CNBC Cancels Reruns of Franchise Documentary

On December 19th I wrote a blog about CNBC's Untold Story of Franchising documentary. In that blog I talked about what I thought the story got right and what the story missed for the franchising industry and the franchises they highlighted. Apparently I neglected to highlight a major criticism of the show!

I did not spend a lot of time talking about negative spotlight that was shining brightly on Cold Stone Creamery, primarily because I have not worked with them and don't have enough information to have an informed opinion. However, those closest to the details found many flaws with the Cold Stone Creamery segment and hired the top franchise attorney in the country to represent the franchisees and a separate law firm to represent the franchisor. Robert Zarco, the new franchisee attorney, said in a letter that CNBC acted "irresponsibly, wrongfully and with malicious intent, negligently, and with reckless disregard for the interests of the franchisor, the franchisor’s employees, the franchisees’ employees, and consumers." Now CNBC has "temporarily" cancelled planned reruns of the documentary to investigate the facts as presented in the original airing.

This was not the first piece of controversy about CNBC's "The Untold Story of Franchising." After the original airing, CNBC posted a clarification that the CEO in charge of P&G's franchise subsidiary said that Mr. Clean and Tide franchise royalties were based on net sales instead of gross sales, which would be a good deal for franchisees. It turns out that what P&G calls net sales is what other companies call gross sales. As if current and potential franchisees need something else to be confused about.

Top 10 Franchising Trends for 2011 and Meta-Franchise News

The December newsletter is now available! Check out the hot industry news this month and the spotlight franchise for December, Tutor Doctor.

CNBC's The Untold Story of Franchising

Last week CNBC aired a story called "Behind the Counter: The Untold Story of Franchising." The report looked at five brands including Five Guys, Camp Bow Wow, Tide Dry Cleaners, Mr. Clean Car Wash, and Cold Stone Creamery. CNBC's story included some useful information, but I don't think anyone who has been looking at franchising will find any of the information "untold." Here is what the story got right and what it may have missed.

What It Got Right

• Franchising is big business! 1 out of 10 business owners become their own boss through franchising and franchising is a trillion dollar industry
• When doing your due diligence, you should talk to franchisees that have been open for less than 1 year as well as franchisees who have been in business for a while to get a variety of perspectives
• Franchisors are not required to make an earnings claim (Item 19)
• The FDD is a big document (Cold Stone Creamery's was 700 pages!) and it is important to have the document reviewed by lawyers and accountants so you are aware of all of the fees (one time and on-going) associated with buying a particular franchise
• Not all franchisees will be successful. All businesses have risk, but a good franchise system can significantly reduce your risk

What It Missed

• The story looked at Camp Bow Wow and seemed to say that because they have high initial costs, it is not a good franchise to buy. I don't work with Camp Bow Wow, but I do work with many franchises that have costs equal to or greater than Camp Bow Wow's. The costs to start a franchise are primarily driven by the cost of real estate and the costs to outfit (equipment and supplies) the business, and do not correlate to the chances of success for the franchisees in the system
• Since 2008 the United States has been in a credit crisis, making financing very challenging for potential and existing franchisees. While doing your due diligence, you should be careful about drawing conclusions from what Don Sniegowski of Blue MauMau called SNO (sold but not open). There are lots of reasons (like access to credit) that might leave a franchisee stuck in SNO that say nothing about the quality and profitability of a franchise system

Contact Meta-Franchise Consulting today for more information about how to find the franchise that is the best fit for your requirements.

Franchise 500: The Top Franchises for 2011

Entrepreneur.com has released their 2011 Franchise 500 Rankings*. Meta-Franchise Consulting is proud to work with many of the franchises on the Franchise 500 list. Here are a couple highlights:

• Servpro made the "Top 10 Franchises for 2011" list
• Servpro and Stratus Building Solutions are both on the Franchise 500 list as the "Top 10 Homebased Franchises for 2011"
• Stratus Building Solutions and ServiceMaster Clean are on the Franchise 500 list as the "Top 10 Low Cost Franchises for 2011"
• Always Best Care Senior Services and The Senior's Choice made the "Top 10 New Franchises for 2011" list
• Stratus Building Solutions is the #1 "Top 10 Fastest-Growing Franchises for 2011" and Liberty Tax Service is #7 on that list

Contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for more information about these or any of the other franchises on the list. I look forward to helping you identify which "top" opportunity is the best fit for your unique requirements.

*Every year Franchisors submit data to Entrepreneur.com, including their full FDD. Only franchises that have at least 10 units will be considered and a franchise will not be considered if it has filed for bankruptcy. All companies are judged on objective and quantifiable data and Entrepreneur.com uses their proprietary formula to give eligible franchises a score. The franchises are then ranked based on their cumulative score. Entrepreneur.com makes it clear that their ranking is "not intended to endorse, advertise or recommend any particular franchise. It is solely a research tool you can use to compare franchise operations."

4 Numbers Showing Molly Maid's Resistance to Recession

Many people are scared away from starting a franchise because of concerns over the economy. These are certainly legitimate concerns, especially related to sources of financing and the ability to grow a customer base. However, not all businesses are affected by the economy and some manage to thrive despite the economy. Here are 4 numbers that show Molly Maid franchisees are resistant to the recession:

1. $3.5 Million: System-wide sales for week 46
2. 10.5%: Increase in sales over same week last year
3. 150,000: Total web contracts delivered to franchisees year-to-date
4. 42%: Increase in web contracts over last year

In addition to these amazing results, Molly Maid franchisees also enjoyed the highest sales for a Thanksgiving week and the second highest sales for any week in the history of the franchise!

It is important to note that Molly Maid franchisees do NOT clean homes. This is an executive franchise where franchisees are responsible for marketing, sales, and managing the team of employees who do the cleaning. Molly Maid franchisees enjoy the recurring revenue stream achieved through repeat customers. Visit our Molly Maid site and contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for more information about joining this successful group of business owners.

Listo Tax for the Hispanic and Low Income Communities

I just read this blog post about Listo Tax Solutions. They are opening new offices in Texas and California over the next two months to provide high quality services for their niche market: the Hispanic community and lower income families.

Listo Tax franchisees are well positioned to serve our country's largest emerging market by providing tax, accounting, payroll, and translation services. To be successful in this business you do NOT have to be bilingual and you do NOT have to have prior tax experience. The team at Listo will show you how to be a successful business owner catering to an under-served client base that continues to grow every year. And of course this business is recession-proof. As Benjamin Franklin said in 1789, "The only two certainties in life are death and taxes."

Contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for information about how to have your own tax franchise to provide valuable services to the Hispanic and lower income communities across the country.

Stratus Building Solutions Recognized as "Top" Franchise

Stratus Building Solutions opened their first unit franchise in 2005, and since then they have been included in many "top franchise" rankings including:

• #1 Top New Franchise
• #3 Top Fastest Growing Franchise
• #4 Top Home Based Business
• #5 Top Low Cost Franchise
• #11 Top Global Franchise
• #13 Franchise 500

Stratus Building Solutions recently added another accolade when they were named one of the "50 Top Franchises for Minorities" by the National Minority Franchising Initiative. As reported by NMFI founder Rob Bond, only 5-6% of franchises were owned by minorities in 2000. Today, minorities accounts for over 15% of franchisees. Stratus Building Solutions is leading the way with their Master and Unit programs that make business ownership more attainable.

Stratus Master franchisees are former business executives, sales professionals, and entrepreneurs looking for the next great opportunity in a recession-resistant industry. Master franchisees benefit from quick cash flow and return on investment, multiple recurring revenue streams, high-volume sales growth, high-margin earnings, exclusive territories, national accounts, and multiple franchise concepts under one roof. Stratus Master franchisees provide the contracts, training, billing, and financing for Unit franchisees.

Stratus Unit franchisees are small business owner/operators. Unit franchisees benefit from comprehensive training, guaranteed contracts (and guaranteed income!), the ability to start their business part-time, and the flexibility to execute the contracts or hire a team. Unit franchisees can get started for as little as $1,000 down payment.

Stratus Building Solutions Master and Unit franchisees are part of a $140 Billion industry. Few industries are that big, and even fewer are recession-resistant. Stratus franchisees provide their clients with a "one stop shop" for all maintenance services that include "touchless sanitization", specialty floor care, pressure washing and exterior cleaning, "green" recycling, lawn care and landscaping, pest control, energy conservation, and security/safety. Contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for information on how you can be part of the Stratus Building Solutions team.

Small Improvements in Financing to Spur Franchise Sales Boom

I have published a few blog posts this year about how to find the necessary financing for a franchise when the traditional lenders aren't working for you. In July I covered Benetrends who will help you convert your retirement account into cash for your business (tax and penalty free). In September I wrote about FranFund who provides a service similar to Benetrends but can also help with more traditional loan packages. I just read this article on the PR Newswire about franchise financing improvements that will help more people find franchise financing and open their doors for business.

Before deciding to post this PR Newswire article by Mark Siebert, I looked into his bio. He has been in franchising since 1985 and has taught graduate-level courses on franchising. I trust that Mr. Siebert knows what he's talking about and I am excited for my clients that have the drive and desire to be business owners but until now lacked the financial resources to buy a franchise. Let's get started on your franchise search process now!

Small Improvements in Financing to Spur Franchise Sales Boom

November Newsletter is Available

Meta-Franchise Consulting's November newsletter is now available. This month I highlighted the amazing business opportunities presented by Doc Popcorn and Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffee and Smoothies. Check out the newsletter and pass it on to your network.

Own Your Own Business, <$25k Cash, Continued

In August I blogged a 3-part series about Franchises and Business Opportunities for Less Than $25,000 Cash. Franchises at this investment level are so popular, several new ones have joined my network since that series was published. In this post, I will introduce you to these new opportunities.

Eyestop: Emerging as a new powerhouse on the retail optical market, EyeStop is opening "full service" optical retail locations with a new concept never done before in malls; authentic designer eye wear at the lowest prices, guaranteed! EyeStop stores are conveniently open evenings and weekends and located in the most popular and busiest malls. They offer quality eye exams and designer eye wear at the lowest prices. You can expect to find designer products from: Gucci, Dior, Armani, Diesel, Fossil, YSL, Fendi, Kors, Juicy, Kate Spade, Marc Jacobs, Anne Klein, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, D&G, DKNY, Polo, Bebe, Nicole Miller, Guess and more.

Fiesta Auto Insurance: With a Fiesta Auto Insurance & Tax Service franchise you gain immediate access to over 50 personal lines insurance programs, as well as commercial insurance programs for every type of business and the ability to process every kind of tax return as well as offer refund anticipation loans. Additional revenue from services such as Travel, Money Transfers, Motor Vehicle Registrations and Real Estate are available in some states. Fiesta was recently named a Top 50 Franchise for Minorities!

G'Day! Pet Care: Founded and operated by the same award-winning management team that operates Bark Busters, the world's largest, most trusted dog training company, G'day! Pet Care is the premium service provider for pet parents offering a full suite of pet care and home services including pet sitting, dog walking, premium pet food with free home delivery, home sitting and more. All services are customized to clients' needs and delivered by certified pet care professionals. G'day! Pet Care stands (and sits) alone as the only nationwide pet-care provider to offer specialized services in all three of these categories: Pet Care, Pet Food - FREE Home Delivery, and Home Care.

Global Broker Training Systems: As a full-service finance company, you will be able to meet most of your clients financial needs whether they need a loan for working capital, to purchase new equipment, acquire a new business, restructure their current loans or whatever else their needs may be. You can do it all! You will also be able to give them the personal service that they are lacking from the banks to discuss and achieve their short and long term financial goals. You don't need prior experience, just the desire to be your own boss, the ability to learn, good people skills, and a passion to succeed and make a lot of money.

Sanvertizer: Sanvertizer was started for the sole purpose of providing a unique and innovative product that provides a win for all involved based on this innovative concept. Sanvertizer manufactures and distributes advertising kiosks that provide free sanitizer gel to the public. The LCD screen and brochure racks allow businesses to advertise their goods and services to the public. As a distributor, you secure the locations and sell the advertising.

For more information about these, or other franchises and business opportunities that fit your unique requirements, contact the consultants at Meta-Franchise Consulting.

Street Corner, the Alternative to 7-Eleven

Convenience stores are popular franchises and I talk to many clients who are interested in a 7-eleven or a similar concept. It is understandable why a potential franchisee would first consider a 7-eleven given their name recognition. However, after further investigation into the costs and franchisee responsibilities, many of my clients choose to pursue other convenience store franchises like Street Corner. I thought it would be interesting to compare some of the key characteristics of Street Corner and 7-eleven in a side-by-side table. All of this information is available on the internet and in books about franchising, but it is consolidated here for your convenience.

Aside from the differences in initial and ongoing costs, there are big lifestyle differences between Street Corner and 7-eleven. Street Corner franchises can be found in any high traffic location like malls, hotels, office buildings, airports, train stations, etc., and they are open during standard business hours. Additionally, Street Corner allows owners to be passive, which means franchisees do not have to be in the store every day (or at all). Comparatively, 7-eleven stores are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (with the possible exception of Christmas) and 7-eleven franchisees must be full time employees in their own store.

Which option is right for you? Which franchise best fits ALL of your requirements? Meta-Franchise Consulting can help you sort through all of the data about these and other franchises to help you find the best business given your unique set of requirements.

'King' Size Expansion

I have blogged about Junk King in the past and was excited to come across this article. Meta-Franchise Consulting can help you own your "green" franchise.

'King' Size Expansion

Food Franchises Less Than $100,000, Part 3

In Part 2 of this series on Food Franchises for Less Than $100,000, I talked about Carla's Sandwiches & Burgers, which is an offering in the Complete Express Foods portfolio of franchises. In Part 3, I will introduce Italian Joe's.

Your Italian Joe's can be anything from an 800 square foot pick-up/delivery store to a 3,000 square foot J.A. Luciano's with a full Italian menu. Italian Joe's features pizza, hoagies, and wings. In the pizza category, they compete with Papa John's and Pizza Hut, offering the 2nd most toppings in the industry. In the hoagies category, Italian Joe's competes with both Domino's and Jimmy John's with hot and cold hoagies. In the wings category, they compete with WingStreet and the local bars, offering 20+ varieties of over-sized jumbo wings.

Not only is Italian Joe's great for the consumer, it is structured in a way to help franchisees be successful. Royalty and advertising fees are a low flat rate which can save a franchisee $44,000+ per year compared to similar franchises. Italian Joe's will let you build your business as big (or small) as you want with express (convenience store, airport, etc), strip mall, and free-standing location options. With Italian Joe's, a new franchisee can be in business for less than $100,000!

Contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for more information about Italian Joe's or the other food franchises for less than $100,000, including Brewster's Chicken and Carla's Sandwiches & Burgers.

Food Franchises Less Than $100,000, Part 2

In Part 1 of this series on Food Franchises for Less Than $100,000, I talked about Brewster's Chicken, which is an offering in the Complete Express Foods portfolio of franchises. In Part 2, I will introduce Carla's Sandwiches & Burgers.

Carla's Sandwiches & Burgers is two concepts under one roof. In the sandwich category, they compete with Firehouse Subs and Subway by using 1/3 to 1/2 pounds of Boar's Head meats and cheese to create delicious sandwiches. In the burger category, Carla's competes with Five Guys and Wendy's by using fresh, never frozen, ground beef. Customers can choose from 10 different kinds of cheese, chips, fries, onion rings, and cookies. Customers have the option to enjoy their delicious meal with a nice cold beer!

Not only is Carla's great for the consumer, it is structured in a way to help franchisees be successful. Royalty and advertising fees are a low flat rate which can save a franchisee $50,000+ per year compared to similar franchises. Carla's will let you build your business as big (or small) as you want with express (convenience store, airport, etc), strip mall, and free-standing location options. With Carla's Sandwiches & Burgers, a new franchisee can be in business for less than $100,000!

Contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for more information about Carla's Sandwiches & Burgers. In part 3 of this series I will introduce Italian Joe's.

Food Franchises Less than $100,000, Part 1

Many of my clients are interested in food franchises and their first questions are about McDonald's and Subway. According to McDonald's website, they require a potential franchisee to have a minimum of $500,000 of non-borrowed funds to be considered for a franchise. Additionally, they look for franchisees with restaurant experience. Subway is less expensive than McDonald's to get started, but they charge their franchises 12.5% of gross sales (minus sales tax) every week for royalties and advertising. There is a better way! In this 3 part series we will look at 3 brands from Complete Express Foods that can be started for less than $100,000.

Brewster's Chicken has a menu to satisfy everyone. They serve an 8 piece chicken and their rotisserie process cooks the bird in just 14 minutes! Brewster's also serves jumbo wings in more than 20 varieties and sandwiches/tenders/nuggets similar to Chick-fil-a. Apart from the whole chicken, the menu items are pressure cooked, so they are healthier than deep fried options from competitors. Brewster's also serves 9 different side items, dessert, and BEER!

Not only is Brewster's great for the consumer, it is structured in a way to help franchisees be successful. Royalty and advertising fees are a low flat rate which can save a franchisee $50,000+ per year compared to similar franchises. Brewster's will let you build your business as big (or small) as you want with express (convenience store, airport, etc), strip mall, and free-standing location options. With Brewster's, a new franchisee can be in business for less than $100,000!

Contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for more information about Brewster's Chicken. In part 2 of this series I will introduce Carla's Sandwiches and Burgers.

ActionCOACH's Redesigned Business Library

ActionCOACH has redesigned their Business Library! It is a great tool for business owners and others who are thinking of becoming business owners. Take a look at the library and then contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for information about how to become a Coach or start another business.

Meta-Franchise Consulting October Newsletter

Our October newsletter is available! You can check it out here. It contains great information about the Small Business Jobs Act, Liberty Tax Service, and Meta-Franchise Consulting referral pay-outs.

Doc Popcorn Hits 20

Doc Popcorn has only been franchising for 14 months, but they already have their 20th franchise agreement in place. In the last 30 days they have signed 5 new agreements in 5 different states!

What makes Doc Popcorn so great? For starters, they use the best corn, 100% corn oil, and proprietary all-natural flavor blends. That's why customers like it. Franchisees like it because it's a simple business to operate, there are several business models which allow investors to get in for only $50k, and the business is scalable so franchisees can add multiple locations to their portfolio.

Contact Meta-Franchise Consulting to find out how you can own a food franchise for about $50,000 that will satisfy your customer's craving for a healthy alternative to traditional snack food.

Pet Franchises

Franchise Direct just released a report on the Pet Franchise Industry. The report shows that 62% of U.S. households own at least one pet, and the pet owning population grew 38% between 1998 and 2008. I tell my clients that franchises in the children's industry do well in any economy because people will always spend money on their kids. According to the Franchise Direct report, people are spending money on their pets despite the economy...an estimated $47.7 BILLION in 2010!

Meta-Franchise Consulting represents several of franchises highlighted in the report. The initial investment for these businesses ranges from a low of $10,300 (Snaggle Foot) to $100,000 (Aussie Pet Mobile) and several investment ranges in between. There really is something for everyone who has a desire to own a business and work with animals!

Lessons from Experienced Entrepreneurs

I recently posted a question on LinkedIn that asked, "What's the one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started your business." There were several good answers, but my favorite came from Rob Pene, President and CEO of Mission Driven Brand. He said "To create a consistent platform for sharing my thoughts and "advice" information...regardless if no one reads it to start off with...Everyone's got to start from scratch, and having YOUR OWN platform to share YOUR ideas will build YOU as a brand." I love this and want to continue to put this advice into practice with this blog.

Here are some other great answers by experienced entrepreneurs:
Manish Kumar Aggarwal said, "How to reach my potential customer."

Dave Maskin said, "I wish I realized that my talents could be used at trade shows 25 years ago..."

Martha Retallick said, "How to sell!"

Marko Lauhiala said, "That nobody can afford to be a YES man/woman all the time, learn to say NO to things that don't feel 100% right."

Elswine Rietvel said, "All the functions and possibilities on linkedin."

Marvin Russell said, "Sales don't always equal profits. In fact, 20% of your sales are profitable, the other 80% are just headaches."

Franchising Myths

Franchising is a great way to be in business for yourself with lower risks than a traditional start-up. There are lots of books and internet sites that people can use to educate themselves; so much information, in fact, that it can be overwhelming. How do you sort fact from fiction? Here are some common myths about franchising.

Myth - All franchisees are successful
Fact - Success is never guaranteed. Franchisees do enjoy a better chance of success than other start-ups, but you still have to work hard and follow the processes taught by the franchisors.

Myth - A high cost franchise will give higher returns
Fact - A high cost franchise does not guarantee higher returns, and over time you might make less money with a high cost franchise versus a low cost one. The important thing is to find a franchise that fits your requirements (financial and otherwise) to ensure a higher likelihood of success.

Myth - You don't need help from a lawyer to buy a franchise
Fact - The FDD and Franchise Agreement are legal documents. It is important to have a lawyer review all legal documents before you sign. Your lawyer should have a background in franchising to make sure you are getting the best advice possible.

Myth - After buying your franchise, you are the boss
Fact - Yes, it is your business. However, your franchise is part of a system with established processes. The franchisor can legally require you to order supplies for a certain vendor, have your business open certain hours, get their approval for marketing campaigns, etc. Read the FDD/Franchise Agreement to know what you can and can't control.

Qdoba Joins Our Network

We are very excited to announce that Qdoba has joined our network! Qdoba is the largest fast casual Mexican franchise in the country. They were just named the 4th largest limited service Mexican concept in the U.S.

The backbone of any restaurant company is a strong and transparent supply chain. Their team manages the largest network of suppliers, vendors and distribution centers in the franchised, fast casual Mexican segment; period. And they don’t make a penny off corporate-owned restaurants. They believe in using their supply chain to grow the system, not profit from it. They make the success of franchisees a top priority by providing the very best systems, support and brand equity. They have built this business so you can focus on customers, employees and growth. They provide franchisees support in each functional area of the business including: training & operations, marketing, information technology, supply chain, real estate, human resources, finance & accounting.

Maui Wowi West Loop offers 50% Discount

Meta-Franchise Consulting is proud to have Maui Wowi Coffee & Smoothies in our network. Their West Loop (Chicago) franchisee is offering 50% off. Check them out and then contact Meta-Franchise Consulting to find out how you can have your own Maui Wowi store!

Franchising as an Option for Laid-off Workers

If the economy has not affected your job, it has likely affected the job of someone you know. Recently, a lot of stories in the press have featured laid-off workers in their 50s and 60s. These workers have 30-40 years of great experience, but they are too close to retirement, too experienced, and/or too expensive to fill the positions that employers are hiring for. For these workers, franchising is a wonderful option.

After decades of working for someone else, unemployed older workers will find that franchising offers them the support, training, financial independence, and quality of life that they've always wanted. Do you have a strong sales background and a good track record of customer satisfaction? If so, a Maintenance or Maid Service franchise is probably a good fit for you. Do you have a passion for helping people? If so, a Senior Care franchise may be a fit for your requirements. Are you passionate about kids and education? An Education franchise will help you help children be successful in the classroom. Is your hobby wood working, video games, or pets?

A laid-off worker with dozens of years of experience does not have to settle for a job that leaves them "under-employed". Franchising can provide the income you need and the job satisfaction that may have been elusive as an employee. Why not become an employer?

15 Signs of a Good Franchise System

We all know it is important to do your due diligence before buying a franchise. In a previous post, we talked about questions to ask the franchisor. How do you evaluate what they are telling you and what you are reading in the FDD? Here are 15 signs that the franchise system you are looking at is a sound investment.

1. Franchise is opening stores at a steady pace and growing same store sales.
2. The customers give rave reviews about the franchise’s products / services.
3. There are number of franchisees that have been there for a long time.
4. Franchisor regularly introduces new products and services.
5. Franchisor has regular meetings to get feedback from franchisees.
6. Franchisor does not delve into every minute detail of operations.
7. Franchisor gives flexibility to franchisees for local marketing and advertising.
8. Turnover among existing franchisees – either through business sale or shutdown is low.
9. Franchisees have easy access via email, phone, etc. to management at the franchise office.
10. The area supervisor from the franchise spends time with you during store visit and listens to your concerns.
11. Franchisor does not change store procedures and rules for franchisees frequently.
12. Franchisor visits the franchisee stores on a regular basis and provides improvement suggestions.
13. Franchisor is not opening stores in the close proximity of existing ones.
14. The prices charged for mandatory items from commissary are in line with market.
15. The franchise provides reports on a regular basis with the details on how they are performing at individual, regional and national levels.

Meta-Franchise Consulting can help you figure out which franchise systems fit your requirements AND possess these positive attributes.

Billions of Dollars in Junk

Did you know that the junk removal and hauling industry is a multi-billion dollar a year industry? I guess with shows like "Hoarders" on A&E it shouldn't be too much of a surprise. I've often wondered what people do with all the stuff they can't sell at a garage sale...call a junk removal company??!!

Meta-Franchise Consulting is proud to represent Junk King. Not only does Junk King help clients remove old furniture, appliance, lawn waste, tires, auto parts, etc., but they take a "green" approach. Junk King recycles up to 60% of what they collect from customers. So their customers win on multiple fronts: get rid of unwanted items AND feel good about keeping recyclables out of landfills.

Junk King franchisees win in this system too. They will buy back your franchise if you do not meet a minimum of $125,000 in gross revenue in your first year. Their Item 19 shows very strong sales and net margins that leave franchisees with lots of cash. Want to know more?

President Obama Will Sign the Small Business Jobs Act

Today, President Obama will sign the $42 billion Small Business Jobs Act. It will create a fund, run by the Treasury, that will send cheap capital to small banks. It will also eliminate capital gains taxes on qualifying small businesses, allow businesses to carry back losses to 5 years, increase the amount of capital expenditures that businesses can write off immediately, provide an option to front-load capital expenditure depreciation, and increase the deduction entrepreneurs can take on their start-up costs.

Treasury Fund: The thinking goes that community banks do most of the lending to small businesses. If those community banks have access to cheap capital, they will pass that on to small businesses in the community who want to grow (ie: add more employees).

Eliminate Capital Gains: C corps with less than $50M of assets will not have to pain a capital gains tax on stocks purchased directly from the issuing company and held for 5 years.

5 Year Carry Back: If a business is profitable in one year and then turns a loss the following year, the business can file an amended tax return for the profitable year to recoup some of the taxes paid on profit. The new law extends the carry back period to 5 years.

Write off Capital Expenditures NOW: Section 179 of the tax code allows businesses to write off capital expenditures immediately. This bill extends the benefit through 2011 and increases the maximum to $500,000.

Bonus Depreciate Extension: Businesses can front-load a capital depreciation schedule to write-off 50% of qualifying property that is put in service in 2010.

Deduct Start-up Expenses: The amount that entrepreneurs can deduct for start-up expenses is increasing to $10,000.

Meta-Franchise Consulting is not sharing our political views about this bill. The goal of this post is to educate our readers about the bill. Our hope is that the bill will allow those who want to become a franchisee, but have been waiting on the sidelines, to jump in the ring. We are ready to help you realize your dream of business ownership.

Express Employment Professional Sets Sales Records

Congratulations to Meta-Franchise Consulting partner Express Employment Professionals! For the week ending August 29, 2010, sales surpassed $39.1 million. Over the last three months, sales for Express franchisees have increased by an average of 60% over sales for the same period in 2009. Additionally, 2010 sales are up 45% over 2009 year-to-date sales. In the last year Express has helped 200,000 find employment!

Be your own boss AND put people in your community back to work! What could be better than that? Email us at metafranchiseconsulting@gmail.com or check us out online for more information about how to join the Express Employment Professionals team.

September Newsletter is Available

Check out our newsletter for September. It highlights two of our favorite franchises, Molly Maid and Mr. Handyman. We are especially excited about Mr. Handyman's targeted growth and the $5,000 referral fee for select cities!

How to Build Trust Between Franchisor and Franchisee

Meta-Franchise Consulting is proud to represent Fastsigns to our clients. Catherine Monson is CEO of Fastsigns and she was just published by Entrepreneur.com. Her article, "How to Build Trust Between Franchisor and Franchisee," talks about how she overcame trust and communication challenges when she took over as CEO in 2009. In less than two years she was able to document and implement a strategy for improving franchisor/franchisee relations. As in most relationships (personal and professional) communication is the most important factor in a great relationship. Catherine and her executive team understand it and live by it, making Fastsigns a great system for franchisees.

Fastsigns is one of the industry's leading sign and graphic franchises. Using a computer-based design technique, their concept emphasizes sign and graphic solutions. They offer fast turnaround, a business-to-business environment, and top-quality signs and graphics for corporate, professional and retail clients. The competitive advantages of a Fastsigns franchise are as follows: high growth industry, business hours, low seasonality, few employees, business clientele, recession resistant business, highest revenue in the quick sign industry, system wide store revenue increases 14 out of 15 consecutive years, no Fastsigns-related arbitration or litigation, and protected, exclusive territories.

Census Bureau's First Release of Comprehensive Franchise Data Shows Franchises Make Up More Than 10 Percent of Employer Businesses

Just released, the U.S. Census Bureau's report on franchise data from 2007 is the first comprehensive look at the franchise industry. The report shows that franchisee-owned businesses accounted for $1.1 TRILLION in sales! Highlights from the report:

•Limited-service restaurants, sometimes called fast food restaurants, had the highest number of franchise establishments with paid employees (124,898).

•Limited-service restaurants were 3rd in sales with $112.6 billion.

•Sales for franchise establishments in the diet weight loss centers industry represented 62.7 percent of all sales for that industry.

•Mail centers had the second highest percentage (67.9%) of franchise establishments compared with all establishments in that industry.

The consultants at Meta-Franchise Consulting are ready to help you get a piece of the $1.1 trillion pie.

Sparkle Wash Wins 2010 Best of Cleveland Award

Meta-Franchise Consulting congratulates franchisor Sparkle Wash for their 2010 Best of Cleveland award in the Chemical Cleaning Services category. The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2010 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

Please contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for information about how you can join the Sparkle Wash family of franchisees.

Get Funded Now

Meta-Franchise Consulting is fortunate to be part of a large network of Franchisors and franchise consultants. It gives us access to information that we wouldn't have otherwise...information that we are excited to pass on to you.

The last couple of years have been challenging for business financing. In the past we have blogged about Benetrends and FranEquity. Benetrends can help you use retirement savings to fund a business (tax and penalty free!) and FranEquity can match your business with interested investors.

FranFund is another great option for potential franchisees. FranFund offers a number of different loan packages that can be tailored to your individual needs. For example, their FranPlan is similar to Benetrend's offering and gives you the ability to compare and contrast offerings. FranFund can also help with Commercial Loans, SBA Loans, Capital Lease Programs, Unsecured Lines of Credit, and Home Equity Loans. FranFund has a team of knowledgeable consultants that will help you customize the best financing package.

Meta-Franchise Consulting looks forward to working with you to secure the financing you need to make your dream of business ownership a reality.

The 2010 Fast 55

This is the 7th year that FRANdata has compiled a list of the 55 fastest growing young franchises. In order to qualify, companies cannot have been franchising for more than 5 years. Given the economy, it's not too surprising to see that 11 of the top 55 fastest growing franchises come from the Health & Fitness industry and 6 come from Maintenance Services. These industries are classically recession-resistant; people are always concerned about their health, the population is aging, and cleaning/maintenance is always needed.

You can check out the full list here. Meta-Franchise Consulting is proud to represent several companies on the list including: Roni Deutch Tax Center, BrightStar Healthcare, The Utility Company, Senior Helpers, Snap Fitness, Synergy HomeCare, Ductz, and Stratus Building Solutions.

Meta-Franchise Consulting is standing by, ready to help you figure out which franchise system is the best fit for you.

Franchises are Good Investments in a Tough Economy

In an uncertain economic environment, a franchise opportunity can be a smart investment for the business-minded.

Every year, thousands of Americans invest in franchises as a gateway to business ownership, the Houston Chronicle writes. But a franchise requires a certain personality type and character traits that are not always matched with independent business ownership.

If investors are looking for a stable investment with relatively low risk, a franchise may be the best choice, the paper reports. Franchisees are encouraged to work within the already existing system - investors will not be required to try out new ideas or test innovative strategies.

Additionally, the most successful franchisees rely on the franchisor support staff and fellow franchisees for advice. A willingness to ask questions and admit when help is needed are key traits for team-building.

Franchises can be a path to financial independence and stability for many individuals. Franchising.com estimates that franchise businesses generate $2.3 trillion in sales in the U.S. each year.

Please contact Meta-Franchise Consulting at http://www.metafranchiseconsulting.com/ or metafranchiseconsulting@gmail.com to learn more about how we can help you find the best franchise that meets your requirements.

Inhibitors to Becoming a Franchisee

The following audio file discusses the concept of Franchising, as well as the normal factors that inhibit individuals from pursuing their dream of controlling their own destiny, and owning their own business. There are also discussions about:

1) Fear of Change
2) Fear of Failure
3) Fear of the Unknown
4) It's Not The Right Time
5) Effect of Naysayers and Other Firehosers
6) Financial Constraints

While surveys show that 70% of individuals would like to own a business, only a small portion of those people actually take the bold step to become an entrepreneur.

Check out the podcast, titled Inhibitors to Becoming a Franchisee

It is an interview with Dennis Schooley, founder of Schooley Mitchell Telecom Consultants. For more information about Schooley Mitchell, contact Meta-Franchise Consulting.

Pie-Eyed for zpizza

Check out this great article from the Humane Society of the United States about their new alliance with zpizza. Zpizza is a leader in the gourmet and health-conscious pizza segment. They are a fast casual chain focused on delivering a fresh and unique approach to pizza. The Humane Society of the United States has teamed up with zpizza to expand their meat-free menu options. Customers can even choose non-dairy cheese!

Contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for more information on how you can be part of this exciting brand.

Molly Maid Earns "Extreme" Recognition

The following is text from an email that Meta-Franchise Consulting received from one of our most popular Franchisors, Molly Maid.

"Blake Mullins, a producer for ABC-TV's top-rated reality series, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, recently found himself without a post-construction cleaning crew and only a few hours before the homeowners were to arrive for the family walk through.

Blake later revealed that he and his extended family were Molly Maid customers. He knew we could get the job done, so he phoned our Molly Maid franchisees in Houston, TX, Tony and Susie Kirby, who answered the frantic call at 6:35 p.m. "We need as many maids as you can muster at 3613 Goodhope, ASAP," said Blake, in an exasperated voice. The Kirbys went into speed dial and by 8 p.m. arrived at the house with good hope: a team of maids armed with ample supplies and equipment. Then Blake issued the challenge, "You have only one hour to get this two-story, four-bedroom home ready."

"There must have been 150 people from painters, electricians, designers, to tilers electronics guys, and lighting contractors still working. It was absolute chaos," said Susie Kirby. "But when they saw us, they all began cheering. I felt the adrenaline rush through my body. Our maids experienced a similar surge of energy because we cleaned that house top to bottom and saved the day."

When it absolutely, positively has to get done, who do they call-our Molly Maid franchise owners. Mark your calendar for Sunday, September 26, 8/7c, for the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition season premiere and our Molly Maid to-the-rescue episode."

Please contact Meta-Franchise Consulting at http://www.metafranchiseconsulting.com/Maid-Service-_-Cleaning/Molly-Maid or metafranchiseconsulting@gmail.com to learn more.

Networking Tips Everyone Should Know

I think all business owners would agree that networking is key to growing a business. My friend and author Frank Agin was kind enough to send me a book called "LinkedWorking" that he co-wrote with Lewis Howes. Putting these tips into practice is sure to help Meta-Franchise Consulting grow into a successful franchise consulting business.

http://www.linkedworking.com
http://www.metafranchiseconsulting.com

Own Your Own Business, <$25k Cash, Part 3

In parts 1 and 2 of this series we covered franchises that can be started for less than $25,000 cash. In the final part of this series Meta-Franchise Consulting will introduce you to business opportunities that can be started for less than $25,000 cash. Business opportunities differ from franchises in a couple of ways. First, a business opportunity is not legally obligated to have the same documentation as a franchise, so you will not receive a Franchise Disclosure Document. Additionally, some business opportunities do not charge a royalty and others have a royalty structure different than you typically see with franchises.

Beans for Dreams: Beans for Dreams is a Fundraising Business Opportunity focused on selling in-demand products that people use on a daily basis The main focus is on fresh roasted, gourmet coffee - supported by organic teas, all natural breakfast breads and gourmet chocolate.

CreditCRM: A business-in-a-box opportunity, CreditCRM provides all of the training and systems needed for you to build a successful credit repair business. You will be able to help your clients increase their credit scores an average of 50 points in 90 days in order to get loans approved.

P.A.S.S.: The Pack and Ship Specialists offer business owners the opportunity to become part of the large pack and ship industry. Owners choose the name of their store as well as the products/services that are offered. With a variety of ways to serve their customers, P.A.S.S. owners enjoy multiple revenue streams and a large customer base.

The Buzz: The Buzz is a free weekly periodical filled with fun, humorous and sometimes useful information. It is meant to be light hearted and leave the reader in a good mood. The Buzz is placed free of charge in businesses such as restaurants, chamber of commerce, oil change facilities, hair salons etc. Places where people have a wait time and would enjoy some free entertainment. As a Buzz Trade Mark License holder, you will partner with local small businesses to help them increase business.

USA for Healthclaims: USA for Healthclaims offers the most sophisticated medical billing program that is second to none. But what good is the software if you don't have any clients? That's why they offer a unique approach to insure their Licensee's success. They will get you leads with doctors in your area that need your services!

If you would like more information about these opportunities, please contact Meta-Franchise Consulting at http://www.metafranchiseconsulting.com or metafranchiseconsulting@gmail.com. We look forward to helping you achieve your dream of business ownership.

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Own Your Own Business, <$25k Cash, Part 2

In the first part of our series on low-cost franchises, we looked at opportunities that business owners can run from home, get started for less than $25,000 cash, and can be managed either part-time or with the help of a general manager. In the second part of our series on low-cost franchises, we will examine opportunities that you can operate out of your home, require less than $25,000 cash to start, and require your full-time participation as the business owner.

AmSpirit Business Connections: AmSpirit Business Connections organizes and supports Chapters of sales representatives, entrepreneurs, and professionals. These individuals are collectively referred to as members and the members pay membership fees to participate in AmSpirit Business Connections Chapters. The members of these Chapters meet on a weekly basis to participate in a structured meeting format where they assist one another to succeed by creating a forum where they can exchange qualified referrals. Are you looking for a professional environment where you can assist others to become more successful?

CarePatrol: As a CarePatrol franchisee you will be assisting seniors and their families make tough decisions by finding Assisted Living or In Home Care in their area. You will contract with area care providers and get paid handsomely every time your client chooses care with one of those providers. You will be helping families at a difficult time in their lives and feel great while doing it, knowing that you have made a difference with each and every client. Unlike other businesses, you will provide your services absolutely FREE to your clients. That's right, FREE. You will get paid by the hundreds of care providers that contract with you to connect your clients with them.

Creative Colors International: Creative Colors International is recognized as the leader in the repair, reconditioning, protection, and color restoration of leather, vinyl, fabric, plastic and carpeting in the automotive, furniture, commercial, and residential markets. The expert technicians of Creative Colors International can restore damaged items to like-new condition while providing their clients with significant cost savings versus replacement; sometimes as much as a 90% savings! In addition to delivering dramatic results, Creative Colors International offers convenience by performing all repairs on-site at their clients' home, office, restaurant, body shop or car dealership.

Furniture Medic: Furniture Medic, the world's largest furniture repair and restoration franchisor, has established a reputation for excellence unmatched in the industry. Their system's success is firmly rooted in their dedication to providing customers with unparalleled craftsmanship and quality service. Utilizing exclusive, technologically advanced equipment, products and processes, the expert technicians of Furniture Medic revitalize valuable furniture and wood pieces, restoring and enhancing their natural beauty and strength. In addition to delivering dramatic results, a Furniture Medic franchisees offers convenience by performing many repairs on-site in homes and offices. Franchisees provide home and business owners an affordable alternative to replacing fine wood furnishings and fixtures.

Inspect-It 1st: Founded in 1991 and franchising since 1998, Inspect-It 1st has been providing first-rate home inspection services. They are striving to be the best home inspection company in the industry and committed to providing quality service, with the integrity that you deserve. Inspect-It 1st offers a number of inspection services for homebuyers and real estate professionals. Franchisees, professional home inspectors, are highly trained and carry both General Liability and Errors and Omissions Insurance. Franchisees are engaged by consumers, realtors, lenders, relocation companies, investors and others to provide an objective assessment of a property's major systems and components. They are generalists who identify if further evaluation by a specialist (i.e. plumber, electrician, structural engineer, etc.) is warranted, so previous experience in construction or the trades is not required. Following an inspection, franchisees deliver a proprietary inspection report (either hard copy, via email, or through an online system), complete with digital photos. Every month franchisees perform thousands of inspections in the residential and commercial markets.

KidzArt: With KidzArt and its programs for all ages, students learn to see the world differently. Franchisees offer exciting art programs with visual and perceptual tools for ages 2-102 that are easy to learn. They make problem solving a fun, transforming and educational experience! Lessons are developed to be challenging without being frustrating. KidzArt helps to create WINNERS and ultimately, THE INNOVATORS OF TOMORROW! There are three investment levels to choose from (Executive, Teach Plus, and Teach) so this is a great opportunity at different investment and owner participation levels.

Lemon Heaven International: Lemon Heaven provides freshly squeezed lemonade, freshly squeezed fruit juices, smoothies, cotton candy, sno cones as well as mini donuts, and other items. Their unique Kiosk Setup, Concession Trailers, Street Carts and Area Carts are built for high volume sales. Currently they offer "Special Event" franchises by the territory or "Site Specific" locations. Their award-winning kiosks, concession trailers and vending carts are extremely versatile and can be operated at a variety of sites. Ideal spots for locating your business include: Sporting events, Concerts, Amusement parks, Arenas & stadiums, Convention centers, Festivals & fairs, Zoos, Malls, Golf courses, Farmer's markets.

New Pro Publications: New Pro Publications, creator of the Caddy Card, has developed a profitable new distributorship program and is now expanding across the United States and Canada. They have been successfully producing the Caddy Card in the Toronto market for over 16 years. They have produced over 5 million individual Caddy Card booklets and have over 2000 clients that advertise inside their Caddy Cards. A Caddy Card is a very attractive, 16 page, custom designed, full color, golf course guide book, scorecard, and training aid all in one. The Caddy Card fits in your pocket and is fun to use. Golfers, golf courses, advertisers, and our distributors all benefit when a new Caddy Card is created.

Pets Are Inn: Love your dog? Thought of putting him a cage for a week or two upsetting? Now you don't have to. Introducing the #1 pet lodging alternative and the most unique pet franchise in the industry. At Pets Are Inn your cherished pet is cared for in a pre-screened private home by dog lovers. The business model has you/and or your staff providing round trip pick-up and delivery. Finally...loving pet care with no cages or kennels. Enjoy vacations and business trips without guilt. Low investment and exceptionally high returns. Easy to run. Simple to manage. And if you love animals...the perfect pet franchise. It's peace of mind for you and a "home environment" for that special member of the family.

SDS Associates: Equipment leasing and financing is not subject to the same regulations that are so prevalent in the banking industry. In fact, equipment leasing and financing is considered to be "unregulated" which is a very good thing. The trend for banks tightening their lending practices has created even more opportunity in the equipment leasing and financing business as business owners who still need equipment in order to operate effectively are turning to leasing as an attractive way to acquire the equipment they need to be successful. The Start-Up Broker Program provides all of the skills, strategies, expertise and support necessary for a new Broker to be successful in this business-necessary industry. They provide all of the skills, strategies, expertise and support necessary to be successful in this well-established, $200+ Billion dollar per year, business-critical industry. Brokers profit from a business that requires very low overhead to operate, and appeals to a wide variety of industry types and equipment markets. It is estimated that approximately 80% of American businesses lease some of the equipment they need to be successful.

ServiceMaster Clean: ServiceMaster Clean is a professional commercial cleaning company with more than 55 years of franchising experience and over 4,500 franchises worldwide. Entrepreneur Magazine consistently ranks ServiceMaster Clean in their Top 10 ranking of Home-Based Franchises and Low-Cost Franchises. Their established and well-regarded reputation will give you a significant head start in the marketplace. Opportunities are now available for new commercial cleaning franchise owners in many of the nation’s largest cities. Their new FastStart program is designed to help new owners in the commercial cleaning category build revenues faster. With a minimum cash requirement as low as $7,800 plus working capital, they can help you reach your goal of business ownership.

Snaggle Foot: Snaggle Foot Dog Walks & Pet Care understands that there's no place like home. So when you entrust them with your beloved family member, they come to you... caring for your dog, cat, and other pets in the comfort of the place they love best. Their pet sitting franchise provides a generous array of pet care services that bestow upon your loved one the exercise, attention, and care they deserve when you can't be there to give it. The benefits of at-home pet care are many. Just like people, pets appreciate the reassurance and stability that routine brings. With a Snaggle Foot pet sitter making house calls, your pets are allowed to maintain their regular feeding and exercise schedule, avoid the mental and physical stress of a boarding facility or kennel, and, a bonded and insured professional is looking after your home as well. If customers wish, franchisees can bring in mail, alternate the lights, water plants, and complete other home maintenance tasks. Services are tailored to meet the customers' needs and schedules.

If you would like more information about these opportunities, please contact Meta-Franchise Consulting at http://www.metafranchiseconsulting.com or metafranchiseconsulting@gmail.com. We look forward to helping you achieve your dream of business ownership. Be on the look out for Part 3 of this series when we will cover low-cost BUSINESS (versus franchise) opportunities.

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Own Your Own Business, <$25k Cash, Part 1

These are challenging times. Loans are difficult to come by, our retirement accounts have lost value, and many of us are dealing with unemployment. Given all the challenges, many budding entrepreneurs think they need to delay their purchase of a franchise. This is where the consultants at Meta-Franchise Consulting can help! In our network of over 400 franchises, there are dozens that can be started for less than $25,000 in cash. Within this group of franchises there are many businesses that can be run from home, keeping overhead low. Additionally, many of the home-based franchises can be run passively! This means that you can choose to keep your job while building the business, and/or hire a general manager to run the day to day operations of your business. Part 1 of this series will focus on home-based franchises that allow passive investors.

Dine-In Delivery: For most people who do not live in a major city (NYC, Chicago, LA, etc.), food delivery options are limited to pizza and Chinese. Owners of this business partner with area restaurants to offer home delivery for dishes people used to have to go to the restaurant to enjoy.

Franchise Alliance: Meta-Franchise Consulting is proud to be part of the Franchise Alliance. In this business, owners provide a free consulting service to their clients to help them find the right franchise based on their requirements. Franchisors pay a finders fee that ranges from $12k to over $60k.

Inner Circle Peer Advisory: Franchisees in this business provide a confidential environment for small and medium sized business owners to discuss a variety of topics related to business ownership and management.

MonitorClosely.com: With the advancements in digital technology, the quality of surveillance systems has significantly improved while the cost of equipment has continuously decreased. Franchisees in this system market digital surveillance systems (at highly competitive prices) as well as affordable equipment maintenance and service agreements that provide 24/7 remote viewing access.

Rotobrush: You can profit from the energy efficiency market that is expected to exceed $700 billion by 2030! Now more than ever, home and business owners want to save money on energy costs while taking advantage of energy efficiency tax credits, and you can help. Indoor air quality and energy efficiency offer fast growing opportunities for entrepreneurs. And they are highly profitable. That's because consumers value the safety and comfort of their homes, the quality of the air they breathe, and saving money on their energy bills.

Smarter Flush: Saving money on your water utility bill is certainly a major benefit, but additionally you are reducing the polluted septic water, and the chemicals and energy used in the purification process. There is also the value associated with reducing your maintenance cost through the elimination of the leaky flapper, chains, ballcock floats, and rusty bolts. Most importantly, however, is the saving of our precious and finite resource, water! For an average family of four a toilet equipped with a SMARTER FLUSH Dual Flush Conversion Kit can save 17,000 to 25,000 gallons of water per year.

Startup Home Care: SHC's turn-key home care agency startup and support package gives individuals the skills, materials, and knowledge necessary to launch and successfully run their own non-medical home care agency. Home care agencies provide non-medical home care services to seniors needing assistance with everyday tasks and obligations following surgery or due to diseases associated with aging.

The Buzz: The Buzz is a free weekly periodical filled with fun, humorous and sometimes useful information. It is meant to be light hearted and leave the reader in a good mood. The Buzz is placed free of charge in businesses such as restaurants, chamber of commerce, oil change facilities, hair salons etc. Places where people have a wait time and would enjoy some free entertainment. As a Buzz Trade Mark License holder, you will partner with local small businesses to help them increase business. Small business is the heart and soul of America and it is our job to help them keep moving forward!

The Glass Guru: Every year, millions of windows in the US lose their integrity due to seal failure. Pioneers in the emerging window restoration industry, The Glass Guru was among the first companies in the US to offer moisture removal for failed (foggy) thermal pane windows. Their process involves the installation of a patent-pending Microvent system that permanently eliminates moisture while restoring the window's clarity and insulation. Franchisees also offer niche services of scratch removal and hard water spot removal.

The Grout Medic: The Grout Medic is the leader in the "after care" market of grout and tile repair. Their products and equipment offer the latest in technology to bring grout and tile back to life. The Grout Medic's goal is to exceed expectations by providing quality, professional work usually completed in one day for a fraction of replacements costs. Customers contact The Grout Medic to work on residential and commercial grout in places including, but not limited to, bathrooms, kitchens, hotels, restaurants, and hospitals. Services include regrouting, cleaning and sealing, staining, tile replacement, and caulking.

Town NewZ: With Town NewZ, your online newspaper will fill the best niche possible in today's business market: Online Newspaper Advertising. Ask yourself this: When was the last time you picked up a print newspaper and responded to an ad you saw? Their unique business model allows you to compete with your local Printed Newspaper. The attractive pricing structure allows you to offer your clients some of the best rates in the industry. Moreover, the Town NewZ business model is unique. Generating revenue is relatively easy because, in addition to having a unique product that reaches a coveted demographic, you'll offer opportunities to local businesses that typical print publications can't even touch.

If you would like more information about these opportunities, please contact Meta-Franchise Consulting at www.metafranchiseconsulting.com or metafranchiseconsulting@gmail.com. We look forward to helping you achieve your dream of business ownership. Be on the look out for Part 2 of this series when we will cover other low cost franchise opportunities.

The Best Kept Secret in Franchising

If you really want to own your own business, there is a franchise that will fit every requirement. Do you want a home based business? Do you want to work on the business part time? Do you want to be a passive owner? Do you want a business that operates during standard business hours, Monday through Friday, 9-5? After Meta-Franchise Consulting finds a franchise that will meet all of your requirements, the next question is: what type of franchise arrangement is best for you?

There are three franchise arrangements that a new franchisee can choose from before signing the franchise agreement. The first arrangement is a single-unit franchise. In this arrangement, the franchisor grants the franchisee the rights to open and operate one franchise unit. This is the simplest and most common franchise arrangement. Some franchisees start out as single-unit operators and then buy the rights to a second or even third unit after the first becomes successful.

The second arrangement that a franchisee can choose is area development. In this arrangement, the franchisor grants the franchisee the rights to open more than one unit during a specific time, within a specified area. For example, the franchise agreement may state that the franchisee will open three units in a three year period within the county in which they live. The benefit of agreeing to multiple units up front, as opposed to adding on later, is that the franchisor will often discount the franchise fee for your second and third units.

The third arrangement that a franchisee can choose is a master franchise. This arrangement is similar to the area development in that the franchisee is granted the right to multiple units. In addition to multiple units, the franchisee is granted the right to sell franchises to other people within their territory. When the franchisee takes on sub-franchisees, they take over many of the tasks of the franchisor like training and support. In exchange for taking on those tasks, the master franchisee receives a percentage of the franchise fee paid by the sub-franchisees and a percentage of each month's royalties. Additionally, the franchisor will often significantly discount the franchise fee for each unit opened by the master franchisee and the master will pay reduced royalties on each unit they own. The master franchise arrangement may be the best kept secret in franchising, and for the right franchisee can provide an amazing return on investment.

Please contact Meta-Franchise Consulting at www.metafranchiseconsulting.com or metafranchiseconsulting@gmail.com for more information.

Metro franchises rise as proven models hit the ground running

This article from The Denver Post reports that the number of franchising units is expected to grow by 2% this year and Denver is expected to attract more than it's fair share. Job losses, coupled with entrepreneurial spirit, an educated workforce, and commercial landlord incentives are making franchising an attractive option for Denverites.

Please contact Meta-Franchise Consulting at http://www.metafranchiseconsulting.com/ or metafranchiseconsulting@gmail.com for more information about franchise availability in Denver.

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Blood, Sweat, But No Tears (Franchise Times Magazine: June-July, 2010)

Blood, Sweat, But No Tears (Franchise Times Magazine: June-July, 2010)

Freshii is one of about four hundred franchises in Meta-Franchise Consulting's network. This article was published in Franchise Times Magazine and provides a great look at the concept and the founder. When you buy a franchise, it's important to believe in the concept. At least as important is believing in the management team. Matthew Corrin has a great story, great ideas, and will take his business far. This is an amazing opportunity for the right entrepreneur.

Please contact Meta-Franchise Consulting at http://www.metafranchiseconsulting.com/ or metafranchiseconsulting@gmail.com for more information about Freshii.

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20 Questions for the Franchisor

When you enter into a franchise agreement, you are taking on a business partner for the life of your franchise. The Franchisor will provide the initial training and on going support for everything from technical issues to marketing advice. To make sure you know exactly who you are going into business with, it is import to thoroughly interview the Franchisor. Many clients tell me they know they should be asking a lot of questions, but they don't know exactly what to ask. Here is a list of questions to help you get started. As you hear the answers to these questions, you will probably think of many follow-up questions that will provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision.

1. What are the strengths of your franchise?
2. Where do you see this franchise system in 5 years and what steps are being taken to reach that goal?
3. Who is your competition?
4. How are you viewed in the consumer marketplace?
5. Can you give me a break down of all of the expenses associated with getting started (franchise fee, equipment, product, training, real estate, etc.)?
6. How much additional capital (working capital) will I need after I launch my franchise?
7. Please explain the contractual responsibilities if I join your franchise system (length of agreement, renewals, etc.).
8. What can I expect to earn if I join your franchise system and do you disclose this amount in an Item 19 Earnings Claim?
9. What does your training program look like? What kind of ongoing training do you offer?
10. What goods or services do I have to purchase directly from you or your preferred vendors, and can I competitively shop for a better deal?
11. Is there an advertising fund that I must contribute to and what rights do franchisees have to audit that fund?
12. What is my protected territory and how is it defined?
13. What are your plans to develop additional franchisees in my state and how will that impact my franchise?
14. How many of your franchisees have failed and why?
15. Will you assist me with financing, real estate selection, and construction?
16. Have you been sued or are you currently being sued?
17. How have previous franchisee/franchisor disputes been settled?
18. What happens when I want to retire or sell my business?
19. If I sell my business and leave the franchise system, what am I forbidden to do?
20. What is the biggest complaint from your franchisees?

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Where There's a Will, There's a Way

You and your franchise consultant have identified the perfect franchise that meets all of your requirements. You called existing franchisees and love what they said about their experience in the system. You reviewed the FDD with a franchise attorney. You have the support from friends and family. You are ready to sign the franchise agreement and become a franchise owner. The only thing standing in your way is money, or more specifically a lack there-of. Traditionally you would put together a business case and go to your bank for a business loan. Unfortunately, the credit markets are tight and traditional funding is very difficult to come by. Thankfully budding entrepreneurs have other options. Benetrends and FranEquity can make your dream of business ownership a reality.

Benetrends has been in business for over 15 years, helping people use retirement savings to fund a new or existing business. Benetrends will set up your company as a C-corporation. They will roll-over your existing 401(k) into your new company's retirement plan, and then use the money to buy stock in your new company. You will not incur any early withdrawal or tax penalties. You can use cash generated from the stock sale for legitimate business expenses, including a salary for yourself. You and your employees can make contributions from paychecks to the retirement plan to save for the future.

FranEquity is another option to secure financing for your franchise. FranEquity is essentially Match.com for franchise financing. At FranEquity, you publish an investment opportunity to the investing community. Angel investors, private equity groups, and traditional banks will review the opportunity and start a dialog with you if they are interested. Through this channel you might be approached by people looking to invest in your company or loan you the money you need to get started.

Meta-Franchise Consulting looks forward to working with you to secure the financing you need to make your dream of business ownership a reality.

http://www.metafranchiseconsulting.com/

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The Currencies of Trade

The following post was written by Pam Duskocy, Director of Business Development for Schooley Mitchell. Pam sends out a newsletter on a regular basis. This one really struck a cord for me and I'm excited to share it with you.
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The Currencies of Trade
Every Franchise system should have a clear understanding of the following concepts. In addition, they should have a clear marketing strategy to help their Franchisees communicate to customers and prospects about how they will deliver these currencies as they operate their Franchise.

Trade. Give something to get something. Our inhabited globe has come a long way since the act of trade meant that ‘I’ll give you one caribou if you give me three baskets of carrots and a cord of wood’. However, that same basic tenet still drives all economic transactions. Value for value is the test. If we can create more value then we can get more value back when we auction ours. The only difficulty is that the definition of value is ever-changing. Therefore it would make sense that if we can figure out who defines value, we will be able to create and deliver more of it.

Remember from the discussion about Basic Business Concepts that ‘It’s all about the customer’. So if we accept that it’s all about the customer then it follows that the customer is the beast that defines value. Seems simple. Seems basic. Seems unchallengeable.

O.K. so how do we figure out what the customer defines as value? It seems to make sense that we need to find ways to ask the customers that we choose to serve. We need to ask them to define what they find more and more valuable. We also need to accept that the definition of today will not be the same definition of tomorrow. At some point, somebody figured out that the customer wanted a fatter caribou, and if a fatter caribou was delivered, then four baskets of carrots and some extra wood could be obtained. They probably asked the carrot guy.

Study of business customers in today’s world will reveal that there are some basic currencies of trade that hold value for the customer. Understanding these basic currencies will help to define the specific methods and characteristics that are required of the product or service you provide to meet the value definition of your customer.

Money
This is the most accepted version of currency in most people’s minds. In fact, money is used in our common language synonymously with currency. I propose that it is only one currency, albeit the one we trade with in commercial transactions most apparently.

In reality, it’s just the bridge between the caribou and the carrots. I mean, surely people don’t really want a stack of paper. No, they want the carrots if they’ve already got a bunch of caribou. Our forefathers have simply been able to structure a system where the paper can be traded for stuff, and stuff can be traded for paper – and we’re all willing to abide by this trading system.

So a dressmaker is willing to trade one of his dresses for some paper. The landlord is willing to rent part of her space to the dressmaker to display dresses in return for some of his paper. The grocer will accept the landlord’s paper for some carrots – no caribou required.

We all get this one. So if we know that one of the currencies that businesses desire is money, then our products and services must be able to help our customers gain more money. It seems simple but I’m not sure we have that goal firmly in mind when we illustrate our wares.

However, just like the system of trading stuff for paper is simple, so is the concept that we need to show our customers how they can gain more money by doing business with us. The better we can communicate that message, the more attractive our goods and services will be to our desired customers.

Time
Any desired commodity, currency in the case of this discussion, increases in value as it increases in scarcity. Although we were all hoodwinked into believing that the computer revolution of the 1980’s was going to make us so efficient that we would have gobs of time on our hands, I don’t think there are too many converts to that ascribed belief any longer.

When we discuss our clients’ need for more time in their respective businesses, during our training class for all new Schooley Mitchell Franchisees, I always relate the following story.

The scene was at a National Franchise Convention waiting for the kick-off speaker to begin the proceedings. There were several hundred Franchisors like me sitting in the convention hall, when from the back of the room this guy entered, flipping a head of lettuce up and down. He walked right up the middle aisle continually flipping the leafy orb. There were a few snickers because it was apparent to some that an inmate had gone over the wall at the local asylum.

With a determined look, and a single purpose in mind, this guy trotted right up to the front of the room, climbed onto the stage, and leapt behind the podium. With a greatly threatening look, he bellowed, “Somebody in this room tell me why this head of lettuce represents the most important concept that you must understand for your business to survive in the next decade!” He was completely fired up, spittle was flying, and he was turning red. At this point half the room was convinced of the asylum scenario, while the other half realized that this was actually the guest speaker.

Gliding down a bit from his commando high, he said, “O.K., I want to ask you a couple of questions.” He went on to say, “I want you to think back ten years, picture in your mind your local grocery store, and tell me how many square feet were dedicated to heads of lettuce at 79 cents each.” After a bit of a pregnant pause, someone in the audience yelled out, “30 square feet.”

Our now calm and seemingly rational speaker now asked, “O.K we can accept that answer, so now flash forward ten years to today and somebody tell me how many square feet are dedicated to heads of lettuce in today’s grocery store at 89 cents.” The answer came back as ten square feet.

The next question was, “Now somebody tell me how many square feet are dedicated to prepared salads at $4.95 each.” The revelation was clear. Yes, that’s where the other 20 square feet went – in fact, the current stores may even use more than 20 feet! The crowd was elated that they had solved the riddle.

Then in a very quiet, almost ominous tone he asked, “So what is that about and why does it matter so much to your business?”

His message was of course that it was about time. We are willing to pay good money, already conceded to be a valuable currency, to save ourselves time. We will pay a premium to avoid cutting carrots and cucumbers, and in my mind I plead guilty to the act.

In fact, he said, “Time is the currency of today’s economy, and you need to figure out how you are delivering time to your customers, or you will not thrive.”

The story hit hard, made a strong and valid point, and I have been thoroughly convinced of the importance of time as a currency of trade ever since. The challenge of course is to figure out how to deliver time to our customers. Before we can do that we have to figure out how we can make it clear to our customers that we will, in fact, help them to gain time through our wares.

Money and time are certainly the most recognizable and widely accepted of the currencies of trade. However, it is my belief that we also trade in Security, Knowledge and Prestige. These currencies will be reviewed in more detail in a subsequent release, but for now, suffice it to say that we need to feel secure, not only physically, but also that we have made the right decisions. We also crave knowledge. In fact, we live in a knowledge-based society now. The vast majority of people trade for prestige as well. Otherwise, why would we wear what we wear, drive what we drive, live where we live?

Money, time, security, knowledge and prestige make up the suite of Currencies of Trade. So the challenge is how to deliver these items, and how to make our customers aware of how we deliver them.

http://www.metafranchiseconsulting.com/

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