ON THE ROAD FRANCHISING FEATURE SUPPLEMENT

FranchisingFeature on the road

ju ly 2019

One Junk Lugger’s Journey

to Mobile Franchising

Taking Your Business to the Customer

on the road

mobile franchising feature

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what’s new!

PIRTEK USA Continues to Expand with Launch of Hydraulic and Industrial Hose Service in Rockford, IL

Longtime employee of PIRTEK O’Hare starts PIRTEK Rockford under company’s mobile-only, Tier 2 program PIRTEK Rockford, which provides onsite hydraulic and industrial hose service to businesses in Rockford, IL, is now open for business. Bert Banaszak, new owner of the mobileonly service, previously served as a branch manager at another PIRTEK location in the Chicago area.

With the addition of PIRTEK Rockford, there are now six PIRTEK locations in Illinois and 85 across the country. Rockford is the largest city in Illinois outside the Chicago metropolitan area and the third-largest in the state. “We just saw a void that needed to be filled,” Banaszak said. “I’m excited about this market opportunity.

As a business owner my philosophy is simple: Provide excellent service and be fair to everybody.

PIRTEK specializes in hydraulic and industrial hose service through its locations across the country. PIRTEK team members are also available 24/7 to provide on site repairs to hydraulic and industrial hoses, thanks to the company’s specially equipped

Mobile Service Vehicles. PIRTEK boasts more than 400 franchise locations in 23 countries around the world.

The new location opened under PIRTEK USA’s mobile-only Tier 2 program. The Tier 2 option enables business owners to launch a franchise at a lower initial cost.

“Rockford has been up and coming for a number of years,” Banaszak said. “Companies we work with already have branches there. During the past few years, they’ve been ramping up, so it’s good timing.” www.PIRTEKUSA.com

Camp Bow Wow Milford to Host HUGE Grand Opening Event Camp Bow Wow, the Premier Doggy Day and Overnight Camp franchise and an Entrepreneur Franchise 500 company, is excited to announce the opening of its newest Camp located in Milford, OH at 892 State Route 28.

To kick off the official grand opening, the brand hosted a paw-ty on June 1st for the surrounding community to experience a fun-filled day of activities and the chance to discover the premium pet care services that Camp Bow Wow offers to hundreds of communities throughout the country.

The family-friendly event featured onsite pet adoptions through local rescues, such as Clermont to the Rescue, Sweet Dreams House Rescue, and League for

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Animal Welfare, a Yappy Hour featuring Yuengling and White Claw, car show, silent auction, food/drinks for all ages, games and a live concert by renowned country singer and Camp Bow Wow Milford Owner, John Carter. All proceeds from the event will benefit the rescue shelters.

Camp Bow Wow Milford brings to the area highly skilled pet experts specializing in top quality animal care. The state-ofthe-art facility offers residents a fun, safe and upscale atmosphere for dogs to play, socialize and receive copious amounts of love and attention. Pet parents have the option of both daytime and extended overnight care, full-service grooming and dog training. The new facility features 4

large indoor and outdoor play yards, tiny tot play area for tea cup pups, live camper cams so parents can keep an eye on their pup throughout the day, climate controlled atmosphere and more. www.campbowwow.com/milford

U.S. Lawns Deploys JobBot.Ai to Help Franchisees Streamline Hourly Recruitment The secret to success is to help franchisees build rock-star teams.

This was the sentiment when U.S. Lawns deployed JobBot.Ai to help its franchisees recruit and hire hourly employees.

Amid the most challenging labor markets in decades, U.S. Lawns has turned to artificial intelligence (Ai) to help all its franchise owners tackle some of the most difficult challenges with recruiting hourly workers.

Founded in 1986, U.S. Lawns services commercial customers through a nationwide franchise network in over 260 locations, providing customized grounds care and snow & ice management services to corporate campuses, retail centers,

industrial parks, multi-family residential communities and other commercial customers.

The company has installed JobBot. Ai, which provides intelligent chatbots that contact and screen job applicants on behalf of franchisees. The Ai automates critical tasks involved with hourly recruitment, contacting applicants immediately whenever they apply and responding to calls and text messages.

Jobbot works continuously 24/7 to screen candidates and schedule interviews,

liberating franchisees and their staff from such tedious and time-consuming work, allowing them to focus instead on growing the business.

“Hiring the best people is the key to our continued growth,” said Ken Hutcheson, President of U.S. Lawns. “Besides bringing efficiencies throughout the organization, we want to enable our franchisees to take advantage of new technologies like JobBot.Ai that can help them achieve better outcomes.” www.USLawnsFranchise.com

Forbes Names BrightStar Care Best LowInvestment Franchise in America National In-Home Care Agency Ranks amongst Industry Elite on Annual List Forbes Magazine has named BrightStar Care the best lowinvestment franchise in America, in a report released last week. The brand ranked No. 1 in the category of companies with an entry cost of up to $150,000.

In an effort to give investors who are looking to buy a franchise a glimpse into how different franchises’ health and appeal measure up, the list serves as a great starting point for research on the wide array of opportunities available within franchising.

“BrightStar Care is honored to receive this prestigious ranking from Forbes magazine. The BrightStar Care franchise opportunity is one with great purpose, and we couldn’t do it without our outstanding franchise partners,” said Shelly Sun, CEO and cofounder of BrightStar Care. “No matter which BrightStar Care location you or your loved ones are near, our entire system of franchise partners are working hard every day to maintain our well-earned reputation.”

Competition remains fierce in the healthcare field. In fact, in 2018 healthcare employment surpassed 16 million, making it the largest and fastest-growing industry in the U.S. economy. With the demand rising, along with the number of independent and franchise brands, BrightStar Care continuously comes out on

top. The company is the only national home care or home health care franchise to receive The Joint Commission’s Enterprise Champion for Quality award every year since the award’s inception and in 2018, the BrightStar Care ranked No. 75 on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 list.

For more information on BrightStar Care please visit www.brightstarcare.com

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what’s new!

Puroclean Achieves Several Top Franchise Awards PuroClean, a leading restoration and remediation franchise, recently received top awards from renowned franchise organizations, including Franchise Business Review, Franchise Times, and Franchise Direct.

DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen Celebrates Twenty Years of Being a Leader in the Remodeling Industry

The announcement is a testament to the company’s ongoing growth and achievements in franchise owner satisfaction, following a change in ownership just four years ago. Recent honors include Franchise Business Review’s (FBR) ranking of PuroClean at number 22 in the Top 50: Large category for companies with 130300 units in their annual Franchisee Satisfaction Awards. FBR also identified PuroClean as a Top Low-Cost Franchise for 2019, one of only 97 franchises to achieve the award for high franchisee satisfaction and an investment of under $100,000.

“In 2015, Vice Chairman Frank Torre and I came on board with ambitious goals to drive PuroClean’s growth in North America, while elevating our brand through new opportunities,” said Mark Davis, Chairman and CEO at PuroClean. “We believe wholeheartedly in servant leadership, working to build a team that is dedicated to a collective mission, and we are proud to receive honors like these, which support our long-term vision for the company.”

Additionally, Entrepreneur magazine ranked PuroClean at number 35 on its list of Top Low-Cost Franchises for 2019, while Franchise Times named PuroClean a 2019 best buy in their third annual, consumer-focused Zor Awards program. Lastly, the company was ranked number 62 in the annual Top 100 Global Franchises from Franchise Direct.

For more information on the PuroClean franchise system, contact 800-351-2282 or visit www.puroclean.com/franchise

DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen is celebrating its 20-year anniversary with continued strength and recognition as a leader in the home remodeling industry.

The company’s roots go back to 1970 in restoring existing fixtures and evolved through several generations finally arriving to a full-service kitchen, bath and interior remodeling company in 1999. DreamMaker conducted national research to rechristen the company’s name to DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen; a brand committed to enhancing lives and improving homes.

Doug Dwyer, President and Chief Stewardship Officer (CSO) of DreamMaker, led the company through this change and ultimately purchased the company in 2003.

“At DreamMaker, we believe in people first, profit second, but both are essential.,” says Dwyer. “Throughout our franchise’s history, we have sought to treat everyone with respect and integrity. We believe that our focus on Respect, Integrity and Customer Focus ensures customer satisfaction, and this results in customer loyalty, more referrals, and a sense of dedication and higher calling for our teams.”

Under Dwyer’s leadership, DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen has received nearly 20 Guildmaster Awards for Exceptional Service and has been selected as one of over 200 North American builders, remodelers, developers and contractors recognized by GuildQuality for their superior delivery of customer care.

Left to right: PuroClean Director of Marketing Alex Pericchi, President and COO Steve White, and VP of Franchise Development Tim Courtney showcase PuroClean’s Franchisee Satisfaction Award from Franchise Business Review

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A tradition of innovation and strong core values are fueling DreamMaker’s growth to serve and enrich people’s lives with dignity, excellence, humility, and respect. Dwyer says. “We never stop looking ahead and it’s this tireless attitude that has made us who we are today.”

Visit DreamMakerFranchise.com to learn more.

ASSISTED LIVING LOCATORS FOUNDER & CEO ANGELA OLEA NAMED ONE OF AZ BUSINESS MAGAZINE’S MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN ARIZONA BUSINESS Assisted Living Locators Founder & CEO, Angela Olea was named one of “The Most Influential Women in Arizona Business for 2019” by AZ Business Magazine.

Olea and the other honorees will be recognized at an awards banquet in August and will be featured in the July/August issue of AZ Business Magazine.

“The Most Influential Women in Arizona Business” award recognizes women leaders who demonstrate professional excellence, innovation, and community impact. The entire list of the 2019 class can be found here.

“It’s an honor to be included alongside so many amazing women that are shaping Arizona business,” said Olea. “I’m proud that through my company, I help seniors

and their families find the right care option and peace of mind.”

Olea is a highly passionate and accomplished business leader in the senior care industry. She is also a visionary, founding the nation’s first senior placement franchise business. A registered nurse, Olea initially launched Assisted Living Locators in response to seeing aging patients have unnecessary hospital readmissions and a lack of community support.

Today, as Assisted Living Locators CEO, she has built the company into a nationally acclaimed senior placement and referral agency, matchmaking seniors with caring providers for over a decade. With 110 franchise office locations in 34 states and the District of Columbia, Assisted Living

Locators is one of the largest organically grown senior placement and referral businesses in the U.S. To learn more, visit www.assistedlivinglocators.com

New GreenLight Mobility Franchise Provides Solutions for Home Safety and Accessibility “This market is rapidly expanding both because of an aging population that desires the freedom of staying at home and an evolving healthcare system that aims to get people out of rehab centers and back home,” said Karen Frank, CEO and co-founder of GreenLight Mobility. “After growing our business across New Jersey, we want to provide others with the same opportunity

that has helped us serve a population in need and build our own business.”

Baby Boomers have ushered in a spike in the senior population that will continue into Generation X. And most Americans in their retired years would prefer to stay at home.

GreenLight Mobility’s affiliate business in New Jersey has

But, there’s one significant challenge the growing aging population faces: Sixteen million U.S. seniors have at least one disability threatening their hopes of remaining in a home they love.

2007. With low overhead — no need for expensive retail leases —

Enter GreenLight Mobility, a new franchise model founded by a physical and occupational therapist couple and a seasoned franchise executive that makes homes safe and accessible for seniors and people with disabilities.

witnessed a more than 25 percent increase in revenue over the past two years and consistent year-over-year growth since launching in franchise owners can run a home modification business from home with just a small warehouse for products. Initial franchise fees are $43,500, but GreenLight Mobility is offering a $5,000 discount to the first four owner-operators.

For more information, visit GreenLightMobility.com or call (973) 946-8330.

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Cover Story: The Junkluggers

One Junk Lugger’s Journey to Mobile Franchising As children, we typically set outlandish expectations for what we want to be “when we grow up.” For me, my original goals were to become either a cowboy or real estate investor.

In the end, I took the unexpected route of becoming the founder and CEO of an eco-friendly junk removal service…

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Quite far from the wrangling and financial work I once envisioned for myself.

them mentioned how he made $100 by

Ultimately, what inspired me to take the path less traveled to the junk business was the opportunity to unite my passion for environmental sustainability with one simple consumer benefit: Convenience.

To that neighbor, the convenience that

Simplicity is key – always has been, always will be The year was 2004, and I was a 21-year-old student at the University of Connecticut.

While studying abroad, some friends and I had a conversation during which one of

hauling away a neighbor’s refrigerator. came with the young man lugging the old appliance was worth the price.

I realized this was something I could do in my hometown of Trumbull, Connecticut, as a way to make some extra cash, but I could take it a step further by ensuring the stuff I hauled would find new, sustainable homes. Upon returning home from that trip abroad, I began informing neighbors of my new business endeavor, which eventually became known as “The Junkluggers.”

“With convenience as a main selling point, I knew my business’s success was dependent on mobility.”

The modern necessity for business mobility

“Turning our business-on-wheels into a franchise-on-wheels was the right move, helping us continue growing without compromising service quality.”

My mission from the start was to take any unnecessary junk off neighbors’ hands and deliver it to local donation centers and recycling facilities, keeping as much out of landfills as possible.

From my very first job, I noticed the “junk” I was hauling away was often much more than that – it had sentimental value to my customers, and I started forming personal relationships with them through the business.

Put your business on wheels, and growth will follow…

Early on, it became clear that in addition to our eco-friendly mission, the convenience of my business model was an extremely attractive asset as well. Demand was high for professional manpower to take care of junk-hauling so home and business owners wouldn’t have to themselves. At the time, there was no other business like mine that made this process both convenient and ecofriendly as well as offered tax-deductible receipts.

With convenience as a main selling point, I knew my business’s success was dependent on mobility. After first borrowing my mom’s SUV for pickup, I finally purchased “Old Rusty”, a semi-reliable old dump truck that enhanced my ability to bring

the business straight to customers. With the support of Old Rusty, The Junkluggers expanded beyond my hometown, and before I knew it, I was overseeing operations in New York and northern New Jersey.

As expansion continued, the time came for me to trade in Old Rusty for a vehicle made for my growing mobile business: the bright green trucks, still used today by The Junkluggers, which consist of industrystandard-sized dump trucks custom built to allow for a smooth junk removal experience.

With growth comes the opportunity to franchise By 2013, our rapid growth made it difficult to manage all operations through one corporate base. If we intended to keep up our reputation for efficiency, we needed to adopt a better method for expansion.

The concept of franchising was foreign to me at the time, and I wasn’t sure how the mobility of our business would translate to expanded ownership. But sure enough, turning our business-on-wheels into a franchise-on-wheels was the right move, helping us continue growing without compromising service quality.

Fast-forward to 2019, and The Junkluggers is now celebrating its 15th anniversary.

Our growing franchise network currently consists of around 200 employees manning nearly 80 trucks across the nation.

Throughout the last decade and a half, much has changed, but our eco-friendly mission has remained. To-date, we have kept 50 million pounds of junk from landfills with a goal to send zero percent of reusable junk to landfills by 2025.

Had we not evolved to continue operations through franchising, we would have compromised the pillar of convenience our brand was built on. While the key services we provide may not be available through a typical brick-and-mortar store, we equip our franchisees with something even better for today’s modern market driven by e-commerce: a vehicle that is essentially a giant traveling billboard, which brings a necessary service straight to the customer’s doorstep while simultaneously giving back to the communities where those customers reside.

Looking back, I now realize the business I launched in 2004 was perhaps ahead of its time. The revelation I had as a young college student that “convenience sells” is an essential component of the business world today, and so is an increased awareness of our environmental impact.

As we advance further into the 21st century, I feel confident that demand for the foundational aspects of The Junkluggers will only increase, and I look forward to continuing to provide them through our growing network.

Interested in bringing the eco-friendly, mobile services provided by The Junkluggers to your community?

Contact josh@junkluggers.com for more on our franchise opportunities. www.junkluggers.com/franchiseopportunities

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b y G i n a G i l l Fr a n c h i s i n g U S A

on the road A lot of businesses nowadays do not have a stable location as a place of business. In the modern world, it’s easy to change traditional business to suit the needs and demands of the American public.

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As more people are opting for convenience, and willing to pay for time saving services, the franchise world has opened its doors to new opportunities. Using technological advancements to work with people in different manners and widen options to appease many, franchising has adjusted easily to new age ideas.

A mobile business is one of the most easily accessible franchise options for those interested in a small start up with a lower investment fee. Without a location or sometimes many employees, the fees and operation expectations are lower.

Mobile businesses are a great opportunity to create your own schedules accordingly and create a decent work life balance that is truly the business owner’s ultimate goal.

There were over 28 billion small businesses in the US in 2017 - some of those mobile business options. The benefit of starting a small business as a franchise has numerous benefits.

A franchise is an ideal option in this case, because a list of clients may come along with the investment, as well as name brand usage and reputation. Most franchises offer marketing and tech support, while ongoing training and set up.

Running one’s own small business would require a lot of time, effort and resources, while in the case of a franchise, an owner can easily step away from the business

“A mobile businesses is one of the most easily accessible franchise options for those interested in a small start up with a lower investment fee.” and likely have it run by a few employees.

The support and expertise of a franchisor, allows investors to create a more balanced schedule with more personal freedom.

The mobile franchise offers a variety of opportunities for franchisees to considerthe choices allows owners to play to their strengths or pursue a business passion that they always dreamed about.

Food Trucks The food truck has become more popular and trendy in the last couple years. Most cities fill their streets with hot dogs, scones, burgers, perogies straight from the van.

There are now festivals, concerts, food competitions focused on the growing fad of food trucks. What was once a quick fix for hunger now includes higher end options, with real meals being served on the street.

This allows franchisors to choose their destination, work with employees to best fit their their lifestyle and also network connections with other local businesses for further profit. The downside of a trending business is the idea that it could eventually lose traction and interest. A franchise tends to have a stable reputation before setting up for business, with support a

small food truck could be profitable and easy to manage. For those interested in the festival and concert lifestyle, they could run the franchise on the ground themselves and enjoy all the extra bonuses that come with it.

Social Media Social Media platforms have become a part of everyday business – a free marketing tool that can gain customers through following. Though it’s free and accessible, it’s not always easy to navigate for a lot of businesses. In 2017 it was calculated that 90% of US businesses use social media for marketing purposes (Statista.ca) and that number continued to climb.

Social media assistance tends to be outsourced by most companies to get the job done. This provides a new opening for franchises, social media businesses focused on communications and marketing work for other companies and flood their pages and keep their content up to date.

Some franchisees interested in this field would potentially have a background in social media, but digital marketing expertise would not be necessary for success or profit. A franchise would offer a roster of clients and branding keeping business simple and easy.

Household Services People used to have the time and space to tend to a lot of the common household chores and upkeep. Nowadays, there are long rush hours, afterschool activities, and ongoing events so time is less

“There are now festivals, concerts, food competitions focused on the growing fad of food trucks. What was once a quick fix for hunger now includes higher end options, with real meals being served on the street.”

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b y G i n a G i l l Fr a n c h i s i n g U S A

“Dog walking and pet sitting is now available as a franchise. . . . 68% of US households owned a pet in 2018 and tend to need additional help to care for their creatures.”

available. The modern world has provided many conveniences, as well as business opportunities. Franchises have answered the call to household duties and mobile franchises offer different options to adhere to such needs.

Gardening and Landscaping is a common outsources chore that families take advantage of, while everyone wants to have the greenest lawns and fullest gardens, they don’t have the time or dedication to meet their needs.

Maid service is a franchise options with great branding and insured clients. A franchisee would allow a lot of their employees to tend to clientele and run the mobile business for them, while they remain dedicated to the operations and management.

Dog walking and pet sitting is now available as a franchise. Though you’d be competing with local businesses, customers would prefer a stable franchise that is reliable and guarantees services. 68% of US households owned a pet in 2018 and tend to need additional help to care for their creatures. Whether it’s during regular work hours while owners are away or during a family vacation, there are a lot of opportunities to gain a large clientele in this industry, plus if a franchisee is a pet lover, working on the ground could allow them to follow a passion.

The mobile franchise is an ever growing business opportunity that is easy to start and maintain. With nothing tangible to operate and likely a smaller employee pool, franchisees can run their business from their home or work directly in the field.

Though it has a lower investment, there is plenty of room to grow. As a franchisee gets a grip on one mobile franchisee, they could eventually run multiple in the same field if the customers are there and the market is demanding.

An ongoing concern with mobile business is competing small business owners and freelancers. A person willing to walk and sit dogs can simply load their talents on a facebook page and reach out to clients locally. Though that may sound lucrative and cost less upfront, a franchise offers available clients and branding which is the key to success and profit. Starting a small

“As more people are opting for convenience, and willing to pay for time saving services, the franchise world has opened its doors to new opportunities.”

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business can be risky and unpredictable but a franchise offers support, training and a template that will generate profit.

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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Expert Advice: Christopher Conner | President of Franchise Marketing Systems

Taking Your Business to the Customer Convenience is king in today’s market. People want what they want and they want it quick and easy.

Remember back when the idea of the drive through food service model redefined what we knew and understood about convenience? Nowadays, the idea of a drive through is pretty old school in terms of how convenient products or service are delivered considering the Amazon effect where people expect products to literally show up on their door step within a day’s time.

This trend towards convenience has carried over into franchising in a big way and has shown up in a wide range of different industries. Consumers today want their automotive services done at their home, elderly family members taken care of in their own home, groceries to be delivered and food to show up on their doorstep. All of this translates to more business opportunities centered around convenience and driving dollars towards businesses which make the transaction easy for the customer to receive their goods and services.

Mobile franchises have emerged in a wide range of market segments making this trend even more evident.

Fundraising University for example is a

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mobile franchise model where franchisees go to the schools and customer directly and onsite in a territory franchise model.

It’s a unique business model in a fun market segment that makes the process for schools to raise funding for activities and programs.

Along those lines, the senior care industry is full of mobile franchise opportunities - Goshenite is a new franchise brand, but has all of the potential you’d want to see in a mobile services franchise model.

Not only does Goshenite provide senior transportation services, but also publishes a senior-focused magazine pulsation and puts on shows specific to the senior market. Franchisees have a multi-pronged revenue model with the lower investment of a mobile operating model.

Miraculum Fire is a new one that brings innovative technology to the market through a fire suppression formula. The patented formula can be sprayed on anything and make the item resistant to fire (think homes, furniture, baby’s clothing, etc) - the possibilities are endless and the mobile service model allows a franchisee to take the business to the customers.

Kids Kab is a California-based franchise that transports children and provides a professional, safe service for busy parents who have to shuttle their kids to and from the myriad of activities every household is involved in. I know the Conner House could use these services virtually every day with the 3 and 6 year old that live there.

“Mobile franchises have emerged in a wide range of market segments making this trend even more evident.�

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“Consumers today want their automotive services done at their home, elderly family members taken care of in their own home, groceries to be delivered and food to show up on their doorstep.”

In the education space, we have a new franchise system by the brand Nexplore which is a mobile services education business providing STEM-based, Math and Science at the school itself through after school programs. The classes are customized to the students, convenient to get to and make learning fun all of which play exactly to today’s market for education services.

The possibilities and number of brands working in mobile franchising are virtually endless. My work as a franchise consultant exposes me to a lot of great brands and amazingly innovative entrepreneurs. Over the past 17 years, I’ve seen trends come and go in a variety of industry segments.

I don’t think that is the case with mobile franchising. People want and demand convenience and today, the credibility of a business isn’t dependent on a brick and mortar location like it was 10 years ago. People have the opportunity to start a business with a lot less money invested and can create a business that in most cases offers higher levels of profitability due to the lower overhead and operating structure.

Brands such as Junk King, Restoration 1 and others have become national brands in a relatively short time period playing to these elements in the franchise

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industry. People want good value for their investment and there are a lot more people who can invest $150k than there are who can put together $500k for a fixed location franchise.

In my experience, mobile franchising is not for the faint of heart when it comes to marketing and selling. Some fixed location businesses can allow a franchisee the luxury of opening their doors in the right location and not have to pull customers in the door with aggressive selling. Mobile franchising relies on the aggressive salesminded person to drive the new business development. Successful mobile franchise owners know how to acquire business and enjoy the marketing activities that come with developing new relationships and being in control of their own destiny.

In my opinion, if you are a go-getter, enjoy business development and are looking for the best return on investment, mobile franchises make an incredibly compelling opportunity. In addition, mobile franchises can allow you the opportunity to work from home creating an awesome work-life balance opportunity.

Christopher Conner is the President of Franchise Marketing Systems and has spent the last decade in the

Chris Conner

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

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Expert Advice: Ryan McLaughlin | Senior Franchise Consultant | BELFOR Franchise Group

Want Your Business To Grow But Don’t Know How?

Follow These 3 Steps

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Owning your own business is the epitome of the American dream.

While this is an aspiration for many, it can prove to be difficult to get your company up and running and ultimately become profitable.

If you find that you’re struggling to get operations moving or just have hit a plateau in your independent entrepreneurial aspirations, you may want to consider joining something that will give you the support you need to succeed.

Franchising provides opportunities to expand your existing business. What many small business owners don’t realize is that converting an existing business into a franchise poised for growth is not only possible but is quite easy. At BELFOR Franchise Group, we consider each conversion a true partnership and take the time to help potential franchisees make decisions that will truly benefit their life.

Here are a few steps to help you through the discovery process:

1

Start with the foundation

When considering whether you want to become a franchisee or not, consider why you began your business in the first place. Going back to the foundation that drove you to venture out on your own will help you evaluate your long-term goals.

Did you open your business because you wanted to operate autonomously? Was it for max profit? Or was it just a lifelong dream of yours? All these questions will help you realize if converting to a franchise is the right opportunity for you.

2

Assess your strengths and weaknesses

Take a deep dive into what makes your independent business thrive and what you need improvement on. When researching potential franchise companies, having a

“If you have taken the time to evaluate your foundation, assess your strengths and weakness, and get to know the potential franchisor and decide converting is the right decision for you – Congratulations! The hardest step of converting is in the decisionmaking process, so now comes the easy part.”

strong understanding of your strengths and weaknesses can help you focus on which franchising packages would make the strongest impact. This will also help you have a better understanding of what you are looking for in a potential partnership.

3

Develop relationships and be patient

Take your time to put in the effort to truly get to know the franchising company you are considering converting to. Spend ample time with the staff and understand their culture. Ask yourself: Do I share the same values as this company? Will this company support my long-term goals? Is this a company I really want to belong to? This is vital to succeeding if you do decide you’d like to transition.

Justin Johnson, owner of 1-800 WATER DAMAGE of South Metro Milwaukee, a water damage restoration company and BELFOR Franchise Group franchise, says following these steps were vital to his overall success. While operating his own restoration business, Johnson realized he was lacking the support he needed to succeed. Cynical by nature, he had a hard time trusting potential franchisors. He was patient and developed a strong rapport with the team at BELFOR Franchise Group before ultimately making his decision to convert. After deciding our culture fit in line with his long term goals, his business began to expand he saw his overall bottomline increase.

If you have taken the time to evaluate your foundation, assess your strengths and weakness, and get to know the potential franchisor and decide converting is the right decision for you – Congratulations!

The hardest step of converting is in the decision-making process, so now comes

Ryan McLaughlin

the easy part. Once you agree to your new partnership, you can begin transitioning, rebranding and seeing an increase in your net profit, all while knowing that you have the backing of an established brand to support you.

Letting the experts work for you while still operating independently – seems like a new American dream we can all get behind.

Ryan McLaughlin grew up working at his family’s property restoration company. Over the years, he has developed his expertise in the field working as a restoration technician, project manager, safety coordinator, estimator, project auditor, and coach.

Ryan has been a BELFOR family member since 2003. In 2014, Ryan joined BELFOR’s nationwide training team working towards company standardization and implementation of best practices. Currently, Ryan is a senior franchise consultant, developing BELFOR Franchise Group brand, 1-800 WATER DAMAGE. www.belforfranchisegroup.com

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Expert Advice: Scott Walker | President and CEO | Screenmobile

When Looking For a Franchise,

Look For One That Prioritizes Technology “Developing new strategies – especially tech-enabled ones – to facilitate procedures for franchisees can give the franchise a leg-up over similar concepts, and help franchisees complete more jobs more efficiently, driving business.”

Scott Walker

In today’s fast-paced world, technology drives business outcomes more than ever before. And it’s no different in the franchise industry.

Franchise brands that are technology forward drive better results and ultimately, stronger profitability for franchisees.

But, sometimes franchisors may not realize how technology can not only improve the customer experience (which helps to drive sales), but also how developing new tech can better support franchisees and their day-to-day operations.

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For example, at Screenmobile, we recently developed a new mobile app that allows franchisees to connect with vendors, simplifying and expediting the procurement process of materials. This allows them to spend more time marketing and completing jobs, which helps their bottom-line.

Incorporating technology at the consumer level (e.g. a consumer mobile app to schedule appointments or services, or a website that has scheduling enabled with no phone call required), allows customers to easily interface with your brand.

Innovations like these help brands gain a crucial edge over the competition.

And, as a franchisor, isn’t that our number one priority?

Improve Franchisee Operations

Although developing the app, which we did in-house, took blood, sweat and tears, in the end it’s well worth it. A franchise’s willingness to innovate demonstrates to franchisees the franchisor’s dedication to their business.

At the franchisee level, technology can help franchisees and their employees complete jobs with greater ease (e.g. what Screenmobile created with our vendor app).

This allows our franchisees to finish more jobs or transactions in a day’s work.

With over 30 years as a franchisor, we’ve learned a lot about how investments in technology help our business. Here are three key ways tech drives a franchise brand’s overall strategy.

Giving franchisees the necessary tools to be as efficient as possible is important to keeping their businesses profitable – and improve their satisfaction with their investment.

Increase Revenues Developing new strategies – especially tech-enabled ones – to facilitate procedures for franchisees can give the franchise a leg-up over similar concepts, and help franchisees complete more jobs more efficiently, driving business.

Additionally, new technology developed explicitly for franchisees allows them to focus on other aspects of the business as they’re spending less of their efforts doing “busy work.” Having a technology system that frees up a franchisees’ time can help the business long-term as the franchisee can focus on running the business in a

“When researching franchise opportunities, it’s vital for prospective franchisees to dig deep into the technology capabilities of the franchisor.” more strategic, big-picture way, rather than constantly worrying about smaller tasks like researching and coordinating with vendors.

Also important, these tech investments and developments demonstrate to franchisees that the franchisor values their time, and is always on the lookout for ways to optimize and support their business.

Stay Ahead of the Curve No matter how you look at it, the world is moving towards everything being techenabled.

To stay ahead of the competition, brands need to take initiative and be at the forefront of advancements in technology.

Customers want to easily interact with a brand – and they want to do it on their

time. So, if a franchisor is always playing catchup on the technology front, customers will go elsewhere and franchisee revenues will suffer.

Ultimately, this will cause franchisees to become frustrated and prospective franchisees will be skeptical of the franchisor’s ability to support them.

At Screenmobile, by ensuring that we are always searching for ways to better support our franchisees, we are hoping to keep them with us for longer – in fact, our franchisees have a 99 percent rate of renewing their franchise licenses with us.

We’re always on the lookout for ways to innovate and simplify their processes and systems, so they can grow their business and take time to focus on what’s important to them.

So, when researching franchise opportunities, it’s vital for prospective franchisees to dig deep into the technology capabilities of the franchisor. Ask questions like what consumer-facing technology systems they have in-place, and ask to review analytics and results from those systems. Also, how do they innovate to best support franchisees and their dayto-day operations? What are their tech plans moving forward?

Gaining a firm understanding of these points will help you make a smarter investment in a franchise that will set you up for continued success.

Scott Walker is the CEO and president of Screenmobile – a nationwide leader in screen doors, windows, porches and screen repair. Walker and his family founded Screenmobile in their garage in 1980 in Glendora, Calif. After nearly 40 years in business, Screenmobile has grown to more than 100 licenses across the U.S. www.franchise.screenmobile.com

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Expert Advice: Scott Walker | President and CEO | Screenmobile

Get the App Ashley Winkle, a multi-unit owner with her husband, Steve, said the couple decided to invest in Office Pride because their personal beliefs aligned so closely with the brand’s core values.

“Steve and I know who we are and what we believe. We wanted whatever business we opened to reflect those strong beliefs and values.”

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O F F I C E PR I D E

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“Success can be measured in many ways, but for me, it is important to grow the company the right way, with integrity and with franchisees who are happy and proud of the way they conduct their business.” - Todd Hopkins

When Todd Hopkins founded Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Systems® in 1992, he laid out core values for the brand that reflected his own strong beliefs.

Hopkins and his company have maintained a strong commitment to those values over the last 27 years.

“I was determined to build a company that would deliver total customer satisfaction while also adhering to high ethical standards,” Hopkins says. “I created our core values and built the business on those principles, and we continue to live and work by them every day.”

Core values represent an organization’s fundamental beliefs and dictate how members of the group should behave.

Core values also help determine whether an organization is fulfilling its goals.

Although companies occasionally will

update their mission statements as their industries and the world change, core values should stand the test of time.

Office Pride’s core values are: • Honor God • Always do what is right • Increase brand value • Demonstrate honesty, integrity and a hard work ethic • Total customer satisfaction • Go the extra mile • Persevere with a servant’s attitude • Accountability to commitments “How we do business is just as important to us as the excellent service we provide to our customers,” Hopkins says.

Franchisees Embrace the Values From the beginning, Hopkins knew that to build a franchise system of which he would be proud, he had to attract franchisees who shared his commitment to the core

“I created our core values and built the business on those principles, and we continue to live and work by them every day.” - Todd Hopkins

values. For that reason, the brand’s core values have always been front-and-center in franchise development materials, and the company recently changed its tagline to “Our Values Make Us Different®.”

Franchisees frequently cite Office Pride’s commitment to its core values as being one of the primary factors that led them to choose the franchise system.

Ashley Winkle, a multi-unit owner with her husband, Steve, said the couple decided to invest in Office Pride because their personal beliefs aligned so closely with the brand’s core values. “Steve and I know who we are and what we believe. We wanted whatever business we opened to reflect those strong beliefs and values. When we found Office Pride, it surprised us how closely the organization’s core beliefs lined up with our own and made us want to dig deeper with the company. Three years later, I can honestly say Office Pride truly represents each of the values listed, and we are proud to be franchisees.”

Karie of Office Pride T HTruitt E M AGA Z IofNRapid E FCityOR Rapid Valley in South Dakota said the franchise’s devotion to and sincerity about its core beliefs sold her and her husband, Andre, on the brand. “Anybody can say things like, ‘We value honesty’ and ‘We value integrity.’ But when we talked to the people at Office Pride, we could tell they really did share our core beliefs and values,” Truitt says. “That ‘Honor God’ was the No. 1 core value was so important to us.”

She says their respect for the brand has only grown the longer they have been with the company. “We have seen, time and again, the leadership demonstrate that they are committed to supporting the franchisees and that they will step up and do whatever is needed to honor those core values,” Truitt says.

Values-Infused Customer Service Chris Middleton, a multi-unit owner with three locations in Indiana and Tennessee, says the core values, especially honesty and integrity, are representative of how the franchise owners deal with their customers.

“We try to be as open and honest as possible,” he says. “A lot of people try to

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and fix them instead of making excuses.

People appreciate that.”

OFFICE PRIDE

Middleton says the core values also have attracted a certain type of person to the company, and that has benefited the franchise system as well as the franchisees.

“As we come together and get to know each other, we have become a big family,” he adds. “We are always calling each other and asking for one another’s opinions or help in solving problems. When we say we work together, we mean it.”

BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL FRANCHISE ON STRONG CORE VALUES

Hopkins says he could not be more pleased with the way Office Pride has grown.

“Success can be measured in many ways,” he says, “but for me, it is important to grow the company the right way, with integrity and with franchisees who are happy and proud of the way they conduct their business.”

INNOVATION:

Hopkins adds, “Our core values have set a high standard for how we serve customers, who can see and feel the difference, and TO LIVE they appreciate that HOW difference.”

AND BREATHE FRANCHISE COMPANY

INPride YOUR For more information on theIT Office Commercial Cleaning Services franchise opportunity, please contact Rich Helm at RichHelm@OfficePride.com or visit officepridefranchise.com Franchising USA

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