Montana Feature Articles

Informative articles to support business buyers, franchisees, and franchisors in Montana.

Minimum wage increases will be ringing in the New Year in states across the country. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) continues to push for greater increases in minimum wage. Wage increases will not only affect employees but also business owners and consumers.

Multi-Unit Franchisee
18,653 Reads

2016 Dominators

Multi-unit, multi-brand operators continue growing larger each year--a trend that continues to accelerate as these Dominators expand their portfolios through acquisitions, new units, refranchising offers, and scooping up successful units from retirees

Multi-Unit Franchisee
2,892 Reads 1,023 Shares

Winning Couple: Restaurant Work Just gets in Your Blood

After working her way through college waiting tables, Tracy Balen told her mother at her graduation from Ohio State University, "I'll never work in another restaurant!"

Debbie Selinsky
8,262 Reads 1,023 Shares

Social Media Roundup: May 26, 2015

Social media marketing news you can use. This week: 30 social media tips to ignore; new eye tracking study on Google results pages; how is your logo doing at reflecting your brand?; Hillary Clinton's adaptable logo: mistake or new direction?; social media images now available through Lobster; Google adds Loch Ness to Street View

Daniel Lieberman
3,709 Reads

Caring Couple: Longtime BrightStar Care Franchisees Flourish

Jeff Tews and Susan Rather were married for just a year when they entered a new venture as franchisees in the home care field.

Helen Bond
8,820 Reads

Economic Obstacles

Multi-unit franchise operators are about to exceed the 55 mph speed limit (or in this case, the 55% limit).

Darrell Johnson
9,073 Reads 42 Shares

Going Big: One Time Ski Coach Races to Top-Earning Status In Franchising

Jim Fitlow is a lifelong skier and as he loves to say, "Turning is highly overrated."

Debbie Selinsky
4,648 Reads

No Turning Back: Former Ski Coach Races to Top-Earning Status in Franchising

When Jim Fitlow skis, he goes at it full tilt. In fact, one of his favorite quips is, "Turning is highly overrated."

Debbie Selinsky
6,645 Reads 126 Shares

Rallying for Growth: Checkers Embarks on Aggressive Expansion

Rick Silva developed a passion and understanding for business early in life. The son of Cuban immigrants, he watched his mom and dad start their own small business from scratch in Miami.

Kerry Pipes
5,108 Reads 824 Shares

How four franchises find their sweet spots

"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
3,575 Reads 1,014 Shares

Developer Becomes His Own Best Tenant

For Don Cape, franchising came as an afterthought-and a good one. Cape, 34, who grew up in a family that developed land in Montana, focused his education and early career almost exclusively in real estate, finance, and development.