DailyFranchiseNews.com

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Being the best takes work and parents are always willing to give their kids get that necessary leg up on the competition. Here’s how they can do it in Shreveport.

The Shreveport Times reported local residents Nate and Emily Mixon have capitalized on this trend and now have a thriving business – Extra Innings – that includes professional athlete and assistant manager Trey Poland, who played for seven years for the Texas Rangers in Houston. The indoor baseball and softball training facility opened in 2007 and has everything a young athlete could want, including batting cages, a pro shop, circuit training, hitting clinics and much more. Since its opening, Extra Innings has grown by 33 percent, proving parents will do anything to give their kids an advantage in sports. A former employee with Enterprise Rental Car for six years, Nate, 33, played baseball all his life and knew the community would benefit from Extra Innings.

Right now the Mixons see hundreds of children from ages 9 to 12 and beyond "who are looking to get the best advantage in their sport of choice," Mixon said. "There also are a lot of high school kids who want to get professional help," Poland said. "It's like getting a tutor or learning to play the piano. What I do is teach the mechanics of the sport and tell the kids how to stay healthy."

Photo: Extra Innings owner Nate Mixon.

Former NFL Player Gets Lean, Mean and Clean with Martinizing

Looking at most resumes, we’ve all had some tough jobs but probably none as demanding as Al Singleton’s last career: For 10 years, he was an outside linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dallas Cowboys where he received (and dispensed) his fair share of hits every week. He won a Super Bowl ring in 2003 but has since retired to pursue a new career with Martinizing Dry Cleaning. Here are some highlights from his recent interview with the Denville Rockaway:

When was your business founded?
Martinizing Dry Cleaning is the most recognized name in dry cleaning and the largest dry cleaning franchiser in the United States with more than 600 locations worldwide. Since its inception in 1949 by New York chemist Henry Martin, Martinizing has been the gold standard and a constant innovator in the onsite dry cleaning industry. The company will expand its presence in the state of New Jersey this month, opening the first of five locations in the Denville area.

Why did you start the business?
After a decade living out my dream on the field, I decided to retire and follow another dream of mine: owning my own business. I returned to my roots in New Jersey and began searching a business opportunity. Though I found plenty of options, it was challenging to find the right fit. As a first-time entrepreneur, I was looking for a proven business model with an established company and wanted to get involved with an operation that was actively preparing the future and taking steps to evolve and continue its success. I attended the Wharton School of Business to build my network and research opportunities. After two years of due diligence, I found Martinizing Dry Cleaning, and I knew I had found exactly what I was looking for. Also, I always enjoyed dressing sharp and being in tune with the latest styles. Naturally, I gained a great sense of fashion. I like the idea of people trusting my staff and me with their personal garments, knowing that they will be treated like my own.

What personality trait helps you the most?
My attention to detail will help me the most because it's the little things that really make a difference and what customers appreciate the most.

In one sentence, tell us why customers should bring their clothes to Martinizing.
Customers should come here because of the quality of work, professionalism and VIP incentives — you must become one to believe it!

Read the interview in its entirety here!

Local Couple Scores with New Business

The first pitch won’t be thrown out until next week but Bill and Wanda Wagoner are already predicting their new business will earn a mark in the W column.

The Bakersfield Californian reported the Wagoners are poised to open Extra Innings, an indoor baseball and softball training center, next Saturday in Bakersfield, Calif. The 10,000-square-foot facility will feature multi-use training tunnels that can be used to practice pitching, batting, fielding, catching or base-running, a circuit training room and a pro shop that sells everything from mitts and bats to apparel and training aids. The business, a franchised outpost of the growing Middleton, Mass.-based chain, will be staffed by the Wagoners, their two teenage sons and several former professional baseball players.

Sounds like a home run to us!

Photo: an Extra Innings pro shop.

Covering All Bases

Have you struck out in an attempt to grow your business? If so, step back up to the plate and let Joe Luis and Rob Nash show you how to swing for the fences.

The Boston Business Journal reported the former minor league ball players have a hit with Extra Innings, their 13-year-old indoor baseball and softball training centers. Since opening their first location in 1996, Nash and Luis have grown the company to 38 locations in 16 states and plan to add 13 new locations this year. The expansion is the result of a successful franchising program that Luis and Nash launched in 2004.

Extra Innings’ system-wide revenue grew to approximately $14.5 million in 2008 from $9.8 million in 2007. The company expects to bring in about $18.7 million this year. Their offerings range from $1 for 12 pitches to $495 for a year-long program including summer camp and five private lessons but Extra Innings currently derives about 57 percent of its revenue, on average, from its on-site pro shops. To complete the retail component, Luis and Nash launched an e-commerce site, ShopExtraInnings.com in May, which Nash predicts will generate over $1 million in 2010. “It doesn’t make sense for our customers to go elsewhere for their equipment,” said Nash. “And, we want to provide more revenue streams to ensure the success of the franchisees and further grow the system.”

As for their wildly successful franchising program, Nash said, ”We had friends and customers coming in to [our facility in] Middleton all the time, saying, ‘What a great idea. Teach me how to do this.’ So we thought, we could probably teach people how to do this and develop some buying power with vendors and further develop our operational systems. Jim Wolff, an Extra Innings franchisee in Indianapolis, said that the Extra Innings team has been with him every step of the way – a support system responsible for all locations’ past, present and future success.

Photos from top left: Joe Luis; Rob Nash.

For the Love of the Game

Next time you drive by a little league game, keep your eyes peeled (and not just for foul balls): You could witness one of the next great professional baseball players getting their start.

The Eagle reported this could have been the case for onlookers nearly three decades ago when Trey Moore began playing T-ball. He eventually became an All-American pitcher at Texas A&M before spending 11 years playing in the major leagues. Players try not to think about retirement, focusing only on the game that day, said Moore, 36, s o he didn't think much about retirement until 2004, when three or four major league contracts fell through for him at the last minute. Moore took it as an omen that he should retire. After a year of not playing, however, Moore felt restless and began looking at franchising opportunities. When he came across the opportunity to own an Extra Innings – the nation’s premier indoor baseball and softball training center – he knew it would be the perfect fit. It’s currently the only facility in the Brazos Valley with batting cages and trainers that sells professional equipment.

"There was absolutely nothing like this when I was growing up," Moore said. The facility draws baseball and softball players from 40 to 45 miles away. One player drives more than an hour from Rockdale for a 30-minute training session, Moore said. "We've got a very loyal customer base in the outskirts of Bryan-College Station," he said.

Former minor-league players Joe Luis and Rob Nash opened the first Extra Innings in 1996 in Danvers, Mass. The franchise now has more than 35 locations in 17 states and projections call for almost 100 locations to be in operation by the end of 2010. Moore said he'd learned a lot about being a boss and operating a business through Extra Innings but he’s still figuring out the transition from professional baseball player to boss. He said his life has also changed dramatically: As his children become more involved in sports and other activities -- whatever they may be -- Moore wants to be able to travel too see them compete. "I want to be available and see them play like my folks did for me," he said. "I eventually need to be in a position where I can follow them around."

Batter Up!

There may still be snow threatening to delay games but baseball season is – pardon the pun – in full swing. From the little league teams and the high school ball players to those seated in the stands, everyone has dusted off their bats and oiled up their gloves but according to Extra Innings owner Todd Seigler, it’s never too late to start training.

“It’s about having everything in the right place at the right time,” Seigler told the Bartow Neighbor. “The earlier you start working on the basic techniques, the better. The best thing is to come in here and give it a try. You’ll definitely see some improvement.”

In addition to personal training in tee ball, baseball to softball, Extra Innings also provides automated batting cages, an equipment store and space for private birthday parties. This blogger’s advice: Step up to the plate!

Another Reason to Respect Your Elders

When Harland Sanders used $105 from his first Social Security check to start a business, people thought he was crazy. They ate their words – and his Kentucky Fried Chicken – soon thereafter. Way to go, Colonel, because people are still following your lead today: Maryland Entrepreneur Quarterly reported that while a CareerBuilder.com survey states 51 percent of workers age 50 or older plan to retire after age 65 and 16 percent will wait until after age 70, a large pool of seniors are still interested in continuing to work.

Take Rick Johnson. He retired from the Hagerstown Police Department at the rank of lieutenant after 26 years of service. Having experienced the darker side of life, he wanted to try a new line of work and, at the same time, make a positive difference in the community. Since his son, Matt, was a baseball player in college, they saw an opportunity to open an Extra Innings franchise in Hagerstown in December 2006. "I'm a 'type A' personality," said Rick, 55. "I feel I have to contribute to the community. Working with Matt and doing something I love has been great." Rick and Matt also have plans to open a second location in Frederick in a few years.

Horace Usry’s story is a similar one. After 17 years, Usry, left the investment banking profession in February 2007. He thought he could simply retire, but it wasn't to be. "I took a little over a year to sort things out, but I realized I needed a second career," explained Usry, 52. "I wanted to find a business where I can take advantage of my being a people person and my experience in financial markets." Usry and former business associate Carter Rise decided to purchase a franchise in Value Place. The partners are establishing three new properties in North Carolina and plan to open up their first of possibly five Value Place hotels in the Baltimore-Washington area in 2010. "I enjoy seeing a project to completion," said Usry. "From selecting a location, to obtaining the necessary titles, to building the hotel and hiring people, I feel a great sense of accomplishment."

Continuing this trend are Steve Bursten, 71, and Steve Wishnow, 64, who launched their second careers together. Bursten drew upon his nearly 50 years of experience in the home decorating industry to begin the endeavor – he had owned a number of businesses in the past, and had developed the original window coverings training program for the industry in 1969 – and Wishnow formerly managed a $141 million ad budget for Hecht's and had been recognized as the leading advertising executive in the window coverings industry. In 2004, they launched Exciting Windows! and have grown the company to more than 80 "members" (franchises) in 32 states, plus the Caribbean. Bursten and Wishnow expect to have at least 125 members by the end of 2009, with the majority of growth generated by franchising. "After three months [of retirement] my wife said, 'If you don't get a job, you have to get out of here,'" Wishnow said with a smile. But in actuality he was attracted to the challenge of building something from scratch - something meaningful. "I'm driven by the challenge and to learn new skills. But there is not a window of 30 years; you have to make it work in six or seven years." Bursten concurred, stating, "Once you decide to start a serious business, customers really don't care if you're 70 or 35. They want to be taken care of. It's more fun today than when I started because you have some capital, you have some stability and you have experience, and you know what you're doing."

In Loving Memory

Three years ago, Kelly Trieglaff and her husband, Mike, had just realized their dream of owning a business – an Extra Innings baseball and softball training facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana – but when Mike diagnosed with stage-four bladder cancer, Kelly knew some difficult decisions were on the horizon.

CNNMoney.com reported despite her grief, new role as a single mom to three boys and a full-time job at a bio-tech company, Trieglaff elected to keep Extra Innings open in memory of Mike. “There was no question we were going to continue with the business,” she says. But the reality of running a new business was daunting, to say the least. “That’s when I started to think, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I contacted an attorney, worked with a CPA, and asked ‘What is the right thing to do?’ I was going through the whole grieving process and couldn’t really focus on anything … the CPA and the lawyer, they were honestly advising me to close.”

But she didn’t. She brought in a friend of the family as a partner and with the help of everyone from the landlord to the franchise company, Extra Innings is now supporting itself. Even with her degree in nursing, Trieglaff found she could draw enough from her experience in pharmaceutical sales to get her through. “I’m very bossy,” she laughs, “so that was not a problem for me.”

Photo: Kelly Trieglaff with her sons (from right) Ryan, McLean and Mitch.

Swinging for the Fences

Does your career embrace one of your biggest passions? Chad Stills’ does.

The Community Free Press reported that Stills, a former high school first baseman, opened an Extra Innings indoor baseball and softball training facility in Springfield, MO in October 2005 and has been bringing new clinics and leagues to the area to help today’s young players ever since. Here are some highlights from his interview:

Q: Have you always loved baseball?
A: I have. I played at Kickapoo and had a couple of scholarship offers but I decided to go to Drury. I had an academic scholarship that was about four times bigger than the baseball scholarship.

Q: What programs, leagues and clinics have you started?
A: We actually hold several winter clinics that are indoor and in the summer we take all clinics outside. With leagues, we have a fall instructional league, and kids can sign up individually or as part of a team. We have paid instructors who are the coaches. It’s almost like a six-week clinic. It gives kids an opportunity to meet new friends and get some instruction. It has been a big success. We have a clinic that we do called the TPX Top 96 sponsored by Louisville Slugger. It’s a clinic and a sort of showcase for high school aged players. A lot of college coaches come to instruct, and it works out well for both the college programs and for the kids. The coaches like it because they are essentially getting paid to recruit. They are paid instructors, so they’re not technically recruiting. I’m responsible for finding the field, getting the water, coordinating activities, taking care of the players and coaches.

Q: Any future plans?
A: We are going to start an 18-andunder traveling team called the Queen City Copperheads. We are in the process now of finding players. The goal is to find seniors who have already graduated, or local players at small schools that don’t have a program or play in the summer. This team will play at college venues this summer.

Pitch Perfect

Does your job allow you to wake up every day and do something you truly love? If not, take a cue from Daniel Ferrel.

The Herald-Zeitung reported that after an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army and nearly 10 years with Apple Inc., Ferrel decided to turn his passion for America’s pastime into a full-time career. This past September, and after a two-year search for the right location and building, Ferrell scored a career-making homer when he opened Extra Innings, part of a 35-strong franchise first established in Boston more than 12 years ago.

“I’m very proud to say Extra Innings - New Braunfels is the only premier indoor baseball and softball training facility in [Texas’] Comal County,” Ferrel, 34, said. “With year-round practice facilities, nearly a dozen professional instructors offering various clinics and our nationally-recognized pro shop, we are set up to be a complete ‘one-stop shop’ for everything baseball and softball.”

Housed in a 15,500-square-foot building, much of the facility is taken up by a total of eight netted and artificially turfed “batting tunnels.” One tunnel is mainly reserved as a timer-operated batting cage, while the remaining seven are multi-use, retractable tunnels, allowing players of all ages and skill levels to work on their pitching, hitting and fielding. As well as the tunnels, Extra Innings has a specialized circuit training area where the art of hitting is honed. And, while the pro shop is big enough to meet the needs and price ranges of players of all ages and ability levels — including the ability to custom-fit any size team — Extra Innings also has a private area where friends and family members can enjoy birthdays or other private events.

“We are an all-year-round facility where the game never ends,” Ferrel said. “Of course, we are an important place for those seriously focused on improving their skills, but Extra Innings is a very family-friendly place where parents and children can come to for a relaxing and fun evening out.”