Franchise

The Washington Nationals have been playing in this history excluding their history of the Montreal Expos for now three seasons. This team is in even worse shape than anyone can dare dream. Baseball has been absent from Washington since the Senators left and became the Texas Rangers. From 1972 to 2005, you would not see a team that played in Washington and for that matter both Washington teams were American League franchises. However, we must include the history of the Montreal Expos to best understand who this is.

From 1901 to 1960, there was a team in the American League called the Washington Senators. They were one of the eight teams that joined the upstart American League that still exists to this day. Though currently known as the Minnesota Twins, they did win a championship in Washington in 1924. In 1961, Washington got back the Senators as the Twins didn’t own the rights to the name and they lasted there until 1972. That incarnation however was not as successful and eventually moved to Texas to become the Texas Rangers. At this very moment, they currently own the rights to the name Senators so even now the former Expos wouldn’t have that name anyway.

The Montreal Expos were one of two franchises with Toronto being the only other Canadian based baseball team that played in the majors. This team however never got much success and got off the ground like intended. It could be because of bad management decisions but part of it may have something to do with fan support. Montreal and this is just my personal opinion is not a baseball area but more of a hockey area.

This team would only make the playoffs just one time and that would be it. In the 1981 season, the Expos won a division title in the second half of the season and this was during a strike-shortened year and nearly made it to the championship but failed to win the NLCS. That however would be their only chance of post-season success. 1994 proved to be the year that destroyed the Expos hopes and dreams big time. Due to the strike, no World Series was played. Personally, I think the strike happened to prevent the Expos from winning the division and maybe having a playoff run. Because of this, the Expos franchise was on a one-way trip to destruction city. Nearly getting contracted in 2002 but was prevented from doing so. During this time however I don’t believe the people in Montreal really cared that much and besides how many times would you see highlights and that franchise would look like they play in an empty stadium.

The last few seasons in Montreal were not that good as far as records go. The team was losing everything but the kitchen sink. This team technically played more road games because of not drawing enough in Olympic Stadium and did have some games in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Not since the Cleveland Spiders has anyone seen it happen though in this case however San Juan was a second home to this franchise before the final move.

Here we are today with the Nationals and quite honestly, a team that has many problems arising. When is this going to become competitive? Are the Nationals destined to continue this string of failure? For their fans sake, they should hope that history does not repeat itself. Though they are in a move, if they do not learn from their past, history can repeat itself again and again.

E-franchising options continue to populate the web, and are becoming a great selling point for increasing the exposure of your franchise and generating leads. Lead generation online is different than an on-site customer recruitment effort, because your market is actively searching for you. Aa a result, many franchise search engine web sites will help promote you and offer highly competitive web space in exchange for different prices. Pricing advertising packages online vary, but you want to do some research before committing to a particular franchise web site search engine.

Franchise web site search engines are heavily focused on tracking customers and providing you with lead reports. This is great, but it’s important to check the website’s value and overall ethical standards. Be sure to find out if customer information is sold or shared to third parties; many times, these franchise search engines will share the information collected on their website and sell it to your competitors. This is possible in some cases online, simply because everyone bids on similar keywords and advertising options on the internet.

When you’re researching which franchise search engine to use, it’s a good idea to pretend you are a potential franchisee and run your own searches. You’ll instantly get an idea of which sites are the strongest, and which look most appealing from the consumer’s perspective. It’s also important to read all the disclaimers and fine print on the site; it’s here that you’ll find disclosures on the company’s privacy policy, and whether they share their information.

Research the site’s ability to provide you with accurate lead tracking reports, as this will indicate if you have strong or weak leads that are coming directly from the site. Many time the franchisors will invest considerable amounts of money to advertise on search engines, and only receive a handful of legitimate leads at the end of the campaign. Strong search engines will provide regular reports and statistics of the leads for your market and business.

When you’re using the internet to generate interest for your franchise, it’s important to take into consideration the different options available, and where your leads may be coming from. Many franchise search engines sell their information to third parties, or even franchise competitors, so it’s essential that you read all disclosures and information on how the site works before proceeding with your enrollment. You don’t want your competition obtaining your customer information, and you want to invest in sites that will give you strong leads time and time again.

You may not realize it, but many of the businesses you patronize on a day-to-day basis are actually franchises. What distinguishes an independent small business from a franchise? A franchise is a type of business in which the franchisee buys from the owner of the franchise rights, a license to carry on a business under the franchisor’s trademark. In addition, both must sign a franchise agreement. Under this agreement, the buyer must pay stipulated fees to the franchisor. He must run the business according to the model established by the franchisor. But, in return, the buyer can depend on substantial assistance from the seller, including training, advertising, and occasionally even some start-up cash.

People who are in their fifties and contemplating starting a franchise should consider many factors. First, they will be making a substantial investment. At a time in their lives when financial security is paramount, they may be looking at an initial investment of many thousands of dollars. They need to consider whether they can afford to lose that amount, should the business fail. Like any start-up, they will probably be putting in long hours at work instead of traveling or spending time with grandchildren. The investments of time, energy and significant money make any business start-up questionable for many older Americans. With a franchise, one must also realize that the owner of the trademark, the franchisor, will have certain expectations and requirements that the new franchisees must meet. The question of buying a franchise then becomes a balancing of positives and negatives – this will take a lot of time, self-education and good advice from trustworthy sources.

Franchises come in many sizes; they offer a wide variety of products and services. The prospective franchisee needs to review his skills. If a man ran a company’s maintenance department, for example, he might naturally gravitate towards a franchise that offers janitorial services. In any case, it just makes sense to consider what would make a good match for the franchisee’s abilities. Since, in most cases, the buyer will be investing in the entire business model – from mission statement to lock-up procedure – she must realize that the franchisor is going to be looking over her shoulder to ensure that company policies are followed. In the case of a franchise, too much independence is not a good thing. Again, it’s a trade-off of individual decision-making for franchisor support and training.

Franchise buyers in their fifties should also make sure that they have the support of family and friends, should the going get bumpy. They must give a lot of thought to the potential for profits in the business. And, as indicated earlier, they need to get advice from an attorney who specializes in business start-ups, particularly franchises. This is a time when advice is well worth the professional fees. The buyer can call her state bar association to get the names of attorneys who specialize in this area of the law. A lot of good information can be found online at www.franchise.org. Franchisees will tell you – good advice and a lot of thought are necessities for anyone considering investing in a franchise, particularly for those in their fifties.

For many years my husband and I have talked about opening our own business. About a week ago while doing 10,001 searches for the PTRs that I get mail from I found a franchise that really looked good. I sat here in disbelief that I have found what seemed to be the perfect franchise. No, now nothing is perfect right? I thought what the heck, I’ll tell my husband about this and a conversation was launched on the subject.

After so many years of discussing it off and on, I knew he would think the same thing I did. This franchise is darn near perfect. Then we began brainstorming locations. As “luck” would have it, the location we chose is only about 5 minutes from our new house. We drive through the shopping center and find there are not one, not two, but three empty store fronts available. I got the number off the window and called to discuss what this store would rent for and who is responsible for what. I am totally ignorant as to what to expect in commercial leases but …..well, you guessed it. The location and what he offered was darn near perfect. He offered to split the one store front between the franchise I want to put in and a chiropractor that wants to open an office. Again, darn near perfect. I have been wanting a new chiropractor and this could be my heaven.

Today we met with the landlord and well, more perfection seemed to fall into place. He would offer me 4 months free rent and about $25K to do the build out and put the “guts” inside the building and build the interior the way I want. REALLY! I mean when is the last time anyone offered you free rent and a buttload of cash to go into business?

Most bizarre of all? I am not frightened at the prospect of getting a rather large small business loan. Since I’ve never been through an adventure like this before, I am considering the franchise turn-key package. They come in, build your store, haul in the equipment, provide the labor, set up all of your utilities, permits and anything else you need like insurance and you sit back and supervise and sign your life away. Sounds easy enough to me. We think that this franchise is ‘hot’ enough that it will do extremely well. After going through the process once, we may just add more locations but do more of it ourselves once we see the entire process.

Why on earth would I be insane enough to do this at age 52? Pretty good question I guess. Bottom line is we want to pay for the business while we are healthy so we can provide better for ourselves in

Anyone offering franchise opportunities and stating that it is a route to easy money is either kidding themselves or, more dangerously, trying to kid you. The only difference between franchising and your own independant business is that the support and advice and structure should be there. It not always is but it should be.

Any business takes time to reach its potential. There is the learning curve to go through. Learning about the business, learning about yourself and how you best react to the opportunity and learning, most important of all, from the mistakes you are bound to make when embarking on a new venture.

Hard work is the foundation upon which all successful businesses are built, and franchise businesses are no different. The franchise owner is not there to carry you. He is there to make money too. Yes a good franchisor will give you all the help you need, but they will not react kindly to someone who thinks it should all be laid on a plate for them. If you show willing most will do all they can to help, encourage and support your aims to be successful

Hard work, dedicated effort, a willingness to learn, together with the help and support of the franchisor is the only way to success in franchising. There are many examples of these successes but remember, for every success there will be at least two failures. Choose carefully

Good luck

While starting an internet business can be a fulfilling experience it can also be time consuming and expensive and unless you have tons of experience it can also be a recipe for disaster. Many folks looking to run an internet business find opportunities with online franchises. You may think that franchises require a brick and mortar building in a specific geographic area. While the typical franchises offered protected territories, the internet is too global for that to be realistic.

Most companies, even online companies, will charge for you to open one of their outlets on the internet and they do deserve to get paid for the work they have put into the company. Typically, someone has a product line or a line of services that they worked hard to grow into a success. Similarly to traditional business, once they reach a certain sales figure they start looking at ways to continue their growth while at the same time, hopefully reduce their involvement in that growth.

Many turn to offering franchises to others. The fee required covers part of their investment in time and possibly a lot of trial and error processes that helped them perfect their business. Also like a franchise, if you want it to run successfully, you will want to continue the use of the formula that made the business a success. Too many times people sign up for a free website offered by another business in hopes of getting rich on someone elses effort.

They believe they have a better way of doing things, better marketing skills or better advertising techniques and when their business fails they blame the company. With a traditional franchise there are penalties built into their contract if the operator fails to follow specific procedures or attempts to change how things are done without consulting with the business owner. Many of these same protections are built into franchise contracts, but many insist on doing their own thing, which results in their failure to duplicate the success the company is experiencing.

If you want to perform as well as the company from which you bought the franchise, you need to operate the business the same. If you want to run the company the way you want to run it, with different operating procedures as well as different methods of marketing and advertising, it is advisable to start your own company. Unless you are willing to duplicate the methods offered in a successful franchise, you will not be able to duplicate their success.

You can find a future with an existing company if you are careful in your choice of offers and are willing to work hard, doing what has made them the success they are. However, if your sole purpose of buying into a franchise is to recruit others to do the same, you are going to be doomed to failure.

DATELINE: SAN DIEGO, CA…

The American Association of Franchisee and Dealers (AAFD) announced today that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been chosen to receive the AAFD Total Quality Franchising Chairman’s Award for Distinguished Service and Achievement in the Franchising Community.

FTC is Recognized for Distinguished Service and Achievement in the Franchising Community

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), has been named the recipient of the AAFD’s prestigious Distinguished Service and Achievement in the Franchising Community Award for the work the FTC did on the recent Franchise Rule Amendment, and especially for including a requirement for disclosure of independent franchisee associations in the franchisor’s Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).

Steven Toporoff, an attorney with the FTC, was honored to accept the award on behalf of the Commission. “The Federal Trade Commission is honored to be recognized by the AAFD, an organization that has repeatedly participated in the process while offering valuable input in regards to the FTC Franchise Rule.” Toporoff says. “I greatly appreciate the input of the AAFD during the rulemaking process and I believe that the amended Rule is a better product because of the AAFD involvement.”

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved an amended Franchise Rule on January 22, 2007. The amendments change what franchisors are required to disclose in their Uniform Franchise Offering Circulars (UFOCs) which are now called Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDD).

The Amended Franchise Rule is mandatory as of July 1, 2008. One of the provisions of the Amended Franchise Rule is the requirement of the franchisor, if requested by a franchisee association, to disclose details of the independent franchisee association. This rule change now enhances the importance of the franchisee association because prospective franchisees will now be aware of their existence prior to purchasing a franchise.

AAFD Chairman Robert Purvin is proud to acknowledge the FTC, and happy that Steven Toporoff will accept on behalf of the FTC, “Steven, has worked for many years as the FTC’s Franchise Program Coordinator, and has always be willing to hear all sides of the issues, there isn’t a more fitting person to accept the award on behalf of the FTC.”

The AAFD Total Quality Franchising Awards will be presented at the Association’s annual TQF Awards Banquet on Monday, May 5, 2008, during AAFD’s 16th Annual Conference in Newport News, Virginia.

About the AAFD

The AAFD is a national non-profit trade association representing the rights and interests of franchisees and independent dealers throughout the United States. Formed in 1992, The AAFD is focused on market driven reform to achieve its mission to define and promote collaborative franchise cultures that the AAFD describes as Total Quality Franchising. Since its formation the AAFD has grown to represent more than 50,000 franchised businesses throughout the United States. The AAFD currently has members in all 50 states and represents more than 100 different franchise systems.

The AAFD’s Fair Franchising Standards, Fair Franchising Seal, Trademark Chapters, and emphasis on Marketplace Solutions led to the Association’s recognition as a growing force in franchising. The AAFD’s Branded Partner programs add a new dimension to the value of AAFD membership. The AAFD provides a broad range of member services designed to help franchisees build market power, create legislative support of interest to franchisees, provide legal and financial support, and provide a wide range of general member benefits.

For more information about the conference or the AAFD, please call toll free – 800-733-9858 or visit www.AAFD.org.

When you are considering investing in a franchise there are a few things that you should consider prior to making any moves. Many think of investing in a franchise as a way to own your own business and be your own boss, without having to do it alone.

One of the most important factors that goes into purchasing a franchise is the location as it is crucial to it’s success. You obviously would not want to purchase a franchise that is in an area that is on it’s way down in market value. Also make sure that your business serves the local community that surrounds it.

All franchises are in the business to make money, so they go out of their way to get you to invest in their company. By talking to different franchises you will be able to get the information you need to decide which company is best suited for you. Keep in mind that you are basically hearing a sales pitch. You will be hearing all of the upsides to the franchise without the negative and other disadvantages that come along. When you network with people who have already purchased franchises you are able to get first hand information from investors themselves.

Regardless of the type of business you decide to invest in, you will need to invest your own time and effort. Make sure that you are willing to spend the necessary amount of time you need to get your business going and keep it on track. If you feel as if this would be a hassle than you may not be the right person to start up your own business. It is often discouraging and stressful so if you aren’t passionate about your work, you will likely give up or fail quickly.

Successful women entrepreneurs are people who watch and act on the right opportunity for them. Many entrepreneurs are experienced in many fields, and know how to run projects at work to make their owners successful. Why not use that experience and winning attitude you have to consider a franchise and take a successful formula, and use it to build a business for yourself? What makes a entrepreneur successful? Experience in the industry of their choice, and have a working history of getting promoted up the chain of command, until they are in the top levels of the organizations. She is also a promoter of new ideas for the organization, and a problem solver, and a person who can deal with people well. Having the energy to finish important projects to help customers buy products and use they successfully are important skills which set the successful entrepreneur apart from others at work. Entrepreneurs work at being successful, they were not born that way, they worked hard for the success they have, and want even more success in their own business opportunity or franchise. Let’s look at some areas which today’s woman entrepreneur can find success. Franchise and business opportunities can include: Auditing and Cost Accounting for the people with a background in accounting, auditing, finance and banking. Another important area is Business services and support, which includes seminars, printing and products to businesses, especially for people with business and management experience. Computers and software businesses which sells software to customers worldwide, as well as provide valuable computer education to businesses to save time and effort, this is an opportunity for women with a background in working the the information technology department of a medium to large business. Nutrition is an important business today, because people want to take care of themselves, and lead healthier lifestyles. Women withe experience in a health club, or hospitals, and other health food stores can find some excellent opportunities offering nutritional products and services today. There is another opportunity in the photography and video market today, there are graduations, birthdays, weddings, retirements, anniversaries, and many other opportunities for you, is you have any photography experience or interest in the field, many people learn photography, and go on to being successful in it. Choose the business which you feel will best represent your skill set or interest and be willing to make an investment in yourself and your business, and you will reap the rewards when you put your efforts into it. Success is: l% inspiration and 99% perspiration.

Owning a franchise is a wonderful business opportunity that more and more individuals are taking advantage of each and every day. And, with all businesses there are certain times of the year that are more profitable than others. For the following 10 franchises the holiday season is one of the most profitable times of the year. Of course, more work is required to match the demand during the holiday season but the owners of the following franchises don’t mind because they will surely be in the black throughout the holidays.

The UPS Store
During the holiday season almost everyone buys gifts and greeting cards for their friends and loved ones. However, there are many individuals whose family and friends live in other parts of the country or even the world. For these individuals The UPS Store comes in very handy because it allows them to ship their gifts easily and with the UPS guarantee. There are other shipping methods individuals may choose, but The UPS Store is one of the best and its brand recognition brings in plenty of business. As a result, one of the best franchises to own during the holiday season is The UPS Store because more mail and packages are shipped than at any other time during the year.

Dollar Stores by Allied Systems
Americans like getting the most for their money and this is exactly what a Dollar Stores by Allied Systems franchise offers them. During the holiday season most people have more gifts to buy than their budget allows. But, the Dollar Stores franchise gives consumers the opportunity to buy all the items they need at a very affordable price. The holiday season is marked by a high shopping volume and many consumers choose to shop at Dollar Stores. As a result a Dollar Store franchise owner will find the holiday season to be the most successful time for the store.

Mrs. Fields Cookies
This franchise is successful during the holidays simply because it provides an outstanding product at an affordable price that is perfect for a holiday gift or to take to a holiday party. Few people have the time to bake these days, but that’s ok since Mrs. Fields bakes all day long and has fresh cookies, brownies, and cookie cakes available. Because so many people buy cookies during the holiday season as gifts or for a party a Mrs. Fields Cookies franchise is really successful during this time period.

Hollywood Tans
The tanning industry is a big one that continues to grow each year. And, this industry finds that most of its business is done during the winter months and especially during the holiday season. The reason why tanning franchises like Hollywood Tans are so successful during the holiday season is for two reasons. First, the weather is not favorable to tanning outside and there are lots of holiday parties. Women and men alike want to look good during the holidays and a tan helps them do that. Because of this a Hollywood Tans franchise sees increased business during the holiday season and winter months.

GNC
The healthcare industry gets bigger each year with more and more individuals worrying about their health and their weight. GNC and other similar franchises have always been popular and increasingly so during the holidays. However, with each passing year they are becoming even more popular. Everyone knows they put on a few extra pounds during the holidays so they turn to GNC for supplements, weight loss pills, vitamins, and more to help them drop the holiday pounds and become healthy. There are some people who turn to GNC during the holidays for the sole fact that they don’t want to gain any weight and need supplements to help them. GNC products also make great holiday gifts. All of these reasons combined make GNC an outstanding franchise to own during the holidays.

The Wine Loft
All year long people go out on the town however during the holidays the amount of parties and socializing dramatically increases. There are all kinds of parties and the like held at various establishments and wine bars have become one of the most popular places to hold any kind of get together. Because of this The Wine Loft is an outstanding franchise to own during the holidays. This is because it allows for a classier setting for a holiday get together or party and all types of wines are available, which adds to the elegance. Of all the establishments offering holiday party space wine bars are becoming the most popular, so The Wine Loft is a great holiday franchise.

Pet Depot
The pet industry is huge and especially popular during the holiday season. That is because so many individuals give and receive pets as holiday gifts. The amount of pets sold during the holiday season is significantly higher than during the rest of the year. This means that The Pet Depot is a wonderful holiday pet franchise because all types of pets are sold through the store and it’s a perfect place to buy a pet for the holidays.

Wireless Giant
Another popular holiday gift is a cell phone, especially for tweens and teenagers. Parents looking for the best plan and the best phone may feel overwhelmed by the many different wireless companies out there. However, The Wireless Giant makes buying a cell phone and finding the perfect plan easy because all carriers, plans, and cell phones are offered through this franchise. Since cell phones are one of the hottest holiday gifts The Wireless Giant is one of the hottest holiday franchises.

Gold’s Gym
January 1 is the typical day that everyone vows to get back in shape. And, lots of people are thinking about losing weight up to a month before while they are enjoying all the great holiday foods. Because of this lots of individuals give gym memberships as holiday gifts because they know a loved one either needs to get in shape or plans on getting in shape for the New Year. Also, plenty of individuals sign up for a gym membership so they are ready for the New Year and their new fitness routine. Since better health is on everyone’s mind during the holiday season Gold’s Gym health and fitness franchise is a profitable one during the holiday season.

BP Connect
Besides giving gifts what is one thing most individuals do during the holiday season? The answer is travel! Traveling by car is by far the most popular and since vehicles need gas to get anywhere a gas station is a great holiday franchise. One of the best franchises is BP Connect. The BP name is familiar and trustworthy and most travelers choose a familiar franchise over a name they don’t know. Since so many people travel during the holiday season and look for a familiar gas station to fill up a BP Connect franchise is a winning franchise during the holiday season.