FRANCHISING USA DECEMBER 2018

Franchising usa $5.95 www.franchisingusamagazine.com

The magazine for franchisees

VOL 07, ISSUE 2, dec 2018

MEDI-

WEIGHTLOSS

®

FRANCHISE

COMBATING AN EPIDEMIC special

RETAIL franchising feature

START WHERE YOU ARE 4 simple ways

small franchises can

Land Big Talent LATEST NEWS

FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM THE BANKS

TOP LAWYERS’ ADVICE

®

Franchising usa The magazine for franchisees

FRANCHISING USA VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2, 2018 president: Colin Bradbury. colin@cgbpublishing.com

Publisher: Vikki Bradbury. vikki@cgbpublishing.com

advertising: advertising@cgbpublishing.com

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

Editorial team: Gina Gill Rob Swystun

Production: usaproduction@cgbpublishing.com

DESIGN: Jejak Graphics. jejak@bigpond.com

COVER IMAGE: Medi-Weightloss ®

CGB PUBLISHING Canadian Office: Sidney B.C Canada U.S. Office: 800 5th Ave, #101 Seattle, WA 98104-3102 Sales: 847 607 8407 Editorial: 778 426 2446 www.franchisingusamagazine.com Proud member of the IFA:

SUPPLIER FORUM International Franchise Association 1501 K Street, N.W., Suite 350 Washington, D.C. 20005 Phone: (202) 628-8000 Fax: (202) 628-0812 www.franchise.org

Comments

f r o m t he p u bl i s he r & e d i t or Welcome to the December issue of Franchising USA. So here we are as yet another year draws to a close. As we all get ready to celebrate the holidays, I ask you to take a pause in planning for the future and instead reflect on what you have achieved over this past year. As entrepreneurs, we tend to be future oriented and focused on what we want to achieve, and it’s all too easy to overlook the wins already gained.

So I draw from Epicurus’ wisdom in this month’s quote as reminder to hit the pause button on goal setting (don’t worry, there will be plenty of time to get back to it in the New Year!) so you can stay present and live in gratitude for all that you have this holiday season.

Our Cover Story his month features Medi-Weightloss®, a clinically researched, science-driven program that allows patients to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Ranked among the top Franchise 500 Companies, the nationally recognized weight loss franchise offers a lucrative, stable business option. Turn to page 10 to learn more about the brand and find out How Combating An Epidemic And Financial Success Join Together.

Our Special Feature this month is Retail Franchising, where we take a look at an industry that goes beyond just the rack

with plenty of franchising opportunities.

Our Industry Experts look at why despite sky high commercial real estate rates, there are still successful retail businesses both in and outside of franchising. So what’s the key? According to Christopher Conner, it’s all about creating an experience at the store level. Heather Neary also gives her take on the secret sauce for Maintaining Success in Shopping Malls, and Rick Bisio reveals What You Need to Know About Seasonal Franchises, while Cordell Riley answers Why It Pays to Prioritize Your Retail Training.

This issue we have our Woman in Franchising Erin Gilliam. From franchise owner to working on the corporate level for a successful nationwide franchisor, Erin has returned to her roots as the principal owner of the Miracle Method Salt Lake City location. She discusses lessons she’s learned from working at a corporate level in a franchise network and her experience transitioning into a franchise owner.

Happy Holidays from all of us here at Franchising USA. We hope you enjoy some time off to celebrate with friends and family. See you back here next year for more news, information and advice to keep you ahead of the curve and get you back on track with your goals.

Happy reading!

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”

- Epicurus

The information and contents in this publication are believed by the publisher to be true, correct and accurate but no independent investigation has been undertaken. Accordingly the publisher does not represent or warrant that the information and contents are true, correct or accurate and recommends that each reader seek appropriate professional advice, guidance and direction before acting or relying on all information contained herein. Opinions expressed in the articles contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publication is sold subject to the terms and conditions that it shall not be copied in whole or part, resold, hired out, without the express permission of the publisher.

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contents

december 2018

On the Cover

10 Cover Story: Medi-WeightlossÂŽ Franchise: Combating an Epidemic 19 Special Retail Franchising Feature

10

14 Start Where You Are 50 4 Simple Ways Small Franchises Can Land Big Talent

In Every Issue 6

14

What’s New! Announcements from the industry

19 Retail Franchising Feature 37 Veterans Supplement - News and Information

for Veterans in Franchising

53 A-Z Franchise and Services Directory

22

Expert Advice 14 Start Where You Are

George Knauf, Senior Franchise Business Advisor, FranChoice

34 How to Bring Training into the Training Department

Evan Hackel, CEO, Tortal Training

50 4 Simple Ways Small Franchises Can Land Big Talent

26 Franchising USA

Ray Gibson, Co-founder and CEO, StartMonday

Women in Franchising

28

16 Erin Gilliam, Principal Owner of Miracle Method Salt Lake City

Retail Franchising Feature On the Cover

30

30 Retail Franchising: It’s About the Experience 26 What You Need to Know About Seasonal Franchises 28 Maintaining Success in Shopping Malls In Every Issue 20 Feature News

32

22 Feature Article Expert Advice 26 Retail Sales: What You Need to Know About Seasonal Franchises Rick Bisio, Franchise Coach, FranChoice

28 Maintaining Success in Shopping Malls

34

Heather Neary, President, Auntie Anne’s

30 Retail Franchising: It’s About the Experience

Christopher Conner, President, Franchise Marketing Systems

32 Your Front Line Is Your Bottom Line: Why It Pays to

Prioritize Your Retail Training Cordell Riley, Owner and President, Tortal Training

50 Franchising USA

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what’s new!

Assisted Living Locators Partners with Seniorly to Provide “FIRST of its Kind” Personalized Service Franchise Opportunities are now available in 34 States!

Headquartered in Virginia Beach, VA, 1st Class Real Estate, is proud to announce that franchise opportunities are now available in 34 States with more in the works. This organization is now looking to take its proven business model to new locations in new markets.

Collaboration Reinvents Senior Housing Search Process, Challenges Senior Online Platform Status Quo Assisted Living Locators, a leading senior care referral and placement agency, is partnering with Seniorly, a powerful online marketplace specializing in senior living search.

This partnership offers families nationwide a “first-of-its-kind” service that adds the personal touch by offering customized tours of pre-screened facilities.

This collaboration solidifies both companies’ commitment to transforming the way aging citizens and families connect to senior housing. Free to users on Seniorly.com, this unique booking service for personal tours extends nationwide.

Through this partnership, Seniorly will connect families via their online platform with Assisted Living Locators senior living advisors. These local experts will provide families a personalized experience with tours of vetted facilities, as well

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as share insider-knowledge on shortand long-term care options. Seniorly’s easy-to-use online marketplace lets users on web and mobile devices search and compare thousands of facilities based on location, cost, size, languages spoken and non-medical needs, as well as provides property ratings and reviews.

The collaboration between the two companies reinvents the senior housing search process and challenges the status quo of today’s online senior resource platforms, according to Assisted Living Locators CEO RN Angela Olea.

A top performing franchise organization, Assisted Living Locators has been matching seniors with caring providers for more than a decade.

To learn more, visit www.assistedlivinglocators.com.

1st Class Real Estate was founded in 2013 with just a handful of agents.

That one office has quickly grown to four branch locations with over 200 people strong in 2018. This franchise model has the software, systems, procedures, and PEOPLE in place for every process you can think of including office operations, staff procedures, lead generation, marketing & branding, closing coordination, inside sales agents, agent training, and more! We have centralized all of our support staff at our Resource Center located in Virginia Beach and bundled all of our services together with an infrastructure to support a new real estate entrepreneur at a very low-cost/lowrisk approach to being able to start their own real estate business!

If you would like more information about this topic or would like to attend our Discovery Day, please contact Ashley Neal at 757-504-4636, or email ashley@1stclassagents.com. www.1stClassRealEstate.com

pirtek returns as snocross sponsor PIRTEK is sponsoring the Snocross competition for the fifth consecutive year. The season kicks off the day after Thanksgiving with the Amsoil Snocross National, which will run Nov. 23-25 in Duluth, MN. PIRTEK’s involvement in the competition includes a general sponsorship of the entire Snocross season, a sponsorship of the Hentges Racing Team and a signature PIRTEK race. The PIRTEK Snocross National Presented by Jimmy Johns is Jan. 4-5 at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, MN. Snocross is a winter version of motocross, with snowmobiles launching into dramatic jumps during laps. The Ram Trucks Snocross Grand Finale concludes the season on March 15-17 in Lake Geneva, WI. “It’s always an exciting time for us at PIRTEK,” said Georganne DeSeve, PIRTEK USA marketing manager. “The fans love coming out to see all the action and the high level of competition. It’s nice to be part of the fun.”

The snowmobiles in the company’s title race will all display prominent PIRTEK branding. The sponsorships also entitle PIRTEK to video commercials on the track’s screen, on-track signage and various other displays of its branding.

Track groomers that prepare the snow for competition will display PIRTEK’s logo during the entire series. Once again,

the digital media character “Gary the Groomer” will appear on the Snocross. com website. Gary also has a presence on social media, including Twitter (@ GaryTheGroomer), Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. He will present regular track condition updates on livestream and social media. www.pirtekusa.com

FirstLight Home Care Named to Franchise Times’ Top 200+ for Sixth Year FirstLight Home Care, a leading national provider of non-medical home care, was ranked by Franchise Times as one of the top franchise systems in the U.S. for the sixth year in a row. Coming in at No. 321, FirstLight improved on last year’s ranking by 31 spots.

“Making the Franchise Top 200+ for six straight years is a testament to our individual franchise owners, as well as our home office staff,” said Jeff Bevis, CEO of FirstLight Home Care. “The business is only as good as the people working in it, and we have great people who have made us successful.”

The Franchise Times Top 200+ list is an annual ranking of the 500 largest franchise systems in the U.S. based on system-wide year-over-year sales growth. The research team uses a combination of companies’ voluntary reports and publicly available data, including the franchises’ most recent franchise disclosure documents and Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

“Our business has seen rapid growth as the U.S. population ages and the need for non-medical home care continues to grow,” Bevis said. “As more baby boomers become seniors, demand for home care is only going to get higher.”

FirstLight serves seniors, adults with disabilities, new mothers, veterans, those recovering from surgery and other adults in need of assistance.

Complete results of the 2018 Franchise Times Top 200+ Awards can be found at www.franchisetimes.com/Top-200.

For more information about FirstLight Home Care’s franchise opportunities, visit www.firstlightfranchise.com.

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what’s new!

IT’S A GRIND COFFEE HOUSE SPREADS HOLIDAY CHEER WITH WINTER BEVERAGE OFFERINGS to brew the flavors of the season in the comfort of their own homes, two new premium whole bean offerings, Jamaican Blue Mountain and Hawaiian Kona, will be sold in-store alongside two returning holiday flavors, Egg Nog and Winter Blend.

It’s A Grind Coffee House, a neighborhood destination serving premium signature coffees in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere, is spreading holiday cheer with its seasonal winter beverage lineup.

Available in three sizes and served in “Cool Santa” cups, It’s A Grind’s NEW Almond Tart Ice Blended and back-by-populardemand White Chocolate Candy Cane Latte and Ice Blended beverages will be offered for a limited time during the holiday season. Additionally, ideal for gift-giving or for guests who wish

“There’s a certain buzz about the holiday season that gets everyone excited, and our new holiday beverages really capture the spirit of joy that’s felt during the winter months,” said Sam Ferreira, president of Retail Food Group – USA. “Our ‘Cool Santa’ cups really set the tone for the holiday season and make enjoying our holiday beverages that much merrier, when out shopping, on your way to work or for any other occasion! Plus, our whole bean offerings bring It’s A Grind’s seasonal coffee experience right to your home and make perfect gifts for your loved ones.”

Available through January 6, 2019, the holiday offerings will be featured on It’s A Grind’s menu alongside fan-favorite espresso beverages, iced blended coffee creations, and freshly made breakfast sandwiches and pastries.

Please visit www.itsagrind.com for more information.

Local Entrepreneur Opens Always Best Care of Wallingford Leading Senior Care Franchise Offers Award-Winning Senior Care Services to New Haven County Branford, Cheshire, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Meriden, Madison, North Haven, North Branford, New Haven, Orange, Prospect and Wallingford. The new agency is owned and operated by first-time franchisee Linda Craig.

Always Best Care Senior Services, one of the leading senior care franchise systems in the United States, recently opened its newest franchise in Wallingford, Connecticut.

Always Best Care of Wallingford/Greater New Haven marks the company’s sixth location in the state and will provide senior care services to the communities of

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“Linda exudes an admirable amount of dedication and passion towards positively impacting the lives of those in need,” said Jake Brown, President and CEO of Always Best Care. “We’re very proud to welcome her to the Always Best Care family and believe her past experience in management and leadership in the medical arena coupled with her knowledge of the local community will allow her to provide

exceptional care to Wallingford and the surrounding areas.”

Always Best Care is one of the nation’s leading providers of non-medical in-home care, assisted living placement services and skilled home health care, and is the only senior services franchise system that combines the three to create three separate revenue streams for its franchisees. The company delivers its services through an international network of more than 200 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the United States and Canada.

For more information, visit www.alwaysbestcare.com.

Neighborly Announces Top Performers at Annual Conference

Web.com for Enterprise to Shine a Light on Hot New Franchises Web.com recently announced an exclusive digital marketing partnership between Web.com for Enterprise, its division focused on franchise businesses, and three innovative and rapidly expanding health and wellness franchise concepts centered on the game-changing consumer benefits of infrared heat.

Red Effect Infrared Fitness, Massage Green Spa and Stretch Smart Infrared Therapy have partnered with Web.com for Enterprise to provide digital marketing services. In addition to benefiting from enterprise-level strategic solutions, their growing number of locations will have the flexibility to pick from services such as lead-converting microsites, paid search campaigns and social media advertising.

Glass Doctor President’s Choice award winner, Ed Sieber (center)

Neighborly, one of the world’s largest parent companies of home service brands, recently held its annual conference in Dallas, TX where franchisees nominated and awarded their top performers for significant accomplishments and contributions throughout the year.

Glass Doctor, Aire Serv, Rainbow International, Mr. Rooter Plumbing, Mr. Appliance and Window Genie, all recognized top award winners throughout the U.S. and Canada, including: Glass Doctor - Franchisee of the Year: John & Susan Goldsmith; Rookie of the Year: Stephen & Cyndi Poe; President’s Choice Award: Ed Sieber Aire Serv - Franchisee of the Year: Nikki and Lee Downing; Woman of the Year: Anastasia Stewart; Rookie of the Year: Gary and Shelley Mertz

“Our new partnership with Web.com for Enterprise is going to enhance our aggressive franchise development plans both nationally and globally, and we are very excited to be engaged with the Web.com team,” said Founder and CEO Allie T. Mallad.

“We truly believe that new relationships like this one with Web. com will create success, and success will always create more relationships for our franchisees and customers.”

Recognized as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award winner, Mallad has amassed numerous prestigious industry awards and was named one of the Top 50 Franchisees in the U.S.

by Nation’s Restaurant News Magazine.

“Web.com for Enterprise has both the experience and the flexibility to help these franchise concepts attract new customers and fulfill their potential for growth,” said Denise Lynch, executive vice president of Web.com for Enterprise. “Our team is going to provide best-in-class digital marketing support so that the franchisees can focus on what’s most important – their customers.”

For more information, visit www.web.com/for-enterprise.

Rainbow International - Franchisee of the Year: Reed and Heather Mattingly; Woman of the Year: Rebecca Hill; Rookie of the Year: Kris Brower Mr. Rooter Plumbing - Franchisee of the Year: Derek and Pam Moreland; Woman of the Year: Stacy Franken; Excellence in Leadership: Scott Hobbs Mr. Appliance - Franchisee of the Year: Jeanette and Scott Stewart; Excellence in Mentoring: Steven and Tammy Johnson; Rookie of the Year: Quentin Smith Window Genie - Franchisee of the Year: Steve Sarafin For more information, visit www.getneighborly.com/expertadvice.

Allie Mallad, Founder & CEO, Message Green Spa, Red Effect Infrared Fitness, and Stretch Smart Infrared Therapy (seated on left) joins co-panelists in a discussion on “Franchise and the Technology Revolution” at Web.com for Enterprise’s 6th annual Customer Insights Summit.

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M ED I -W EI G H T LO S S ®

THE MEDI-WEIGHTLOSS FRANCHISE:

®

HOW COMBATING AN EPIDEMIC AND FINANCIAL SUCCESS JOIN TOGETHER

With the American Medical Association classifying obesity as a disease, it is more important than ever to fight against the epidemic.

Medi-Weightloss® provides a clinically

researched, science-driven program that

allows patients to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Franchising USA

When you become a franchisee, not only will you be changing the lives of others, you improve your own.

Michael Krassner, a multi-unit franchisee from Connecticut, explains his journey with Medi-Weightloss®.

Q

: Tell us about your background.

A: I was born in Boston, MA and spent most of my life in Dover, NH. I attended the University of New Hampshire and graduated with a BA in Communications.

In 2000, I became an entrepreneur, moving to CT to open a health club and eventually

become a multi-unit Planet Fitness franchisee. I sold my business in 2013 and by 2015 I became a Medi-Weightloss® franchisee.

Q

: Why was Medi-Weightloss® right for you?

A: After selling my health clubs I spent a year and a half researching new business opportunities. I looked into start-ups as well as several franchise offerings in various industries, i.e., pet care, food, cell phone repair, mobile self-storage, etc.

When I heard about Medi-Weightloss®,

“The Medi-Weightloss® Program has a strong focus on preventive medicine providing nutritional and behavioral counseling as well as the education needed to create a lifestyle change.”

I initially passed right over it as I did not want to be just another one of the “typical” weight loss companies. Eventually, I began to re-examine the idea. I participated in a Discovery Day at the Medi-Weightloss® corporate office in Tampa, FL. Upon visiting Medi-Weightloss®, I learned there was much more to their program. The Medi-Weightloss® Program has a strong focus on preventive medicine providing nutritional and behavioral counseling as well as the education needed to create a lifestyle change. The program is based on eating real foods, and that was a big selling point for me.

Another key component in the decision process was the Medi-Weightloss® clinical research and development team which provides ongoing resources for franchisees and patients through their studies and findings. This team differentiates Medi-Weightloss® from their competitors. They are constantly changing and improving pieces of the program to not only help patients lose weight but keep the weight off long term.

The program is always evolving and improving, keeping Medi-Weightloss® ahead of their competitors.

Q

: How long has your location been open?

A: I opened my first location in May, 2015.

My second location opened in October, 2017.

Q

: What type of research did you do prior to opening?

A: Prior to opening I researched the healthcare laws in my state. I attended the Medi-Weightloss® System Standards Training (SST) in Tampa, FL. The SST is very extensive, and includes teaching the program, products, EMR, clinical

“It is extremely gratifying and rewarding knowing that our team helped in making such a change in someone’s life.” aspects, marketing, recognizing the key performance indicators (KPI) and reporting. In addition, I spoke with some existing franchise owners about the operations and financial performance of their locations.

Q

: What type of support do you receive?

A: I have been a Medi-Weightloss® franchise owner for 3 ½ years and feel that I have developed a good working relationship with the corporate office.

The help that I need or questions I have

are often provided by my franchise consultant and include, offering operation, EMR system support as well as financial performance reviews. In addition, Medi-Weightloss® has a marketing team that provides local marketing and national branding support. At times my practitioners will contact the Medi-Weightloss® clinical affairs department when they have questions about the program or products.

Q

: Describe an instance where offering the Medi-Weightloss® Program changed a patient’s life?

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M ED I -W EI G H T LO S S ®

“When you become a franchisee, not only will you be changing the lives of others, you improve your own.”

A: This is a tough question because there have been many instances when a patient has approached me to share their story on how Medi-Weightloss® has changed their life. Just recently I had an older gentleman approach me. He shook my hand and thanked me. The gentleman explained he had tried many programs in the past but this was the only one that worked for him.

Prior to starting the Medi-Weightloss® Program his doctor informed him that his A1C was in the pre-diabetic range.

He started the program in February, 2018 and within the first month he lost over 20 pounds. His doctor was absolutely amazed and asked how he lost weight. As of October, he has lost 50.8 pounds. His A1C dropped significantly and his blood pressure came down as well. He cited that in addition to the program, the support and motivation from my staff helped him tremendously. He smiled while telling me that his life had changed from the day he started our program.

Q

: How did that make you feel, to know you were making a positive impact on a patient’s health and life?

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A: It is extremely gratifying and rewarding knowing that our team helped in making such a change in someone’s life. We helped prevent this man from becoming diabetic and all the complications and risks that come along with not only that disease, but his other co-morbidities as well.

Q

: Has being a Medi-Weightloss® franchisee lived up to your expectations regarding revenue generation?

A: My first Medi-Weightloss® franchise location exceeded my financial expectation and my second location is on track to do the same.

Q

: How has accepting insurance in your Medi-Weightloss® location impacted your business and patients?

A: Insurance was a game changer, essentially tripling my gross revenue. It opened the door to a larger population and demographic. We went from being a

program that only a certain percentage of the population could afford to a preventive medicine that most people with an insurance plan can now afford.

Medi-Weightloss® and all of its franchisees understand that the weight loss industry continues to grow as Americans become more conscious of their health. In addition to being ranked among the top Franchise 500 Companies, the nationally recognized weight loss franchise offers a lucrative, stable business option. In fact, the top one-third of Medi-Weightloss® franchisees reported generating over $1.2 million in gross revenue in 2017†. Upon opening a location, you’ll be provided with all the tools and resources needed to succeed and make a difference in the lives of others. Are you ready to join in the fight against obesity?

To learn more about investing in the leading medical weight loss franchise, call 813.579.5630 or visit MediWeightlossFranchising.com. † Not an offer to sell a franchise. Top tier revenue is the average of the top 1/3 of reporting franchises. The average gross revenue for all reporting franchises in 2017 was $705,882.58; see Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for details regarding our financial performance representations. © 2012-2018 Medi IP, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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ex per t advice

George Knauf, Senior Franchise Business Advisor, FranChoice

Start Where You Are “For a dream to start firming up you need to have a clear vision of your “Why?” and the outcomes you desire.”

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“If your goal seems big and too challenging to start, take the steps you can now.”

Do you dream of owning your own business and controlling your destiny?

Has this been an ongoing wish?

What has held you back?

For a lot of the folks I work with there is an ongoing internal battle between dreams, real life demands and perceptions that create fear. Often the thing that holds people back the most is the sense that it is too hard, will be too much work or if they wait a little longer it will all be easier.

There is an old saying, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

If your goal seems big and too challenging to start, take the steps you can now. Here are some thoughts on active steps you could be taking towards pursuing your dream of business ownership.

First, put it on paper or build a dream board.

For a dream to start firming up you need to have a clear vision of your “Why?” and the outcomes you desire.

For some this is a business plan type of document, you may even call this your “Dream plan” where you outline everything you know and envision today and can update it as needed. The specific business may not be the focus in the very early stages; it may be a broader life outline.

For others this step needs to be very visual; a dream board where you take a large cork board, put it up on a wall you see a lot and put pictures that represent why you want to pursue your dream as well as pictures that represent the outcomes you desire (family time, travel, experiences, etc).

Dreaming of owning a business is great, but for that dream to become a reality you will need something that motivates you to take the active steps required to bring your dream into reality. These first two steps, while they can be updated, happen in a pretty defined period of time and it is possible to complete them and slowly

forget the motivations you outlined.

After setting your vision via plan or dream board, start a journal. This can be a very structured book like the one a company called Best Self offers or just a blank journal. You will want to keep a daily record of your work day, how you feel about your job and where you see opportunities for you to grow. Also journal your life experiences, what keeps you feeling fulfilled and excited about the future. Make notes about what tasks you enjoy doing, and those you don’t.

The goal of your journal is not to act as a daily reinforcement of your dreams, but to add the real world motivators and steps towards your goals.

One of my mentors pointed out to me years ago that you tend to have similar experiences to the people you surround yourself with, or who find you because you are on a similar path to them.

Look at the people around you, they may be awesome folks but do you need to work in more people that are either on a similar path? Do you need more people around you that understand your goals, are working on their own, know the steps you are taking or have already started their business?

I still do this, it still works!

Where do you find folks interested in starting their own business, or who already have? Chamber of commerce meetings, networking groups, local business socials, talk to the owners of the local businesses that you frequent and much more. They are all around you!

When is it too early to start talking to franchise industry people? It is never too early.

I talk to people all the time that dream of owning their own business. We discuss where they are in that thought process, steps forward and when we need to actually start investigating franchises.

If you are more than 6 months away from decision time, you may want to be careful how you engage franchise brands. Starting an investigative process with a brand you really desire long before you could possibly make a decision may convey to

George Knauf

them that you have a hard time making decisions in business. There are ways to feed your knowledge base while making sure you maintain the correct impression of you with the franchise brand. I, or any very seasoned franchise pro, can help you determine the best path for you to maximize your outcome.

And finally: • A myriad of financing options make taking these steps easier • You don’t have to leave your job to start a franchise • There are many very affordable ways to get into business • Professionals like me are here to help every step of the way • Dreams are achievable with the right partners, process and your drive to succeed What is your success story? Let’s go find it!

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

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

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ex per t advice

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WOMEN I N FR A NCH ISI NG

Erin Gilliam

WOMEN IN FRANCHISING

Erin Gilliam Erin Gilliam knows franchising inside out. She’s gone from franchise owner to working on the corporate level for a successful nationwide franchisor.

Now, she’s returned to her roots as the

principal owner of the Miracle Method

I have a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing, management, and finance from Colorado Mesa University. After a few smaller entrepreneurial endeavors, as well as work in marketing and sales, I had an opportunity to open a B2B-based franchise in Seattle, Washington. After successfully managing and growing the business for 10 years, we sold the business in May of 2015 with the intention to move back to my home state of Colorado. Upon our return, I was hired as the director of marketing for the Miracle Method Surface Refinishing Corporate Office in Colorado Springs. In this role, I had responsibility for the National Ad Fund. I managed and grew the in-house marketing team and supported 140 franchise locations across the U.S. and Canada with local advertising plans and initiatives.

Salt Lake City location.

What lessons did you learn from working at a corporate level in a franchise network?

Tell me a little about your business background? What role did you serve in at Miracle Method?

It was tremendously challenging and rewarding to work on the corporate/ franchisor side of the veil! In the case of Miracle Method specifically, I was exposed to an incredible amount of

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“When leadership adopts a culture of continual improvement and focuses on franchise owners’ success as a top priority, it is exciting to jump in and get things done that make a real difference.” passion, dedication, loyalty, and hard work that the corporate staff put into continually striving to better serve our franchise owners. Whether operations, training, marketing or new product development, there is so much that goes into continually improving an already proven business model to ensure our position as No. 1 in the surface refinishing industry.

When leadership adopts a culture of continual improvement and focuses on franchise owners’ success as a top priority, it is exciting to jump in and get things done that make a real difference. For me, personally, having been in the shoes of a franchise owner, I always felt compelled to ensure we were making high-quality strategic decisions, in both the short- and

“Do your research, speak with owners in the network and make sure your values and culture align. Ask yourself, ‘Is this something I feel passionate about and would feel great about doing and promoting?.”

long-term, that had the best interest of our dedicated franchise owners at heart.

It gave me a much greater appreciation for the often-difficult decisions that franchisor leadership faces in serving a diverse and eclectic group of owners across diverse regions and markets. After nearly 2.5 years as director of marketing, the entrepreneurial calling and flexibility offered in owning your own business (all while being a busy mom of two little boys!) was strong enough for me to hand over the reins at the corporate level and jump into driving the growth and success of my own Miracle Method franchise in Salt Lake City, Utah.

How has the transition to franchise owner been?

Having been on both sides of the aisle, there are certainly pros and cons to each, but for me, I love the freedom and responsibility in growing something for yourself, but not being in business by yourself. I love the opportunity to develop a smaller, close-knit family business that is involved in the community by providing great services and excellent employment opportunities.

With Miracle Method, our solution for bathtub and kitchen countertop refinishing is one that provides a beautiful transformation for many homeowners that would otherwise be unable to afford a traditional tear-out and replacement or who simply cannot be without a kitchen or bathroom for 3-4 weeks.

Being able to provide a valuable service for local homeowners, whether a longawaited update or improved bathing safety through one of our many safety options, gives me the drive and motivation to keep going on tough days! One of our hardworking and dedicated employees is on track to be a first-time homeowner this year in part because of the income growth he has experienced in working with us, and I love being a part of our team members’ journey and success! I really enjoy being at the franchise level again.

“It is incredibly rewarding and empowering to be the curator of your own success story!”

What advantages does being part of a franchise network give you as a business owner?

Being an entrepreneur can be challenging, however being a franchise entrepreneur means you are not in it alone. In fact, outside of seeing the dedication that the Miracle Method corporate staff invests in the success of its franchise owners, the camaraderie and support offered by fellow owners is one of the reasons I love franchising. It makes it easier and more rewarding when you have a team — a network — of other owners pushing you to grow, giving guidance and rooting for you along the way. Whether in this

franchise, my prior franchise, or any franchise model, I have always believed that you must understand, embrace, value and invest in the franchisor/franchisee partnership and make an effort to build relationships with other owners in your network for the best results.

What advice would you have for women looking for business opportunities in the franchise industry?

My advice would be to consider your franchise options carefully. Do your research, speak with owners in the network and make sure your values and culture align. Ask yourself, ‘Is this something I feel passionate about and would feel great about doing and promoting?’ And then most importantly, does the model make sense, do the numbers add up, and would it meet your income expectations? At the end of the day, there are many business options or franchise opportunities that would be “fun,” but do they make money?

If it’s a ‘yes’ to those questions, DO IT! It is incredibly rewarding and empowering to be the curator of your own success story!

Erin Gilliam is the principal owner of Miracle Method Salt Lake City.

Formerly the director of marketing for the Miracle Method Surface Refinishing Corporate Office in Colorado Springs, Erin has extensive franchise experience on both the corporate and individual owner levels. www.miraclemethod.com

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The public and policymakers need to understand franchising.

Our purpose

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

Follow us

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

Help us keep the momentum going

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

You benefit by joining

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

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

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a

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@OurFranchise

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This is just the beginning

Make sure you stay up to date with the campaign’s latest efforts through email updates and social media.

Visit our website to read and share the latest stories of franchisors and franchisees making an impact in their communities. Become a franchise advocate to help ensure Americans, now and in the future, have the opportunity to start franchise businesses. Take the lead today!

FranchisingFeature retail

What You Need to Know About Seasonal Franchises Retail Franchising:

it’s About the Experience

Maintaining Success in Shopping Malls

december 2018

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what’s new!

Fleet Feet Announces Honorees of the Tint World® Names First-Ever Pacesetter Award 2018 Franchisee of the Fleet Feet, the retail leader in inspiring and empowering Yeartoday the 12 employee the runner in everyone, announced honorees of its inaugural Pacesetter Award. Selected from a brand-wide nomination process open to Fleet Feet storeowners and operating partners earlier this year, the 2018 Pacesetters have made significant contributions to the brand, demonstrated leadership and exceptional customer service, and have made an impact in their communities.

Fleet Feet CEO and President Joey Pointer, along with Fleet Feet’s Franchise Advisory Council members and Store Support Team, officially celebrated and recognized the 12 employees at the 2018 Fleet Feet Pacesetter Summit in the brand’s Carrboro, North Carolina, headquarters. During the Pacesetter Summit, the honorees worked alongside the brand’s leadership team to develop the vision, goal, and operational plan for the brand’s forthcoming and first-ever national charitable foundation.

originated at the store level with Charles Woodruff, our Albany franchise owner, and I was thrilled to have our team and our advisory council build off of his original idea and recognize such an exemplary group of individuals.”

“There is no greater importance to our brand than our employees and our owners, and the energy, passion, and commitment they show each and every day in communities across the country,” says Pointer. “It’s no surprise that the idea for the Pacesettters summit

For more information, visit www.fleetfeet.com.

The 2018 Pacesetter honorees will attend Fleet Feet’s National Conference in 2019. The nomination window for the 2019 Pacesetter honorees will open in July of 2019.

Tint World® Names 2018 Franchisee of the Year National Automotive Styling Centers™ awards Lubbock, Texas owners Acey and Kerri Light prestigious International Franchise Association award.

Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™, a leading auto accessory and window tinting franchise, has named husband and wife duo Acey and Kerri Light as their 2018 Franchisee of the Year.

Awarded at the International Franchise Association (IFA) Franchise Action Network Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., the IFA-sponsored award acknowledges the Lights’ rapid growth and commitment to Tint World®’s values and customer service philosophy.

“I’m continually impressed by Acey and Kerri,” said Charles J. Bonfiglio, president and CEO of Tint World®.

“They are the embodiment of success.

They truly embrace the philosophy of entrepreneurship, and I’m proud that

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they are a part of the Tint World® family.

This award is a great representation of their efforts and I have no doubt they will continue to impress.”

In addition to being awarded the IFA Franchisee of the Year award, the Lights also received the Tint World® Best Performing Franchise Award earlier this year at the Tint World® 2018 International Franchise Convention.

“Joining the Tint World® family continues to be one of the best decisions we’ve ever made,” said Acey Light. “My wife and I are honored to receive this award and look forward to continuing to grow the Tint World® brand and create a legacy of success for our family.”

For more information, visit tintworldfranchise.com.

New Boutique Macaron Kiosk, Woops!

Bringing Indulgent Experience to Milwaukee Something is baking at in Milwaukee. Woops!, a bakery dreamed up in New York City, specializing in macarons and other international pastries, is coming to town. Firmly anchored as the largest retailer of French macarons in the United States, Woops! is bringing its cultural flair and European indulgence to the Milwaukee area.

Located at Mayfair Mall, the location will be owned and operated

by Shahnoza Saadati and is set to open early 2019.

“Woops! is unlike anything in the area - it’s not just another chain,” said Saadati. “Aside from the unique aesthetic, Woops! serves delicious and typically unattainable items: from macarons to cremebellos and various other desserts in between, Woops! is the perfect treat for a mid-day treat or a gift for a loved one.”

The Woops! journey began in 2012 on a whim when four friends opened a macaron pop-up shop at the Holiday Shops in New York City’s Bryant Park. In nine short weeks they sold 100,000 macarons and developed a cult-like following due to the macarons and aesthetic. The four friends soon opened boutique mall kiosks in major malls throughout the Northeast.

The close-knit group of friends who founded Woops! are from all over the world: Israel, France, India, and the U.S. Their cultural diversity is integrated not only in the ambiance but in the menu.

My hope is that through our macarons and delicious treats, people are reminded of a nostalgic time -- a reminder to slow down, appreciate where you are presently and enjoy that moment,” said Saadati.

“I want to bring an enhanced dessert experience to Wisconsin.

For more information, visit www.bywoops.com.

Pinch A Penny Appoints Michael Arrowsmith Chief Development Officer Amid Ongoing Success and Growth

Pinch A Penny Pool Patio and Spa, the world’s largest swimming pool retail, service, and repair franchise, has appointed Michael Arrowsmith to chief development officer where he will spearhead the brand’s aggressive development efforts in key target markets, as well as drive new franchisee recruitment.

Over the past several years, Pinch A Penny has achieved eight consecutive years of

same store sales growth and consistently outperformed competitors in the retail and service space. As a result, the company is investing in its corporate leadership to accelerate this momentum and position the brand for further success.

Throughout his career, Arrowsmith has held senior level executive positions at several leading franchise brands, most recently serving as chief development officer of Captain D’s. With 25+ years of experience, his extensive understanding of the franchising industry has allowed him to achieve exceptional and sustained development and financial results for each company’s franchise system. During his tenure with Captain

D’s, Michael reestablished the legacy brand’s development organization and implemented growth strategies that resulted in the most successful period in the company’s history, building a pipeline of more than 100 locations with consistent double-digit openings, as well as achieving a 225-percent increase in new store openings and six consecutive years of positive growth.

Pinch A Penny currently has franchise opportunities available in key target markets throughout the Southeastern U.S., including Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.

For more information, call 844-740-5139 or visit pinchapennypoolfranchise.com.

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Retail Franchising feature It’s a common misconception that the retail industry can be narrowed down to a variety of clothing stores. In actuality, retail is so much more than what’s on the rack.

Nearly every store in every mall is a cog in the capitalist economy that is retail. Any business focused on the sale of products, is a part of the huge industry of retail. In fact, any business that provides goods and services created solely for consumers wants and desires could be considered retail.

Retail could be high end products or a giant department store, a dollar store or toy store. Either way, there are a lot of different retail franchises that are successful and well known throughout the U.S. For investors looking to explore different types of opportunities that focus on customer services and sales, a stroll through the local mall can help determine which type of retail best suits your personality and interests.

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“Retail could be high end products or a giant department store, a dollar store or toy store.”

Technology and electronics Nearly every American family has a variety of electronics and gadgets throughout their house. In fact, 96 percent of households have a television set, and by 2015 over 86 percent of homes have a computer while nine in ten American adults own a cellphone.

Those numbers indicate a pretty high majority of Americans using electronics on a daily basis, which also means they need a place to purchase and peruse all of the gadgets and newest technologies.

Big box retail stores that specialize in technology and electronics tend to carry a variety of other products to boost profit. A great benefit of such outlets is that they carry hard hitting name brands: Sony, Apple, Panasonic, HG and the list goes on and on.

Not only will the brand name of the franchising store gather customers, but also the reputation of the products inside.

Tech stores usually offer services to repair or improve their products, helping beef up their profit.

It’s best to review the different products and options of available electronic franchises in a territory to see which best suits your desires.

Children’s market

Clothing

Children have pretty big buying power in this country. As 20 percent of the population, children account for a big portion of consumers.

A lot of clothing stores used to be businesses within themselves, but more big names have expanded beyond their own doors to the world of franchising.

Children’s products used to be one department in a large store, but it is now a store in itself. There are entire franchises that focus on children’s clothing. From toys, to fads, to gadgets and board games, kids have taken over the market in a whole new way.

Children are constantly exposed to advertising nowadays and the economy has had to create new venues to respond to their ever growing needs, which can change overnight. Stores were born from this desire, and children=only franchises have blossomed as a result. There are children’s clothing stores, toy stores, accessory store, sports stores and much more in the retail field.

If you love working in sales and would love to work with kids, this could be a great option. Though most franchise do not call for much hands on contribution from its franchisees, it’s a great opportunity to make children happy while also gaining great success.

Some big brand names can help gain profit and ensure customers keep returning for consistency. On the other hand, consignment stores have also entered franchising.

Some clothing stores are either men’s, women’s, children or possibley all three.

It can be high end or easy profit. Some carry shoes and accessories, or are well known for a specific piece of clothing.

Either way, profit can vary between types of stores so a decent review and research into each type might be worth the time.

Internet shopping options should be considered as well. More and more shoppers are turning to their computers to fill their shopping cart.

A Pew Research study found that 79% of Americans shopped online in 2016, up 22% since 2000. Make sure your franchise is an option for online shopping.

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“For investors looking to explore different types of opportunities that focus on customer services and sales, a stroll through the local mall can help determine which type of retail best suits your personality and interests.”

Pet stores Pets have nearly as much buying power as kid these days. 68% of American families own a pet and the majority of them want their best for their animals.

Dogs and cats need more than food; they need clothing, bedding, treats, and toys. Their owners pay for products that generate comfort, reward, safety and so much more.

For the animal lover who enjoys bringing happiness to pet owners, the retail franchise option may be the best bet.

Beauty Supplies The average American woman spends about $15,000 a year on make up, which is only a small portion of the beauty regime.

There are now full retail stores providing beauty supplies and specializing in certain products. There are even entire retail stores that specialize in soap.

This franchise option is profitable, and has great marketing through social media alone. YouTube channels have thousands of makeup and beauty tutorials that have helped boost sales. That’s free advertising.

Beauty franchises guarantee a wide variety of brand names that consumers love, which are often featured in such videos.

The retail industry has a variety of franchises to offer, which can take some time and research before making an investment. Try to schedule a discussion with some other franchisees about their experience, as well as their profit. Some retailers have tough small business competition, and others might have a big buy in.

While a lot of retailers have a big turn over, some have long-term dedicated staff. Look at hiring and HR policies, and discuss the benefits for employees to see if long-term employment is likely. A stable veteran management team can also help guarantee a larger profit.

A stroll through your local mall can display options as well as opportunities.

What’s the competition and where are people shopping the most? What places carry brand names or are a brand name within themselves? Which stores have been standing the longest?

Of course profit isn’t everything; this is a franchising opportunity that can allow one to also pursue a passion or interest. Are you a big sports fan ? Do you love high quality desserts and ice cream? Are you passionate about environmentally-friendly products? Whatever your interest, there is likely a retail service selling products within your line of passion.

Retail opportunities might fade with fashion trends and fads; kids toys come and go, clothing styles are dependent on the season, people replace one beauty product for another. But retail franchises are likely to keep up with the market and help guide the franchise to the next cool thing and stay on track.

If you enjoy customer service, working with a team, love shopping and have a passion for sales, start with a retail franchise because like the products, the options are endless.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: After receiving an English Degree, followed by a Journalism Diploma, Gina Gill became a freelance journalist in 2008. She has worked as a reporter and in communications, focusing on social media. She currently works as a community information officer with Epilepsy Society, while pursuing her writing career at the same time.

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Don’t miss an issue COV ER STO RY

Page 11

M ED I -W EI G H T LO S S ®

“The Medi-Weightloss® Program has a strong focus on preventive medicine providing nutritional and behavioral counseling as well as the education needed to create a lifestyle change.”

COV ER STO RY

Get the App I initially passed right over it as I did not want to be just another one of the “typical” weight loss companies. Eventually, I began to re-examine the idea. I participated in a Discovery Day at the Medi-Weightloss® corporate office in Tampa, FL.

THE MEDI-WEIGHTLOSS® FRANCHISE: HOW COMBATING AN EPIDEMIC AND FINANCIAL SUCCESS JOIN TOGETHER

With the American Medical Association classifying obesity as a disease, it is more important than ever to fight against the epidemic.

Medi-Weightloss® provides a clinically

researched, science-driven program that

allows patients to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

When you become a franchisee, not only will you be changing the lives of others, you improve your own.

Michael Krassner, a multi-unit franchisee from Connecticut, explains his journey with Medi-Weightloss®.

Q

: Tell us about your background.

A: I was born in Boston, MA and spent most of my life in Dover, NH. I attended the University of New Hampshire and graduated with a BA in Communications.

In 2000, I became an entrepreneur, moving to CT to open a health club and eventually

become a multi-unit Planet Fitness franchisee. I sold my business in 2013 and by 2015 I became a Medi-Weightloss® franchisee.

Q

: Why was Medi-Weightloss® right for you?

A: After selling my health clubs I spent a year and a half researching new business opportunities. I looked into start-ups as well as several franchise offerings in various industries, i.e., pet care, food, cell phone repair, mobile self-storage, etc.

When I heard about Medi-Weightloss®,

Upon visiting Medi-Weightloss®, I learned there was much more to their program. The Medi-Weightloss® Program has a strong focus on preventive medicine providing nutritional and behavioral counseling as well as the education needed to create a lifestyle change. The program is based on eating real foods, and that was a big selling point for me.

Another key component in the decision process was the Medi-Weightloss® clinical research and development team which provides ongoing resources for franchisees and patients through their studies and findings. This team differentiates Medi-Weightloss® from their competitors. They are constantly changing and improving pieces of the program to not only help patients lose weight but keep the weight off long term.

The program is always evolving and improving, keeping Medi-Weightloss® ahead of their competitors.

Q

: How long has your location been open?

A: I opened my first location in May, 2015.

My second location opened in October, 2017.

Q

: What type of research did you do prior to opening?

A: Prior to opening I researched the healthcare laws in my state. I attended the Medi-Weightloss® System Standards Training (SST) in Tampa, FL. The SST is very extensive, and includes teaching the program, products, EMR, clinical

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“It is extremely gratifying and rewarding knowing that our team helped in making such a change in someone’s life.” aspects, marketing, recognizing the key performance indicators (KPI) and reporting. In addition, I spoke with some existing franchise owners about the operations and financial performance of their locations.

Q

: What type of support do you receive?

A: I have been a Medi-Weightloss® franchise owner for 3 ½ years and feel that I have developed a good working relationship with the corporate office.

The help that I need or questions I have

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VOL 07, ISSUE 2, DEC 2018

MEDI-

WEIGHTLOSS®

are often provided by my franchise consultant and include, offering operation, EMR system support as well as financial performance reviews. In addition, Medi-Weightloss® has a marketing team that provides local marketing and national branding support. At times my practitioners will contact the Medi-Weightloss® clinical affairs department when they have questions about the program or products.

FRANCHISE

COMBATING AN EPIDEMIC

Q

SPECIAL

RETAIL FRANCHISING

: Describe an instance where offering the Medi-Weightloss® Program changed a patient’s life?

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Expert Advice: Rick Bisio, Franchise Coach, FranChoice

Retail Sales:

What You Need to Know About Seasonal Franchises Nearly any store we visit during December (and often earlier than that) features some form of holiday signage and special sales as they try to capitalize on the increased spending during the holiday season.

People rush to the stores buy decorations for homes, food for a party with friends and family or the perfect gift to put under the Christmas tree. Whether it is the big box outlet in a major mall or a mom and pop corner store, the holidays are a big boost in customer sales and traffic for most retail businesses.

By the time you are reading this article, all the preparations businesses make for the holiday season have long been in place.

Many of the decisions about advertising, marketing and promotions were made during the summer or early fall. The same goes for scheduling deliveries and making sure there are enough products available in the stores.

This busy holiday season is an ideal time for many businesses wanting to bring additional customers into their stores and increase their profits at the end of the year. The holidays give businesses a great opportunity to not only attract customers but also make sure they come back throughout the year.

What are some things retail stores are doing now that can help business in the future? One way to start is by focusing on employee engagement. Make sure employees are taking care of the customers and being polite and courteous. It is important that the employees are available to answer the customers’ questions and to make them feel wanted. During this time, the goal is not to just sell them something over the holiday. The goal is to create a customer. If a store can use the holiday to create a customer, hopefully that will lead to repeat business in the future.

Take for example, if somebody goes to a pet store to buy a gift for a friend that

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“The goal is not to just sell them something over the holiday. The goal is to create a customer. If a store can use the holiday to create a customer, hopefully that will lead to repeat business in the future.” owns a dog. A sale that day is great, but more importantly, you want to give them a reason to come back. The customer has now come into the store and has interacted with the employees or management. They have seen firsthand that the store has good customer service and a nice selection of products. That positive experience can plant the seed for them to come back again and buy more things for the same friend’s dog or refer others there. That goes back to the idea to create a customer, not just make an individual sale.

We understandably focus on the holiday season as a time when retail stores see their highest increase in business. It is the most visible for customers and profitable for stores. The forecast for this year is particularly strong, as the National Retail Federation expects 2018 retail sales to increase at a minimum of 4.5 percent over 2017. However, there are many businesses, including franchises, that are seasonal by nature. They are just not always holiday seasonal.

An ice cream or frozen ice concept has its busy season over the spring and summer months but loses customers or may even close for a few months over the winter.

Tax preparation franchises are extremely busy from January through April.

However, their hours and workload for the remainder of the year pale in comparison to the first quarter.

When it comes to franchises and the holiday season, depending on the line of work, some tend to see their slowest times at the end of the year. One example would be a painting franchise. Customers do not want a crew setting up in their house and painting over the holidays. People will likely also hold off on projects such as household remodeling, handyman services or blind installation until the year. For franchise owners in these fields, business can be very slow during the holiday season.

Although there are fewer examples, some franchises do see an increase in business during the holidays. Those who specialize in gifts, seasonal baskets and arrangements, candies and chocolates see their revenues peak over the final few months of the year. Honey Baked Ham is an example of a franchise that offers a popular product during the times of high demand around Thanksgiving and Christmas but sees sales decrease most other times of the year.

In my role as a franchise coach, I speak to many people who are weighing different options of franchise ownership. This includes those who are exploring various types of franchises that are seasonal by nature. People who don’t mind working during the holidays but would prefer slower schedules in the spring and summer to take advantage of warmer weather and plan outdoor activities could look into options like Honey Baked Ham. Those who like to enjoy some downtime over the holidays to spend time with their family should consider franchises with busier times coming in the summer months.

Seasonal businesses can be successful businesses. Owners must know how to balance their busy and slow seasons so their operation can be sustainable throughout the year. They must also be prepared to handle the unique challenges of the job, such as working long hours during the peak season and strategically

Rick Bisio

planning ahead for busier times while business is slow. If a franchise owner is able to do these things effectively, they can create a profitable and comfortable life year-round.

Rick Bisio is a leading franchise coach with FranChoice, the creator of the FDD Exchange and the Franchise Glossary and the co-host of Rick Bisio’s Franchise Focus. Since becoming a franchise coach in 2002, Bisio has assisted thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs nationwide explore the dream of business ownership. www.afranchisecoach.com/the-coach

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Expert Advice: Heather Neary, President, Auntie Anne’s

Maintaining Success in Shopping Malls

We’ve all read the headlines. “America’s Malls are Rotting Away,” or the “Death of the American Mall is Upon Us.” As the president of a brand synonymous with shopping malls, you’d think I’d be terrified. But I’m not.

I feel strongly that reports of the shopping mall’s demise are greatly exaggerated.

Humans are social animals. Going shopping with family and friends, trying on clothes, watching your pretzels get twisted and baked in front of your eyes – this is all entertainment, an experience you can’t get from online shopping. Don’t get me wrong, the retail space is rapidly

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evolving, and e-commerce is the catalyst for the evolution. Malls need to adapt to deliver the experience that today’s consumer craves. Not all malls are going to do that successfully, but those that do will not only survive, they’ll thrive.

Choose the Right Mall At Auntie Anne’s, we’re not treading water in shopping malls trying to stay afloat. Our same-store-sales in malls are positive, and we’re continuing to invest in our current locations while opening new ones. But not just any mall. We are very strategic about selecting the malls that best position us – and our franchisees – for success. The malls that aren’t dependent on a single anchor tenant to generate foot traffic. The malls that are investing in the consumer experience – entertainment via food halls or movie theaters or even aquariums, and mixed-use with hotels and condos. These investments to drive traffic are a must, and those that are doing it well are delivering

results for their retailers. Malls that aren’t, well, you read about them in those doom and gloom articles.

I like to think of the mall industry as a tree, with each individual mall represented by a branch. To encourage healthy growth, you need to prune the tree, removing dead, overgrown or excess branches. By closing under-performing malls, the industry is becoming healthier and setting itself up for a bright future.

Capitalize on Foot Traffic Capitalizing on the foot traffic in malls remains the primary challenge for every retailer. In the ‘90s, there were only a handful of snack options in shopping malls. A franchisee could open a store, sit back, and let the guests flock in.

Today, shoppers have dozens of food brands fighting over their stomachs. The competition is fierce, as it’s a zero-sum game – if someone chooses a pretzel,

“If you make sure you’re in the right malls, capitalize on the foot traffic, and expand your reach beyond the venue, you’ll be well positioned for success.”

they’re not buying a crêpe. If they get a smoothie, they’re not getting a frozen yogurt.

The competition also means brands have to do more. ”Auntie” Anne Beiler built our company on what she called the Threefold Philosophy: a fresh, hot, golden brown soft pretzel served in a sparkling clean store with friendly, courteous customer service.

Exceptional products, a clean store, and great service remains a good start, but is no longer enough to maintain success.

Retailers need to cater to the needs and desires of their target audience. We recognize we’re an impulse purchase, not a destination. People walk by and are hopefully enticed to try a product. It’s part of what makes owning a mall location so profitable. However, we have a very small window of opportunity; if we don’t grab the shopper’s attention in the second or two that they’re in front of our store, we’ve lost them. The same can be said for most mall-based retailers. With so many options, how do you convince shoppers to visit you? You need to enhance their experience.

Now more than ever, products need to perfectly align with the needs of the consumer. Mall shoppers are looking for a spontaneous treat or pick-me-up to enjoy while shopping, so convenience and portability are key.

Consumers – particularly the younger generations – also want things that are fun, innovative, and Instagrammable. Brands must tap into this trend and continue to introduce products that capture the attention of passersby, differentiate them from the competition, and generate brand buzz.

“For retailers in shopping malls, today’s environment is challenging, but also rife with opportunity.”

Expand Your Reach We live in a convenience-based society where consumers expect brands to come to them. This presents a unique opportunity, as retailers are no longer limited by their physical locations. In the past, non-mall shoppers were nearly impossible for mallbased retailers to reach. Today, retailers can connect with consumers anywhere, anytime. For example, last year Auntie Anne’s launched a national catering program, allowing guests to enjoy our pretzels at any occasion they want, from office meetings to weddings. We also have a lot of stores that offer delivery via thirdparty partners like Grubhub. Off-premise is growing at a rapid pace and it’s essential that brands look into capitalizing on it to help build on their success. By expanding their reach beyond the four walls of the mall, brands can add revenue streams and grow sales for mall locations, even if the traffic within their venues stagnates.

For retailers in shopping malls, today’s environment is challenging, but also rife with opportunity. If you make sure you’re in the right malls, capitalize on the foot traffic, and expand your reach beyond the venue, you’ll be well positioned for success.

Heather Neary

Heather Neary was named President of Auntie Anne’s in November 2015.

Heather joined Auntie Anne’s in 2005 and has held various roles in the company in which she was responsible for the oversight of marketing, communications, the franchise business consultant team, research and development, product innovation, and the franchisee leadership team. Prior to being named president, Heather served as Auntie Anne’s Vice President, Global Marketing. auntieannesfranchising.com/own-afranchise

Franchising USA

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Expert Advice: Christopher Conner, President of Franchise Marketing Systems

Retail Franchising: It’s About the Experience

As anyone who has studied or been in business for any length of time knows, it is impossible not to look at concepts like Kodak or Blockbuster. Brands that not only dominated their market as a percentage of market share, but also defined the entire category they did business within.

Blockbuster in 2004 had almost 9,100 stores worldwide and was bankrupt by 2010. Kodak in 1976 owned 90% of the entire film

sales market globally and by 2012 was bankrupt. The concept is

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hard to fathom and certainly anyone in retail today stands with the hard reality of e-commerce staring them in the face and forcing people in the retail category to find ways to evolve and change the way they do business. Blockbuster missed buying Netflix for $50 million in 2000, supposedly laughing the offer out of the room and Kodak just couldn’t get the idea of digital photography. Retail businesses today are in a similar position, evolve and see how the future should drive change in your business or become irrelevant.

So how is it that commercial real estate rates are still at all time highs in many markets and there still seems to be bustling, ever healthy retail businesses both in and outside of franchising? The key today is about experience. What makes a person want to get out of their home and change an increasingly busy schedule to visit a retail location is the experience that happens in that retail business. If people can get the same experience anywhere, you’ve

“The successful and relevant retail franchises are ones that have embraced the web; they’ve embraced today’s experiencecentric customer base and they enjoy finding ways to evolve and innovate.”

lost your draw to bring people in. If your only value add is price and availability… .I’m sorry, but the internet beats you in every way shape and form.

So what does experience mean? I hate when people do this, but here is the definition, I thought it was fitting for this discussion. Experience; “practical contact with and observation of facts or events.”

So essentially, instead of just selling a product or service to someone and collecting payment, it’s creating an event that allows the customer to have practical contact and observation.

The obvious winners in this new age of retail are service providers. Restaurants, fitness and other fixed location retail businesses still have a strong and evident value proposition to get the customer into the location for the transaction to take place. But you can look at models like Apple, who boasts one of the worlds most successful retail businesses. How can this be…the definition of technology product purchasing can still have so much success in traditional retail??

It all can be tied back to that experience at the store level, where Apple as of 2017, was again the global leader in revenue per square foot ($5,546) which is just hard to comprehend. That means an average sized store (8,400 square feet), generates annual sales of $46,586,400 in annual revenues from a SINGLE retail location. Yes, Apple seems to have unfair advantages in every way shape and form, but the point is that even a technology giant where traditional retail seems to be out of synch leverages a retail model so effectively.

Apple has incredible interaction between their associates and the customer, they are informative, helpful and extremely upbeat. The location design is appealing, fun and draws you in to interact with the technology and touch things throughout the store. You can’t help but feel cooler when you walk into and out of a store holding a bag of something you paid too much for.

So if it works for Apple, why can’t it work for retail franchises? It can, and it does. The successful and relevant retail franchises are ones that have embraced the web; they’ve embraced today’s experience-centric customer base and they enjoy finding ways to evolve and innovate.

Today, our firm, Franchise Marketing Systems, works with several brands such as BARAMI and BonWorth, both of whom are clothing manufacturers/retailers with decades of experience in the retail business and between them have almost 150 stores in operation throughout the United States.

Many, if not most of the brands in this clothing manufacturing and retail market

have gone extinct and disappeared into the business history books as casualties of globalization and e-commerce. What has allowed BARAMI and BonWorth to succeed and even excel in this difficult and competitive market segment is finding ways to create incredibly customer-centric business models and innovative product lines that continue to drive customer traffic to the locations. Both brands prove that even in today’s markets, there are great retail franchises on the market, but it comes down to the experience at the store level.

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

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

For more information on how to choose the right food service franchise, contact Chris Conner at Chris.Conner@ FMSFranchise.com www.fmsfranchise.com

“Instead of just selling a product or service to someone and collecting payment, it’s creating an event that allows the customer to have practical contact and observation.”

Chris Conner

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Expert Advice: Cordell Riley, Owner and President, Tortal Training

Your Front Line Is Your Bottom Line:

Why It Pays to Prioritize Your Retail Training Years ago, someone asked the legendary hotel owner J.W. “Bill” Marriott, “How do you train your hotel team members to be so friendly?” In his famous reply, Marriott answered, “We hire friendly people.”

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There is wisdom in that but of course,

In other words, your retail employees

line team than simply hiring outgoing

The place where they interact with your

there is more to building a great frontpeople. Training is critically important too, which explains why Marriott has

created Marriott University, a program that recruits college students and teaches them the skills that Marriott employees should have.

Marriott, like so many other successful

determine how profitable you can become. customers means everything. Stop for a

moment and think about it. Most of your customers will never meet your CEO, but they will meet your hourly retail

workers who staff your cash registers, the salespeople who staff your selling floor, and other employees who interact with

businesses, recognizes this simple truth:

them directly. And the impressions those

Your front line is your bottom line

customers will think of your brand.

employees create become what those

“Most of your customers will never meet your CEO, but they will meet your hourly retail workers . . . And the impressions those employees create become what those customers will think of your brand.”

What gets noticed by customers, pleases them, and makes them loyal customers?

Your people do. And to have great people, you need to follow three steps.

Three Keys to Great Training for Your Front-Line Retail Personnel: Hire People that Fit Your Company, Culture, Products and Brand Some retailers hire salespeople who look a lot like their customers, and who share their interests. Some specialty retailers like stores that sell auto parts or golf equipment or skis, for example, hire knowledgeable enthusiasts to staff their selling floors. But there is more to hiring than that. Culture is the key, meaning that your employees should share the values, outlooks and attitudes that are the heart of the way you do business.

One key to finding the right employees is to be creative and resourceful in your recruiting. If you already have the right kind of people working for you, for example, you can ask them to refer people they know to you. If you are looking for college students, you can recruit from college career placement offices. The more targeted you can get in looking for employees in the right places, the more successful you will be.

Another key is to screen and interview applicants strategically, by asking questions to evaluate whether their attitudes reinforce the customer experience you are striving to create. Also follow up with simulations to evaluate how they greet customers, resolve complaints, and more.

The harder you work to hire the right people, the greater your success can be.

Have a Great Onboarding Program Key focuses during onboarding include teaching new hires about your company and its history, your brand promise, your

products and your values.

Team-building is also an activity that motivates new employees to excel.

However, simply creating team spirit is not enough to assure that new employees will be successful. I recommend going on to the next step as well.

Provide Role-Specific Training for Your Retail Associates When new hires start their jobs without a deeper understanding of what is expected of them, they make mistakes that quickly become costly habits that must be corrected later on. I recommend using DACUM to make sure you identify the right skills that you will teach.

DACUM, which stands for Developing a Curriculum, starts with carefully defining job content.

As you plan your curriculum, work with current employees and other stakeholders to identify the key skills that are needed to perform the job exceptionally well.

You then map those skills and abilities, prioritize them, and decide which should be taught first, which second, and so on.

You also decide the most effective delivery method for your learning – whether in-person live training, training in your company learning center or training on mobile devices.

The final part of the DACUM process is defining metrics that you will use to evaluate your training. Will you measure the effectiveness of your training by measuring the change in the rate of repeat business that your salespeople generate, in improved Net Promoter Scores, or something else?

There is an old saying in business, “If you can’t measure it, it isn’t happening.” That holds especially true for training results.

But remember – you can’t measure how much training is improving performance until you delve deep to define the customer

Cordell Riley

“You can’t measure how much training is improving performance until you delve deep to define the customer experience you would like to create, and understand the role that every job function plays in creating it.” experience you would like to create, and understand the role that every job function plays in creating it.

Cordell Riley is Owner and President of Tortal Training, a leading training development company in Charlotte, North Carolina. After his time in college and the military, Cordell launched his career at Driven Brands, the owner of Meineke and Maaco. For 20 years there, he rose through the ranks with increasing levels of responsibility for Operations and Training. He then founded Tortal Training, in 2000.

A recognized training expert with extensive experience in the franchising sectors, Cordell has spent more than 20 years helping thousands of companies achieve outstanding success through training. He is a sought-after keynote speaker who addresses conferences and company seminars nationwide.

Follow @TortalTraining.

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ex per t advice

Evan Hackel, CEO of Tortal Training

How to Bring Training into the Training Department The people who work in training in many companies can become so focused on training the rest of the company that they never take advantage of training themselves.

They become like the legendary cobbler who had no shoes - they make lots of wonderful things for other people but keep none for themselves.

If that is the case, they miss out on many important opportunities. One is to lead by example, because training departments that live and breathe training cultivate a culture of training that energizes and transforms their entire organizations. And needless to say, when people engage in continuous learning, they become much better at their jobs.

Here are some positive steps you can take to get those good things to happen.

First, everyone in the training department should go through all the training that the department offers in the organization...

Remember that even though people produce your company’s training, that doesn’t mean they understand exactly

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“Training will help them not only model what your enterprise should be but will become a guiding light for everyone.”

In summary Training departments can take the lead in building a culture of training. They should practice what they preach. They should value training as part of their culture and as part of their normal routine. Training will help them not only model what your enterprise should be but will become a guiding light for everyone.

what it is or how it works. If live training sessions are taking place – or eLearning or onboarding – the people in your training department should attend and take part.

That keeps them up-to-date on what your training department offers and sends a signal that learning is the lifeblood of your company.

Second, have everyone in the training department take part in group training every month...

Some form of training should be taking place within the training department on training skills like facilitation skills, instructional design, or how to use new software. Every month, there should be a training focus of the month - a central topic that keeps your learning focused.

Third, you should hold what Stephen R. Covey calls “sharpen the Saw” meetings...

These are meetings, defined by the author Stephen R. Covey, as meetings where your team sharpens its skills. At Tortal Training for example, every three months we give everyone in our development and training department eight hours of independent time to look at new software, new training techniques, or other new skills. Then we have a team meeting where everyone shows off what they learned. This exposes everyone to new ideas in training, especially the training developers, who

always learn new things.

When your trainers stay on top of new things, they stay excited about your company and they want to continue working for you. The atmosphere is buzzing, not boring.

Fourth, have a book club that reinforces the culture of training...

Every month or two, all your training personnel can read the same book and have a conversation about it. This is something that doesn’t have to be run by management. In fact, it can be run by anyone in your company. Let the members of the team pick the book they will read and discuss. This keeps training alive!

Following these guidelines will empower your training department with more knowledge to do a better job, to be more innovative, and to develop new ideas.

You will also improve retention of people within the training department and within the entire enterprise.

Evan Hackel is a 35-year franchising veteran as both a franchisor and franchisee. He is CEO of Tortal Training, a leading training development company in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Principal and Founder of Ingage Consulting in Woburn, Massachusetts. Evan is the host of Training Unleashed, and author of Ingaging Leadership. Evan speaks on Seeking Excellence, Better Together, Ingaging Leadership and Attitude is Everything. To hire Evan as a speaker, visit www.evanspeaksfranchising.com.

Follow @ehackel.

Fifth, allow everyone in your training department to select and take their own courses...

This is another activity we do at Tortal.

We give people up to $2,000 a year to take any courses they want, provided those courses are about topics that will improve training skills. They could be seminars, online training events, anything that our team wants to access. If you do this, you will demonstrate that your company feels training is important and encourage employees to take part in continuing learning. You will improve retention and introduce a continuous flow of new ideas into your organization.

Evan Hackel

Franchising USA

ex per t advice

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Page 37

Veterans in Franchising december 2018

www.franchisingusamagazine.com

120 Feet Below Sea Level: How Being an Army Engineer Diver Prepared Me for Entrepreneurship

Franchising:

The Best Career Path for Veterans Then and Now

Innovative Program For American Heroes Franchising USA

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

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

V e t e r a n s i n F r a n c h i s i n g S u ppl e m e n t december 2018 Our Veterans in Franchising special supplement has become a regular feature of Franchising USA. To share your story in the next issue, please contact Vikki Bradbury, Publisher Phone: 778 426 2446 Email: vikki@cgbpublishing.com

Contents On the Cover

Veteran Profiles

42 120 Feet Below Sea Level: How Being an Army Engineer Diver

Prepared Me for Entrepreneurship

42 Kyle Bradley, Owner/Operator,

Pedal Pub in Columbia, MO

46 Franchising: The Best Career Path for

Veterans Then and Now 40 Innovative Program for American Heroes

44 Will Beale, Owner, Club Pilates 46 VetFran 48 uBreakiFix

Veteran News 40 PROSE Launches Innovative Program For American Heroes Franchising USA

V e t er ans in Fr anchising

veteran news PROSE LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE PROGRAM FOR AMERICAN HEROES The healthy nail boutique franchise salutes those who have served with an industry-first PROSE for Heroes program for customers and prospective franchisees or greater) complimentary upgrades to gel polish and 20 percent off all retail products. The PROSE risk-free membership program is one of the brand’s top features, delivering an exclusive way to receive manicures and/or pedicures that can be transferred to family and friends.

Members develop a personal relationship with their experienced artists, as well as have a reliable destination to freshen up and recharge.

PROSE, the healthy and enriching hand and foot care brand, announced today the launch of PROSE for Heroes.

A comprehensive program offering active, reserved, retired members of the military, first responders of police departments, fire departments and EMTs, as well as their immediate families a more affordable customer experience and business opportunity. For these hero guests and their families, PROSE has designed personalized membership programs that make their high-quality services more accessible. The PROSE for Heroes program also honors American heroes who put their lives on the line every day by providing them with an opportunity

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to own a PROSE franchise at a more affordable rate.

“I have always had deep appreciation for the protectors of our country. Every day, the brave secure our communities, schools, churches and our lives as we know it.

PROSE was created to serve all hands and feet and I am grateful for the opportunity to create a very special membership designed with all of them (and their families) in mind,” said Dave Crisalli PROSE founder and CEO. “This unique program also presents a very exclusive business opportunity for our military men and women and first responders who are natural leaders and strong team builders, all qualities vital in a PROSE franchisee.”

Through PROSE for Heroes, these stars and their spouses and kids will also be eligible for up to a 10 percent discount on a monthly membership and package memberships ($120 per year savings

PROSE is looking for hero entrepreneurs to serve communities across the U.S. All active, reserved, retired military men and women, and first responders will receive 20 percent off the PROSE franchise fee and may be eligible for special financing support to open their boutique. In addition, the franchise fee for a PROSE boutique to be opened on a military base or other government site will be waived.* PROSE’s healthy, enriching and on-trend services and consumer experience have captivated the interest of many potential franchisees and market developers across the country. The cornerstone of PROSE’s creation is the commitment to designing a better way to create beautiful hands and feet every day.

PROSE is seeking qualified market developers and franchisees to join the brand and currently has opportunities nationwide.

To learn more about PROSE ownership opportunities in the U.S., please visit myprose.com/own. To learn more about the PROSE for Heroes franchise opportunity in the U.S., please email heroes@myprose.com. * *Please note, California franchisees are not eligible.

Page 41

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V e t er ans in Fr anchising

profile: Kyle Bradley, Owner/Operator of Pedal Pub in Columbia, MO

120 Feet Belo

How Being an Army Engineer Diver Prepared Me for Entrepreneurship In 2009, I enlisted in the military to fulfill the role of an Army Engineer Diver.

My dual love for the water and serving my country went hand-in-hand with my newfound career.

From Virginia to the Middle East, I traveled across the globe which allowed me to learn about myself and develop vital skills that I would use long after completing my tour.

As an Army Engineer Diver, I was trained to work and lead a team to undertake reconnaissance, demolition and engineering tasks 120 feet below sea level.

Nine years later, I hung up my gear and began my transition to everyday civilian life â&#x20AC;&#x201C; beginning with my higher education.

After I graduated, I knew my discipline and experience from the military would be best served through entrepreneurship, so I started my search for a franchise concept

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ow Sea Level: that would complement my skills and military knowledge.

I came across Pedal Pub and knew this was an opportunity I could bring to my hometown in Missouri. I was always seeking an adventure and found happiness in the adrenaline rush of the excitement and unexpectedness of the military. Pedal Pub is exhilarating and fun concept that allows me to fulfill my adventurous passion. I just never knew how much I’d be able to leverage my experiences during my time in the military and how that would help me grow a business and lead it to success.

Commitment is Crucial Commitment to the military is not for the faint at heart. From being separated from family and friends to the high-risk assignments, you must be dedicated to the job while also making sure you’re fully aware of what you signed up for.

Commitment, passion and personal drive will keep you afloat and keep your mind focused on the task at hand and end goal.

As an entrepreneur, I’ve invested in my business and if I’m not committed to it, it won’t succeed. You have to train your mind to find different routes and paths to new solutions rather than letting current issues fester and grow. Continue to think big and never be satisfied with the goals you have achieved but instead strive to create more to challenge yourself.

Adaptability Increases Efficiency While in the Army, each solider always

planned for the unexpected and made necessary changes in an instant. It was essential our team adapted to ever changing surroundings — from finding new ways to communicate to developing new strategies to ensure we reach our end goal. We learned from everything we did to better prepare for the future, while making the overall safety of our country the number one priority. Adaptability was the only way to overcome the challenges and roadblocks we were faced with.

Without it, it’s quite possible we would’ve failed.

There are always going to be unexpected hurdles you will have to overcome as a business owner. Competition in the area, government permits and laws, and even disgruntled guests can all pose a challenge to running your business successfully.

Find new ways to become efficient and adapt to challenges and changing environments to ensure your business comes out on top. Use every challenge and issue as a learning experience to help you grow your business.

Teamwork Moves the Needle Forward Being part of the military, for me at least, meant I was doing something bigger than myself – it felt as if I had a real purpose in life. Every task and job assigned is for the betterment of the whole group and even the country — repeated success will always be the end result when a whole team is working efficiently and productively together. Your team can offer different perspectives and lend their

“The lessons and skills you’ve learned throughout your life experiences will help you to build a successful business and allow others to grow and learn under your leadership.”

strengths where you might lack.

As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned my business cannot succeed without the help from others. Respect every individual and utilize their strengths to take your business to the next level. You’ll be able to create a strong bond within your team and build strong relationships in an environment where people are able to take pride in their accomplishments.

If you’re an established entrepreneur or just getting your business started, it’s important to remain dedicated, adaptable, and work as a team so your business can operate at peak performance. The lessons and skills you’ve learned throughout your life experiences will help you to build a successful business and allow others to grow and learn under your leadership.

Kyle Bradley is the owner and operator of Pedal Pub of Columbia, a Minneapolis-based party bike franchise providing customers with a uniquely fun, social, and exciting two-hour experience of sightseeing.

To learn more about franchising with Pedal Pub, visit https://www. pedalpubpartybikes.com/.

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V e t er ans in Fr anchising

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V e t er ans in Fr anchising

Veteran Profile: Will Beale, Owner, Club Pilates

How Managing Logistics Onboard U.S. Navy Ships Prepared Me for Franchise Ownership Growing up in Washington, D.C., I was surrounded by U.S. government professionals and military personnel from a very early age.

My father was in the National Guard and when I graduated from high school, the military became the clear choice as it

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married two of my interests – serving our country and traveling abroad.

I quickly rose up through the ranks and was offered a leadership position as an officer candidate which, in turn, granted me a scholarship to college. While at George Washington University, I learned valuable skills such as work ethic, leadership and organization that would positively impact my military career and entrepreneurial journey in the years to come.

Managing a ‘Floating City’ After graduation from college and eight months of Navy Logistics training in Athens, GA, I was stationed in San Diego as a Department Head of an Aviation Squadron which deployed onboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

My primary responsibility was oversight and management of 72 aircraft, fixed and rotary wing, aboard the ship while it conducted flight operations in the Western Pacific and abroad.

Over the next 20 years, the military provided me with many different opportunities, each time with increased accountability and responsibility. As I became more senior in rank, I would spend the majority of my career in policy, procurement and supply chain management for naval aviation, ships and submarines. It was in these roles that I authored Naval Logistics Policy, procured naval aviation airplanes, and oversaw all logistics and supply chain management of new construction ships and submarines.

In my last position within the US military, before I retired in mid-2018, I was the Director of Industrial Supply Chain Operations for four public Navy Shipyards. While responsible for the daily management of logistics, supply chain management, and material support at each of those shipyards, I learned invaluable skills that would directly translate to my future role as a business owner. From leadership skills to system integrations and processes, my position taught me how to see the big picture and how to manage and lead people towards a common goal.

Throughout my career in the military, I learned a lot from the people I worked for and with but it was through my time spent as a manager where I took away a vast amount of knowledge when it came to people skills – how to lead them, how to listen to them and most importantly how to inspire them to be the best they can be.

Following My Entrepreneurial Spirit As I reflect on my time spent in the military, I am reminded of how this experience taught me indispensable tools that I continue to utilize as a franchise owner today. As a military veteran, reentering the workforce can be an exciting and challenging time. For many veterans, the desire to utilize the skill set mastered in the military means embarking on a journey of business ownership as there are clear parallels between the two. For me, before I finished my service, I began to think about what I really wanted to do when I ‘grew up’. This was fueled by the question that kept repeating in my

head ‘who am I and what is my why?’ - a question many veterans grapple with after their service.

During my transition towards the business world, I took a ‘Boots to Business’ class that opened my eyes to the world of franchising for the first time. As I started researching different franchise opportunities, I knew I wanted to invest in a concept that would get me outside of an office and out into the community.

With my roots deeply tied to the healthy, outdoor lifestyle of San Diego, I began to realize that fitness was the right path for me. With a desire to help people get and stay in shape, my path became clear to me.

“The best way to find a career post-military that you are passionate about is to determine what inspires you and what your passions are. From there, your path is narrowed down and you can focus on opportunities that will be fulfilling.”

Tips for Overcoming Challenges and Advice for Veterans Considering Entrepreneurship While my transition to business ownership has been exciting and fulfilling, many veterans struggle with challenges and are in need of strong advice when it comes to considering if entrepreneurship is right for them.

• Start early – make sure you begin your research early on in the process and allow adequate time to analyze each component of your next venture so you won’t feel the ‘I am always behind’ burden • Determine your ‘why’ – the best way to find a career post-military that you are passionate about is to determine what inspires you and what your passions are.

From there, your path is narrowed down and you can focus on opportunities that will be fulfilling.

“As I reflect on my time spent in the military, I am reminded of how this experience taught me indispensable tools that I continue to utilize as a franchise owner today.”

• Utilize resources– one of the biggest assets when re-entering the workforce is those in your network, whether that be former colleagues, friends, family, etc.

Make sure you are actively networking with others in industries, in the market you wish to open your business, etc.

• Stay positive – this can be a very challenging time for veterans but making sure to keep a positive attitude is half the battle. Keep in mind that there have been many others before you that have navigated these challenges and lean on them for support if needed.

While there are many avenues that veterans can choose when re-entering the workforce, franchising lends itself extremely well to the skills learned while serving. From systems and processes to adaptation and integration, franchising and the military mimic each other in many ways. Whatever avenue you choose, by following the above tips to overcome common challenges, you will be on the right path to your next journey.

Will Beale is a Navy veteran who specialized in policy, procurement and supply chain management for aircraft carriers, ships and submarines. He is now the owner and operator of Club Pilates, the nation’s largest boutique Pilates concept. www.clubpilatesfranchise.com

“While there are many avenues that veterans can choose when re-entering the workforce, franchising lends itself extremely well to the skills learned while serving.”

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Veteran Profile: VetFran

Franchising:

The Best Career Path for Veterans Then and Now In order to help make his idea a reality, Don said he wanted me to inform the Department of Defense that when service men and women returned from the Gulf, they could give him a call and he would help them become franchise owners, either through a Dwyer Group franchise or another brand. I told Don I would handle it, but in the back of my head I doubted this idea was going to succeed.

It was 1991. The Gulf War was coming to an end and tens of thousands of service men and women were returning to the United States. Don Dwyer Sr., founder of The Dwyer Group, one of the world’s largest parent companies of home service brands, (now known as Neighborly), realized that veterans would need opportunities to transition into the civilian workforce.

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Through many ups and downs, the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) VetFran Program, which supports veterans and their spouses’ abilities to have access to owning a franchise through education, financial assistance and mentorship, would one day become that opportunity.

Twenty-seven years ago, as I struggled to stay alert at a very early morning breakfast with Don Dwyer, he shared an idea that he had just dreamed up in the shower. The idea would allow franchisors to give hope and opportunity to thousands of deserving veterans.

Upon contacting the Department of Defense numerous logistical issues came to light, but Don insisted I persevere. Don instructed me to describe his idea in a brochure and he wanted the brochure to be given to every solider upon re-entry into the country. He wanted me to find a way to get the IFA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to sponsor the project, as well as call every franchisor we knew to tell them about the project and why they needed to be involved. I also needed to convince every franchisor to contribute $1,000 to help with expenses.

And Don gave me 30 days to get it all done.

Initially, everyone resisted the idea and said it would never succeed. But, as time passed, people came around. VetFran eventually won the support of the IFA, SBA and the Department of Veterans Affairs, but not without Don personally funding the project. When he decided we needed a national spokesperson to introduce VetFran, Don personally paid $25,000 to hire a famous general for that role.

“Today, more than 600 franchise brands voluntarily offer financial discounts, mentorship and training to veterans who want to open their own franchises.”

A dozen or so franchisors supported VetFran by offering discounts to veterans who qualified to buy a franchise, and several dozen veterans became franchisees during the next couple of years. However, the program lost steam once the war ended, and then Don died prematurely and so did VetFran.

Several years after Don’s death, his daughter, Dina Dwyer-Owens, was CEO of The Dwyer Group and she was elected to the IFA Board of Directors. One of her goals, especially as chair of the IFA board, was to revive VetFran. The IFA agreed and so did hundreds of franchisors.

Although it has been years since I have been personally involved in the VetFran program, I have followed its progress as it has evolved into the program Don envisioned. Today, more than 600 franchise brands voluntarily offer financial discounts, mentorship and training to veterans who want to open their own franchises. VetFran’s most recent survey shows more than 238,000 veterans and military spouses have been able to find opportunities within the franchise community. More than 5,600 veterans have become franchisees through the program.

Many franchisors now look for opportunities to sell franchises to veterans because they are disciplined and orderly, they get things done and they are conditioned to follow an operational system. This is why so many franchisors support VetFran. Here is what just some of these many franchisors associated with the program have said about it: “Through the years I’ve found that veterans have the exact qualities that make a great franchisee and I’m always proud to work with them.” - Tariq Farid, Founder of Edible Arrangements

“Veterans know how to follow systems and procedures, have a strong work ethic

and tremendous integrity. All of this translates very well into owning a small business.” - Gary Findley, CEO of Restoration 1 and bluefrog Plumbing + Drain

“Not only are we giving these veterans the chance to begin their own ‘American Dreams’ as business owners, but they also turn out to be some of our most dedicated and successful franchisees.”

- Shannon Hudson, Founder and CEO of 9Round Franchising, LLC

Clearly, VetFran has turned out to be a program that benefits many, both veterans and franchisors alike – just like Don originally envisioned.

About the author Dr. John P. Hayes, Titus Chair for Franchise Leadership at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida, has written numerous bestselling books about franchising and teaches at franchise expos worldwide.

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Veteran Profile: uBreakiFix

Veteran

Gene Thornton

Uses Air Force Background to Succeed with uBreakiFix At age 18, Gene Thornton learned that less than one percent of U.S. citizens serve in the Armed Forces. Led by a desire to serve something greater than himself, Gene decided to join that one percent and enlist in the U.S. Air Force.

Serving as an intel analyst and airman for six years, Gene spent the majority of his time at Air Mobility Command Headquarters at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. For Gene, the transition from military to civilian life wasn’t easy—as is the case for so many American veterans.

“There are many challenges when leaving the service,” Gene said. “But the best thing about the transition is that no matter what obstacles lie ahead, the military has trained you to improvise with what you have, overcome adversity, and adapt to every situation,” said Gene.

On the brink of homelessness, Gene got connected to uBreakiFix through a friend of a friend. He started as an entry-level store technician and eventually worked his way up to management before finally opening his own franchise location in Stuart, Fla. in 2016.

“I found myself at a standstill in life and

Franchising USA

“I found myself at a standstill in life and very nearly became homeless. When I reached out to the uBreakiFix community, it changed everything.” - Gene Thornton very nearly became homeless,” he recalls.

“When I reached out to the uBreakiFix community, it changed everything. I was once again part of something bigger than myself, surrounded by a team of people who shared my values for service and integrity.”

Gene affectionately calls uBreakiFix Stuart his “baby,” and is currently laying the groundwork to open additional stores in the area. Like many veterans who work with uBreakiFix, Gene appreciates the ability to lead his own business in his own community, while still benefiting from corporate support and a close-knit company culture.

Founded in 2009, uBreakiFix services anything with a power button, including smartphones, game consoles, tablets, computers, drones, hoverboards, and everything in between. The franchise operates more than 460 locations across North America and has partnerships with leading technology companies like Google and Samsung. At the store level, uBreakiFix provides on-the-job training and ongoing corporate support. Though tech expertise is not required to franchise with uBreakiFix, Gene enjoys getting to work with his hands.

“You’d be surprised at how many people come in and think their broken phone is a lost cause,” Gene said. “It’s really gratifying to take a negative situation and turn it into something positive, either due

to the quality of the repair, the speed with which it was finished, or even just the kindness and candor of a technician who truly wants to help get your day back on track.”

In Stuart, the community is grateful to have a veteran-owned business, and Gene is grateful to them—and to the military background that helped condition him for life’s challenges and set him up for success.

“The military paved a road for me that wasn’t always the smoothest, and certainly wasn’t the easiest,” said Gene. “But I cannot deny that it made me stronger. I am eternally thankful for the hardships that made me who I am today and for uBreakiFix for helping me find myself along the way.” uBreakiFix offers 20 percent off of its franchise fee for U.S. veterans and was recently named one of Entrepreneur’s Top Franchises for Veterans.

Veterans looking for new opportunities can visit ubreakifix.com/franchising.

Click here to find out more...

FRANGUIDE.COM 703-424-2980 FIND YOUR FRANCHISE WITH FREE GUIDANCE FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS

ex per t advice

Ray Gibson, Co-founder and CEO of StartMonday

4 simple ways

small franchises can

Land Big Talent It’s no secret that smaller restaurants and franchises have a hard time competing for talent against large chains.

The big guys have more resources and can often offer a higher salary and better benefits.

But that doesn’t mean they have all the advantages. In fact, smaller franchises have a secret weapon when it comes to talent acquisition: a good reputation.

My company, StartMonday, conducted a survey of 750 hospitality and retail employees and found that these job seekers are more inclined to apply at a company

Franchising USA

with a good reputation than at one that offers above average compensation.

In short, job seekers in these industries care about a lot more than a paycheck.

Landing top talent comes down to understanding what matters most to them.

Add a personalized touch As a small company, it’s easier to stand out as a workplace with heart. Big corporations have a reputation for being cold and unrelatable. When job seekers apply to work for these companies, it’s not uncommon for them to spend half of the hiring process interacting with an automated hiring system instead of a human.

You can do better.

Our survey found that 33 percent of job seekers want to receive a personalized

phone call to learn about the next steps of the hiring process. Take the time reach out and have an actual conversation. Thank them for their interest in your company and let them know why you’d like to get to know them better.

While this phone call shouldn’t be approached like a job interview, let them know what stood out about their application and resume. Ask them if they have any questions and let them know when they can expect to hear from you next. In just a five-minute conversation, you can begin to build a relationship that gets job seekers invested in your franchise.

Find out what would make them happy At large companies, employees often feel like cogs in a machine. They’re disengaged and unfulfilled. In fact, our survey found

that 45 percent of candidates would drop out of a hiring process if they found out that current employees were unhappy.

As a smaller company, you have the ability to create a more personalized employee experience.

During the hiring process, don’t just focus on whether or not a person can do the job.

Find out if the position would make them happy. Ask candidates what they love the most about their previous jobs. Then let them know what aspect of the open job would be similar.

Additionally, try find a way to make the work meaningful for them. For example, if the candidate is involved with a local charity, offer to create a night to raise money for it. This provides an opportunity for them to give back through work.

Introduce the family It’s very rare for employees of a large franchise to know everyone, especially the owners. All the anonymity keeps them from forming a deep attachment to the company. In a smaller franchise, however, everyone knows each other.

Start making these introductions during the hiring process. Most candidates want to meet key franchise personal before taking a job anyway. Eighty-three percent

of our survey respondents said they wanted to talk to their potential managers before being hired. Forty-three and 26 percent said they wanted to meet co-workers and owners, respectively.

Once you’re getting serious about hiring a candidate, organize a meet-and-greet with a few team members. Make sure the setting is casual so the candidate doesn’t feel intimidated. Also, have the event match the setting of your restaurant. For example, if it’s a franchise of sports bars, invite the candidate to join you and some others to watch a game over some wings.

Offer customized career paths Larger franchises often have established training and career paths to offer their employees. These can be a big draw for talent in the restaurant industry. In fact, 41 percent of our respondents said professional development is an important factor when choosing a job.

get that experience through your company.

Think outside the box. For example, a waiter might tell you he’s always been interested in advertising and marketing.

So, ask if he’d like to help out with that aspect of the company. Once a week, he could help manage the social media page or learn about how the restaurant handles email marketing. This will provide him with knowledge he would never have received at a larger franchise.

Ray Gibson is the co-founder and CEO of StartMonday, an innovative recruiting platform for hospitality and retail designed for mobile generation candidates and time-strapped recruiters. startmonday.com

But often, these career paths are rigid.

Employees have to mold themselves to what the organization offers, rather than freely pursue all their goals and dreams.

You can provide a more custom path.

During the hiring process, find out where the candidate sees their career in a year and in five years. Discuss what types of skills they’d like to learn and how they can

Ray Gibson

Franchising USA

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

World-famous brand. World-class opportunity.

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

brumby’s bakery Brumby’s is one of Australia’s most iconic bakeries. With a history of baking fresh bread every day since 1975, it has fostered a loyal legion of customers who buy more than 10.5 million loaves each year, featuring more than 200 stores across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

Brumby’s Bakery is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Brumby’s Bakery.

Area Developers or Country Master Franchise

Business Finance Depot

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

Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor: • Full training of the brand system • Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager • Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts • Supply chain and procurement support.

Brumby’s Bakery is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA. Email rfginternational@rfg.com.au

Business Finance Depot specializes in packaging equipment leases and SBA Express Working Capital loans for start-up and existing businesses.

Our company also works with SBA 7(a) lenders, alternate financing sources, crowd funding financing sources and companies that specialize in using retirement funds to capitalize a new business. Please visit our website for more information.

Our main clients are franchisors seeking financing for their new franchisees and manufacturers seeking financing for their equipment purchases.

Website: www.businessfinancedepot.com Email: paul@businessfinancedepot.com Phone: (800) 788-3884 Contact: Paul Bosley

CAFÉ2U

Master Franchise Partners receive the benefits of being

Cafe2U is a van based franchise, delivering the highest quality espresso based beverages to non-traditional locations; being anywhere that a consumer would not expect to access a high-quality espresso based coffee.

Since the first van launched in Sydney, Australia in 2000, the brand now boasts more than 250 franchises worldwide, including over 100 across the UK, New Zealand and South Africa.

Cafe2U is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Cafe2U. Area Developers or Country

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

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

supported by an established Franchisor: • Full training of the brand system • Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager • Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts • Supply chain and procurement support.

Cafe2U is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA. Email rfginternational@rfg.com.au

Excellent for branding and recognition.

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

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

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

We provide marketing collateral, signage, POP

Crust Gourmet Pizza Since its inception in 2001, Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar has grown to over 160 stores in Australia and has expanded into Singapore and is soon opening in the United Kingdom.

Crust Gourmet Pizza is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Crust Gourmet Pizza.

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

• Full training of the brand system • Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager • Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts • Supply chain and procurement support.

Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor:

Crust Gourmet Pizza is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA. Email rfginternational@rfg.com.au

donut king

receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor:

The first Donut King store opened in Sydney Australia in 1981 and has since evolved into a network of close to 300 stores throughout Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and will be opening in Sweden and the United Kingdom in 2018. Donut King lives by a ‘Make it Fun’ brand mantra, with seriously delicious treats available at vibrant stores served by energetic and engaging staff.

• Full training of the brand system • Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager • Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts

Donut King is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Donut King.

Donut King is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA.

Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners

Email: rfginternational@rfg.com.au

Fresh Coat

our Marketing Department and our Operations Team. We have national and local marketing initiatives and resources to drive customers to your place of business, and experts to guide and coach you for as long as you own your Fresh Coat franchise.

The average Fresh Coat on average earns 41.22% gross profit and $507,883.18 in revenue!* (*See Item 19 of our April 1, 2018 Franchise Disclosure Document for details. Based on data reported by franchisees that were open and operating full-time for at least 1 year for the period ending December 31, 2017 and that reported Gross Revenues and income statements. A new franchise owner’s results may differ.

Our owners continually testify about the amazing amount of help they receive from our company. From coaching and onboarding, to marketing and operational support, we guide you every step of the way.

Marketing Support & Operation Support – At Fresh Coat, our franchisees are constantly surrounded by support from both

gloria jeans Since first entering the Australian market in 1996, Gloria Jean’s Coffees is now a global success story, serving guests in close to 900 coffee houses in over 50 territories worldwide.

Franchising USA

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

• Supply chain and procurement support.

Fresh Coat is committed to leading the painting industry by driving platinum level customer service delivered by a team of professionals and painting experts. To do this, our franchisees only hire the most skilled and experienced painters, allowing their franchise businesses to offer 6 unique services. Your painters provide positive experiences from the initial quote to final touch-ups.

Phone: (513) 605-4877 Email: freshcoatpaintersfranchise@gmail.com Website: www.freshcoatfranchise.com

Coffees. Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor: • Full training of the brand system

The flexibility of our coffee house design means that all formats can be adapted to a broad range of locations and localised to suit individual markets. General store format options include:

• Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager

• Kiosk • Small coffee house • Large coffee house • Drive thru

• Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts

Gloria Jean’s Coffees is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Gloria Jean’s

Gloria Jean’s Coffee is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA.

• Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Supply chain and procurement support.

Email: rfginternational@rfg.com.au

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

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

The Growth Coach The Growth Coach® is an industry-leading business coaching franchise, established in over 150 markets in the United States and abroad.

Since our founding in 1992, our coaches have helped thousands of small business owners achieve their personal

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

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

We offer single and multi-unit opportunities

International Franchise Professionals Group

Excellent for branding and recognition.

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

and professional goals. With 28 million businesses in the United States, the demand for business coaching has grown to a tremendous $11 billion industry.

P: (877) 498-3626 E: GrowthCoachFranchiseOpps@gmail.com

for individuals looking to join the recessionresistant healthcare industry.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s a grind

Master Franchise Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor:

Founded in 1994 in Long Beach, California, It’s A Grind’s mission is to provide high-quality signature coffee, espresso beverages and delicious food offerings in a comfortable and locally-focused atmosphere.

It’s A Grind has stores in the USA, Middle East and Asia.

Sourcing its coffee from around the globe, It’s A Grind then roasts each batch in Southern California, ensuring consistently fresh, smooth and flavorful coffee.

It’s A Grind is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including It’s A Grind. Area Developers or Country

R

W: https://growthcoachfranchise.com

• Full training of the brand system • Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager • Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts • Supply chain and procurement support.

It’s A Grind is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA. Email rfginternational@rfg.com.au

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LEAKPRO INTERNATIONAL Incorporated LEAKPRO is a unique Mobile business serving new and used car and truck dealerships, body shops, fleets and RV Dealers detecting and repairing Automotive Water Leaks, Air Leaks, Wind-Noises, sunroof and convertible issues.

The system itself, besides using ultrasound technology combined with the latest proprietary tools and products has a unique trademark, decor and logo. LEAKPRO offers intensive hand on training, OEM warranty approved products, factory trained technicians and up to a Lifetime warranty.

Our training not only teaches leak repair, but day-today business management and sales techniques. Prior Automotive experience is not required but helpful.

Michel’s Patisserie Michel’s Patisserie has French inspired cafés across Australia. With a history spanning over 30-years, Michel’s Patisserie is renowned for its delicious specialty cakes, pastries, treats, savouries and exclusive award-winning coffee. Michel’s Patisserie also includes an added cafe menu, including breakfast and light meals.

Michel’s Patisserie is owned by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Michel’s Patisserie.

With NO effective competition and the high demand for this service - it’s a Winning combination. This Mobile business is a low-overhead, profitable opportunity. To join this MultiAward winning TEAM call 888.532.5349 or visit www.leakpro. com today! Individual, Master and Regional Opportunities exist all throughout the USA. Contact: John R. Allen Founder & President Phone: 905.829.LEAK{5325) 1.888.532.5349 Email :john@leakpro.com Website: www.leakpro.com

Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an established Franchisor: • Full training of the brand system • Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager • Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts • Supply chain and procurement support.

Michel’s Patisserie is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA.

Area Developers or Country Master Franchise

Email rfginternational@rfg.com.au

Military Coffees

Their tagline is “Green to gone in 48 hours,” meaning that the green beans that are imported from organic farmers across the coffee growing regions of the globe are roasted and in your cup within 48 hours.

Veterans, military retirees and public safety professionals have been enjoying the unique experience of drinking the freshest, 100% USDA certified organic coffees available.

In addition, the ability to personalize the label on just one bag is something that nobody else is doing. With the combined power of owning a printing company, a coffee company and a shipping center, Military Coffees is able to print the label, roast the coffee and ship it same or next day.

MONKEE’S FRANCHISING Monkee’s Franchising, LLC is a franchisor of upscale ladies’ boutiques specializing in shoes, clothing and accessories.

Headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC, Monkee’s was founded in 1995 and has become one of the most successful organizations of independently owned boutiques in the Southeast. Our boutiques can now be found in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky,

NaturaLawn of America, Inc. Called “too far ahead of its time” in 1987, NaturaLawn of America—an organic-based lawn care company—today has 90 franchise locations in 25 states serving over 93,000 customers and generates annual revenues in excess of $64 million. Their natural lawn care system consists of a proprietary line of organic lawn care products, and provides business opportunities to individuals wishing to secure their own franchise.

With an average gross revenue of over $1.5 million per location and the highest reoccurring revenues in the industry, NaturaLawn of America is the premier choice when seeking a franchise service business. Franchise owners have the additional benefit of offering mosquito and flea and tick control

Franchising USA

A commitment to Service Excellence and a willingness to learn are required. The ability to deal with people in a friendly, professional and courteous manner combined with the determination to succeed could put you on the road to financial freedom.

If you have never had fresh roasted specialty coffee (an industry that is growing by 20% annually), you are missing out on a small slice of heaven in a cup.

For additional information on the Fighting Force Specialty Coffee franchise opportunity, please visit their website at www.militarycoffees.com.

North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia and we are excited as our growth continues nationally.

Monkee’s is recognized throughout this region as a leader in providing the finest fashions from the world’s top designers.

Contact: Troy Taylor Phone: 336-529-5200 Email: troy@shopmonkees.com Website: www.ownamonkees.com

under the separate brands Mosquito Ranger and Tick Ranger.

Each franchise is given an exclusive protected territory of between 50,000 to 70,000 single-family homes, as well as the company’s patented and exclusive fertilizers.

Franchise owners also benefit from advertising, marketing, accounting, purchasing, business management and other support provided from NaturaLawn of America’s home office.

A franchise support team visits new franchise locations an average of eight times a year for their first two years in business.

NaturaLawn of America has grown its revenue by 26 percent since 2014.

Contact: Blaine Young Phone: 301-694-5440 Email: Franchise@naturalawnfranchise.com Website: https://naturalawnfranchise.com

Nestlé® Toll House® Café

by Chip® Nestlé® Toll House® Café by Chip® is a premiere dessert and bakery café offering customers an unrivaled experience through the use of fine ingredients, indulgent creations, distinct flavor profiles, and the rich tradition of the very best Nestlé® brands.

Cafes offer freshly baked cookies, customized cookie cakes, a wide assortment of freshly baked confections, specialty coffee, ice cream, smoothies and savory items including paninis, wraps and flatbreads, sandwiches, salads and soups (in select locations).

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

Crest Foods Inc., franchisor of Nestlé® Toll House® Café

by Chip®, based in Richardson, Texas, is a premiere restaurant franchisor company. The company currently franchises more than 150 bakery cafés in the United States, Canada and the Middle East. The concept has kiosk, in-line mall, lifestyle, and street café locations. The first café opened in 2000. Nestlé® Toll House® Café by Chip® has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine’s “Franchise 500.” For more information please visit nestlecafe.com.

Contact: Benjamin Padilla Phone: (214) 495-9533 Email: franchising@nestlecafe.com Website: www.nestlecafe.com

Our Town America program, while dozens of locally-owned franchises validate the Our Town America concept as a viable business opportunity. Franchisees are neighborhood marketing consultants, showing local business owners how to target their best prospects with enticing offers via direct mail.

It is Our Town America’s mission to welcome new movers into their community, to help local businesses gain new loyal and long-term customers, and to provide franchisees with an excellent business opportunity. In the New Mover Marketing industry, we mix proven & perfected methods of direct mail with new technologies.

Since beginning to franchise in 2005, Our Town America has been consistently ranked a Top 50 Franchise by the Franchise Business Review, making them the only Advertising brand to land a spot in the 10-year Hall of Fame and the sole company to be crowned the Franchise Business Review’s All-time Top Company. They are the 2018 #1 Advertising & Sales franchise.

Thousands of satisfied business owners throughout the United States attest to the success and effectiveness of the

Website: https://www.ourtownamerica.com/ Email: franchising@ourtownamerica.com

PIRTEK USA

only franchise of its kind in the United States. With more than 30 years of experience, PIRTEK is a service-based business focused on reducing downtime by repairing and maintaining hydraulic- and pneumatic-powered machines. PIRTEK offers unmatched service and logistics, an industry-leading sales approach, and a corporate center passionate about its franchisees and customers. As a franchisee, you’ll receive top-notch support every step of the way.

Proven Business Model for Prosperity PIRTEK began in Australia in 1980 and expanded into the United States in 1996. With locations in more than 23 countries and 400+ locations globally—and growing, we are the leading edge in hydraulic hose service. We’re powered by an innovative approach to sales and service with more than 30 years of experience, backed by a corporate team that is passionate about its franchisees and customers. PIRTEK offers unmatched service and logistics and is consistently recognized as a premier franchise.

Our Franchise Ownership process is quick too! There is a 6-step process, and this can usually be completed within 6-12 weeks. For more information, call Lu-Ann Senia to walk you through the steps to owning your own PIRTEK franchise.

PIRTEK is a unique business-to-business franchise that services, maintains, installs and replaces hydraulic hoses and fittings. PIRTEK is the leader in fluid transfer solutions, the

Phone: 321-504-4422 Email: lsenia@pirtekusa.com Contact: Lu-Ann Senia

Pizza capers

established Franchisor:

Pizza Capers was launched in 1996 and has outlets across Australia and have recently launched in India.

Pizza Capers has successfully created a new segment in the take-away / dine-in pizza category for high quality, everyday gourmet pizza. Pizza Capers is owned

by Retail Food Group, a global food and beverage company headquartered in Australia with over 2400 outlets across over 80 territories worldwide and nine brand systems, including Pizza Capers.

Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners receive the benefits of being supported by an

Pollo Campero Pollo Campero has served flavorful chicken made with our original family recipe since 1971.

Our menu includes fried, grilled, and boneless chicken for wholesome, customizable, easy-toshare meals.

In 2017, we were named #6 in Business Insider’s “25 best fast-food chains in America right now.”

With 350 system-wide locations, including company-owned and franchised stores, we have established a support network for franchisees who want to join our growing family.

• Full training of the brand system • Ongoing support via a Market Development Manager • Marketing and Communications support including brand assets, promotional campaigns, point of sale material, website, public relations support and more • Product innovation via our dedicated team of food experts • Supply chain and procurement support.

Pizza Capers is seeking Area Developers or Country Master Franchise Partners for the USA. Email rfginternational@rfg.com.au

With 6 straight years of Compounded Annual Sales Growth, we are now positioned to rapidly expand throughout the US. Franchising with Pollo Campero means serving up fresh, unique flavors with broad appeal and taking part in a franchise opportunity with strong earnings potential. Join our family!

Phone: (972) 770-2800 Website: us.campero.com/franchising Email: franchising@campero.com Contact: Gustavo Duran, Executive Vice President

Franchising USA

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pool scouts

• Recurring revenue business

Backed by multi brand franchisor, Buzz Franchise Brands – winner of Inc. 500, Pool Scouts helps franchisees hit the ground running.

A Pool Scouts franchise is a business opportunity that can be run from virtually any home or office. We are talking to motivated people to operate Pool Scouts businesses across the United States. Individual territories or area development opportunities are available. Pool Scouts…Perfect Pools, Scouts Honor!

Pool Scouts is the franchise opportunity poised to make a splash in the industry.

Here are some compelling attributes: • Fragmented market in a $3 Billion industry • Fast growing franchise opportunity • Low franchise fee and fast start up

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

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

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

Our model is a powerful opportunity for the right

scooter’s coffee

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

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

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

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

Founded in 1998, Scooter’s Coffee roasts the finest coffee beans in the world at its headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. In two decades of business, Scooter’s Coffee’s success is simple: stay committed to the original business principles and company core values.

employees is: “Amazing People, Amazing Drinks...

Amazingly Fast!”™ It reflects a commitment to providing an unforgettable experience to loyal and new customers. Scooter’s Coffee is quickly approaching 200 locations in 16 states and has 135 franchise commitments to build new stores.

Franchise opportunities are available.

A partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation to source shade-grown coffee to protect the rainforests reaffirms its commitment to contribute to a “chain of good”. The company’s Brand Promise, recited to franchisees, customers and

Phone: (402) 934-7284 Website: https://franchising.scooterscoffee.com Email: Kelly.crummer@scooterscoffee.com Contact: Kelly Crummer- Franchise Development Manager

SUBWAY®

freshly baked breads, select sauces and a variety of delicious toppings. When you join the Subway® family, you’ll get world-class support before you even make your first sandwich and well beyond.

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

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

Our sandwiches are made to order right in front of the customer, precisely the way they want - using

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

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

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

Franchising USA

Phone: 1-844-407-2688 Email: franchising@poolscouts.com Website: poolscoutsfranchise.com

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

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

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

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

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

TruBlue Total House Care There are thousands of Senior Care companies taking care of the person, but NO ONE is taking care of their homes. Sadly, Seniors are forced to leave their beloved home and memories too soon because the home becomes too hard to maintain. Regrettably, they end up in nursing homes and retirement facilities. All of that has changed and created a business opportunity of a lifetime.

TruBlue is the ONLY national provider that specializes in Total House Care for Seniors, so they can stay in their homes longer… “age in place” with confidence, comfort, safety and independence.

We provide complete and on-going house care, both inside and outside the home: • Repairs • Cleaning

The UPS Store

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

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

• Yard work • Special projects (such as wheelchair access, safety audits, and fall prevention, to name a few) • Home Watch TruBlue Total House Care services busy families, as well. They’re constantly running from school activity to sporting event most evenings and weekends. While they have disposable income, they have little free time or desire to handle the endless chores around the house. They gladly turn to TruBlue for complete and affordable house care, inside and out, where we act as their Total House Care Manager and provide them with a convenient and hassle-free lifestyle.

Phone: 866-498-3218 Website: www.trubluefranchise.com

The UPS Store, Inc. is the world’s largest franchisor of retail shipping, postal, printing and business service centers. The UPS Store comprises more than 5,000 independently owned locations across North America providing convenient and valueadded business services to small business owners, entrepreneurs and consumers.

minorities, women, veterans, and retirees. Best of all, we have numerous franchise opportunities available throughout the country, from traditional stand-alone locations to smaller footprint centers inside of other locations including hotels, convention centers, pharmacies and more. Take a look at the currently available franchise opportunities and contact us for more details.

With nearly 40 years of franchising experience, we’ve been able to offer thousands of people the opportunity to become their own boss, everyone from entrepreneurs to corporate executives, including

Phone: (877) 623-7253, Monday - Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST Website: www.theupsstorefranchise.com Contact: www.theupsstorefranchise.com/contact

verlo mattress

Verlo offers a one-of-a-kind Comfort Adjustment service, in which guests are able to have the firmness or softness of their mattress altered for free within a period of time. This gives the consumer peace of mind that they will not be stuck with a mattress that no longer addresses their sleep comfort needs.

Verlo has a mattress shopping experience unlike any other – an elevated customer experience that was designed to make shopping as comfortable as the mattresses – with the goal of having guests feel a sense of “ahhh” when in a Verlo store.

As a vertically integrated company, our mattresses are built on-site, sold at consumer-direct prices and serviced locally with a Lifetime Comfort Guarantee.

This model uniquely positions Verlo to benefit from several key retail trends, such as Shop Local, Made in America, and Handmade Products.

Veterans Business Services Veterans Business Services provides the most advantageous franchise acquisition terms for Veterans and provides innovative entrepreneurial training for qualified Veterans seeking grants under the VA Vocational Rehabilitation Program.

Veterans Business Services (“VBS”) specializes in entrepreneurial opportunities for Veterans and has an extensive reach into the Veterans community and can generate significant interest from qualified Veterans who wish to start a franchise or small business.

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

Company Name: FWR, LLC d/b/a Verlo Mattress Phone: 414/585-8900 Website: www.verlo.com/franchise Email: franchisedevelopment@verlo.com Contact: Kathy Thornton-Bias

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

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

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

Franchising USA

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A-Z LISTINGS ARE A GREAT WAY TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS Midas ’S FRANCHISING highly MONKEEized brand throughout the world and one be or

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Making an appearance every month in Franchising USA magazine.

Each detailed, 4 color A-Z listing comes with a 150 word write up and your logo.

Excellent for branding and recognition.

Choose a 12 or 6 month package or simply add the A-Z directory onto your FOCUS, PROFILE or ad!

To learn about the A-Z directory or any other products, please contact Vikki Bradbury: vikki@cgbpublishing.com

www.franchisingusamagazine.com