International Franchise Articles

As the American waistline has continued to expand, more and more people are turning to fitness centers to help them lose weight. Statistics show that more than 60 percent of all Americans are overweight. A 2004 report by nonprofit research group RTI International and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that obesity costs the United States as much as $75 billion in medical expenditures annually. "With the cost of health care being what it is, people want to make it a priority to take care of themselves," says Shirley Archer, an author, speaker, and health and wellness educator for the Health Improvement Program at Stanford University. Consequently, fitness-related franchises are rapidly growing to fill this niche.

The sandwich has come a long way since its invention in 1762 by the Fourth Earl of Sandwich - or so the story goes. That's when the Earl is credited with being the first person to slap a couple of slices of bread around his meat (or order his servants to).

Business supplies are like the air we breathe: they're all around, necessary for life, and noticed only when missing. Where would we be without our business cards, business forms, stationery, logo-ized pens, printer and toner cartridges-not to mention all the computing and communication gear and gizmos-that keep the wheels of commerce turning? And don't forget the signage on everything from delivery trucks to the booths of trade shows.

Quick lube shops may seem to be on every corner of most major American cities, but that's not true overseas in places like China and even north of the border in Canada.

Whether it's high-fat super-premium gourmet ice cream with mix-in candy, fudge, or fruit, or just plain vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt, for most Americans it's not if or when, but how often they'll indulge in a sweet, tasty, frozen dessert or treat. In the U.S. today, ice cream is a $20 billion-plus industry, with 90 percent market penetration. The industry is mature, meaning any gains from one competitor (Haagen-Dazs vs. Carvel) or segment (super premium vs. light) will be scooped from another.

John F. Kennedy made a famous speech at the Berlin Wall, when he said, "Ich bin ein Berliner." Literally, this translates to "I am a jelly donut" because a "Berliner" is a type of jelly donut. To be correct, he should have said "Ich bin Berliner." So now a famous phrase echoes around the world, with millions of people declaring that they want to be a jelly donut. But several million of those would probably rephrase it, "Ich bin ein Krispy Kreme"-fanatical followings are not unusual for that brand.

Domino's Pizza and Checker's Drive-In Restaurants are off to the races following the waving of the green flag. Both fast-food companies are capitalizing on NASCAR and other professional racing tie-ins that build awareness and increase sales.

At February's Franchise UPDATE Multi-Unit Conference in Dallas, attendees dug into their pockets to help Rocco Fiorentino's Little Rock Foundation. Multi-unit operators are known for generosity to charities, but the record for amounts may well go to Batteries Plus. Batteries Plus Multi-Unit Franchisee Leonard Cyphers, who owns three Atlanta-area Batteries Plus stores, was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's disease in 1997 at age 48. He is managing his disease with diet, medication, and exercise, and the help of a pioneer in Parkinson's research, Dr. Ray Watts.

An Italian proverb says, "One attains fortune through knowledge. One attains knowledge through mentors." Many real estate franchise companies are taking that proverb to heart. Training and retention of the very best sales associates and staff is crucial to the success of any real estate brokerage. Subsequently, real estate franchising companies such as Century 21, RE/MAX, Coldwell Banker, and ERA have begun implementing coaching and mentoring initiatives for their franchisees. Typically, these programs involve coaches or mentors who have extensive experience and successful track records as top producers. The programs arm franchisees with proven scripts and dialogues that help them deal with obstacles. Franchisees can also gain access to marketing and advertising materials that have been successful.

Do franchisors create more value and perform better financially than their non-franchise competitors? A resounding yes, according to a new study by The William Rosenberg International Center of Franchising at the University of New Hampshire.

Who ever forgets those early embarrassments? The careless and overheard remark in high school that gets repeated for months, the ticket for running a stoplight the day after you got your license-everyone knows those.

At this year's very successful International Franchise Association annual convention, we were bombarded with a plethora of laudatory statements about franchising. We were told that franchising accounts for more than 40% of retail sales in the U.S. economy, generating over a trillion dollars in sales per year, and that franchising companies provide the source of employment for more than eight million American workers. We heard success stories from both franchisors and franchisees.

In 2000, Lou Brown, one of the more successful high-tech entrepreneurs of the 1990's, decided to exchange silicon for a grease gun, and took over struggling Precision Tune.

Franchised businesses generate jobs for more than 18 million Americans and account for 9.5 percent of the private-sector economic output, a study released today by International Franchise Association Educational Foundation reported.

Julia Stewart is a very persuasive woman. As president, CEO, COO and director of IHOP Corp., she is, she says, using all her skills as a communicator, persuader, and collaborator, to revitalize one of the oldest and best-known foodservice brands.

Historically, a business plan is mostly a financial plan and analysis, specifically focusing on: "Why I need your money, what I will do with your money, how and when you will get your money back, and what a great guy I am and what a great business this is; or, why you should give me the money." It is usually a highly stylized presentation with numerous spreadsheets and exhibits.

Franchisors in search of new concepts have discovered a rich market in small businesses that could benefit from the perks that larger companies enjoy, but cannot justify or afford them. Having access to these professional services can have a profound impact on the success of small businesses.

Franchise companies do change hands; sometimes often. New ownership is not always sympathetic to the goals of franchisees, and that can cost a system badly. Some franchisees are taking a more aggressive approach to that situation-or the threat of it. They've become owners themselves. And there are good reasons why that strategy might work.

Franchisors in search of new concepts have discovered a rich market in small businesses that could benefit from the perks that larger companies enjoy, but cannot justify or afford them. Having access to these professional services can have a profound impact on the success of small businesses.

Rich Kissane's son was a good athlete, but "kind of clumsy," says the 25-year franchising veteran. The family was living near Atlanta, and friends told him about Velocity Sports Performance, a small company that offered the same kind of sports training that large professional sports organizations provided their players. Kissane enrolled his son, and "The next year, he was defensive player of the year for his football team."