Click here for stylized version of Franchise Dictionary Magazine’s October issue.
Click here for the digital version of October articles.
October 2020 Articles
Departments
Expanding Their Reach Through Books
Sharon Duke Estroff embodies the entrepreneurial spirit. First, the former teacher leveraged her background in education to build Challenge Island, a popular children’s program. She then cultivated her business into a thriving multi-state franchise. Now, Estroff is poised to make Challenge Island a household name; the published author has announced signing a three-book contract to create the Challenge Island book series. By Rochelle Miller
Franchisee of the Month: Roy & Erica Morelock
Despite facing adversity, Roy and Erica Morelock, with the support of their Tint World team, were able to relocate their business and come back stronger than ever. In fact, even after struggling through some unexpected challenges, the Morelocks were able to exceed new store revenue goals by a landslide. By Cindy Charette
There is Nothing Holding You Back But You
As a co-chair of the International Franchise Association’s Women in Franchising Philadelphia Chapter, I make an effort to advocate for women in franchising and mentor younger – or less experienced – up-and-coming franchise leaders. This includes those people who are in roles as franchisors, franchisees and suppliers, helping to foster great relationships for existing and aspiring franchisees in local communities across the country. By Dawn Abbamondi
Turning the Tide with Courage and Positivity
Catherine Monson is recognized again this year by Franchise Dictionary Magazine as one of the WOW: 50 Women Of Wonder and she graces our cover for excellent reasons. Under her leadership as CEO of FASTSIGNS since 2009, the brand has become one of the country’s largest franchise companies. It has benefited significantly from Monson’s strategic positioning and her franchising and broad business and marketing experience. By Rose Mango
Empathy & Shared Experience: A Franchisee’s Key to Success
Joanne Taylor’s journey to ownership of a Senior Helpers franchise began when she lost two family members within six months. She saw how difficult it was to navigate the world of hospitals, senior-care facilities, and in-home care. These experiences proved pivotal as she found herself at a crossroads in her financial services career and looking for a new opportunity. By Nancy E. Williams
Own a Family Friendly Business with NO On-site Baking!
When Le Macaron founders, Rosalie Guillem and her daughter, Audrey Guillem-Saba moved from France to the U.S., they had a dream, to share authentic macarons and other French pastries with America. Today, there are over 70 Le Macaron franchise locations operating coast to coast, inviting communities nationwide to slow down and indulge in a simpler way of life. By Lana Mazin
Success Story: How BrightStar Care CEO Shelly Sun Made a Difference
Shelly Sun never intended to launch her own business, let alone build a $500 million company, but after enduring the home health-care journey with a loved one, the Chicago resident felt like she could personally make a difference in the industry. So in 2002, she founded BrightStar Care. By Jessica Jones
WaterStation Technology Proves to be a Worthwhile Investment
After 20 years of working in corporate America, Rupa Keskar grew bored with her IT career. In 2012, she started exploring real-estate investments and left the security of a well-paying job to launch her own property-acquisition firm. By Jessica Jones
All-Woman Power Team
Mary Ann Stallings, president of Bridge to Better Living (BBL), founded her company in 2010 with a clear vision of expanding throughout the country. To support her dream, Stallings selected her corporate staff carefully. Her team of women proudly offers a combined 130 years of experience and knowledge in the senior-care industry. By Cindy Charette
Achieving Long-held Goals While Helping Others Do the Same
From all appearances, it would seem Emily Barton had always been athletic. But childhood asthma had prevented her from participating in exercise and sports. Her interest in fitness grew out of a desire to reach goals she had long desired to accomplish. By Elice Morgenson
Groomed for Success
As vice president of operations for a chemical nanotech company, Darlene Jacobson had already broken the glass ceiling in many ways. She knew, however, she was destined for even higher aspirations – like owning her own business. By Rochelle Miller
FranServe: Women Helping Women Find the Perfect Franchise
When Julie Goldberg realized she didn’t want to return to the office after her childcare leave ended, she sought to invest in a franchise to start her own home-based business. Having started her career in the accounting department of a national retail brand that was a franchise, she knew first-hand that her chances of success would be greater if she invested in a proven business model rather than launch her own independent company. By Rochelle Miller
Welcome to our Second Annual Women of Wonder Issue!
Each year we reach out to you, our readers, and ask you to nominate a woman franchisor who has gone above and beyond her business’s expectations and who has inspired you the most. This year we were excited about the number of nominations that came in and were genuinely motivated by their stories. These next several pages are a culmination of the top 50 nomination results.
Rising to the Challenge
Though COVID-19 rocked all businesses, their response to those challenges will be the key to their future. For Medi-Weightloss, a significant player in the weight-loss industry with locations nationwide, the future is bright because of its swift and effective response to adversities presented by the pandemic. By Rochelle Miller
Franchise Reopening Blueprint
The entire world is feeling the repercussions of the recent pandemic. Still, we are happy to say that franchises across the country are ready to REOPEN under the new guidelines needed to continue to protect the consumer, the employees, and communities. By Rose Mango
The Power of Art
Lara Olson, founder and chief creative officer of Kidcreate Studio, is on a mission to solve the growing issue of the decline in children’s art education. A creative mind herself, Lara understands the importance of offering children the opportunity to express themselves through art. By Charlotte Wagner
A Day in the Life of a 360˚ Painting Franchisee
Before launching her 360˚ Painting franchise in Sarasota, Florida, last March, Emily May was a stay-at-home mom who had her hands full with two sons. But something was missing. So, together with her husband, Jeff, she started investigating the prospect of launching a franchise. By Jessica Jones
Bailey Seafood Shares its Recipe for Decades of Success
The upstate New York city of Buffalo is not only famous for its wings but is also known for its fish-fry favorites. Bailey Seafood has served up all varieties of fresh, fried, steamed, baked, and sautéed seafood for over 35 years. We asked Michael Kontras, president of Bailey Seafood, about the secret behind the business success that has drawn loyal customers for nearly four decades. By Rochelle Miller
A Passion-Turned-Profession Yields Strength and Resiliency
In her early years, Samantha Ford experienced a bout of depression. That was when she discovered how exercise could improve her emotional well-being in addition to her physical health. By joining various fitness centers and taking two to three classes daily, Ford quickly became a fitness enthusiast and advocate. By Cindy Charette
Bitbox ATM Provides Seamless Program for New Franchisees
The launch of a new business can often be full of pitfalls and an intense amount of self-education. However, Bitbox ATM creates a seamless program for starting and operating a successful business. Every aspect of the operation has been thoroughly researched by a team of experts, and the size of the operation is completely up to you. By Elice Morgenson
Personal Experience Encourages A New Direction
In years past, a career in the printing industry meant a lucrative salary and numerous job prospects. The recent move of print and catalog development onto a digital platform meant that the print industry dried up. By Elice Morgenson
On Her Terms: Growing a Business and a Family
Lyndsey Wolfsmith wanted more than an interesting work life; she wanted a life. She found both with Naturals2Go, which has enabled her to build her business while raising a growing family. Naturals2Go is a business program offering healthy snacks, quick meals and drinks, utilizing the latest technology in automated retail with services and support unmatched in the vending industry. By Nancy E. Williams
Features
Matchmaking Makes the Difference
“How do I find my caregivers?” That’s a question you might ask before investing in a One You Love Homecare franchise. The more important question, however, is how to find the most experienced and compassionate caregivers who offer the best fit for clients’ needs. By Cindy Charette
Martha Matilda Harper
We want to share a story with you of the woman who pioneered franchising and whose story would have been lost had it not been for the diligent fact-finding of Jane Pitt. Pitt authored the biography: Martha Matilda Harper and The American Dream. By Rose Mango
Serving Seniors at a Time of Growing Need
Four years ago, Valerie and Doug Shaw got the opportunity of a lifetime, to own an Assisting Hands® Home Care business, which Valerie had helped launch and grow. By Elice Morgenson
Florida’s First Locally Owned My Eyelab Opens
Florida entrepreneurs Fozan Siddiqu and Imtiaz Ahmad celebrated the grand opening of the first franchise-owned My Eyelab in the Sunshine State. Their Pompano Beach location opened in September, and is the first of four new stores. By Rochelle Miller
First Financial Revolutionalizes the Funding Process
Four powerhouse accountants and CPAs on staff revolutionize the funding process with First Financial. The extensive financial knowledge base of these individuals enhances the speed and overall quality of our service. This is an benefit you will not find in most SBA consulting firms. By Kathy Shives
Shop Talk
Why We Need Failure to Succeed
When you hear that someone has failed, how does your gut react? Most people associate the word “failure” with negative feelings. Poll a hundred people, and you won’t find many who say they are okay with failing. Odd as it may sound, I am one of the few people who don’t mind failing. That’s not something people expect to hear from me. However, my definition of failure is most likely different than yours. By Alesia Visconti
Weighing The Options For Using Retirement Funds
Now may be the perfect time to consider utilizing qualified retirement funds to capitalize on your dream of business ownership. Thousands of entrepreneurs have chosen to use Rollover for Business Startup (ROBS) to start their business tax-deferred and penalty-free. To find out if this is the best solution for you, lets review the advantages and disadvantages. By Sherri Seiber
Valuing Your System: The Devil is in the details
Every month I sit down to write a column about the things that are important and impactful to a franchisor from my perspective as a franchise attorney. This month, I decided that nothing says it better than one of my favorite phrases; the devil is in the details. And the details that trip up many franchisors are the state of their franchise agreements. By Tom Spadea
Digital Marketing Tips
Did you know 97% of consumers search online to discover businesses like yours? In our rapidly evolving digital world, relying on print, TV/radio advertising, and direct mail just aren’t enough. You have to build a strong online presence to keep your franchise afloat. How? Digital marketing.
What the Heck is a Franchise Consultant? OVERCOMER
I remember my first public speaking engagement in front of about 200 people. I was so nervous and afraid. I remember thinking, why am I the one up on stage? How come no one else is doing this? Thinking back, I now know exactly why. By Don Clayton
Women in Franchising: By the Numbers
The number of women in the franchising industry continues to grow. Today, women either own or co-own about 265,000 franchises in the U.S. To give that figures some context, that’s approximately 35% of all U.S. franchise outlets, up 24% from just a decade ago. But these numbers represent a mere snippet of the impact women are having on the franchising industry and the wider business world. By Sue Bennett
Deck Medic and Benetrends Financial
Franchise Business Radio: Listen and learn from Jeff Konopack with Deck Medic, plus hear the advice of Larry Carnell with Benetrends on funding opportunities and, specifically, the Rainmaker Plan.