In the franchising industry, most franchisors typically award their franchisees a territory in which to grow and scale their business while protecting that location from being overrun by the same brand. In some situations, however, being awarded a limited territory can have a downside. By Cindy Charette
After seeing his patients struggle with weight, Dr. James Mirabile, a board-certified OB/GYN in Overland Park, Kansas, began to look into Medi-Weightloss as a way to expand his practice with weight-loss services. Before becoming a Medi-Weightloss franchisee, Mirabile spent a lot of time speaking with the corporate team and existing franchisees about the franchise opportunity. By Cindy Charette
In February of this year, Brian Martin was one of the first franchise owners of a completely green, completely natural pest control company, Mosquito Sheriff. Martin was no stranger to the entrepreneurial world and had been operating a Patrice & Associates hospitality staffing franchise since 2017. This was a completely different franchise opportunity than what he was used to, and that interested him. By Elice Morgenson
At Tenet Financial Group, we stress this statement in every conversation we have with prospective franchisees: “Franchise funding is not one-size-fits-all.” By Jodi Rowell
There are numerous steps of due diligence required when looking to open a franchise, but one stands out above the rest: communication with existing franchisees. There is much to learn about a franchise opportunity, such as involved costs, business practices, company structure, and expected earnings. By Matt Wiggins
We Buy Ugly Houses® Boston Gives Homeowners an Option to Sell While Social Distancing.
BOSTON — For sellers throughout the Greater Boston area who need to sell their homes as soon as possible, HomeVestors®, the We Buy Ugly Houses® people, will now offer phone and video consultations during the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition to answering standard consultation questions, sellers will be encouraged to either send in photographs, or take buyers on a video walkthrough of the property in order to verify the condition of the home. All consultations will continue to be free of charge, with no obligation.
Following the consultation, if it makes sense for both parties, the We Buy Ugly Houses® Boston property specialist will then present a cash offer to buy the house. We Buy Ugly Houses® Boston will schedule an in-person closing appointment after concerns for COVID-19 are alleviated.
The decision to go virtual comes after Gov. Charlie Baker issued a statewide stay-at-home advisory, which encourages individuals to stay in their homes and closed all nonessential businesses throughout Massachusetts. Valuing the safety of its community members and recognizing the importance of this advisory, We Buy Ugly Houses® Boston will use these virtual consultations to uphold this issue, while still giving homeowners in difficult situations an option to sell.
Although typically about 40% of home sales occur between March and June, the NAR released a recent survey that homebuyer interest has decreased by 48% due to coronavirus concerns. Since most buyers need to walk through a home before purchasing, We Buy Ugly Houses® Boston will use these virtual consultations as a way to ease seller worries during this unprecedented time.
About We Buy Ugly Houses® Boston
HomeVestors®, also known as the We Buy Ugly Houses® people, was formed in 1996 to give homeowners a fast and easy way to sell a house or unwanted property for cash. Since then, we’ve bought over 100,000 homes and have become America’s #1 cash home buyer. HomeVestors® strives to make a positive impact in each of its 176 markets. We Buy Ugly Houses® Boston purchases homes throughout Greater Boston, including Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk counties. Each franchise office is independently owned and operated. For more information, visit https://www.webuyuglyhouses.com/boston or call 857-323-6843.
Leading Senior Care Franchise Offers Award-Winning Senior Care Services to New Haven County.
ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Always Best Care Senior Services, one of the leading senior care franchise systems in the United States, announced today that it has opened its newest franchise in Wallingford, Connecticut. Always Best Care of Wallingford/Greater New Haven marks the company’s sixth location in the state and will provide senior care services to the communities of Branford, Cheshire, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Meriden, Madison, North Haven, North Branford, New Haven, Orange, Prospect and Wallingford. The new agency is owned and operated by first-time franchisee Linda Craig.
“Linda exudes an admirable amount of dedication and passion towards positively impacting the lives of those in need,” said Jake Brown, President and CEO of Always Best Care. “We’re very proud to welcome her to the Always Best Care family and believe her past experience in management and leadership in the medical arena coupled with her knowledge of the local community will allow her to provide exceptional care to Wallingford and the surrounding areas.”
As a resident of Wallingford for more than three decades, Craig has built a career devoted to helping the local community through various roles within the healthcare industry. The entrepreneur has experience in pharmaceuticals and laboratory management and most recently held the position of Regional Manager of Business Development for an oncology medical diagnostics company, establishing a strong network of healthcare professionals within the community. Craig earned a masters degree from the University of West Haven and a bachelor’s degree from Drew University.
“After many years of working with patients on a variety of levels within Wallingford and the surrounding areas, I noticed the need for quality senior care services,” said Craig. “I’m thrilled to bring Always Best Care’s services to my community and will continue to pride myself on providing the best care to seniors and loved ones that need it most.”
Always Best Care is one of the nation’s leading providers of non-medical in-home care, assisted living placement services and skilled home health care, and is the only senior services franchise system that combines the three to create three separate revenue streams for its franchisees. 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.
By working with case managers, social workers, discharge planners, doctors, and families, Always Best Care franchise owners provide affordable, comprehensive solutions that can be specifically matched to meet a client’s particular physical or social needs. The hallmark services of Always Best Care include non-medical in-home care and assisted living finder and referral services, with skilled home health care now being phased in throughout the country.
Founded in 1996, Always Best Care Senior Services is based on the belief that having the right people for the right level of care means peace of mind for the client and family. Always Best Care assists seniors with a wide range of illnesses and personal needs, and currently provides more than 4 million hours of care every year. Franchise opportunities are available to individuals interested in leveraging the company’s clear strategy and proven track record for delivering affordable, dependable service to seniors in their local areas.
Always Best Care also offers an exclusive program called Always in Touch, a telephone reassurance program that provides a daily phone call to seniors and disabled adults who are living alone and have limited contact with the outside world. Always in Touch is the only absolutely free national telephone reassurance program of its kind anywhere in the USA and Canada.
Global Coffee and Smooth Franchise Offering 50 Percent Online Discount Nov. 26.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Just in time for the holiday rush, Maui Wowi® Hawaiian Coffees and Smoothies (www.MauiWowi.com) is giving coffee lovers that extra caffeine boost they need with another sweet Cyber Monday deal.
When online shoppers visit shop.mauiwowi.com on November 26, they’ll be able to purchase 12-ounce bags of premium Maui Wowi Hawaiian coffee blends at half price using the promotional code CYBER at checkout. This is a one-day-only deal, valid on Cyber Monday.
“We’re excited to offer Maui Wowi customers and coffee lovers everywhere the chance to experience our delicious, Hawaiian coffee blends at a discounted online price,” said Helene Dion, national marketing manager for Kahala Brands™, parent company of Maui Wowi. “Whether you’re gearing up for the hustle and bustle of the holiday season or looking for that extra-flavorful gift to give a loved one, we want customers to know Maui Wowi has you covered!”
One fan-favorite blend that will be available to shoppers is the limited-time-only Maui Mountain Roast: a bold coffee blend made with beans cultivated in the premier coffee-growing conditions of Maui that offers subtle hints of wild berry with an earthy finish. Other popular choices include dark roasts like the Molokai blend and flavored coffees like Toasted Coconut, Chocolate Macadamia Nut and Vanilla.
Maui Wowi harvests its coffee beans from Hawaii’s Kona District, Molokai, Maui and Kauai regions, which are known for their rich volcanic soil—perfect for growing coffee that is smooth and less acidic.
Since 1982, Maui Wowi® has embraced the Hawaiian culture and has been serving paradise in a cup since the day it began, over 30 years ago. From event carts, mall kiosks and stand-alone retail locations, Maui Wowi offers premium smoothies, as well as gourmet Hawaiian coffees and espresso beverages. The company maintains strong community involvement through fundraising efforts by its franchisees, in addition to Team Karma; an initiative that promotes corporate responsibility and giving back to the community. The brand has more than 450 operating units and an online store. In November 2015, Maui Wowi was acquired by Kahala Brands™, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of nearly 30 fast-casual and quick-service restaurant brands with approximately 3300 locations in 30 countries.
Leading non-medical home care franchise recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine for second consecutive year.
CINCINNATI — FirstLight Home Care, an award-winning provider of non-medical home care, was ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top franchises for veterans.
FirstLight was evaluated based on veteran incentives, support of veteran franchisees, and its ranking in the 2018 Franchise 500. This is the company’s second year in a row making the list.
“We’ve long been a supporter of veterans and are always looking for more ways to show appreciation for those who have served our country,” said Jeff Bevis, CEO and co-founder of FirstLight Home Care. “We have programs in place to provide veterans with assistance in opening their own FirstLight business, and we’ve had tremendous success at our locations owned by those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.”
As part of its support for all U.S. military veterans, FirstLight discounts its franchise fee by $12,500 for veterans. Bevis also serves as the current committee chairman of the International Franchise Association (IFA) Education Foundation VetFran Committee, which helps provide access and opportunities in both employment and franchising for veterans and their spouses. Additionally, FirstLight regularly attends and presents at regional and national events that are created to assist transitioning veterans to highlight both business ownership and employment opportunities that exist within the franchise industry for veterans and their spouses.
In addition to making Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top Franchises for Veterans list, Franchise Business Review ranked FirstLight as a Top Franchise for Veterans for the second consecutive year.
The recognition from Entrepreneur adds to the recent awards FirstLight has been receiving lately. In recent months, the company has also made the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing, privately held companies (for the 4th consecutive year of eligibility), as well as the Franchise Times Top 200+ of the 500 largest franchise companies for the fourth and sixth consecutive times, respectively. The company has also made Franchise Business Review’s Top 100 Franchises for Innovation list.
The complete list of Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2018 Top Franchises for Veterans can be found at https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/topfranchiseveterans/2018/.
FirstLight Home Care is a top rated non-medical home care provider with a network of offices that provides more than 100,000 hours per week in care for more than 4,800 clients in over 34 states. The company has created a new standard in home care by combining best practices with innovative approaches to make them an emerging market leader in a rapidly-growing industry. Their 4,700 caregivers provide companion and personal care services at private residences, assisted living and retirement communities, nursing homes, adult-family homes and group homes. Clients include seniors, new mothers, individuals recovering from surgery, veterans, adults with disabilities and anyone 18 and over who might just need a little extra care or assistance.
Oasis Senior Advisors underwrites new PBS storytelling program.
BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — Oasis Senior Advisors celebrates the bond between seniors and their families. That’s why the Bonita Springs-based franchisor is proud to underwrite the production of Family Pictures USA, a television series and transmedia project that will air in the spring of 2019 on WGCU-TV and nationally on the World channel.
Family Pictures USA blends the personal narrative style of the popular PBS series StoryCorps with the surprising discoveries that made Antiques Roadshow a hit show on public television. The production crew traveled to Southwest Florida, Detroit and North Carolina to film families as they sorted through old photos and gained fascinating insight about their heritage.
“Every day, our advisors see the strength of the emotional connection between seniors, their families and their past,” Oasis Senior Advisors CEO Tim Evankovich said. “Family Pictures USA underscores that connection and shows how it links families with their communities and the nation as a whole. We’re thrilled to be a part of this amazing show.”
The show is an offshoot of Digital Diaspora Family Reunion, a touring program that brings people together to encourage them to engage with their own family photographic archives in galvanizing ways.
Digital Diaspora has held live events in cities across the USA and around the world for the past 10 years, amassing interviews of more than 2,500 people and gathering in excess of 30,000 images. It also gave rise to the 2014 documentary film “Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People.”
“The Senegalese poet Leopold Senghor said, ‘The photograph is the shortest distance between one person’s eyes and another person’s heart,’ and that’s what this is all about,” Family Pictures USA Executive Producer Don Perry said. “This project is really about engaging in an intergenerational dialogue.”
Perry and Family Pictures host and creator Thomas Allen Harris came to Southwest Florida this fall and held two photo sharing events where families brought in their old pictures, many of which became the basis for the storytelling that takes place on the show.
One of the segments features Independent Miccosukee native Larry Osceola and family going through their albums, an experience that piqued the interest of the family’s children in surprising ways.
“The kids were like, ‘We should do this more often.’ They thanked us. They had such a ball doing it that they want to make it a regular thing,” Perry said.
Part of the idea behind the show is to reintroduce families to a way of exploring their own history that strengthens ties with older members of the family.
“We love that Oasis is a sponsor, working to connect us with human beings who provide vital connections to our past,” Perry said. “Elderly folks are often looked on as a problem at a certain point. In a culture that undervalues age, we don’t want to be reminded of our mortality. But we need to look instead at their vitality and their engagement.”
Oasis Senior Advisors is dedicated to helping seniors live better lives by providing a no-cost service that guides them to the right place for their care. The company undertakes numerous initiatives that help raise awareness of issues that affect seniors, such as the Virtual Dementia Tour, which affords caregivers, health care workers and family members a better understanding of the disease.
Founded in 2014 by Tim Evankovich, Oasis Senior Advisors provides free, personalized help finding transitional housing solutions that best fit the needs of seniors and their families. This includes senior housing, hospital discharge, elder law, specialty care, and more. The company, based in Bonita Springs, Florida, operates a growing number of franchises across the U.S. Their personalized and caring approach to aid seniors and their families has helped many achieve satisfaction, comfort and peace of mind. Through client satisfaction and its strong partnerships with many top-rated senior living communities and services in the country, Oasis Senior Advisors is positioned for continued growth. Franchise opportunities are available nationwide.