When Jeff Bryant Sr. and his two sons, Jeff Jr. and Justin, were looking to buy a franchise, they wanted a new fresh-food option for their Clarksville, Tennessee, community and a way to work together. By Patty Horansky
Many small-business owners dream of someday franchising their business, whether it be a fast-casual restaurant, fitness studio, home service or any of the hundreds of kinds of establishments across the country. By Patty Horansky
Leading window treatment franchise to provide premium window treatments, consultation services to Bakersfield and Santa Clarita.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Gotcha Covered, a leader in custom window treatment consultation in the U.S. and Canada, added a third location in California with the opening of Gotcha Covered of Bakersfield.
The new home-based center is owned and operated by Gene and Araceli Maupin. With an emphasis on end-to-end consultations, this business will provide the best in soft and hard window treatments to homeowners in Kern County including Santa Clarita and Bakersfield while offering a variety of blinds, draperies, smart solutions and much more.
“Gotcha Covered is always looking to expand in areas that have great growth potential,” said Paul Linenberg, president of Gotcha Covered. “Kern County provides us an opportunity to both expand the Gotcha Covered brand and deliver excellent end-to-end consultative services to the residents of Bakersfield and Santa Clarita. Homeowners are receiving an asset to their community, and the Maupins are great representatives for our brand in that area.”
A military veteran, Gene brings a wealth of experience and determination to the Gotcha Covered franchise. Prior to owning his own company, he worked in occupational safety and health. After researching franchises on franchise.com, Gene was introduced to Gotcha Covered with the help of a franchise consultant.
“Owning a Gotcha Covered has been a tremendous experience,” said Gene Maupin. “While the administrative portion of owning a business can be challenging, the leadership team at Gotcha Covered has always been willing and happy to help. I couldn’t have picked a better franchise.”
Looking at the future, Gene looks forward to building a long-term successful family business while providing the residents of Kern County with excellent customer experience and window treatments.
Adding 27 new franchise locations in 2021, Gotcha Covered currently has over 145 total franchises across the U.S. and Canada. The franchise has been operating under the Gotcha Covered name since 2009.
To schedule an appointment with Gotcha Covered of Bakersfield, visit https://www.gotchacovered.com/bakersfield/.
About Gotcha Covered
Gotcha Covered is a leader in custom soft and hard window treatment consultation in the U.S. and Canada. Flying under their Gotcha Covered flag since 2009, they offer custom window treatments including blinds, draperies, shutters and much more. They offer end-to-end consultation with the customer’s specific needs and goals in mind. The company currently has over 145 total franchises across the U.S. and Canada.
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — With an unwavering commitment to innovation, Cruise Planners launched a new interactive product called “LivePlanner” during its annual Convention. This product allows Cruise Planners agents to showcase vacation options with imagery, videos, and more to help their clients plan the perfect vacation whether it’s a cruise, all-inclusive resort, and FIT Packaged trip. All of it is done live and in real-time, making this an innovative technology for the travel industry and is patent-pending.
Clients can use either a laptop or desktop device creating a live session experience between themselves and their travel advisor and plan a vacation in real-time. This revolutionary software will have the capability for clients and agents to be on video and screenshare, further contributing to the interactive experience. All of this without needing to install any special software.
“We have been diligently developing this tool by using focus groups made up of team members and experienced advisors to ensure it’s both easy to use and to fine-tune important details,” said Brian Shultz, Chief Information Officer. “Our advisors can now add this to their arsenal of proprietary tools to help them close more sales and showcase their expertise in travel.”
New clients can access this feature and request a consultation from the agent’s website while existing clients can schedule their own sessions via their myTrips account on the agent website. Once a client makes a request for a LivePlanner session, they’ll be able to:
During the session, clients may utilize the built in video feature if they wish to share their camera. They can also “favorite” or “unfavorite” items shared during the session by their agent, which helps the agent narrow down the search toward the perfect vacation. Any items that are favorited will be captured in their CP Maxx client profile and once the consultation has ended, clients will be sent to the “Session Summary” screen. There they can view any attachments sent by the agent during the consultation and share any and all trips with others via email.
“LivePlanner will change the game on the consultation aspect of working with clients to plan travel,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and founder of Cruise Planners. “We are excited to create a tool that will help advisors better understand what excites their clients about a vacation and helps clients understand more about the experiences and trip options, allowing agents to interactively consult with clients located anywhere in the world. Additionally, LivePlanner allows advisors to personalize a unique experience for their customers. We’re proud to offer this industry-first tool to our Cruise Planners advisors.”
About Cruise Planners
Cruise Planners was founded in 1994 and is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network. As a leader in the travel franchise industry, Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 2,500 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and awarded by Franchise Business Review as “Best-In-Category” for 2 years.
Franchise Business Review also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises of 2022. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.
Visit our website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/.
The Nation’s Leading Residential Cleaning Company Is Giving Back this Holiday Season by Offering the Chance to win a $500 Gift Certificate.
WACO, Texas — This holiday season, Molly Maid®, a Neighborly® company and one of the nation’s leading residential cleaning franchises, announced its 2022 Holiday Clean Home Giveaway sweepstakes for the eighth year in a row. The franchise is offering consumers a chance to lighten their workload at home by offering an opportunity to win one of five $500 Molly Maid gift certificates. For a chance to win, participants can enter through Holiday Clean Home Giveaway sweepstakes beginning today through December 16.
“One thing everyone seems to run out of during the holidays is time, and that’s something we hope to give back with this giveaway,” said Vera Peterson, President of Molly Maid. “A clean home is a happy home, and the holidays are unfortunately one of the busiest times of the year. With this giveaway, we want to help five families across the U.S. enjoy more time together without worrying about housework.”
Molly Maid offers a variety of services, from one-time cleanings to weekly housekeeping, performed by professional housecleaners you can trust to accommodate all your cleaning needs. Not only are they available to clean your home before a party, but they can also come back to clean up after all the festivities.
To provide someone you know a little break and extra help this holiday season in the home, Molly Maid gift certificates are available at https://www.mollymaid.com/gift-certificates/.
The five $500 Molly Maid gift certificates are redeemable at any participating franchise location for any cleaning service. For the complete contest rules for the Holiday Clean Home Giveaway, visit https://www.mollymaid.com/holiday-clean-home-giveaway-rules2/.
About Molly Maid®
Molly Maid® is a residential cleaning franchise with more than 500 franchise locations that collectively perform more than 1.7 million U.S. home cleanings annually. Franchising since 1984, and acquired in 2015, Molly Maid® is part of Neighborly®, the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses. Neighborly® brands are found at Neighborly.com and on the new Neighborly App. Molly Maid® established the Ms. Molly Foundation in 1996 to raise awareness and support for victims of domestic violence. For more information about Molly Maid®, visit MollyMaid.com.
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Cruise Planners Chief Sales Officer, Theresa Scalzitti, celebrated the naming of Atlas Ocean Voyages’ World Traveller as its godmother in the fjords of Beagle Channel’s Glacier Alley in Chile this past weekend. The dual naming ceremony included the World Navigator, which has been in service since last year but was never formally named. Adventurer Karen Lundgren serves as the godmother of the World Navigator.
Scalzitti, Cruise Planners chief sales officer, has spent the majority of her nearly 30-year career in the cruise and travel industry, championing travel advisors.
“This was a surreal moment for me. To be asked to be the godmother of Atlas Ocean Voyages’ new ship World Traveller is a dream come true,” said Scalzitti. “Thank you Atlas for this once-in-a-lifetime honor.”
VIP guests at the dual naming ceremonies included travel advisors, shareholders, media and dignitaries from Argentina and Chile. World Traveller was named Nov. 19, followed by Zodiac sightseeing of Pia Glacier. In the evening the portraits of the godmothers were unveiled at a gala welcome reception prior to dinner. The naming festivities for World Navigator took place on Nov. 20, preceded by a celebratory luncheon on that vessel.
“Both yacht-style vessels specialize in expeditions to some of nature’s most spectacular destinations,” said James Rodriguez, Atlas’ president and CEO. “What a historic weekend for Atlas. It was inspiring to name these two spectacular ships surrounded by majestic glaciers.”
Both expedition ships are Polar Category C- and Ice Class 1B-certified and cater to global travelers with a passion for exploring both iconic and off-the-beaten-path destinations. The intimate vessels offer every five-star comfort, from an all-inclusive onboard experience and luxurious accommodations to in-depth excursions and customized private tours for a truly personalized voyage.
With only 100 suites, guests enjoy nearly a 1:1 guest-to-staff ratio and a special camaraderie and bond with their fellow explorers. This allows discerning travelers to immerse themselves in unique and awe-inspiring moments in remote and captivating destinations, from the Arctic to Antarctica, as well as discover destinations in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Americas.
About Cruise Planners
Cruise Planners was founded in 1994 and is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network. As a leader in the travel franchise industry, Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 2,500 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and awarded by Franchise Business Review as “Best-In-Category” for 2 years.
Franchise Business Review also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises of 2022. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.
Visit our website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/.
TROY, Mich. — Best Life Brands, LLC (“Best Life Brands”) today announced the addition of David Tarr as vice president of franchise development. Tarr will lead the Best Life Brands franchise sales team to help accelerate the growth of the company’s senior care brands, as well as future acquisitions.
“David comes to us with an extensive background in sales and franchising,” said J.J. Sorrenti, CEO of Best Life Brands. “With his sales planning and leadership and our desire to continue to grow our portfolio of brands, it’s an ideal fit to help us advance the momentum the company has built.”
Prior to joining Best Life Brands, Tarr served in several executive roles, including vice president of franchise development and expansion for Liberty Tax Service, where he facilitated the growth from 700 locations to 4,400 locations throughout the U.S. More recently, he was the brand manager for St. Gregory Development Group, LLC and director of franchise development for REP’M Group, a full-service franchise development firm, where he oversaw the growth of Lime Painting from five locations to 70 throughout the US.
“I have a deep appreciation for Best Life Brand’s mission to serve seniors and their families on the continuum of care and look forward to growing the portfolio,” said Tarr. “Joining a multi-brand franchise company that continues to evolve is exciting. I look forward to helping recruit, select and qualify even more new franchisees across all our brands, while working with the Best Life Brands team and our existing franchisees to ensure we are delivering our senior care solutions to as many clients as possible.”
To learn more about Best Life Brands, visit www.bestlifebrands.com.
Based in Troy, Mich., Best Life Brands, LLC is a holding company that includes ComForCare and At Your Side, premier franchised providers of home care; CarePatrol, the nation’s largest franchised senior care solutions organization; Blue Moon Estate Sales, the leading estate sale franchise in the U.S., and Boost Home Healthcare, dedicated to providing superior in-home nursing, therapy, and home care services, which together include more than 500 franchise locations across the U.S. and Canada. With a private equity investment from The Riverside Company, Best Life Brands is a platform of award-winning complementary businesses that serve people along the continuum of care.
SARASOTA, Fla. — As the holiday season approaches, Le Macaron aficionados can now savor the flavors of the season with new Pumpkin, Gingerbread Christmas, and Champagne macarons. Available at all 67 Le Macaron locations nationwide, the decadent, colorful confections with more than 20 year-around flavors are perfect for corporate gifting, family, or friends. Also stealing the show during the holiday season are new flavors of gelato, gourmet chocolates, eclairs, European style beverages, and a limited time offering Peanut Butter and Jelly macaron.
“The holidays are the perfect time to relax and indulge with the finest, authentic macarons and French pastries at our cozy and welcoming cafes,” said Le Macaron co-founder Rosalie Guillem. “Our customers tell us they love being treated to a Parisian-style café experience.”
Handmade from scratch with premium, gluten-free ingredients by French chefs, the distinctive taste of the macarons has catapulted the brand to the nation’s #1 French Pastries and Macaron franchise in the nation. The cafes stretch from coast to coast, but there are still plenty of territories and franchise locations available at special pricing from now until the end of 2022, according to Franchise Development Director Greg Guillem.
“We are nearing the end of the year in a very strong position due to unprecedented growth,” Guillem said. “By offering special discounts on franchises during the next six weeks, this is our gift to prospective franchisees who have been thinking about operating their own successful Le Macaron café. In addition to special discounts, we continually offer support and guidance to our owners to help them succeed in their new venture.”
Le Macaron franchises dot landscapes from Alabama to Arizona with new locations continuously in development. Recently Le Macaron celebrated store openings in Cool Springs, Tennessee, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Elkhart, Indiana, and Valley Bend, Alabama. Additional openings planned throughout the remainder of the year include Columbus, Ohio, Clearwater, Florida, Lake Charles, Louisiana, Dixon, Arizona, New York City and Fischers and Caramel, Indiana.
“We currently have nearly 20 franchises in various stages of development,” explained Guillem. “For anyone interested in learning more about franchise opportunities, this is the perfect time to explore the possibilities. We believe that 2023 will be even busier for us, as more people are learning about the benefits and ease of starting their own Le Macaron franchise.”
Le Macaron was recently named to the FranServe 2022 Fran-Tastic 500 list, which recognizes the top franchises in the country. For more information, visit http://lemacaron-us.com
Founded in 2009 by Rosalie Guillem and her daughter Audrey, Le Macaron French Pastries is an elegant French patisserie that offers guests the finest, authentic French macarons and pastries. Headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, the brand began franchising in 2012 and has since grown to more than 64 locations across the U.S. Le Macaron French Pastries is ranked on Inc. 5,000 2016, #17 on the 2019 Top Emerging Franchise List as well as ranking on the Top 100 Food and Beverage category by Entrepreneur and holds a No. 9 ranking in the baked goods category.
IV Therapy Franchise makes Supplements more Accessible for Clients
WRENTHAM, Mass. — The DRIPBaR – an IV vitamin therapy franchise growing expeditiously across America, is happy to announce its new partnership with Fullscript, an industry-leading supplement planning and delivery tool for patient-centered care and optimal health. The collaboration will create a more fulfilling experience for The DRIPBaR clients as they will be able to pair supplements with their IV vitamin drip of choice. The DRIPBaR and Fullscript have identified several high-quality vitamins and supplements that pair well with select IV drip protocols to support heart, brain and gut health, improve energy and immune function, and assist with anti-aging and weight loss efforts.
“We know this partnership with Fullscript will be a huge benefit for our franchisees and clients. Now more than ever, people are becoming focused on their health and Fullscript will help us in our effort to guide everyone to meet their wellness goals,” said CEO, Ben Crosbie. “This partnership will provide a unique experience for clients, as they get to combine their favorite IV Drips with additional vitamins and supplements.”
Fullscript makes it easier for clients to receive supplements that are carefully reviewed and selected by licensed medical professionals by allowing them to order supplements while in a DRIPBaR location and have them mailed to their home. The new partnership is sure to create a hassle-free experience as clients don’t have to wait for supplements to come in stock at stores. Autoship and refill reminders, along with fast, convenient shipping will also ensure clients exceptional convenience.
“We’re thrilled about our new partnership with The DRIPBaR and look forward to providing more people easy access to professional-grade vitamins and supplements that will further enhance their health goals between infusions,” said Jeff Gladd, MD, a practicing integrative medicine physician and the chief medical officer at Fullscript.
Each DRIPBaR location offers 20 IV Lifestyle or Health Support drips including the Jet Setter, Time Machine, Restoration, Flu Fighter, and High C. All IV drips are handled by registered nurses under the guidance of a licensed medical director. For those who don’t have time for a full IV vitamin infusion but are looking for the benefit, The DRIPBaR can give your body a boost in just five minutes with one of its five IM Quick Shots. IV therapy provides positive nourishment for conditions such as the common cold, headaches, cancer, and chronic illness and even helps slow the signs of aging.
To learn more about The DRIPBaR, please visit their website at thedripbar.com. To learn more about Fullscript, please visit their website at https://fullscript.com/.
About Fullscript
Fullscript is a digital health platform that helps practitioners build better patient relationships through quality supplementation and intuitive tools for treatment adherence — all at no cost.
Practitioners write online supplement plans where patients order wellness products and find resources to improve their health education. Practitioners control what their patients pay so they can grow their practices, offer deep discounts, or strike a comfortable balance of both. Fullscript’s US catalog also supports wholesale orders for in-office dispensing.
Beyond supplement planning, Fullscript delivers evidence-based resources, ready-made protocols, personalized refill reminders, and more to help sustain optimal health over time. Learn more at Fullscript.com.
About The DRIPBaR
Founded in 2016 and franchising since late 2019, The DRIPBaR is a franchise focused on helping people obtain their best physical and mental health using intravenous therapies. Through advances in cellular and biological science, The DRIPBaR helps clients fight the consequences of chronic illness, address the effects of aging, and achieve balanced wellness. With 37 locations currently open and operating, The DRIPBaR already has over 450 additional locations in various stages of development across 28 states. For more information, visit www.thedripbar.com.
Leading Authentic Heavy Bag Boxing Fitness Brand Goes Global with Master Franchise Deal.
SANTA MONICA, Calif. — TITLE Boxing Club, the world’s leading boxing fitness brand that offers a full-body, authentic heavy bag workout, has signed the brand’s first international deal that will bring its presence to nine countries. As the largest deal in TITLE’s history, the agreement puts the brand on the fast track to its development goal of having 300 clubs open by 2025.
Making history is master franchise representative Hurst Kopp, a military veteran whose passion for boxing was founded during his time managing professional boxers and mixed martial artists. After graduating from Washington State University and later completing post graduate studies, Kopp spent time working in big tech before deciding he wanted to pursue an opportunity that combined his experience with his passion. This led him to a career within the boxing industry – and specifically to southeast Asia where a lot of boxing talent resided.
“Having worked in international business development for the last decade, I really understand how these countries perceive fitness,” said Kopp. “The relationships I’ve built during this time played a role in bringing this deal to life. I have also surveyed the landscape, and completed extensive research on these economies coupled with boots-on-the-ground-efforts to ensure TITLE Boxing Club was the right brand.”
The nine countries being added to TITLE Boxing Club’s roster are: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand. Asia has seen significant revenue growth in the health and fitness market in recent years, with a nearly 25% increase from 2021 to 2022. As the industry continues to grow throughout Asia and beyond, TITLE is making its international mark at the right time.
“Currently, there are some concepts that allow you to punch some bags as a side workout – but it’s far from the true authentic boxing workout that is TITLE,” adds Kopp. “These countries are a few years behind the U.S. in terms of innovation, so the boom of studio concepts is just beginning.”
TITLE Boxing Club expects four existing clubs in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore to be operating under its name by end of year. These clubs will be completely re-branded to TITLE in Q1 2023, with additional clubs being transitioned throughout the remainder of the year.
“This international deal allows us to bring authentic boxing fitness to the masses,” said Todd Wadler, CEO of TITLE Boxing Club and Co-Founder of BoxUnion. “We have made a lot of improvements to our system throughout the last 22 months, and this momentous agreement is just one of the results to come out of our work. This is a pivotal moment for the brand that will project us into a new era.”
As the leading authentic heavy bag boxing club, TITLE Boxing Club offers a workout designed to build your fitness, control your breathing, and clear your mind. With more than 130 clubs nationwide and a well-regarded digital subscription service, TITLE Boxing Club On Demand, members can work out anytime, anywhere.
For more information on TITLE Boxing Club and its franchise opportunities, please visit https://titleboxingclub.com/franchise/.
About TITLE Boxing Club
TITLE Boxing Club is the world’s leading boxing fitness brand that offers a full-body, authentic heavy bag workout designed to build your fitness, control your breathing, and clear your mind. The boutique fitness franchise specializes in boxing and kickboxing classes with more than 130 locations and 40,000+ members. TITLE Boxing Club also allows consumers to workout anytime, anywhere through their digital subscription service, TITLE Boxing Club On Demand.