Charlie Magee

Michael Lee is the CEO of his own business, Fitness Machine Technicians of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. The company specializes in fitness equipment repair and maintenance for both residential and commercial clients. But his burgeoning small business is miles and miles away from his past life. You see, Michael Lee was once an Aerospace […]

Regi John is an engineer who’d been at Microsoft for 21 years. He reached a point where he had an inner urge to do something different. Even though Microsoft is a fantastic place to be, his inner urge wouldn’t be ignored, and then kept getting stronger. “I wasn’t sure how to figure it out, so […]

Kari Hingst always had plans to become a business owner, but like many of us, she needed to find the right opportunity. With the help of a strong partner, she’s been able to launch her first Zoup! location and stay employed full time. Why did you consider franchising? Each year, I write down my goals, […]

The automotive aftermarket industry, a $275 billion giant in the US, presents itself as a very strong category for franchise opportunities. The body shops provide repair and customization work to the interior and body of passenger cars, trucks, vans and trailers. Some industry operators specialize in specific auto repairs; for example, paint shops specialize in […]

Non-Medical Home Care Non-medical home care industry is estimated to be in the vicinity of $80 billion nationwide. The bulk of sector revenue comes from population of 65 years and above (which is about 34 million individuals or 12% of entire US population), and it is estimated to grow to 70 million in next 25 years. […]

1. Commercial Cleaning Outsourced cleaning services are primarily used in corporate offices and retail outlets. It is a growth industry riding on the post-recessionary increase in the number of new businesses and investments in non-residential real estate. Commercial cleaning services commonly provide nightly or weekly dusting, vacuuming and other cleaning services for workplaces. This attractive opportunity provides […]

With 2017 just around the corner, I want to share with my readers the top 3 franchise opportunities I see in Washington State at the start of the new year. Boutique Fitness The big-box gyms are now considered dinosaurs in the booming industry of personal fitness and healthy lifestyles. Personal training studios show amazing and […]

The Problem with Franchise Financing In my experience, it is extremely discouraging for first-time franchisees to learn the hard way that the lending sources who helped them buy their house or car may not be able to help them finance their franchise opportunity. The long and difficult financing process (made more complex after the recent […]

To the trained eye, franchise fraud patterns are easily evident. However, far too many first-time entrepreneurs still fall victim to scammers. Why are there so many franchise scams? Well, in my experience, there’s no single contributor to franchise fraud — ease of developing a franchise, absence of common standards in franchise regulations and the way […]

As an entrepreneur, I do suffer, a bit, from the shiny object syndrome. That is where I dart from one client email to a phone call from a franchisor, to an online article related to, ironically enough, “How to better manage your time”.  So, what is the most important KPI for me? Anchoring a business […]

A late adopter, I recently had my first Uber customer experience. I was actually tagging along with a friend who hailed a ride to the airport in about thirty seconds on his phone. He never took his wallet out. It was impressive. Uber’s current value of $60 Billion is even more impressive. Trends involving how […]

For movie fans, this is the season when all the good stuff is released. Good stuff means good stories. Stories that move you. Last weekend my wife and I saw “The Big Short”.  The setting is the lead up to the 2008 financial collapse and start of The Great Recession. It is not a win-win […]

The phenomenon of social media continues to creep into our daily lives. Whether you’re looking at a business advertisement, a television show or your favorite website, the social media widget is omniscient.   Curated from Tweeting Your Franchise to Prominence Let’s say that you’re well on your way to becoming a successful entrepreneur by this […]

It’s almost like George Eliot was speaking straight to the late blooming entrepreneurs. Most of us reach a certain age and feel it’s too late to start chasing old fantasies and begin again. The wonderful thing about success is its impromptu character – it could happen at anytime time in life for the wildest of […]

The number of franchise establishments in the United States has grown to 781,794 – the highest it has ever been. Along with the steady growth, the International Franchising Association (#IFA) projects the industry to continuing its impressive expansion for a fifth consecutive year.   Curated from How Big Is Franchising Anyway?  

In a word, yes! However, you’re the only one who can convince your stubborn, scared self that it’s possible. Spending years in corporate America or #working for other small/large #businesses doesn’t have to cripple your franchise ownership #dreams. In fact, the experience and knowledge you’ve gained to this point will prove to be very useful! […]

As with any major investment, the best decision can be made only if you’re as informed as possible. You need to spend a good deal of time researching, interviewing and exploring your options — and a part of the process is determining what the legal and financial aspects are.   Curated from Consider the Legal […]

You’ve done it. You successfully own a franchise or new business and the first three years have passed without too much trouble. Now 10 years…15…20, each with its own unique opportunity to keep your business perspective fresh and exciting. How do you stay motived and keep your #passion thriving?   Curated from Did You Lower […]

In the franchise industry, there are countless individuals that prove day in and day out what hard work looks like for a business owner, and how rewarding it is to see their efforts make a difference in their community and in their life. At FranNet, we love to share success stories with others in #hopes […]

As organizations run leaner and flatter, your ability to move up can stall much earlier in your career because, simply put, there’s no place to go. This is true whether you work for a corporation, nonprofit, or public agency. So what should you do when you reach that plateau and you’re only midway through your […]

Walk into any fitness center, health club, or gym in the country and you’ll see yourself. Or rather, reflections of yourself. It doesn’t matter whether the gym is one step up from a cave or a posh Park Avenue fitness emporium — you’ll see mirrors, and lots of them. The mirrors aren’t a manifestation of […]

  While buying a franchise is not for everyone–such as those who need complete autonomy–it’s a mode of entrepreneurship that is compelling for many people. For one thing, the company selling the franchise has already invested in a brand people recognize regionally or nationally and in doing so has figured out a business strategy that […]

Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of digital agency VaynerMedia, explains why franchising yourself instead of your business is a big risk, whether cash or exposure is the way to go for recruiting content partners, and more.   Curated from Why You Should Never Franchise Yourself  

  Small, local service companies can have it tough if they’re gunning against a well-known franchise operating in their territories. But David can still slay Goliath–it’s just a matter of playing your cards right. That’s according to Jerry Nettuno, cofounder and CEO of Schedulicity, a web-based application for small, service-based businesses that allows consumers to […]

SELECT SERVICES 24 Daily Habits That Will Boost Your Intelligence Over 100 professionals weighed in with their favorite tactics for making themselves smarter–easy to practice habits they work into their daily routine. Business Insider columnist Skye Gould then took those suggestions and created the infographic below.   Curated from 24 Daily Habits That Will Boost […]

Not long ago, I worked with a client who was stepping into management for the first time. Terry, a highly regarded marketing associate in a pharmaceutical firm, had just been asked to lead a marketing team. In this new role, she was responsible for directing a group of bright, but inexperienced marketing professionals (most of […]

After you have completed the initial qualifications, it’s now time for you to speak directly to the franchisor. As you prepare for this conversation, you need to keep in mind this is the time for you to really learn about the company and get a #feel for if this is the #right business for you. […]

In the past, new managers often had the luxury of cutting their teeth on traditional collocated teams: groups of people, sitting down the hall from one another, who met up in conference rooms to hash out what they were trying to achieve and how to get there. Unfortunately, today’s increasingly global work environment does not […]

“When are we supposed to do all that?” That’s the question we constantly get from new managers, only weeks or months into their new positions, when we describe the three key activities they should be focusing on to be successful as leaders: building trust, building a team, and building a broader network. To their dismay, most […]

We’ve all hit a wall at some point. You may run up against a competitor you cannot beat. You might lose your job despite your best efforts. You could be doing everything you can – but still not getting that promotion. But whatever the cause, what feels like a roadblock could be your first step […]

After working with your local #FranNet consultant, you found the perfect business for your personal goals at last. Yet, while you have come a long way, there are still many obstacles to overcome ahead. It’s time to prepare for getting over the biggest hurdle of your new chapter: the first year.   Curated from Make […]

What does it take to own a franchise? In many ways, the responsibilities of a franchise owner align quite similarly with those of a small business owner. Even though they are essentially the same, the franchise owner starts of with a few more #advantages.   Curated from The Truth Behind Franchise Ownership  

When it comes to your business, you want to make the best possible choices that will end in the greatest results. No one wants a financial nightmare to sort through; however, it can be tough to avoid mistakes when the workload is overwhelming. Thankfully, you’re not alone and the learning experiences of others will #help […]

There’s no way around it: if you want to get noticed, you have to put yourself out there. This could mean a coffee meeting, attending an evening event or getting brunch. Whatever it looks like for you, make sure you are getting the most out of your visits – make the most of your networking. […]

The course of your day is full of problem solving, meetings, spreadsheets and emails. With each passing week, you grow more connected and skilled at what you do, yet there was a #time when it was a long way until you reached this level. One thing that builds a solid #road to success for anyone […]

What are you listening to right now? Is it the radio, your iTunes, Pandora, or Podcasting? Out of over 2,000 Americans, a little over 52 percent of them listened to the radio for 4/5 hours a day. This is followed by your owned music at 20.3 percent, internet radio/music at 11.6 percent, satellite radio at […]