Upcoming Seminars to Learn About Franchising and NTY

franchising seminar attendees

NTY Franchise Company will be discussing our innovative franchise opportunities in person at the following seminars presented by the Franchise Consulting Company (FCC).

Hear firsthand from our VP of Franchising, Jim Wollman, about what makes our five resale brands special and our business model successful.

Upcoming Seminars


March 16: Santa Clara, CA, hosted by Rick Morgin. 

March 18: Los Angeles, CA, hosted by Stephen Winterrowd and Lauren Grant. 

March 29: Fort Lauderdale, FL, hosted by Cliff Fostoff.

Hope to see you there!

Franchising is Smart, and Entrepreneurs are Catching On

Check out this article from altoonamirror.com about why franchising is a smart business move. For one, it allows you to build your own business with the support of a proven system. Learn more:

Honey Baked Ham franchisee, employee and customer
Mirror photo by J.D. Cavrich.

Franchises gaining in popularity

By Walt Frank

After his family business was sold, Mike Folcarelli said he was “looking for something to do.”

So in 2014, Folcarelli opened a HoneyBaked Ham Co. and Cafe franchise in the Pleasant Valley Shopping Center.

“I thought at my age (49 at the time), this was the best way to go, instead of starting something from scratch. They have proven marketing and brand recognition,” Folcarelli said. “I looked at others (franchises), not just in the food business. I just decided on this — it just fit my lifestyle.”

Mike Burgmeier worked at the Greenwood Meadows while in high school and college.

“I have an entrepreneurial flair. I knew I always wanted my own franchise,” Burgmeier said.

Burgmeier is the franchise owner of the Chick-fil-A restaurant set to open in March at 106 Sierra Drive, the site of the former Montezuma Mexican Restaurant.

“I started to pursue this in 2013. I looked at several other types of franchises, but I wanted to be in the food retail industry. Chick-fil-A is dedicated to customer service. Their core values and my core values lined up,” Burgmeier said. “I am pleased I have the ability to bring in a franchise like Chick-fil-A, which does tremendous things for the community. It will be a nice place for people to sit down and enjoy a good product. I am excited about that.”

Between 12,000 and 15,000 new franchise businesses open every year in the United States, or between 30 and 40 per day.

There are an estimated 733,000 franchise business establishments in the U.S., meaning about 3 percent of all businesses are franchises, and franchise businesses employ about 7.6 million people directly, said John R. Reynolds, president of the Franchise Education and Research Foundation.

Reynolds said the franchising industry has averaged about 2 percent to 3 percent growth per year in the past few years.

Franchises are very popular these days.

“Franchises are popular because they provide business owners with a systematic approach to owning and operating a business that provides branding, marketing, training and support. It combines the resources of the franchisor and franchisees in the network to get a multiplier effect,” Reynolds said. “Many people buy into a franchise because they want to go into business for themselves, but not by themselves. Being part of a franchise system gives them advantages of not going it alone.”

Judy and Anthony Branda have owned the Greenwood Meadows franchise for about nine years.

“My husband had talked to the people who owned it and told them if they ever wanted to sell it, to let us know. We thought it would be a fun business to get into; when people come in for ice cream, they are happy,” Judy Branda said.

Melvin Milne has owned the Budget Blinds franchise in Altoona for nine years, and the one in State College for five years.

“I was in the construction business. I normally worked for someone else and this was a way to get started; a franchise helps you jump-start a business,” Milne said. “I’ve been in this nine years. The economy was not the greatest when I started. It was difficult at first, but the last couple of years it has been nothing but referrals and repeat business.”

David Rosen is the owner of the Griswold Home Care franchise in Hollidaysburg. He also owns two other Griswold franchises.

“I was a do-it-yourself type of person and I wanted to be more of a franchise person. I liked the idea of partnership. The company was moving in the right direction, and I felt it was a solid company,” Rosen said. “Partnerships bring some expertise and help you achieve success. For me, I really liked the mix and felt it was a good fit.”

Owning a franchise has advantages.

According to the International Franchise Association, owning a franchise allows you to go into business for yourself, but not by yourself. A franchise provides franchisees with a certain level of independence where they can operate their business. A franchise provides an established product or service that might already enjoy widespread brand-name recognition. This gives the franchisee the benefits of a pre-sold customer base that would ordinarily takes years to establish. A franchise can increase the chance of business success because it is associated with proven products and methods. Franchises also offer consumers the attraction of a certain level of quality and consistency because it is mandated by the franchise agreement.

“You have a proven product and the system is in place. You don’t have to re-invent the wheel, just follow the system and try to improve on it in your local market. It comes down to hiring the right people and training them and serving the customers,” Folcarelli said.

But there can be some disadvantages to owning  a franchise.

The franchisee is not completely independent. Franchisees are required to operate their businesses according to the procedures and restrictions set forth by the franchisor in the franchisee agreement. These restrictions usually include the products or services which can be offered, pricing and geographic territory, according to the IFA.

“You have to recognize that you don’t have the luxury to mess with branding and changes,” Rosen said.

Owning a franchise can take a lot of work.

“You do put in a lot of long hours. In this small business, you are the HR guy, the purchasing guy, the sales guy. There is a lot more responsibility than at a larger company. You wear all of the hats,” Folcarelli said.

It is important to do your research before purchasing a franchise.

“Do your homework on any franchise. There are good ones, there are bad ones, there are great ones and horror stories out there,” Milne said.

The first step is to develop a business plan.

“There are many franchise businesses to choose from. What are the types of businesses that appeal to you that also meet your personal and financial goals in your business plan? Lastly, get advice from a qualified franchise attorney before accepting any franchise offers or signing any franchise agreements,” Reynolds said.

“Check out the company as a whole, its financial situation, how long they have been in business, what kind of talent do they have. Talk to other franchise owners to see if they are willing to talk to you about the franchise. Talk to new ones and others who have been in it for three to five years to get their perspective on the franchise,” Rosen said. “I looked at four or five organizations; Griswold emerged for me. I liked its vision and mission of serving people.”

Reynolds said it is not difficult to get a franchise.

“There are franchises available for less than $100,000, and others for more than $1 million. It’s important to consider a franchise business that meets your personal and financial goals and plans,” Reynolds said.

Click here to see more from altoonamirror.com.

Why Franchisees are Thankful for NTY Franchise Company

#thankful

From opening their stores to growing their businesses, find out what franchisees appreciate most about working with NTY Franchise Company:

“I’m thankful for franchising! Combining my entrepreneurship passion with best practices, systems and tools from a proven franchisor is a winning combination. 2016 was a great year! Our great DP Pit Crew worked incredibly hard with our wonderful customers, helping them to economize and optimize their digital life (computers, tablets and cell phones).” – Bradley R. Swenson, Device Pitstop Maple Grove

“Being a franchisee with NTY’s Clothes Mentor fulfills my dream of being my own boss while giving me the safety net of industry experts who are just as invested in my success as I am. I couldn’t imagine opening a business any other way.” – Jennifer Walters, Clothes Mentor Torrance

“This year we feel even more thankful than previous years. By opening our Clothes Mentor franchise, we fulfilled our dream of having a family business, and have the opportunity to spend more time together as well. Being a franchise owner has given us the opportunity to save for our retirement and provide long-term job security for our son. Our #Dream2016 has come through.” – Pieter de Smidt, Clothes Mentor Sugarland

“Being part of a franchise provides a broader opportunity for success, and gives an established brand to build on. I’m thankful for the partnership, resources, technology and ongoing support from the franchise I am partnered with.” – Shasta Webber, Children’s Orchard Huntersville

“There are so many things we love about franchising. One aspect is that we have a blueprint of how to run our business. We have other people in a like businesses to learn from and share ideas. We feel like we have an extended family in our relationships with our franchise companies and our employees. We could not do everything alone.” – Randi Zied, Clothes Mentor North Olmsted, Strongsville and Mayfield Heights

“We are thankful to show our children (ages 9-16) how to own a business. We’re thankful they’ll see how much hard work is required, how important good character is and what a blessing it is to work together as a family!” – Kathy and Lane Bosley, Clothes Mentor Tyler

“Franchising gives me the flexibility to make more family time. There are no clocks to punch, no supervisor to decline vacation requests.” – Brad Peterson, Device Pitstop Burnsville

“We are thankful for a franchise with a proven track record to give us the confidence to open multiple, very successful businesses. By following the ‘resale-retail recipe’ provided, we are not forced to build a business model from the ground up, but to utilize the wealth of knowledge our franchisor has handed to us to create our own businesses in our market and have the freedom to be creative and find ways to improve even more on operating our own individual stores.” – Shawn and Alyssa Cox, Clothes Mentor Charlotte Arboretum, Charlotte Midtown and Rock Hill

“I have owned several startup businesses (none of which were franchises) and it is a lot of work, more than people may think. I have now just started a Device Pitstop franchise and I am very thankful because they have taken every process and made it flawless. While I own my own business, I have a team of experts to lean on at all times. Priceless!” – Matt Paperi, Device Pitstop Overland Park

“After just spending 90 minutes with my franchise operations manager, I feel like I have a focused business strategy to wrap up 2016. And he planted seeds for me to start developing my 2017 business goals. I am thankful for having a built-in, business-savvy coach who wants us to succeed as much as we do.” – Chris Barnett, Clothes Mentor Springfield and West Chester

“People are always searching for that thing in life that provides them the opportunity to succeed. Franchising allows you to obtain independence through the fruits of your own efforts.” – Mike Thorn, Clothes Mentor Cordova

“I am thankful for the continued support from NTY with system updates and resources. Support like this is critical for the franchisees to keep up with and stay ahead of new technology. It also allows us time to focus on our store and marketing.” – Joe Ferrazzo, Device Pitstop Maplewood

“I’m thankful for deciding to open a franchise, because name recognition and corporate support from experienced franchisors, are two important factors to a successful business.” – Karla Fitzpatrick, Clothes Mentor Burnsville

“We are thankful to have found the opportunity to own a franchise CM store. Because of this, we moved back to our home state of Oklahoma to be near family, which encouraged more family to move here, too. We doubt this would have happened in the three years we’ve been here, without this major life change.” – Mike and Melanie Harris, Clothes Mentor Edmond

“We are thankful to have an opportunity to buy quality, stylish clothing from customers and then sell them at affordable prices.” – Jennifer Small, Clothes Mentor Portage

“They make the hard stuff easy!” – Scott Stansbury, Device Pitstop Anchorage

“I’m thankful that our franchise is here in our community for all women and all sizes. Our Clothes Mentor has helped women create new styles and a new sense of confidence when it comes to their fashion needs. We are thankful to be a part of that new confidence.” – Michael and Wyndy Reese, Clothes Mentor Jonesboro

“I am thankful that our Black Friday Sale is completed, on the Saturday before official Black Friday. It was very successful thanks to creative thinking of our corporate staff. “ – Don Leventhal, Clothes Mentor Bloomington

“We operate in a crowded market and I am not sure how I would break through if I didn’t have marketing support from the franchise. I wouldn’t be able to rise above the noise. From professionally designed materials to creative sales strategies, I am thankful that I have the franchise marketing support and I am not spending hours—no, days—trying to do it all myself.” – Chris Barnett, Clothes Mentor West Chester and Springfield