Clothes Mentor Opens First Location in Rochester Hills, Michigan

(MINNETONKA, Minn.) – Clothes Mentor, a national women’s resale clothing franchise headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, recently opened their third location in Michigan and 144th store in the United States, continuing their successful run of new store openings since the brand launched in 2006.

Clothes Mentor of Rochester Hills, Michigan (1180 S. Rochester Rd, Rochester Hills, MI 48307) opened for business on March 15, 2018, in a 3,975-square-foot location with 2,987 square feet of selling space.

“We’re excited to add Clothes Mentor of Rochester Hills, Michigan, to the family,” Chad Olson, Chief Operating Officer of Clothes Mentor’s parent firm, NTY Franchise Company, said. “We’ve had great success in Michigan with our stores in Novi and Portage, so we couldn’t be happier to see a third store open there.”

Franchise owner Carolyn Webb was a corporate vice president of strategic planning for a pharmaceutical wholesale company who decided the time was right for a change. The mother of three knew she wouldn’t be in her corporate job forever, so decided the time was right to explore entrepreneurship.

“Corporate America will quickly hire people half your age at half your salary to do your job, so rather than wait for that to happen, I took charge of my destiny and became a small business owner,” she said.

Resale franchises are enjoying a $17 billion boom that began during the great recession and continues today as consumers flock to stores like Clothes Mentor to buy and sell their gently used women’s fashion. Since 2017, Clothes Mentor has successfully recycled more than 42 million items of mall-brand and designer clothing and paid women more than $180 million for their gently-used items.

To learn more about Clothes Mentor, visit www.clothesmentor.com

To learn more about franchising opportunities for Clothes Mentor, visit www.ntyfranchise.com/clothes-mentor

SMART BUSINESS: Why Women and their Spouses Love NTY Franchise Company’s Business Model

More women than ever are taking their careers into their own hands, by owning and operating a franchise business. According to FranNet, a company that connects people with franchise opportunities, female franchise ownership jumped by 83 percent between 2011 and 2017. For married women, that can mean navigating a new relationship with a spouse who may or may not be active in the daily business operation. Fortunately for women who own an NTY Franchise Company brand, there is a solid business model to help them balance work, family and personal time.

ANGIE AND JEFF GELDERT WORK THE NUMBERS

Fifty-two-year-old Angie Geldert left her long-time teaching career to purchase a Children’s Orchard kids clothing franchise in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, two years ago. She knew she needed a change, and had the luxury of being married to an accountant who could help her keep track of the store’s finances. Angie says the business model of her NTY Franchise Company brand allows her to spend more time with her family, and work with them to grow her new business.

“My daughter is an accounting major and she is the store manager while she continues to study for her degree,” Angie explains. “She’s a great partner.”

Angie also enjoys her new business relationship with her husband, Jeff. “There are different stressors now,” she allows, “but it’s something we have done together.” Jeff does the books for the store, and Angie says he’s always willing to lend a hand whenever she needs it. “He helps with purchases, with storage… and it’s nice to have someone around who can lift more than I can,” she laughs. “We like bouncing ideas off each other.”

Jeff agrees, saying he appreciates how his wife took on the challenge of operating her upscale resale franchise. “It’s great — she’s put a lot of effort into it. At first we were nervous, but we’re much happier now that things are catching on. I’m proud of her; she’s worked very hard.”

And the numbers bear that out: Jeff says the sales growth is ahead of schedule. “We were expecting it to be slow to begin with, but in the middle of last year, sales started to show double-digit increases. We are seeing monthly growth in sales of 17 to 30 percent (over the same period last year).”

THE BARNETTS’ LEAP OF FAITH

When Chris Barnett purchased her Clothes Mentor women’s fashion franchise in Pennsylvania five years ago, she knew it was a leap of faith.  She and her husband Stephen jettisoned their corporate careers and plunged into operating their franchise.  They wanted to have more control over their lives, and teach their values to their 10-year-old daughter, Eliza. They still work long hours, but they’re in charge of their time.

“We are in the store most days, but we are working on the business every day,” Chris said. Still, they are able to spend quality time with their daughter while they work. “Eliza comes into the store every weekend, and two to four times during the week.”

The business model has proved to be a winner for the Barnetts. Just 18 months after opening their store, they bought a second Clothes Mentor franchise. “Having multiple locations allows us to have economy of scale,” Chris says. Even so, she says, they couldn’t have done it without the support they received from the NTY Franchise Company corporate team.

“They give us the tools and as much hand-holding as we need. They have great regional advisors who help us with marketing. What gets scary, though, is… it’s your business, your baby. They give you a strong foundation, but you have to take care of the rest of your house.” With a five-year track record, the Barnetts’ house appears to be in great shape.

THE CHERNEYS’ JOURNEY

Thirty-three-year-old Sadie Cherney earned her master’s degree, married her husband Bill three months later, and moved across the country to open a Clothes Mentor franchise in South Carolina soon afterward. This dynamic duo are also parents of two sons under the age of 3. They now own three Clothes Mentor women’s resale stores, and they credit the NTY Franchise Company business model with helping them achieve career success at a young age.

“The best part is the wealth of data from the point of sales system,” Sadie acknowledges. “They are always crunching numbers and that helps franchise owners. Back-of-the-house data is always available to franchisees. The company is wonderful, supportive and communicative.”

Bill was an English teacher when Sadie opened her first location. A year later, they were starting their family so Bill quit his job to make sure there wasn’t a loss in leadership during Sadie’s maternity leave. Sadie returned to work after the birth of their son, but shortly thereafter, their child suffered a health scare. The NTY Franchise business model made it possible for Sadie to be with their toddler when he needed her most.

“Our two-year-old son was hospitalized last year with a critical illness, and I basically lived at the hospital,” Sadie confides. “The flexibility we have with this company is incredible. It really makes such a difference when you have a crisis. We have built up a team that’s like a family. They’re there when we need them.”

With their son healthy again, Sadie and Bill are focused on raising their boys and growing their business. “To be successful, we have to work closely together. Sometimes it’s challenging, especially if we need our own space after work, but we go home together. What works best for us is that we don’t try to be in charge at the same time,” Sadie chuckles.

“MOORE” SUCCESS IN LITTLE ROCK

The Moore family owns two Clothes Mentor women’s resale clothing franchises and a Children’s Orchard kids clothing franchise in Little Rock, Arkansas. Twenty-nine-year-old Jade Moore runs the stores and feels supported by the NTY Franchise Company business model. It has allowed her 31-year-old husband Turner to pursue his calling as Junior High Pastor at their church.

“He is a humble man who is encouraging and motivating to me,” Jade beams. “He is the greatest at lifting my arms up when I am tired or calming me down when I make a rash decision. I’m blessed to have him as my support.”

Jade appreciates the NTY philosophy of offering high-quality clothing at affordable prices to families in her community. She’s also thrilled that unsold clothing is donated to needy families. “It’s part of a new way of living… allowing less-fortunate parents to say they can give to their children.”

FAMILY-FRIENDLY CONCEPT

The NTY Franchise Company business model works well for all of these female franchisees. The corporate support, with flexibility for local owners, is a winning combination. Franchise owners are able to build a business while staying connected to the people they love. It’s a family-friendly concept that helps working women achieve the balance they crave in their personal and professional lives.

How to Run a Successful Franchise While Working Just 20 Hours a Week

Claudia Zertuche is living her dream.

After emigrating from Mexico almost two decades ago, she and a friend decided to explore franchise ownership. In 2005, they decided to open a Children’s Orchard (a national children’s resale clothing franchise that buys and sells gently used children’s apparel, toys and other items) in McAllen, Texas.

…read the whole Entrepreneur.com story here.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/310445

 

 

Love Women’s Fashion? Here’s How to Love It Even More!

Love Women’s Fashion? Here’s How to Love It Even More!

You know that feeling when your outfit just works? When every accessory is perfect, the fit is fabulous, and the look is exactly what you want? Women who shop for designer clothing at Clothes Mentor get to experience that feeling every day. The power. The self-confidence. The freedom. Now imagine owning the clothing franchise and being able to work — and shop — in the world’s most amazing closet! For those who have a fancy for clothes, an eye for high style and a heart for helping, owning a women’s clothing franchise like Clothes Mentor may be just the career you’ve been craving.

Let’s get real. This is not your grandmother’s thrift shop, full of castaways that no one wants to wear. NTY Franchise Company brands like Clothes Mentor are highly selective in the items they purchase. Designer clothing. Name brands you know and love. Current fashion, gently-used and in excellent condition. Upscale resale clothing, designed to fit and flatter a variety of shapes and sizes. And the women who own a Clothes Mentor franchise get to live their dream of being on the forefront of fashion, while also helping their community. Every day they make customers look and feel their best, at a price they can afford.

JENNAH ESPOSITO: GETTING PAID TO SHOP

Mansfield, Ohio, is located between Columbus and Cleveland, with the closest big clothing retailers an hour’s drive in either direction. Thirty-year-old Jennah Esposito opened a Clothes Mentor franchise in Mansfield last October. She loves women’s fashion and admits it’s a blast to come to work and be able to shop on the job. She also enjoys helping her customers find upscale clothing without paying mall prices.

“There’s something new coming in every day,” she explains. “When stuff comes in the door, we have our pick of the latest fashion finds. I go to work every day and can basically shop, for myself and my customers. I’m the mannequin dresser and almost every day, people undress the mannequins and buy the entire outfit!”

Jennah says the Clothes Mentor business model makes sense on several levels for the women of Mansfield. “Before these kinds of resale stores,” she wonders, “what did you do with your stuff? The only option was donating to charity.” But with Clothes Mentor, local women can repurpose their gently-used clothing and accessories and sell them to the store. The customer makes money on the sale, and the other shoppers benefit from great fashion at a reduced resale price.

“After our clearance sales,” Jennah continues, “we donate to a specific church that gives the clothes away to people in need in our community. We are helping people who can’t afford retail prices still feel good and look beautiful.”

SADIE CHERNEY: STAYING ON TOP OF TRENDS

For 33-year-old Sadie Cherney, keeping up with what’s current in women’s fashion is part of the joy of owning three Clothes Mentor franchise operations in Greenville, Columbia and Spartanburg, South Carolina. Her staff is very selective in the items they accept, purchasing only 25–30 percent of the items customers bring in for sale. “We always stay on top of trends, so we can help customers find what they want in our store,” she says. “We look for spike trends, we buy with caution, and we don’t accept older items.” She’s proud of the quality of clothing in her stores and admits it’s a problem to keep her own closet from exploding. “No matter what anybody says, you’re always shopping when you’re working,” she laughs.

“For mall retail stores, they normally have one specific look,” Sadie explains. “Our diversity of clothing and accessories can be exciting. We sell designer handbags, footwear, accessories and clothing. The quality is good to great.” This franchise owner knows what she’s talking about — because she studies it for fun, and for profit.

Sadie is driven by data, and says she relies on the corporate NTY Franchise Company team for help in keeping her store on the cutting edge. “They are always crunching numbers and that helps franchise owners,” she says. “If we have a clearance sale, we know what customers said ‘no’ to. We know trends and prices. It helps us to be ready to adapt to any type of change. The company is wonderful, supportive and communicative.” It’s the perfect place for a fashion-forward woman like Sadie to work and help others live their fashion fantasies!

Sadie offers her customers the Clothes Mentor Personal Shopper Program at all three locations. The service allows shoppers to fill in their personal details on the franchise’s website. The Personal Shopper then sets an appointment and has items ready for the customer to try on when she arrives. The program is free of charge and there’s no obligation for customers to purchase anything.

CHRIS BARNETT: HELPING WOMEN LOVE THEIR BODIES

The Personal Shopper Programs in Springfield and Westchester, Pennsylvania, are a point of pride for Clothes Mentor owner Chris Barnett. She hires fashion and merchandising grads from local universities who like nothing more than finding a perfect outfit for a customer. “So often women feel bad about their bodies, when they really only need to feel bad about the way the clothes fit,” Chris believes. “Our Personal Shoppers’ mission is to show women how beautiful they are by finding clothes that fit them the best.”

Chris says her mission is accomplished when a customer can run a full cycle at her Clothes Mentor store. “A woman can buy the business suit and Coach briefcase she needs to land a great job,” she adds, “then purchase her work wardrobe, and sell back the items she doesn’t wear very often.” She says Clothes Mentor allows a woman to always have what she needs when she needs it, and what she wants when she wants it.

Chris also appreciates the eco-friendliness of the Clothes Mentor franchise concept. It’s sustainable, not fast-fashion. “You purchase an item, but when you tire of it, you sell it,” she offers. “In our store, we also have three places for our customers to donate clothing they are unable to sell. We then take donations to a local church that distributes the clothing to homeless shelters.” Her stores hold fundraisers on site and participate in “retail therapy parties” for birthdays and other functions.

LIVE YOUR PASSION FOR FASHION EVERY DAY

Owning a Clothes Mentor franchise has given all three of these women a chance to surround themselves with beauty and inspiration. They see the high-end designer fashions that make their way into the store. They chat with customers and share expertise on new trends and timeless styles. They help women make wise fashion choices that fit within their family’s budget. And they all love what they do.

“Our staff is friendly, and customers love that there are so many sizes and styles,” says Jennah Esposito of her Ohio Clothes Mentor business. Once people discover her store, “they say it’s so beautiful and it’s so nice to have it in our town.”

For Jennah, Sadie and Chris, owning a Clothes Mentor franchise is more than a great investment. It’s a way to live their passion and help other women. And in case you’re wondering, the side benefit of working in the world’s best closet allows them to keep their own closets stocked, season after season, with fabulous clothes they purchased on the job.

Why Women Franchise Owners Left Their Careers to Buy a Resale Clothing Franchise

WHY WOMEN FRANCHISE OWNERS LEFT THEIR CAREERS TO BUY A RESALE CLOTHING FRANCHISE

It takes more than a leap of faith for a woman to jettison her former career and buy a clothing franchise. It takes guts, hard work, and the right timing. But it happens, and the rewards can be far greater than the risk. Several NTY Franchise company franchise owners have followed their passion to a career in women’s fashion, and they’ve never looked back.

Pharmaceuticals to Fashion

Chris Barnett is nearly 50 and had worked for years as a partner in a law firm before becoming an executive director at a large pharmaceutical company. Five years ago, however, she and her attorney husband Stephen decided they wanted to do something to show their daughter what they truly believe in, and it wasn’t the corporate grind.

“We believe in women helping women,” Chris explains, so they purchased their first Clothes Mentor women’s clothing franchise in Pennsylvania. “Our franchise enables our 10-year-old daughter (Eliza) to see women cheering each other on.” The business model intrigued them: The store purchases designer clothing and upscale fashion from local women, then re-sells the items at a fraction of retail prices to customers who appreciate the value. Everyone wins.

The couple knew they wanted to teach Eliza the value of a dollar. To do that, they show her how women save money at their store by purchasing gently-used, name brand clothing at a much lower cost than they’d pay at the mall. The Barnett’s also enjoy practicing the “mentoring” aspect of their Clothes Mentor franchise. “Stephen is good with development,” Chris says, “and he works with the young team members to help build their portfolios.”

In addition, the couple relies on the mentoring and support they get from NTY corporate directors. In fact, they liked the concept so much, they now own two Clothes Mentor women’s clothing franchises, in Westchester and Springfield, Pennsylvania.

From the Classroom to the Dressing Room

While Chris and Stephen left high-powered careers, 52-year-old Angie Geldert gave up a 20-plus year career as an elementary school teacher to purchase a Children’s Orchard kids’ clothing franchise in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She and her accountant husband Jeff had moved from Minnesota, where the education system was much different. After teaching for a year in her new town, she felt ineffective in the classroom and needed a change.

“I wanted to still be part of the community, help people, and still have contact with families and kids,” she recalls. The Children’s Orchard franchise was the perfect fit, offering her the connections she craved, as well as opportunities for a first-time franchise company owner to learn quickly.

“A competitor moved in down the road and opened two weeks ahead of us,” Angie says, “so there were unforeseen challenges at startup.” She had to figure out a way to stand out in her town’s growing children’s upscale resale market. She credits the NTY corporate structure with helping her feel supported at every turn. “Through my discovery process, other ladies were so willing to give me information to help start and grow the business,” she remembers. “I felt we had a safety net, from corporate and from other franchise owners.” She also doubled down on customer service and educating her staff, which has paid off in impressive sales growth each month.

It’s truly a family business, with Jeff doing the books and Angie and her college-age daughter running the store. Angie sets the schedule, giving her the flexibility, she needs as a busy working mom. She is available to drive her daughter to doctor’s appointments and has time to shop for groceries and hobnob with customers she runs into in town. She believes opening the Children’s Orchard franchise has helped her family acclimate to their new neighborhood — and become a valuable part of the Murfreesboro community.

Mom and Mentor   

For 29-year-old Jade Moore, graduating from a bible college eight years ago brought about an epiphany that led her to purchase a Clothes Mentor franchise. She thought she would become a church staff member, but a visit to a resale clothing store prompted her to take a totally different career path.

“I saw the opportunity to own this franchise as a blessing,” Jade confesses. “We wanted to fulfill a need for a resale store in our area.” She and her mother loved the concept of bringing upscale and designer fashions to Little Rock, Arkansas. Her parents helped her with her initial investment, but Jade’s hard work and perseverance made the business a success. So, what’s her secret? “We buy for every type of customer: business women, stay-at-home moms, plus-size and even pregnant women.” That’s a policy Jade herself appreciates; because this mother of three is expecting her fourth child in a few months — and yes, she’s a Clothes Mentor customer!

The NTY corporate philosophy has an even deeper meaning for Jade. “Clothes Mentor helps support the woman who is comfortable in her current body,” she explains, “and those going through transitions such as a weight loss journey.” It’s that positive reinforcement for all women, plus a dedication to staying on the cutting edge of fashion, that keeps her excited about coming to work.

Jade is confident her staff doesn’t miss out on any type of style, even though Little Rock has not yet attracted large, big-name boutiques. “We don’t have big designer stores like Chanel or Louis Vuitton,” she says. “But when we do get those kinds of high-end items in the store, it’s a serious treat for our customers!” She says her recurring social media bursts and great word-of-mouth advertising keep her customers apprised of every exciting new arrival. They get designer fashions at resale prices, and those higher-end items often sell quickly.

Despite her early success as a Clothes Mentor owner, this multi-tasking mom hesitated when her father suggested she purchase a Children’s Orchard franchise for Little Rock. She worried she might not have the time and energy to devote to two business while she and her husband were raising their young family. “But we got a great location right next to Clothes Mentor and it’s great for me and my children” she admits. She opened her kids’ resale franchise in April of 2017 and is excited to see the items customers bring in for purchase. The Moore’s had sold all of their baby items after their youngest turned two. Now, Jade can purchase everything she needs, gently-used, for her new baby. And best of all, she says, she can sell back all of the clothes, toys and gear to Children’s Orchard when she no longer needs them!

Jade, Angie and Chris come from diverse backgrounds, but they all share a love for their new career in upscale resale. Each woman followed a dream to fashion a balanced life for her family and help her community in the process. Each works hard to keep her store running smoothly. And each one says she’s happy she made the choice to leave her past job behind and create an exciting future with her NTY Franchise business.

Owning an Upscale Resale Store is Smart Business. Here’s Why.

OWNING AN UPSCALE RESALE STORE IS SMART BUSINESS. HERE’S WHY.

While many traditional brick and mortar retailers continue to struggle, the upscale resale industry is booming. Consumers seek out resale to both shop and sell their gently-used stuff and entrepreneurs are cashing in on this growing trend.

A lot has changed over the years leading to this evolution; including the high-return, lucrative profit opportunities upscale resale can provide entrepreneurs now and well into the future.

WHY IS UPSCALE RESALE SMART BUSINESS?

TIGHTER CONSUMER BUDGETS

According to latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical U.S. household now spends about 20 percent of their annual budget outlays on health care, personal insurance, life insurance, pension-like products and social security. This is at a time when they are spending a disproportionate amount of their disposable income on communications, related technology and entertainment/experiences. Just consider what we spend on wireless, cable, internet and smartphone payments each month. Family budgets are stretched  leaving less ability to spend on full-price fashion and even full-price electronics — including our smartphones we love so much. And, the growing desire and focus on spending on experiences; such as vacations, amusement parks, salons, etc. only amplifies this crowding-out dynamic.

CULTURE CHANGE

While having less money to spend on full-price items, consumers have grown accustomed to opportunistically monetizing value for the items they no longer need. Both of these trends play right into the upscale resale industry. Whether out of necessity or not, it has become widely acceptable – and in fact often socially admirable and popular — to purchase and sell secondhand items such as clothing, electronics and household items/wares. While thrift shops have always provided this service on the low-end, the trend seemed to evolve more mainstream with the dawn of eBay. Now, it has accelerated and is moving into the high-end with upscale resale. Everybody wants in to buy stuff, sell stuff, and enjoy the thrill of the experience. This is best exhibited by Clothes Mentor, the highly successful upscale resale clothing franchise, a national franchise in the NTY Franchise Company Family of Brands. Clothes Mentor has grown from two stores (in one state) in 2006; to 145 stores (in 42 states) in 2018 — with many more in development. This upscale resale cultural evolution is booming with no signs of slowing down.

LOVE OF HUNT

Whether on eBay or at Costco, Marshalls, Ross Stores, etc. consumers have grown to love a good hunt for deals. More recently though, as a result of rapid store count growth, the selection, quality and value of merchandise at many discount retailers has waned; leaving fewer opportunities to feel satisfied finding that treasure. With a wide variety and rapidly evolving inventory of all types of unique, locally-curated brands at attractive prices, upscale resale stores provide the ultimate treasure hunt satisfaction.

LOVE OF CASH

One thing consumers appreciate more than the love of hunt is the love of cash. Upscale resale stores provide cash on the spot for items they accept from customers — another key driver of their growing popularity. This is not only good for the consumer, but also for the store owner. Initial investment is lower since there are no big, risky long-lead inventory buys (or large working capital requirements) that come along with them. Fully in control of the type, timing and level of merchandise buys from customers, the upscale resale store owners can dynamically and daily control inventory cost and cash management as they see fit.

Importantly, as James Wollman (VP of Franchising at NTY Franchise Company) notes, “Our franchises buy and sell the YES votes of what people like in fashion, electronics and other household items; we don’t deal in the NO’s that are the primary inventory of most other major discount stores.” This all results in much smarter inventory, higher inventory turnover, enhanced budgeting and working capital flexibility, and most importantly, gross profit cash margins of roughly 60 percent — well above the industry average.

PRESTIGE IN REACH

While fashion and trends change all the time, most consumers still love to have a few prestigious or conspicuously flashy items of clothing; while typically priding themselves on nameplate laptops, smartphones, headphones, etc. But in today’s economy, some top name brands are simply out of reach for many. This is the case even at discount retailers where discounts are not as great as in the past from rising product-sourcing costs — particularly freight and shipping. Upscale resale stores are not exposed to these unruly costs and provide all consumers with the opportunity to get that prestige product and feel proud and satisfied as a result.

MILLENNIALS

Often well educated, but with less money at their disposal, millennials don’t enjoy paying full price for retail but still enjoy the hunt of shopping. They typically pride themselves on bargains; especially if it will yield an environmentally friendly outcome.

Generally cash-strapped, many millennials are still saving for their own place to call home and are being encouraged to save more aggressively now for retirement. By 2020, they will represent roughly one-third of the adult population. This is a great long-term demographic trend for the upscale resale industry to leverage. This trend is expected to continue long-term as millennials’ children are brought up in — and at an early age becoming well accustomed to — the resale lifestyle.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY 

You may not think much about this, but a tremendous amount of global resources — such as energy, minerals, chemicals and water — are used to make a single item of clothing, electronic gadget, or household item. According to several estimates, it can take up to 1,000 gallons of water to grow the cotton for — and then produce, a single pair of jeans. A t-shirt can require up to several hundred gallons. This is why global clothing brands are now focusing so much on sustainable apparel.

The resources used to create products not only include the raw materials, design and production expense; but also packaging, shipping and marketing. A lot of energy is also used in collection and disposal. Resale provides a second or third lease on life to millions of products annually; which is not just good for the environment — it’s great. As just one example of how profound this can be, since 2007 Clothes Mentor alone has recycled more than 42 million items of mall brand and designer clothing, and paid women more than $180 million in cash for gently-used items. Importantly, while millennials are most known for appreciating environmentally friendly consumerism such as this, going green is an ongoing trend still gaining traction among all generations.

COMMUNITY FRIENDLY

Upscale resale is good for local communities. They encourage locals to keep their closets and residences uncluttered and fresh. With great values, they provide much-needed flexibility for local families’ budgets. With regular customer buzz, the shopping flow to the area benefits other businesses and the local tax base. Moreover, store owners and key employees get to know their regular clientele — establishing relationships that last for years. “Fashion is Fun,” proclaimed NTY’s James Wollman when describing how owning an upscale resale franchise can be more enjoyable on a daily basis than many other franchise concepts like eateries. While that may be the case, what’s most enjoyable is the multi-faceted annuity flow of business (and high return on investment) that can result from this unique communal retail activity.

EFFECTIVELY CHARITABLE

When upscale resellers are not successful selling items in a certain amount of time, they typically donate them to charity and are able to monetize the donation as a business deduction. While this is typically a very small percentage of the overall inventory turn, it is a win-win for those less fortunate and for the franchise owner seeking to maximize returns.

PROVEN BUSINESS MODELS

In the past, starting your own resale business without any infrastructure or support network was a fairly risky and daunting task. However, today with the proven business models and techniques of a leading franchise partner, the heavy lifting has already been done and the road to high-return success well-paved. With over one hundred years of collective upscale resale experience; and five successful major brands under its belt, NTY (New to You) Franchise Company is an ideal partner to get you fully up, running, and remaining on the path to high-returns success.

You may ask yourself, what makes the NTY business model so successful? Beyond a century of collective franchising experience and among a host of key factors is a serious focus on: 1) Bright, clean and fresh-aired stores; 2) Smart store layouts; 3) State-of-the-art inventory managing, pricing and point of sale cloud-based software systems; and 4) a firm grasp on all the “big data” needed to make wise purchase and sell decisions throughout the day — every day.

NTY FRANCHISE COMPANY AT A GLANCE

Founded in 2006 and Located in Minnetonka, Minnesota, NTY Franchise Company is a pioneering and highly-experienced force in the rapidly growing category of upscale resale retailing. It is the umbrella organization for four proven national franchise brands: Children’s Orchard (kids clothing franchise); Clothes Mentor (women’s designer clothing franchise); Device Pitstop (electronics repair and resale franchise); and NTY Clothing Exchange (teens and young adults clothing franchise).

NTY Franchise Company specializes in working with entrepreneurs at every stage of establishing one of these five successful upscale resale branded concepts including: Research and Discovery; Business Planning; Store Location and Leasing; Financing; Design and Build-out; Point of Service Software and Systems; Coaching and Managing; and Marketing.

To learn more about NTY Franchise Company — and the lucrative opportunities in upscale resale franchising — explore our main page or feel free to just give us a call! (952)-923-1223

Spring Cleaning for Cash

Jade Moore with Clothes Mentor in Little Rock discusses how to unload those underutilized garments for some cash!

Clothes Mentor Named to Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 2018 List

 Top-performing women’s resale clothing franchise earns their spot on Entrepreneur Magazine’s 39th annual ranking

(Minnetonka, Minn.) – Clothes Mentor, a national women’s resale clothing franchise headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is celebrating their inclusion in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500® 2018 List. Considered one of the most comprehensive rankings in the franchise industry, Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 uses a proprietary formula to rank the best franchise companies in the world.

“No matter where you fall on the list, making it into Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 is a huge honor,” NTY Franchise Company COO Chad Olson said. “Clothes Mentor has been NTY Franchise Company’s most recognizable resale clothing franchise for more than a decade and we are proud of the growth and prosperity it’s had.”

Clothes Mentor was NTY Franchise Company’s first brand, launched when the company purchased the franchising rights in 2007. The resale designer clothing franchise  has seen tremendous growth over the last three years, opening 32 new units around the United States since 2015. Clothes Mentor specializes in buying and selling like-new designer clothing, shoes and accessories for women.

Resale franchises are enjoying a $17 billion boom that began during the great recession and continues today as consumers flock to stores like Clothes Mentor to buy and sell their gently used women’s fashion. Since 2017, Clothes Mentor has successfully recycled more than 42 million items of mall brand and designer clothing and paid women more than $180 million for their gently-used items.

CEO Ron Olson, the mastermind behind resale franchise brands like Play It Again Sports and Plato’s Closet, envisioned a whole new concept for women’s resale clothing franchises when he purchased the only three Clothes Mentor locations in 2007. He despised the bare-bones feel of resale stores and the “musty attic” smell common in them. Working with his son, Chad, they set out to rebrand Clothes Mentor as an upscale boutique featuring designer clothing and accessories at resale prices. They added bright colors and signage to the store design, made sure stores were well-lit and featured state-of-the-art technology. They paid special attention to the ambient scents in the store. They stocked their shelves with current fashion and paid cash on the spot to local women for their gently-used items.

The idea was a hit. Women rushed into Clothes Mentor stores to sell their gently-used designer clothing and came away with much-needed cash. They refreshed their closets with high-fashion brands for pennies on the dollar. By 2014, Ron and Chad Olson had grown the Clothes Mentor franchise to 100 stores. Today, there are more than 140 Clothes Mentor stores in 42 states. Plans call for an additional 50 locations to be opened in the next three years.

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About Clothes Mentor

Clothes Mentor started with two existing locations in 2006 and began expanding the brand the same year. As of January 2018, the company has 145 stores in 42 states with many more in development. Clothes Mentor is a resale-based women’s designer fashion brand known as being cutting-edge in both high-end designer fashion and technology. The company buys and sells like-new apparel, shoes, and accessories for all women, Sizes 0-26, petites, and maternity. The inventory comes from the same customers who shop in the store, and sellers are offered cash on-the-spot or credit toward a new purchase. With stores throughout the United States, each store serves its local community in both buying and selling gently-used, designer clothing, shoes, boots, handbags, jewelry, and other accessories.

About NTY Franchise Company

Founded in 2006 by Ron Olson, NTY Franchise Company is the gold standard in resale franchising companies. NTY franchises five brands, all with a different focus: Clothes Mentor, Children’s Orchard, Device Pitstop, New Uses, and NTY Clothing Exchange. The brands are all resale-based and cover women’s designer fashions, children’s apparel and accessories, furniture and household goods, electronic sales and repair, and clothing for teens and young adults. All are great business opportunities with cutting-edge technology, unmatched support, and lucrative resale franchises. NTY Franchise Company has helped individuals to establish resale stores throughout the United States in many communities, and it has territories available to develop nationwide.

What Makes a Good Franchisee?

So “what makes a good franchisee” you ask?

Watch this quick video featuring our VP of Franchising, Jim Wollman, and find out some of the key characteristics that NTY Franchise Company looks for when partnering with franchisees to grow one or more of our successful resale businesses.

Video: What does it take to own an NTY Franchise?

Do you have the skills and traits mentioned in this video? If so, you would make a fabulous franchisee with any of our five resale brands: Children’s Orchard, Clothes Mentor, Device Pitstop, New Uses and NTY Clothing Exchange!

Still don’t know if you have what it takes, or curious which of our resale brands is the best fit for you? Take our successful franchise owner quiz!

What Makes a Good Franchisee Video Transcription

Do you prefer a text version of the video or want to follow along while you watch? Then check out the full transcription below! 

There is no “best age” to start a business

Jim: We attract people of all ages- from people in their twenties to their sixties and everything in between. People come from all kinds of backgrounds and work experiences too.

Most importantly, we are looking for people with energy and personality. That’s what makes a good franchisee. We can’t teach you how to be a cool person to work for so you need to come to the table with those things that will really help you be successful in these businesses.

Some characteristics of successful franchise owners

Also important are transferable skills. If you had previous successes in your career, then you have transferable skills and that’s good.

What I’m talking about here are previous management experience, staff oversight, budgeting, and communication skills. Those are important because we are going to teach you how to maximize your business and you are going to use those skills to execute and make yourself a successful franchise owner.

NTY Franchise Company’s Proprietary Point of Sale System (POS)

We also need people that appreciate what computers and technology can do because we use it heavily to measure and manage and improve our businesses to the maximum potential. We have proprietary point of sale systems that will help you with inventory turn rates, cash flow management and with employee efficiency.

Our Franchise Loyalty Programs

We have trigger based customer loyalty programs, just like the big business out there. We are using technology to attract, retain, and bring in more customers, and more customers more often. So an embrace of the use of technology is very important. You don’t have to be an IT professional, but you do have to be comfortable with computers.

We are also looking for people who are smart enough to realize that you don’t know what you don’t know and you can really benefit from a shortening of the learning curve. This not only helps you to avoid costly financial mistakes, that one is easy to understand, but what a lot of people don’t think about is that mistakes cost time.

We teach you how to run a successful franchise

We know People want to get going and get moving, become more successful more quickly, and we can help you with that. We are not looking for people who are so entrepreneurial that they want to just change everything coming right out of the gate.

We have a very proven pathway. We have all of the knowledge, training and support that makes up our proven and well-worn operating system. So we know that if you use our tools, use our systems, and execute that you will greatly improve your chances of being successful.

Successful franchise owners “wear all the hats“

A lot of people come from corporate America to begin their business for the first time. Of course we can help you there, but your background says that you wear a big hat and are a specialist and good at what you do.

This may be more narrowly defined in Corporate America. The thing about small business America is that you have to wear all the hats. The good news is that they are really small hats. And we are going to help you in areas that you aren’t as strong in and in other disciplines that you don’t feel as comfortable with. So having this ability to realize that it’s about you and wearing all the hats is an important thing for you to be able to realize and appreciate when you get into a franchise business.

Couples make great franchisees

Now this brings up the question-what are the most common profiles that make up our franchise business? One of the most tried and true profiles for us are couples. Where one covers the household expenses, the overhead, and so on. While the other gets the business up and running and started. Often times with love, opposites attract and they usually have different skill sets, but when you mesh those together they make a very good one hundred percent.

Hands off franchise investors

Another type of profile that has worked well for us are partnerships where you have one financial backer who is a little more hands-off, and another operational partner who is going to be the face of the business and run the business on a day to day basis. An example of this could be an adult with an adult child. Now in our soft line brands, apparel, we do have men who do these businesses and usually what they will do is hire a female manager who has prior retail experience. Conversely in our tech businesses, we have very successful women running our device pit stop. We really do get people of all walks of life and who are given a proven business operating system to follow.

Going solo: solo franchise ownership

Now, the one exception to what I just said is for those who are coming into the business solo. The one other thing that you have to think about is that if this is going to be your new business you may decide to run the business yourself and maybe take that managers salary for yourself in the early stages until you build the business out. But just to be safe, we would encourage you to at least have one year of household expenses tucked away in reserve as working capital above and beyond the initial investment of opening up the business which is covered on our website as well.

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So there you have it, now you know what makes a good franchisee. Think you have what it takes? Then contact us now to schedule your free consultation!