Columns
FEATURED FRANCHISE CONSULTANT: Jeff O’Shea, FranServe, Inc.
After working as a FranServe, Inc. franchise consultant over the past five years, Jeff O’Shea admits it’s the best job he’s ever had. “I wanted to help other people,” he said. “I wanted to be the guy who could tell others how to chase their dream of financial freedom, how to spend more time with the family and earn a living but still be there at four o’clock to coach your kids’ games. That’s exactly what this position allows.” By Jessica Petrucelli
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FRANCHISEE: Kuma’s Corner
Born from a love of both quality food and heavy metal music, Kuma’s Corner has become one of Chicago’s most recognizable restaurant brands, earning a loyal following for its chef-driven burgers, fresh ingredients and unmistakable personality. Starting as a dive bar in Avondale, Chicago, with fine-dining culinary standards, the restaurant quickly became a destination for burger lovers from across the city. By Kelsi Trinidad
Special section: Kids, Pets + Education: Dawn Abbamondi
Every fall we see the same routines. The slower, laid-back days of summer are over and everyone has had their vacations. By Dawn Abbamondi
Special section: Kids, Pets + Education: Montessori Kids Universe
When Nancy and Tom Boehm founded Montessori Kids Universe (MKU) in 2012, they recognized a gap in traditional Montessori education. Many schools offered hours that didn’t align with working parents’ schedules, so they created a model that preserved Montessori’s core principles while better serving the needs of modern families. By Lizzy Yeserski
Special section: Kids, Pets + Education: FranServe Franchise Expert
Kids and education franchises seem to go hand in hand, so we asked resident franchise expert Janice Durant, CFC and president of New Trails Business Consultants, Inc., a FranServe, Inc. affiliate, why that is and what other opportunities there are that don’t necessarily combine the two. By Nancy E. Williams
Special section: Special section: Kids, Pets + Education: Twinkle Star Dance Academy
Paul Henderson has spent two decades watching something shift in kids. Phones, social media and comparison culture – the cumulative effect of which, he said, has taken a toll on children’s confidence and mental health – have changed the way many young people experience the world. He and his wife Tiffany, co-founder of Twinkle Star Dance™ Academy, have long believed dance could be part of the answer. By Tamara Rahoumi
Cover Story: Special section: Special section: Kids, Pets + Education: WorldKids School
The key to a truly rounded education is more than just letters and numbers. WorldKids School positions children to become confident, curious, adaptable individuals through language and play. By Shelby Green
Family Affair: Rosati’s Pizza
Sixty years after its founding, Rosati’s Pizza Enterprises still builds its business the way it built its first pizza: around family. The brand is rooted in authentic Chicago-style recipes passed down through five generations, quality ingredients and a franchise system designed to help independent owners build lasting businesses of their own. By Tamara Rahoumi
Entrepreneur: NTV360
Ron Burford built a career in the call center industry as a U.S. operations manager and even owned his own business in the space. Eventually, he began looking for an opportunity with a solid, scalable business model that offered more support and eliminated the need to start from scratch. By Kelsi Trinidad
Sustainability
Most franchise investors utilize financing to invest in a franchise opportunity. However, securing funding involves much more than having good credit and sufficient collateral. By Don Clayton
Features
True North Restoration: Building a Business With Purpose
When brothers Justin and Raymond Donat founded True North Restoration in 2019, the vision was clear: Build a restoration franchise grounded in values and integrity, bolstered by advanced systems and technology that would give purpose-driven leaders the tools to scale and serve within their communities. By Lizzy Yeserski
Moran Family of Brands: Customized Learning
Dedicated to providing franchisees with comprehensive training and support, Moran Family of Brands’ Mr. Transmission®/Milex Complete Auto Care franchise offers a robust learning structure spanning from pre-opening preparation through post-opening reinforcement and continuous training. By Erika Ortega
Sea Love: A Chance Encounter Leads to a New Journey
After college, Melissa Monge found herself living in Hilton Head, South Carolina, where she landed a corporate job at Marriott. Monge came from a family of entrepreneurs, so when her position was eliminated, she decided to start her own babysitting agency, Guardian Angel Sitting Service. By Kelsi Trinidad
Home Helpers Home Care: A Launchpad for Franchise Success
For more than 29 years, Home Helpers® Home Care has been achieving record-breaking growth and continuing to innovate and enhance its multi-profit center model. This makes it easy to understand why the company has grown to more than 300 franchises. By Nancy E. Williams
Tint World Automotive Styling Centers: A Beacon of Opportunity
When Robert Harman, a franchisee of five Tint World® Automotive Styling Centers™ locations in North Carolina, got the call to work on the newly purchased Frying Pan Shoals Lighthouse, he knew it would be unlike any project his team had tackled before. By Kelsi Trinidad
FilterShine USA: Turning Grease Into Growth
Driven by a mission to improve commercial kitchen safety and efficiency, Wellman developed a standardized grease filter exchange system that thoroughly cleans and sanitizes grease filters, helping protect plumbing systems and keep grease out of the wastewater stream. By Erika Ortega
NaturaLawn of America: A Different Approach Pays Off
Roy Good was running a full‑service landscape business in the early 1980s when Montgomery County, Maryland, introduced strict notification rules for lawn treatments. At first, he thought the regulations were excessive. However, as he watched ecosystems decline and thatch layers thicken, he realized the industry needed a new approach. Phil Catron, a friend and former co-worker at Chemlawn, was already working on a solution. By Jessica Petrucelli
Local Handyman: A North Star Goal Guides Franchise Success
Local Handyman is redefining how franchisees launch, build and expand their businesses. The corporate team empowers entrepreneurs to become local leaders while providing complete marketing support to establish brand loyalty. Still, one of the biggest differentiators that sets the company apart as a pacesetter in the growing handyman market is its robust team culture. By Lizzy Yeserski
Clear Pest Pros: Essential Services Drive Opportunity
Pest control may not always be the first industry people think about when exploring franchise ownership, yet it continues to offer many of the qualities entrepreneurs seek in a business, including recurring revenue, essential services and opportunities to build long-term customer relationships. By Shelby Green