarantee, Window Hero Franchisees are well positioned to turn new customers into lifelong clients.

SALES & SCHEDULING CENTER

Window Hero takes customer service very seriously — happy

customers mean repeat business and positive word of mouth means referrals. The corporate Sales & Scheduling Center helps Owners manage the heavy lifting of sales, including scheduling, quoting, and answering general questions. This team fields more than 100,000 inbound and outbound calls each year so Owners can focus on delivering quality service without having to be glued to the phone.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY

Window Hero offers Owners three different paths to ownership: Owner Operator, Owner Operator with a Dedicated Crew Leader, and Empire Builder. With the Owner Operator option, Owners review schedules, audit vehicles for supplies, finish outstanding quotes and perform services, while the Owner Operator with a dedicated crew leader quotes

and markets, stays in contact with the manager, networks, recruits and monitors customer communications. The Empire Builder hires a full-time manager, maintains business obligations and overall quality of operation, and scales the business through networking.

A successful Franchise Owner should be a team leader, optimistic, eager to learn, have a competitive spirit, and display grit. Window Hero looks for people who will follow their tried and true processes, understand the value of networking, and are comfortable supporting and managing a team. For more information on this opportunity, reach out to windowhero@ frandev.co today!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Abi Pepin, a content writer for FranDevCo, is an Appalachian State University alumni. With a degree in communications, journalism, Abi is using her writing skills to create content that promotes brands.

161WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022
Help families find the right senior care community for their elderly loved ones We are NOT a free referral service. We offer a placement service with integrity. Ask us about the Senior Care difference! seniorcareconsulting.com Steve.Kuker@SeniorCareConsulting.com (913) 945 2800 Franchise Opportunities Available Soon!
PROVEN s e r v i n g o v e r a d e c a d e o f e x p e r i e n c e f o r o u r f r a n c h i s e e s FRANCHISE INQUIRIES: (252) 248-387 FRANCHISE22@FRANCHISEGENESIS.CO PROCESS PROFIT Seamless process from open to close Ongoing support ensuring smooth and efficient operation Comprehensive classroom and on-site training Extensive marketing material access 3-STEP PROCESS THAT MAKES PRODUCTION EASY! n O W A W A R D I N G F R A N C H I S E S OVERTHETOPPITA.COM

The Importance of Businesses Giving Back

When people search for businesses to support, or franchises

to align with, they want to know that they are giving their money to a company that’s doing good. With so many options of different businesses to support, consumers can be selective and wait for a business that they feel has a mission aligned with their values.

For franchisors considering opportunities for giving back, it’s important to actually live that out. Many companies out there claim to be “mission-

based,” but when it comes down to it, very few are.

At Home Clean Heroes, we believe in giving back to the community. While our priority is to provide people with clean homes so that they can get that time back to enjoy on the things that matter most, our commitment goes much deeper than that.

CLEAN HOMES. SUPPORT

HEROES.

While it’s our mission to save our customers from cleaning, there are many other Heroes in our communities. Through Heroes First, we are recognizing and thanking the real heroes in our communities, our local first responders.

We’ve partnered with First Responders Children’s Foundation, a national nonprofit organization with a 20year legacy. It’s their mission to support the children and families of First Responder

164 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

heroes who risk their lives every day in service to their communities and together, we are able to make a difference in the areas serve across the nation.

How do we do this? A portion of every cleaning fee is donated to the foundation. In addition to that, Home Clean Heroes customers have the ability to round up on their regular services as well. Since the program launched earlier this year, we have been able to donate over $12,000, to help fund programs such as scholarships, financial assistance grants, mental health programs and much more.

WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN OUR IMPACT; THE SKY'S THE LIMIT!

OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH CLEANING FOR A REASON

Many Home Clean Heroes franchise locations are proud to be partnered with Cleaning for a Reason, an international nonprofit serving patients undergoing cancer treatment.

“Joining Cleaning For A Reason is our way of giving back to our local community,” stated Director of Marketing Kathy Turley. “We believe that every home needs a hero and providing complimentary cleaning services to cancer patients lets us help families maintain some sense of normalcy during a turbulent and emotional time. Having lost both my parents to cancer within a year of one another, I know first-hand how comforting it can be to have the housekeeping tasks taken care of.”

HEROES FIGHTING HUNGER INITIATIVE

Home Clean Heroes locations also participate in Heroes Fighting Hunger from midNovember through the end of December. Heroes Fighting Hunger is an initiative where we collect canned goods and other non-perishable items on behalf of local food banks in the local communities we serve. During house cleaning services, customers simply leave out these items with a printed flyer for Home Clean Heroes to collect. During the first week of January, the Home Clean Heroes teams drop off the canned goods to local food banks to replenish shelves from the holidays, to then be given to families in need. Last year, our goal was to donate 1,000 canned goods to families, and this year we’ve raised the bar even higher with a goal of 2,000 nonperishable goods!

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN DECIDING HOW TO GIVE BACK

Here are a few things to consider when aligning with a philanthropic cause.

• Make it Local. While there are benefits to partnering with a national or international charity, people are more often wanting to bring positive impact to their own local communities than ever before. Where better to start making a difference than in the lives of your neighbors?

• Be Sincere. Find a cause that your business is passionate about, and live it out. Make it part of your core mission to give back in this way. If you’re not authentic about the work you’re doing, people can pick up on that. Customers want to

do business with businesses that care about doing good.

• Make Your Mission Clear. It means a lot more to hear the details of how you’re giving back rather than just seeing that you give to charity. Make it clear to people exactly what you’re doing to make an impact in people’s lives, and be proud to share it!

• Choose a Nonprofit that Aligns with Your Brand. The way that your business gives back shouldn’t feel forced or random but should tie in with your brand’s product or mission.

It feels good to do good, and with a corporate give-back initiative, customers will not only take notice, but employees will feel better and more invested in the work they’re doing, knowing they’re making a positive impact in the world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathy Turley is the Director of Marketing for Home Clean Heroes, a residential cleaning franchise that supports local first responders with every home they clean. In her role, she supports franchisee on local market activation, oversees the corporate marketing programs as well as franchise development initiatives. homecleanheroesfranchise.com

165WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

We were looking for a differentiated franchise opportunity and we found it with AKT, a best-in-class, revolutionary boutique fitness experience. We have been impressed since the first day with the quality of the resources and significant investment in brand development. It is exciting to be part of the Xponential family and have the opportunity to leverage proven systems and resources and a team of dedicated individuals who are committed and invested in your success!”

- Paul and Jodi Duma- Franchise Area Developer - South Florida
4 Years at Xponential 9 Years Industry Experience

THE OPPORTUNITY

High

Founded in 2013, AKT is a full-body workout that combines cardio dance intervals with strength and toning, which are effective and accessible for all fitness levels. AKT is fueled by positivity and the belief that movement has a powerful, lasting impact. With four signature class formats including dancebased, cardio and strength circuits, strength training intervals and toning.

Membership based - EFT reoccurring revenue

Straight forward business model - manager operated, minimal staff

class types for an effective and efficient

class content curated every 3 weeks

Studios

Max class

THE MONEY

1,800 - 2,200

Executive model/semi-absentee - scalable
Value Proposition, Reasonable price point No national franchise competitor
Offering 4
workout New
range from
Sq. Ft.
size is 30 bands salesinfo@xponential.com theakt.com * Please see Item 7 of the 2022 FDD for explanatory notes and details. Xponential Fitness, LLC is a franchise seller/broker representing AKT Franchise, LLC (“AKT”). This advertisement does not constitute a franchise offering or the solicitation of an offer to buy an AKT franchise which may be made only after your receipt of the AKT Franchise Disclosure Document, which first must be registered with certain states. AKT franchises are offered solely by means of the franchise disclosure document issued by AKT Franchise, LLC, 17877 Von Karman Ave., Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92614, and at (949) 346-9794. Certain states and foreign countries have laws governing the offer and sale of franchises. If you are a resident of one of these states or foreign countries, AKT will not offer you a franchise unless and until it has complied with all applicable legal requirements in your jurisdiction. Please consult with your franchise seller/broker at Xponential Fitness AKT for an updated list of jurisdictions where franchises can be sold. RESIDENTS OF NEW YORK: This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by a prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. RESIDENTS OF MINNESOTA: MN Franchise Registration Number: 8674. Copyright © 2022 AKT Franchise, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
WHERE CARDIO MEETS RESISTANCE.
CONTACT INFO THE MODEL Item 7 Range | $320,616 - $495,516*

Bring Your Franchise Model To The United States

Exporting your franchise to the United States is a great business opportunity. Due to the growth potential in the country, more and more franchises decide to come to this country.

With thousands of different franchise opportunities, the franchise industry in the United States is not lacking in concepts or ideas; however, even so, many foreign franchisors have been successful in selling their franchises. The strong base of potential franchisees and the multi-unit ownership model’s growing acceptance power faster brand recognition and lower support costs per unit.

ENTERING THE U.S. MARKET MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT MOVE FOR EVERYONE, BUT IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE NO OTHER!

Another advantage is that capital for franchise expansion is relatively easier to obtain in the U.S. than anywhere else.

WHAT STEPS SHOULD I TAKE TO FRANCHISE MY BUSINESS IN THE UNITED STATES?

Some of the steps that every entrepreneur who wants to open his franchise in the United States must follow are the following:

Seek help from an expert. Consulting a franchise consultant and lawyer is very important, their knowledge and experience will be vital for success.

Trade mark. Make sure you register your trademark and that the registration is current.

Put the documentation in order. It is necessary to prepare an FDD (Franchise Disclosure Document). For this, the franchisors, together with their franchise lawyer, have to prepare and update very detailed documentation. On the other hand, the operations manuals must be translated and tropicalized. The franchise must be registered in different states according to the regulations of each of them, etc.

Make sure your concept is marketable in the U.S. Unless the franchise can bring some differentiator in terms of product or service, it will be difficult to compete with U.S. based franchisors.

168 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
BUSINESS ADVICE

Get informed and prepare a business plan. Create a detailed business plan and conduct market research in your industry. Determine a strategy for human resources, sales, structure, accounting, etc.

THE MOST COMMON CONCERNS.

The main concern about expanding into the United States is usually fear of government regulations and the cost of entry. The system may have some additional costs and procedures compared to other countries, but compared to the market potential, the price is relatively lower.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A Wide Network of Franchise Professionals.

The large number of franchise concepts in the U.S, has enabled a wide network of experienced franchise professionals: lawyers, consultants, accountants, contractors and all types of suppliers, who can provide the assistance an international franchisor needs.

The Franchise Consulting Company and Franchise Genesis are firms with years of experience in franchising and will be able to help you with the process of exporting your brand to the United States professionally and effectively.

Barbara is a consultant at The Franchise Consulting Company. Contact Barbara at barbara@thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

169WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

Plug In To

A key benefit exclusively available to Neighborly brand franchise owners, ProTradeNet® negotiated millions of dollars in upfront discounts and returned over $7 million in rebates to Neighborly franchise owners in 2021. Neighborly® empowers more than 5,000 franchise owners the opportunity to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams with benefits exclusive to an organization of our scale, performance, and experience through our 17 leading North American brands.
The Possibilities • Recession resilient • Innovating industry • Scalability
REAL. RESULTS. BELONG. REAL USA boxing. Find the RESULTS you want. BELONG to more than just a gym. Legends boxing is a class-style gym that will provide profession al insight to anyone, reguardless of skill, phyisique, or experience. We believe boxing is a sport and skill that can belong to anybody, for everybody. for more information, or to sign up for your free workout visit legendsboxing.com • Learn a real, life long, every-day skill • Earn a greater sense of Self-Confidence • Get in shape without traditional gym monotony • Find friends for life with the Legends Tribe. BENEFITS OF BOXING FITNESS

Father, Son Team Bringing Back “The American Dream”

Newly Launched Franchising Program, Disaster Blaster Offers Small

Model For Those Who Want In On A Booming Industry

Thechallenge was how to take a business operating in an industry already valued at $210 billion and make it even better. The father-and-son team behind Disaster Blaster believe they have built a better mousetrap and are now ready to expand their business model on a national basis via franchising.

Founded in 2006, Disaster Blaster is a full-service, indoor restoration firm specializing in water damage, smoke damage, duct cleaning, asbestos abatement, and a wide range of other services, including meth lab cleanup and remediation – the only company in its market professionally trained to perform such work. Gary Lyons, 71, and son Matthew Lyons, 39, formed a mitigation and restoration company that separates itself from the competition with a simple but highly impactful strategy: Disaster Blaster offers the most services to the most wideranging customer base; one that encompasses insurance claims, commercial clients, property owners, cleaning companies, home sellers and buyers, schools, and universities and more.

“We wanted to address what we saw as serious issues inherent in the industry as a whole, such as the seasonality of service offerings and the over-reliance on certain customer segments and revenue sources,” Gary said of the restoration industry, which has been valued at $210 billion, according to IBISWorld. “That led us to develop the Disaster Blaster brand and concept that addressed the seasonality issue within our industry and create stability in growth, revenue, and income.”

Already approved to sell franchises in 30 states, Disaster Blaster is selling territories throughout the country, with the average territory including a population of between 150,000 to 200,000. Experience in management or the trades is beneficial, but not required. “We want someone who is honest, dependable, and

ethical,” Matthew said. “We want individuals who will represent the Disaster Blaster brand well in their territory and have a long-term interest in the brand and fulfilling the needs of their customers. And we want to offer a startup business to couples and individuals who are looking to operate a small mobile business that otherwise may be out of reach for them.”

Disaster Blaster considers itself the “Indoor Environmental Experts” and also provides radon mitigation, flood cleanup, mold remediation, odor removal, vandalism repair, basement waterproofing and reconstruction. But Disaster Blaster’s meth lab cleanup and remediation is certainly a differentiator.

172 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
DISASTER BLASTER CONSIDERS ITSELF THE “INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS”....IT’S METH LAB CLEANUP AND REMEDIATION IS CERTAINLY A DIFFERENTIATOR.
PROPERTY SERVICES
Business

According to figures from a report by news organization Spotlight PA, the “Pennsylvania State Police, the agency that typically handles drug lab busts here, logged 923 incidents” from 2017 to 2021. Matthew said Disaster Blaster began offering meth remediation about six years ago after they received several requests for the service.

Spotlight PA further reported that although meth remediation makes up less than 10 percent of Disaster Blaster’s projects, Matthew said he’s hoping the state will eventually regulate the service. Clients are generally property owners or managers who want to clean a property so it can be rented again; people who purchased bank-owned properties without knowing the full history of the home; and insurance companies. The jobs are complex and take at least two weeks.

“We didn’t believe it was that big of a problem up here,” Matthew told Spotlight PA. “I grew up here. I’ve lived in northeast Pennsylvania most of my life. I never expected that we would have the issues here that we have.”

The possible effects of climate change are another area that Matthew said might impact their service offerings in the future. “It will be interesting to see how that may impact our services and/or the need for our services,” he said. “Additionally, homeowners are becoming more and more aware of the needs for our services for such things as mold, radon, or asbestos remediation.”

PICTURED ARE GARY LYONS, AT RIGHT AND MATTHEW LYONS, AT LEFT.

Although they formed Disaster Blaster in 2006, both Gary and Matthew have been involved in the industry since 1996. Both owned separate mitigation and restoration businesses until they decided to launch Disaster Blaster together. Gary also worked in the insurance industry

for more than 20 years as a claims representative handling mitigation and property restoration claims and later as a claims manager overseeing close to 100 offices across the country. Likewise, Matthew started working in the mitigation/property restoration industry when he was 14 and holds multiple industry certifications.

“My experience in handling property claims for insurance companies has been invaluable in helping our customers navigate the claims process and will also be an invaluable resource for our franchisees,” Gary said.

While they both operated

similar businesses on their own, Gary and Matthew said there was a period of adjustment as they combined their knowledge and experience to create a newly branded company.

“We had to essentially start over from scratch,” Matthew said. “We had to market to customers who didn’t know our name yet. We had to develop our own marketing, relationships, and vendors. It was a lot of change, but it was well worth it in the end.”

“We love watching people succeed and are anxious to help our franchisees grow their businesses,” Gary said. “We are excited to watch the Disaster Blaster brand grow nationally, broadening our ability to assist more homeowners in need of our services or with existing environmental issues.”

To learn more go to www. disasterblaster.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emily Louis is a freelance writer for small businesses.

173WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN AMERICA AGED 65 AND OLDER WILL HIT 70 MILLION BY 2020

Now is the best time to start a business in this $300 billion dollar industry.

From personal care to privateduty nursing, ComForCare’s mission is to help provide a safe environment for seniors who are aging in place, allowing them the grace, dignity, and pride they deserve. ComForCare is known throughout the industry for developing specialized senior care programs including Alzheimer’s care.

CarePatrol is the nation’s largest senior placement organization. We take the pressure off families to help them find safer care options including assisted living, independent living, memory care, in-home care and nursing homes. Our senior advisors personally meet with families and serve as their guide -free of charge.

Estate sales often manifest when people find themselves at a crossroads in their lives. They may be downsizing upon retirement, dealing with the death of a loved one, or moving to assisted living. We provide an organized and professional way to sell their personal estate.

Visit us at BestLifeBrands.com to learn about each of these unique franchise opportunities in the senior care space.

Why Should You Consider a Property Management Franchise Today?

Those seeking new business ventures today may have found themselves wondering what the potential in the property management space really is. They are right to be curious: consider that Fortune Business Insights recently projected the global property management

market to grow from $19.33 billion in 2022 to $37.25 billion in 2029.

What is driving this? Well, more people than ever before are choosing to rent, and they are renting for longer periods of time than in the past. In fact, 40.7 million (or 34.6%) of occupied housing units are renter-occupied.

This is partially the result of economics: price volatility in housing has kept some out of the buyers’ market. There are also preferences driving this, as many Millennials and Gen Z renters choose to avoid the hassles of home maintenance and repair and favor leaving these responsibilities to property management for upkeep.

176 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

In addition to demand from residential renters, the number of rental real estate investors has also increased substantially in recent years, resulting in many opportunities for residential property managers. Professional investors are more likely to enlist a property management professional to help manage their properties, which means the need for housing professionals and businesses that employ them is also increasing. There are also opportunities for property managers to provide other expert services, including market analyses and offmarket property sales. These services are incredibly valuable to investors and can create new opportunities for property management businesses.

STARTING A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT BUSINESS

If you see the potential in Property Management, how do you get started? There is not one specific path to breaking into property management as a business owner. Some people start out as landlords for their own properties, while others enter the field as real estate or other industry professionals. For anyone considering going into the business though, it’s important to research your state’s licensing requirements to ensure that you have the proper education and experience

needed. Many states require a real estate license before allowing someone to become a property manager, as many of the responsibilities of a property manager are similar to functions that a real estate agent performs. Specific licensing requirements may vary state by state, so be sure to look into yours so you can plan accordingly.

Beyond licensing, setting up a property management business involves start-up costs that could include the cost of an office, business cards, signage, marketing, and a website. You'll also need to decide where your office will be located, what type of property management services you will offer, what kind of legal structure you will need for your business, and whether you will go it alone or hire a staff to help you. This can be a time-consuming process. But there is another path to owning a property management business that might get you set up sooner and take some of the guesswork out of your next steps.

A PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FRANCHISE?

Franchising may offer a quicker path to property management business ownership by providing prospective owners the opportunity to license an already established brand and system to help them as they get started. Franchises offer a proven business model from an experienced franchisor that can help get you up and running your own property management business much faster than if you were to start from scratch.

For example, world-class franchisor Neighborly® counts Real Property Management® among its family of franchise brands. Real Property Management provides all of their new franchise owners with in-depth training, turnkey business systems, and ongoing expert support. These advantages can help your property management business get off to a strong start. With the support of a franchisor behind you, you’ll have access to the training, marketing, and other resources you need to put you on the path to success.

NOW IS THE TIME

If you have thought about grabbing your own piece of the growing property management industry, running a property management company in your area may be just the path for you. And few options will make it as speedy and turnkey as investing in a property management franchise like Real Property Management. If you want to know more about whether this opportunity is right for you, contact a franchise developer at Real Property Management today

MORE INFORMATION

Real Property Management is the largest residential property management franchise organization in North America, managing tens of thousands of properties for individuals, investors, and institutions across the country. Founded from a single property management business started more than 35 years ago, each of the independently owned and operated RPM offices nationwide provides professional property management services for the benefit of our clients.

177WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

Wishes Come True

Making Entrepreneurial
• High franchise owner satisfaction • Flexible and scalable model • Lead a team of contract staff A key benefit exclusively available to Neighborly brand franchise owners, ProTradeNet® negotiated millions of dollars in upfront discounts and returned over $7 million in rebates to Neighborly franchise owners in 2021. Neighborly® empowers more than 5,000 franchise owners the opportunity to achieve their entrepreneurial dreams with benefits exclusive to an organization of our scale, performance, and experience through our 17 leading North American brands.
AMERIC A'S VOICE TUNE IN WEEKDAYS • 7:00pm EST AMERICASVOICE.NEWS Re p r Amet rica ’s DA I LY

Getting Started With a Painting Franchise

hether you enjoy working on painting projects or are looking to start a small business that is scalable, a residential painting business can be a great venture to consider. Painting businesses are in high demand, and there are many ways to get started in this industry. Franchising with a company that specializes in the industry may not be the first approach prospective owners consider when they hatch an idea to

Wget into painting services, but it is one well worth exploring. Read on to learn more about some of the benefits of buying into a painting franchise that can help owners avoid some of the challenges going it alone can present.

ADVANTAGES OF FRANCHISING A PAINTING BUSINESS

While all new businesses face challenges, some of the more common ones might be avoided by buying into an established painting business franchise rather than starting

a business from scratch. In fact, if you or anyone you know have ever dreamed of being your own boss in a painting business, buying a painting franchise like Neighborly®’s Five Star Painting® might be the solution you’ve been looking for. There are several key reasons for this:

• Franchising has a higher success rate than startups. When you buy into a franchise, you are joining and becoming part of an already established brand. This gives your business an automatic leg-up in terms of name recognition and customer base. People are more likely to trust and do business with a company they have heard of before.

• Franchising comes with successful business models, training, and brand awareness in place. When you become a franchisee, the franchisor will provide you with all the information and resources you need to get your business up and running - quickly and successfully. This includes a detailed business model, access to their marketing campaigns and materials, as well as extensive training on how to run every aspect of your new business.

• Hands-on training will improve your business. Access to hands-on training

180 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

is essential if you wish to start a painting business with little to no experience. You don't need professional experience to own a painting business, you can hire the team that handles the painting while you build and grow your business, and you’ll have the help to find those subcontractors.

Franchisors like Neighborly offer a streamlined training process with classroomstyle and hands-on business training, powerful backoffice technology to simplify your day-to-day duties, continuous hands-on support and more.

• A respected brand name and professional marketing assistance can help you stand out. Because the home painting industry is very competitive, the marketing assistance that franchising offers is valuable. An established brand name will help you attract customers in your local market, while the franchise’s marketing team can help you develop and execute promotional campaigns.

Neighborly also provides their franchisees with a network of like-minded franchisees willing to share ideas and collaborate. When starting your own business, you are out on your

own, with a franchise, you have a community of other business owners in the same boat available to give advice and insight you wouldn’t normally have.

FRANCHISE IN FOCUS: FIVE STAR PAINTING

Five Star Painting is one of the top painting business franchises in the nation. In fact, Five Star Painting franchisees enjoy the best of both worlds: the independence of owning their own community-based small business, along with the support and expertise of a large North American company that has been in operation for more than twelve years. Five Star Painting franchisees enjoy benefits that are tough for independent startups to match:

• Cutting-edge marketing strategies, including digital advertising, a website, and marketing professionals to help your business be highly visible year-round.

• Cross-promotional advertising and business leads through Neighborly’s expansive network of home service businesses.

• Comprehensive training. A dedicated franchise business coach will walk you through all aspects of owning a painting business.

• License to use established

trademarks and recognizable brand materials/logo to set your business apart from local competitors.

• Ongoing coaching, training, and support for the life of the franchise agreement, including networking opportunities, preferred vendor discounts, and more.

IS A PAINTING FRANCHISE IN YOUR FUTURE?

While owning any small business will come with both pros and cons, starting a franchise painting business can allow you to benefit from the support of an established brand, access to training, and marketing resources that other start-ups simply don't have. If you're thinking about starting a painting business, the Franchise Developers at Five Star Painting are there to answer any questions, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them if you would like to learn more about opportunities today.

MORE INFORMATION

Five Star Painting was founded in 2004 by two friends who painted houses to pay their way through college. Since that time, Five Star Painting has grown into a national franchised brand with more than 190 franchise territories across the United States and Canada with the goal of transforming our customers’ homes and businesses with our painting services and top-rated customer experience.

181WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022
FIVE STAR PAINTING FRANCHISEES ENJOY THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS: THE INDEPENDENCE OF OWNING THEIR OWN COMMUNITY-BASED SMALL BUSINESS, ALONG WITH THE SUPPORT AND EXPERTISE OF A LARGE NORTH AMERICAN COMPANY.

StretchLab is a brand I’m proud to be a part of. Opening three existing locations, with an additional three opening in the future with the support from Xponential and the Stretch Lab team has been a truly rewarding and worthwhile invest ment. Our members love the services and StretchLab is com plementary to all workouts and walks of life.”

-
Terry Rackley, Multi-Unit Franchise Owner, TX
“ Verdine
Baker
StretchLab President 5 Years at Xponential 14 Years Industry Experience

THE OPPORTUNITY

LONG.

Founded in 2015, StretchLab is a leading assisted stretching brand that was created to help people through customized flexibility services. It offers one-on-one stretching sessions to customers across a broad range of age and fitness levels, utilizing TRX MAPS 3D body scanning technology, which tracks mobility, muscle activation, posture, and body symmetry to create individually tailored and more targeted stretching programs for clients to achieve their wellness goals. StretchLab’s advanced “flexologist” instructors receive extensive training, including both classroom and on-the-job trainings programs.

THE MODEL

based

reoccurring revenue

THE MONEY

CONTACT INFO

Executive model/semi-absentee - scalable High Value Proposition, Reasonable price point Attractive consumer-oriented concept Complementary to any boutique fitness or wellness services Proprietary Flexologist® Training Program Membership
- EFT
Straight forward business model - manager operated, minimal staff Minimal buildout/Fast opening Studios range from 1,100 - 1,400 Sq. Ft. Max size is 10 benches salesinfo@xponential.com stretchlab.com Item 7 Range | $160,300 - $299,260* * Please see Item 7 of the 2022 FDD for explanatory notes and details. Xponential Fitness, LLC is a franchise seller/broker representing Stretch Lab Franchise, LLC (“Stretch Lab”). This advertisement does not constitute a franchise offering or the solicitation of an offer to buy a Stretch Lab franchise which may be made only after your receipt of the Stretch Lab Franchise Disclosure Document, which first must be registered with certain states. Stretch Lab franchises are offered solely by means of the franchise disclosure document issued by Stretch Lab Franchise, LLC, 17877 Von Karman Ave., Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92614, and at (949) 346-9794. Certain states and foreign countries have laws governing the offer and sale of franchises. If you are a resident of one of these states or foreign countries, Stretch Lab will not offer you a franchise unless and until it has complied with all applicable legal requirements in your jurisdiction. Please consult with your franchise seller/broker at Xponential Fitness, LLC for an updated list of jurisdictions where franchises can be sold. RESIDENTS OF NEW YORK: This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by a prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. RESIDENTS OF MINNESOTA: MN Franchise Registration Number: 8451. Copyright © 2022 Stretch Lab Franchise, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
LIVE

YES, it’s already time to start thinking about your 2023 FDD Renewal — and that’s a good thing!

With the summer vacation season coming

to a close many of our franchisor clients are reaping the benefits of the franchise “harvest season” – a prime time in early Fall for awarding new franchises to incoming candidates who are hunkering down and focusing on their next move. While we certainly encourage our franchisors to take advantage of this bumper crop opportunity – it’s also a great time to begin the initial planning process for your 2023 FDD renewal. Even though your 2022 FDD feels fresh out of the gate (and may still be awaiting registration in some states – I’m looking at you New York and Washington) – at least some of that renewed sense of focus brought on by the close of Summer should be channeled into prepping for the looming FDD update season. Here, we put together a list of practical considerations to keep on your radar between now and year end to ensure a smooth update to your franchise documents.

PREP YOUR OUTSIDE AUDITORS

While we’re still a full calendar

quarter away from fiscal year end 12/31 – now is the time to either select your outside auditor, or touch base with them to make sure they’re aware of your audited financial statement needs for the upcoming year. If this is your first time engaging outside auditors for your franchise financial statements, this is the perfect time to get engaged so they can become familiar with your business before their busy season is in full swing. Even if

you’re taking advantage of the “phase-in” of audited financials available to new franchisors, if you launched your FDD in 2022 - at a minimum you will need an audited closing balance sheet for year-end 2022.

***FAILING TO ENGAGE YOUR AUDITOR EARLY is by far the biggest reason we see franchisors experience delays in the FDD update process. If you need recommendations, we are happy to provide contact information for a few

184 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

audit firms that specialize in franchisor financial statements.

ENGAGE YOUR AUDITORS!***

ASSEMBLE THE EMPIRE

Updating your FDD every year is a collaborative process that includes input from various departments in your organization. For the Chief Everything Officers out there who are running new and emerging franchisors, you may be able to assemble your entire team at the family dinner table or by looking in the bathroom mirror. For larger organizations, key players are going to be your operations manager, franchise development personnel, marketing team, and executive leadership. Each department should be pinged for feedback on some key questions: What is in our FDD that is no longer consistent with how we operate? What challenges did we face in the sales process (e.g. “friction points”)? What terms in our franchise agreement sparked the most resistance? You’ll want to get input from all of these teams and start making a list to provide to your franchise attorney for changes you’d like to see in your updated 2023 FDD.

CRUNCH THE NUMBERS

While the 2022 operating year is just entering the 4th quarter, now is also the perfect opportunity to look at Profit & Loss data for your corporate and/or franchised stores and

start sketching out what you’d like to present in next year’s Item 19 Financial Performance Representation. While our goal with franchisor clients is to present a “Net Margin” or “EBITDA if Franchised” type Item 19 disclosure – it can also be very useful to franchisee candidates to have some historical data on key performance indicators for your operating locations. These “KPI’s” will vary widely by industry – but some examples include: (1) The average number of cars serviced per month by an auto repair shop and the average repair ticket price per service. (2) Average number of pre-sale memberships sold by your yoga/barre/cycling/pilates studio during their “Grand Opening period” and the average membership price. (3) Average service quotes/ estimates per month for your home services business, together with average job closing rates and average service order price per customer. Your KPI’s are going to be hyper-specific to your business category and the data that you track on a regular basis. The key takeaway here is that an Item 19 can (and maybe should) be more than just P&L data!

STATE(S) OF THE UNION

Thinking about state registration efforts for 2023 while some of this year’s registrations are still pending

might be (is) frustrating, but now is the time to game plan around market penetration for the upcoming year. Get with your franchise attorney and they should be able to provide an overview of what it takes (and costs) to renew or process a new or renewal registration in any given franchise registration or exemption state. We’re always happy to provide a no-cost initial state overview consultation with prospective clients so feel free to reach out and we’d be glad to walk you through it.

LET’S MAKE A DEAL

Speaking of your franchise attorney – now’s the time to get on their calendar as well for your 2023 FDD renewal. Engaging your attorney, or at least confirming you intend to renew with them, helps your franchise attorney appropriately plan and scale resources for the upcoming renewal season. This may also be a great opportunity to get a handle on your legal “back-office” to make sure you’re properly archiving your signed franchise agreements, marking deadlines for franchisee contract compliance, and any other system oversight tracking you need to be aware of. Many franchise attorneys may also be willing to discuss a flat fee arrangement for your FDD renewal so your costs for the renewal are predictable rather than based on a fluctuating hourly rate (hint, hint!). Engaging with your attorney earlier is much more likely to allow time to discuss a flat rate instead of hourly work for your renewal!

185WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

CREATING OPPORTUNITY

OUT OF OBLIGATION

Ever heard the story of the two lumberjacks? They start each morning and chop wood for twelve hours straight, sun-up to sundown. However, despite taking a 2-hour lunch break each day, one lumberjack still cuts down 25% more trees than the other. Frustrated, the first lumberjack asks his long-lunching colleague how he manages to constantly outpace him despite working far fewer hours every day. “Simple” says the second lumberjack – every day at noon I go home and kiss my children on the forehead, enjoy a delicious meal prepared by my loving wife, pet our loyal golden

YOUR ANNUAL FDD RENEWAL IS YOUR CHANCE TO SHARPEN THE AXE ON YOUR FRANCHISE DOCUMENTS.

retriever, and take in the fresh mountain air. Awestruck and defeated, the lumberjack inquires “Is that it – is that all you do?!”. His colleague pauses for a moment to reflect as a knowing smile stretches across his lips, “Well that- and I sharpen my axe.”

Your annual FDD renewal is your chance to sharpen the axe on your franchise documents, clear out outdated information that is causing friction in your sales process, and prep for

presenting the strong financial performance data that you and your franchisees have been working so hard on this year. As always, we’d be happy to assist in any way we can. Have a wonderful Fall and cheers to all of your success and hard work in the wild world of franchising so far!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Drew Chalfant is the Managing Partner of Roda Chalfant Franchise Law - The Franchise Attorneys Who've Been There Before.

With 250+ Franchises Partners,

30+ years of history, and plenty of room for expansion, now is the time to look at the Fibrenew opportunity.

Have you ever noticed a damaged leather sofa, ripped car seat, torn medical bed or cracked restaurant seat and wondered; can that be fixed?

The answer is yes, and that’s what Fibrenew does. We restore damaged leather, plastic, and vinyl wherever it is found and our customers love us for it!

If you are looking for an opportunity that can’t be outsourced or replaced by machines, with rock-solid support, marketing and technology systems, an exceptional product line and a niche service that’s in-demand across multiple markets, Fibrenew could be a great fit!

Visit fibrenew.com/franchising to learn more.

®

186 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
Get started now: fibrenew.com/franchising

The Franchise that Takes Care of Its Community

more than 5,000 franchise owners

achieve their entrepreneurial dreams

an organization of our scale,

experience through our 17 leading North American

benefit exclusively available to

brand franchise owners,

• Personally fulfilling opportunity • Multiple service verticals • Easily scalable model A key
Neighborly
ProTradeNet® negotiated millions of dollars in upfront discounts and returned over $7 million in rebates to Neighborly franchise owners in 2021. Neighborly® empowers
the opportunity to
with benefits exclusive to
performance, and
brands.

Paul Davis Restoration is Looking for Franchisees and Team Members Who Will Become #Difference Makers

Property damage restoration is a large industry. Paul Davis Restoration focuses on $75 billion of this space that continues to grow. According to Mike Hopkins, Sr., Chief Operating Officer at Jacksonville, Florida-based Paul Davis Restoration Inc. it’s a tremendous career

opportunity for those with a head for business and a passion for helping others.

“Our franchise owners love their work, their teams and the communities they serve,” said Hopkins. “The enthusiasm they possess motivates their teams and creates a feeling of excitement and camaraderie when helping people in their

time of need. Our projects really come in some of the worst moments of peoples’ lives, sadly,” continued Hopkins. “Our training is focused on ‘people first, property follows’. That is in our Brand Promise. The type of franchisee and team member we seek is a person who gets real joy out of helping others

190 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
PROPERTY SERVICES

and delivering on our promises while also making a profit and employing many like-minded individuals.”

The company’s fresh perspective opens opportunities to develop and run a profitable business that is backed by a supportive home office. Paul Davis services help people endure challenging moments through reconstruction and restoration to both residential and commercial properties.

Locally, the company and its franchisees and teams work daily and honor and respect First Responders. They work with firefighters, medical teams and other emergency staff who quickly respond to community emergencies. Many Paul Davis franchisees throughout North America are Emergency Recovery certified. This means the teams are trained and

prepared for assisting in the aftermath of emergencies. Best-in-class training and support is provided to Paul Davis Restoration teams. Ongoing training and support within the franchise system is considered “benchmark” in the industry.

“Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 9-15th,” Hopkins said. “We will collaborate with our local firefighters to make what is likely a horrific experience just a bit easier on victims of house fires, electrical fires, even wildfires which are, unfortunately, on the rise. We tend to people who have lost everything in many cases. We offer them much more than restoration of their homes and property. We work to restore beloved items which evoke memories; we bring them “rescue packs” of necessities they may need for their first day in a traumatizing situation. We offer them support in any way we can.”

Paul Davis teams strive to provide safety and certainty in the communities they serve, honoring their 2022 tagline “The Difference Makers™”. They are passionate about making a positive difference for their customers. That is the case of this real-life example of a retired firefighter who was a fire victim himself. Paul Davis team was able to search through the rubble and make a difference

by salvaging his original firefighter suit. The company seeks team members who feel empowered by this common sense of purpose of helping others in their time of need.

Another important practice in the system, which is quickly approaching 350 franchisees in North America, is the attention to staff and team members. “We nurture a culture of being the employer of choice for our Team,” said Hopkins. “Today it seems to be in vogue to lead from a ‘people first’ position. Kindness and acknowledgment to Team Members is now talked about and celebrated. For many leaders and organizations this is not new. The truth is that it has always worked. It’s so obvious to me that all people want to be known and valued in their workplace, and they want to know that they are a vital component of a winning team. They are also eager to connect with a bigger purpose at work.”

This year we look to add 25 new franchise locations to the Team. Concluded Hopkins, “If you want to own and operate a big business with a small business family feeling, we are looking for you.”

www.pauldavisbusiness.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rhonda Sanderson is a franchise expert who has owned and operated Sanderson & Associates and Sanderson PR, both specializing in, traditional, social media and crisis PR in the franchise space since 1986. She has authored many articles, helped grow numerous franchise chains is considered one of the Top 30 Small Business Influencers (Fit Business) in the U.S. Find her at Rhonda@sandersonpr.com or on LinkedIn where she is the author of Franchise Stars at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-sanderson-a6b658/

191WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022
Contact
Mike Hopkins Sr., COO of Paul Davis Restoration
Inc. CONTACT WWW. PAULDAVISBUSINESS.COM
AM ERICA'S #1 FRANCHISE OPPO R TUNITY **Please see item 7 of the Maaco FDD. BENEFITS OF MAACO 5DAYS OF OPERATION 8AM - 5PM PURCHASING POWER 200+ NATIONAL FLEET ACCOUNTS DEDICATED SUPPORT SYSTEMS MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Liquidity: $140k Net Worth: $300k+ Credit Score: 680+ Total Investment: $400,000** WHO IS MAACO? AUTOMOTIVE PAINT & COLLISION 47 YEAR OLD PROVEN PLAYBOOK NO NATIONAL COMPETITION OVER 500 FRANCHISE LOCATIONS RECESSION RESISTANT BUSINESS IDEAL CANDIDATE NO AUTOMOTIVE EXPERIENCE NECESSARY PROCESS ORIENTED FOCUSED ON CUSTOMER SERVICE COMMUNITY LEADER DEDICATED TO TEAM BUILDING OUR INDUSTRY CHRIS.BROWN@DRIVENBRANDS.COM OR VISIT US @ MAACOFRANCHISE.COM CONTACT
FRANCHISE BUILT FOR THE FUTURE FOUNDED BY EXPERIENCED SALON OWNER Gina Rivera pwatson@phenixsalonsuites.com CONTACT US phenixsalonsuitesfranchise.com 770-670-1223 ATTRACTIVE ROI SEMIABSENTEE RECORD DEMAND KEY MARKETS AVAILABLE

Helping Small Businesses Access the Tax Credit Hiding in Plain Sight

Accelerate Tax helps small businesses maximize this valuable tax credit.

The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is a federal program created to help small and mediumsized businesses recover from the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ERC is a refundable tax credit that compensates business owners who retained employees despite a drop in revenue, government shutdown orders, or other government restrictions. Many businesses lost revenue or closed completely, and the ERC is designed to support those businesses that suffered. ERC is a generous stimulus program that pays up to $26,000 per employee, regardless of industry or sector. All business models are eligible, including franchises. The ERC is separate from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and is a refundable tax credit paid by the IRS. It is not a loan and does not need to be paid back.

The Accelerate Tax team was designed to be the first institutional, professional

organization to cater to small businesses across the U.S.

Many business owners do not know how the ERC credit works or if they qualify. Every day we speak with business owners that were given wrong information—usually from their own CPA or accountant. There are good reasons for this. The program is complex and difficult to understand. Many CPAs have not read or do not understand the legislation, and small accounting firms do not have enough clients to make

it worthwhile. One of our early clients, a jewelry store, was told his business did not qualify for ERC by his own CPA firm. After analyzing his file, we found that he was eligible for an ERC credit of more than $750,000. He was thrilled—this money was a blessing for his business in a time of high-interest rates and declining consumer spending.

Navigating complex tax codes can be expensive and difficult. Large companies can afford teams of accountants

194 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
BUSINESS ADVICE

that take advantage of every loophole in the system. Small businesses, however, are often left behind. When the ERC launched in 2020, the IRS estimated that 6.1 million small and medium-sized businesses would be eligible. So far, Accelerate Tax estimates that only about 550,000 businesses have received it. Our team is passionate about helping small businesses that have not yet filed for the ERC receive the funds they are due. Accelerate Tax is made up of experienced industry veterans focused on maximizing the ERC tax refund and expediting our clients’ applications to the IRS.

Although the ERC program’s qualifications are for 2020 and 2021, small businesses still have several years to claim it. But because government legislation can change, we encourage all businesses to file as soon as possible. Right now, the IRS backlog means it can take months or longer to receive the ERC credit.

Through our partnerships with institutional lenders, Accelerate Tax can help qualified businesses access their ERC funds in as little as 1-2 weeks. To make filing affordable, we do not charge an upfront fee for our services. Our clients can choose to pay our filing fee when the IRS check comes in.

The ERC legislation is long and complicated and has changed several times. This confusion leads many small businesses to think

that applying for ERC is too challenging. Our team of professionals can help. We know the ERC legislation backwards and forwards and can help your business not only qualify but also maximize your credit. We are a whiteglove service and will handle every step of the filing, from calculating your credit to expediting payment. Our dedicated team has dissected the rules and created a robust process to help you navigate the complexities of applying and maximizing your ERC credit.

We are driven to help your business succeed. And right now, that means maximizing the amount of ERC credit your business is due. Reach out to one of our professionals today!

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE ERC PROGRAM:

Misconception 1: A business cannot apply for ERC because its revenue did not decline.

False. The ERC legislation looks at quarterly declines in revenue. Annual revenue changes are not enough to assess eligibility. Furthermore, even if revenues increased, if your business experienced a full or partial suspension of operations because of government orders, it may still qualify for ERC.

Misconception 2: A business does not qualify unless it is shut down.

False. Many business

owners believe they will only qualify for an ERC refund if they completely suspended activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is another misconception. In the case of partial suspension, a business may qualify for ERC for the entire duration of the suspension.

Example: If a business’ pre-COVID hours were 9 AM to 8 PM and due to local government orders, those hours changed to 10 AM to 6 PM, the business is eligible for ERC regardless of revenue.

Example: If a city mandated a maximum limit on restaurant tables, reducing the capacity of a restaurant by 10% or more, the restaurant would qualify for ERC during that period. The same rules apply to any other type of business that faced occupancy restrictions.

Misconception 3: A business that received PPP loan forgiveness does not qualify for ERC.

False. In the first version of the ERC legislation, if a business received PPP forgiveness the ERC credit was disallowed. However, the ERC legislation has been amended several times. One of the amendments reversed the PPP disqualification. However, many accounting firms were not aware and did not update their qualification criteria. Thousands of businesses were told they were not eligible because they received PPP forgiveness.

Misconception 4: A business that did not qualify based on revenue and had limited shut down time because it was an essential business would get a reduced or no ERC credit.

195WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | OCTOBER 2022

This is one of the most difficult and common misconceptions. Accelerate Tax encounters many businesses that qualify for ERC if they were affected by supply chain problems. A simple test is that if supply chain problems resulted in 10% or more disruption to operations, a business will still qualify for ERC regardless of whether or not it was shut down. Supply chain problems were rampant during COVID, as delivery of goods were delayed from overseas. Millions of businesses were affected. Our experienced team can walk you through all possible supply chain issues affecting your business and document instances where those have affected your day-to-day operation to qualify you for the maximum ERC credit available.

Misconception 5: A company not in business in 2019 would not qualify for ERC.

False. ERC rules allow businesses that started during the pandemic to compare gross receipts to 2020, with all other qualifiers still applying. Accelerate Tax encourages these brave business owners to apply for ERC. Our team has extensive expertise with startup businesses.

SIZE MATTERS

The Employee Retention Credit qualification is based on the number of full-time employees in 2019. Businesses with fewer than 100 employees in 2019 qualify for 2020 and businesses with fewer than 500 employees in 2019 qualify for 2021. If your business has more employees, it may still be eligible for ERC, but only on wages paid to employees for the time they did not actually work. While qualification is based on the 2019 FTE count, the actual credit is calculated based on all

your employees in 2020 or 2021 (full-time and part-time).

ERC REFUND PER ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE

For 2020, the ERC can amount to up to $5,000 per employee. For 2021, this rises to $7,000 per employee for each of the first three quarters. In total, a business can receive up to $26,000 per employee.

PROGRAM DURATION

The ERC program qualification period ended in the third quarter of 2021, however businesses still have time to file for the credit. The clock is ticking, please contact Accelerate Tax today.

ABOUT ACCELERATE TODAY

Over 500,000 businesses have claimed an average of $130,000 each. We specialize in helping businesses maximize their ERC refund. Get the refund your business is owed today. www.acceleratetax.com

196 OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM
NANCY LANARD MICHELLE BOLDON ERIN PALLAS GRAY YVONNE HOLDEN SARA KOROL KIMBERLY MEYER REBECCA ROSS FREE CONSULTATION: 215-392-0030 • lanardandassociates.com TRUSTED GUIDANCE CUSTOM LEGAL SOLUTIONS FOR FRANCHISEES NATIONWIDE At Lanard and Associates, we create tailored legal strategies to help your business thrive. 25 YEARS of FRANCHISE EXPERIENCE NATIONAL REACH Nationwide Franchise Representattion WIDELY RECOGNIZED 5-Star Peer and Client Rated PERSONAL ATTENTION Trusted Guidance; Superior Service Deciding to become a franchisee is a big step. LET US HELP!
Franchise Expo www.FranExpoCanada.com In Conjunction With The Great American Franchise Expo Tour The Best Canadian & U.S. Franchise Offerings. Meet With Canadian Experts on Business, Finance, Law and Marketing. Learn About the Hottest Business Trends in Canada. Attend The Largest Online Franchise Trade Show in Canada! Ask for Your FREE VR Headset! DISCOVER CANADIAN FRANCHISING! TO REGISTER For Your Free Tickets or to Learn About Exhibiting Go To: Online Trade Show Marketing is the #1 Way to Meet New Opportunities! THE LARGEST ONLINE SHOW IN CANADA!

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.