Franchise Journal February Issue

LEARN Bridging the Racial Wealth Gap Through Franchising p. 16

THE SCOOP Why People Are Becoming Self Employed p. 40

HOW New Biz Owner Sees Pet Services p. 66

FRANCHISE Journal

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contents

105 16 Black Americans: Bridging the Racial Wealth Gap Through Franchising

by Seth Lederman

20 How Awesome People Leaders Can

20 32

KITCHEN SOLVERS 40 Years Building the Kitchen Solvers Legacy

36

PILLAR TO POST HOME INSPECTORS® Marine Corp Veteran Enjoys Continued Success with Pillar To Post Home Inspectors®’ New Technologies

by Rhonda Sanderson

Help with Employee Retention and Engagement in Franchising!

by Rick Morgin

24 Why owning a franchise is for everyone regardless of race, education, gender, or geography

by Rich LeBrun 28 FLOOR COVERINGS INTERNATIONAL From Chaos To Contentment: Immigrant Is Floored By Opportunity

by Rhonda Sanderson

6

FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

FEBRUARY 2021

40 Top 5 Reasons Why Why People Are Becoming Self Employed

by Ken Boyce

44

OCKBOX R

From Member to Owner: How RockBox Fitness Changed Her Life

by Becca Brennan

79

82

77

82

95

48

100

103

48

CORPORATE CLEANING GROUP

by Genevieve Konieczny

52 What Do I Get For My Franchise Fee and Royalties?

by Greg Mohr

58

SPRING-GREEN LAWN CARE Atlanta Couple Upped Their Lawn Maintenance Game with Spring-Green Lawn Care

by Rhonda Sanderson

62 Franchising: A Bright Future for Latino Business Owner

by Leonor Clavijo

66 PET BUTLER New Biz Owner Sees Pet Services Becoming as Common as Landscaping, Pool Maintenance

by Rhonda Sanderson 70

ENDOWMENT COMMONS Financial Innovation Empowering Social Change

by Rick Davis

76

TITAN AWARDS

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

7

Endowment Commons INTENTIONAL. GENERATIONAL. TRANSFORMATIONAL.

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welcome T

Portrait of American historian and educator Carter G. Woodson.

NOTES

he story of Black History Month begins in Chicago during the summer of 1915. Carter G. Woodson traveled from Washington, D.C. to participate in a national celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of emancipation sponsored by the state of Illinois. Thousands of African Americans travelled from across the country to see exhibits highlighting the progress their people had made since the destruction of slavery. Awarded a doctorate in Harvard three years earlier, Woodson joined the other exhibitors with a black history display. Despite being held at the Coliseum, the site of the 1912 Republican convention, an overflow crowd of six to twelve thousand waited outside for their turn to view the exhibits.

Inspired by the three-week celebration, Woodson decided to form an organization to promote the scientific study of black life and history before leaving town.

Woodson chose February for reasons of tradition and reform. It is commonly said that Woodson selected February to encompass the birthdays of two great Americans who played a prominent role in shaping black history, namely Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, whose birthdays are the 12th and the 14th, respectively.

More importantly, he chose them for reasons of tradition. Since Lincoln’s assassination in 1865, the black community, along with other Republicans, had been celebrating the fallen President’s birthday. And since the late 1890s, black communities across the country had been celebrating Douglass’. Well aware of the preexisting celebrations, Woodson built Negro History Week around traditional days of commemorating the black past. He was asking the public to extend their study of black history, not to create a new tradition. In doing so, he laid the foundations for what is now Black History Month.

With this issue of Franchise Journal, we celebrate the entrepreneurs, visionaries and thought leaders from the African American community.

10

FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

With this issue of Franchise Journal, we celebrate the entrepreneurs, visionaries and thought leaders from the African American community. As the tapestry of America continues to be woven through business ownership and franchising, there are more opportunities for success today than ever before.

In addition to the many franchisees and business owners in this issue, we highlight Ben Carson, Jr and his visionary FVLCRUM Funds.

FVLCRUM’s distinctive strategy is to leverage the proven power of racial and gender diversity to enhance business performance and build value, is applauded and supported by everyone in franchising. Additionally, the fund’s focus on closing the racial wealth gap by investing in minority businesses of scale leads the way in showing other investors how investing in franchising is a wise move.

In addition to providing capital, strategic support and operational expertise FVLCRUM seeks to enhance lower middle-market companies through the addition of diverse executive and boardroom leadership. Numerous studies have shown correlation between diversity and financial performance, including a McKinsey report which found companies in the top quartile of gender and racial diversity were 15 and 30 percent more likely to have financial returns above the industry median, respectively.

FVLCRUM’s focus on closing the racial wealth gap by investing in minority businesses of scale leads the way in showing other investors how investing in franchising is a wise move.

FVLCRUM is endorsed by the Aspen Institute, U.S. Minority Chambers of Commerce, National Urban League and the National Minority Supplier Development Council, among others.

As franchising continues to evolve with its message of inclusion, prosperity and community there will be many new opportunities for entrepreneurs to excel. The legacy of Black History Month with its message of growth and culture, highlighting the myriad of accomplishments and contributions of African Americans continues to be a month where we can all reflect on how the rich legacy of our country continues to evolve.

Nick Neonakis

Editor, Franchise Journal

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

11

FOUNDER

NICK NEONAKIS DESIGN DIRECTOR

Pete Neonakis DIGITAL DIRECTOR Chantae Arrington ART DIRECTOR Brenda Lesch

SENIOR EDITOR Bill Polk

VIDEO PRODUCER Matt Panepinto

ONLINE EDITOR Seth Lederman

CONTRIBUTORS Ken Boyce Becca Brennan Leonor Clavijo Rick Davis Seth Lederman Greg Mohr Rick Morgin Rich LeBrun Rhonda Sanderson

STAFF WRITER Megan Neonakis SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Ted O'Shea ASSOCIATE EDITOR Mariel Miller ONLINE EDITOR Mike Ciccarelli

12

FEBRUARY 2021 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

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TITANS OF FRANCHISING

Black Americans: Bridging the Racial Wealth Gap Through Franchising

by Seth Lederman, Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

A

merica's history of racial inequality is strong and pervasive. From Jim Crow laws after Reconstruction to unequal GI Bill allocations to African Americans after World War II, there were multiple ways that Black Americans were prevented from accumulating wealth over the past 150 years. As a result, the wealth gap between Blacks and whites in the U.S. has not budged since the 1950s.

For instance, the Census Bureau revealed that disparity had manifested via homeownership. The percentage of Black families that owned a home at the end of 2020 was 44%, while 75% of white families owned a home within the same period.

But homeownership isn't the only area affected.

Both income and savings are dramatically different between Blacks and whites.

The Brookings Institute found that a white household's median net worth was ten times that of a Black household's. Furthermore, if Black Americans' share of the national wealth were proportional to their share of the population, Black

16

household wealth would equal more than $12.5 trillion, rather than the just over $2.5 trillion that it is. This creates a wealth gap between the races of more than $10 trillion.

FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

THE PROMISE OF FRANCHISING FOR BLACK AMERICANS One way that Black Americans can level the playing field financially is through

franchise ownership. For years, franchising has offered Black entrepreneurs an opportunity to excel and bridge the wealth gap faster than opening a more traditional small business.

Minorities own almost a third of franchise businesses.

Franchising has proven to be a great alternative to founding a business on their own for Black Americans. It doesn't require access to certain business connections or support. It provides a way around many other difficulties a person can encounter in getting a new business up and running.

The industries with the highest proportion of Black American entrepreneurs are travel, party-related goods and services, maintenance services, baked goods, and photographic products and services, according to the International Franchise Association (IFA) annual Economic Outlook Report.

That's not to say there isn't room for even more growth.

For instance, only about 8% of owners are Black within the restaurant industry. To increase that number, the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA) launched the Pathways to Black Franchise Ownership initiative in January 2021 to increase Black ownership.

OTHER WAYS BLACK AMERICANS CAN BUILD WEALTH Too many Black Americans face a more difficult path to creating wealth than white Americans, thanks to lower wages and less inherited wealth. While addressing the systemic issues that created and continue to

contribute to this issue is vital, there are some things that Black Americans can do.

First, conversations surrounding money and investments shouldn't be considered taboo. The more people of all races know about these topics, the more likely they will make better decisions and avoid pitfalls or mistakes.

It is also essential that people begin to save, even if it is only a small amount at a time. Once a person has an emergency fund, they can keep saving and investing.

When it comes to investments, one to consider is buying a home. It is also essential to consider investing in retirement plans, such as 401ks, and the stock market in general.

GETTING STARTED WITH FRANCHISING Even if Black Americans pursue all the above-mentioned ways to accumulate wealth, those interested in entrepreneurship might still want to consider opening their own franchise business. Organizations like the IFA have established a program—the MinorityFran program, which was later renamed to DiversityFran—to attract and support a range of minorities, including Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans, in buying into a franchise business.

Not all franchises are alike, and finding the right franchise for you can be a challenge.

Franchise consultants help you evaluate and select the franchise opportunity that's an ideal fit for you based on your experience, goals, passion, lifestyle requirements, and budget.

"I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that f inancial literacy, economic empowerment, and wealthbuilding are going to be the last leg of the civil rights movement.

Because one step toward f inancial literacy takes you two steps toward personal empowerment."

— Russell Simmons

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Seth Lederman, CFE, a Franchise Acquisition, and Development Specialist, is a multi-faceted entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in small business success, including ownership and sale of his own business enterprises.

He is a frequent contributing author to The Franchise Journal and is on the exclusive Forbes Business Council. Contact Seth at 312-307-1297 or at seth@ thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

17

www.MyCommunityServices.com

Tel: 713.679.4255

My Community Franchise is bringing a new kind of business to the American public. We go above and beyond for our customers by bringing perfected and professional tax and multi-services to their communities. We aren’t just another print services place or tax prep group. We climb the extra mile by being a one-stop-shop for various services, including tax preparation, car insurance, defensive driving, and so much more. We at My Community Franchise are here to provide entrepreneurs looking for a business opportunity the chance to get in on the ground floor of an exciting, easy-to-operate concept.

>>> We are a company with a great track record of growth, exceptional experience in the industry, and proprietary operational advantages for an owner-operator. My Community Franchise is ready to share its proven operational practices and dialedin services with the rest of the States. Our brand has been built on a firm foundation and is now seeking qualified candidates for an enticing franchise offering!

My Community Franchise offers an extensive array of services that build a fast and favored reputation within any city. We are the all-stars within our current five locations in Texas and are confident that our services will be well-received no matter where we are. We are proud to offer the following services:

TAX PREPARATION

NOTARY SERVICES

DEFENSIVE DRIVING

VIRTUAL TAX PREPARATION

BOOKKEEPING

(With Our Mobile App)

CAR INSURANCE

TRANSLATION

TITLE TRANSFER

The My Community Franchise brand is beckoning entrepreneurial hopefuls who want a business with reasonable overhead, affordable start-up costs, impressive ROI, and sprawling market applicability.

Franchise Fee: $15,000

Royalties: 10%

Total Investment: $40,000

www.skfitstudios.com

MOTIVATE SUPPORT ELEVATE Where will you open?

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT SLY KING

WHO WE ARE Our Mission: SKfit commits to challenging and leading our clients to the highest level sustainable fitness that they can reach while also maintaining and providing a comfortable, personal, and judgment free environment.

Our Company Culture: SKfit is based around the passion we have to take our clients health needs and wants to another level. All of us work together as a unit to ensure that we all provide a non

e info@skfitstudios.com

judgmental atmosphere, professional service and keep our

c 619.508.0250

prices affordable for everyone. Our organization stops at

www.skfitstudios.com

nothing to makes sure we provide all of our clients with an amazing customer service and experience throughout all of our franchises!

DISCLAIMER This information is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. It is for informational purposes only.

Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. If you are a resident of, or wish to acquire a franchise to be operated in one of these states, we will offer you a franchise only after we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your jurisdiction. We are accepting applications from all states.

Q&A

How Awesome People Leaders Can Help with Employee Retention and Engagement in Franchising!

by Rick Morgin, Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

HEATHER POLIVKA

Q: Tell us about your journey, what got you to developing Awesome People Leaders?

Throughout my entire career, from working at a restaurant in high school to a startup business to leading teams in corporate America, I had very little manager training, even though I was working in management positions. Like most people, I was learning to lead people through trialand-error. Even in a Fortune 10 company, new manager training was ineffective. I saw new managers struggle, time and again, with training sessions that gave them a lot of notes, but not a lot of actionable tools.

20

Awesome People Leaders provides a series of microlearnings of 10 minutes or less, with immediate actions for real-world management scenarios. We offer an online private community to collaborate, share, receive feedback, and learn from others’ experiences. We cover over fifty different topics and support new managers for a full year business cycle, setting them up for long-term success.

Awesome People Leaders is available on a mobile device, making learning accessible while on-the-go.

Q: What are some of the common problems with small to medium size businesses when it comes to manager training and development?

There are a few common problems. First, the manager role is dangled as an incentive and promotion for good individual performance, regardless of whether the person has the right skills to lead people. This is how the best salesperson becomes the sales manager, for example.

Second, after promoting someone into a people

FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

leadership role, we fail to train and develop them. In fact, only 30% of managers get any training, most of which is technical training of payroll, scheduling, and compliance.

Awesome People Leaders provides the people skills training that is a 2:1 predictor of leadership success.

Third, given the high turnover, many businesses are onboarding numerous new team members and managers at the same time. They have no bandwidth. They need a turnkey solution.

Lastly, the employment market has shifted, which calls for a shift in people's leadership style. The traditional leadership model of command-and-control is not effective in our current climate.

Awesome People Leaders uses a people-centric model, which was proven more effective preCOVID. Now, being peoplecentric is a business necessity to retain people.

Q: If a company has multiple locations is it hard to keep employee engagement in sync?

It can be. Many leaders don’t understand what drives

employee engagement.

Engagement is not about the latest team activity or Zoom happy hour.

The greatest influence on engagement is the direct manager. Managers are the #1 reason that people leave their jobs.

Awesome People Leaders helps managers understand how engagement works.

We help them develop the skills to impact engagement, develop people, and create high-performing teams. We go to the source to make the greatest impact on engagement, regardless of the number of locations.

Q: How would Awesome People Leaders benefit the franchise industry?

Awesome People Leaders is a turn-key solution for manager development for most franchise models. It is designed to work in any environment from hospitality to product distribution to highgrade medical clinics.

For emerging franchises, Awesome People Leaders allows them to offer their franchisees a foundational tool for success in the early life stages of the franchise.

Awesome People Leaders is a perfect solution for a franchise owner, whether they own one, twenty, or two hundred

locations. It is scalable, growing to support their new managers as they grow.

For the entire franchise industry, manager development is a differentiator. After all, only 30% of managers get any training today. Also, this program is a strong retention play for managers and the teams they lead. Awesome People Leaders helps to future-proof your business when it comes to talent.

develop a people approach that fuels their business strategy. Second, in service of the business strategy, we help them create workplaces where people thrive, and the business thrives as a result.

That includes embedding culture and values, improving employee engagement, and developing awesome people leaders.

Q: How can people connect with you?

I would love for people to connect with me and there are several ways they can do that.

Q: Can you work with companies regardless of where they are headquartered?

Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/heatherpolivka

Yes! Definitely. Currently, we have managers in the program from Melbourne, Australia to Minnesota!

We recognize the need for development to be flexible and accessible, which is why Awesome People Leaders is available digitally. Managers can access the content anytime and from anywhere, including on a mobile device.

Q: Do companies work with you to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to human capital?

Yes, companies who work with us are ahead of the curve in two ways: First, we help them

Email heatherp@heatherpsolutions.com

Learn more about Awesome People Leaders (APL):

www.awesomepeopleleaders.com

Learn more about Heather at: www.heatherpsolutions.com

MORE ABOUT HEATHER I founded HeatherP Solutions to work with progressive leaders of small and mid-sized businesses to accelerate revenue growth by creating work environments where people thrive.

My proven methodology focuses on driving business performance through employee performance. I do this by addressing workplace culture, breaking down silos, optimizing ways of working, empowering front-line managers, and improving employee engagement.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

21

VETERAN DISCOUNT

WHY CHOOSE A SOLAR GRIDS® FRANCHISE? Owning a Solar Grids® franchise is the fastest way to start your solar business and get a piece of the booming $50 billion clean energy market. Our team of solar professionals will give you access to all the tools and resources you need to become insanely successful in the solar industry.

"Earn the highest profit margins in the industry — 70% !"

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR SALES PROFESSIONAL

Must have a sales background and experience in managing a team

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Must have excellent customer service and communication skills

SELF-DRIVEN LEADER

Must be HUNGRY for success and have steadfast determination

QUALIFICATIONS Franchise Fee: $50,000 Investment Range: $86,600 - $121,500 Liquid: $100,000 Net Worth: $250,000

www.solargrids.com/franchising/

RECORD-BREAKING GROWTH Solar is the fastest growing source of electricity in the world, estimated to reach half of renewable energy generation by 2050

RECESSION-PROOF BUSINESS Whether the economy is up or down, people will always need energy. One of the first bills people pay each month is their energy bill.

NO PREVIOUS SOLAR EXPERIENCE You don’t need any technical degrees, professional licenses, or a solar energy background to become a solar energy business owner.

franchise@solargrids.com

Bringing innovation to an underserved market, so you can win.

•100% equipment financing • Huge market opportunity • Low employee model • No brick and mortar needed • No CDL license needed

Instant equity with a simple business model.

Are you ready to learn about the DumpStor Advantage?

980.284.3331

dumpstor@frandev.co

TITANS OF FRANCHISING

Why owning a franchise is for everyone regardless of race, education, gender, or geography

by Rich LeBrun, Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

O

ne of the great things about owning a franchise is that it is available to everyone regardless of race, education, gender, or geography. That’s right everyone! The criteria that determine if you would be a good business owner or not has nothing to do with race, education, gender, etc.

The trend of globalization has effects towards small businesses. It is evolving to cater with the modern changes. The notion of a certain ethnicity running only a certain kind of business is long gone. Approximately 19% of

U.S. employer businesses were minority-owned providing millions of jobs. This shows an increase in business ownership for small businesses across all the ethnic groups. As of now, the pie in business ownership consists of 71.8% white, 11.6% Hispanic, 9.6% Asian, 4.2% African American and 2.8% for remaining ethnicities.

To understand this better, let me explain what the franchise model is and how it came

AS OF NOW, THE PIE IN BUSINESS OWNERSHIP CONSISTS OF 71.8% WHITE, 11.6% HISPANIC, 9.6% ASIAN, 4.2% AFRICAN AMERICAN AND 2.8% FOR REMAINING ETHNICITIES. 24

FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

about. It all began back in the boardroom.

Key executives who started the franchise had a decision to make when they launched the company.

“Do we become a franchise or not?” Companies like Starbucks decided not to go the way of franchising. Why? Because they wanted full control over staff, capital, and pace of distribution.

McDonald’s, on the other hand, decided in their board room that being a franchise was a better route for them.

They liked the idea of using other people’s money (the fact that owners will have invested in their company). They didn’t want to manage hundreds or even thousands of employees and they wanted to increase the pace of distribution.

However, they knew that if a person invested in their company and wanted to own their business, they would have to give up control. Therefore, companies who chose the franchise route have a defined set of criteria that they are looking for in an investor/owner of one of their franchise stores.

Franchise companies are looking for anyone who can show a good work ethic and have a background in management, leadership, and business development, and who have the capital requirements needed to purchase the brand. There is one group of people that do stand out as great franchise owners, they are our veterans.

Veterans have proven that they can follow a system, and franchise companies are wanting their owners to follow the system they created that has brought them success.

This is what’s so great about the franchise industry. It is truly “The American Dream”. You don’t have to have experience in the product or service, they will train you. You don’t have to have a college education or an MBA, you only need to show a good work ethic and that you can manage operations, build

teams, and understand what it takes to develop your business.

You might be thinking that franchise ownership is only for those well-off, those with maturity in age and net worth.

Interestingly enough, there was a shift in the average age of franchisees. Ten years ago the average ge was between 45 to 65 years old. However, today the survey shows that individuals start to own franchise businesses as early as their mid-30’s. The trend for net worth in starting a franchise has also taken a favorable turn.

The cost of owning a franchise can run from $50,000 to well over a million dollars. There is something for everyone.

We have individuals, families, partnerships, corporations, and even private equity groups who buy franchises.

There is a great saying “A job is the quickest way to cash flow

but owning a business is the fastest way to build wealth”.

Franchise ownership is not for everyone but for anyone who has the drive and mindset of taking control on how they earn. Regardless of background, ethnicity, age, even education; individuals can own a business that can secure their future.

We at The Franchise Consulting Company would be glad to help you learn how you too can reach the goal to secure your future!

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

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

25

FIRST OF ITS KIND

PRE-FABRICATED OIL CHANGE FRANCHISE!

A’S AMERICT FASTES G GROWINNGE OIL CHA ISE FRANCH

Innovative Design

Speed to Open

Low Lease Payment

Minimal Staffing

Streamlined Model

costa@frandevco.co l 425.470.4451

grow a healthy business Saladworks is the original create-your-own, fast-casual salad franchise.

Healthy – USDA reports that American adults are choosing healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables to support a healthier lifestyle. That’s why nearly half of all Millennial and Gen Z consumers buy 3+ entrée salads per week away from home. Saladworks is on-trend.

grow a healthyequipment-light business and easy Simple – Our concept is asset-light, Saladworks is the original create-your-own, to operate. No fryers and salad no hood means less expensive fast-casual franchise. buildout costs for Healthy you.– USDA Just chop, sliceadults and dice to serve the reports that American are choosing healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables to support a tastiest create-your-own salads is turn-key. healthier lifestyle.

That’s whyaround. nearly half of all Saladworks Millennial and Gen Z consumers buy 3+ entrée salads per week away from home. Saladworks is on-trend.

Accessible – The fast-casual landscape is overbuilt and Simple – Our concept is asset-light, equipment-light and easy to operate. No fryers and no hood means less expensive cluttered with create-your-own burger, sandwich, pizza, buildout costs for you. Just chop, slice and dice to serve the tastiest create-your-own salads around. Saladworks is turn-key.

Mexican and smoothie concepts. Landlords are looking for Accessible – The fast-casual landscape is overbuilt and healthy concepts like ours.

We have market, venue, format cluttered with create-your-own burger,the sandwich, pizza, Mexican and smoothie concepts. Landlords are looking for Saladworks is the original create-your-own, concepts like ours. We have the venue, format and footprint you healthy want.

Saladworks ismarket, available. fast-casual salad franchise.

grow a healthy business

and footprint you want. Saladworks is available.

saladworksfranchising.com

fransales@saladworks.com

* Details located at Item 19 inside Saladworks Franchise Disclosure Document.

Healthy – USDA reports that American adults are choosing healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables to support a healthier lifestyle. That’s why nearly half of all Millennial and Gen Z consumers buy 3+ entrée salads per week away from home. Saladworks is on-trend.

$1,227,858 median net sales for top quartile*

saladworksfranchising.com

Simple – Our concept is asset-light, equipment-light and easy to operate. No fryers and no hood means less expensive fransales@saladworks.com buildout costs for you. Just chop, slice and dice to serve the tastiest create-your-own salads around. Saladworks is turn-key.

* Details located at Item 19 inside Saladworks Franchise Disclosure Document.

t sales for top quartile*

Accessible – The fast-casual landscape is overbuilt and cluttered with create-your-own burger, sandwich, pizza, Mexican and smoothie concepts. Landlords are looking for healthy concepts like ours. We have the market, venue, format and footprint you want. Saladworks is available.

$1,227,858 median

saladworksfranchising.com

fransales@saladworks.com

* Details located at Item 19 inside Saladworks Franchise Disclosure Document.

$1,227,858 median net sales for top quartile*

TITANS OF FRANCHISING

From Chaos To Contentment: Immigrant Is Floored By Opportunity

by Rhonda Sanderson, CEO, Sanderson & Associates

J

avier Alonso loved his job in Venezuela, but he loved his wife and infant daughter even more. The decision he faced would affect his family for the rest of their lives.

Alonso had run a successful flooring business in Venezuela for 10 years. He had a passion for the industry he knew so well, but it mattered little given the circumstances in his native country. For Alonso, being in Venezuela was akin to finding yourself in a camping tent with a wall of tornadoes converging on you.

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The country is on the verge of collapse, gripped by a harsh recession. The International Monetary Fund expects Venezuela’s inflation rate to reach 720 percent this year.

There are shortages of food, medicine and most recently, an order of a two-day workweek for public-sector workers in order to save on electricity in government offices.

FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

“Our country is in the middle of a terrible situation,” the 38-yearold Alonso said. “We have a nine-month-old daughter and we needed to pursue a better opportunity. We sold everything we owned and set off on this new adventure. Our goal was to not only start a new business, but to start a new life.”

The new adventure that Alonso, his wife, Isabel, and daughter, Ana Paula, set upon five months ago took them to San Antonio, where on March 22, Alonso opened a Floor Coverings International franchise serving the

communities of Alamo Heights, Shavano Park, Inwood, Castle Hills, Stone Oak and Dominion.

Floor Coverings International offers an unmatched selection of flooring products including carpet, hardwood, ceramic, tile, and vinyl, as well as specialty products such as bamboo and slate. Floor Coverings International’s expert Design Associates offer free in-home Design Consultations, visiting customers’ homes in a Mobile Flooring Showroom with thousands of flooring choices to assist them in choosing the perfect flooring solution.

When he made the decision to leave Venezuela, Alonso was certain he was leaving his flooring career behind.

Given the circumstances, how could one be so fortunate to continue a career he loved in a new country while fleeing the turmoil of his former country?

“I was going to leave the flooring industry,” Alonso said.

“Our main goal was to relocate from Venezuela, but out of luck, I found Floor Coverings International. The opportunity is everything that we envisioned our Venezuelan flooring business to be. Think about it… I get to keep doing something I know and love, just in a different part of the world.”

Community engagement is one of Floor Covering International’s core values and

Alonso has already committed to supporting Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA), whose mission is to recruit, train and supervise court-appointed volunteer advocates for abused and neglected children and youths while advocating for services and placement in safe and permanent homes.

“This is a wonderful program, because not only will we be involved financially, but we will also be able to give of our time, which is probably the best way of contributing to this noble cause,” Alonso said.

It has been a whirlwind six months for Alonso and his family, certainly a time that he and his wife will never forget.

But when Alonso replays the timeline in his mind, it’s a smile that emerges with the memories.

“A friend we met here in San Antonio said there a few stages in life where you put yourself through a lot of stress,” Alonso recalled. “Moving to a new place, having a baby, starting a new business, and adopting a new culture… it seems we are doing them all at once and we are loving it!”

Catching up with Javier this month he added this update: “We hit the grown running and in 2017 we won New Franchise of the Year being the first franchise to do one million in the same year we

opened. Our family has grown and now Ana Paula, 6 years old has a 3-year-old sister Cristina Elena deepening our roots in the states. I was part of the Franchise Advisory Council for 3 years and won the President’s Award in 2020 for the contributions made to the network during the pandemic’s initial year. Our American dream continues with a much more robust business that has 3 design associates and over two million in sales for 2021.We came here looking for a future, now we have a present and we have grown our immediate family but also our FCI one, having them support us during the ups and downs has been keen to the stability we didn’t have back home.”

ABOUT FLOOR COVERINGS INTERNATIONAL Norcross, GA based Floor Coverings International has ranked consistently as the #1 Mobile Flooring Franchise in North America by Entrepreneur Magazine. The 181 franchisees and their Design Associates offer a unique in-home experience with a mobile showroom that comes directly to the client’s door. More than 3000 flooring choices are available to view in the home with and along-side the existing lighting, paint, and furniture.

The company will open several more locations throughout the U.S. and Canada through franchise expansion in 2022. For franchise information, please visit www.opportunities. flooring-franchise.com and to find your closest location go to www. floorcoveringsinternational.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rhonda Sanderson is a franchise expert who has owned and operated Sanderson & Associates and Sanderson PR, both specializing in, traditional, social media and crisis PR in the franchise space since 1986. She has authored many articles, helped grow numerous franchise chains is considered one of the Top 30 Small Business Influencers (Fit Business) in the U.S. Find her at Rhonda@sandersonpr.com or on LinkedIn where she is the author of Franchise Stars at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-sanderson-a6b658/ WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

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THE NATION'S 1ST NON-TOXIC NAIL AND BEAUTY BAR FRANCHISE SYSTEM CENTERED AROUND WELLNESS!

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BUSINESS ADVICE

Building the Kitchen Solvers Legacy

by Kali Morgenthaler, Director of Marketing, Kitchen Solvers

I

n 1982, when Gerald and Betty Baldner opened Kitchen Solvers in La Crosse, Wisconsin, they could never have imagined the 40-year-and-going legacy the company would have. At the time, they were just filling a need. They found by offering kitchen cabinet refacing, homeowners could achieve the look of a like-new kitchen at a much lower cost than a full remodel. Happy customers generated a lot of buzz about this amazing alternative to traditional remodels, demand spiked, and expansion became a necessity. That’s why in 1983 Kitchen Solvers began to serve all of Wisconsin.

In 1984, Kitchen Solvers officially became a franchise and started expanding its strong partnerships across the United States. As the kitchen and bath remodeling business kept growing, the brand expanded into Canada in 1999. During this time, Kitchen Solvers Owners were mainly owner-operators with many of them having remodeling experience, but looking to make a business out of it. They were drawn to the “wow” experience they saw on every homeowner’s face after completing the transformation of their once dated cabinetry.

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In 2010, Kitchen Solvers welcomed new owners, Tom Miskowski and Wade Nolte.

With their investment and strong business backgrounds, Kitchen Solvers started to see a transition of taking hardworking remodelers and really turning them into hardworking business builders.

As business and operations came to the forefront of Kitchen Solvers’ owners, Zach Nolte, Operations Manager for Kitchen Solvers, was promoted to President in 2014. He took his operational background and started applying a “franchisee-first” approach

FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

to Kitchen Solvers. Franchise support and growth through franchisee satisfaction, innovation, and per unit metrics is now part of the everyday culture and goals.

Today there are over 53 Kitchen Solvers franchise locations across the U.S. and Canada with more to come in 2022. This year, Kitchen Solvers celebrates their 40th anniversary and all of the franchisees, Home Office team members, and vendors who make up the company it is today!

FOR FRANCHISING INFORMATION To learn more about franchising opportunities with Kitchen Solvers, visit their website at www. kitchensolversfranchise.com or reach out to 888-484-8468 or franchise@ kitchensolvers.com.

America's Premier Kitchen Remodeling Franchise PROVEN

39-YEAR

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TITANS OF FRANCHISING

Marine Corp Veteran Enjoys Continued Success with Pillar To Post Home Inspectors®’ New Technologies

by Rhonda Sanderson, CEO, Sanderson & Associates

C

linton Hawkins had his own home improvement and commercial cleaning business before joining Pillar To Post Home Inspectors, and also served on the board of directors for B Team Buffalo, a non-profit led by young professionals dedicated to promoting civic pride throughout the Greater Buffalo area. He launched his franchise in 2017 in Erie and Niagara Counties in New York State.

Hawkins hit the ground running with the popular franchise system following all training and programs with precision.

"THE FEEDBACK AND WORD OF MOUTH REFERRALS FROM CLIENTS AND REAL ESTATE AGENTS CANNOT BE MEASURED IN VALUE." — Clinton Hawkins

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“One thing about a Marine,” said Hawkins, “we know how to follow directions and training and we appreciate excellence and demand it in ourselves. That’s why I chose Pillar To Post Home Inspectors.

It had great systems in place.

My first five years have been amazing,” said Hawkins.

And they continue to be with Pillar To Post Home Inspectors new additions to their business model which provides an exceptional home inspection with unique and innovative features that are all delivered within a seamless brand experience. All developed pre-pandemic and ready to be utilized when the pandemic struck, the new features further highlight Pillar To Post Home Inspectors’ standing as a visionary in its industry: PTP360 is available with every home inspection and provides an interactive, 360-degree visual inspection summary that brings the inspection report to life and includes every room and a home’s exterior. It can be accessed anywhere, anytime from any device and shared with family or contractors.

FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

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

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

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

Virtual Open Houses make it easy for REALTORS® to present their listings in a highquality, 360-degree virtual open house format while also allowing prospective buyers to tour a home at their own pace. By transforming listings into a navigable, walk-through

experience, Virtual Open Houses increase visibility while reducing the interruptions of in-person showings.

“I’d say my best marketing results,” shared Hawkins, “have come from networking and the relationships I’ve built with many real estate agents and clients. The feedback and word of mouth referrals from clients and real estate agents cannot be measured in value. It’s just tremendous and you have to be willing to go out and initiate these. One of my favorite relationships is with the Women’s Council of Realtors. This is an impressive group of people.”

Hawkins agrees. “In the beginning the pandemic was challenging. But thanks to all the latest technologies introduced by Pillar To Post, I have the ability to perform the new Pillar To Post 360 tours and more which helps so much during these times.”

ABOUT PILLAR TO POST HOME INSPECTORS® Founded in 1994, Pillar To Post Home Inspectors is the largest and most innovative home inspection company in North America with home offices in Toronto and Tampa. There are 600 franchises located in 49 states and nine Canadian provinces. They’ve ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise500® for 25 years. Long-term plans include adding 500 to 600 new franchisees over the next five years.

For further information, please visit www.pillartopostfranchise.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rhonda Sanderson is a franchise expert who has owned and operated Sanderson & Associates and Sanderson PR, both specializing in, traditional, social media and crisis PR in the franchise space since 1986. She has authored many articles, helped grow numerous franchise chains is considered one of the Top 30 Small Business Influencers (Fit Business) in the U.S. Find her at Rhonda@sandersonpr.com or on LinkedIn where she is the author of Franchise Stars at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-sanderson-a6b658/ WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

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JOSEPH H. RODA, Esq.

Joe co-founded Roda & Chalfant, LLC in 2020 and serves as a partner, attorney and trusted business advisor to his clients. Since 2010, Joe has co-founded several business development companies and franchise systems, including St. Gregory Development Group, CycleBar, and Fueled Collective. Joe served as Vice President and General Counsel at St. Gregory, while overseeing the sale and compliance management of over 7,000 franchises worldwide. Following St. Gregory and CycleBar’s acquisition, Joe served as a shareholder and board member to numerous franchise systems, including Xponential Fitness (Pure Barre, Club Pilates, CycleBar, Row House, Stretch Lab, Yoga Six).

DREW A. CHALFANT, Esq.

NOT JUST LAWYERS, WE'RE BUSINESS GROWTH EXPERTS

Drew co-founded Roda & Chalfant, LLC in 2020 and serves as a partner, attorney, and counselor to his clients. After graduating summa cum laude from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Drew quickly rose to the rank of General Counsel for the first-in-class franchise development firm, St. Gregory Development Group.

Drew also served as in-house counsel for a number of franchise brands within the St. Gregory portfolio, including Shred415 Franchising, CycleBar Franchising, Fueled Collective Franchising, and LB Franchising.

As General Counsel, Drew was responsible for all day-to-day legal issues that faced this multi-faceted organization, including intellectual property matters, contracts and transactional issues, real estate matters and commercial lease reviews and negotiations, employment and labor issues, franchise disclosure document and franchise agreement drafting, and general franchise regulatory compliance matters.

RODACHALFANT.COM

Painting, Coatings & Surface Restoration Semi- Absentee

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BUSINESS ADVICE

5

TOP Reasons Why

Why People Are Becoming Self Employed

by Ken Boyce, Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company Here is the link to his article. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ eriksherman/2021/04/17/theranks-of-the-self-employed-areexploding/?sh=6ebab1631515 Many of us, in the franchise industry, guessed that during the pandemic franchise openings would decrease.

This is not the case. I have had my franchise consulting business for 6 years. In 2021, I have worked with a record number of clients. It was a pleasant surprise!

2021 was another crazy

year! The pandemic is still hanging around and affecting all of us. Businesses being forced to close, being forced to work from home, travel restrictions. Do I need to go on? You would think that we are living in a Hollywood horror movie and the whole world is collapsing!

In all fairness, there are people suffering but the world has not turned into a zombie apocalypse. We have all adapted. Would you be

40

surprised to hear that in 2020 there was a record amount of people opening their own business? How could this be? During a pandemic? The answer is Yes! The IRS reported over 1.5 million applications for new employer identification numbers (EINs). These applications are for individuals that are looking to form a new business. This is amazing!

You can read more on the actual statistics from an article

by Eric Sherman of Forbes.

FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

MANY OF US, IN THE FRANCHISE INDUSTRY, GUESSED THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC FRANCHISE OPENINGS WOULD DECREASE. THIS IS NOT THE CASE.

You would think that the trend would be the opposite. Here are the top 5 reasons that I heard from my clients: 1. Industry Shutdowns.

One of my clients was in the car rental business.

His income was 90% commission and it fell off the cliff. He had no choice to do something else. He will tell you now that it was the best thing that happened to him.

He now owns a franchise that is producing results to allow him to live the lifestyle he always wanted.

2. Forced To Work At Home. Many of us have never worked from home.

Many of my clients shared with me that they never thought it would ever work.

They ended up loving it!

The main reason? More freedom and control of their lives. They now don’t want to go back to the traditional workplace. That spilled over to why can’t I run my own business? People woke up and decided to take their future into their own hands.

3. Tired Of Bad Bosses.

A client of mine is a Human resources manager. Here direct boss was giving her bad advice. Telling her that there is a shortage of workers and it her fault.

She told me there is NOT a shortage of people to hire.

The issue is they want more pay, more benefits, and a better lifestyle. Her industry has no lack of demand for sales but the company is not willing to pay more to their

workers. She finally said enough! I know how to hire people and make sure they are paid what they are worth. She decided to open a recruiting franchise and is now flourishing!

My clients understand that this challenge presents great opportunities.

4. Age Discrimination.

This has been an issue for 30 years. Corporate America has always discriminated against age.

It is getting worse or should I say, getting younger. The majority of my clients are in their 40’s and 50’s and they share with me that companies want to hire younger people that they can pay less. The shelf life of a corporate resource is getting shorter. 50% of my clients have purchased a franchise business due to this issue.

5. Unhappy and Lost with their career.

This is probably the number one reason, I hear, why people open a franchise business. They fell they are stuck and have no options.

I show them that franchise companies are NOT looking for people with experience in their industry. They are looking for people that are willing to follow a system that is proven. There are unlimited opportunities for you. Don’t feel like you are stuck.

MANY OF MY CLIENTS SHARED WITH ME THAT THEY NEVER THOUGHT IT WOULD EVER WORK. THEY ENDED UP LOVING IT! THE MAIN REASON? MORE FREEDOM AND CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ken Boyce has 25 years of experience in franchising and 20 years of business ownership. He focuses on working with C-Level professionals helping them with franchise ownership and creating wealth with The Wealth Builder Strategy. Contact Ken at ken@thewealthbuilderstrategy. com or visit his website at www. thewealthbuiderstrategy.com

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

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A New Solutio an Unsolve

Every dollar invested go

Endowment

INTENT GENERAT TRANSFORM

Support the Mission at En

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t Commons

TIONAL. TIONAL. MATIONAL.

ndowmentCommons.org

TITANS OF FRANCHISING

From Member to Owner: How RockBox Fitness Changed Her Life

by Becca Brennan, Director of Branding, RockBox Fitness

M

ulti-unit franchise owner Shia Tolbert and her husband, Mike, always knew that franchise ownership was in their future. Shia became a member at RockBox Fitness in south Charlotte,

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NC after trying multiple other fitness studios following the birth of their youngest child. When it came time for them to look into franchising more seriously, they knew RockBox would be a perfect fit because Shia had witnessed the personal and physical transformation first hand. Shia

FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

talks about her experience with RockBox and how owning a franchise has changed her life and her family’s life in a recent interview:

Q: What drew you to

RockBox Fitness as a business opportunity?

A: I saw firsthand how

effective the workout was and how it changed my whole view on the fitness industry. I knew I wanted to contribute to our family,not only making a positive impact in the community, but also by creating multiple revenue streams.

Q: Have you always been

interested in franchise ownership?

A: Yes, [Mike and I] looked into other franchise opportunities in the past; however, we ultimately decided on RockBox Fitness because I truly believed in its model and core values.

Q: What has been your

biggest takeaway from owning a RockBox studio?

A: That you’ve got to love what you do, and be good at it! When you really believe in your product, it sells itself and everything else will fall into place.

Q: What makes the RockBox workout different from other boutique fitness concepts?

A: The community! There is nothing like it that compares.

The relationships you make, the lives you change, and those sweaty smiling faces after an intense (but fun!) workout make it worthwhile. I have never been addicted to any other workout in my life, and I have done just about every kind out there.

Q: Tell us how RockBox

has helped you achieve your career/life goals.

A: I always knew I wanted to make a positive impact on those around me. I never thought to merge the two things I love: fitness and helping others. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing wins every day, however small or big.

Knowing you are helping others create a healthier lifestyle, and sitting in the front row of their journey, is truly an amazing feeling.

Q: What is the best piece

of advice you would give a new business owner?

A: Never be complacent; embrace change and be open to continue learning every single day.

THE RELATIONSHIPS YOU MAKE, THE LIVES YOU CHANGE, AND THOSE SWEATY SMILING FACES AFTER AN INTENSE (BUT FUN!) WORKOUT MAKE IT WORTHWHILE.

After joining the RockBox franchisee community through an ownership transfer, the couple went on to develop an additional unit, and they continue to change lives across the Charlotte area!

While RockBox provided an incredible opportunity for business ownership to the Tolberts, it also provided an avenue for Shia to inspire positive transformation in others, just as she experienced.

If you are looking for an opportunity to experience personal and professional growth through business ownership, visit our website at https://www.rockboxfitness. com/franchise-opportunities/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Becca Brennan is the Director of Branding for RockBox Fitness Franchise. Shortly following her graduation from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications, Becca found a home at RockBox Fitness and has been with the brand for 2.5 years.

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

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FRANCHISE FASTLANE BRANDS’ CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH Kevin and Linda come to MoShield

opportunity to scale with Mosquito

with a background in the military

Shield’s concept and was awarded

and as human resources. Kevin

territory in the South Tampa area.

has officially retired from the military as of December 1st, 2020,

Gilles and Isabelle joins 4 other

and will work full-time in the

great franchisees in the Houston

Recently ranking #182

business. Linda will continue in

market for The Brothers That Just

on the Inc. 5000 with a

her career as an HR executive.

Do Gutters. Isabelle decided early

growth rate of 2,304%, and

Although Kevin has had a ton of

in their franchise discovery that

being recognized in the TOP FIVE

success in his military career, he

she not only wanted a business

Franchise Consulting & Development

is excited to own something that

that could earn a solid income

category by Entrepreneur Magazine

is his and that his family can

and help them build wealth but

for the third year in a row,

also take part in. Kevin and Linda

also help them make an impact on

Franchise FastLane has quickly

explored business ownership as an

other people’s lives. They saw

grown to be the #1 Franchise Sales

opportunity to control his career,

right away that The Brothers That

Organization in the country! With

income, and time. After being

Just Do Gutters would give them

our proven process, FastLane has

introduced to Mosquito Shield, they

that opportunity. Gilles has more

inspired OVER 1,300 families and

quickly went through the discovery

than 10 years of experience in

impacted OVER 3,500 communities!

process and felt it was a natural

global industrial and technology

Hear from some of our franchisees

fit. Kevin loved the simplicity,

companies. His experience spans

we are celebrating during the month

scalability, and low start-up cost

operations, engineering, sales,

of February.

of the MoShield model, but was most

marketing, and strategy. He has

impressed with the corporate team

managed multi-million dollar

and support model compared to other

commercial units, ranging from

franchise concepts. It was clear

a couple of million dollars to

Mosquito Shield was a leader in the

more than $100M in revenues, with

industry! Linda loved seeing the

direct reports. He has both US and

business continue to thrive, even

international work experience in

during the COVID-19 pandemic as

Latin America, the Middle East,

100% of locations have been deemed

Africa, and Southeast Asia. He is

essential business. She saw the

excited to take all this managerial experience and apply it to grow

Mosquito Shield felt comfortable, there is structure like the military but I also have ownership.

- Kevin Vinnett, South Tampa FL

a business of his own, with the

business analytics, and

support of his wife. Gilles and

program management,

Isabelle are very ambitious and

with an unwavering

plan to build a multi-million

determination to do work that changes lives. When Isabelle isn’t working or taking care of her family, she enjoys relaxing with her photography, writing, and yoga.

Gilles and Isabelle are originally from Cameroon and have known each other for

Maplewood, New Jersey. Trish

15 years, and have been married

previously worked as a research

for 2. They have one daughter who

associate before becoming a

is 18-months-old. What a year 2021

homemaker for the last five years.

was for The Brothers That Just Do

Her husband Darnell is a Finance

Gutters and Franchise Fastlane. We

Portfolio Manager in Jersey City

finished off the year awarding over

and together they have two kids,

175 territories in just 7 months

five-year-old Aliana, and seven-

5 years. Isabelle’s career spans

and anticipate awarding another 175

year-old D.J. Trish originally

multiple countries in Africa as

in 2022.

was looking at eight total brands

dollar business within

well as the States, working in

before she decided on joining the

multiple industries from non-

Trish and Darnell Azeez joined

Premier family. Her passion, drive,

profit, to tech companies, to

Premier Martial Arts in February

and very detailed personality

social entrepreneurship. She

2020 and they will be adding TWO

aligned with the Premier culture.

has worked mostly in marketing,

new schools in West Orange and

OUR

BRANDS

TITANS OF FRANCHISING

Corporate Cleaning Group

by Genevieve Konieczny, Content Writer, FranDevCo

W

hen Wael Nasef joined Corporate Cleaning Group as a Franchise Owner, he brought past business ownership experience from his previous career in his home country of Egypt, to his new venture as a Franchise Owner. The married father of four had been ready for a new path and was drawn to the commercial janitorial service brand because of the franchise’s successful history.

OWNER BACKGROUND Since graduating college in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology and emigrating to the United States, Wael’s ambitions to own a business stemmed from his experience owning a gift store within Hilton’s chain of hotels on the Red Sea. When introduced to the franchise ownership opportunity with Corporate Cleaning Group, he felt confident proceeding with the initial investment because

of Corporate Cleaning’s strong historical business performance. Now, as an Owner/Operator, Wael uses his business experience to make sure operations for his franchise location run smoothly.

One pillar of the Corporate Cleaning Group brand is a focus on superior customer service. Wael embodies this as his business background has led him to assemble a staff that takes pride in

SINCE BECOMING A FRANCHISE OWNER WITH CORPORATE CLEANING GROUP IN 2021, WAEL’S COMMITMENT TO LEARNING THE OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF HIS BUSINESS AND BUILDING A SOLID CREW HAVE BEEN HIS PRIMARY FOCUS, AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE HOME OFFICE, HE KNOWS HE’LL BE SUCCESSFUL. 48

FEBRUARY 2022 | WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM

their work. He is skilled at connecting with people and is an open and positive communicator with a calm and level-headed approach to managing routine needs and meeting special challenges. His experience in real estate combined with the importance of building relationships with team members and clients alike, has truly helped him create a successful staff. Since

becoming a Franchise Owner with Corporate Cleaning Group in 2021, Wael’s commitment to learning the operational aspects of his business and building a solid crew have been his primary focus, and with the support of the home office, he knows he’ll be successful. When asked what advice he would give someone who is interested in franchising, Wael said, “Don’t hesitate. If I could go back in time and buy a franchise, I would. It makes your life easy.”

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Corporate Cleaning Group is a full service commercial cleaning company providing customized cleaning solutions tailored specifically for

the needs of clients in four distinct service niches: religious, educational, healthcare, and corporate businesses. By bringing a level of sophistication to the janitorial industry, and with heavy emphasis on superior customer service, Corporate Cleaning Group provides a winning formula that acquires and retains clients. With over 25 years of success, Corporate Cleaning Group has proven their level of excellence in the janitorial industry, and now in 2022, the brand is poised for continued growth!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR FranDevCo's Content Writer, Genevieve Konieczny has a background in marketing and ecommerce and enjoys helping brands tell their stories through content writing and research.

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What Do I Get For My Franchise Fee and Royalties?

by Greg Mohr, Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

O

ne of the many questions I am asked on a regular basis is what do I get for my franchise fee and all those royalties.

Paying the upfront franchise fee unlocks the door to the franchisors' proprietary business systems and more.

You get the complete setup.

The franchise fee is literally a license to own and operate the franchise business.

The franchise fee, also commonly referred to as the initial fee, is part of your upfront, one-time payment to the franchise when you sign up to become a franchisee.

The franchise fee is your ticket in the door — it’s what you’re paying the franchisor in return for the use of their brand, trademarks, products and business model. It also typically includes initial training costs and those associated with location development.

Franchise fees are around $50,000. They of course differ between franchise brands, and even more so between industries. Franchisors are required to disclose this fee in the Franchise Disclosure Document.

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INITIAL TRAINING IS PART OF THE FRANCHISE FEE The initial training often includes a combination of coursework and on-the-job training. It can take days or weeks, depending on the depth of the training and the complexity of the business. This training will cover the operations of your franchise, from start to finish

home modules. Sometimes a franchisor will send an experienced member of their team to assist you the first few days of operating your location, to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible.

THE ROYALTY FEE While the franchise fee is a one-time payment, royalty fees typically occur monthly

FRANCHISE FEES ARE AROUND $50,000.

THEY OF COURSE DIFFER BETWEEN FRANCHISE BRANDS, AND EVEN MORE SO BETWEEN INDUSTRIES. FRANCHISORS ARE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THIS FEE IN THE FRANCHISE DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT — it’s everything you need to know to run the business from day one. Remember, your franchisor wants you to succeed. Part of that is making sure you can hit the ground running when you open.

Many franchisors hold training at headquarters, and you’re typically responsible for the cost of travel and lodging. However, some brands also make use of at-

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and can be thought of as a membership fee that covers the ongoing support from your franchisor. The most common way royalty fees are assessed is as a percentage of gross sales and, on average, sits somewhere between 5 and 9 percent. Some brands set a minimum dollar amount, or a percentage that varies depending on levels of sales.

Royalty fees are a typical

franchisor’s main source of income. The franchise fee covers the cost of your application, training, initial marketing and advertising, sales commission and general costs incurred by the franchisor’s corporate team in getting you all set up. The royalty fee is the ongoing revenue stream that keeps

of the funds to promote the organization. It could include expanded product and service lines that are negotiated on behalf of all franchisees and help you expand your business offerings.

Also, technology and point-of-sale processes are continually updated and require support from each

but the benefits of increased sales go to you, the franchisee. To complete the cycle, a portion of those sales goes back to the franchisor each month as your royalty fee.

franchisors afloat, as well as covering the expenses of providing you with ongoing education and support.

franchise. In all cases, the royalty fees support the infrastructure needed to support a larger brand and reputation than your franchise (but that makes you look like a more reputable, bigger fish in the business world).

In some cases, royalty fees include marketing and advertising efforts. So, the franchisor will coordinate a promotion to introduce a new product, for example,

earnings can be tough to accept as part of a franchise purchase. But choosing a franchise (and paying fees) has significant value for you as an entrepreneur: • Fewer Mistakes. With a winning process already designed, you will make fewer mistakes than if you go it alone. The franchisor has already worked through most of the bugs that trip up independent business start-ups.

WHAT DO YOU GET FOR A ROYALTY FEE? Royalty fees are the franchisor’s income. Since royalty fees are recurring, they serve as maintenance fees for the franchisor. What do they maintain? For starters, it pays the franchisor’s overhead, but the franchisor reinvests most

IS IT WORTH IT? Having that royalty feed skimmed from your hard

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• Support Network. When you have a question, there are many people to assist. From corporate to other franchisees, you will have a network of knowledgeable, experienced people—all of whom want you to succeed.

• Purchasing Power. As part of a larger organization, many of your products and services will be less than they would be on your own. Those savings directly increase revenue.

• Exit Assistance. You aren’t starting a business to leave it, but long-term planning is important, and you won’t run your business forever. As a franchisee, it will be easier to sell—partly because you own a known brand and partly because the franchisor will assist in the transition.

• Increased Value. Every franchisee’s success contributes to your own. As a brand increases in value, so does your piece of the pie.

And with that comes greater success.

Royalty fees may feel like an extra burden for your new franchise business, but the franchisor's support creates a mutually beneficial financial relationship. The collaborative goal of high profit and business comes through the royalty fees that support your franchise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Greg Mohr is a former corporate ladder climber, author and has owned and operated dry cleaners, storage units, rental properties, and franchises. Greg has helped hundreds of people invest in a few hundred franchise units. Contact Greg at 361-772-6401 or gregmohr@ thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com

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With over 100 locations across 39 states, HobbyTown is the largest brick-and-mortar hobby retailer in the world.

As a franchisee, you can help spread the joy that our products provide to thousands of our customers.

Chart your own course.

Build your team and take leadership. Set the pace and fill your day, your way.

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As you grow your business, we’ll support you with advertising and marketing solutions, along with day-to-day resources like IT support and inventory management.

It’s time to have fun and make a living doing it.

Learn more at HobbyTownFranchise.com.

#FRANCHISESTARS

Atlanta Couple Upped Their Lawn Maintenance Game with Spring-Green Lawn Care

by Rhonda Sanderson, CEO, Sanderson & Associates

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

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W

hen David and Maria Roman bought their SpringGreen Lawn Care franchise in 2017, they had just sold their successful existing landscape company which they had operated for 30 years.

“We wanted to join an operation like Spring-Green Lawn Care to take advantage of all the branding and support services they had to offer,” said David Roman. “We already knew how to operate a landscape business and this just set us up to do it on a broader and more efficient scale. And quicker.”

The Gwinnett County Georgia Spring-Green Lawn Care location they operate has grown over 30% even during the pandemic. “We had to modify our services a little bit during 2020 and 2021,” said Roman, “to accommodate social distancing and to keep

everyone safe. It was fine since we operate an outdoor business and our customers know us and trust us to do the same excellent job we always had done in the past.”

Plainfield, Illinois-based Spring-Green Lawn Care has been delivering lawn and tree care services nationwide since 1977. Its service is centered on the beautification of residential and commercial customers in middle-class and affluent neighborhoods and communities. Spring-Green is an attractive opportunity for entrepreneurs and existing green industry business owners, like David and Maria, who want to align themselves with a franchise opportunity that has proven economic resilience, healthy profit margins, industry leading

THE GWINNETT COUNTY GEORGIA SPRING-GREEN LAWN CARE LOCATION THEY OPERATE HAS GROWN OVER 30% EVEN DURING THE PANDEMIC.

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DAVID ROMAN

business and marketing intelligence, recurring revenue, and retirement and family planning through business ownership, which is exactly the plan that the Romans are following.

“Maria and I work together running the business and our son works in the business as well, being groomed for management,” Roman added.

“We chose Spring-Green because their support and back-office services made our goal of expansion and building so much easier. By choosing this route, and a company

with their proven record, it has allowed us to scale faster.

We are planning to add an additional location in the near future,” concluded Roman.

A fact not to be ignored; Spring-Green Lawn Care was recognized as one of the top 500 franchises in the recently released Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500®, the world’s first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. The 43rd annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500® is a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry.

The 2022 Franchise 500®

ranked Spring-Green for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power.

The company moved up an incredible 136 slots from their ranking of 2021. They have also been chosen as a top franchise in Lawn and Landscape Magazine, the top vertical trade publication of their industry.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: http://www.springgreenfranchise.com.

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TITANS OF FRANCHISING

Franchising: A Bright Future for Latino Business Owner

by Leonor Clavijo, International Consultant, The Franchise Consulting Company

T

he Franchise Consulting Company recently hosted its annual Winter Conference on the beautiful Riviera Maya in Mexico. Three amazing days of learning and networking with the very best minds in franchising.

Although the event was held in Mexico, the entire conference was in English, and I was the only Spanishspeaking Latina consultant attending the event. Being surrounded by many expert consultants and some of the best developers in the Franchise industry made me wonder why aren't there more Hispanics in franchising?

While the franchisees made their presentations in one seminar, I couldn't let go of my excitement to start daydreaming about the great growth opportunities that many of the emerging brands would have in Latin America. Inclusive, many of the existing brands could be a perfect fit for Latinos living in the United States.

In the United States, during the last 10 years, the number of Latino business owners

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grew by 34% compared to a 1% increase in the total number of business owners nationwide, according to a recent Stanford University study.

The continued success of Latino small business owners comes at a time when Latinos have become an economic influence in the United States.

The same Stanford University study found that Latino businesses contribute about $500 billion to the economy in annual sales.

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There are an estimated 4.65 million Latino-owned companies in the U.S., making them the fastestgrowing segment of U.S. small businesses, up 34% in the last 10 years, the SBA reports.

The future of the U.S. Latino market is even more interesting. The U.S. Hispanic population is expected to increase to over 72 million

THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 4.65 MILLION LATINO-OWNED COMPANIES IN THE U.S., MAKING THEM THE FASTESTGROWING SEGMENT OF U.S. SMALL BUSINESSES, UP 34% IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, THE SBA REPORTS. by 2030, accompanied by an increase in spending in the consumer market from $1.5 trillion in 2018 to $400 billion by 2023. The market is currently growing in the U.S. GFP at 8.6% and will likely continue to rise with an increase in the U.S. Latino population.

Since Hispanics are the youngest major racial or ethnic group in the United States this represents a lot of business opportunities. About one-third, or 17.9 million, of the nation’s Hispanic population is younger than 18, and about a quarter, or 14.6 million, of all Hispanics are Millennials (ages 18 to 33 in 2014), according to a Pew Research Center.

BRIGHT FUTURE The future of the U.S. Latino market is even more promising. U.S. Census numbers show that Latinos are the nation's largest minority: the Hispanic American population in 2012 had reached 53 million and is expected to grow to over 72 million by 2030.

Many franchises have been working to attract Hispanic customers with Spanishspeaking ads, but that effort is not enough and can be a waste of time and money if the brand doesn’t have

the resources to deal with Spanish-speaking clients. A good way to bring in more Hispanic customers is by having Hispanic franchisees.

Franchise companies that welcome and celebrate diversity by encouraging the growth of Hispanic business owners can gain prompt access to a flourishing population group within their specific market.

Another way to increase the number of Latino franchisees is to expand the business opportunity for Latinos in the U.S. by offering the opportunity to Latinos seeking an E-2 Visa. An E-2 or “treaty investor” visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows a foreign investor to live and work in the United States through a fairly speedy process. It is required that the investor be from a country with an established E-2 treaty agreement.

During the last 10 years, I have been working as a business consultant helping foreign investors start new businesses or guiding them in the process of buying a franchise. Many of my clients, especially those coming from Latin America with an E-2 Visa, already have business experience, and their Latino heritage is in many cases a

bonus. From spotting market niches in their home countries to knowing how to run a business, they can become successful in short periods of time. Speaking Spanish is a plus in promoting services and products among other Latinos who have more and more money to spend.

Increasing franchising among U.S. Latino immigrants are set to pay large dividends by creating jobs, raising Latino incomes, and boosting local economies. On top of attracting Hispanic customers, choosing to focus on the Latino population can create even more job growth.

Franchising will continue to benefit from the U.S. Latino market and hopefully in the future will have more and more opportunity for growth.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR A Bilingual Communications Specialist, offering an international background in business and nonprofit management. Trained as a Journalist, demonstrates expertise in creating effective bilingual communications and building strong relationships with city, state, national businesses and corporations.

Proven track record in providing strategic marketing, identifying community priorities and creating progressive solutions. Contact Leonor at 919-308-1162 or email: Leonor@ TheFranchiseConsultingCompany. com

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TITANS OF FRANCHISING

New Biz Owner Sees Pet Services Becoming as Common as Landscaping, Pool Maintenance

by Rhonda Sanderson, CEO, Sanderson & Associates You could almost say it was in the cards that Cesar Jimenez and his wife, Rachael, would one day own their own petwaste removal business. Or to be more precise, it was in the mail. Because it was a little twist of fate that led the central Phoenix couple to become franchise owners with Pet Butler, which provides petwaste removal and other petrelated services to residential and commercial clients.

Lawncare maintenance giant Spring-Green Enterprises acquired the company in 2017, because they saw the exact

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same trend coming. And it is here!!

Prospective Pet Butler franchisees find a franchise brand with a modernized business model that offers large, protected territories that foster scalable growth and strong recurring revenue, which has helped make Pet Butler No. 1 in the “No. 2” business for thousands of clients across North America. Roughly 85 million U.S. families, or 67 percent of households, own a pet, according to the 2019-2020 National Pet Owners Survey

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conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA). In the U.S., pets include 90 million dogs and 94 million cats. The pet industry reached a milestone in 2020, with total sales of $103.6 billion, and is predicted to be at $230 billion by 2030.

In 2019, Cesar – while still working in his previous career in real estate management – decided to start a pet-waste removal business of his own.

The 35-year-old Jimenez had researched the industry and wanted to see if the business model would work. “To make a

long story short, while running my ‘test’ operation, I received a mailer from Pet Butler that had some information on the tools they have in place to help their franchisees grow their business. Well, I called and about nine months later we owned a Pet Butler franchise,” Jimenez said.

During his five years in real estate management, Jimenez developed skill sets in a number of areas including coaching, team management, recruiting and sales. He said many are applicable to his new career as a young business owner since he and Rachael are both under 40. “But the one that most comes to mind is the ability to manage people and their expectations,” Jimenez said. “The ability to grow and develop businesses and people to reach their highest abilities.”

“I’m very excited about the possibility that the Pet Butler service model becomes as common as having a pool service or landscaper,” Jimenez said. “As people find more value for their time, our service is a perfect way to get more time back for a minimal cost.”

Cesar said that both he and Rachael are ardent animal lovers. The couple has three dogs, all over the age of 10, who they call their “golden girls” and both Cesar and Rachael are enjoying being able to impact the pet industry.

“This business helps the community, the pet owners and pets every time we service their yard,” Jimenez said. “We are excited to have such an impact locally. A huge reason for us moving forward was knowing this would be an

avenue for us contributing to the pet industry.”

ABOUT PET BUTLER Pet Butler Franchise was acquired in 2017 by Spring-Green Enterprises, the parent company of +43 years old Spring-Green Lawn Care and SGE Marketing Services. They currently have 30 franchisees located in 25 states with long term plans to open 60 more within the next 5 years. Pet Butler provides an opportunity for pet lovers to turn their passion for pets into a business. To learn more about how Pet Butler serves pets and their people, visit www.petbutler.com and connect on Facebook and LinkedIn. To inquire about a franchise call 844-777-8608 or go to www.petbutlerfranchise.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rhonda Sanderson is a franchise expert who has owned and operated Sanderson & Associates and Sanderson PR, both specializing in, traditional, social media and crisis PR in the franchise space since 1986. She has authored many articles, helped grow numerous franchise chains is considered one of the Top 30 Small Business Influencers (Fit Business) in the U.S. Find her at Rhonda@sandersonpr.com or on LinkedIn where she is the author of Franchise Stars at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-sanderson-a6b658/ WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

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REDEFINE THE IRRIGATION INDUSTRY WITH

CONSERVA IRRIGATION As the only irrigation franchise with a focus on water conservation, Conserva Irrigation is transforming the $7.1 billion irrigation industry. Featured in the Inc. 5000 FastestGrowing Companies list for two years in a row, the Conserva Irrigation franchise is a thriving business model that provides rapid client acquisition, reoccurring revenue streams, and scalable growth opportunities. Ready to gain professional and financial freedom with one the fastest growing eco-friendly franchises? Consider a future with Conserva Irrigation.

Why Choose Conserva Irrigation?

• Low Initial Investment • Reoccurring Revenue Streams • Award-winning, Eco-Friendly Franchise

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TITANS OF FRANCHISING

FINANCIAL INNOVATION

EMPOWERING SOCIAL CHANGE

by Rick Davis Managing Partner, LOHAS

Perhaps more than any other firm, at LOHAS, we work with a wide range of exciting impact investment funds addressing the issue of social inequity.

We are honored to support ventures and private equity fund managers focused on minority wealth creation and closing the racial wealth gap.

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THE PROBLEM

Why is this issue of such critical importance? While there have been a variety of high-profile events that have drawn national attention to the issue of social justice in this country, on a purely economic basis, substantially improving the opportunity for economic growth and wealth creation within minority communities is essential to our nation’s future prosperity.

According to a study by the Kellogg Foundation on Racial Equity, the U.S. stands to realize an $8 trillion gain in GDP just by closing the U.S. racial equity gap. This is more than the current GDP of every country in the world except the U.S. and China. The size of the economic opportunity reflects the changing racial make-up of the country: • The current U.S. minority population is 129 million (or 39% of the total population), and by the year 2045, is projected to be the majority.

• For youth under 18, minorities already outnumber whites; and beginning in the year 2033, minority workers in their prime working age will outnumber their white counterparts.

The future of our economy depends upon a foundation of supporting and sustaining minority-owned businesses.

There are over 10 million

minority-owned businesses in this country. These businesses are growing the U.S. economy, strengthening local communities, training our next generation workforce, contributing to job creation, and generating tax revenues.

Failure to invest in them now will hamper our future workforce competitiveness, stifle innovation, and impact the economic prosperity of all American businesses.

What’s needed is financial investment in historically ignored minority-founded and managed enterprises with a goal of closing the racial wealth gap and supercharging the U.S. economy. This is not just a role for the government; it requires the full strength of the private investment and philanthropic sectors that recognize both the impact and financial opportunity of investing in these areas.

ONE INNOVATIVE SOLUTION

Let’s first acknowledge the reality that what we’ve been doing as a society, including

through philanthropic channels, has not been successful. At LOHAS, because we are on the front lines of the impact investing revolution, we have identified (and are helping to enable) a new approach that we see as the “next generation of philanthropy” that combines charitable donation models with for-profit impact investing to deliver real, sustainable social change. The wns (EndowmentCommons. org) is one of the leaders in this new drive to repurpose philanthropic funds to create minority wealth through

FOR THE FIRST TIME THERE IS A COMPLETE PORTFOLIO OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC MARKET STRATEGIES AIMED AT SOLVING THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP, AND THE ENDOWMENT COMMONS IS LEVERAGING THOSE STRATEGIES TO SOLVE THE ISSUE OF MINORITY WEALTH CREATION IN A LARGESCALE WAY.

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strategic investments in minority-founded and led ventures.

For the first time there is a complete portfolio of private and public market strategies aimed at solving the racial wealth gap, and the Endowment Commons is leveraging those strategies to solve the issue of minority wealth creation in a largescale way.

What does a missionaligned, complete portfolio solution look like? The idea is not just to invest in venture or private equity but rather to include all segments of a wellbalanced portfolio that are hand-selected as best-in-class to address minority wealth creation. Capital is provided to racially diverse managers and strategies that are all professionally managed and ESG focused.

The Endowment Commons creates a sustainable marriage between finance and social impact by delivering a onestop shop to advance minority wealth creation. Notably, the Endowment Commons model uniquely aligns both the programming and investment sides of the house around this mission. Donations either go towards the missionaligned programs of minoritydriven associations or into mission-focused funds that grow the asset pool funding the programs (creating a sustainable model of support).

Every dollar contributed is directed towards the mission.

How is the Endowment Commons approach revolutionary? Setting aside the organization’s enormous vision (targeting largescale donors) and its complete investment portfolio approach

THE ENDOWMENT COMMONS CREATES A SUSTAINABLE MARRIAGE BETWEEN FINANCE AND SOCIAL IMPACT BY DELIVERING A ONE-STOP SHOP TO ADVANCE MINORITY WEALTH CREATION. 72

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(which is also unmatched), the critical difference is that the investments that the Endowment Commons is making “are the impact”.

This turns the traditional model of philanthropy on its head, recognizing that directly investing in minority-owned or managed enterprises is more likely to deliver real, sustainable minority wealth creation than traditional, donationbased nonprofit models.

It is also groundbreaking to invest in a nonprofit in which fund deployment is 100% mission aligned. How is that different than most nonprofit models? Without getting into the ugly, behind-the-scenes details of traditional nonprofits’ investment strategies, let’s just say that most nonprofit endowment investments are not “mission aligned” and, in fact, may be contrary to that mission (e.g., a climate-focused foundation that invests in fossil fuel companies). How much better would the results be if the investments of the organization to which you’re contributing are not working against the mission but, in fact, are specifically geared towards supporting the mission?

At LOHAS, this is what we mean by the “next generation of philanthropy”.

The Endowment Commons delivers maximum tax deductions to donating parties, but utilizes a model that is both impactful and sustainable, and which is also designed to help finance

best-of-breed programs from leading minority-focused organizations (e.g., the Black Chamber of Commerce) that are having a meaningful impact on minority wealth creation and closing the racial equity gap.

NOT ALONE

The Endowment Commons is part of a growing group of diversity-focused organizations embracing this new philanthropic model.

Other impact investment funds supported by nonprofit organizations working to solve social equity issues include Ally Capital Collab (AllyCollab.com), New Community Transformation Fund (NewCommunityFund. com), AI8 Ventures (AI8ventures.com), and FVLCRUM (fvlcrum.com).

These funds are all positioned to receive

THE WIDENING RACIAL WEALTH GAP DISADVANTAGES MINORITY FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS, AND COMMUNITIES AND LIMITS THEIR ECONOMIC POWER AND PROSPECTS; AND THE EFFECTS ARE CYCLICAL. investment capital from mission-aligned nonprofit organizations which recognize that “the investments are the impact”. Ally Capital Collab, for example, supports a collection of four amazing venture capital funds managed by women of color investing in companies with diverse founders/ leaders; New Community Transformation Fund invests in companies owned or operated by minority business leaders in Western Michigan utilizing a placebased fund model being replicated throughout the country; AI8 Ventures has a similar diversity investment thesis with a heavy focus on the Latin American entrepreneurial community; and FVLCRUM invests in lower middle-market, minority-owned businesses to reduce the racial wealth gap and provide opportunity in underserved communities.

IN SUMMARY

The widening racial wealth gap disadvantages minority families, individuals, and communities and limits their economic power and prospects; and the effects are cyclical. Focusing on solutions that create minority wealth is key to closing the racial wealth gap and

catalyzing the U.S. economy in the future. At LOHAS, we believe that unleashing the unrealized potential of the minority economy will reinvigorate the U.S. and global economic systems, setting the U.S. on a trajectory to lead the global transition into a more innovative, inclusive, and sustainable future.

And while the racial wealth gap is real and counterproductive to our society, for the first time there are organizations that are taking new approaches to solving the problem by leveraging innovative financial solutions to invest directly in minority-owned and managed enterprises with the goal of generating inter-generational wealth within the minority community. Moreover, now there are ways both to invest (with financial returns) and donate (offsetting tax bills) into entities that ultimately support the same mission.

We welcome these new approaches to tackling our society’s most pressing challenges by marrying the worlds of impact investment and philanthropy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rick Davis is the Managing Partner at LOHAS (LOHAS.org)

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

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TURN YOUR PASSION INTO RESULTS BECOME A PART OF ONE OF THE HOTTEST BRANDS IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY

20+

states & expanding

120

locations

structured to generate

SALES

STRONG item 19

HIGH

customer retention

Investment Range: $243,993 to $463,900

4 SBA Approved

4 Veteran Discount

4 Low Overhead

For franchising information contact: rockboxfitness@frandev.co • 704.659.1816

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TITAN AWARDS In this issue of Franchise Journal we celebrate the many minority entrepreneurs, visionaries and thought leaders throughout our franchising community. In partnership with FVLCRUM FUNDS we congratulate these successful business owners and leaders in their continued growth and success.

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FOCALPOINT BUSINESS AND EXECUTIVE COACH Certif ied FocalPoint Business and Executive Coach www.focalpointcoaching.com

DR. TERRY DANIELS

Dr. Terry Daniels is a certified FocalPoint Business and Executive Coach. He has a passion for partnering with executives and entrepreneurs to help them keep their “eye on the prize” to grow the businesses they lead. He has a proven track record of leading successful human resource teams, coaching leaders, and building sustainable workplace cultures that produce exceptional business results.

After spending more than 27 years working in Fortune 500 companies such as SCA, Lilly Industries, Weyerhaeuser, Alcoa, and Illinois Tool Works (ITW), Dr. Daniels knows what truly drives strategic organizational growth and exceptional employee engagement. Dr. Daniels also supported manufacturing locations in

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China, Japan, Germany, and France.

He currently serves as Executive Director of The Foundry Christian Community Center.

Dr. Daniels’ also served as Vice President of Human Resources for the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Christian Family Radio and Bowling Green Municipal Utilities. He serves on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Alumni Council for Western Kentucky University.

Dr. Daniels is a native of Bowling Green, KY, married to Rita Daniels, and has three sons, Tyler, Taylour, and Tanner. In addition, Dr. Daniels served as Pastor of the Loving Chapel Baptist Church in Franklin, KY for over 25 years.

In May 2017, he planted and established a new church, The Transformation Christian Center.

Dr. Daniels is the co-author of a best-selling book “Building Cathedrals – The Power of Purpose." His newest book, published in July 2020, “The Bullpen – Battle Tested to be a Game Changer.”

About FocalPoint Business and Executive Coaching FocalPoint takes the proven business coaching techniques of the world-famous business trainer and author, Brian Tracy (google him), and blends them with the business skills and experience of its coaches.

FocalPoint coaches have an entrepreneurial mindset. They are results-oriented and sincere in their desire to help others. They are experienced, business-minded professionals who are experts in any or all of the following areas: • • • • • •

Strategic Planning Revenue Generation Increasing Productivity Sales Management Financial Management Exit Strategy

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

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KOREY NEAL

K. NEAL TRUCK AND BUS CENTER

With (4) locations in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area, K.Neal Truck Bus Center (K.Neal) is an award winning, full-service, minority-owned commercial truck and bus dealership committed to improving fleet uptime, anticipating the future of mobility, integrating emerging technology and supporting the profitability of the transportation ecosystem.

K. Neal offers the best in new and used commercial trucks and buses, superior mobile service options, the right parts at the right time and preventative, technology-backed maintenance solutions.

K. Neal Truck and Bus Center has been a mainstay in Prince George's County, Md. for more than 40 years. Current CEO, Stephen W. Neal acquired the business in 2006, with a mission to provide a convenient, fast and customer-centric experience. In 2018, Korey Neal Sr., became President and continues the Neal legacy of a commitment to faith, service and investing in the community.

President www.knealtbc.com

KENDRICK ASHTON

THE ST. JAMES Co-Founder + Co-CEO www.thestjames.com

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The St. James is a 450,000 sq. ft. premier performance, wellness, lifestyle and entertainment complex located just outside of Washington, DC. The St. James combines best-in-class sports competition and training venues, high quality developmental programming, exceptional lifestyle experiences and dynamic, family-centered entertainment experiences both in person -- on and off The St. James campuses -- and digitally. We have built a large, sports focused community and had +2.5mm visits in 2021. In Spring 2022, we will open our first of many standalone athletic training centers, The St. James Performance Club. Our first location opening in Reston, VA will feature 25,000 square feet of state-ofthe-art training space and offer an elite approach to health, wellness, and performance for the entire Reston community.

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CAMILLE LEE-JOHNSON

Lee Wesley is an Industry leader in franchisee & operations management. Our portfolio consists of a multitude of premium brands, stretching a vast array of cuisine & decor. We have provided food service at some of the countries busiest airports as well as state of the art stadiums and venues. We strive to provide excellent service to our customers & community alike.

LEE WESLEY CEO www.leewesley.com

RODNEY B. HERENTON

CHANNING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

Founded in 2003, Channing Capital Management, LLC is a Chicago-based investment management boutique serving institutional investors. Today, under the leadership of the founding partners Rodney B. Herenton and Wendell E. Mackey, CFA, we remain committed to our original core values: Competitive Excellence, Collaboration and Teamwork, Strong Ethics, Clients First, and Mutual Respect. Since inception, we have grown our assets under management to more than $3.9 billion (as of December 31, 2021) using a consistent, singular investment approach: Intrinsic Value. Long-term performance and tailored client service are long-standing precepts that drive everything we do. Our clients are confident that we strictly adhere to our investment approach through all market cycles.

Mr. Herenton received a B.A. in finance from Morehouse College (Phi Beta Kappa), and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Founder, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Business Development & Strategy Officer www.channingcapital.com WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

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BUILD YOUR BUSINESS. MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

create your future.

Why PrideStaff?

A Thriving and Essential Industry

50%

OFF THE INITIAL FRANCHISE FEE FOR ALL VETERANS

• The staffing industry consistently outpaces the growth of the U.S. GDP and generated over $160 billion in annual revenue last year.

• Staffing firms employ over 17 million Americans each year.

Large Protected Territories • PrideStaff provides you with some of the largest protected territories in the staffing industry.

Ongoing Training and Back Office Support • Fully committed to your success we provide ongoing training, back office support to help your business run smoothly, and more than a 1:1 ratio of offices to corporate support staff.

Best-in-Class Satisfaction and Service • According to ClearlyRated, an independent staffing industry satisfaction firm, PrideStaff consistently ranks in top 1% for Client and Talent satisfaction.

Our Mission: Consistently provide client experiences focused on what they value most.

FRANCHISE WITH US

(800) 326-6243

ecomaids values

AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD YOUR LEGACY

promoting sustainable living

ecomaids is the leading innovator of environmentally responsible, nontoxic residential cleaning services for families throughout the country.

supporting our local communities saving the planet, one spotless home at a time

franchiseinformation@ecomaids.com www.ecomaids.com/franchise-opportunities We’re a Happinest Company

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CHANAY WALTON

A Better Weigh is a Chicago-based weight loss center bringing faster, safer and long-lasting weight loss results using FDA-approved medications, lipotropic formulas and proprietary supplements. Founded in 2009 by Chanay Walton, LPN after her own struggles with postpartum weight loss, the center offers customized medically-assisted weight loss and weight management programs geared to stimulate metabolism and increase fat burning processes that are supervised by a physician, simple and affordable.

With locations serving thousands across Chicagoland in Beverly, Edgewater, Tinley Park, as well as Schererville, IN, A Better Weigh is on a mission to bring new life and meaning to weight loss. For more information and to learn more about A Better Weigh franchise opportunity, please visit https:// betterweighmedical.com/.

A BETTER WEIGH Founder & CEO www.betterweightmedical.com

JAMES & MARIA KEMP

ZOUP! EATERY Franchise Owners www.zoup.com

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James and Maria Kemp opened their Zoup! Eatery in Woodridge, Illinois in 2016. Passionate fans of Zoup! before joining the franchise, James and Maria embody ‘passion for the brand’ as Zoup! Eatery owners. In his previous employment, James would frequently order catering from Zoup! for clients, “I have a tremendous amount of experience watching people consume Zoup!. I have catered thousands of meals for hundreds of people using Zoup!. Zoup! covers all of the bases! From the packaging, the gluten-free dishes, and low-fat options to the on-line ordering, the organization of the franchise gives it a huge advantage in the fast casual market.

Also, the ability to taste soups while in line helps change the Zoup! experience from one that could be cold and corporate, to one in which people are genuinely interacting with each other about their soup preferences.

Finally, I've had everything on the menu at least twice and the food tastes great!” shares James.

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ROSA THOMAS

Rosa joined Payroll Vault in July of 2019 and has been on a track for exponential growth ever since.

She is committed to her community both as an owner of Payroll Vault and as the Assistant CEO of the USVI Economic Development Authority. Rosa has concentrated her focus on serving the small business community in the US Virgin Islands as well as proving a solution for mainland companies to pay their employees located in the USVI. She has grown her client base by over 66% and is a sought-after payroll and HR expert for USVE and the rest of the Payroll Vault franchisees.

PAYROLL VAULT Franchise Owner www.payrollvault.com

ALY DAYA What was your life before THE TEN SPOT®?

Prior to THE TEN SPOT®, i was involved in various industries; from automotive sales to hardware, from a software startup company to running a hospitality supply company. i always found myself in leadership roles and finding success for other people.

THE TEN SPOT

What do you love about being a 10spot® franchise partner?

Being able to take all of my learnings of the past, putting them together and applying them to being my own boss.

Aly currently owns 4 bars in ontario with development plans for 2 more.

Franchise Partner www.thetenspot.com

WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

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AMERICA’S #1 DRYWALL REPAIR SPECIALIST 100+

Units Awarded

Industry & Franchise Experts

Superior Financial Guidance

Simple, In-Demand Concept

B2B & B2C Business Model

Speed to Profitability

PatchMaster@frandevco.co l 425.321.1166

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RAVEN WATSON

ATWORK

For nearly 30 years job seekers across the country have trusted AtWork’s expert recruiters to guide them through the hiring process and help them find the perfect job. From day one, AtWork’s mission has been to be AtWork for You, and franchisee Raven Watson truly embodies this mission.

Although a newer addition to the AtWork family, Watson has been able to grow her business in a short amount of time, even winning AtWork’s Rookie of the Year award in 2021! Beyond her own thriving career, she’s driven to help others in the Houston area find their own success. In October 2021 Watson founded Lynn’s Angel Foundation, which is committed to supporting female entrepreneurs launch and build successful businesses, and she participates in events like the Houston chapter of the National Black MBA Association’s entrepreneurial roundtable to share her knowledge with others.

Franchise Owner www.atworknwhouston.com

ELVIS MEHMEDOVIC

EXPRESS PROS Franchise Owner www.expresspros.com

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Elvis Mehmedovic immigrated to the U.S. as a young child when his family fled Bosnia. He grew up in Syracuse, New York, and for as long as he can remember was drawn to life as an entrepreneur. From an early age, he would think of creative ways to make money — like selling candy to kids on the school bus — so he could buy things like video games. Later, Elvis and his father opened a transportation and delivery company. When it came time to look for something new, he joined the Express Employment Professionals office in Syracuse as a sales representative. In less than four years, the opportunity arose for Elvis to purchase the business. So in November 2021, at the age of 29, Elvis became one of Express’ youngest franchise owners. Today, Elvis’ life has come full circle as his business now helps the local refugee community find employment as part of their new lives in the U.S.

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IHECHILURU EKEKE

MR. HANDYMAN Franchise Owner www.mrhandyman.com

Ihechiluru Ekeke is a Mr. Handyman, a Neighborly company, franchise owner of Burleson, Midlothian and East Cleburne, Tx. He opened his franchise on February 3, 2020, just one week before the COVID-19 shut down. Ihechiluru’s franchise weathered the storm of the pandemic and grew to a fourvan franchise in one year. He and his team launched “Day of Service” last year by dedicating a full day in July to perform free services, for a veteran who needed several projects done on his house.

Before Ihechiluru entered the franchising world, he served in the U.S. Army. He was deployed to Iraq in 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom among other tours including a six-month deployment to Kuwait in 1998 and an 15-month assignment to Korea from 2007-2008. Ihechiluru received many prestigious awards including the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award), Army Achievement Medal 94th Award), and National Defense Medal.

BILLY & TAYLA DUNCAN

REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Franchise Owner

Billy Duncan is a Real Property Management, a Neighborly company, franchise owner in Zachary, La. In 2012 Billy retired from a decades-long career at Dow Chemical and decided to build his own operation by entering franchising in 2014. Today, he runs the franchise with his daughter, Tayla Duncan, managing over 200 residential properties. Billy and Tayla work to achieve generational wealth for their family, with Billy pushing his daughter to go above and beyond in business dealings, as he intends for her to someday inherit the franchise.

Their family dynamic stands out as the foundation of the company, and the duo strives to bring that relationship into their business as they grow and learn together.

While Billy does not plan on retiring for a second time, he intends to do his best to get out of Tayla’s way and support her from a distance in order to allow her the opportunity to learn family business and one day pass it down for the generations to come.

www.realpropertymgt.com

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THE INDUSTRY/SPACE - CycleBar® is a premium boutique fitness model dedicated to offering a dynamic fitness experience - Boutique fitness has 450% growth year over year since 2010 - CycleBar® is the first & only indoor cycling studio offered as a franchise

BUSINESS MODEL - Listed on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list 2019 - Revenue can be generated online 24 hours a day / 7 days per week - Simple human resources: semi-absentee, front desk help and instructors

THE MARKET/FINANCIAL TRANSLATION - Many different markets (urban or suburuban) offer indoor cycling classes - Financial performance representations show net margins over 50% of gross revenue - 250+ CycleBar® studios open in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and The UAE with more coming each month

V 2

I M P R O V E M E N T S

LOWER BUILDOUT COSTS

OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS

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-

No showers, smaller community room Smaller overall buildout, under 2000 sq ft CycleTheatre improvements with same bike footprint Faster open and ramp-up to profitiability

New POS/CRM for greater retail sales New sales based component for employees New marketing strategy for membership based model Now part of the Xponential Fitness family

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

SALESINFO@STGBRANDS.COM EBD CB, LLC (“EBD CB”) is a franchise seller/broker representing CycleBar Franchising, LLC (“CycleBar”). This advertisement does not constitute a franchise offering or the solicitation of an offer to buy a CycleBar franchise which may be made only after your receipt of the CycleBar Franchise Disclosure Document, which first must be registered with certain states. CycleBar franchises are offered solely by means of the franchise disclosure document issued by CycleBar Franchising, LLC, 3185 Pullman Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, and at (949) 346-9794. Certain states and foreign countries have laws governing the offer and sale of franchises.

If you are a resident of one of these states or foreign countries, CycleBar will not offer you a franchise unless and until it has complied with all applicable legal requirements in your jurisdiction. Please consult with your franchise seller/broker at EBD CB for an updated list of jurisdictions where franchises can be sold.

Copyright © 2018 EBD CB, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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TORY AND LESLIE GREER

In June 2020, Tory and Leslie Greer officially opened their Webster, Texas, Grease Monkey center. Tory’s background is in finance and accounting. Leslie has an impressive military background. With six years active duty in the Navy, and after being in the Air Guard National Guard since 1997, he retired at the end of 2021. The Greers learned about the Grease Monkey Franchise at a Franchise Expo in Houston and both decided they wanted to do something different. Excited by the high-traffic, corner location in Webster, Texas, they took on the challenge of breathing new life into a 3-bay conversion center. The Greer operation is a family affair, with both son, Chris, and nephew, Skylar, on board. Their priority is attracting more customers, which they do by keeping the customer #1.

GREASE MONKEY Owners www.greasemonkeyfranchise.com

JOHN BIAGAS

BAY ELECTRIC CO President / CEO www.bayelectricco.com

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In 1997, I purchased Bay Electric Co., Inc. and Bay Electric has grown well over 50 times its size since purchased. I also have ownership and manage numerous entities related to hospitality, multi-family housing, the service industry and entertainment. I remain a very strong advocate of the Small, Women & Minority Owned business program. Bay Electric continues to demonstrate support by providing subcontracting opportunities to fully qualified small businesses in all categories. I am a Master Electrician with extensive experience as a commercial and residential real estate developer, as well as an electrical and general contractor. My breadth of work has expanded to include design, analysis, development, and construction of a broad array of local government, federal government and private entity projects, including design-build, renovation and renewable energy (solar). I am a longstanding advocate for team diversity and inclusion. Additionally, Bay Electric extends mentorship programs and sponsors events and conferences that open opportunities to Small, Small Disadvantaged, Women-Owned, HUBZone, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, and Veteran Owned business concerns.

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SANGEETHA SAMPATH

For over 40 years, British Swim School has been dedicated to teaching water survival skills, from children as young as three months old to adults. We developed a revolutionary water survival program that enables young children to first survive a water incident and then develop the life-long skill of swimming. Our gentle, fun, and effective instructional program has made British Swim School the preferred choice for parents and students of all ages.

Dubbed as the fastest-growing swim school franchise in the US, we hold nearly 17,000 swimming lessons per week nationally and conducted almost 700,000 swimming lessons in 2021. We strive to make swimming an educational and enjoyable experience for every student!

BRITISH SWIM SCHOOL Franchise Owner www.britishswimschool.com

A bit more about Sangeetha: • Former VP of Financial Reporting at AIG • Sangeetha and her husband witnessed a fellow student drown while attending a university in India, greatly impacting them and helping in her eventual decision to purchase a franchise.

• Several locations include the Crunch Fitness in Morristown, Pingry School in Basking Ridge, and Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, NJ

DONYA DUGAN

A BETTER WEIGH Owner

Donya is an Army Veteran and STEM advocate. She (along with her husband - a certified math teacher and three STEMinclined children) is committed to using her knowledge, skills, and expertise to enrich the lives of youth through positive examples and STEMulating educational experiences.

Donya is passionate about serving her community.

Although there is a wealth of STEM career opportunities in her area, there are scarce resources to promote the K-12 STEM pipeline. Her goal is to introduce youth to STEM programs while demonstrating its value. Understanding that youth are not always excited about academics, Stemtree programs make STEM fun and enjoyable. All activities are hands-on and engaging and progress is demonstrated through written work, projects, activity reports, and assessments. Stemtree of Lake Ridge seeks to promote the love of technical learning and provide youth the means and access to enter and be successful in STEM careers.

www.stemtree.com WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

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A strong proponent of issues affecting persons with disabilities, Mr. Adams has given his time, attention, and service on the Committee for Review for the Americans with Disabilities Act. As a mentor to his community, Mr. Adams has rendered assistance to students as they seek out resources to attend college. Being a former chair and member of the Bowie State University Foundation (BSUF), which provides student scholarships, Mr. Adams’ leadership has seen BSUF increase the value of its endowment to more than $5,000,000. These scholarships have directly impacted Bowie State's status of having the highest retention rate among all of Maryland’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

With this retention success, the University has succeeded in its bid to become a designated growth institution within the University System of Maryland.

Mr. Adams is deeply committed to supporting our Nation’s Armed Service members, this commitment is illustrated in his support of the Maryland Room - a venture designed to renovate an out-of-date reception and relaxation area at Joint Base Andrews’ Malcolm Grow Medical Center. This space in the medical center will be dedicated to the wellbeing of wounded servicemen and women returning from deployment. He also supported the addition of the Family Room at Joint Base Andrews’ passenger terminal and even provides scholarships to the top graduates of the Airmen Leadership School.

On November 18, 2019, Mr. Adams was swornin as the Mayor for the City of Bowie, MD. He is the first African American elected to this position.

Mr. Adams is a candidate for the position of Comptroller of Maryland for the 2022 statewide election. He plans to bring his executive leadership and public service experience to this office in order to advance fiscal accountability, economic justice and social change in the State. If he were to win, he would be the first African American elected to this position.

Mr. Adams resides in Bowie, MD, with his wife, The Honorable Sheila R. Tillerson Adams, and twins, Timothy and Kayla.

Mr. Adams and Judge Adams recently welcomed a new joyful addition to their Family, grandson Nehemiyah.

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SA-TECH President & CEO www.sa-techinc.com

TIMOTHY ADAMS

Timothy J. Adams is President and CEO of Systems Application & Technologies, Inc. (SA-TECH), a company he founded in 1989.

SA-TECH is a progressive and steadily growing professional services firm firmly rooted in the high technology and technical support areas of the defense industry.

Mr. Adams holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of New Orleans and a Bachelor of Science degree from Xavier University. He received a Doctorate of Business (Honoris Causa) from Bowie State University in May 2017.

Thankful for the advisors and mentors from whom he has benefited throughout his career, Mr. Adams has generously returned that assistance by offering his time, talents and financial support to a variety of businesses and community organizations that touch the lives of people in his community and around the Country. Dedicated to service and good corporate stewardship, his service includes: Board Member, University System of Maryland Foundation; Member, Bowie State College of Business Board of Advisors; Board Member, Prince George’s Community College Foundation – Finance Committee; Board Member, University of New Orleans Foundation; Member, Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce; Board Member, Maryland Chamber Foundation; and Lifetime Member, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

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ADEOLA SHABIYI

HOME CLEAN HEROES Franchise Owner www.homecleanheroes.com

Adeola Shabiyi is the third Home Clean Heroes franchisee, an emerging brand in the residential cleaning category.

Originally from Nigeria, Adeola's career included a variety of Human Resources roles in companies including Frito-Lay and Citi-group.

Adeola's business will hit the one-year anniversary mark in February 2022. In his first year, he has quickly become one of the top performing locations in our evergrowing system, winning two awards at our National Convention - the Lightening Fast Start award along with Customer Recruitment Champion. His focus this year will be continuing to grow his existing territory, with plans to open his second in 2023.

Home Clean Heroes is part of the Buzz Franchise Brands family, and through its initiative, Heroes First, is the only residential cleaning franchise with a mission of giving back to local market First Responders.

EVELYN YALUNG

OPTIONS FOR SENIOR AMERICA

Evelyn Yalung has been leading Options for Senior America - Greensboro franchise since 2009 after over 31 years of corporate experience in the health care and technology industries. “We lead with our hearts to provide the compassion and care that our clients need” is her moto.

Evelyn keeps breaking her own record. In December 2021 she and her team achieved an all-time record putting her at the nation’s top percentile of franchise owners of 1 senior care unit. Her exceptional customer service is the driving force behind her growth and success. As Kenyon M., one of her customer stated: “Jane and I owe the Options organization a deep debt of gratitude for the services you have provided us over the last couple of years. I cannot imagine how we would have managed without this service.

We will always be grateful to you.” Options for Senior America provides services in 734 cities in 10 different States : MD, VA, DC PA, NC, GA, FL, OH, IN and AZ.

Franchise Owner/Community Relations Director www.optionscorp.com

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45

+ Years of Being Radically Service Oriented

N O I T A R O B A COLL

At Rad Air we’re more than a team, we’re FAMILY!

Industry Experts

Marketing Expertise

Home-Grown Values

704.274.2165

INTEGRITY H O N E ST Y

Cutting Edge Practices

Sustainable Talent Acquisition

Supplier & Partner Discount Programs

RadAir@FranDev.co

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SONIA ROBINSON

SPEEDEE OIL CHANGE Owner www.speedeeoilfranchise.com

Before becoming a SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service franchisee, Sonia Robinson was no stranger to the world of auto repair. Sonia worked as a regional service manager for Mobility Works, a leading dealer of wheelchair-accessible vans, for more than six years. Since May 1, 2019, Robinson has been operating her SpeeDee franchise out of an existing mechanical shop in Fort Mill, South Carolina, that she converted for her business.

After doing a little bit of research and meeting with some of the other franchisees, Sonia knew SpeeDee was the right choice for her because it allowed her to offer a full range of oil change and mechanical services that she wouldn’t be able to elsewhere. With her background in customer service, owning her own shop lets her focus on building relationships and working with people, which is what she really loves most about the business.

The industry veteran remained up and running through the COVID-19 crisis as an essential business. Looking to the future, Robinson, who knows most of her customers by name, has no plans to slow down. In fact, she is eager to continue growing the brand and has plans to open another SpeeDee location.

MIGUEL CARDENAS

Schooley Mitchell ensures our clients are getting the best business services at the best price – all while identifying billing errors, eliminating redundancies, and improving efficiency.

Our work is based on a symbiotic, mutually beneficial model – we are driven by producing results for our clients and have no ties to vendors or service providers. Our fees are self-funded by a portion of the savings we find – no savings, no charge to you.

SCHOOLEY MITCHELL Optimization Specialist www.schooleymitchell.com

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Q: What is something you wish someone would have had told the younger you during your career journey?

A: After graduating from Stanford University, I pursued a career in real estate before entering the restaurant industry, so there are two takeaways that really stand out to me. First, trust the process and be patient when defining your career journey. Then, do the more difficult things first when setting out to accomplish a new dream – put in the time and the hours on the front end to set the strategy and path forward.

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EXECUTIVE PROFILES

Q: How has COVID made you a resilient business leader?

A: Navigating COVID-19 has placed so much perspective on how important it is to show care, intentionality and empathy to others, all of which I had previously experienced while serving in a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Atlanta. At times, it may feel like there are many factors outside of our control, but what we can determine is our guests’ experience at the restaurant. We can always provide delicious food with remarkable hospitality.

CHICK-FIL-A Franchise Owner www.chick-fil-a.com

CHRIS JOHNSON

Q: What attracted you to franchising / business ownership?

A: Sports were such a formative part of my upbringing, so the opportunity to be an independent Owner/Operator of a Chick-fil-A restaurant while being part of a larger team with access to support and resources really resonated with me.

Q: What has been the most memorable

lesson from your journey as an entrepreneur so far?

A: One of the most memorable lessons I’ve learned so far is on the value of leadership and how much leadership matters in helping people find their potential.

Q: What are the leadership qualities you are

continuing to work on?

A: I think there is always opportunity to grow as a servant leader, and I’m focused on finding ways to pour into my Team Members so that they can continue to excel both inside and outside of the restaurant. It is my hope to cultivate an environment where my team is prioritizing their overall well-being, including physical fitness, giving back to the community through volunteerism and investing in their education to further career growth.

Q: How do you make room for continuing to learn while leading?

A: To learn while leading, I set personal and professional development goals for myself in both the short-term and longer-term, typically three-month and six-month goals. From reading a set number of books to ranking in my next triathlon, accomplishing those goals will help me show up as a better leader in the restaurant.

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Q: What is your brand of customer service?

A: My hope is that Chick-fil-A Calaveras

at Hillview, slated to open later this year in Milpitas, California, would be a restaurant known for its genuine hospitality and authentic care of our Team Members and guests.

Q: As a minority business owner, what does equality mean to you?

A: To me, equality means that your voice is heard, your opinion is valued and you see individuals who you can relate to holding leadership positions within your organization.

Equal access to opportunities and representation are two areas that I find important in fostering a pipeline of minority business owners. Being an Owner/Operator of a Chick-fil-A restaurant and partnering with a brand that values diversity, equity and inclusion is a true honor.

Q: What are the best ways that leaders can support other leaders?

A: The quote “a rising tide lifts all boats” rings true to me when thinking of supporting other leaders. We can support each other by sharing information, offering counsel and providing encouragement.

Q: How do you find work/life balance in your own career?

A: I’m fortunate to love what I do. I don’t feel like I have to leave work to have fun. I’ve also had the privilege of working alongside my amazing wife Farhat since 2009, so while my life and work are very much interconnected, she has been instrumental in creating balance for us both. We really respect each other’s roles and strengths and always push each other to be the best we can be.

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IRG : INTERSECTION REALTY GROUP Founder & Managing Principal www.intersectionrg.com

TRUMAN TOLEFREE

Q: What attracted you to running your own

business?

A: I was drawn to start IRG through a sense of a greater purpose for my life and the independence that entrepreneurship brings.

It also offers the opportunity to pursue two things that I am passionate about, which are commercial real estate investments and minority entrepreneurship and the intersection of those two things. I wanted to be an example for my children, family and community and to show them that it is possible to be successful as a minority entrepreneur in a space that has historically been dominated by non-minorities.

Entrepreneurship runs in our family, as my wife, Erin, is a third-generation entrepreneur.

I was heavily influenced by the work and history of her grandfather, George E. Johnson, her grandmother, Joan B. Johnson—who owned the first Black-owned company to be traded

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lesson from your journey as an entrepreneur so far?

A: That’s a great question. The most impactful lesson I’ve learned is to start. I can’t emphasize this enough. Oftentimes, folks have dreams that sit on the shelf forever because they are trying to plan for every possible outcome. Or they are trying to learn new skills or acquire new knowledge to fill in the gaps of their own capabilities. Starting a new business or strategically pivoting an existing business in a new direction can be scary and often leaders and aspirational entrepreneurs want to plan for every eventuality. But planning for everything is impossible, so at some point you just have to start and trust your abilities to learn, to adapt and to solve problems along the way..

Q: What is something you wish someone would have told the younger you during your career journey?

A: I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons that the younger me could have benefited from.

First, I wish someone had told me early on that being your genuine self is infinitely better than trying to curate a persona. Folks know when you aren’t being genuine, and that impairs your ability to cultivate meaningful relationships.

Relationships are the foundation of a successful career in business, and you can’t let anything get in the way of that.

Q: How has COVID made you a resilient business leader?

A: As fiduciaries, investors rely on me and my partner to make sound and intelligent investment decisions. Each decision that we make requires a high level of conviction that we attain through rigorous discourse, critical thinking and thoughtful research and analysis.

The pandemic has introduced exogenous shocks to the market, which can make it difficult to gain conviction because of market

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noise. Despite this, we’ve remained active throughout the pandemic, having purchased approximately $100MM of assets in 2021. Our ability to filter out the noise and to focus on the data that matters has increased our resiliency and made us better investors.

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on the American Stock Exchange (Johnson Products Co.) — and her father, Eric G. Johnson the owner and CEO of Baldwin Richardson Foods, one of the largest black-owned businesses in the country.

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Q: What are the leadership qualities you are continuing to work on?

A: I strive to be a servant-based leader.

Leaders with this style serve their team and organization first. They don’t prioritize their own objectives. There are several leadership qualities that servant-leaders possess, one of which is the ability to listen without interrupting.

Another quality is self-awareness—a servant leader must recognize their own strengths and weaknesses to understand how they fit within the overall team. Though I believe I do a good job of listening with purpose, I know that I can do better so I’m always striving to improve my listening skills. Similarly, I never want to lose touch with who I am and how my presence affects and influences the people around me and the teams that I lead. Accordingly, I strive to always maintain a high-level of selfawareness.

Q: How do you make room for continuing to learn while leading?

A: In today’s fast-changing business climate, if organizations aren’t growing and adapting to changing market patterns, they are dying.

The only way to remain ahead of the curve is to adopt a culture of continuous learning. As a leader, it is my job to provide the vision and to set the goals for our business and I can only do that if I commit myself to continuous learning. I try to read at least an hour every day. Inherently, I know that reading is a great habit for leaders, but one only needs to look at the reading habits of a few of the most successful entrepreneurs of our times to know its importance. For instance, it has been said that Warren Buffett spends five to six hours a day reading five newspapers and 500 pages of corporate reports, that Bill Gates reads 50 books a year, that Elon Musk grew up reading

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two books a day, that Mark Cuban reads for more than three hours every day, and that Arthur Blank reads two hours a day. The list goes on and on.

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Q: What is your brand of customer service?

A: At IRG, our brand is built around Integrity,

Inclusion and Collaboration. We want to let our investors and partners to know that we promise honesty and transparency and that we will always uphold the highest standards of integrity and honor the commitments we make.

Q: As a minority business owner what does equality mean to you?

A: Equality means equal access and opportunity,

the proverbial seat at the table—not just for me and IRG, but also as it relates to my ability to provide new business and opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses who may be able to provide products and services for my business and/or partners.

Q: What are the best ways that leaders can

support other leaders?

A: I believe that one of the best ways that leaders can support other leaders is by being thought partners. I know that I don’t know everything, which is why I think it’s critically important to maintain a network of industry peers with whom I feel comfortable discussing challenging issues.

In this way, my industry peers are able to fill in knowledge gaps and become sounding boards for new ideas, which is invaluable. In these instances, the old idiom is true: two (or more) heads are better than one.

Q: How do you do to find work-life balance in your own career?

A: It isn’t always easy, but my mother and father, Bettie and Truman Tolefree, raised me to know the importance of family, so I make a conscious effort to balance work with family time. Family is the foundation of everything, and I’m blessed to have a beautiful and supporting wife, Erin, who – as the President of Baldwin Richardson Foods, is extremely successful in her own career, and three beautiful and incredibly bight children, Eric (9), Alex (7) and Claire (2). We value the time we spend together, and my wife and I make sure to allocate quality family time each week.

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CHANNING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT Founder, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Business Development & Strategy Officer www.channingcapital.com

RODNEY B. HERENTON

Founded in 2003, Channing Capital Management, LLC is a Chicago-based investment management boutique serving institutional investors. Today, under the leadership of the founding partners Rodney B. Herenton and Wendell E. Mackey, CFA, we remain committed to our original core values: Competitive Excellence, Collaboration and Teamwork, Strong Ethics, Clients First, and Mutual Respect. Since inception, we have grown our assets under management to more than $3.9 billion (as of December 31, 2021) using a consistent, singular investment approach: Intrinsic Value. Long-term performance and tailored client service are long-standing precepts that drive everything we do. Our clients are confident that we strictly adhere to our investment approach through all market cycles.

Mr. Herenton received a B.A. in finance from Morehouse College (Phi Beta Kappa), and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

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CLEARINGHOUSE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Chief Fund Off icer www.clearinghousecdfi.com

YVES M. MOMBELEUR

Clearinghouse Community Development Financial Institution (CCDFI) Chief Fund Officer Yves M. Mombeleur knows what it takes to achieve dreams despite circumstances. Today, he is a long way from the starting points of his professional and personal journeys. He knows what it’s like to work his way through school and take a break because money gets too tight. He also knows that refusing to give up and, instead, persevering to become the change agent in your own life, is the building block of success. You can achieve your dreams. Adopting a spirit of tenacity and working hard to save money, Mombeleur made his way back to school more than 30 years ago. He now holds an MBA from the Lake Forest

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Graduate School of Management-Chicago, IL and Jurisprudence from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. He kept focused on his dream through it all, which is to introduce others to circumstance-changing opportunities and people. CCDFI’s mission and his role as Chief Fund Officer let him do just that.

As Chief Fund Officer, Mombeleur celebrates CCDFI’s dedication to those who have been historically ignored. CCDFI is positioned to leverage equity and debt to help small business owners, entrepreneurs, developers and visionaries reach their dreams. As a “community lender and Benefit 'B' Corporation that addresses unmet credit needs throughout the U.S. and in Indian Country through direct lending, equity investments, and financial assistance,” CCDFI facilitates wealth where there is no wealth.

Mombeleur is passionate about introducing others to opportunities, resources and mentors who can help them on their way to success. He uses his expertise in community development, brand and reputation risk management, diversity and inclusion, operational management, business development, mentorship and coaching, partnership relationship management, lending, capital investment, CRA initiatives and CSR strategies, loan portfolio management, and business growth in his CCDFI leadership position. He connects people and opportunities while supporting CCDFI clients and shareholders as they bring small business, entrepreneurial, development, and visionary success to the underserved, disadvantaged and overlooked.

As a Certified Benefit Corp company, CCDFI is committed to “B the Change” as a seamless product of it mission “to maximize profits and maximize returns to people and the planet.” CCDFI offers its support and services to community facilities, affordable housing initiatives, commercial real estate projects, tax qualifying new markets, and small businesses.

The results speak for themselves. CCDFI has funded $1.98 billion in total loans for over 2,250 community projects over the past 24 years. These projects have created or retained more than 23,000 jobs and benefit over 2.7 million people.

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CCDFI IS POSITIONED TO LEVERAGE EQUITY AND DEBT TO HELP SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, ENTREPRENEURS, DEVELOPERS AND VISIONARIES REACH THEIR DREAMS. This includes the rehabilitation of more than 18 million square feet of blighted properties.

During the pandemic, CCDFI has also funded over 460 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans that have helped save 1,600 jobs across 28 states. 63 percent—a clear majority— of CCDFI's PPP borrowers are minority- or women-owned businesses.

When asked for the key to success when the struggle is real, Mombeleur has this to say: “There is a myriad of opportunities available so I try to connect people to the right people, to those who can and will help. I always stress, however, that success requires those who want an opportunity to do their part; it requires tenacity and perseverance. Sadly, somewhere, somehow,

an expectation of easy became acceptable. Folks run away or complain at the first, second, or even third obstacle they face instead of learning from that obstacle to simply be better and to keep a state of perpetual ‘better’ as their vision. You’ve got to be committed to staying in it for yourself, for the long run, if you expect to achieve financial stability and build business. You should view an uneven playing field as a motivation to change the status quo, not a justification for failure.”

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www.titleboxingclub.com

TITLE BOXING CLUB

TITLE Boxing Club is the nation’s leading boxing company with more than 140 clubs and tens of thousands of members. As a company that is focused on bringing the most original and authentic fitness boxing class to the boutique studio market, it prioritizes diversity and inclusivity from top level to its members encompassing all different backgrounds. The senior leadership team and franchise partners come from all walks of life, professions and education which brings an endless array of perspectives and powerful filter points. When someone walks through the doors of a TITLE Boxing Club, they see a community where everyone is included. The franchise will continue being a diverse-forward fitness company that members, franchise partners and business leaders are proud to be a part of. To learn more, visit www.titleboxingclub.com.

ABOUT TITLE BOXING CLUB TITLE Boxing Club is a franchise of boutique fitness clubs specializing in boxing and

“I LOVE IT BECAUSE IT IS FOR EVERYONE FROM YOUNG TO OLD, WOMEN AND MEN, ADVANCED AND BEGINNERS. I LOOK FORWARD TO MY WORKOUTS.” ­—Chuck, member kickboxing classes with more than 140 locations and another 130 in development worldwide.

The brand is currently ranked on Entrepreneur magazine’s prestigious Franchise 500 list and the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing, privately-held companies. In January 2021, BoxUnion acquired TITLE Boxing Club to form the nation’s premier omni-channel fitness brand.

To find out more about TITLE Boxing Club and find a location near you visit titleboxingclub.com.

“I LOVE THE INCLUSIVENESS AND JUDGEMENT-FREE HIGH ENERGY CLASSES AND TRAINERS.” ­—Marion, member WWW.FRANCHISEJOURNAL.COM | FEBRUARY 2022

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Support youth sports, work smarter, and fundraise more.

Youth sports participation is at an all-time high, and school funding cannot keep up. The need for fundraising is real!

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Fundraising University is the best Vision & Values fundraising company I have worked with. Our first year we raised over $24,000 then $35,000 the second year with Fundraising University.

Head Coach Fayetteville High School Football

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