The Franchise King Blog

It's Raining Cats And Dogs. Pet Related Franchise Growth Continues

 

Is it my imagination, or are there more and more franchise concepts starting that have to do with the following;

• Grooming
• Mobile grooming
• Dog Daycare
• Dog And Cat Sitting
• Dog poop Removal {Still can't quite put my arms around this one. And I don't want to.}
• Dog Camps
• Dog Training

Is the economy good enough to warrant all of these franchise start-ups? Let's find out.

Go to Anita Campbell's Small Business Trends website to find out...

Are Franchise Companies Ready For A Growth Spurt?

                                                                                                                                             

Months and months of mostly negative discussions about a mostly negative economy have left a lot of us mostly...well...negative. Is there change in the air?

The phone calls and emails that I have been receiving in the last 60 days or so are decidedly different than the ones I had been getting since the middle of last year.

The differences;

• People that are inquiring about franchise ownership are very serious about making a change in their lives. They are not merely "curious" about franchising. 
• A high percentage of them are telling me that they are not prepared to expend a lot of energy on a job search, because of the sheer volume of job seekers out there.
• Even though word on the street about the difficulties of getting business loans is still negative, none of the prospective franchise owners who have contacted me in the past couple of months have voiced their concerns about getting a franchise business loan. 

                           {Here are my "7 Steps To Financing A Franchise}

Now, if I'm seeing an uptick in serious inquires, I'll assume that the franchisors that are looking to sell a franchise or two are also.

Franchise company execs; Are you ready for an uptick?

Find out by going to OPEN FORUM By American Express, where I am the franchise columnist. There are some really important things that you should be doing right now...

Have you subscribed to The Franchise King Blog? Here

Get your franchise-related questions answered. Here

1.

A Very Helpful Franchise

From The Daily Franchise News;

Jim Wright is the man to call for help, when it comes to mobility...

The Naples Daily News reported Wright is the owner of Amramp and one of the company's 40 franchisee-owned operations throughout the nation that sells and installs steel access ramps for the disabled on homes and for events like high school graduation ceremonies. Since opening for business in February, Wright has installed $12,000 in ramps and plans to break $50,000 by the end of 2009. He says Most of the sales are rentals installed on the homes of people with work-related injuries. Wright plans to sell $50,000 by year-end. “The demand is there,” Wright said.

Continue

5 Things My Dad Taught Me About Business And Life

                            
          

June 23rd is the second anniversary of my father, Jerry Libava's death. He succumbed to lung cancer in 2007. He started his self-employment trek in 1990, after being a victim of corporate downsizing at Physicians Weight Loss Centers, where he opened over 300 franchises.........

How Much Should You Invest In A Franchise?

                                                                                                                                            

As I stated in the previous post, "If you don't know where you are, how can you expect to get where your going?"

Let's assume that you finished up your net worth statement, and are ready to figure out the investment amount you should budget for your own franchise business. Here are my thoughts on budget...

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Before You Explore Buying A Franchise, You Must Do This

                                                                                                                                           

Before you get too excited about the prospect of becoming a franchise owner, and getting some much needed control back in your life, there is one thing that you must do. It involves a piece of paper, a ruler, and a pen...

The Changing Face Of Franchise Marketing

Sara Wilson, a popular small business/entrepreneurial writer, recently interviewed me for part of an article she wrote at AllBusiness.com, concerning the increasing use of social media by some franchisors. Here is our Q and A;

Sara: Can you tell me a bit about yourself and the online presence you have built as The Franchise King?

 

Me:  My main business involves helping those who wish to explore franchise ownership as a way to build equity, and become their own bosses. My 2nd role is one of online franchise marketing, and I am concentrating on franchise social media.

I have been online for 6 years now, and have several franchise/small business related blogs and websites. I’m also a columnist on the award winning Small Business Trends website, {and the resident franchise expert there} as well as being a columnist on OPEN FORUM By American Express. I push a lot of content out, and it is spread about via all of the Social Media sites I am a member of.

Franchise Opportunities; Should You Pack Up And Move To Canada To Start Your Own Business?

                                                                                                                                   


Well, you do have choices, right?

Who says that you have to open your franchise business in the US? Where is it written?

They have franchises in Canada, don't they?

Ned Levitt, a franchise lawyer at Gowlings in Toronto, obviously subscribes to this blog. He was interviewed by The Vancouver Sun, and his philosophies sound eerily similar to my own, when it comes to the franchise industry as a whole. Especially during tough times...

Ned;

"In times like this, franchising lends itself to con artists and flimflammers who will take advantage of naive individuals. That's not to say you should avoid franchising. On the contrary, a franchise can present a good opportunity for those who want to own a business."

Mr. Levitt's firm recently surveyed 400 franchise owners, half of whom had owned their franchise for less than five years. The results were interesting. "The classic image is that they are people in their forties and fifties," he said. 

Read the rest of this honest, no-spin, interview. Man, I like this guy!

Are you a US military veteran? Free Franchise Guidance 

Franchise Social Media; Even MORE Thoughts To Ponder...

Sara Wilson, a popular small business and entrepreneurial writer, just put together a nice column on how the franchise industry is starting to use social media. Sara asked Gini Dietrich, CEO of Arment Dietrich, a few questions...including one on how franchisors can use social media effectively. 

Here's one important answer about when to get in, from the article published over at AllBusiness.com;

"For those franchise companies that are still a bit intimidated by the unknown of social media, Dietrich stresses that getting on board sooner rather than later is crucial."


I just wrote a post about this very topic. Read about how bad I want to shout to all the franchise execs, "Use social media..now!!!"

Then read the rest of Sara's AllBusiness.com article. It is terrific! {And educational}

Gini just did an interview with a friend of mine in the franchise social media space, Paul Segreto. Here

Of course, this guy gets it, too.

Here's an article on franchise social media from Small Business Trends

How big is social media?

Cleveland, Ohio even has it's own Social Media Club

Please take a gander at;

www.FranchiseSocialMarketing.com

1.

Is Your Franchise Offering REALLY Green?

 A wind is blowing through the hushed halls of the US Congress.
                                                                                                                                       



This wind, is not the wind depicted in the picture above. It is government wind, and a lot of it. It is starting to get stronger, and quite frankly, it needs to.... 

So, do you really have a Green Franchise that you are offering?

I sure hope so. With "Green" being the most popular color these days, it behooves you to use it wisely.

{Or,  you may be seeing "Red" from some new initiatives being tossed around by our elected leaders, concerning what really constitutes "Green"}

I sure wish that the Network Marketing {MLM} companies that are using the word "franchise" in their marketing literature would start getting the same scrutiny... That's for another post.

From Reuters;

“It’s Too Easy Being Green” was the title of a hearing was held today by the House subcommittee on commerce, trade and consumer protection. The title offers a concise summary of subcommittee leaders’ ideas about environmentally-themed marketing claims and suggests that the rules and enforcement for these claims could get significantly tougher in coming years."

Read the rest. It's important-Green Marketing Hearing

You have seen this Green Franchise website announcement, right?

Need a business plan for your new franchise? Of course you do!

www.FranchiseBizPlans.com {60-day trial} It works beautfully...

Ready For A "Mental Health" Day, Yet?

With the summer pretty much upon us, are you finding it harder to focus on business?

 

If you have some flexibility in your schedule, do you feel that you should be home cutting your lawn? Washing your car? Sealing your deck?

Is it harder to walk away for some non-work time, when business isn’t so good? When the economy is down? Is there more of a guilt factor?

Franchise Social Media; Some Thoughts To Ponder

                                                                                                                                       

I have this urge.....

The urge revolves around shouting out that it's time for social media and marketing to be welcomed freely into the franchise industry. There are a couple of us that are discussing it amongst our industry peers, and that will help the industry adapt to this new way of marketing in the long run. But we need more energy directed to this topic.

Of course there are those who are just not ready to really jump in and start using it wisely for their all-around franchise marketing efforts. We all have choices.

Are other small businesses using it? Here's a surprise...

Tasti D-Lite To Open 35 NYC Locations

   

From Fast Casual.com;

Frozen dessert concept Tasti D-Lite has inked an area development deal for the New York Metro market, the company has announced. The agreement includes the addition of 35 franchised locations in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut over the next 10 years.

More details from Fast Casual

Automobile Franchise Agreements To Be Terminated? But How?

                                                                                                                                   

{Franchise-Dealer Grim Reaper}

In 2001, I was downsized from a management position at a Cleveland area automobile franchise. I was somewhat surprised, but the decision made by by the owner of that franchise back in 2001, helped me get where I am today.

I was in a real uncomfortable situation at that franchise, and although it was a huge relief when I was finally let go, it did not make the fear of "now what the heck am I going to do," go away....probably the same feeling that some of the 2,000 automobile franchise owners that may be closed up could be starting to get to know, intimately.

Franchise Direct Adds Canadian Franchise Resource Site

              

My friends over at Franchise Direct have just gone live with their newest venture, and if you are a prospective franchise owner in Canada, you'll want to check out their newest offering...

According to Donald Cranford, who runs the Franchise Direct blog;

"This site will be the ultimate resource for Canadians looking to start a franchise. Not only will Franchise Direct Canada provide access to the best franchises in Canada, but it will feature extensive information on the Canadian franchise industry."

See the Franchise Direct Canada site

Franchise Direct did this book review last year. Thank you!

Please visit My Alltop Page. Resources galore.

Increase your business by 40% with mobile marketing.

The Franchise Of The Month; June 2009!

June is a very sunny month, here in the US. That's your hint.

                                                                                                                                               

So, who is June's "Franchise Of The Month?"

Franchise News Tidbits; May 2009

                                                                                                                                          

{Chilling with Winston-The Royal Guard Dog}

As you kick back, and relax a tad this weekend, I thought you would enjoy a couple of franchise related items. Check these out.

Chicago's Sanderson PR, the premier public relations firm in our industry just had a website makeover. New York's DEOgraphics did a fine job capturing the essence of the firms energetic and classy folks. Rhonda Sanderson, and her outstanding right hand gal, Courtney Thomas are amazing at what they do.

{I am a little partial here. They both taught me a lot about PR, and how it can energize a franchise companies brand, and increase franchise sales.}

Just in case you missed it, I am happy to announce that I helped forge a groundbreaking franchise alliance in my hometown. {Grab some tissue}

BizBox by Slate, picked up an important and timely article of mine. Here

Finally, I find that a lot of prospective franchise owners stop investigating franchises a little too early. They have gone pretty far, but self-doubt starts to creep in.

They ask themselves questions like;

• Am I looking at the right category in franchising?
• Should i get an attorney yet?
• Is this franchise right for my geographical area?

Another area of franchise confusion comes from really smart folks who feel that they have a great prospective franchise concept. I get contacted weekly by them, and find that some of the ideas are great, and some are not ready for prime time. Lots of questions come up. I have some of the answers.

I have created an online resource that is a 1st of it's kind, and one that I feel is sorely needed.

This website serves as a conduit between people who know some things about franchising, and someone who knows a lot about the business model of franchising, and can share his expertise.

Please feel free to ask your questions.The first answer is on me. Just go to;

                

www.AskTheFranchiseKing.com   Ask.

Laid-Off Workers Interest In Self-Employment Options Are On The Upswing

                                                                                                                                           

{An Upswing}

It's happening. A definite uptick in interest. Interest from folks wanting to become their own bosses. Serious interest. It is beyond the tire kicking type of interest....

Heavy job losses always leads to inquires in self-employment options, but this time it has taken longer for genuine interest to develop. This recession  is especially deep, and is more global than other ones have been. Add in a financial industry meltdown, a real estate bust, and a new Congress, for good measure. 

40 Year Milestone Reached By A Hilton Hotel Franchisee

                                                                                                                              

What do you think of when the name "Akron" comes up? For me, it's rubber, a substance best left for the scientific blogging community.

Akron, Ohio is also home to a dynamic Hilton franchisee, by the name of Rennick Andreoli;

{From Paula Schleis, at The Akron Beacon Journal}

"Seated at a dining table on the terrace, Rennick Andreoli thought about his multimillion-dollar investment for a moment and laughed.

He was laughing about the fact that it seems every major renovation he has planned in his hotel's history has coincided with an economic downturn.

In 1969, Andreoli and his late brother, Eric Friden, bought the rights to the Hilton name for a 150-room hotel they built on West Market Street.

Situated across the street from Summit Mall, it was a perfect location."

Read more about Andreoli and The Hilton/Akron-Fairlawn over at Ohio.com

Do you have a question about franchising?

www.AskTheFranchiseKing.com

Cleveland Cavs Sports Franchise May Bring Chinese Investors On

                                                                                                                                            

                              

Even sports franchises may be going global. Really global...

From The Plain Dealer;

"According to multiple sources within the Cleveland Cavaliers, franchise majority owner Dan Gilbert has a tentative agreement in place to allow a group of Chinese investors to purchase a significant stake in the Cavaliers Operating Company, the entity that owns the Cavs and operates Quicken Loans Arena. The group is led by JianHua (Kenny) Huang, a Chinese businessman who has become successful by linking American and Chinese companies."  Read more

Could this be a good thing?

Traditional Franchise Lead Gathering Strategies Starting To Lose Steam

                                                                                                                                                

Paul Segreto, who like me, is not too concerned about upsetting the apple cart in our generally slow to adapt industry, is doing a fine series of articles about franchise lead generation strategies, and how they are changing. {And how they need to change, thank you very much.}

"Traditional strategy: Portal websites became very popular as the internet gained steam in both popularity and daily usage. Unfortunately, now there are so many portals that regurgitate leads across the internet that many portal leads have been contacted by 10-20-30 different “franchise experts.” This has created a “used car salesman” effect that has actually turned people that may have been interested in franchising, totally against the industry."

Paul continues;

"Social media strategy: Similar to the strategy identified above as the alternative to advertising in local and national media. And, instead of an interested party being directed to specific information, the social media effort gradually presents the facts and information about the franchise while encouraging interaction with the entire franchise family. This goes a long way towards building trust, an essential component to the franchise sale."

I started bringing the idea of what I call, Franchise Social Media Marketing, to the idea table several months ago. {www.FranchiseSocialMarketing.com} It made a pretty nice warm-up, I guess.

Paul has blown me away with his detailed plan to integrate Social Media into traditional Franchise Marketing tactics, and I commend him, as I hope you will, too.

{Frankly, he has done a much better job than I}

The International Franchise Association's 5 Point Economic Recovery Plan

We could be reaching the bottom. The bottom of this down economic cycle, that is.

I hope that I am right.

Just in case we have not reached the bottom, there is a recovery plan already in place for the franchise industry. I'll just bet you didn't know that.

The Internationa Franchise Association has formally proposed one.

Go here to see what The IFA is proposing

What do you think? Is it a good plan? Will it energize the franchise industry?

Do you have a plan?

What else do we need???

It's National Small Business Week!

                                                                                                                         

It's for all of us....

All of us small business owners, that is.

Some of us are consultants, some of us own retail stores, internet businesses, restaurants, franchises, import-export businesses, automobile repair shops, art galleries, and more.

Some of us are struggling to keep the lights on in our businesses, some of us are doing better than we ever have. Some of us are about to become small business owners, and some of us are selling our businesses.

It is hard to be a small business owner. But, it is also really hard to be an employee nowadays. Both are risky endeavors.

Here is a short list of some Small Business Week activities that are going on, and thanks to technology, are activities in which you can follow, as they happen.

• Jim Blasingame, The Small Business Advocate, always has great guests on his nationally syndicated radio program. Here is this week's schedule.

• The Mandarin Oriental Hotel And Conference Center in Washington DC is the hub for this week's festivities. Schedule {Live Webcasts May 18th and 19th}

• The official Presidential National Small Business Week Proclamation

• CNN/Money National Small Business Week forum

• Seth Goldman Discussion-Managing a Company's Growth, May 18th

• SmallBiz Resource-Live Coverage

Enjoy all of the coverage. This is only a partial list. If you know about anything else taking place in Washington DC, or in your local area to support National Small Business Week, please let us know in the comment section below!

The Great American Dad; Where Are You?

Great American Cookies has announced that the company has launched its first-ever search for the "Great American Dad." The Great American Dad Contest began Wednesday, May 13 and runs through Friday, July 31. During the contest, participants will be asked to tell the world, in 200 words or less, what makes their dad a "Great American Dad." The contest will be conducted completely online, with submissions accepted through the entry form.

Read the "Great American Dad" contest rules over at Dane Carlson's site.

From Franchise Book Author, Paul Facella; "What Makes A Successful Franchisee?"

                                                                                                                         

Paul Facella is the author of "Everything I Know About Business I Learned At McDonald's." He recently shared his insights on profiles of successful franchisees.

This is great stuff.

I am frequently asked, by both franchisees and franchisors, about what makes a great franchisee. It is a question worth contemplating on both sides, as neither party wants to make a mistake, and the ability to transfer skills from one occupation to a new venture can be much more of an art than a science. 

The Importance of Financials
I was fortunate in that I had one of the greatest franchising systems in existence to work with during my career with McDonald's corporation. I placed over 100 people in franchises, and worked with, and shared experiences with, many others.....

Ground-Breaking Franchise Partnership Launched In Northeast Ohio

                                                                                                                                            


It started at Cleveland's Corporate College, and ended up at a Cleveland area shopping center. This is a story about a special social enterprise...

Anne Hach, the director of Key Entrepreneur Center at Cleveland Corporate College, wanted to make sure that the folks at the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities {MR/DD} were in attendance for my quarterly class on franchising at the college. Anne informed me that they were interested in exploring the franchise ownership model to help employ their workers. Anne made sure that I met them before my class.

Beginning Your Search For A Franchise

                                          

You have to start at the beginning. Right? I mean, why start in the middle?

Starting the process of finding that perfect franchise is getting a bit more complicated, nowadays. There's this internet thing we have, and with it, some terrific and mostly correct information. Of course there is some information that is incorrect, and some info that may have some "fluff." {hot air}

I wrote several articles for Dun & Bradstreet's AllBusiness.com website last year, including one in which I discussed the "search."

"There are about 3,500 franchise and business opportunities to choose from. What are your chances of finding one that is a nice fit for your personality traits, your professional background, and your lifestyle desires? Even if you are not schooled in statistics {or in my case, Pre-Algebra} , there must be some chance in finding an opportunity in franchise ownership."

Read the rest of the AllBusiness.com article.

Some franchise basics are included at no charge.

Here is a podcast on franchising from SmallBiz America

 

The Franchise Of the Month; May 2009!

This months franchise concept is out of California, and is an up and coming, low investment opportunity. Harish Babla is redefining all things mobile.

                      

Grins2Go is a photography company that specializes in all things community....

Are You A Budding Entrepreneur?

                                                                                                                                                  

Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Tom Breckenridge says that "setting your own hours, working at home and earning money doing something you enjoy, hold a powerful appeal for budding entrepreneurs."

{Especially downsized management professionals and ex-executives, in my humble opinion.}

Is there something else at play here? Could it be corporate resentment? Is anyone angry at the executives who make millions of dollars a year in bonuses, while their companies are entering a deep and dark abyss? Is this contributing to the spike in entrepreneurial interest? {There has been a spike}

Tom also reveals that the tight credit markets are making the jump from corporate employment to small business ownership even more difficult.

Read the story over at Cleveland.com

Contact me

Guest Blogger; Rhonda Sanderson Discusses Franchise PR And The Internet

                                                                                                                                       

Rhonda Sanderson

Alexis Mattera, is a rather enthusiastic gal from Sanderson PR. We make each other laugh over on Twitter. Alexis responded within seconds to my Tweet asking for guest bloggers, a couple of tweets weeks ago. Her boss, Rhonda Sanderson, owns Sanderson PR, considered to be the best of the best in franchise public relations. She told Rhonda that I was looking for a couple of guest bloggers to write some articles. 

Rhonda and I first met in 2002, and have been friends ever since. Rhonda has taught me a lot about franchising, and public relations, and in this post, discusses the internet, social media, and a chance encounter at a West Hollywood restaurant...

Twitter, Pizza And A Franchise

                                                                                                                                          

Anita Campbell was nice enough to make sure that a great a great story was waiting for me in my email box, this morning. A naked story..........

A New Orleans pizza place is has become one of the first storefront operation to erect a Twitter sign to help them differentiate themselves form the 50 other pizza places in their area. It gets even better, according to TechCrunch;

"Aside from being among the first brick and mortar businesses to so prominently feature its Twitter handle, Naked Pizza is notable for a few other reasons. Its menu was created to offer the “world’s healthiest pizza”, with each slice only weighing in at a fraction of the calories and fat of standard pizza, while still tasting delicious, according to Yelp reviewers . Oh, and Mark Cuban just partnered with the company to turn it into a national franchise."

What do you think? Good idea? What if Twitter goes away? What if it's too early to franchise this operation? What if????

Please follow me on Twitter

New Technology Franchise Available In Georgia And Florida

From Dane Carlson over at the Franchise Business Opportunities blog;

"Web Solutions is pleased to announce the launch of their new company, PD-go! Franchising Company, LLC with franchise opportunities in select territories in Florida and Georgia. The proprietary PD-go! System, which allows business owners to easily update their own web sites created by PD-go! Web Solutions, was introduced in 2002. Since that time, the company has helped hundreds of clients launch a custom web presence and save money by updating their own websites themselves."

More

Franchise Stories; Washington DC Insider Becomes Burger King Franchisee

               

From Franchise Direct-

"Ben Jarratt was by, all accounts, a successful man in the Washington DC media world. Armed with a journalism degree, Jarratt found himself writing for the Washington Post, before taking a job in the White House press office during Ronald Reagan’s presidency. His biggest moment was reading a statement to the worldwide media that the US supported a ‘peaceful transition’ of power in the Philippines."

Fellow franchise blogger, Donald Cranford, does a nice job with this story on a Burger King franchisee, with a little help from Franchise Times...

Franchise Fee Waived; Should THAT Sway Your Decision?

                                   FREE MONEY!                                                                                                                   

Franchisors are starting to get more aggressive with their recruitment methods, which should come as no surprise. The franchise industry is not the only industry having a "Fire Sale," during these tough economic times....

Help Franchising Grow! "Take Your Your Son Or Daughter To Work Day" April 24th

Would you like to make franchising sustainable? {I love that new buzzword} Well, you can. Just bring your child to work in your franchise business for a day.

Barbara Weltman was kind enough to remind me of this yearly event on her "Idea of The Day" email, which makes it to my Kingdom's main mailbox, every day. You can sign up for this freebie, right here.

Anyway, I remember bringing my daughter to work a few times over the years, and for me, it was a great way to show her off. {She was so darn cute back then} Look.

 

But seriously, what better way to encourage the younger ones to consider entrepreneurship, then letting them be one for a day. Bring your child into work tomorrow. It is a great experience. {Just watch the child labor laws...} Kidding.

Future franchise owners. Our children!

Speaking of children

Pizza Hut Is Looking For A Twitter-er; Apply Below!

I think it's time we give them some social credit to Pizza Hut. This franchise company seems to really get it.  Last year they were cutting edge enough to offer pizza delivery via Facebook. Now, they are making sure that they are on Twitter. Not only do they want to be on Twitter, but they feel they must be on Twitter.

"Pizza Hut, the popular pizza franchise, is looking for a "twintern" - a college intern to use the popular micro-blogging service as part of the PR team for the company."

Where should you apply, you may be asking? I have no clue. But here's the whole story.

Update: Andrea over at the Zeno Group/Pizza Hut Corporate gave me a link for you to apply for this job.

Here

{Maybe there is a secret Twitter link somewhere in the article.}

More on Franchise Social Media Marketing

This Franchisee Is Not Very Green; Fined $300k

I really enjoy writing about Green Franchises. I have done several stories on up and coming Green franchise concepts, and I look forward to finding out about more.

Here's one.

Here's another.

Both of those franchise concepts are Green. And growing.

Here is a franchise that may not see growth for a little while. Fellow franchise blogger Paul Segreto is reporting that an Austin, Texas Jiffy Lube franchisee dumped some oil down their drain.

"Heartland Automotive Services Inc., the largest U.S. Jiffy Lube franchisee, issued a public apology and will pay $300,000 in fines after pleading guilty to three misdemeanor charges of discharging oil into the Austin, Texas, sewer system, the Travis County district attorney announced Thursday."

Nice. Here is the rest of the story over at franchisEssentials.

Is your franchise Green. If so, you should be listed here.{Only $99}

Care to share your feelings about this franchisee?

IFA's Entrepreneur Of The Year Starting A Franchise Finance Company To Combat The Credit Crunch

                                                                                                                                         

Recently, I interviewed Tariq Farid, the 2008 International Franchise Association's Entrepreneur Of The Year. His concept, Edible Arrangements, must be feeling what most other franchisors are feeling; A credit crunch. Or, "Banks Are Not Lending Money To New Franchise Owners," as I like to call it...

Franchise PR; Rhonda Sanderson On The Recent Domino's Pizza Fiasco

   

Franchise Public Relations Help Needed!

Franchise PR Rock Star Rhonda Sanderson has a great idea or two for the execs over at Domino's Pizza. You see, they had this nasty little problem that my friend Jim Kukral put up on his popular marketing site.
{Please look at the picture on his post, and then come back here. You hear?}

Nasty, for sure.

I commented on his post:

"Jim,
This may hurt the brand, short-term, but the franchisee of that store will be really feeling the pain. As much as the franchisee wants to play Ostrich, a great local PR firm could help with damage control, if contacted...like today. "

Here is what Rhonda suggests. She is the franchise PR guru. I hope for their sake they called her...

Are Small Business Lenders Still Having ISSUES?

                                                                                                                                              

By "issues," I mean that it looks like they are still not loaning money to us current and future small business owners!

Cmon, President Obama! We need some help here...

What is going on? Just when I thought things may be getting a teeny bit better, I get to read about the problems that some Orlando, Florida small business are having when it comes to getting loans.

From The Orlando Sentinel;

"We can't get a loan out of anybody to help these people," said Rich Jaeckle, chairman of the Orlando chapter of Score, a business-counseling group. Entrepreneurs approach the nonprofit organization for help, he said, but it can't provide it. "They're good ideas and they can't go anywhere."

Keep reading this important story.

What about you? Are you seeing more loans getting approved?