For many young entrepreneurs, the greatest challenge is not securing financing or finding the right concept but overcoming the stereotypes associated with their age group. It may take some time but it can be done: Check out this great column by Jerry Heath, a Hungry Howie’s franchisee with 11 locations throughout the Greater Grand Rapids, Mich. area. Be prepared to be inspired!
Photo: Jerry Heath (left) with Hungry Howie's president Steve Jackson.
Though it’s been nearly four years since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is still in recovery mode. The good news is that local residents and businesses alike are helping to restore the city to its former glory.
The Times-Picayune reported Value Place is just one of those businesses lending a hand in terms of redevelopment with plans to build a four-story, 124-room economy extended stay hotel at the intersection of Gen. de Gaulle Drive and Sandra Drive. Demolition of the existing derelict buildings will commence within the coming weeks and the hotel is expected to be open for business by May 2010, said developer John Cattano of CC Development in Columbia, S.C. A restaurant and office space will also be developed.
"I think it's going to look really nice, and everybody was very complimentary of the design," Cattano said Thursday. "It's going to be an improvement over those two buildings that are there now." The developers have gotten zoning approvals, changing the site from business to commercial, and demolition would begin after Mayor Ray Nagin signs off on the ordinances and a demolition permit is obtained, said Wiley McCormick of Park Square LLC, a New Orleans partnership that purchased the site after Hurricane Katrina. "As soon the mayor signs it, I'm sure we'll be moving" toward closing on the sale, said McCormick, who owns property nearby for a development he declined to reveal. "We're excited about this project, because it also improves this whole corridor."
Cattano operates seven Value Place franchises in South Carolina and Georgia, and his partner, Phil Cox, has another three. He expects the rates at this property to be $279 per week and plans to employ five people full time. "We certainly hope to break ground in September," Cattano said. He is also in talks with restaurant groups as a potential tenant, but none has been selected. The restaurant and office space will be a $1 million investment, he said.
Every business owner is looking for ways to save money and for those in the hospitality industry, one way is probably behind the bar.
The Edmond Sun reported that while businesses serving alcoholic beverages make a profit in their alcohol sales, Robert Wiedemann says many are not maximizing those profits. How would he know? His business, BEVINCO, aims to increase revenue and decrease shrinkage by weighing and comparing how much alcohol is used compared with how much is sold, he said. The top five causes of shrinkage include missing inventory, spoilage and other wastes, free drinks, missing revenue and over pouring.
First BEVINCO does an initial liquor, wine and beer inventory of a business and weighs all the opened bottles to see how many ounces of liquid each contains, he said. Then, on a weekly basis, he weighs every bottle and keg on a scientific scale connected to a laptop running state-of-the-art, proprietary BEVINCO software. This weekly inventory then is tallied against the weekly sales, pinpointing any discrepancies between amount sold and amount used. Wiedemann said he can calculate exactly how many ounces of each liquor bartenders should be using in each mixed drink according to the owner’s specifications of how much is sold at what cost. He also revealed that businesses with liquor licenseses experience an average shrinkage of 20 percent to 25 percent on lost alcoholic product and BEVINCO can increase bar sales revenue by 10 percent on average. “It’s a beverage management system. Businesses are in a crunch and they’re looking for ways to impact the business,” said Wiedemann. “Our job is not to accuse. It’s to help. You’re in a position where it is easy to be lucrative. We’re here to keep people honest. All we’re asking of for (bartenders) to account for what they are using.”
Travis Franz, general manager of Old Chicago, said BEVINCO comes in twice a month. “They do a great job with inventory,” he said. “They’ve done a phenomenal job helping us maximize our profit and minimize our waste. It helps with waste. It helps with theft. It helps with over pour. It’s a great tool and asset!”
Photo: BEVINCO owner Robert Wiedemann.
We’ve all met at least one person who has “that” job. You know, the one that sounds so fantastic that most people would kill to call their own. Well, Anne Woods gave up the dream career three years ago…but her new role is just as – if not more - satisfying.
The Pasadena Star-News reported Woods was a certified public accountant and divisional vice president at Nestle, a position that meant ample travel as a controller for the North American sales organization – at one point, she even moved her family to Switzerland while working at the company's world headquarters – but as great at that job was, Woods was looking for a change. Three years ago, she made her move and became the owner of an Express Employment Professionals office in Covina, Calif., the fourth largest staffing service in the world.
"I felt I needed a different kind of flexibility. I still work as many hours as I did at Nestle - 50 to 60 hours a week - but now I'm in the same community as my children,” said Woods. “One of reasons I chose this business is that virtually every company that has employees uses a staffing service at some point. It could be a large banking call center or a small machine shop. It really doesn't matter ... it's not limited to any specific industry. Someone is always growing and needing extra help." Woods' strategy has paid off: Her office has doubled its business every year – a feat she attributes to the backing of the entire Express organization. She also said Express’s services are in demand even during these challenging economic times. For example, her client Marman Industries landed a big contract and needed people with a very specific skill set right away and Express was able to deliver several candidates immediately to launch the project on time.
"We're very aggressive in staying involved with the local community," she said. "You have to continue to talk to people through all of the business cycles. Even when they downsize and budgets are being cut, we can help."
Photo: Express Employment Professionals owner Anne Woods.
The best things in life are free is a saying that holds true now more than ever, especially for those that have bravely served our country.
The Franchise King Blog reported Maid Brigade recently launched the Maid Brigade Veterans Franchise Giveaway, a program that will award more than $1.5 million in business ownership opportunities to 100+ veterans and create more than 1,000 jobs nationwide. The contest comes at a time when America's economy is down, but patriotism is high. Maid Brigade is acting on both fronts by offering new careers to veterans — a group it considers worthy, qualified, and proven as franchise owners. Currently, 10 percent of Maid Brigade owners are veterans; others in the network come from a range of careers.
To enter, veterans should complete the form and submit a short essay at www.maidbrigadegiveaway.com by September 30th on how their military responsibilities would translate to successful Maid Brigade franchise ownership. Maid Brigade will waive its $14,500 Select Market Franchise fee for as many as 100 qualified veteran applicants and one grand prize winner will receive a new Maid Brigade franchise operation at zero cost — a total value of $45,000 which includes waived franchise fees, working capital, training, and equipment. Second and third place winners will receive similar packages valued at $27,500 and $17,500, respectively. A Maid Brigade Select Market Franchise is designed for smaller geographical regions.
We salute all entrants…good luck!
It hasn’t reached the Pacific yet, but Tasti D-Lite is well on its way!
As we reported last week, the frozen dessert chain recently debuted in Houston but its westward expansion will continue before the end of the summer in Arizona. The Arizona Republic reported the first Tasti D-Lite will begin dispensing more than 100 flavors of the popular frozen dessert this summer from its new home at 15425 N. Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. Franchise rights to for the state have been acquired by Jonathan and Jennifer Kaufman, who plan to open at least 40 Tasti D-Lite stores across the state over the next 10 years.
The Kaufmans were introduced to Tasti D-Lite several years ago in New York and inquired about franchise rights. At the time, they weren't for sale. When Jonathan Kaufman was laid off from his non-profit fundraising job last year, he checked back and was told that the company had just decided to franchise the concept and that he could be one of the first franchisees. "We knew it was definitely meant to be," he said.
Jim Amos, Tasti D-Lite’s chairman and CEO, agrees. "We're extremely excited to be working with the Kaufmans and introducing Tasti D-Lite to the state of Arizona,” he said.
In mid-April, we announced Tossed would be kicking off its second annual salad contest. Well, the winners have been chosen!
The Sun Sentinel’s “Sup” blog reported Kisha Maher of Southwest Ranches and Lori Rutsky of Palm Beach Gardens have each won 10 free salads after submitting winning recipes in contests at Tossed restaurants in Pembroke Pines and Palm Beach Gardens. Maher’s Cancun Chicken Salad includes black bean corn salsa, chopped tomatoes, roasted peppers, roasted Spanish onions, tortilla strips, avocado, blackened chicken, cheddar cheese and buttermilk ranch dressing. Rutsky’s Smoked Turkey Salad is a mixture of baby spinach, strawberries, toasted almonds, smoked turkey, goat cheese and strawberry vinaigrette dressing. Ashley Moore of Franklin, Tenn. won the national contest and other local winners include Terri Ringstrom of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Rachel Webb of Alpharetta, Ga.; K. Huddleston of Nashville, Tenn.; Amy Benedict of Houston, Tex.; Meghan Joyce of Boston, Mass.; and Alex Berkowitz of New York City.
“Our customers are always coming up with such unique salad ideas that we decided to give them an opportunity to display their creativity on a larger scale,” said Amanda Mossing, manager of Tossed in Palm Beach Gardens. During July, winning salads will be available at the locations they were submitted to and all Tossed locations will also be featuring weekly salad specials for $6.95 through September 4th during Tossed’s Summer Salad Fest.
Photos from top left: Palm Beach Gardens winner Lori Rutsky; Pembroke Pines winner Kisha Maher.
Independence Day weekend is almost here, which means countless individuals will be hitting the beach to soak up some sun and have some fun. Before setting foot on the sand, however, consider the effects those UV rays can have on your skin.
"There's been much debate over the 'right' amount of UV exposure but despite statistics, many people still want that summer glow," said Todd Beckman, founder and CEO of The Tan Company, one of the fastest growing tanning chains in the U.S. "Research shows that vitamin D plays a huge role in overall health and those with low vitamin D levels have double the risk of dying from heart disease and other causes over an eight-year period. However, this is a clear case of where you can get too much of a good thing. It's imperative to take precautions any time you tan, especially when skin hasn't been exposed to UV rays in some time like this long winter. Protecting your skin during indoor and outdoor exposure should be your number one priority no matter your age."
Here are some tips from Beckman and his network of certified skincare consultants on tanning the right way this Independence Day weekend:
1. Slather on sunscreen. Apply a lotion with at least SPF 15 a minimum of 30 minutes before exposure and reapply after swimming or towel-drying - even if the product is waterproof.
2. Protect eyes and lips. Closing your eyes while tanning isn't enough; opt for FDA-compliant eyewear instead. The same goes for lips: They produce less melanin so slick on balm with SPF every time you tan.
3. Build a base. To ensure an even tan, begin by exfoliating skin and consider a few initial indoor tanning sessions: The gradual exposure can prevent a painful sunburn.
4. Note medications and family histories. Certain medications can increase the likelihood of a burn. Discuss their possible effects as well as any abnormal moles or family history of skin cancer with your physician before UV exposure.
Photo: Tan Company founder and CEO Todd Beckman.
Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? It certainly is in Birmingham!
The Birmingham Business Journal reported two national franchises are poised to take advantage of the growing demand for quick service and fast casual eateries: the Egg and I and First Watch, the former of which will open in August and the latter which has plans to open three to five area restaurants within the next few years. Quick service and fast casual restaurants are the two shining spots in franchises this year and the only sector forecasted to experience growth, said Alisa Harrison, spokeswoman for the International Franchise Association. And that growth seems to stem from the current recession, she said, as households still want to eat out but are looking for more affordable options.
First Watch currently has 80 restaurants in 11 states and recently launched a franchise growth initiative after 25 years of same-store sales growth. Only seven of the 80 restaurants are not company owned but First Watch hopes to have about a dozen franchised locations open and more than 30 in various stages of development by the end 2012. “The breakfast category is growing tremendously,” said Chris Tomasso, First Watch’s chief marketing officer. “Quick-service restaurants are venturing into breakfast and bringing a higher profile to breakfast.”
Sanderson & Associates second VP in a month gives birth!
Something’s in the water in here--this blogger needs to check on the Hinckley Schmidt thingy because 2nd VP Kelly Aron had her little Hannah Isabel just 23 days after Evie Marie was born to VP Courtney Thomas here.
Enough I say! Three maternity leaves in 15 months is about my limit…congrats to all and the babies are gorgeous.
