franchise magazine

WACO, TX – PRNewswire – With hurricane season officially here, Rainbow International, a Neighborly company and the nation’s leading residential and commercial restoration service provider, is helping homeowners who live in areas impacted by hurricanes and tropical storms prepare for the risk of property damage by sharing a list of tips to keep in mind before a storm hits.

“By their very nature, hurricanes can be a particularly devastating event because there is often little time to prepare, and many homeowners make the dangerous mistake of waiting until the last minute to organize their home and purchase emergency provisions,” said Cary Fairless, president of Rainbow International. “We encourage homeowners in high-risk regions to get prepared now and take the necessary steps to fortify their property, and hope that sharing these tips will help keep their homes and families safe throughout the hurricane season.”

Rainbow International’s tips for reducing the severity of a hurricane or tropical storm’s effects include:

• Keep supplies handy: Dedicate storage for a three-day supply of water, dried or canned foods, and other essentials. Not sure what you need? Consult FEMA’s emergency supply list. Having the right supplies is among the top hurricane season tips.
• Unplug electronics – even if you have a surge protector: This is the best protection against surge-related damage.
• Check for leaks: Check doors, windows, and walls, such as areas where cables and pipes enter, for openings that could allow water to penetrate.
• Prepare for long-term outages: Consider purchasing a generator. It doesn’t have to be the pricey, whole-house version. Even one that’s big enough to run a refrigerator and plug in a few essentials can really make life easier. Consider what you can’t live without if you were to be without electricity for a few days – such as a sump pump or well pump – and select a model that best fits your needs.
• Trim trees and shrubbery: Trim back any branches touching your home. If they rub your roof, they could pull parts of it off in a storm. Keep trees well pruned to allow wind to pass through with minimal damage and debris. Consider re-grading around trees to strengthen the ground and give roots something to cling to.
• Clean gutters: This could prevent potential roof damage and flooding inside your home.
• Clear clutter: Prevent items from flying off to Oz. Get rid of items you are no longer using, which can turn into projectiles. Bring lightweight outdoor items such as patio furniture, plants, toys, and trashcans inside.
• Secure your home: Highly recommended are window shutters (not the pretty ones – the ones that protect your glass), roof clips (to hold your roof on – it is NOT too heavy to fly away), and garage door braces (to keep your garage door from blowing away). Anchor fuel tanks as well. Ensure all items are professionally installed.
• Verify insurance coverage: Avoid the wind and water debate. Check your homeowner’s policy and purchase additional flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program to ensure you have adequate protection if necessary.

With more than 400 locations worldwide, Rainbow International offers consumers assistance before the storm hits with professional board up and tarp over services as well post-storm clean up in the event of water damage, or content cleaning for residential and commercial property owners. The company is part of Neighborly, a community of home service experts that provides consumers assistance with nearly all aspects of their home care needs. Additional information about Neighborly can be found at www.GetNeighborly.com. For more information about Rainbow International, visit www.rainbowintl.com.

NEW YORK, NY – Blink Fitness – a premium-quality, value-based gym that has challenged industry norms by celebrating how exercise makes you feel, not just how it makes you look – has announced the promotion of former president Todd Magazine to Chief Executive Officer and former Vice President of Operations David Collignon to Senior Vice President of Operations.

“Todd’s vision and tenacity have propelled Blink Fitness into a thriving bi-coastal, multi-state brand,” said Harvey Spevak, executive chairman and managing partner of Equinox Holdings, Inc., Blink’s parent company. “He has simultaneously established the brand as a highly differentiated player and transformed Blink into an autonomous, profitable business. Under his leadership, we look forward to a future of sustained, strong performance and continued growth.”

Magazine joined Equinox in 2012 as the Executive Vice President of New Business. A year later he transitioned exclusively to the Blink brand, serving as the Executive Vice President and General Manager before serving as President prior to this most recent promotion. Under Magazine’s leadership, Blink has grown from four to 70 locations in six years and has more than 400,000 members. The business has added a franchising system to supplement its company-owned efforts, all of which is helping accelerate the brand’s growth and expansion.

“The last six years have been the most fun and rewarding of my career. And the best part is that we are only getting warmed up. The runway for this business is as far as the eyes can see,” said Magazine. “We have an awesome brand, an incredible business model, and the most dedicated and passionate people I have ever worked with.”

Since joining Blink in 2016 as Vice President of Operations, Collignon has transformed the Operations team, enabling the business to continue to grow at a rapid pace and to seamlessly expand geographically. With this promotion, David’s responsibilities will be expanded to include Franchise Operations.

“Under David’s leadership, the business has seen a significant reduction in member attrition, as well as staff turnover,” said Magazine. “He also helped turbo charge Blink’s personal training and retail businesses, both of which grew exponentially over the past year.”

Launched in 2011, Blink offers a truly unique experience to its members, based on a company philosophy of Mood Above Muscle™, which celebrates the positive feelings you get from exercise rather than just the physical benefits. Their Feel Good Experience® comes to life in each gym through a commitment to providing modern and colorful design, elevated customer service, relentless focus on cleanliness, energizing music and confidence-boosting training programs.

Blink Fitness has opened nearly 70 company-owned locations since its inception across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and California, and has over 50 additional franchise locations in various stages of development in major U.S. markets. According to Magazine, Blink will have approximately 90 locations open and operating by the end of the year and expects to surpass the 300-unit mark over the next five years.

CARROLLTON, TX – FASTSIGNS International, Inc., franchisor of FASTSIGNS®, the leading sign, graphics and visual communications franchise, announced today that it will be attending and sponsoring the International Franchise Expo from May 31 – June 2 at The Javits Center in New York City. FASTSIGNS CEO Catherine Monson will speak at the event and share insights gained during her more than 30 years in franchising.

FASTSIGNS is recruiting franchisees for expansion throughout the U.S. and Canada, particularly in the Northeast, including the New York City metro area and Long Island. The brand also is seeking international partners worldwide to be master franchisees.

“Throughout North America, FASTSIGNS has over 400 markets ready for development, providing ample opportunities for entrepreneurs to join our leading brand. The International Franchise Expo is a strategic way to connect with thousands of entrepreneurs and future business owners both in the U.S. and abroad,” said Mark Jameson, EVP of Franchise Support and Development, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. “We are thrilled to be exhibiting at the IFE and look forward to showing prospective franchisees some of our cutting-edge technology and why FASTSIGNS is the top-ranked franchisor in the sign, graphic and visual communications industry.”

Entrepreneurs are encouraged to meet Catherine Monson and the brand’s franchise development team at booth #214 to learn more about the benefits of being a franchisee. Additionally, FASTSIGNS will demonstrate one of the newest products available to franchisees – the Makitso® Sslab 50” digital signage kiosk with 4K touchscreen display. Created by 22Miles, the Makitso Sslab has an adjustable, motorized stand that allows users to change the display from an angled pedestal format to a flat tabletop.

During the three-day event, Monson will speak on a panel alongside other franchise experts on Thursday, May 31 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to discuss issues ranging from the cultural challenges of international expansion to the practical aspects of doing business across borders. On Saturday, June 2 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Monson will join FASTSIGNS multi-unit franchisee, Clint Ehlers, of Willow Grove and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to share how they work together to achieve a balance between the Franchisor and the Franchisee in order to create a successful brand and position FASTSIGNS as one of the top-ranked brands for franchisee satisfaction for over 10 years. Clint will also participate in additional panels throughout the expo.

In 2018, FASTSIGNS plans to open an additional 45 centers across the U.S. Internationally, FASTSIGNS is continuing to seek qualified candidates to grow its international footprint in target markets throughout the world, including Brazil, Quebec, North Africa, Southeast Asia, India, Europe and Latin America.

FASTSIGNS also offers special incentives to first responders, including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers, sheriffs, and firefighters. This incentive is a 50-percent discount on the franchise fee – a savings of $23,750. FASTSIGNS International, Inc. is pleased to offer first responders this incentive to become a franchisee and to be the only franchisor in their segment to offer a development incentive specifically to first responders.

After 38 years as a first responder in the fire service and law enforcement departments, franchisee Russ Mason opened his first FASTSIGNS location in St. Peters, Missouri, in 2015. “After being a first responder for 38 years, I was looking for a change that challenged me,” Mason explained. “Many first responders are very mechanically inclined and business-minded, and the FASTSIGNS business model is well suited for self-motivated and hands-on individuals.”

FASTSIGNS International, Inc. was ranked the #1 franchise opportunity in its category and 70 overall on Entrepreneur magazine’s 2018 Franchise 500®, the world’s first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. Acknowledged by entrepreneurs and franchisors as a top competitive tool of measurement, the Franchise 500® recognizes FASTSIGNS, the only sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise to be recognized in the top 100, for its exceptional performance in areas including financial strength and stability, growth rate and brand power. FASTSIGNS also has been recognized for its franchisee satisfaction by being named a World Class Franchise by the Franchise Research Institute for five consecutive years and has been ranked by Franchise Business Review as one of the “Best of the Best” for franchisee satisfaction for the last 10 years. Additionally, FASTSIGNS also was named to Franchise Business Review’s “Innovative Franchises” list in 2017 and a “Best-in-Category” franchise by Franchise Business Review in 2018. The Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) recently recognized FASTSIGNS International, Inc. with a special six-year Franchisees’ Choice designation for its strong relationship with Canadian franchisees, as well as extensive franchisee training and support.

For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity, contact Mark Jameson (mark.jameson@fastsigns.com or 214-346-5679).

Glen Echo, MD – PR.com

The Wild Bird Centers of America, Inc., a specialty retail bird store franchisor, is proud to announce the launch of its newly revamped website and e-store: www.wildbird.com. The redesigned site offers fresh and updated content related to the backyard bird feeding hobby, Wild Bird Center products, franchise opportunities, local store pages, photo galleries, blog, videos and more. The new E-store component features products to suit every backyard and every budget, including seed, feeders, nest boxes, hardware, birdbaths, gift items and more – while highlighting Wild Bird Center’s competitive and reasonable shipping rates.

The responsive design across all digital devices, including desktop and media, makes it user-friendly. Website visitors will experience a clean and uncluttered design, ease of navigation, improved functionality and enhanced content including videos. Crafted by award-winning web firm, americaneagle.com, the site fosters Wild Bird Center’s mission of providing high-quality, long-lasting products that make backyard bird feeding an enjoyable and relaxing hobby.

The revamped E-store component allows Wild Bird Centers to reach out to a greater audience to increase sales while enhancing the shopping experience for customers. Low shipping rates and free shipping on orders $99 and over encourage customers to buy their favorite Wild Bird Center products online. The E-store also allows customers to purchase gift cards, literally giving the gift of nature to friends, family and loved ones. Neil Gladner, VP of Marketing and Retail Operations shared, “We’re excited to bring the enjoyment of backyard bird feeding and over 30 years of experience to every household in the U.S. with the launch of our new site. Now, everyone has access to our premium line of products designed to give our patrons a better backyard bird feeding experience.”

With built-in flexibility, Wild Bird Centers will continue to update and evolve content and information to provide the best in bird feeding to bird lovers everywhere.

CANTON, MA – With summer on the way, it’s three cheers for donuts at Dunkin’, as the brand delights donut devotees with a trio of terrific ways to sweeten the start of the season. First, Dunkin’ Donuts will ring in one of its favorite days of the year – National Donut Day on Friday, June 1st – by once again offering guests a free classic donut of their choice (while supplies last) with the purchase of any beverage. The offer is good all day on June 1st at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide on classic donut favorites including Boston Kreme, Glazed, Glazed Chocolate and Strawberry Frosted with Sprinkles.

Next, Dunkin’ Donuts is welcoming summer by cooking up not one but two new specialty donut varieties that truly take the cake. The new Chocolate Cake Batter Donut is filled with chocolate-flavored cake batter filling, frosted with chocolate icing and topped with colorful confetti sprinkles, while the new Vanilla Cake Batter Donut features vanilla-flavored cake batter filling, frosted with white icing and topped with confetti sprinkles. Both are available at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide for a limited time beginning Monday, May 28. Select Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants will also brighten donut fans’ days with the Sweet Summertime Donut, a specialty donut featuring a sunshine design with blue icing, yellow icing drizzle and a Glazed Old Fashioned MUNCHKINS® donut hole treat placed in the center.

Finally, at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants, the donut case will feature a summer celebration with new names and designs for some classic varieties, including:

• Party On: Vanilla frosted donut with blue icing and confetti sprinkles
• Strawberry Spectacular: Strawberry frosted donut with confetti sprinkles
• Boston Kreme Bash: A classic filled donut with Bavarian creme filling, frosted with chocolate dipping icing and a blue icing drizzle
• Chocolate Madness: Chocolate Cake donut with chocolate dipping icing and a blue icing drizzle
• Confetti Craze: Chocolate frosted donut with confetti sprinkles

National Donut Day was originally established in 1938 by the Chicago Salvation Army to honor women who served donuts to soldiers during World War I. The holiday is traditionally celebrated on the first Friday of June. Dunkin’ Donuts has been serving guests signature donuts for 68 years. Dunkin’ Donuts is the #1 retailer of donuts in America, and sells more than 2.9 billion donuts and MUNCHKINS® donut hole treats annually worldwide. Within the United States, Dunkin’ Donuts offers a wide variety of delicious donuts, including beloved flavors such as Boston Kreme, Glazed, Chocolate Glazed Cake and Chocolate Frosted. Additionally, some Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants also feature regional favorites like the Sour Cream Donut in Chicago, and the Peanut Stick in upstate New York.

To learn more about Dunkin’ Donuts, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com, or subscribe to the Dunkin’ Donuts blog to receive notifications at https://news.dunkindonuts.com/blog.

BLOOMINGTON, IN – According to a September 2017 article by CNBC, about 74 percent of restoration companies experienced sales growth in 2016, many citing weather as a primary growth factor. And with wild weather predicted in the future due to climate change, the growth of the disaster recovery and property restoration industry looks limitless.

With eyes wide open and crews ready, Service Team of Professionals (STOP), a full-service franchise that provides premier restoration services to residential and commercial clients across the country, looks to nearly double its national footprint by the end of 2020.

With 32 franchisees already operating 34 territories in 21 states, the Bloomington, Indiana-based business, recently recognized as one of the Best Franchise Opportunities for 2018 by Franchise Business Review, hopes to have a total of 60 territories nationwide by the end of 2020.

According to company CEO Brian Clark, the expansion will be accomplished exclusively through franchising.

“STOP is a proven concept built on a foundation of over 40 years of leadership and experience in the restoration services industry,” said Clark. “We’ve seen great success thus far and as the brand continues to expand, we look forward to not only helping homes and businesses restore and repair their buildings, but also aiding individuals become independent business owners as franchisees. We offer an array of services, including full disaster restoration as well as a number of scheduled services (non-emergency) such as duct cleaning, crawl space encapsulation and animal damage remediation. As we plan our next growth phase, we are seeking franchise partners who are enthusiastic about helping others and are system oriented, those partners are vital to our national expansion plans.”

Since 1971, STOP has been helping both residential and commercial clients recover from the unthinkable – water damage caused by broken or frozen pipes, house fires, smoke damage, and mold contamination. STOP even has experience in cleaning up hoarding situations, crime scenes, meth or drug labs, and vandalism.

“Disasters aren’t fun, but we can provide some peace of mind. Our highly qualified technicians restore homes or buildings to their pre-disaster condition as quickly as possible to help ease the stress of the situation,” said Clark. “From the initial cleanup to the final repair, we are meticulous about everything we do and consider even the smallest details. Our clients have enough to worry about, which is why we get the job done right the first time. We focus on customer service by providing restoration services with the compassion and understanding that our customers deserve.

To augment the company’s growth, STOP is looking for individuals interested in joining a proven business model in a recession-resistant industry, and notes that prior knowledge of restoration is not needed.

“While a number of our franchisees do have a background in the cleaning or construction industry, it is absolutely not necessary in order to own your own home damage restoration franchise with STOP. In fact, many of our franchisees do not have a background in the construction or restoration industries at all,” he added. “Our extensive training program, including technical training, provides our franchise partners with everything they need.”

Including a franchise fee of $48,000, the initial investment to open a STOP Restoration franchise ranges from $78,600 – $138,500. All STOP franchise territories are protected (up to 300,000 population) and typically are much larger than other restoration company competitors.

Columbia, MD – The Greene Turtle Sports Bar and Grille® today announced that, starting on World Turtle Day, May 23, its restaurants are going straw free, in an effort to protect marine life. Over 500 million plastic straws are used each day in the United States. By going straw free, The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille® is saving over 7 million plastic straws from entering the ecosystem. Biodegradable straws, provided by Aardvark straws, will be available for certain beverages and upon request.

In support of the restaurant’s effort, Diageo, a global leader in beverage alcohol with a vast collection of brands across spirits and beer, will donate $1 of every bottle of Naked Turtle Rum sold at The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille® to the Sea Turtle Conservancy to help promote awareness about the different species of sea turtles and the various threats to their survival. A few of the signature drinks at The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille® featuring Naked Turtle Rum include: “Original Blood Orange Hell in the Shell” (Naked Turtle White Rum, Tequila, Gin, Cranberry, Sprite, Blood Orange Sour, Peach Schnapps and New Amsterdam Vodka); “Hurricane Hell in the Shell” (Naked Turtle White Rum, Southern Comfort, Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, Citrus Sour and Grenadine); and the “Light & Stormy” (Naked Turtle White Rum, Bitters and Gosling’s Ginger Beer).

“The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille® values protecting marine life,” said Layla Nielsen, Senior Director of Marketing at The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille®. “We are excited to do our part by skipping the straw and helping reduce the number of plastic straws in the ecosystem.”

FT. WORTH, TX – PRNewswire

HomeWell Senior Care, Inc., one of the nation’s premiere franchisors of senior home care services in the US and Canada, announced today that Bruce Haase has acquired a majority ownership position in the Company and will serve as Chairman of the Board. HomeWell was founded in 2002 by Joshua Hoffman, a former caregiver, in Seattle, Washington. Lori Yount, CEO, will continue to lead the company and execute a strategy to further enhance services to its franchise owners and expand the HomeWell brand nationwide.

Founder Joshua Hoffman commented, “Bruce brings significant franchising expertise to the company, having served in senior leadership positions in the hospitality industry – with Choice Hotels International and most recently as CEO of WoodSpring Hotels, a leading extended stay hotel brand. This is the right time for me to transition my ownership position in HomeWell and I look forward to supporting the company’s growth as a minority partner.” Mr. Haase stated that he is excited to partner with the HomeWell management team who possess deep experience in the senior home care industry. “Our growth strategy is straightforward,” said Haase. “We will grow the HomeWell brand by delivering best-in-class franchise services, education, training, and operating support to our franchisees and owners new to the industry delivered by industry professionals who truly understand the business. Our new ownership structure will enable HomeWell to further invest in the growth of the brand as we develop in new cities across the US and Canada.”

Lori Yount, CEO of HomeWell, said she has aggressive expansion plans for the brand in 2018. “We are building a stronger HomeWell to serve our franchise owners, which will enable the company to return to a strong growth trajectory this year. We are on target to add up to twenty- five new franchise partners in 2018, and the company has attractive territories available in many major metropolitan markets for the right franchisee.”

PALM BEACH, FL – PRNewswire

In honor of National Military Appreciation Month, Always Best Care of the Palm Beaches, one of the leading senior care franchise systems in the United States, has joined forces with Operation Support Our Troops America (OSOTA), to host an online care package drive in support of American soldiers overseas. Now through Memorial Day, May 28, local residents can give back to members of the military serving abroad by visiting www.yougivegoods.com/abc-supports-the-military and selecting from a variety of goods to purchase for donation.

“We are thrilled to partner with an organization like Operation Support Our Troops America and encourage families to take part in the online care package drive and help a great cause,” said Steve Snell, Always Best Care of the Palm Beaches franchisee. “Every donation, big or small, helps support the well-being of American soldiers who put their lives at risk to protect us and our great country.”

All contributions made to Always Best Care’s online care package drive will be sent to U.S. troops overseas at the end of the month. The drive is made possible through YouGiveGoods, an innovative company that connects tangible giving to community needs through a free, easy-to-use online service.

“We are so appreciative of Always Best Care doing a collection drive for us through YouGiveGoods,” said Jamie Nelson, Executive Director of Operation Support Our Troops America. “As we continue to have troops deployed in harm’s way, the care packages we send show that America has not forgotten them. And the thank you notes and photos we receive each week let us know how much it means to the troops. We thank the local community for their support of this drive and our mission.”

Always Best Care is one of the nation’s leading providers of non-medical in-home care, assisted living placement services and home health care. The company delivers its services through an international network of more than 200 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the United States and Canada.

For more information about the charitable initiative, or to learn more about services available through Always Best Care of the Palm Beaches, please call (888) 316-6178 or visit ssnell@abc-seniors.com.

WACO, Texas – Mr. Appliance®, a Neighborly company and North America’s leading appliance repair franchise, announced today it has kicked off a prominent brand refresh in an effort to reflect the company’s growth over the past several years. As part of this campaign, the company has unveiled a new logo, representing the first time the company has revamped its image since its founding in 1996. The new design features an updated tagline highlighting Mr. Appliance’s signature speedy expert service, as well as new fonts and colors that exude an image better aligned with the brand’s modern evolution.

“Mr. Appliance has emerged as the leader of the appliance repair segment by remaining at the forefront of technological trends and continually investing in our systems, processes and people,” said Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance. “We’re thrilled to be unveiling our new logo, which reflects how the brand has evolved over the past two decades and better communicates to consumers that Mr. Appliance is the best destination for efficient and dependable service.”

Mr. Appliance’s brand refresh comes on the heels of last year’s Neighborly community launch, which is a comprehensive home services platform offering a unique direct service function to provide consumers assistance with nearly all aspects of their home – from landscaping and plumbing to painting and more. Mr. Appliance is one of 13 brands across the U.S. that make up the Neighborly community, each owned by the Dwyer Group, one of the world’s largest franchising companies of trade service brands. The brand’s involvement in Neighborly is just one example of how it has continued to invest in its operations to enhance the customer experience, and its new logo was designed to reinforce how Mr. Appliance and its services have become increasingly modernized and advanced.

“We know that today’s modern consumer prioritizes convenience more than ever, and being a part of the Neighborly community has been a tremendous asset for our customers by providing them an easy resource to quickly identify dependable home service experts in their area,” added Rogers.

With more than 220 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada, Mr. Appliance is North America’s leading home and commercial appliance repair franchise system. The company is part of Neighborly, a community of home service experts that provides consumers assistance with nearly all aspects of their home care needs. Additional information about Neighborly can be found at www.GetNeighborly.com. For more information about Mr. Appliance, visit www.MrAppliance.com.