When Victor Pariona served in the U.S. Army National Guard, he found it challenging to locate a job that allowed him to fulfill his commitment to the military and have some time to spend with his family. By Elice Morgenson
Entrepreneurship is hard work, but the benefits that come from owning and operating a business, including being your own boss and pursuing your passion, can be a worthy tradeoff. By Tamara Rahoumi
Having a clear vision for what you’re most passionate about will always fuel your pursuit of that passion. This stands true for Michele Sottosanti. She always knew that she had a certain fondness for the beauty industry and worked several years as a regional and district manager for hair and beauty companies. By Jennifer Callender
Maple Bear Global Schools strongly believes its students must learn that giving back is an important activity, one that needs to be practiced year-round. By Nancy E. Williams
Buying a property is one of the largest investments someone makes in their lifetime. But the process of buying and selling a house comes with huge fees and commissions that eat away at the value of a person’s investment. By Kelsi Trinidad
Since 2004, 30 Minute Hit has been empowering women with its signature full-body circuit workout designed just for women, using elements of boxing, kickboxing, core conditioning and high-intensity interval training. By Kelsi Trinidad
The experienced financial management professional supports the fast-growing National Automotive Styling Centers™ franchise development strategy
BOCA RATON, Fla. — Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™, a leading auto accessory and window tinting franchise, has hired Chris Hejda to support the company’s dynamic franchise development strategy with expert financial management.
As the fast-growing franchise’s accounting manager, Hejda is responsible for oversight of internal and external financial reporting, financial controls, accounting, tax, and audit relations.
“Our goal at Tint World® is to continue accelerating our growth, and that depends on a foundation of solid financials,” said Charles J. Bonfiglio, CEO and president of Tint World®. “Chris has demonstrated throughout his career that he has the focus and experience we need to keep driving forward.”
Hejda, a graduate of the University of Alabama, is an experienced financial manager with a proven track record of delivering profitable growth and managing strategy development to drive financial and cash performance.
“Joining the Tint World® family is a fantastic opportunity,” Hejda said. “The company has shown great success over the years. Its growth trajectory is leading the industry. Most of all, this team is passionate about continuing to build the Tint World® brand and supporting our hard-working franchisees.”
Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™ offer sales and installation of auto accessories, mobile electronics, audio video equipment, security systems, custom wheels and tire packages, window tinting, vehicle wraps, paint protection films, detailing services, nano ceramic coatings, maintenance and repair services, and more. Tint World® is also the leading provider of residential, commercial and marine computerized window tinting and security film services with locations throughout the U.S. and abroad, with franchise opportunities available worldwide.
About Tint World®
Founded in 1982, Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™ is America’s largest and fastest-growing automotive accessories and window tinting international franchise, specializing in window tinting, protective films, vehicle wraps, audio and electronics, security systems, car and truck accessories, wheels and tires, detailing and ceramic coating, and installation services.
Tint World® Mobile Services™ include marine, residential, and commercial window tinting films, solar films, decorative films, safety and security films, and protective ceramic coatings. Tint World® has locations in the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, with master franchise opportunities available worldwide. To find out more, please visit www.TintWorld.com or www.TintWorldFranchise.com.
Multi-brand portfolio continues to expand services to support people in wellness and well-being
TROY, Mich. — Best Life Brands, LLC (“Best Life Brands”), a franchised organization that includes Blue Moon Estate Sales, CarePatrol, ComForCare, At Your Side Home Care and Boost Home Healthcare, ended the first half of 2022 with multiple awards and 48 additional franchise agreements awarded across all brands.
“Everyone under the Best Life Brands umbrella has exceeded our expectations in the first half of 2022,” said J.J. Sorrenti, CEO of Best Life Brands. “Our growth during the first half of this year continues to underscore the needs of a quickly growing senior population in the U.S. and Canada. Best Life Brands is reaching its goal to become a fully comprehensive senior care organization dedicated to helping our aging population along the continuum of care. I am thrilled to see that the work our team and franchisees are doing is helping more clients and customers engage in our senior care solutions.”
Highlights across the Best Life Brands network from January to June 2022 include:
Best Life Brands:
ComForCare/AtYourSide Home Care:
CarePatrol:
Blue Moon Estate Sales:
Boost Home Healthcare:
Media coverage for the brands appeared in Home Care Magazine, Senior Outlook Today, Home Health Care News, AARP, Generation Bold Radio, and more.
For the second half of 2022, Best Life Brands plans to continue its growth by entering the Northern and Southern California, South Florida, North New Jersey and Chicago markets across all brands.
To learn more about ComForCare, visit www.comforcare.com/.
To learn more about CarePatrol, visit www.carepatrol.com/.
To learn more about Blue Moon Estate Sales, visit www.bluemoonestatesales.com/.
To learn more about Boost Home Healthcare, visit https://www.boosthomehealth.com.
About Best Life Brands, LLC
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.
– Local Go-To Cannabis Shop Serving Patient Card Holders of Hartford and Beyond.
– Local Owners, B.J. Olson and Adam Jorgensen Focused on Educating Community About Cannabis.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Unity Rd., the national cannabis dispensary franchise from Item 9 Labs Corp. (OTCQX: INLB), is opening South Dakota’s first medical cannabis establishment on Wednesday, July 27 with local entrepreneurs, B.J. Olson and Adam Jorgensen. The new shop is located in the Sioux Falls suburb of Hartford at 404 West Opal Lane.
South Dakota natives and best buds, Jorgensen and Olson bring a combined 40-plus years of experience in wireless technology, retail and business entrepreneurship. After witnessing the power of medical cannabis, the duo wanted to share this with those in need in the local community by opening their own medical cannabis establishment with Unity Rd.
“Adam and I have dreamed of having our own business together for a very long time. We are true believers in the benefits of cannabis and knew this was always the path for us,” said Olson. “We were very intentional in seeking out our partnership with Unity Rd. Even with our combined retail backgrounds, we knew we would need additional support and resources to navigate the complexities of the industry. Unity Rd. has been instrumental to our success in opening a medical cannabis establishment in South Dakota and we know they have our best interest at heart.”
Unity Rd. is a collective of locally owned and operated cannabis shops with the mission to inspire confidence in the benefits of cannabis for all, while keeping the door to dispensary ownership open to everyday entrepreneurs.
From offering a curated cannabis experience that is focused on local patients to hiring local talent, the Hartford shop is engrained in its community and allows for a culture unique to the neighborhood to shine through. Patients can expect the highest quality medical cannabis products available, continuously evolving as the emerging market grows. The shop’s approachable and welcoming team members have gone through a robust training program and will be consistently staying up to date on the latest industry trends and product knowledge. Focused on serving a consistent experience with an enlightening, education-first approach, the Hartford shop supports all patients who walk through their doors.
“Being born and raised here, we see ourselves as a true community partner,” said Jorgensen. “We are proud that the process of building our establishment from the ground up was through local Sioux Falls or South Dakota businesses, and nearly half of our team are Hartford residents themselves. B.J. and I are dedicated to educating patient card holders on our medical cannabis products as well as becoming even more involved in our community.”
South Dakota legalized medical cannabis in July 2021 by a ballot initiative in November 2020. Since the local reform, the state has seen positive activity related to cannabis. State residents began applying for medical cannabis patient cards on January 1, 2022, and currently have more than 1,700 approved applications in the South Dakota Medical Cannabis Program. As of July 25, 2022, The Department of Health (DOH) reports that more than 130 South Dakota physicians have been approved to recommend medical cannabis to their patients.
“Opening the first dispensary in my home state is an impressive feat that I’m proud our team and local entrepreneurs have been able to achieve,” added Andrew Bowden, CEO of Item 9 Labs Corp. and former Sioux Falls resident.
“We strive to expand our national community of Unity Rd. shops with owners who are engrained in their communities, and are honored to partner with exceptional entrepreneurs like B.J. and Adam on this milestone opening of the first medical cannabis establishment in South Dakota as well as the first Unity Rd. shop in the state,” shared Mike Weinberger, chief franchise officer of Unity Rd.
Unity Rd. Hartford will be open special hours the first few weeks: Wednesday-Saturday from noon to 8 p.m., Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. and closed on Monday and Tuesday. To learn more about the local go-to cannabis shop, call 605-88-UNITY or visit https://www.unityrd.com/locations/sd/hartford/1404wopallane.
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 three shops open across the U.S. along with multiple agreements signed with 20 entrepreneurial groups across the country who are developing the brand across 10-plus states. In 2021, Unity Rd. became the first member of its kind to join the International Franchise Association (IFA), solidifying its position as the first true cannabis dispensary franchise in the U.S. The franchise was also named one of the “Best Cannabis Companies to Work For” in the dispensary category for Cannabis Business Times’ 2022 and 2020 lists. For more information, visit unityrd.com.
Early Childhood Education Franchise Revs Up Strategic Development, Set to Open at Metropolitan Park.
LUTHERVILLE, Md. — Celebree School, a leader in early childhood education will join an impressive roster of retail partners at Metropolitan Park for Amazon’s second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.
Celebree School of National Landing is slated to open Spring 2023 and will provide infant and toddler care, and preschool programs. The customized programs will address the physical, social, emotional, and academic needs of children while adhering to Virginia’s early education standards.
Over the past eight months, Amazon has announced several local small businesses that will open their doors next year at HQ2, including Conte’s Bike Shop, District Dogs, HUSTLE, RAKO Coffee, Social Burger, and South Block. As development continues, Amazon now adds to this impressive roster with the addition of Celebree School of National Landing, Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe, Glo30, and Peruvian Brothers – all set to help enrich the growing community.
Amazon hopes that as it continues to bring more small businesses to the area, HQ2 can be a destination for all the important areas of life, whether that be work, play, family time, or any of the moments in between.
Owners of Celebree School National Landing, Kate and Brian Mulcahy, are eager to open this location, marking their second Celebree School. Together, the husband-wife team opened their first Celebree School in Tysons Corner, VA in September 2021. Not even one year later, their classrooms are almost full, and they are changing the lives of families in the community.
“We strive every day to make parents and students feel as comfortable as possible, as well as provide an unparalleled experience for our teachers,” said Mulcahy. “Partnering with Amazon will allow us to reach a larger subset of the region and provide more quality early childhood education to more families.”
“The spotlight that Amazon’s presence puts on the community is so valuable, and the new residents it will attract will strengthen the fibers of the community,” added Mulcahy. “Amazon’s commitment to excellence and service mirrors our own values, making it an even more exciting venture.”
Celebree School lives by its promise to Grow People Big and Small™, and was founded on the belief that success in early childhood development is equal parts curriculum and a connection that extends beyond the classroom to address the needs of the whole child and the whole family. Each Celebree School is a village made up of parents, children, and educators while providing curriculum-based care that prepares your child for kindergarten and beyond.
With a 25-plus-year history of providing superior early childhood education, Celebree School delivers a stable, secure learning environment that helps children develop a lifelong love of learning. Programs at Celebree School of National Landing will be available for children six weeks to preschool age with unique curriculums designed to develop positive social skills and values while allowing children to learn about their world through age-appropriate play, projects, and activities. Care is available part time or full time and parents are allowed to drop in and visit at any time.
“We’re honored to continue to help brilliant entrepreneurs like the Mulcahys actualize their business goals,” said Richard Huffman, Founder and CEO of Celebree School. “As we continue to expand our brand’s footprint through franchising, it’s more important than ever that we partner with local community leaders who have a passion for early childhood education. Bringing Celebree School to Amazon HQ2 gives me immense pride and joy as we continue to drive our mission forward.”
Celebree School began franchising in 2019 and now has 26 corporate locations, seven franchise locations, and more than 70 franchise licenses in various stages development. With strategic expansion underway, the brand has set an aggressive development goal of opening 100 new schools by 2025. When franchisees invest with Celebree School, they’re investing in an organization with a strong culture, solid systems, and a proven business model backed with 25-plus years of experience in providing exceptional early childhood education. For more information of franchising opportunities visit https://www.celebree.com/franchising/.
Founded in 1994, Celebree School is a leader in early childhood education that provides infant and toddler care, preschool, before and aftercare, and summer camp programs. With a mission to Grow People Big and Small™, Celebree School believes success in early childhood development is equal parts curriculum and connection. Each school employs a customized program that addresses the physical, social, emotional, and academic needs of children and follows applicable state guidelines. In 2019, Celebree School launched its franchise offering. Learn more about how we grow confident children who are prepared for school and life at Celebree.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.