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If someone had told Heidi Morrissey 20 years ago that she'd wind up as heir apparent to the family business, Kitchen Tune-Up, she would have probably rolled her eyes in that way that only a teenager can. And if her four siblings had dared to suggest that she, of them all, was most like their master-salesman father, she'd have repeated the eye roll and added an indignant snort.
  • Debbie Selinsky
  • 4,000 Reads 10 Shares
MaggieMoo's began in 1989 in Kansas City but didn't start franchising until 1996, when the company was purchased by its current ownership. Since then it's been steadily uphill for both franchisor and ice cream lovers alike. Today the brand has 190 units and continues its rapid expansion.
  • 4,760 Reads 135 Shares
On January 25, 2006, an amendment ("Amendment") to the Mexican Industrial Property Law ("IPL") was published in the Federal Official Gazette. The Amendment was published after a long discussion initiated by Congress in early 2005, and became effective on January 26, 2006. The Amendment's final provisions were the result of a very effective lobbying campaign by major players in the franchising sector and, fortunately for the industry, Congress eliminated many of the overly restrictive aspects of the initial bill that could have unnecessarily hampered the industry. In the end, Congress' objective of providing more protection to franchisees was well balanced with the legitimate rights of franchisors. For example, certain ultra-protectionist provisions for franchisees originally contained in the bill, such as certain rights of first refusal in franchisees' favor and the right to request cancellation of registration of franchisor's trademarks in certain cases, were not incorporated into the Amendment.
  • Alberto de la Peña
  • 4,383 Reads
"A hot dog at the ball park is better than steak at the Ritz." That's what Humphrey Bogart, American icon, said way back when. Today, the once-lowly hot dog has become an icon of its own, especially at sporting events around the world.
  • Eddy Goldberg
  • 5,602 Reads
Belgium's new franchise law (the "Law"), which was the subject of several legislative delays during 2005, has now been formally adopted. Originally, the Law was set to go into effect as of September 1, 2005; however, on January 23, 2006, a Decree published in the Belgian Official Gazette notified the public that the Law had been amended to establish an initial effective date of February 1, 2006.
  • Ryan Whitfill
  • 5,361 Reads 127 Shares
National franchise operations have marketed in the same ways for years and years. That is, the national budgets were applied to brand building and the local franchisees were charged with creating local lead flow.
  • John Federman
  • 3,148 Reads 6 Shares
Wouldn't it be great if you could call a home repair service, book an appointment, and be guaranteed they'd show up on time (and not within a four-hour window!), be courteous and respectful, and perform a reliable, professional job?
  • 3,493 Reads 11 Shares
Time for my annual "just got back from the IFA Convention" column. I saw lots of my lawyer friends while there-also met a lot of suppliers, franchise consultants, academicians, journalists, and franchisees. Occasionally, I even came a cross a franchisor. Didn't see too many psychologists, however. Why not?
  • Rupert M. Barkoff
  • 5,920 Reads 1 Shares
The legend is familiar: In 1950, Bill Rosenberg opens the first Dunkin' Donuts store in Quincy, Mass. In 1955, he licenses the first franchise. In 1960, his dream of franchisors and franchisees working together is realized in the founding of the International Franchise Association. In the coming years he would become involved in philanthropy and be called the "father of franchising as we know it today" by Nation's Restaurant News
  • 29,088 Reads 1 Shares
Starbucks may have blown the coffee market wide open to mass consumption, but its competitors are quickly redefining how coffee is served-especially the speed at which it's delivered.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 8,908 Reads 4 Shares
Unfortunately for those who take on the job of growing a franchise business, financial risk is always present. If you are like other franchisors who want to minimize risk and boost profits, you may want to take a serious look at using a more extensive corporate-ownership program than you now have in place.
  • 5,318 Reads 24 Shares
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Fourth in the overall rankings on the this year's AD50 list is 1-800-Got-Junk? All of its franchisees are multi-unit owners (or potentially), says CEO Brian Scudamore. "It's a pretty simple strategy," he says. "Find the right people, and once they've been successful with one franchise, then offer another."
  • 4,137 Reads 48 Shares
Franchising could be described as the process of taking one success story and translating and multiplying it into many. Whether through genius or pure luck (usually a combination of both) someone created something that worked once. Naturally, the entrepreneurial thought is; if it worked once it can work again, and again, and again. There begins the seed of the franchising journey that can ultimately lead to great success or unfortunately sometimes great failure. The path to either ending is sometimes determined by the first step taken.
  • Jeffrey Davis
  • 11,361 Reads 307 Shares
Multi-unit franchising continues to expand in 2006. And the "Area Developer 50" continues to track the industry's transition from its early decades of single-unit owners to today's multi-unit owners and area developers. 2006 marks the third year of what might be called "The Shift": more franchising units controlled by multiple unit franchisees than by single-unit owners, according to statistics compiled by FRANdata, which puts the number at 52 percent.
  • 2,968 Reads 11 Shares
In the world of ice cream retailing, many believe that mix-ins and premium ice cream originated in 1973 when Steve Herrell opened the now-legendary Steve’s in Somerville, Massachusetts. Today’s brands make those days seem almost quaint, like Henry Ford’s Model T in a world of 200-mph Ferraris.
  • Eddy Goldberg
  • 2,456 Reads 17 Shares
When doing business in Mexico, it is essential to establish relationships with associates who are well connected. This requires checking their backgrounds and reputations to determine the depth and breadth of their personal and professional networks. Joining local social clubs and business organizations, participating in the American Chamber of Commerce in Mexico, and visiting the nearest U.S. consulate and the Commercial Attaché at the U.S. Embassy are useful ways to obtain such information. Cultivating personal relationships with your Mexican banker and local executives of your joint venture partnership also provides access to this kind of business intelligence.
  • Richard Hill
  • 3,358 Reads 5 Shares
Americans love to have fun--and despite their bulging waistlines, they also like to keep fit--or spend money trying! Between these two trends there's a lot of room for franchise growth--whether for seniors, juniors, or in-betweens!
  • Eddy Goldberg
  • 2,682 Reads 9 Shares
In 1963, women's advocate Betty Friedan wrote in her book, The Feminine Mystique, that women were preparing to break new barriers. Friedan lived to see her prophecies come true before her death earlier this year. And nowhere are the broken barriers more apparent than in multi-unit franchising.
  • Linda C. Ray
  • 4,206 Reads 1 Shares
There is no better way to appreciate the popularity and economic buoyancy of franchising south of the border than to have witnessed the phenomenon of the 29th International Franchise Fair, held from March 8 to 10 at Mexico City's World Trade Center. This three-day event rivals franchise trade expos in any other part of the globe. The event receives almost unprecedented press and TV media attention and typically delivers a high-profile exposure of both Mexican and non-Mexican franchise brands.
  • Charles Weeks
  • 3,868 Reads 11 Shares
Franchising can provide an opportunity for you to clean up. Whether it's inside your home or the clothes on your body, there are many choices. Busy Americans are driving explosive growth in the cleaning industry. With little time of their own to clean, U.S. consumers are spending more than $9 billion a year on residential cleaning-a figure expected to grow at a rate of more than 20 percent a year.
  • 2,574 Reads
So many companies today train their employees to "duplicate" the customer experience, to treat every person who walks through the door exactly the same way. I have seen too many companies fail using this strategy. Forget about what is easier to train your employees to do: not every customer wants the same experience.
  • Thom Winninger
  • 4,170 Reads 12 Shares
Sonny’s BBQ
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"If you're not moving forward, you're standing still," goes the old business axiom. In franchising, expansion is one way of moving forward. Whether you're a start-up organization or a player who's been around a while, growth through new sites is an objective--and when it comes to successful site selection tactics and techniques, consider the following approaches.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 4,276 Reads 1,014 Shares
The surest way to lose a good employee is to leave him or her up in the air about what the job is and how to do it.
  • Ripley Hotch
  • 4,174 Reads 3 Shares
Manuel Solorzano was frustrated with his drivers and their excuses. The owner of six Martinizing Dry Cleaning stores in Tampa, Fla. would call his drivers on their cell phones during the day and never know whether he would reach them or not.
  • Linda C. Ray
  • 3,516 Reads
State regulators across the country are out to blur the distinction between franchisors and employers. If they succeed, they could crimp the growth of one of the franchise industry's hottest segments: franchise providers of janitorial, security guard, industrial gardening, delivery, and other services to commercial clients.
  • Barry Kurtz and Richard Rosenberg
  • 5,550 Reads 1 Shares
The use of outsourcing continues to expand within the franchise industry. In addition to information technology outsourcing, service providers are being called upon to perform a number of business processes including accounting, call center operations, disaster recovery, human resources management, and sales training.
  • Milton B. Whitfield
  • 3,541 Reads 6 Shares
"To get a good job, get a good education." How many millions of kids have heard that from a concerned parent? And in that simple statement lies boundless opportunity for educational and tutoring franchises worldwide.
  • 10,505 Reads 440 Shares
"Our first salon was a real struggle," explains Doug Barnes. "There were times when we didn't know if we'd have enough money to get through the next day." But those hard times helped forge a determination that he and his wife Elizabeth rely on still today. And it must be a formula that works because today, Barnes operates 26 Cost Cutters and three Supercuts locations throughout Nebraska and Iowa, and Regis Corporation, the parent company of Cost Cutters and Supercuts, just recognized him with its 2005 Multi-Concept Franchisee of the Year Award.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 5,284 Reads 192 Shares
There are a lot of ties in life. In baseball, a tie goes to the runner. In the hiring process, a tie goes to the boss's son. Well, for customers choosing between competing stores, a tie often goes to the graphics.
  • Bruce Olans
  • 5,446 Reads 1,023 Shares
Franchising is attracting young entrepreneurs who see the field as full of opportunity. Some are working hard enough and have found the right niche to make their way to the top quickly. Take Gregg Majewski, who became chief financial officer of the Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwich chain at the age of 22 after working only two months in what began as a summer internship position.
  • Joan Szabo
  • 4,757 Reads
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