home based franchise

15 09, 2022

Neighborly® Named One of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies by Inc. Magazine for the Fourth Consecutive Year

2022-09-15T16:31:51-04:00September 15th, 2022|Tags: , , , , , |

World’s largest franchisor of home service brands appears on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list with a three-year growth rate of 93%.

WACO, TexasNeighborly®, the world’s largest home services company, announced today its inclusion in the 2022 Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies, marking the fourth consecutive year that the company has been ranked on the list.

Neighborly has grown to more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchise units collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining, and enhancing homes. The Inc. 5000 ranking follows other major recognitions the brand has received this year, including 15 Neighborly brands ranked in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® and Mike Bidwell, CEO of Neighborly, recognized as Central Plains Entrepreneur Of The Year® by Ernst & Young. Neighborly’s consistent inclusion in the Inc. 5000 list, in addition to receiving multiple other accolades, is a testament to its growth year-after-year, cementing its status as a leader in the home services industry.

“I’m honored that Neighborly has once again been recognized in the prestigious Inc. 5000 list alongside some of the fastest-growing and most innovative organizations in the country,” said Mike Bidwell, President and CEO of Neighborly. “As Neighborly continues to expand our offerings, our “Done Right Promise” ensures that homeowners will receive the quality of work they trust us to provide every time across every brand. We are honored to have been listed among the best and brightest for the past four years and strive to continue to grow and enrich our homeowners’ lives for years to come.”

The annual Inc. 5000 list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Recognizing the fastest-growing companies in the country, Neighborly ranks with well-known brands including Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many others with national exposure as honorees in the list.

“The accomplishment of building one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., in light of recent economic roadblocks, cannot be overstated,” said Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. “Inc. is thrilled to honor the companies that have established themselves through innovation, hard work, and rising to the challenges of today.”

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc.

More information about Neighborly and its franchise concepts is available at https://www.neighborlybrands.com/. To learn about franchising opportunities with Neighborly®, visit https://franchise.neighborly.com.

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000
Methodology

Companies on the 2022 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2018 to 2021. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2018. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2021. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2018 is $100,000; the minimum for 2021 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to four decimal places. The top 500 companies on the Inc. 5000 are featured in Inc. magazine’s September issue. The entire Inc. 5000 can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc.

The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala, visit http://conference.inc.com/.

About Neighborly®

Neighborly® is the world’s largest home services company with more than 30 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 12 million+ customers in six countries, focused on repairing, maintaining, and enhancing 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 18 service categories at Neighborly.com or through the Neighborly App. More information about Neighborly®, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com.

4 08, 2022

Cruise Planners releases in-depth eBook titled “How to Choose Your Perfect Travel Niche To Increase Profits”

2022-08-04T11:36:38-04:00August 4th, 2022|Tags: , , , , |

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., Aug.2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Cruise Planners recently partnered with Travel Market Report to produce a free, in-depth eBook titled: “How to Choose Your Perfect Travel Niche To Increase Profits”.

The study takes a comprehensive look at the world of travel niches and how being a specialist can further your sales. The eBook features a trove of valuable suggestions and data along with anecdotal input from seasoned Cruise Planners franchise owners on how choosing a niche helped them succeed. 

“From day one, we encourage our agents to pick a niche they’re passionate about to focus on, especially if they want to reach higher sales volumes,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and co-founder of Cruise Planners. “Our advisors who have followed that have found much success and, in this eBook, they generously share their insights on best practices that have worked for them.”

Highlights include:

  • How selecting a niche gives travel advisors a distinct advantage in the marketplace
  • Over 50 examples of travel niches for you to consider
  • The most common mistakes travel advisors make when developing a niche
  • How Michael Consoli, Cruise Planners’ top producing travel advisor, marketed his niche to sell $20M in travel, during a pandemic!

Travel advisors who niche down, and who position themselves as experts in a certain type of travel tend to earn greater profitability, and experience better satisfaction.

“This eBook expands on our mission by exploring all the ways in which niching down is beneficial to travel advisors,” Anne Marie Moebes, Travel Market Report publisher, said. “We are grateful to Cruise Planners for opening its franchisees’ doors to us for a look at how positioning oneself as a niche expert pays off in so many ways.”

The eBook is available for free to download here.

About Cruise Planners

Company Background: Cruise Planners was founded in 1994 and is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network. As a leader in the travel franchise industry, Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 2,500 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and awarded by Franchise Business Review as “Best-In-Category” for 2 years.

Franchise Business Review also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises of 2022. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.

Visit our website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/

 

3 06, 2022

Neighborly® Heats Up for National Homeownership Month in Raleigh-Durham, One of the Hottest Housing Markets

2022-06-03T09:21:27-04:00June 3rd, 2022|Tags: , , , , , |

Local Neighborly community of home service experts outlines top projects to help homeowners upgrade their spaces during the most popular season to sell.

RALEIGH-DURHAM, N.C. — An estimated 5.95 million existing homes will be sold in the U.S. in 2022, and  Neighborly®, the world’s largest franchisor of home service brands, is calling the hot residential market in Raleigh-Durham one of the top regions for a strong return on the investment.

In conjunction with National Homeownership Month, the most popular time to put a home on the market, the home team for home services at Neighborly just released its guide for the top “Tips for Getting Your Home Market-Ready.”

The Neighborly checklist comes at a perfect time following a joint report from the Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com that ranks Raleigh as one of the top 20 emerging housing markets for investors and homeowners alike.

The checklist includes expert advice from Neighborly’s Raleigh-Durham network of trusted brands and outlines the top professional services that Raleigh-Durham homeowners should consider when preparing their home to sell this summer. These local owner-operators whose teams are vetted in a variety of specific services are also backed by Neighborly’s Done Right Promise™ to ensure the highest quality of work.

The checklist includes but is not limited to projects such as:

  • Bringing your home up to code
  • Fixing plumbing issues
  • Upgrading kitchen appliances
  • Scheduling a home inspection
  • Pressure washing the home exterior
  • Replacing outdated light fixtures
  • Adding a kitchen pantry

“If you look around your home and see scuffed walls, broken appliances or overgrown flower beds that need attention, these shortcomings can lead to lower offers from a homebuyer even in booming housing markets,” said David Burdine, a local Raleigh-Durham owner of Mosquito Joe of Western Wake County, a Neighborly company. “But not every project has a DIY solution. That’s why our local network of Neighborly home service experts is committed to assisting homeowners in the Triangle area in making the necessary home upgrades needed before their homes hit the market to ease the stress of the selling process, especially during the most popular season to sell.”

In addition to utilizing the checklist, new customers in the Raleigh-Durham area will receive $20 off their first service when scheduling an initial appointment with one of Neighborly’s 17 brands in the area. Terms and conditions apply. Connect with Neighborly by visiting neighborly.com/raleigh-durham or by calling (833) 733-1096.

“Selling a home should be an exciting time for homeowners,” said Mike Bidwell, President and CEO of Neighborly. “Our hope is that with our checklist, Raleigh-Durham residents will trust calling upon our Neighborly service professionals who are driven by our Done Right Promise™ to take care of their home improvement projects, making the experience of putting a home on the market positive and enjoyable.”

For more information about Neighborly’s service brands, visit www.neighborlybrands.com.

About Neighborly®

Neighborly® is the world’s largest home services franchisor of 29 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 10 million+ customers in nine countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing 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 18 service categories at Neighborly.com or through the Neighborly App. More information about Neighborly®, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com.

5 05, 2022

Neighborly® Steps Up as Raleigh-Durham’s Home Team for Home Services with Guide for which Projects NOT to DIY this National Home Improvement Month

2022-05-05T13:07:26-04:00May 5th, 2022|Tags: , , , , , |

As local homeowners give their spaces some extra love this month, Neighborly’s community of home service experts ensures your job gets done right.

RALEIGH-DURHAM, N.C. — Neighborly®, the world’s largest franchisor of home service brands and Raleigh-Durham’s hub for home services, just released its guide to the “Top Home Improvement Projects You Should NOT Do Yourself,” just in time for National Home Improvement Month. The checklist provides Raleigh-Durham residents with a comprehensive list of summertime home improvement tasks that can become exceptionally costly or even dangerous when mishandled by homeowners themselves.

The checklist includes expert advice from Neighborly’s Raleigh-Durham network of trusted brands, behind which are the local owner-operators whose teams are vetted in a variety of specific services and are backed by Neighborly’s Done Right Promise™ to ensure the highest quality of work.

The checklist includes but is not limited to projects such as:

  • Wiring upgrades
  • Garage door repairs
  • Irrigation installation
  • Window tinting
  • Mosquito control
  • House painting
  • Storage solutions

“We often get an opportunity to follow-up on DIY projects that did not work out as intended,” said Bruce Foster, a local Raleigh-Durham owner of Mr. Handyman, a Neighborly company. “Neighborly is a family of home service companies here in the Raleigh-Durham area with experts who are committed to helping educate and assist homeowners to repair, maintain and enhance their property. By doing so, we can help them avoid long-term and potentially more costly repairs while increasing the value of their homes. I am excited to be part of this family of local business owners who are all dedicated to getting the job done right for every neighbor in our community.”

In addition to utilizing the checklist, new customers in the Raleigh-Durham area will receive an offer for $20 off their first service when scheduling an initial appointment with one of Neighborly’s 17 brands in the area. See coupon for details. Connect with Neighborly by visiting neighborly.com/raleigh-durham or by calling (833) 733-1096.

“Despite the valid popularity of the DIY approach to home improvement, there are projects that – when not handled by a vetted professional with the proper training and expertise – are dangerous or may ultimately end up costing more by inflicting extra harm to your home,” said Mike Bidwell, President and CEO of Neighborly. “With our checklist, Neighborly is not only providing homeowners with expert home maintenance recommendations to save valuable time and a possible headache but also connecting them to trusted local home service professionals whose work is backed by Neighborly’s Done Right Promise™.

For more information about Neighborly’s service brands, visit www.neighborlybrands.com.

About Neighborly®

Neighborly® is the world’s largest home services franchisor of 29 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 10 million+ customers in nine countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing 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 18 service categories at Neighborly.com or through the Neighborly App. More information about Neighborly®, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com.

28 03, 2022

Cruise Planners’ exclusive Elite Summit Sails toward success on the Danube

2022-03-28T21:56:05-04:00March 28th, 2022|Tags: , , , , |

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — After two years in the making, Cruise Planners’ Elite Summit finally made its way along the Danube river aboard the magnificent AmaMagna for a scenic and productive tour of Eastern Europe. Cruise Planners proudly hosted the event to celebrate the achievements of their top producers at the 2022 Elite Summit on AmaWaterways luxury ship last week. Over 170 travel advisors from all over the U.S. convened on the Danube to network, learn and revel in the fruits of their labor.

Cruise Planners CEO and Founder Michelle Fee hosted the eight-day event alongside Cruise Planners Senior VP of Strategic Development Scott Koepf and Chief Sales Officer Theresa Scalzitti. Although this trip was originally planned for March 2020, it had a spate of delays due to the covid-19 pandemic and travel restrictions.

“It was definitely worth the wait,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and Founder of Cruise Planners. “These agents are the equivalent of travel advisor royalty. They are successful self-starters and experts in their fields and this summit is a chance to celebrate their achievements in an undeniably difficult year. They have led by example to show that it’s possible to turn lemons into lemonade—topped with a splash of sparkling champagne.”

This is the first time Cruise Planners has had a full ship charter and the trip began on March 13th in Vilshofen, Germany with stops in Passau, Linz & Grein, Melk & Spitz, Vienna, and Bratislava before wrapping up in Budapest on March 20th.

The Elite Summit featured supplier partner one-on-one meetings and networking. Industry partners in attendance included:

  • AmaWaterways – Kristin Karst, Co-Owner & VP
  • AmaWaterways – Diane Marie Curchy Horan, Director, Strategic Partner Networks
  • Carnival Cruise Line – Jodi Kinmon, Director of Strategic Partnerships
  • Silversea – Laurie Bohn, Senior Director, National Accounts
  • Norwegian Cruise Line – Soleil Domagala, Sr. Manager, National Accounts
  • Oceania Cruises – Nikki Upshaw, Senior Vice President
  • Princess Cruises – Mary Irene Jencen, National Account Business Development Manager
  • Regent Seven Seas Cruises – Lisette Thurman, Strategic Accounts Director
  • Allianz – Jeff Schafer, Regional Sales Director
  • Celebrity Cruises – Yolanda Sheppard, Manager, National Accounts
  • Royal Caribbean Cruises – Vicki Freed, SVP, Sales and Trade Support & Service
  • Kensington – Stephanie Governali, Director, Agency Sales
  • Disney – Jodi Bainter, Director, Travel Agency Sales
  • Seabourn – Wendy Whitener, Director, North America Sales

The AmaMagna features multiple dining venues, and is twice the size of traditional river cruises, adding space and luxury to the river cruising experience. Guests on board also had access to a massage and hair salon, a fitness room, a swimming pool and whirlpool. AmaMagna is also the first of AmaWaterways’ ships to feature a water sports platform complete with the Sundowner boat for evening river excursions.

“The Elite Summit is always one of the most amazing experiences of the year,” said Joel Wilder, who has been on nine top producer trips. “It’s always so uplifting and inspiring to exchange ideas, visit with CP and cruise line executives, see old friends– all while seeing the world! I have sailed on most European rivers onboard Viking, Uniworld and Avalon and now AmaWaterways, which certainly did not disappoint. The AmaMagna is an amazing ship and I’m planning on putting a group cruise together to sail on her.”

The summit included executive presentations, one-on-one meetings with suppliers while also giving top producers a chance to network and immerse themselves in the culture of these historic, top destinations. Sample excursions include, “Hungarian goulash making class”, “wine tasting and castle walking tour”, “Passau River biking tour” and ” Cesky Krumlov Excursion with Czech Beer” to name a few.

“This year feels extra special because 1) the ship was chartered for just Cruise Planners 2) because it feels like we are back on track after the two past difficult years,” said Mellanie Ingle, who is based in Huntington Beach, CA. “I love that all of us have a bond that encourages sharing information, helping each other when we can, and looking forward to our time together each year.  We all understand what it takes to achieve this level of sales, and support each other.”

AmaWaterways co-owner Kristin Karst also hosted a special surprise dinner for its top producer and Cruise Planners Executives with Count Carl Philip Clam in Austria.

Cruise Planners hosts two Elite Summits each year, with the second one slated for May 1-5  at the Sandals Royal Bahamian in Nassau. In addition, there will be a series of four, in-person Boot Camp events including around the country with locations in Las Vegas, Connecticut, Dallas, and Orlando. To culminate, Cruise Planners annual convention will take place in Miami and complete on the Norwegian Prima as it makes its inaugural sailing.

“They truly earned this,” said Fee. “You can’t ask for a better setting, for a more dedicated and talented group of travel advisors to recharge, innovate and immerse themselves into the world of travel before they get out there and keep doing what they do best. It’s only going to go up from here.”

About Cruise Planners

Company Background: Cruise Planners, an award-winning American Express Travel Representative, is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network. Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 2,500 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and awarded by Franchise Business Review as “Best-In-Category” for 2 years. FBR also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises of 2022. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.

Visit our website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/.

25 02, 2022

Neighborly® Kicks Off 2022 Reaching 5,000 Franchise Milestone

2022-02-25T09:23:44-05:00February 25th, 2022|Tags: , , , , , |

Significant development and same-store sales growth positions the global home service franchisor for continued expansion.

WACO, Texas — Neighborly®, the world’s largest franchisor of home service brands, announced today ahead of the International Franchise Association’s annual conference in San Diego the expansion of the company’s global footprint to 5,000 franchises representing 29 total brands across nine countries. In addition, the company achieved record same store sales growth for 2021 and systemwide sales of $3.3 billion. The company was acquired by KKR, one of the world’s leading investment firms, in third quarter 2021.

“We have ambitious plans to capitalize on this upward momentum and look forward to our next chapter of growth and innovation with KKR’s support and global expertise,” said Mike Bidwell, CEO of Neighborly. “Last year was significant for Neighborly as we validated our business-building strategy and differentiated ourselves as the partner of choice for our franchise owners and 10 million customers worldwide.”

The largest provider and franchisor of home service brands embarked on a digital transformation with a refreshed Neighborly.com website and the launch of the U.S. Neighborly app. To help drive further growth, Neighborly recently launched an all-new website for potential new business owners to explore franchising opportunities.

“As a franchisor, Neighborly simply could not have asked for a better year than we experienced in 2021 with more units sold in one year than ever before, expanding our franchise network in numerous areas and taking our Own the Home™ strategy to new heights,” said Brad Stevenson, Chief Development Officer for Neighborly. “Our franchise model proved itself to be resilient once again through its continuous evolution and innovation, and I’m proud of our family of home service brands for achieving significant growth while simultaneously delivering on our ‘Done Right Promise’ to thousands of communities.”

Neighborly’s 2021 success as a franchisor is already earning the organization coveted industry recognition in the new year, with numerous Neighborly brands included on the recently announced 2022 rankings for Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® and Franchise Business Review’s Franchisee Satisfaction Awards.

Other noteworthy Neighborly developments from 2021 include:

  • The grand opening of a second Neighborly headquarters office in Las Colinas, Texas;
  • Roger Chacko joining Neighborly as the new Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer;
  • Held its first annual conference in person since the onset of the pandemic, appropriately themed “Coming Together”;
  • Successfully completed multiple acquisitions, including London-based Pimlico Plumbers;
  • Reached 40-year company milestone, being founded in 1981.

For more information about Neighborly’s service brands visit https://www.neighborlybrands.com/.

About Neighborly

Neighborly® is the world’s largest home services franchisor of 29 brands and 5,000 franchises collectively serving 10 million+ customers in nine countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing 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 18 service categories at Neighborly.com and through the Neighborly app More information about Neighborly, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com.

15 02, 2022

InXpress USA Hits $100 Million in System Sales

2022-02-15T11:04:23-05:00February 15th, 2022|Tags: , , , , , |

Global Third-Party Logistics Provider Grows Alongside Demand for Shipping Capacity.

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah — InXpress, a tech enabled third-party logistics company, partners with the world’s best carriers. The global network is made up of international and domestic specialists, who provide industry-defining shipping solutions to maximize efficiency for small-to-medium size enterprises.

InXpress USA reached $100 million in system sales, a 53% growth YoY, largely due to the urgent need and superior care SMB companies require to navigate supply chain challenges and other marketplace impacts.

“People come to us because of our technology and network connections through strong partnerships with world-class carriers, but they stay with us because each account is handled by equally committed local account managers, who strive to find the best solutions for every customer,” said Dustin Hansen, CEO InXpress of Americas. “With countless businesses looking to reduce shipping headaches, we’ve invested heavily in our technology platform to save our customers time and money.”

The value-add technology includes accurate quote comparison based on real-time data, clear visibility features and easy integration capabilities with e-commerce and other platforms.

As the demand for shipping services climbs, InXpress projects to add additional skilled and qualified account executives and franchise partners to reach more small-to-medium size businesses.

“The business model is based on global efficiency for our customers, and our expansion to create a further impact for entrepreneurs around the world starts with building up our network of highly dedicated account executives and experienced franchisees.”

About InXpress

InXpress, an award winning global business-to-business franchise company in the shipping and logistics industry, with a network of nearly 500 franchisees provides SMEs with unrivaled time and cost-saving shipping solutions through consultative services and innovative software. Due to the franchise’s size and its partnership with multiple world-class carrier partners, InXpress franchisees can offer big shipping discounts to small and medium-sized business. With automated shipping technology and one-on-one account management, InXpress customers are treated with the care and services typically reserved for Fortune 1000 companies. The core services include international small parcel, domestic small parcel and LTL (freight). The company was founded in 1999 in the United Kingdom and currently operates in 14 countries. InXpress Americas began franchising in 2006. To learn more about the franchise opportunity and the reoccurring revenue potential, visit inxpressfranchise.com.

31 01, 2022

Loving Your Home-Based Business

2022-01-31T11:47:50-05:00January 31st, 2022|Tags: , , |

More brands than ever are helping new franchise owners start up their business from a home-based management office. In a mobile-services brand, franchise owners still go to clients to perform services, or their staff go while they manage the entire team’s schedule, get out to network, and complete local marketing efforts. By Dawn Abbamondi

(more…)

17 01, 2022

Franchise Business Review names Cruise Planners #1 in Franchisee Satisfaction in Travel and Tourism Category and #3 in Top 200 Franchises of 2022 Overall

2022-01-17T10:12:57-05:00January 17th, 2022|Tags: , , , , |

Independent Survey Ranks Cruise Planners #1 in Franchisee Satisfaction in Travel and Tourism Category and Ranks #3 among All Franchise Brands.

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, continues to thrive and dominate as a top travel franchise to own according to Franchise Business Review by once again naming the company “Best-in-Category Franchise” for the second year in a row. In addition, FBR also named Cruise Planners #3 in its list of Top 200 Franchises of 2022 overall, a feat no travel service company has ever achieved and a milestone that is especially poignant, given the uncertainty of the past year. This ranking also puts Cruise Planners ahead of dozens of large companies such as Sotheby’s International Realty, Planet Fitness and Pinch a Penny, to name a few.

After closing out a tumultuous year for nearly all businesses, but especially those in the travel and hospitality industry, Cruise Planners continued to deliver and was also awarded the following recognitions in 2021: “Best Low-Cost Franchises to Buy”; “Best Franchise for Veterans”; “Top 50 Franchises for Women” — an accolade we are especially proud of considering our executive team consists of a majority of female leadership and our closest competitors did not make it on this list. In addition, Cruise Planners made an astounding 41-spot leap in just one year and took home the #3 spot for the “Top 50: Enterprise” category.

“Considering we just weathered one of the toughest times in the travel industry, I can’t tell you how much this means,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and Founder of Cruise Planners. “Our franchisees are passionate and dedicated travel professionals, and they continue to show up, rain or shine, pandemic and all. We’re so proud to be able to offer a high value, low-cost franchise to so many people to be able to work from home and create their own business opportunities.”

This marks the 17th annual ranking of the 200 best franchise opportunities as rated by franchise business owners. Franchise Business Review is the leading market research firm in the franchise industry, where ratings and reviews are provided directly by franchise owners, who are able to offer the best testimonials about what it really is like to own a franchise. Cruise Planners joined FBR’s Hall of Fame in 2020, meaning the company has made the Top Franchises Awards list 10 separate times.

“As an independent research firm, Franchise Business Review is committed to helping prospective franchisees get an objective view of the best franchise opportunities, based on actual feedback from franchise owners,” said Michelle Rowan, president & COO of Franchise Business Review. “We survey franchisees from franchise companies in the marketplace today and identify those with the highest levels of satisfaction and performance in order to educate potential buyers and help them choose which franchise to invest in. The companies on this year’s list of Top Franchises are the top-ranked brands in the key areas critical to their franchisees’ success.”

As the nation’s largest network of home-based travel agents, Cruise Planners also scored well in FBR’s Franchisee Satisfaction Index (FSI)™ by ranking 87.4 against an FBR benchmark of 72.1 — 15.3 points HIGHER than their industry standard benchmark. In addition, Cruise Planners’ increased their satisfaction rating by 6.4 points compared to their 2020 survey results of 81—all of this during the worst year in our industry’s history.

By focusing on the agents, Cruise Planners created an award-winning virtual series titled “Where2Next”, reaching 18,000+ subscribers and generating $20 million in sales, and worked to support their travel advisor network by implementing twice weekly livestreams consisting of updated information and conversations with suppliers. Cruise Planners also announced more than twenty new initiatives at the 2021 Cruise Planners Conference, making sure agents were ready when things settled down.

“I bought this franchise in March of 2020, right at the start of the pandemic, and the leadership team, from Michelle Fee on down, did everything in their power to help both new and old franchisees survive the dramatic downturn in travel,” said Marine veteran Bill Brown.  “From reducing monthly/annual fees to retaining incentive ratings at previous levels, the Home Office went above and beyond what other corporations were doing to ensure survival of their franchise owners.”

Cruise Planners was among over 300 franchise brands, representing more than 30,000 franchise owners, that participated in Franchise Business Review’s research. Cruise Planners franchisees were surveyed on 33 benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems, including training & support, operations, franchisor/franchisee relations, and financial opportunity.

“We have been with Cruise Planners going on 22 years and there has been so much that the Cruise Planners team has helped us with,” said Rick Carlson Cruise Planners franchise owner and top producer. “From the exceptional marketing materials, social media posts and the exclusive specials that we are provided by the cruise lines, booking tools and our software, everything that is provided to us has helped us grow to a member of the millionaires club. What I like about this company is that as big as it is, you can still talk directly with the leadership team. Everyone is there to cheer you on and help you to excel.”

“The support from Home Office is amazing,” said Carolyn Leibowitz, who celebrated 15 years with Cruise Planners in November. “You can call anytime and they’re right there. The technology is phenomenal. As we have evolved, with online and social media, Cruise Planners has been on the cutting edge. They’re doing all the work on the backend sending e-cards and marketing to your clients and they just make you look great.”

The Cruise Planners’ home-based franchise model provides entrepreneurs the ability and flexibility to work from anywhere in the world, even while traveling. Its network of more than 2,500 travel advisors receives access to unmatched hands-on training, dynamic marketing, innovative mobile technology, lead-generating tools and continuous business development and coaching.

“This just reaffirms that we are doing right by our franchisees when it comes to equipping them with the best, cutting edge, proprietary technology, award-wining marketing tools and Home Office team support,” said Fee. “This gives us the extra pep in our step to go the extra mile for our franchisees and we predict even bigger things for the year to come.”

The rankings are a testament to the Cruise Planners brand and business model, which offers flexibility, support, and opportunity to travel for those looking for a change in career, ready to be their own boss, or seek a part-to-full time options that are equal parts rewarding and profitable. The low-cost investment with Cruise Planners is a suitable fit for anyone looking to jumpstart their new career with no prior experience.

Visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com to see the full description of the 2022 Top Franchises.

About Cruise Planners

Company Background:  Cruise Planners, an award-winning American Express Travel Representative, is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network. Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 2,500 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, has been ranked as the #1 travel franchise by Franchise Business Review for 5 consecutive years, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.

Headquartered in Coral Springs, Fla. with more than 25 years of experience, Cruise Planners has achieved top producer status with every major cruise line, many land vendors and maintains a philanthropic drive assisting in raising over $2 million in charitable contributions.  Cruise Planners is one of the Top 50 franchises for Veterans according to GI magazine, the Top Franchise Brand for Veterans according to Franchise Business Review, has been named one of the Top 25 franchises for African-Americans by Black Enterprise magazine and is a member of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association.

Visit our website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/.

17 12, 2021

New Year, New Home: Neighborly Shares its Top Trends Homeowners Should Know for 2022

2021-12-17T10:27:26-05:00December 17th, 2021|Tags: , , , , , |

Perfect for the digital age and with people spending more time at home, Neighborly’s new mobile app is the answer to tackling all home service needs in the new year.

WACO, TexasNeighborly®, the world’s largest franchisor of home service brands focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing homes and businesses, released today a list of expert-recommended and trending home service projects for homeowners to prioritize in 2022, serving as a guide for the new year and now accessible on Neighborly’s new mobile app, available for both iOS and Android.

“The shift to so much more of the world working from home has created more demand for home repairs, maintenance and enhancements to improve the look, feel and performance level of the home,” said Mike Bidwell, President and CEO of Neighborly. “By identifying the top home maintenance trends for homeowners to focus on in the coming year with this list made available through our new mobile app, we’re not only making expert guidance readily available to and quickly accessible for our customers, but we are also simplifying the process for homeowners to then connect with trusted local providers whose work is backed by Neighborly’s Done Right Promise™.”

Neighborly’s list of 2022 home service trends is provided in the form of actionable items that any homeowner can look into, along with calling out those projects that are best handled by expert professionals across Neighborly’s 29 home service brands including Mr. Handyman, Mr. Appliance, Aire Serv and many more.

This 2022 guide includes but is not limited to projects such as:

  • Installing an ultraviolet light to your air filter system for improved air quality.
  • Investing in a tankless water heater to help save on energy and maintenance costs.
  • Adding a home fire suppression system to extinguish or contain fires in less than two minutes.
  • Protecting your home from flooding by installing a basement waterproofing system.

To access the full list of trending home maintenance projects for the new year, download the Neighborly app by visiting https://www.neighborly.com/.

In addition to housing this list and other useful resources created to help homeowners keep their homes in the best possible shape, the Neighborly app is currently offering its users the chance to enter the Neighborly Sweepstakes upon downloading. Users who begin regularly using the app and checking into the Sweepstakes daily will have a chance to win daily gift cards or discounted services and will also receive daily entries for a chance to win a grand prize of $10,000.

For more information about Neighborly’s service brands, visit www.neighborlybrands.com.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES (D.C.) 18 YEARS AND OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Promotion ends 12/31/21. For Official Rules, alternate method of entry, prize descriptions and odds disclosure, visit http://neighborly.com/rules. Sponsor: Dwyer Franchising LLC d/b/a Neighborly, 1010 North University Parks Drive, Waco, TX 76707.

About Neighborly®

Neighborly® is the world’s largest home services franchisor of 29 brands and more than 4,800 franchises collectively serving 10 million+ customers in nine countries, focused on repairing, maintaining and enhancing 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 18 service categories at Neighborly.com. More information about Neighborly, and its franchise concepts, is available at Neighborlybrands.com.