opening a store

Franchising is booming, both here and across the pond. FRANdata says demand for franchise units in the U.S. is expected to increase more than 12 percent in 2014, the highest rate of increase in five years. The UK has over 900 franchise operations. "The diversity on offer is substantial," writes Paul Stafford, public relations manager at the British Franchise Association...

Randy Vlasic and Alex Veinot have known each other since high school. After graduating from college, the two best friends ended up working together as sales executives for the same company. However, the two longed to open their own business. In a recent Franchise Players Q&A interview, Vlasic and Veinot talk with Entrepreneur.com's Kate Taylor about how they decided that...

The boom in franchising continues through 2014, but the past year also saw private equity play an important role. In a recent post in the Legal News section on JDsupra.com, Thomas Pitegoff says that private equity offers a franchisor with a growing franchise system a promising pathway to rapid growth. "An investment group can assist a franchise company strategically, tactically...

It was while working for the New York subway system that Tom Scarda found his own track to a career in franchising. As a first step, Scarda became trained as a FranChoice consultant and a certified franchise executive. Soon Scarda was New York's first Maui Wowi franchisee, in the New York City's Jacob Javits Convention Center, one of the hottest...

One of franchising's strengths is the breadth of industries covered. The International Franchise Association there are currently more than 750,000 franchise establishments in the United States covering approximately 75 industries; so if you're wondering if franchising is right for you, the number of options won't be a problem. We spotted an interesting and informative blog post by Crystal Bedell about IT franchise...

Success in franchising spreads to many others when one considers the key roles played by suppliers, and professional advisors. In a recent CPAPracticeAdvisor.com post, Hugh Duffy, Chief Marketing Officer for Build Your Firm, a marketing firm dedicated to the accounting industry, writes about Navjeet Chahal who started Chahal & Associates in 2003. Chahal has managed to share in the success...

For 34 years, Bryan Rhodes worked his way up the ladder in the fast-food franchise industry, from beginning behind the counter to ultimately become the vice president of operations at a Burger King franchise. Only then did Rhodes conclude that, well, the restaurant industry wasn't for him — but franchising was. In a recent Franchise Players Q&A interview, Rhodes talks...

It is encouraging to see a strengthening of the bonds between franchising and our military veterans. Since its launch last year, home services company Home Franchise Concepts (HFC) has signed twenty veterans to become franchisees through the Million Dollar Franchise Event (MDFE) initiative. We found news of the program in a recent post on the Daily Herald website HeraldExtra.com, "Local...

We love reading about how franchising can power growth for privately held companies. Any way you slice it, it's hard to imagine how the Achatz Handmade Pie Co. could establish 150 locations across the United States in the next five years without turning to franchising. Indeed, after 21 years the much-loved brand based in Michigan's Chesterfield Township has sold its...

Like many national chain restaurants, Buffalo's Cafe has a tagline: Buffalo’s Cafe – Where Everyone Is Family ™. Paul Dalrymple is one Buffalo's Cafe franchisee that took his tagline to heart. Before he said his "I do" Dalrymple and his future father-in-law had been partners in a Buffalo's Cafe franchise. Dalrymple now has three sons, and the family partnership now...

A number of once-thriving franchises are facing disgruntled franchisees, store closures, bankruptcies and never-imagined marketing scenarios. In their recent Better Your Business special report, "How To Steer Clear Of Franchise Financial Disasters," CNBC.com's Zac Bissonnette speaks with an unnamed Quiznos franchisee who summed up his experience: "There has been a decline in support. The corporate and field office support staff...

We enjoy reading Jason Daley's Franchisors posts on the website Entrepreneur.com, and wish to share, in particular, "How I Grew My Wheelchair Ramp Company Into a Franchise," about the experience of franchisor Julian Gordon. In his Q&A with Entrepreneur.com, Gordon shares how after twenty years running a metal fabrication shop, he became disheartened with the boom-or-bust cycle of the construction...

For Affordable Homes of South Texas (AHSTI) director Bobby Calvillo, whose job it is to help his organization build enough homes to meet the needs of low-income South Texan families, creating the means for having a constant positive cash flow was a top priority. So in 2012, Calvillo convinced the AHSTI board to build a Blimpie restaurant in Weslaco, Texas. In...

More people are dreaming of franchising, ready for a life change as the market is once again heating up. But before you take the plunge, make sure your due diligence includes working with a franchise attorney, someone who knows franchising inside and out. We strongly agree with a SmallBizTrends.com post we spied, "The Importance of Hiring A Franchise Attorney," by...

The world's largest convenience store franchiser, 7-Eleven, is nearing completion of prepping stores from its 2011 Wilson Farms store chain at a store franchising sale in Western New York. Part of the company's national strategy, 7-Eleven purchased the 188-store Wilson Farms chain and shed some 30 stores through auction, closed others and prepared the 90 area stores for franchising. Given...

Franchising continues to be an attractive career change consideration for many Americans, in part because of proven business plans and methods. Therefore, it is imperative that potential franchisees understand what it takes to be successful within a given chain's franchising framework. Just as we happily share our vast point of sale experience and expertise with startup owners in order to...

Franchising is booming. FRANdata says demand for franchise units is expected to increase more than 12 percent in 2014, the highest rate of increase in five years. Furthermore, the lending shortfall for franchises (that is, the difference between projected loan demand and loan supply) is expected to be one-half that of last year's figure. And yet, how frequently do you...

It’s a pivotal moment for your booming business: the possibility of becoming a successful franchisor. Before going any further, it's time to get up to speed with the complexities of franchise legislation. We spotted a thorough roundup on the topic of state and federal franchise laws in a recent blog post at TweakYourBiz.com that is well-suited to the necessary first...

Time is money, so it makes sense that franchisors who value time by creating more of it are more likely to award more new franchises. That's the viewpoint shared by Joel Libava, a/k/a The Franchise King. "It has long been thought that organization is the key to success," writes Libava in a recent post on his website. "Business moves faster...

Cheese Board Pizza located in Berkely, CA is a small locally owned jem of a pizza shop. An exciting part of the community, this shop really knows the meaning a specialty pizza. Cheese Board only concentrates on perfecting one type of unique pizza per day. This style gives their shop originality (an essential from standing out from the rest) and...

Business Advice This article topic started out with the title of "Treating Your Vendors Like Your Customers." But as research went on to find what other bloggers were writing about this topic, more articles were found with the titles of "Treat Your Employees Like Your Customers" and "Treat Your Customers Like Family." These were all very valid points, something we...

Gift Cards have many uses besides the usual last minute birthday gift. With the right marketing approach they can be utilized in so many more ways than one first begins to realize. Gift/Loyalty/Points Cards can become a great revenue generating marketing tool if you know how to work it. Rewards and promotions marketing helps to drive customers back to your...

2013 Franchise Forecast: Going Strong  The IFA, a Washington D.C.-based advocacy organization, recently released a first quarter update to its economic outlook, which notes that franchise businesses "are expected to employ 8.3 million people in the U.S. by the end of this year and generate $802 billion in revenue." Quick-service restaurant category, which includes Subway and Dunkin' Donuts, shows the most...

Full-Service Casual Concepts Look to Fast-Casual Spinoffs and Experiments Nation's Restaurant News recently published a case study of five casual dining concepts transitioning into the fast-casual sector: Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., Denny's, Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Famous Dave's and Red Lobster. Citing shifting consumer needs and a "rocky casual-dining climate," a fast-casual is an increasingly popular strategy for...

Are Mobile Devices the New Currency? The Point of Sale News asks, "How Close Are We to Cashless Commerce?" and answers with 2020 vision: the prediction that mobile payments may replace cash and credit cards by as soon as 2020 according to the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project on "The Future of Money." With the surge in POS...

5 Restaurant Trends to Watch This Spring The birds are chirping, kids are once again playing outside, and your allergies are acting up. This can only mean one thing: spring has finally sprung. Last month, Nation's Restaurant News published an article titled 5 Restaurant Trends to Watch This Spring. Mediterranean Look out for Mediterranean influences at many restaurants this season...

4 of The Best Gadgets for Business There are so many gadgets out there that sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming. Entrepreneur.com released their “pick for the best new business gadgets.”, which lists their favorites in four different categories along with some top alternatives. Tablet PCs: BlackBerry Playbook   (under $500), this seven inch tablet comes equipped with a 1GHz...

This past March, BestPizzaPOS.com, a division of Sintel Systems, was thrilled to once again be a part of the 2013 International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. There were over 500 vendors this year including delivery bag providers, topping suppliers and oven makers. There were also 11 different bacon providers.  If you love pizza and bacon this was the place to...

Does Your Restaurant Need A Mobile App? Mobile apps come in all shapes and sizes: games, maps, news, even your bank probably has a mobile app. They are created to make our lives easier and sometimes even a little more fun. It is rather shocking to learn, thanks to data recently released by Pew Research, that only 35% of Americans...

Moveable Feasts: Six Mobile Food Ideas Entrepreneur has some great ideas for getting rolling with a mobile food restaurant business. In brief: 1. Food Kiosks: Consider the temporary, quick-serve kiosk for its low overhead, flexibility and ease with which it can be opened and closed. These typically appear at indoor locations including malls, stadiums and movie theaters. 2. Food Carts and...

Chicago Pizza Tours Chicago and Pizza. Two words that is synonymous with each other.  There is not just one type of pizza. Chicago has deep dish, thin crust, pan pizza, oven-fired, artisanal, tavern style, Neapolitan and probably some chef somewhere is creating a new type of pizza as we speak. Just as there is no one type of pizza, there...

6 Tips from Pros About Owning A Restaurant Owning your own restaurant is no easy feat. Whether it’s the first restaurant you are opening or your fifth there is always something to be learned. Well known restaurateurs such as Rodger Berkowitz (Legal Sea Foods), Tom Coliccho (Top Chef, Craft Family Restaurants) and Barbara Lynch (No.9 Park) to name a few...

Industry Insiders Weigh in on Proposed Minimum Wage Hike as Restaurant Brands Stay Mum (Part II) Continued from Part I Zackfia's projections also take into account a $.50 increase in minimum wage for tipped service, which was not called for in Obama's proposal. NRN also reports that advocates have not begun to lobby against the hike because it's not reached...

Industry Insiders Weigh in on Proposed Minimum Wage Hike as Restaurant Brands Stay Mum (Part I)  Announced in Obama's State of the Union address in February, President Obama's proposed minimum wage hike from $7.25 to $9.00 per hour has caused rumblings in the world of chain restaurants. The increase would be the first since 2009, while the federal minimum wage for...

SXSWi: Timely Trends in Restaurant Tech A report from Food Fanatics relates the restaurant industry's hottest digital and mobile tech tools trending at the recent South By Southwest Interactive Conference in Austin, Texas. "Mobile technology has changed the way consumers experience your restaurant—from how they discover it to how they dine." They explore Rezhound and BellyCard, as well as the...

Tips on Starting an Organic Restaurant Inc.com recently shared an insightful list of 8 Tips for Starting an Organic Restaurant, for which we offer a quick digest: Expect higher costs: Project for 10-20% higher costs, and more if you plan on a premium water filtration system or compostable takeout packaging. Anticipate price fluctuations: Out-of-season and non-local organic ingredients can vary...

The ABC's of QSR (Quick Serve Restaurant) POS Systems Walk down any main street in any city in America and what will you see? A fast food restaurant. From hamburgers to tacos there is a Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR) out there for every one’s taste buds. To the surprise of no one, McDonalds is ranked number 1 as America’s most...

The ABCs of Restaurant Franchising Fledgling restaurant franchisees would do well to learn the basic terminology of the industry, as detailed in Entrepreneur.com's 16 Common Franchise Terms: Explained. To get familiar with franchising trends and industries poised for growth, Entrepreneur.com also ranks America's top franchises annually, with the 2013 Franchise 500 representing the 34th year. The post says, "The results ... confirm...

The Takeaway From Groupon's Sacking Of CEO Andrew Mason (part 2) continued from our earlier post. So what's next? Retailwire shows some cautious optimism, saying "With the daily deals marketplace maturing, a shakeout could lead to a less-competitive playing field and more tailored offers from those that survive. It's unknown whether Groupon and LivingSocial will benefit from their first-mover advantage or...

The Takeaway From Groupon's Sacking Of CEO Andrew Mason (part 1) A long slide in the fortunes at deal-a-day pioneer Groupon, including a significant drop in fourth-quarter earnings and 24% reduction in the company's value, resulted in the ouster of CEO Andrew Mason late last week. In his already infamous exit memo, Mason, who allegedly turned down a $6 billion offer...

How To Keep Your Seasonal Business Going Year Round  In an earlier blog we gave you tips to help you franchise your pizzeria. But what if you own a seasonal franchise or restaurant? A seasonal business may sound great to the owner who wants to manage their own business, and only have to work a few months out of the...

How Do You Know When You Are Ready To Hire? The idea of bringing new people, sometimes unfamiliar people, to help you look over your business can be a scary and daunting task for many restaurant and business owners. How do you know when you are ready? If your restaurant or business is doing well, and can afford for you...

Facebook Strategies Every Restaurant Owner Must Know In navigating the tricky waters of the ever-evolving Facebook landscape, many businesses struggle to keep up, maximize their potential, practice good netiquette and avoid common pitfalls. Social Media Today has some handy hints from Jim Belosic for making the most of your Facebook strategy, including avoiding these 7 ways to fail. Turning these into...

Chicago Food Truck Legislation: Breakthrough or Too Little Too Late?   It's been a rocky road for Chicago's food truck community over the past few years, with eager early pioneers of restaurants on wheels lobbying hard for on-board cooking legislation; overcoming the lack thereof to get rolling with pre-prepared food; and many eventually stalling out over complications including bureaucracy, steep...

SEO, Loyalty, Linking, Sales: Why to Blog for Your Restaurant's Brand If you're already blogging for your restaurant or business, you're probably wondering how to maximize your efforts. If you're not blogging, it's probably time to start. First, consider these basic hows and whys from elirosesocial.com: -Keeps people returning to your website -Showcases your experience -Gives you new content to share...

Is Your POS Ready for The New Ways To Pay? Visa recently announced new liability shift dates for its EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) roadmaps that will affect merchants and Point of Sale (POS) terminals, as well as banks, credit unions and independent automated teller machine (ATM) deployers, Mobile Payments Today reported. According to Visa, first mover on EMV in...

Is Having a Mobile Ecommerce Platform Necessary for Today’s Cross-Channel Luxury Shopper? “If you don’t have a mobile strategy, you don’t have a future strategy,” said Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google. While luxury retailers have been slow to assimilate their target market's browsing and purchasing habits, The Luxury Retailer’s Guide to Agile Commerce has determined that this demographic has...

Get More Media Coverage for Your Restaurant It's not enough to have a brilliant business idea and the drive and determination to see it through: all restaurants must face the need for media attention to promote word-of-mouth, new customers and investor interest. Gist.com has published a media relations primer for restaurants with three main steps to demystify the process: Step...

For Customer and Client Satisfaction: Email or Phone Call?  That is the question. Which is best? What is your stance on emailing versus calling a client or employee? Are you still “old school” when it comes to choosing communication methods for your business? While there is no right or wrong forms of communication, there are some things to keep in...

Did you know that 90 percent of consumers trust peer reviews and 70 percent trust online reviews? This only reinforces the fact that consumers everywhere are logging onto sites like Yelp to help them decide where they should eat for dinner, or where is the best place to get their haircut. As a business owner you should never underestimate the power...

5 Great Smartphone Apps for the Business Owner As a business owner, you are constantly on your smart phone. Whether it is dealing with employees or clients, you need to be available 100% of the time. If you are going to be on your phone so much, then why not have some apps that will help you as a small...

We talked previously in a blog about iPad Point of Sale Systems. Yes they are the new hot phenomenon but are they actually a smart move to make with your business? Here are the top 4 reasons to avoid using an iPad Point of Sale System Your iPad is broken or stolen If you decide to use your iPad for...

There really is nothing like old school customer care. Today, everything is online: inventory, time sheets, even running your business can be done from your computer. You can literally manage your franchise in Florida, while sitting at your home office in Chicago. Yes, owning a business is not the same as it was 15 years ago, but there are some...

Do you have social media accounts for your business? Whether it is Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest there is one rule above all: Own Everything! While this may seem like a simple rule, many business owners do not follow it and the consequences are not always so pleasant. If you own your own pizzeria and you hired an outside agency or...

5 Ways to be a Happier Pizzeria Owner Owning your own business, like a pizzeria, can bring about some of the most stressful and yet rewarding moments of your life. While you always want to make sure your employees and customers are happy, it is important to make sure that the business owner is happy as well. Here are 5...

Going to the (Pizza) Show?  The International Pizza Expo  is only three months away, and we are excited! The 29th expo will be held in Las Vegas from March 19-21. Last year there were a total of 6,900 pizzeria owners and operators, and a lot of free pizza. Some of the events to look forward to this year are a...