Virginia Feature Articles

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

The Sky's the Limit: Wendy's Operator Dominates with 177 Stores

Robert Schermer, Jr., CEO of Meritage Hospitality Group in Grand Rapids, Mich., hails from the school of life that says, "Go big or go home."

Debbie Selinsky
28,164 Reads 1,021 Shares

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
2,867 Reads 1,023 Shares

Words of Wisdom: On Growth

Robert Schermer, Jr., left his career in corporate finance 18 years ago to join Meritage Hospitality Group in Grand Rapids, Mich. In 1998, the company operated 22 Wendy's restaurants in Michigan; today it operates 177 in 8 states and also has four original casual dining concepts.

23,861 Reads 11 Shares

Good News! - October 2016

So many good things are happening so quickly in franchising these days, it's hard to keep up (even for us!). So welcome to "Good News!" - our monthly roundup of franchise growth, finance, international expansion, milestones, and other positive news from franchisors large, medium, and emerging.

Eddy Goldberg
2,216 Reads

Good News! - September 2016

By Eddy Goldberg
2,538 Reads 4 Shares

Good News! - August 2016

Eddy Goldberg
4,416 Reads

Texas-Sized: Michael Knobelock is Well on His Way to 100 Units

They say everything's bigger in Texas. It's definitely bigger for Texan Michael Knobelock, whose Houston-based MSK Enterprises operates nearly 70 franchise locations spread across 4 different brands and 7 states.

Kerry Pipes
19,769 Reads 26 Shares

Good News! - June 2016

So many good things are happening so fast in franchising these days, it's hard to keep up (even for us!). So welcome back to "Good News!" - our monthly roundup of franchise growth, finance, international expansion, milestones, and other positive news from franchisors large, medium, and emerging.

Eddy Goldberg
2,623 Reads 1,014 Shares

Out-Sourcerers: Mastering the Art of Hiring Out

Franchisees of all sizes are increasingly discovering that business goes better with outside help. Many have found the key to bottom-line success is to focus on what they do best and find the right fit to outsource the rest.

Helen Bond
11,628 Reads 1 Shares

Moving Targets: Franchisees Respond to Changing Markets

When retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tim Hershberger signed on as a franchisee with Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Florida, the 30-year military veteran was already focused on the customers he knew best. And his military ties have helped jump-start his first nongovernmental venture.

Helen Bond
15,322 Reads

GPS Hospitality Adds Popeyes

Fast-Growing GPS Hospitality Adds Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen To Its Franchise Portfolio Expanding Presence In Georgia and West Virginia.

Multi-Unit Franchisee
10,320 Reads

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Area Rep Supreme: Mike Pietrzyk is Setting The Pace for Firehouse Subs

Mike Pietrzyk has always loved contributing to charitable causes. So it wasn't surprising that a decade ago the Firehouse Subs area representative came up with the idea of selling his restaurants' empty 5-gallon pickle buckets, rather than tossing them out.

Kerry Pipes
6,826 Reads

High Flier: Gina Puente Makes Life Tasty for Travelers

Innovation in non-traditional locations defines Gina Puente's approach to business. When we profiled her in 2010, she told us how her family business, Puente Enterprises, had created La Bodega Winery, a winery in an airport, in the mid-1990s.

Kerry Pipes
6,214 Reads

Burger Kingdom: Arby's ex-CEO Returns to his Multi-Unit Roots

Tom Garrett breaks down his 30 years with Arby's--first as an assistant manager, then as the brand's largest franchisee, and finally as CEO of the franchisor--this way: "I like to say that 25 of those years were great, 3 were mediocre, and 2 were miserable--in that order."

Debbie Selinsky
11,665 Reads 3 Shares

Cambridge Franchise Holdings Adds 42 Burger Kings in Southeast

Cambridge Franchise Holdings acquires 42 more Burger King restaurants and 5 convenience stores in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.

Multi-Unit Franchisee
13,960 Reads 3 Shares

Tom Garrett Is Beginning Again With Burger King

After Being Arby's largest franchisee - then its CEO - Tom Garrett Is Back In The Franchisee World Again As A Burger King Franchisee Nearing 200 Units.

Multi-Unit Franchisee
15,401 Reads 3 Shares

A Dominating Presence

Some people are born with a deep desire to win. They are passionate, determined, aggressive, and persistent. We've come to label these multi-unit franchisees "Dominators."

Kerry Pipes
6,832 Reads

50 by 50: Welcome to growth!

The way Steven Taylor and Chris Smith see it, operating multiple brands just makes their business better.

Helen Bond
10,414 Reads

KBP Foods Adds Two Dozen Restaurants in Three States

KBP Foods acquires 24 more restaurants in three states in its latest growth move. The new acquisition brings the franchisee group to 247 quick service restaurants located throughout 10 states.

Multi-Unit Franchisee
17,073 Reads

A Brand for All Seasons: Taxes and Mosquitoes Provide Year-Round Revenue

When it comes to operating multiple brands, Craig Comer has discovered that differences can attract--profits, that is, for his two very different service brands.

Helen Bond
10,769 Reads 1 Shares

Multi-Brand Operator Brings Quaker Steak & Lube To Tennessee

Longtime Tennessee multi-brand operator adds Quaker Steak & Lube to his portfolio. The deal marks the first Tennessee location for the brand.

Multi-Unit Franchisee
7,452 Reads 3 Shares

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Overcome Your 'Human-ness' To Succeed and Lead, Part 2

Is your "human-ness" getting in the way of your thinking, learning, and leadership? Part 2 of 8 tips on overcoming how you're wired to succeed in the modern world.

Edward D. Hess
2,616 Reads

Overcoming Your Human-ness - To Succeed and Lead in 2015

Is your "human-ness" getting in the way of your thinking, learning, and leadership? 8 tips on overcoming how you're wired to succeed in the modern world.

Edward D. Hess
3,423 Reads

Flight Path: Air Force Couple Splits Time Between Flying and Operating Mosquito Joe Franchise

Jeff Deiters, 50, is a Chicago-native who has been flying planes for as long as he can remember and spends a bulk of his time up in the sky. He and his wife, Annette, met at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO, and are both veterans.

Multi-Unit Franchisee
6,815 Reads 70 Shares

How a Franchisor Can Use Outside Counsel To Save Legal Fees!

We live in a world where law firms commonly have billable hourly quotas that their attorneys must meet, and substantial hourly rates as well.

Carl Khalil and Sada Sheldon
6,418 Reads

Social Media Roundup: April 8, 2014

Apple's new iBeacon technology, an "indoor positioning system" that allows devices to notify iPhones and iPads when they're nearby, is being evaluated by a lot of mobile marketers.

Daniel Lieberman
3,890 Reads

All-Around High Achiever

In a time when many business executives are looking at what to cut because of rising payroll and healthcare costs, Michael Kulp, president and CEO of KBP Foods, a $250 million restaurant company with units in nine states, is taking an "inverse" approach.