With Bitbox ATM, the most important requirements for becoming a franchisee are an entrepreneurial mindset and an interest in building recurring monthly income. Because no experience is required, and Bitbox teaches everything needed to run the business successfully, owners and prospects come from a wide variety of backgrounds. By Cindy Charette
Most people begin planning their resolutions in the days leading up to New Year’s (or even a few days after). But for business owners, resolutions should be planned and prepared for, especially if establishing stability, building a financial safety net, scalability and growth are on the list. By Kelly Krueger
Robin and Chris Hoy, a PuroClean wife-and-husband team, have been successful franchise owners in their community for the past 10 years. Back in 2010, the Hoys made a decision that it was the right time to transition from their construction business and look into new opportunities to continue to help people during their times of need. By Cindy Charette
Leading Boutique Fitness Franchise Awards Honors to Outstanding Franchise Partners.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — TITLE Boxing Club, the nation’s leading boutique boxing franchise with more than 165 clubs across the United States and Mexico, recently announced its 2019 franchisee award winners. In a virtual system-wide ceremony, franchise partners from across the country were awarded for everything ranging from membership numbers, retail sales, overall spirit and culture, and notable improvements over last year.
“In a year when small businesses everywhere have faced adversity unseen before, it was heartwarming to get a bit of normalcy back and recognize many of our franchisees with TITLE Boxing Club’s 2019 Franchisee Awards,” said President Susan Boresow. “The entire TITLE team gives a big thank you and wishes to convey how appreciative we are of everything our franchisees do each and every day. These awards allow us to uplift and recognize them all for their tireless work. Congratulations!”
2019’s top award, the Spirit Award, went to Ardsley, NY-based franchisees Frankie and Jeanine Palumbo. The Palumbos were honored for exemplifying TITLE Boxing Club’s values, beliefs, spirit and culture, staying active in their local community, building high member engagement and continuing to be an inspiration to their members, team and community. Josh Lyon, TITLE Boxing Club’s vice president of operations, notes, “Frankie and Jeanine are the heartbeat of this brand. They eat, sleep, and breathe TITLE Boxing Club and they truly make a difference in their member’s lives. We could not be prouder to honor them with the Spirit Award.”
Additional franchisees recognized by TITLE Boxing Club include:
In addition to the award winners, six TITLE Boxing Club locations earned coveted Golden Bags, meaning their location amassed more than $1 million in sales in 2019. Golden Bag Clubs include Chicago’s Lincoln Park location owned by Michael Confalone, Midtown West and Midtown East in Manhattan owned by Michael Tosto, Forest Hills, NY owned by Danny Azzo, Boston Newbury St. owned by Cam Andrews, and Boston owned by Mike Musto.
About TITLE Boxing Club®
TITLE Boxing Club, a Franworth company, is a boutique fitness studio that specializes in boxing and kickboxing fitness classes. Based in Kansas City, the company has more than 165 clubs open and operating across the country and another 130 in development. The brand is currently ranked on Entrepreneur magazine’s prestigious Franchise 500 list and the Inc. 5000 list of American’s fastest-growing, privately-held companies. In 2015 the fitness franchise earned the title of No. 1 Fastest Growing Franchise by Inc. Magazine. To learn more about the fitness franchise opportunity, visit https://titleboxingclub.com/own-a-franchise/.
Although Berekk Blackwell is the president of Daily Jam, he cannot help but think back to what drew him in initially as a customer. According to Blackwell, Daily Jam had a good reputation in the community, possibly due in part to the undeniably warm, happy, and contagious vibe customers felt once inside. By Cindy Charette
Monson Recognized for Enabling and Empowering Countless Entrepreneurs to Build a Successful Career in Franchising.
CARROLLTON, Texas — FASTSIGNS International, Inc., franchisor of FASTSIGNS®, the leading sign, graphics and visual communications franchise, announced today that Business Woman magazine has named CEO Catherine Monson one of its 100 Influential Women in Franchising. Monson was recognized as an advocate of support and mentorship for her commitment to enabling and empowering countless entrepreneurs to build a successful career in franchising.
The notable 100 Influential Women In Franchising list is an annual list which celebrates and champions key figureheads, disruptors, and up-and-comers who work in the international franchise space and have changed the franchising industry for the better. Under Monson’s leadership, FASTSIGNS has grown to more than 735 locations across nine countries, and the brand has repeatedly been recognized as the top franchise opportunity in its space and for its high franchisee satisfaction.
“Support and mentoring are the foundation of franchising, which has allowed millions of entrepreneurs to be in business for themselves, but not by themselves. During the COVID-19 pandemic, empowering franchisees to be successful has been more important than ever,” said Catherine Monson, CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Inc. and IFA Chair. “I am incredibly grateful to be recognized alongside so many influential female leaders in franchising. It’s because of these women that our industry continues to grow stronger every day.”
The Annual 100 Influential Women in Franchising list is featured in Business Woman Magazine’s October 2020 issue, available at https://www.globalfranchisemagazine.com/assets/images/reports/BW-3.pdf.
FASTSIGNS is consistently ranked as a top franchise opportunity. In 2020, Entrepreneur magazine named FASTSIGNS the #1 franchise opportunity in its category and #55 overall on its annual Franchise 500® list, making it the only sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise to be recognized in the top 100. Entrepreneur also named FASTSIGNS a Top Growth Franchise for 2020. Additionally, Franchise Gator named FASTSIGNS to its Top 100 Franchises of 2020 list, and Franchise Business Review named FASTSIGNS one of its Top Franchises for Second Careers. In 2019, Entrepreneur named FASTSIGNS one of the Top Franchises for Veterans, and the brand was also recognized in Franchise Business Review’s Top Franchises for Veterans report, was named to America’s Best Franchises to Buy list by Forbes magazine, and made Franchise Direct’s list of the Top 100 Franchises. Franchise Business Review has also recognized FASTSIGNS as one of the “Best of the Best” for franchisee satisfaction for the last 10 years as well as its Top 50 Franchises for Women and Top Service Franchises lists in 2019.
About Catherine Monson
Catherine became CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Inc. in 2009, bringing over 25 years of franchising and management experience. In 2009, she received the International Franchise Association (IFA) Bonny LeVine Award in recognition of her contributions to the growth of the franchising industry and in 2010, the Dallas Business Journal named her a top Women Industry Leader in the Dallas Metroplex. In 2012, Catherine appeared on the Emmy Award-winning series Undercover Boss to learn new ways to advance the FASTSIGNS® brand. In 2013, she was named an “Innovator and Influencer” by Sign and Digital Graphics Magazine. In 2015, she received the IFA’s first Franchise Action Network “FAN of the Year” award for her advocacy work on behalf of the franchising community. In 2016, she was selected as a Soderstrom Society Inductee for her contributions to the printing and graphic communications industry and was also honored with the 2016 Leadership Award from the Women That Soar organization. Under Monson’s leadership, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. received the 2016 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, the highest recognition presented by the Department of Defense to employers for their exemplary support of National Guard and Reserve members. In 2017, Monson received the Distinguished Women Award presented by Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. In 2018, she was honored by the Sales and Marketing Executives International (SMEI) with their Ambassador of Free Enterprise Award. Catherine has served on the Board of Directors of the IFA since 2008 and is currently Vice Chair and will become Chairwoman in February 2020. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors of Brain Balance, a franchise company with a non-drug alternative for children with behavioral challenges, and on the Board of Directors of the franchisor Big Blue Swim School, one of the nation’s fastest growing swim schools. She is a keynote speaker at many franchise industry events, as well as at many sign and visual graphics industry events.
For more videos on Catherine Monson, visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7qJckb26TTPGWl9wQJNjKA. Visit the section, “Get to Know the FASTSIGNS CEO Catherine Monson,” and click to the right.
About FASTSIGNS®
FASTSIGNS International, Inc. celebrates its 35th anniversary in business in 2020 as the leading sign and visual communications franchisor in North America, and is the worldwide franchisor of more than 735 independently owned and operated FASTSIGNS® centers in 9 countries including the United States and Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Grand Cayman, the United Arab Emirates, Malta, France and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE®). FASTSIGNS locations provide comprehensive signage and graphic solutions to help companies of all sizes and across all industries attract more attention, communicate their message, promote their products, help visitors find their way and extend their branding across all of their customer touchpoints.
In 2020, Fastsigns Holdings Inc. acquired GTN CAPITAL GROUP, LLC the parent company of NerdsToGo, an emerging IT services franchise brand. Learn more about sign and graphic solutions or find a location at fastsigns.com. Follow the brand on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/fastsigns, Twitter @FASTSIGNS or Facebook at facebook.com/FASTSIGNS.
Su and Sumit Madan honored with prestigious award at ComForCare’s annual franchise conference.
DETROIT — Canton, MA ComForCare franchise owners, Su and Sumit Madan were awarded the 2020 Franchise of the Year award at ComForCare’s 18th annual franchise conference. Franchise of the Year is the most prestigious award following Caregiver of the Year.
The Madans were recognized out of more than 200 locations for being high-level producers in the franchise system, creating and nurturing a strong local team, and being selfless givers among other qualities.
“Su and Sumit embody the ComForCare values within their office and for the population they serve,” said J.J. Sorrenti, CEO of Best Life Brands, parent company to ComForCare and At Your Side Home Care. “They care for their clients as family, serve the community passionately, realize that dignity matters, are present and engaged in managing their internal and external staff, and have fun while they do it.”
Su has been a natural caregiver most of her life. From taking care of her own extended family and neighbors, she finds caring for people incredibly satisfying and is what led her to open a home care franchise with her husband.
“In India, it is ingrained into the culture that the family takes care of the older generations as they age,” said Su Madan. “Most of the steps I’ve taken and the things I’ve done have been to care for others and to make a difference in someone’s life. Our office works hard every day for our clients and we are proud to be known as the reliable home care company in our community.”
The Madans opened their franchise in 2013 and are part of one of the fastest-growing franchise business sectors in the country. And with the number of Americans aged 65 and older projected to nearly double from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2060, demand for businesses like the ComForCare franchise that the Madans operate will continue to increase as people strive to age in place.
About ComForCare Franchise Systems:
ComForCare is a premier franchised provider of in-home caregiving services with more than 225 independently-owned and operated locations in the U.S. and Canada helping older adults live independently in their own homes. ComForCare is committed to helping people live their best life possible and offers special programs for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Founded in 1996, ComForCare was acquired by private equity firm The Riverside Company in 2017 and now is part of Best Life Brands, which has plans for continued expansion of service brands across the continuum of care for aging adults. ComForCare operates as At Your Side Home Care in Houston. For more information, visit www.comforcare.com.
Sheets recognized for her continuing efforts to lead the company and the home care industry safely through the COVID-19 pandemic.
SUNRISE, Fla. — Interim HealthCare Inc., the nation’s leading franchise network of home care, senior care, home health and hospice and healthcare staffing services, announced that its CEO and President, Jennifer Sheets, was recognized as one of Next Avenue’s 2020 Influencers in Aging. The sixth-annual Influencers in Aging list acknowledges the twenty people who have been most influential in their work to push beyond traditional boundaries to change society’s understanding of what it means to grow older.
Jennifer Sheets, together with her team, began preparing for the challenges that COVID-19 would bring early in 2020. She quickly channeled her operational, clinical and government relations expertise and creativity to ensure Interim HealthCare’s clinicians could serve home-bound clients, including seniors and other at-risk patients, without the risk of spreading or contracting COVID-19. She also focused on advocating at the federal and state levels for home care clinicians’ “essential” worker status and set up rigorous trainings and new measures to keep staff safe while caring for patients at home.
In addition, Jennifer Sheets led executives across the Caring Brands International organization, the parent company of Interim HealthCare, to ensure clinicians and caregivers had access to personal protective equipment (PPE) like face masks, hand sanitizer, and gowns amid a global shortage. This work extended into spearheading a PPE website available to any home care organization to purchase PPE quickly, at a fair-market price and at scale, so that no one in the industry faced a lack of essential safety equipment. Jennifer Sheets continues to expertly lead Interim HealthCare and its tens of thousands of caregivers across the country to care for patients safely and effectively amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m honored to be recognized with an Influencers in Aging award amid this unprecedented year,” said Jennifer Sheets, CEO and President of Interim HealthCare. “Throughout my healthcare career, I’ve committed my work to impacting people’s lives for the better. I’m proud that our efforts this year have advocated for home care being recognized as an essential service and led to greater awareness and support for the importance of the overall industry in meeting growing healthcare needs.”
Next Avenue, as part of PBS, aims to meet the needs and unleash the potential of older Americans through the power of media. The 2020 Influencers in Aging award recipients represent the fields of health and well-being, caregiving, personal finance, work and purpose, volunteering, arts and entertainment, lifestyle, housing, relationships and technology. Recipients also represent all ages and were eligible to have lived anywhere in the world. To view the full list of 2020 winners, click here.
For more information on Interim HealthCare, please visit www.interimhealthcare.com.
About Interim HealthCare Inc.
Interim HealthCare Inc., founded in 1966, is a leading national franchisor of home care, hospice and healthcare staffing. It is part of Caring Brands International, which also includes UK-based Bluebird Care and Australia-based Just Better Care, both well-known franchise brands in their countries. With more than 530 franchise locations in seven countries, Caring Brands International is a global healthcare leader.
Interim HealthCare in the United States is unique in combining the commitment of local ownership with the support of a national organization that develops innovative programs and quality standards that improve the delivery of service. Franchisees employ nurses, therapists, aides, companions and other healthcare professionals who provide 25 million hours of home care service to 190,000 people each year, meeting a variety of home health, senior care, hospice, palliative care, pediatric care and healthcare staffing needs. For more information or to locate an Interim HealthCare office, visit www.interimhealthcare.com.
GLENDALE HEIGHTS, Ill. — Merlin Complete Auto Care today announced that small business owner, Muffadal Simba, has won a Synchrony Pillars Project award from Synchrony, a premier consumer financial services company. Muffadal Simba has supported the Glendale Heights community through times of change. As a winner he will receive a $10,000 prize to grow his business and honor its resiliency and ability to transform the lives of those in their communities.
“Muffadel Simba’s community service has been a guide that we can all hope to emulate,” said Abraham Nunez, General Manager of Merlin Complete Auto Care. “On behalf of the Merlin team, we are proud of his business and community accomplishments.”
“He has been an inspiration of care and support to those in need in the community of Glendale Heights,” said Valerie Zabriskie, Marketing Director at Merlin Complete Auto Care. “This award is a testament to Muffadel’s extraordinary character; we are proud to have him in the Merlin family.”
“A 2020 Synchrony Pillar is someone who brings bold new thinking to the table, a leader who is passionate about their community and supports it through the ups and downs,” said Neeraj Mehta, CEO, Payment Solutions, Synchrony. “We are honored to recognize this year’s award winners for their successes and how they are changing what’s possible for their business and community.”
About Synchrony
Synchrony is a premier consumer financial services company. We deliver a wide range of specialized financing programs, as well as innovative consumer banking products, across key industries including digital, retail, home, auto, travel, health and pet. Synchrony enables our partners to grow sales and loyalty with consumers. We are one of the largest issuers of private label credit cards in the United States; we also offer co-branded products, installment loans and consumer financing products for small- and medium-sized businesses, as well as healthcare providers.
Synchrony is changing what’s possible through our digital capabilities, deep industry expertise, actionable data insights, frictionless customer experience and customized financing solutions.
For more information, visit www.synchrony.com and Twitter: @Synchrony
About Merlin Complete Auto Care
With over 3500 centers in North America, Merlin Complete Auto Care is part of the Driven Brands family of companies. Locally-owned and operated in Glendale Heights, Illinois, franchise owner Simba Muffadal and his team are dedicated to premier service, customer education, and community service.
For more information visit: Merlins.com
CARROLLTON, Texas — Ronald K. Herbert with FASTSIGNS International, Inc. was recently named the Midsize Private Company CFO of the Year by D CEO magazine. Top corporate CFO’s across the metroplex were nominated for this prestigious honor, and the winner was determined by a panel of independent judges.
D CEO‘s Financial Executive Awards span multiple categories and honor top corporate finance executives in Dallas-Fort Worth, in partnership with the Association for Corporate Growth, Dallas CPA Society, and Financial Executives International. All finalists were celebrated at a virtual awards event and were profiled in the May issue of D CEO.
“Considering the incredible financial talent in Dallas, I was shocked to be named the Midsize Private Company CFO of the Year,” said Herbert. “This is something for which I have strived my entire career and am honored to join the amazing group of finalists and past winners.”
2019 and 2020 were vastly different for FASTSIGNS International, Inc. In 2019, FASTSIGNS had a change in ownership and the team started tackling areas ranging from e-commerce to tech-enabled sales prospecting and AI-aided employee recruiting to further accelerate franchisees’ growth. In 2019, FASTSIGNS also saw continued growth in locations domestically and in places like Canada, the UK, Chile, Spain and Malta, continued growth in franchisee’s sales, and its first acquisition which closed out the year. While 2020 brought a number of challenges during the pandemic, the FASTSIGNS corporate team pulled together to support their franchisees in every way possible.
Herbert believes strongly that having fun at work is critical to personal and professional success. To help stay connected with the corporate team now working almost exclusively remotely, Herbert has faithfully sent an email every day to the team with funny stories, anecdotes or inspirational quotes. Cultivating that spirit wherever he goes, he has been successful as a CFO for NASDAQ listed companies, venture-backed companies, and several private equity backed companies, including FASTSIGNS. He is a graduate of SMU and a Texas CPA. In 2019, Herbert was named a Dallas Business Journal’s 2019 CFO of the Year honoree, and he has been a member of the Dallas Chapter of Financial Executives International for 15 years.
“I am thrilled that Ron was recognized as an award-winning CFO,” said Catherine Monson, CEO at FASTSIGNS International, Inc. and Chair of the International Franchising Association. “Ron’s knowledge, experience, humility, tireless determination and contagious positive attitude are an asset to our FASTSIGNS family. It’s been an honor to work alongside him these past several years, especially this year with all of its challenges, and I look forward to our partnership as we move optimistically into 2021 and beyond.”
About FASTSIGNS®
FASTSIGNS International, Inc. celebrates its 35th anniversary in business in 2020 as the leading sign and visual communications franchisor in North America, and is the worldwide franchisor of more than 735 independently owned and operated FASTSIGNS® centers in 9 countries including the United States and Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Grand Cayman, the United Arab Emirates, Malta, France and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE®). FASTSIGNS locations provide comprehensive signage and graphic solutions to help companies of all sizes and across all industries attract more attention, communicate their message, promote their products, help visitors find their way and extend their branding across all of their customer touchpoints.
FASTSIGNS has been ranked the #1 franchise opportunity in its category in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 for the past four years, and in 2020, Entrepreneur magazine named FASTSIGNS the #1 franchise opportunity in its category and #55 overall on its annual Franchise 500® list, making it the only sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise to be recognized in the top 100. Entrepreneur also named FASTSIGNS a Top Growth Franchise for 2020. Additionally, Franchise Gator named FASTSIGNS to its Top 100 Franchises of 2020 list, and in 2019, FASTSIGNS was named to America’s Best Franchises to Buy list by Forbes magazine, and made Franchise Direct’s list of the Top 100 Franchises. FASTSIGNS has also received the Canadian Franchise Association Franchisees’ Choice for 8 consecutive years.
Franchise Business Review has recognized FASTSIGNS as one of the “Best of the Best” for franchisee satisfaction for the last 10 years, and FASTSIGNS was also included on its Top 50 Franchises for Women and Top Service Franchises lists in 2019. FASTSIGNS has been awarded for franchisee satisfaction for multiple years by Franchise Business Review, in addition to a 2019 Top Franchises for Veterans and a Top Franchise for Second Career by Franchise Business Review. In addition, FASTSIGNS was recognized by Franchise Business Review in its 2019 Top Franchises for Veterans report and was recently named a Top Franchise for Veterans by Entrepreneur in 2020.
In 2020, Fastsigns Holdings Inc. acquired GTN CAPITAL GROUP, LLC the parent company of NerdsToGo, an emerging IT services franchise brand. Learn more about sign and graphic solutions or find a location at fastsigns.com. Follow the brand on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/fastsigns, Twitter @FASTSIGNS or Facebook at facebook.com/FASTSIGNS.