In two days, one of the nation’s leading franchise coaching networks, The Entrepreneur’s Source, is hosting Start a Business Weekend, a virtual franchising expo January 24 through 26, 2013.
The Start a Business Weekend® expo allows attendees to “walk” through a digital Exhibit Hall and visit the booths of more than 60 of the nation’s hottest franchise concepts where they can chat live with representatives from a variety of different franchise brands, learn how to finance their new business, attend keynote presentations, and download informational resources with relevant information about franchising and specific opportunities throughout the nation. Business coaches from The Entrepreneur’s Source® will also be available to help would-be entrepreneurs discover business opportunities that meet their personal goals, needs and expectations.
“Today’s career economy is plagued with uncertainty, especially as more and more companies move towards a more fluid, part-time workforce. In order to take control, many are pursuing entrepreneurship through franchising as a viable means to achieve their desired Income, Lifestyle, Wealth and Equity goals for them and their families,” said Terry Powell, CEO and founder of The Entrepreneur’s Source®, noting that studies show more than 70 percent of the U.S. population looks to be self sufficient rather than working for somebody else. “This is the year to make the move to entrepreneurship and create the next, improved version of your life or what we’re calling You 2.0TM. Our virtual Start a Business Weekend® expo is all about getting important questions answered, while offering valuable resources to prospective franchisees – no matter their current situation.”
The Entrepreneur’s Source® has more than 25 years of experience in helping make franchisors and their franchisees more profitable. With more than 230 offices in the United States and Canada, The Entrepreneur’s Source® presents prospective franchisees with new business opportunities that complement their goals, needs and expectations, while delivering franchisors the right individuals to grow their concepts. Additionally, the company also offers business-coaching services to help franchisees advance, improve efficiency and increase the return on the investment made on their franchise business.
These days it seems like every company has a celebrity linked to its product or services: Beyoncé drinks Pepsi. Betty White eats Snickers (and plays football). Kate Hudson uses Almay and wears Ann Taylor. Ashton Kutcher snaps photos with his Nikon. Sarah Jessica Parker and Giada DeLaurentis both color their hair with Garnier products.
The big boys are shelling out the big bucks to big stars in exchange for public support of their business. What should small businesses and franchises do? Is a celebrity endorsement really the best use of money when you’re trying to engender customer loyalty?
The short answer? No.
Think about it; how often does a celebrity endorsement really affect your buying behaviors? Do you trust 50 Cent? What about Kim Kardashian? I didn’t think so.
At its core, each transaction is about trust. As a matter of fact, need or want is irrelevant– sometimes we buy things we want but don’t need and sometimes we buy things need but don’t want. Regardless of our motivation for purchasing something, as we pull the dollar bills from our wallets we’re trusting that the service or product will be or do what we believe it will.
A recent study by Battery Ventures makes three very salient points on the subject of buyer behavior in a social context: celebrity affiliation does not build trust, service is king and family trumps friends.
So, what should the little guys — franchises and small businesses– do to grow their customer base? It’s easier than you think:
Hire the right people and treat them well. Hire employees you trust and are proud to have as part of your team. Invest in their happiness and there’s a high chance they’ll treat your customers with same loyalty and respect.
Treat your customers like friends and family. One of the biggest reasons why we return to the same restaurants, car mechanics and grocery stores is based upon previous positive experiences. Treat your customer’s concerns or complaints with grace and they’ll come back.
Share good news and specials through social media. Social media isn’t just for college students, as you well know by now. Businesses can really make a big difference in their bottom lines by utilizing platforms like Twitter and Facebook to keep customers engaged. It also makes it easier for friends of customers to hear about you. We all know that we trust what our friends and families say about other businesses.
If you want to get someone to endorse your brand, pick someone who’s already been using your business’ goods and services. People are more likely to believe an everyday person uses and likes your business instead of Brad Pitt.
You made it! The Mayans were wrong, your family didn’t drive you completely crazy during Christmas and civilization endures. But, there’s another hurtle left to jump: your list of resolutions for 2013. As the number of remaining days in 2012 shrinks, it’s time for you to consider your future…
Will 2013 be the year you (finally) learn to love kale and embrace the treadmill? Is this the year you start– and finish– all of those DIY projects? A year from now, as you reflect upon the past 12 months, will you pat yourself on the back because you did what you finally promised yourself you would do: start your own business and become your own boss?
Or, will you let 2013 be a carbon copy of 2012?
(The correct answer is no.)
If you plan on making 2013 your best year yet (and one of financial independence) owning your own business needs to top your list of new year’s resolutions, and here’s why:
THE FISCAL CLIFF: Despite what you’ve heard or read, the majority of small business owners aren’t so doom and gloom about the fiscal cliff/slope/precipice as you might think. As the backbone of our nation’s capitalist society, small business owners know and live the value of progress and forward movement. They’re unafraid of putting their shoulder to the wheel and know that no matter what happens, they’ll make it work.
FUNDING: Traditional SBA-backed loans remain a touch-and-go source of funding for small businesses. Some find traditional lending to be the best and easiest way to raise capital. For others, banks are unwilling to loan for whatever reason. As a whole, banks say they’d like to make more loans but it seems that many have upped their standards due to regulatory pressure. Regardless, securing a loan is definitely possible.
YOU’RE A VETERAN If you’re a military veteran you are in high demand– especially in the franchise industry. Many franchises are so pro-veteran they’re only recruiting veterans to become franchisees, like J Dog Junk Removal . Often, veterans are offered significantly discounted franchise fees, financial incentives and mentorship opportunities “regular” franchisees don’t receive. As an added bonus, Sprigster’s “Boost a Hero” program is specifically designed to help veterans and their spouses become franchise and small business owners through crowd-funding.
YOU’RE A FORMER CORPORATE EXECUTIVE OR SMALL BUSINESS OWNER: Exiled or retired corporate executives and former small business owners make excellent franchisees. Franchisors are always keen to recruit those with business experience, especially those with an entrepreneurial spirit and previous management training.
THE CURRENT PREDICTIONS FOR 2013: Again, despite what you may have heard, the franchise industry is yet again poised for growth unseen by most other industries since 2008. The number of franchise establishments is expected to increase by 1.4 percent in 2013, from 746,828 to 757,055 with the number of jobs increasing 2 percent, reaching 8.262 million, according to a study by the IFA’s Educational Foundation. In addition, the same report also projects the gross domestic product of the franchise sector to increase 4.1 percent in 2013 to $472 billion.
So, what will it be? Learn which franchise or business opportunity is right for you.
According to Pantone, the “it” color of 2013 will be emerald green. But that’s not the only trend worth considering– what about the “it” menu items diners are sure to see on their menus next year?
A survey of over 1,800 professional chefs produced the National Restaurant Association’s list of top ten menu trends for 2013. The top ten list indicates that consumers have four things in mind: cost, where their food comes from, gluten and their kids.
Consumers remain concerned about food costs while eating out, as suggested by the prediction that new cuts of meat will continue to appear on menus. These new cuts of meat, like the Denver steak, are lesser-known and less expensive but have become more popular as tough economic times have eaten into consumer’s disposable income.
The locovore movement continues to grow as more diners look for locally grown produce, locally raised meat, and sustainable seafood. Thanks to the popularity of cooking shows, food magazines and the rise of the celebrity chef, consumers are increasingly aware of how food appears on the dinner table– and they want it to be in an environmentally conscientious manner.
Gluten-free items began appearing on menus a few years ago– thank you Miley Cyrus– and, if anything, have increased in number and popularity. Pizza franchises like Domino’s offer gluten-free crusts in an effort to include those who have Celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity.
Many of the top trends carried over from last year, including children’s nutrition and locally sourced produce.
Do you think the predictions for 2012 proved to be true? Do you think 2013’s top ten list is missing a trend?
Grabbing something from the vending machine in your office building is usually a last resort when your stomach is grumbling around 4:00 p.m. Each option is a dietician’s nightmare– full of trans fats, sugar, empty calories and processed ingredients. Unless you’re grabbing something from a Healthy U Snacks vending machine.
Before T. Hephner, the owner of the Healthy U Snacks franchise, was replacing candy bars with granola bars, he worked in the pharmaceutical industry in business development. A hectic work and travel schedule kept him away from his family, so he decided to try his hand at being an entrepreneur. It wasn’t long before he latched onto the healthy vending machine concept– and almost bought a healthy vending machine franchise from a competitor.
“Vending is a tough business and when you nickel and dime your franchisees they’re not going to make money.” Which is why, of course, Hephner decided to start his own healthy vending franchise as opposed to buying into another concept.
What separates Healthy U Snacks from it’s competitors — both other healthy vending machine concepts and the traditional kind — is the concept’s cost structure and its products.
The cost structure of a Healthy U Snacks vending franchise is different– and better– for the franchisee. Hephner is interested in making sure his franchisees’ vending machines are placed in the best high traffic areas possible.
“We’re looking for high volume locations. Daily transactions mean money,” says Hephner.
Healthy U Snacks franchisees are also able to stock their machines with over 5,000 different products– from well-known to obscure health brands– because the franchise isn’t contracted to stock only a particular purveyor’s goods. The only caveat? Everything must be all-natural. While this doesn’t always mean every item is low in calories it does mean those who buy snacks from Healthy U Snacks are eating real food.
While Healthy U Snacks’ concept is decidedly on-trend as major efforts are made to halt America’s rising obesity rates, the franchise does face opposition.
“The biggest obstacle we see are in areas that are more traditional; the concept of a healthy vending machine is scary,” explains Hephner. “Times have changed. Healthy food doesn’t taste like styrofoam.”
Surprisingly, the least amount of resistance comes from the younger generations.
“When I bring in vending machines into high schools they’re empty by the end of the day,” says Hephner.
To become involved with Healthy U Snacks as a franchisee Hephner and his team really look for those who are equally excited and passionate about healthy eating and encouraging awareness of healthy eating habits. There are also two main kinds of Healthy U Snacks franchisees: those who are supplementing current income and those who want to supply vending machines for an entire territory.
“It’s very easy to run this business as a second source of income,” explains Hephner.
There are also those who want Healthy U Snacks to become their primary source of revenue and choose to invest in 20 machines spread across an entire territory. These are the rarest franchisees that Hephner has; most use vending machines to supplement their current source of income.
There’s no denying the allure of a cupcake: sweet, creamy frosting (preferably vanilla) and moist, delicate cake (preferably chocolate) is a winning combination. But, can you be successful owning a cupcake bakery? Can it really make you money?
The short answer? Yes — and Yummy Cupcakes has proven it’s possible.
In 2004, Executive Chef Tiffini Soforenko opened the now award-winning Yummy Cupcakes in Los Angeles, California. Since then, she’s served gourmet cupcakes and other treats to customers and celebrities the world over. As of September 2012, Yummy Cupcakes is sharing its secrets to sweet success as it expands as a fresh new franchise concept.
Yummy Cupcakes’ hub and spoke business model positions each franchisee at the center of multiple incoming revenue streams. At the center of the business model is Yummy Cupcakes’ bakehouse, a location that both sells and bakes cupcakes. A bakehouse is capable of baking up to 12,000 cupcakes a day– enough to sustain sales at 2-4 satellite Yummy Cupcakes locations, which don’t perform any onsite baking. In addition to cupcake sells (the average ticket is $14), half of Yummy Cupcakes’ business comes from catering sales.
“Taste is very subjective, but our Los Angeles locations win ‘Best in Show’ each time in one of the most competitive markets,” says Dennis Mulgannon, Yummy Cupcakes’ director of franchising.
Part of Yummy Cupcakes’ success lies in its proprietary icing and cupcake recipes. The franchise doesn’t use a single pre-made mix for any of its 430 flavors– some of which are vegan and sugar-free– and include interesting combinations like Apple Blue Cheese and Tomato Soup in addition to more traditional, sweet offerings.
Currently, Yummy Cupcakes operates three locations in California and two international locations in the Middle East. Since it began franchising in early September of 2012, Yummy Cupcakes already has locations in Boston, France, Italy, the U.K., NYC, Texas, Nevada, Colorado, Oman, Japan and Abu Dhabi.
So, who are they looking for when it comes to potential franchisees?
“We’re looking for candidates with business experience– be it former small business owners or former corporate executives,” explains Mulgannon. “A passion for baking is great, but we’re not looking for someone who likes to make cupcakes– we’re looking for someone who understands basic business skills, knows what a P&L is, and how to manage a growing business.”
Pizza Hut isn’t the first franchise to stick its foot in its mouth, but it might be the first to do so in a political arena.
Last week, Pizza Hut offered one of the attendees at Tuesday’s Town Hall presidential debate at Hofstra University free pizza for life if they asked one of the candidates, “Sausage or pepperoni?”
As Kurt Kane, the pizza franchise’s chief marketing officer said, some of the response Pizza Hut received wasn’t positive. Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report took a stab at the franchise by saying, “What could be more American than using our electoral process for product placement?” (He kind of has a point.) And Gawker snarked, “Want Free Pizza Hut For Life? Just Make a Mockery of the American Democratic System on Live TV.”
Seems like a high price to pay for free pizza a week for up to 30 years.
Pizza Hut (fortunately) changed direction following the negative press it received. The pizza franchise will now randomly select one pizza lover who voted on the sausage vs. pepperoni topic on the Pizza Hut website this past Tuesday.
How has your franchise incorporated the election into its marketing?
A franchise might just have the solution as to how America can put its youth back on the global playing field– literally.
The education system has seen its share of cutbacks thanks to the Great Recession. A report released last year indicates that cuts to education funding has led to:
reduction in early childhood education programs
increases in class size
termination of art, music, physical education, and other elective classes
elimination of Advanced Placement courses, extracurricular activities, special science, foreign language, and technology programs
To some, sports might not be a “subject” but that’s not to say that sports don’t have their place in the education system. The disintegration of organized sports in America’s school systems is a major problem, as a recent study of 317 middle school students commissioned by the American College of Sports Medicine found that:
The fittest group of students scored almost 30% higher on standardized tests than the least fit group;
The least fit group had grades in four core classes that were 13-20% lower than the fittest group.
So, what do we do? As it turns out, the franchise Sports Image might just have an answer.
As a marketing consulting agency for grassroots sports teams that are in need, Sports Image solicits sponsorships from various businesses– large and small– for teams that need everything from new uniforms to a new scoreboard.
As President and CEO Eric Hortsman puts it, “Sports Image is a booster club on steroids.”
To date, Sports Image has given over $10 million in equipment and $1 million in cash to elementary school, middle school, high school, public recreation department, religious organization, Division II college, and Division III college teams.
Unsurprisingly, Sports Image has watched the need for its services rise considerably since the Great Recession. Then again, the public and not for profit sectors always need financial help, something that the franchisees of Sports Image are happy to give.
“A lot of companies do good and charitable work. Sports Image, at its core, is helping others,” says Hortsman.
Tom Carmichael, a Sports Image franchisee in Virginia, loves what Sports Image does for communities, as he’s “really been taken aback by how schools are hurting.”
“Being a Sports Image franchisee means having your own business but also being able to understand the wants and needs of a school, and then being able to go out and get it for them,” he says.
As for the sponsors, “They love it,” he says. “They get good advertising from it.”
Prior to becoming a Sports Image franchisee, Tom spent 33 years working his way up the corporate ladder at the same company, which he admits was a wonderful opportunity. He noticed that fewer and fewer new hires had a “team mentality”, something that had been instilled in him as a youth sports player.
During his college years, Tom played baseball and basketball despite being legally blind in one eye. He credits his coaches with giving him confidence in his abilities despite his handicap. In addition, he’s still best friends with his teammates from his college years.
“It’s like putting on an old jacket; it just fits me really well.”
In the two years since the Great Recession ended in 2009, staffing firms have created more jobs than any other industry. As Jason Deverant, vice president of sales for @Work Personnel Services says, “Private sector temporary staffing is a leader in job creation.”
Despite the economy’s sluggish recovery, if you own a staffing franchise business has been good. According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, the temporary help services industry put nearly half a million Americans back to work and accounted for 91 percent of non-farm job growth from June 2009 – June 2011. For @Work, this has meant a 30 percent increase in profits over just last year.
“We’re looking for similar growth numbers this year,” Deverant adds.
As an industry, temporary staffing and recruiting are hyper-cyclical, fluctuating with the contraction and expansion of the economy. A study from the American Staffing Association suggests that temporary staffing firms lose jobs first during an economic contraction and create jobs first during an economic recovery. In essence, the temporary staffing and recruiting industry is a litmus test for the rest of the economy.
For a variety of reasons, there hasn’t been a significant shift back to permanent hiring since the recovery began. Firms are, according to Deverant “a little gun shy” about returning to the old business model of hiring employees permanently.
“Awareness of staffing companies has increased and attitudes have changed,” explains Deverant. The Great Recession has issued a new staffing paradigm: temporary might just be the new permanent.
For the employer, staffing provides an obvious value. Shielded from workers compensation litigations, unemployment, and the need to offer benefits, firms are able to mitigate the inherent risks of hiring a permanent employee while still getting a project done on time. Staffing takes into account the seasonality of certain industries, too. In addition, using a staffing agency is an enormous time saver for the employer.
“Very often we hear, ‘It’s hard for us to find a new candidate, I don’t have the time.’,” says Deverant.
But what about the employee? Is staffing good for the temp, too? According to Jason Deverant, it is. Instead of being tied down to one particular job every day, a temporary hire can pick and choose which projects he or she wishes to be a part of. There’s an increase in modality that’s coveted many full-time employees. In addition, work is often accomplished in a more project-oriented manner. The temporary staffer is treated more like a contractor than just a “filler” employee.
How staffing benefits both employer and employee.
The need for staffing reaches into multiple industries extending beyond the traditional administrative work, which is why @Work’s franchising model includes four distinct staffing lines: personnel, medical services, search group, and helping hands.
“Our model is more cost effective,” says Deverant, “There’s about a 30 percent savings to comparable business models.”
In addition to providing staffing for multiple industries, @Work prides itself on its screening process. Finding quality temporary staffers is a huge part of what has made @Work a major competitor in the world of staffing. When a firm approaches you to fill a position, they’re trusting you to do the same kind of thorough recruitment and background check they’d do– if they had the time.
Of course, @Work’s dedication to finding franchisees is equally strong.
“An ideal @Work franchisee candidate is, of course, someone with staffing experience,” jokes Deverant, “But most of all we’re looking for someone with relationship development skills.”
Many of @Works’ franchisees are former human resources professionals who have made the switch to staffing. Those who aren’t skilled in sales (or might be a little rusty) need not worry. As part of the franchise’s standard fees, @Work dedicates a substantial amount of time preparing new franchisees for their new business ownership role.
“Our model is fairly inexpensive when you break the costs down,” says Deverant. Of course, a lot depends on the market in which a franchisee chooses to establish his or her location, but an @Work franchise usually costs between $77,000 and $120,000. According to Deverant, this includes the franchise fee, training fees, estimation of start-up costs, equipment purchases, client development cash, and additional overhead. As Deverant notes, franchisees can make frugal choices and bring this cost down even more.
What to do when your customers go from engaged to enraged.
The advent of social media has ushered in a new customer service paradigm. Interactions between a business and its customers — positive or negative– are now part of a company’s narrative thanks to platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
For businesses, this presents an opportunity to engage with its customer base and obtain feedback on its products and services. Under normal circumstances, this is a good, even great, thing. But, when a customer turns from engaged to enraged, a business is often caught off-guard, especially if a customer chooses to vent his or her frustration publicly. An angry customer is a scary thing; an angry customer on Twitter or Facebook is terrifying.
Dissatisfied customers present a unique challenge to franchises. Negative feedback expressed publicly can not only tarnish the reputation of the local outpost, but also influence a potential customer’s perception of the brand overall. As Forbes reported earlier this year, “when you make a decision to choose one brand over another, you’re influenced more by the company’s reputation than any particular product it offers.”
So how do you manage your reputation, keep your customers happy, and protect your bottom line? Satmetrix has a suggestion: put your net promoter score to work.
There are three types of customers: promotors, passives, and detractors. Customers that support and advocate for your brand are promoters. Those that support your business but aren’t telling their friends and family about you are considered passives. Customers that speak out against your business due to a poor experience are labeled as detractors. A brand’s net promoter score is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters and provides a company with a numeric indication of its customer base’s level of satisfaction.
Traditionally, a net promoter score was calculated through surveys, which have become so ubiquitous they’re ineffective. Fewer and fewer customers care to respond to surveys because they get so many. Spark Score, a program from Satmetrix, surveys what customers are already saying by sweeping the Internet and social media.
At this point, the folks at Satmetrix decided to go a step further. After the net promoter score has been calculated, more questions are asked. In doing so, Satmetrix is able to draw a correlation between the net promoter score and what’s causing a customer to recommend your brand or, in some cases, to not recommend your brand. The goal is to identify the moment that franchises (and other businesses) are dropping the ball in order to fix the underlying error, improve overall customer relations, and ultimately win customers back.
A recent study performed by the Gallup Business Journal indicates that bringing on new customers is about emotion, not price or product. It costs more money to woo a new customer than it does to keep an existing one. In addition, satisfied existing customers spend an average of 2.6 times more than one that’s relatively satisfied and 14 times more than one that isn’t satisfied.
In the graph below, total revenue is represented by the total sales from passive and promoter customers in a nonexistent company. Total potential revenue represents the total sales from promoters, passives, and detractors who have returned as passive customers after having their customer service issues resolved. On average, the difference between the total and total potential revenues each month is $9,333.
The way Satmetrix has designed their program gives franchises the ability to assign each customer type a value, placing into perspective the real cost of a dissatisfied customer. In the case of the nonexistent company above, one detractor equals 2.6 passives and 1 promoter. So, when you lose a customer due to a poor customer service experience, you may need two customers to make up the difference in lost revenue.
At the end of the day, it’s more than the loss of a customer and sales; a detractor also has the ability to turn potential clients into detractors before they’ve even become a paying customer. When you’re looking to try a new restaurant or need help mowing your lawn you turn to family members and your friends for recommendations. The same applies to every business.
Satmetrix hasn’t stopped at creating a better net promoter score or helping companies assign a value to each customer type. With Satmetrix, sales teams can respond to customer service emergencies in real-time, assuaging a dissatisfied customer’s frustrations before they’ve said sayonara and been welcomed with open arms by a competitor. It’s also at this point that Satmetrix can help companies identify exactly where they’re going wrong in the sales process. As Carol Tice of Entrepreneur magazine points out, two of the best ways to keep angry customers from storming out and never coming back are reaching out via social media and fixing the broken policies.
Questions about what it’s like to be a FranServe franchisee? Read what real franchisees had to say about their business relationship with the franchise consultants.
“I was introduced into the Franchise Consultant idea from a personal friend who knew my strengths and mentioned looking into it. I never realized there was such a thing. I made my calls and became very impressed with the overall business model of becoming a Franchise Consultant. It would allow me to utilize all of my past professional experiences.
The result has been extremely rewarding. It is the most enjoyable job I have had in my professional career. The economic times brings new meaning for those who are tired of job changes every 2.5 years and not finding another for another average of 40 weeks, per the US Department Labor of Statistics. There are more businesses and franchises that bring unique and proven business models to investors who want to own their own business. As a Franchise Consultant I am able to assist those looking for a career change. Many times my clients have called and thanked me to put them into a new career that has made such a positive impact in their lives.”
– Dick Humphrey, Silverthorne, CO
“I have been a franchise consultant for just over two years. Previously I owned a computer franchise for around 9 years and while having a lot of success with it I became interested in helping others get started and help them find similar success. When I found out about franchise consulting I knew it would be a great fit for what I wanted to do. Within two months of getting started I closed a deal worth $50K in commission. I’ve been enjoying it ever since. I enjoy the freedom I have while doing this and for an entrepreneurial person like myself, I feel like this provides me with the entrepreneurial playground I was looking for. What I have learned over the last two years is absolutely invaluable. I feel like I’m on the cutting edge of the franchise industry.”
– Jamie Smid, Waterloo, IA
“I have been a Franchise Consultant for almost 3 years now and it continues to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. I was introduced into the world of franchising back in 2005 when I began doing franchise sales for a home care franchise company. I had never really heard of franchise consultants before and realized very quickly their value to Franchisors. Consultants made my job easier, because I knew they were only sending me qualified candidates. In 2009 I made the leap to consulting and haven’t looked back. It has given me everything I need in a career, great money, flexibility and joy in knowing I am helping people find the business of their dreams.”
– Vicktoria White, Atlanta, GA
“I had thought seriously about owning my own business for a long time. I had some prior experience as an owner a few decades back. I had owned a restaurant with another partner back in the late 1980’s for five years; unfortunately it was not a franchise. To make a long story short, I studied franchise business options for about a year before I finally made my decision to become a Franchise Consultant. I had looked at many different brand categories but in the end, franchise consulting really seemed to be a great fit for me overall.
I signed my agreement in October, 2010. I resigned my prior job and went at this full-time and whole heartily. I set specific goals and worked diligently at achieving those goals. I closed my first deal, put money into my bank account, January 2011. My second deal closed in March, 2011. That second deal returned my entire investment and more and I was already into the black. I finished my first full year well ahead of my initial monetary goals that I had set. Being your own boss certainly gives you a lot of flexibility and enables you a much better life style than working for a corporate office. I just hated having someone else’s thumb on my head, relentlessly pushing for results. I love being my own boss and that feeling is even greater knowing that my earnings are higher than I had ever earned in the past. I am very happy with the decision I made to move forward and become a franchise consultant. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made for myself.”
– John Fretty, Casselbury, FL
“My name is Susan Fraize and I have been a franchise consultant for over 9 years. I enjoy every minute of my “professional choice”, made in 1996, to leave the education field, after having spent 13.5 years as a teacher and administrator.
My background includes a BA in Elementary education, a MS in School Administration and an ED. S. in School Administration. I was an Elementary Educational Administrator at the age of 26 and continued for 10.5 years as a principle.
One I decided to leave the education field I chose to work in the franchise field as a consultant. I he found the experience to be ever-changing, enjoyable, and financially rewarding. I work from home, set my schedule, thus; I have created a “life-style” which meets the needs of me and my family.”
– Susan Fraize Carmel, IN
“I spent a lot of time in the corporate world and I also owned several traditional brick and mortar businesses. I did well, but I got tired of all the long hours and all the costs involved in running those types of businesses. Before I decided on becoming a Franchise Consultant, I researched quite a few businesses. Franchise Consulting was the only business that satisfied all my criteria: a fast growing, recession-proof industry, a low investment, low overhead, high income potential, time flexibility, professional clientele, and fulfillment from providing a valuable service to many people. I have been very pleased with my decision. I achieved a six figure income in my first year, and I have tripled my income since then. Also, I have much more control of my time and I feel a great deal of satisfaction from helping other people achieve their goals.”
How One Franchise Is Teaching Kids to Cook Better Than Their Parents
The idea of a child using a knife is enough to make any parent nervous. For Barbara Beery, it’s not so bad. For the past 25 years, Barbara has been surrounded by children with knives as a cooking instructor.
Born and raised in Austin, TX, Barbara has spent most of her life cooking. As a child, she was always in the kitchen with her mother. As a mother, Beery was always in the kitchen with her three young children. After the arrival of her third child, Beery needed a little extra cash.
Not wanting to put her kids in daycare, Barbara put her degree in education to work as a part-time preschool teacher. In her spare time, she taught cooking classes for children out of her home in Austin, Texas. She realized that, as a teacher, she had access to a large potential customer base: children and their busy parents.
All it took was a flier to fill a few of Beery’s cooking classes After a few years of teaching both preschool and cooking classes, Barbara saw children’s cooking classes were something she could pursue full-time. That was 25 years ago.
From Kitchen to Franchise
From the very beginning, Barbara never simplified the recipes she taught to her students. “Kids can do so much more than just frost a cupcake,” explains Beery.
Most of the recipes Beery teaches are inspired by adult cookbooks (as opposed to those penned for children). Instead, she substitutes ingredients and changes a few names to make them appropriate for younger and smaller chefs. “Children are so beyond throwing a peanut-butter-and-jelly something together,” Beery says.
Today, Barbara Beery is the President and Owner of Foodie Kids, a franchise opportunity that teaches children’s cooking classes and sells child-appropriate cooking materials. She still teaches classes at the franchise’s Austin, Texas location; it’s what she “really loves.” In addition, Barbara writes the franchise’s curriculum, divines new recipes, and creates new classes.
When it comes to new classes, Barbara feels it’s important to stay up-to-date with the media, food trends and various new movies. For example, one summer she built a series of classes around the movie “Ratatouille” following its release. Of course, she’s constantly in contact with her little chefs and their parents. “There’s nothing more invaluable than listening to our customers.”
How Foodie Kids Works
As a franchise, Foodie Kids generates revenue in two ways: through cooking classes and its retail store. Each location separates the retail portion from the kitchen area for obvious health and safety reasons, but onlookers are able to watch cooking classes through large glass windows.
The retail area of the franchise is, according to Beery, “a cross between a kitchen supply store like Williams-Sonoma and a fabulous toy store like FAO Schwartz.Everything you can imagine having to do with kids and with cooking we sell,” Beery says.
Anytime the retail portion of Foodie Kids is open, kids can come in to make a snack for free. Not only does this entice children into the retail area (which is great for franchisees), it allows parents the opportunity to sit down, relax, and enjoy a cup of coffee while their little ones are happily playing. An added bonus? “It’s not their kitchen,” says Beery. There’s nothing to clean up.
In the Foodie Kids kitchen, children are taught according to their age and/or experience level. Those who are new to cooking or are very young will use child-appropriate safety knives, which are sold in-store. Foodie Kids also teaches a knife skills workshop. According to Beery, most children between 7 and 8 cannot use sharp knives that aren’t designed for children. “A 7 or 8 year old who has grown up in a cooking family can use a sharp knife,” says Beery.
“As many recipes as you can think of– that’s what we do,” says Beery of the cooking classes. “Children have made turkey sliders, homemade buns, vanilla ice cream, crêpes, chocolate croissants and coq au vin,” she says. Several of her students have gone on to culinary academies to become chefs.
“Cooking is one of those things that with the right environment and instruction, a child can be instantly successful. The best part of my job is when the little light bulb goes off in a child’s head, when they accomplish whatever we’re working on for the first time. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 2 year old or a 10 year old.”
Finding Franchisees
While the only location in current existence is the original in Austin, potential franchisees shouldn’t be alarmed. Barbara has been in the business for 25 years and Foodie Kids has only been franchising since mid-May of 2012.
If you’re interested in becoming a franchisee, loving to cook and loving kids are both important but they’re certainly not all Barbara looks for when selecting entrepreneurs to further Foodie Kids. “This is a business, it’s not a hobby. This isn’t something to tinker around with for three to five hours a day and walk away from,” Barbara says of her franchise. She makes the point that it is a small business.
“We don’t want an absentee franchisee. These parents and grandparents are bringing in their most precious possession to teach and do right by. You need to have your face in that store.” Beery asserts.
Once an entrepreneur becomes a Foodie Kids franchisee training begins in Austin at the original Foodie Kids location. Additional training is provided on-site at the franchisee’s new location for 3-5 days during the initial opening week. Barbara hopes that the new franchises who join Foodie Kids will incorporate new ideas into the program.
“You can’t think of everything!” she quips.
Success Story
If you’re wondering as to the practicality and profitability of a children’s cooking franchise in this economy, Beery has proved that it’s possible be successful. Foodie Kids in its current incarnation began two years ago and, despite never advertising, experienced the kind of success you don’t hear of– even in a booming economy.
“We opened the doors and we had profit in the first three months,” says Beery, much of which she credits to her local reputation.
That said, Foodie Kids provides a service that busy and working parents need and feel are of value. Barbara feels that cooking classes for children were once considered a luxury but now are ways for busy parents to keep kids busy during the summer months and after school when parents have to run errands, be at work, or need alone time.
