A fragmented retail market and competition from e-commerce stores are creating the perfect conditions for the sign industry. As retail store owners compete to get messages across to consumers, companies producing those signs are profiting, including Signworld, the leading business opportunity provider in the sign industry. By Sarah Lindauer
The demand from corporate customers to find a professional sign company is at an all-time high. Signs are an essential component of every business’s communication strategy, and Signworld provides a variety of options, including exterior illuminated signs, lobby signs, wayfinding signs and even signs that share a holiday message. By Sarah Lindauer
Signworld is a national organization with over 30 years of experience in the commercial custom signage and graphics sectors. The brand now has over 360 owners, who come from all types of backgrounds and enjoy the business for a variety of reasons. By Nancy E. Williams
In February 2020, Dick Cassidy opened Image 212°, a full-service creative studio focused on visual communication solutions, and he couldn’t be happier to be his own boss. By Nancy E. Williams
Classifying their bottleless water stations as both “planet-friendly and human-healthy,” WaterStation Technology has been on the cutting edge of environmentally conscious practices for the past eight years.
Because it is an alliance, rather than a traditional franchise, Signworld Business Partners requires no royalties and imposes no rules – but does provide robust training and ongoing support, as well as state-of-the-art equipment. By Nancy E. Williams
A demand for signage has increased steadily in the U.S. over the past five years. Strong growth in advertisement spending as well as steady investment in nonresidential construction have boosted this demand. By Nancy E. Williams
Beth Trivett honored with prestigious award at ComForCare’s annual franchise conference
DETROIT — ComForCare Home Care, a franchised provider of in-home caregiving services, announced their Caregiver of the Year at the company’s national conference. Beth Trivett, a ComForCare caregiver in Hendersonville, TN, was awarded the 2019 Caregiver of the Year from over 125 nominations.
“Beth represents the gold standard of our ComForCare values,” said Mike Sluder, franchise owner of ComForCare in Hendersonville — a suburb of Nashville. “She is attentive, caring, efficient and confident in her abilities, which all make her a superior caregiver. The families she cares for trust her unconditionally. There is no value you can put on her heart and compassion for others.”
Through this award, Beth was recognized for her years of extraordinary commitment, hard work and dedication. She consistently goes above and beyond for her clients, while also juggling caring for her own family at home. She is particularly sensitive to caring for clients at the end of their life and supporting the family during that difficult time.
“Caregivers are the heart of the ComForCare franchise system across the U.S. and Canada,” said Mark Armstrong, founder and president of ComForCare and At Your Side Franchise Systems. “And it’s stories like this one that remind us why caregivers are so important. We are honored to have Beth as a part of our ComForCare team and recognize the impact she has had on so many lives.”
ComForCare of Hendersonville provides home care to the area’s older residents and those who are disabled or recovering from injuries or surgery. Services include companionship, personal care, mobility assistance, medication reminders and more. The Hendersonville office is also DementiaWise®-certified, meeting the corporate office’s high standards for dementia education and caregiving excellence. DementiaWise is also recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association for incorporating the evidenced-based Dementia Care Practice Recommendations in the following topic areas: Alzheimer’s and dementia, person-centered care, assessment and care planning, activities of daily living, and behaviors and communication.
Beth has been with ComForCare of Hendersonville since 2013 and is part of one of the fastest-growing franchise business sectors in the country. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people 65 and older is expected to increase to 55 million in 2020, and demand for businesses like ComForCare will continue to increase as people prefer to age in place.
About ComForCare:
ComForCare is a premier provider of in-home caregiving services with nearly 200 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.
FirstLight Home Care’s national network of franchises earns exceptional overall rating in 2018
CINCINNATI — FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of non-medical home care, has released its annual client satisfaction survey results for 2018. The report found that the company’s national network of franchise locations earned an exceptional score in overall client satisfaction with an average rating of 4.7 stars out of 5.
FirstLight has a proven commitment to client satisfaction. The company conducts live phone interviews with its current clients every quarter through independent third-party research firm Infosurv. The quarterly results are then rolled up into an annual client satisfaction star rating, which is based on a five-point scale. Consistent with FirstLight’s Culture of Care, Infosurv conducts these surveys to gather honest, unbiased feedback in specific areas, including quality of care, communication and responsiveness and overall satisfaction. Clients are also given the opportunity to provide feedback in areas where FirstLight excels, as well as areas where the company should improve.
Non-medical home care provides the support people need to live independently in their homes. Traditionally, home care providers focus services exclusively on older adults who are aging in place. But FirstLight also delivers services to adults with disabilities; those recovering from illness, injury or surgery; new and busy mothers; and anyone 18 or older who needs assistance managing daily activities.
The home care segment is experiencing significant growth, making superior client satisfaction a critical component in helping consumers make the most informed decisions about home care services. Regularly surveying clients and considering their feedback is the first step toward achieving the goal of providing exceptional care.
Since opening its first franchise location in 2010, FirstLight Home Care has experienced steady growth and is now serving or in the process of serving clients in more than 250 locations in 34 states throughout the U.S. FirstLight provides Personal Care and Companion Care Services, as well as specialty services, such as Dementia Care, Respite Care, Veteran Care, Disability Care and Travel Companion Programs.
FirstLight Home Care is a leading provider of non-medical home care, helping individuals in more than 30 states achieve the quality of life they deserve. The company has set a new standard in home care by creating an unmatched Culture of Care that drives industry-leading client and employee satisfaction. FirstLight is a lifeline not only for seniors, but for people recovering from illness, injury or surgery; adults with disabilities; new and busy mothers; and anyone over the age of 18 who needs extra assistance. Care can be provided at private residences, as well as independent and assisted living communities. Visit www.FirstLightHomeCare.com.
– Company changes name from Dwyer Group to Neighborly
– Acquired by private equity firm Harvest Partners, LP
– Acquired two new brands: Real Property Management and Mosquito Joe
WACO, Texas — Neighborly®, the world’s largest franchisor of home service brands, celebrated another milestone year in 2018.
In June, the company announced The Riverside Company’s sale of Neighborly to new private equity partner Harvest Partners, LP. Neighborly also completed two acquisitions, Real Property Management and Mosquito Joe. This brings the total number of service brands under the Neighborly umbrella to 20.
Neighborly grew to a total of nearly 3,600 franchisees across nine countries in 2018. The company sold a total of 325 new franchise units across its brands. In addition, the company’s annual systemwide sales reached a total of $2 billion.
“This past year was a period of transformation and growth for Neighborly,” said Mike Bidwell, President and CEO of Neighborly. “We changed our company name after 37 years from Dwyer Group to Neighborly, completed three major acquisition deals, and put our company on a new growth trajectory. We are thankful for our amazing corporate team and franchisees who make it all possible. We look forward to continued growth in the years to come.”
Other highlights for the year included:
“As we move forward, Neighborly will continue to grow and flourish in new ways we never thought possible,” Bidwell added. “I look forward to seeing how the successes of 2018 impact the future of Neighborly and its brands in this new year.”
Neighborly is a holding company of 21 service brands, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing consumers’ homes and businesses. The company operates online platforms that connect consumers to service providers in their local communities that meet their rigorous standards as a franchisor across 14 service categories at www.getneighborly.com in the United States and www.getneighbourly.ca in Canada. The company was founded in 1981 as Dwyer Group and is based in Waco, Texas. More information about Neighborly/Neighbourly, and its franchise concepts, is available at www.NeighborlyBrands.com.