Rachel’s Kitchen: Building a Culinary Empire
An innovative businesswoman with an ambitious culinary passion, Debbie Roxarzade has been a leader in the restaurant industry for more than two decades. By Jessica Jones
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09, 2021
30
09, 2021
Naturals2Go: Tremendous Growth in Only Four Years
After being a homemaker for over 20 years, Cathy Kidd earned an accounting degree at the age of 47 and worked in small-business accounting. Shortly after, she attended Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE), and the seed was planted to start her own business in Birmingham, Alabama. By Nancy E. Williams
30
09, 2021
Women in Franchising: Choosing to Own a Business, With Intent
Whether you are 28, 42 or 56, if you are considering a franchise now, choose with intent. If you are looking to provide a service that is not available in your market, you may choose to offer solutions to a specific and targeted age: young adults, working parents, or those in the sandwich generation – still raising their kids but helping to care for their aging mom or dad. By Dawn Abbamondi
30
09, 2021
Golden Heart Senior Care: Trust the Franchise System: It Works
With today’s health concerns and economy, older adults are choosing to live in their homes. Golden Heart Senior Care is a full-service, in-home care agency that provides much-needed support to seniors and meets their needs from within their homes. By Rose Mango
30
09, 2021
N-Compass TV: A Day in the Life of a Franchisee: Talent and Guidance Lead to Success
Early in his career, Larry Salice was told he was a natural-born salesman. He has the gift of the gab and instinctively knew he could have a bright future in sales. “I was looking for a business where I could be in control of my career…” said Salice. By Elice Morgenson
30
09, 2021
Grand Welcome: Franchisee of the Month: Steven Brown
Upon leaving the military in 2020, Steven Brown dabbled in short-term rentals before exploring additional options. That’s when he stumbled on Grand Welcome – and was immediately captivated. By Lizzy Yeserski
30
09, 2021
Encore Salon Suites: Patrice McKinney: The Path to Personal and Financial Freedom
Encore Salon Suites is a proven salon studio concept currently operating two corporate franchise locations and one franchise location. Encore has a valuable offering that both owners and tenants love. By Nancy E. Williams
30
09, 2021
Ask Alesia: From Beauty Queen to Home Service Franchise Owner? YES!
This is a wonderful time for women to become franchise owners. Female ownership is on the rise and will continue to be. There are diverse opportunities for women across all sectors, and we see women who have been held back in corporate life able to excel in franchise ownership – without restrictions! By Alesia Visconti
29
09, 2021
Unity Rd. Vice President and Franchise Partner to Present at MLive Cannabis Insights Event on October 7
Dispensary Franchise Joins Notable Roster of Cannabis Industry Leaders & Marketing Innovators for Virtual Michigan Event – Encourages Interested Investors to Attend for Free.
DETROIT — Unity Rd., the cannabis dispensary franchise from Item 9 Labs Corp. (OTCQX: INLB), continues to lead at the forefront of the industry. As part of the brand’s commitment to cannabis education and franchise expansion, Unity Rd. will be presenting at the virtual MLive Cannabis Insights event on Thursday, October 7, which kicks off at 4:00 p.m. EDT. The presentation will include a live Q&A with Unity Rd.’s VP of Franchise Development, Justin Livingston, and Unity Rd. franchise partner Nate Wetzel, who recently opened the doors of his Unity Rd. shop in Boulder, Colorado.
The virtual event’s theme is Grow Your Brand, and will cover practical tools, tactics and insights on effective marketing strategies in the cannabis industry. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from six speakers, some of whom include: David Herrold, Director of Audience Target Strategy at Advance Local; Andrew Brisbo, Executive Director of Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency; and Tatiana Grant, President of Cultivate MI Solutions. Unity Rd.’s presentation will cover how to Grow in Cannabis with the Proven System of a Franchise, featuring an authentic Q&A session with Livingston and Wetzel, providing insight into the franchise partnership process, while exploring potential questions and other considerations that prospective operators may have.
Register for the October 7 virtual MLive Cannabis Insights Event
for free here.
Learn more about Unity Rd. franchise opportunities,
contact franchise@unityrd.com or 720-923-5262, or visit franchise.unityrd.com.
“Before finding Unity Rd., I was fully prepared to take on the burden of launching a dispensary from scratch – I’m so glad I didn’t,” shared Wetzel. “Opening a dispensary has been a goal of mine for years. After putting in the research, that goal became increasingly daunting. Unity Rd. helped make the opening process as smooth as possible. Looking back, I can’t even imagine having to navigate that on my own. That said, before signing on with the team, I had plenty of questions. Our goal with this Q&A is to answer the questions that interested investors likely have in hopes of helping them decide what route they’d like to take.”
The cannabis industry is notoriously complex, which is why Unity Rd. has developed a streamlined and straight forward approach to opening a dispensary. The brand’s team boasts a combined 120-plus years of legal cannabis and franchising experience, and provides guidance every step of the way – from securing a dispensary license to managing cash flow and product selection. The veteran team passes on their knowledge and trusted resources, as well as provides the ongoing support needed to successfully operate a dispensary.
“Franchising is a solid way to bring support and structure to any industry, but for years, leaders have shied away from franchising cannabis – no doubt due to its complexity. Yet, franchising dispensaries is the only way we’re going to see explosive industry growth with business ownership in the hands of the local operator,” explains Livingston. “So, whether you’re interested in learning about franchising in cannabis, or are looking to take some best practices back to your business, I encourage you to attend this event. There are so many nuances in cannabis, so this event is sure to be filled with helpful insight.”
Unity Rd. has pinpointed Michigan for growth as statewide adult-use cannabis sales are projected to total upwards of $2.4 billion by 2024. In 2020 alone, combined cannabis sales were $984.6 million, with medical accounting for $474 million and adult-use generating $510.7 million. The brand is actively seeking qualified franchise partners in target development markets including Detroit, Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rapids.
ABOUT UNITY RD.:
Unity Rd. is bridging the two previously disconnected worlds of cannabis and franchising. The industry trailblazer is the first to bring the cannabis dispensary franchise model to the United States—with duality of prowess in both industries to back it up. Built up from a collective 200 years in the legal cannabis industry and franchising, the company helps eager operators enter the complex industry with ease. The marijuana franchise pioneer offers its partners the knowledge, resources, and ongoing support needed to compliantly and successfully operate a dispensary. Launched in 2018, Unity Rd. has signed multiple agreements with more than 10 entrepreneurial groups across the country. Recently, it was named one of the top cannabis retail leaders in the nation by MJBizDaily magazine and one of the “Best Cannabis Companies to Work For” in both the dispensary and cultivation categories in Cannabis Business Times’ elite 2020 list. The company is also the first cannabis business to earn a Franchise Times Dealmakers award. For more information, visit unityrd.com.
29
09, 2021
Saladworks Celebrates 35 Year Milestone by Fundraising for No Kid Hungry
Fast Casual Restaurant Franchise Creates Fall LTO to Drive Awareness and Donations for Kids in Need of Meals.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Saladworks, the nation’s leading fast-casual create-your-own salad franchise and part of the WOWorks family of brands, will celebrate its 35th birthday on Sept. 30. To commemorate this milestone, the brand wants to give back to the communities it serves by donating 35 cents from the sale of each of its new Amy’s Fall Fest entrees to No Kid Hungry. Saladworks will also give 35 bonus points to each Saladworks Rewards member that donates $5 to its No Kid Hungry fundraiser, the High Five Challenge, which started on September 1 and runs through October 17, 2021.
Amy’s Fall Fest was created from the winning recipe of the Saladworks’ Flavor Your World Original Recipe Challenge, which invited Saladworks Rewards members across the nation to create a new original recipe from Saladworks ingredients over the summer. Amy Sarli-Prelle was the winner of the Flavor Your World Original Recipe Challenge, and her recipe is featured for a limited time in the form of a themed Salad, Warm Grain Bowl, and Wrap.
Sarli-Prelle’s winning salad, Amy’s Fall Fest, is perfect for the fall weather rolling in. The entree is a blend of radiatore pasta, romaine/iceberg blend, roasted turkey, smoky bacon, diced apples, diced red onions, applewood smoked gouda cheese, walnuts and apple cider vinaigrette.
The Saladworks’ Flavor Your World Challenge was developed to help support No Kid Hungry, a cause to help end childhood hunger. The High Five Challenge has been created by Saladworks’ parent company WOWorks’, which also includes Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, Frutta Bowls and The Simple Greek. Collectively, WOWorks brands are trying to raise $400,000 to give 4 million meals to kids in need.
There are five ways guests can team up with Saladworks to be a part of the High Five Challenge and support No Kid Hungry:
- Making a donation of $1 or $5 to No Kid Hungry after purchasing their meal, either in person at a Saladworks restaurant or via online ordering. $1 donors receive an “I Joined the Team” sticker and an opportunity to sign a “High Five Hand” image symbolizing their personal commitment to the cause. To sweeten the deal, every guest who donates $5 or more receives the above, along with a high five value coupon for use on a future visit through October 31, 2021. Each individually signed “High Five Hand” will be posted on the wall signifying the progress made.
- Purchasing Saladworks limited-time only Amy’s Fall Fest entrees will donate 35 cents to No Kid Hungry.
- Additionally, purchasing a Saladworks Kids Works meal will give a donation of 10 cents to No Kid Hungry.
- For each catering order, guests will also have the option to donate $5, $10 or $25 to No Kid Hungry on an ongoing basis.
- Making a donation via a special WOWorks section within the Fundraising page of the No Kid Hungry website at: https://www.nokidhungry.org/partners/homepage-partner/WOWorks
“We’re so proud of Saladworks reaching an amazing milestone. There is no better way to celebrate this birthday than to partner with an impactful organization that helps end childhood hunger. WOWorks is all about making the communities they service a “WOW” place to live and we are continuously working to reach that goal,” said Kelly Roddy, CEO of WOWorks.
Saladworks, throughout its 35 years, has always placed a focus on guest originality through its array of over 60 fresh, flavorful and healthy ingredients. In addition to its 12 Signature recipes, Saladworks offers Create-Your-Own options — including Salads, Warm Grain Bowls, Wraps — as well as Soups and a Kids Works menu – plus, new Signature Sandwiches and Panini Melts in many locations.
For more information about its menu, current offers, or to become a Saladworks Rewards member, visit www.saladworks.com or download the Saladworks Rewards app.
ABOUT NO KID HUNGRY:
No child should go hungry in America. But in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, 1 in 6 kids could still face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty.
ABOUT SALADWORKS:
Founded in 1986, Saladworks is the nation’s leading fast-casual create-your-own salad destination, with over 150 locations across 18 states and two countries. Part of the WOWorks family of brands, which also includes Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, Frutta Bowls and The Simple Greek, Saladworks encourages guests to be original, giving them the option to choose from salads, warm grain bowls or wraps, along with an endless array of fresh vegetables, fruits, proteins and delicious dressings. Ranked #7 on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers and Shakers in 2021, Saladworks has been delivering the most original and incredible salad experience to guests for more than 30 years. For more information, visit www.saladworks.com.
ABOUT WOWORKS:
WOWorks was formed in 2020 with a mission to help guests pursue their passions and live their best lives by serving healthy, nutritious and flavorful meals along with first-rate hospitality. Fully owned by Centre Lane Partners, LLC, WOWorks’ portfolio consists of: Saladworks, the nation’s leading fast-casual salad brand; Frutta Bowls, a unique restaurant franchise serving a variety of superfood bowls, fresh fruit smoothies, protein bites and more; Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, a popular Mediterranean restaurant concept; and most recently, The Simple Greek, which offers a fresh and healthy take on traditional Greek recipes in a fast-casual setting. WOWorks seeks to drive explosive growth across all of its brands through a variety of channels, both traditional and non-traditional, including ghost kitchens, food trucks, grocery retail and more.