March 10, 2010
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Your Cleaning and Maintenance Franchise News SourceFranchise News Watch brings you the latest in cleaning and maintenance franchising news from around the web. As a news aggregator for the cleaning and maintenance franchise industry, Franchise News Watch streams the latest ground breaking franchise articles, features, guides, blogs, news and more directly to your desktop.  Cleaning and Maintenance Franchise NewsSears Helps Washington Residents Access up to $100 in Rebates on ENERGY STAR(R)-Qualified AppliancesThe Sears Blue Appliance Crew(TM) is helping Washington State residents access the $6,284,000 in rebates available for ENERGY STAR?-qualified appliances starting on March 15, as part of the state's "Cash for Appliances" mail-in rebate program. Handyman Matters of Chicagoland West Suburbs Earns Coveted Angie's List Super Service AwardHandyman Matters of Chicagoland West Suburbs has been awarded the prestigious 2009 Angie's List Super Service Award. This is the third time winning this award for Handyman Matters franchise owner, Diane Sheppard. Handyman Matters in Clermont Participates in Charitable Initiative for the Community of Faith United Methodist ChurchHandyman Matters in Clermont is participating in a local charitable initiative by donating time along with others to construct a Cross and memorial garden in honor of Dave Grudowski, active member of the church that past away last November. Handyman Matters Chicago Wins Multiple Awards at 2010 National Franchise Convention and Earns Coveted Angie's List Super Service AwardHandyman Matters Chicago was recently awarded multiple awards at the national franchise convention held in Jacksonville, Florida. The awards include Market Penetration Award, K.P.I (key performance indicators) award and Award of Excellence for Top Sales. Handyman Matters of Gulf Coast Wins Multiple Awards at 2010 National Franchise ConventionHandyman Matters of Gulf Coast was recently awarded multiple awards at the national franchise convention held in Jacksonville, Florida. The awards include President's Award of Excellence, K.P.I (key performance indicators) award and 4th place in Total... Handyman Matters Awards Oleg Malamura with Craftsman of the Year for 2009Handyman Matters awarded Oleg Malamura with Craftsman of the Year for 2009 at national franchise convention held in Jacksonville, FL. The Craftsman of the Year is chosen as the nation's best based upon their skills in the trade and customer service.
New PuroClean CEO Sets Out on Ambitious 100-Day Tour of Franchise SystemIn an effort to rally the system behind his vision for the future of the nation's fastest growing property emergency services franchise, new PuroClean CEO Lauren John Reid is embarking on an international tour to build relationships with the men and ...
Maid Brigade Announces National Franchise Expansion OpportunitiesMaid Brigade(R), the nation's first and leading green-cleaning franchise, announced today the launch of an aggressive growth plan to increase its presence throughout the US. The first markets targeted for development include Chicago, Baltimore... Maid Brigade Announces National Franchise Expansion OpportunitiesMaid Brigade(R), the nation's first and leading green-cleaning franchise, announced today the launch of an aggressive growth plan to increase its presence throughout the US. The first markets targeted for development include Chicago, Baltimore... Sears Helps Minnesota Residents Access Up to $200 In Rebates On ENERGY STAR(R)-Qualified AppliancesThe Sears Blue Appliance Crew(TM) is helping Minnesota residents access the $5,009,000 in rebates available for ENERGY STAR?-qualified appliances as part of the "Cash for Appliances" rebate program. As the 2010 ENERGY STAR? Retail Partner of the Year... Property Restoration Training School, PuroClean Academy, Receives Top Industry Approval from IICRCPuroClean Academy, the training school of the nation's fastest growing property emergency services company, has earned Approved School status from The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).
Sears Is the Destination to Help Customers Experience a New Dimension in TVJudging from the box-office success of the latest 3-D movies, it is clear a new dimension is here - and not just in movies. 3-D home entertainment has arrived, and the Sears Blue Electronics Crew(TM) is teaming up with Samsung to make it even easier to... ZIPS Dry Cleaners Chooses New geoVue "Flex Suite" to Help Plan New Franchise ExpansiongeoVue, a leading provider of site selection, market optimization and sales forecasting solutions for retailers, restaurants and other chain facility operators, announced today that ZIPS Dry Cleaners has chosen geoVue's market planning, optimization... PuroClean's New CEO Builds on Momentum; Prepares Fast-Growing Franchise for the `Big Leagues'Following a record-setting year for franchise growth and revenue, PuroClean, the nation's fastest growing property emergency services franchise, took another major step forward with the appointment of Lauren John Reid to CEO. Sears Auto Centers Introduce Franchise BusinessSears Holdings Corp. today announced the launch of a new strategic initiative for the Sears Automotive business. The Independent Sears Auto Center franchise program offers automobile dealers the opportunity to operate licensed Sears Auto Centers...
Kmart Supports March of Dimes(R) to Help Give Babies a Healthy StartKmart is once again teaming up with the March of Dimes? to raise funds to help improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. This is the 27th year that Kmart will be partnering with the March of Dimes and
Filta Group Helps The NFL & Denver Broncos Go Green For The Super Bowlannounces its partnership to offer green services to Mile High Stadium through franchisee and Denver Bronco's player Kenny Peterson. Filta Group offers a cooking oil filtration process called FiltaFry. The system not only helps the Denver Broncos... Vanguard Cleaning Systems Achieves Highest Franchise 500 RankingVanguard Cleaning Systems, Inc. was ranked #30 in the 2010 Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 issue. The annual rankings are released each January, and are based on several factors including growth in the number of franchises, overall annual revenue... Stratus Building Solutions Ranked Number One New Franchise by Entrepreneur MagazineStratus Building Solutions, the St. Louis-based franchisor of building services and maintenance franchises, has been named the Number 1 New Franchise, the Number 3 Fastest-Growing Franchise and the Number 13 Overall Franchise in Entrepreneur magazine's... Sears Blue Electronics Crew Helps Football Fans Score the Essentials for the Ultimate Viewing ExperienceWith the biggest football weekend of the year quickly approaching, sports fans are rushing to put the finishing touches on their party plans. While the food and fanfare are key components of any big football gathering, the Sears Blue Electronics Crew... Sears Helps New York Residents Access Up to $555 in Rebates on ENERGY STAR(R)-Qualified AppliancesThe Sears Blue Appliance Crew is helping New York state residents access the $18.7 million in rebates available for ENERGY STAR?-qualified appliances from Feb. 12 through Feb. 21 as part of the "Cash for Appliances" rebate program. Fort Myers Resident Opens College Hunks Hauling Junk FranchiseFort Myers resident Douglas Stewart just traded in more than two decades as a corporate executive with a coat-and-tie past for a much bigger business: hauling junk. And this time, Stewart gets to be his own boss.
Sears Once Again Supports U.S. Military Veterans by Teaming Up With AMVETS for 'Operation Blanket'With the final months of winter upon us and some of the coldest temperatures yet to be faced, it is important for Americans to remember those who do not have a warm home, 23 percent of whom are military veterans(1). At a time when these veterans need...
Rob Ponnwitz Opens Portland Regional Office for Vanguard Cleaning Systems, Inc.Vanguard Cleaning Systems, Inc., a leading commercial cleaning franchisor, continues to expand its growth in the United States by awarding the rights of the Portland, Oregon Master Franchise to Rob Ponnwitz. Rob Ponnwitz joins Vanguard after an... Vanguard Cleaning Systems Ranks #6 in the AllBusiness Franchise AllStar 300AllBusiness, Dun & Bradstreet's small business advisory company, recently released its annual Franchise 300 rankings of national franchise systems and ranked Vanguard Cleaning Systems # 6.
1-800-DryClean Franchise Announces Positive Results From Its "We Miss You Call Program"Shannon Toler-New, president 1-800-DryClean franchise, recently announced positive results from the leading dry-clean delivery service franchise's "We Miss You Call Program." Martinizing Dry Cleaning Ranked One of Nation's Top Franchise Systems by Entrepreneur MagazineMartinizing Dry Cleaning, the most recognized name in dry cleaning and the largest dry cleaning franchisor in the United States with nearly 550 locations worldwide, ranks as one of the top 500 franchise systems in the U.S., according to the January... Kitchen Tune-Up Named to Entrepreneur's 2010 Franchise 500(R)Kitchen Tune-Up has been named one of the top 500 franchises in the United States, ranking #151 in Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500®. A home remodeling franchise concept offering a variety of cost-effective services to renew surfaces...
Sears.com Unveils Marketplace At Sears.com - Offering More Than 10 Million Items OnlineTo help customers find what they need, when they need it, Sears.com formally announces the launch of Marketplace at Sears.com, which the retailer has been operating since July 2009. Marketplace at Sears.com opens the Sears platform to third-party...
Vanguard Cleaning Systems Achieves Highest Franchise 500 RankingVanguard Cleaning Systems, Inc. was ranked #30 in the 2010 Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 issue. The annual rankings are released each January, and are based on several factors including growth in the number of franchises, overall annual revenue...
Jani-King Ranked as #1 Commercial Cleaning Franchise by Entrepreneur MagazineJani-King International, the world's largest commercial cleaning franchisor, has climbed back into the list of the Top-10 franchise companies. As ranked in Entrepreneur magazine's January 2010 Franchise 500 issue, Jani-King takes over as the... Kitchen Tune-Up Ranked Among Nation's Top 300 Franchise CompaniesKitchen Tune-Up, a home remodeling franchise concept offering a variety of cost-effective services to renew surfaces, add features, and improve a room's layout, ranked No. 18 in the financial strength category and #92 overall in a comprehensive listing... 1-800-DryClean franchise owner finds time for learning and livingShannon Toler-New, president 1-800-DryClean franchise, recently welcomed the company's newest franchise owner, Wynn Zheng, to the leading dry-clean delivery franchise opportunity.
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Features & Special ReportsMulti-Tasking: What It Takes To Be A Successful Multi-Unit FranchiseeTwenty years ago, franchising meant buying the rights to and opening a single unit or business. But a changing trend has taken hold during the last two decades. Today, it's not uncommon for a single franchise operator to have 5, 6, or even dozens of units. FRANdata research notes the number of multi-unit operators now tops 34,000, and those operators control more than 155,000 franchised units in the U.S. It's a growth strategy that has proven effective but it should be approached with caution. Multi-unit operators are generally wired differently then their single-unit counterparts. Successful multi-unit operators are typically experienced, skilled, professional business executives who have chosen franchising as their business model. They possess the skills, training, capital, infrastructure, and vision to operate numerous units and have the ability to continue adding units to their portfolio--without stressing their organization or their stomach. Episode 006: The Benefits of a Franchise ModelFranchising provides benefits for both seller and buyer. For franchisors, the primary benefit is the ability to use other people's money to expand the brand more rapidly than they could either on their own or through investors or lenders. The initial franchise fee and ongoing royalties they collect allow franchisors to build their brand without sacrificing control to outsiders or the pressure of repaying lenders. Measure for Measure: Unit Economics Plays a Leading Role on Today's Economic StageThe most fundamental business strategy calls for black numbers on the bottom line. In simplest terms, it's proof the business is generating more cash than it is spending. All too often, though, entrepreneurs get involved in businesses without employing a proper system to help them keep a watchful eye on what they're earning and what they're spending. Managing day-to-day operations can be so time-consuming that it leaves little room for financial analysis. Or perhaps key individuals lack a basic understanding of how to read and interpret financial statements. Combine these factors with the down economy, and you'll likely wind up with a troubled business. Service Based Franchising: Where the Action IsLast week we ended our discussion of service concepts with the point that many of these businesses are based on customers making the choice to trade money (surplus) for time (deficit). The example we used was maid services, where time-starved customers spend money to buy time they can spend with their family and friends. Other examples of businesses built on services that customers could perform themselves but choose to pay someone else for include lawn and landscaping services, residential painting, oil change, and installation of home entertainment systems. Seven Steps to Fiscal Fitness: A "Fiscal Physical" Will Help Your Business Survive, Grow, and ProsperIn the few minutes it takes you to read this article, 40 businesses across the nation will fail--and that statistic was [i]before[/i] the economic downturn of the last 24 months. Tragic? Yes. Remarkable? Not at all. The road to business success is littered with the skeletons of companies whose owners--mostly brilliant and skilled individuals--failed to "take care of business" in the financial management of their enterprise. Service Based Franchising: What Franchisors WantWhen you first consider franchising as a business model, one of the choices that arises is which type of business, in which sector, suits you best. One basic choice is to make is goods or service; another is retail or home-based. In previous months, we've explored ways to find the sector, and the franchisor, most likely to give you the best chance of success. More recently, in the previous four weeks, we've discussed the attributes franchisors look for in franchise candidates in the retail sector and in the home-based sector. Here we apply the same lens to the services sector. Let's begin with the similarities. All franchisors want candidates who follow the system, pay royalties on time, possess marketing skills and savvy, know how to run a business, show leadership and growth potential, are good communicators, and are expansion-minded, community-oriented, and willing to give back to the system. Franchisors look for these skills whether you choose a service, retail, B2B, or other concept. Margaritas Mix: Franchise Veterans get on Board for Franchise LaunchThe south-of-the-border spirit of great Mexican food and authentic art could soon spread throughout New England and beyond, thanks to a new franchising and area development agreement rolled out by Margaritas Mexican Restaurant. The Winner's ColumnAs savvy franchise companies continue to flourish in this challenging economy, FUSR will bring you good news each month, highlighting brands that are adding units, increasing comp store sales, striking deals with investors, and continuing to grow despite the economy - maybe even because of it. And, as the U.S. struggles through its "jobless recovery," growth-oriented franchisors continue to look overseas for expansion opportunities. How To Work Franchise Trade Shows, Part 3: Quick Tips For Greater Success - And What To Do After The ShowThis last installment of a three-part series provides quick tips for greater success at the show, and the final ingredient for making the most of your trade show spend: what to do after you get back to the office to increase your franchise sales. Franchisors: Spread the Word on Tax CreditsThere are three essential areas of focus in a successful business: operations, sales, and financials. For the purpose of this discussion, let's assume you have a well-run operation and are doing as good a job as possible to maintain or increase sales. For most businesses, the easiest and most fun parts of the business are running it and having lots of happy and repeat customers.
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