Business Franchise articles from June 2009

Business Franchise archives from June 2009

The new nest egg.(EDITOR'S column)
June 1, 2009... DARLING'S TINKERING with the budget this month offered little to ease the pensions and savings meltdown. Many Britons are still facing poor returns on pension investments and inadequate State contributions. And all this has got the franchise...

The 90s are back!(Franchise news)
June 1, 2009... A RECESSION is a good time to buy a property franchise, according to property expert Sarah Walker of Platinum Property Partners (PPP), as the next 12 to 24 months are going to be a 'golden time' to buy property for those who have the means and...

Father and son.(Franchise news)
June 1, 2009... RECOGNITION EXPRESS franchisee Paul Slack has produced school leavers hoodies for his son's school. Enterprising head boy, Ollie Slack, picked up a leaflet offering hoodies for school leavers, and asked his businessman dad if he could come...

New launch.(Franchise news)
June 1, 2009... SALAD BAR, Tossed, has opened two franchise sites in London and plans to open a further six in 2009. Tossed specialises in fleshly tossed-to-order salads, as well as smoothies, wraps and other healthy and nutritionally balanced, freshly...

Stat-O-meter: the business start-up sector remained robust in 2008, according to Barclays.(Franchise news)
June 1, 2009... STAT-O-METER The business start-up sector remained robust in 2008, according to Barclays Number of new business start-ups 2.9m Increase in number of female-run start-ups 9% Increase in...

The R-word.(Franchise news)
June 1, 2009... Q: What impact has the recession so far? Recognition Express franchisee Jan Childley "I am amazed that it has not affected my business, in fact it is the opposite. People are very aware of the need to promote their businesses and to...

Living the life.(Franchise news)
June 1, 2009... NEW STATISTICS reveal that 70 per cent of small firm owners are not altering their lifestyles in the recession, according to independent financier Bibby. The research revealed that 49 per cent are not cutting back on expensive items such...

Quote of the month.(Franchise news)
June 1, 2009... "I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken. Sir Alan Sugar talking to Jan Moir of the Daily Mail.

Get a slice of Papa John's.(NEWS SHORTS)
June 1, 2009... Papa John's, the world's third largest pizza company, has reported a very positive start to 2009. Like-for-like sales were up 8.5 per cent and 10 new stores have been opened, taking the total number of Papa John's to 128 in the UK and Ireland....

From franchisee to CEO.(NEWS SHORTS)
June 1, 2009... YogaBugs has appointed its Birmingham franchisee Mark Goode as CEO, after successfully running the children's franchise for the last 12 months. Lara said: "Those that have met Mark will know that he likes to lead from the front and play a...

Sweet success.(NEWS SHORTS)
June 1, 2009... Thorntons has seen strong growth since Christmas, with like-for-like sales rising by 3.3 per cent. The 97-year-old chocolatier, which has 381 stores, said overall sales are up I 1.7 per cent to 58.6 million [pounds sterling].

Care franchise welcomes Panorama's findings.(Franchise news)
June 1, 2009... BLUEBIRD CARE has welcomed Panorama's undercover investigation into the neglect of the elderly in three British home care companies, condemning the shortfalls in service. Franchisee Tim Roberts said: "I realise that it will inevitably...

Calling male franchisees.(Franchise news)
June 1, 2009... RAZZAMATAZ IS calling for more male franchisees to encourage more boys to join its theatre schools. Carlisle franchisee Denise Hutton-Gosney said: "I was intrigued to read Business Franchise's news story on the under-representation of...

Lessons learned.(Franchise news)
June 1, 2009... What can we learn from 'Britain's brightest business prospects' on the Apprentice this month? On test: Sales ability ARMED WITH self-belief, confidence and skills to set the sales floor on fire, why then did three of the contestants in...

Franchising: the new pension plan?(British Franchise Association)
June 1, 2009... FOLLOWING THE recent meltdown of retirement savings, the director general of the bfa, Brian Smart, has spoken out highlighting the "long-term security" of franchising, but warns it is "not a straight replacement for a pension". Brian said:...

Events not to be missed.(British Franchise Association)(Calendar)
June 1, 2009... WITH US already well into the second quarter of 2009, some key Ida events are now almost upon us. This year, more than ever, it is important to be looking at sharing knowledge, best practice and building a stronger network of contacts. If you...

Franchisor of the Year awards' finalists announced.(British Franchise Association)
June 1, 2009... THE FINALISTS for this year's Franchisor of the Year awards have been announced by The British Franchise Association (bfa). The nine franchises short-listed have invested time and money into securing the future of their business and the...

Two's company: Lisa Bennett's LighterLife franchise has been so successful, her husband's bought one too!(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 10,000 [pounds sterling] to 20,000 [pounds sterling)(Cover story)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LISA BENNETT is a passionate weight-management counsellor who took up the LighterLife franchise opportunity in 2006. She has such belief in her business, her ability to make a rear difference to people's lives, and...

Franchising goes forth: Rob McKinlay speaks to three ex-servicemen to find out why the battleground is an ideal training ground for running a franchise.(MAIN FEATURE)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE RECENT British Army TV recruitment campaign won't have passed many people by, and neither will the army motto: 'Be the best'. Perhaps it's this drive for success installed into the country's armed forces...

Green finger franchises: revitalise your physical and financial wellbeing in the great outdoors with a gardening and landscaping franchise.(MARKET FOCUS)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NOW THAT the season is changing and spring is well and truly in the air, it seems the perfect time to consider a job in the great outdoors. If you have been sitting cramped at your desk for far too long and are fed...

Singing and silliness! Take advantage of Whizz Bang Pop's special offer to run a pilot franchise operation.(NEW LAUNCH: Franchises under 10,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IF YOU'VE had enough of sitting at a desk from nine to five and are looking for a rewarding new challenge, children's entertainment franchise Whizz Bang Pop could be the franchise you've been looking for. Whizz...

A clean profit: franchisee Lee Andrews reveals why he is still smiling with Autosheen Professional Car Cleaning.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 10,000 [pounds sterling] to 20,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AUTOSHEEN PROFESSIONAL Car Cleaning franchisee Lee Andrews is a man in his element. He is mad about cars and is paid handsomely for the cane he lavishes on the prestige and super cars he valets each week. "I have...

Scottish Franchise Showcase 2009: show guide.
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 5 JUNE 2009, THE GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL Welcome to Scotland The Scottish Franchise Showcase is an unmissable event for all those looking to get into...

A bite of the cherry: Helen Lincoln was looking for a life less ordinary and got exactly that with The Cherry Tree selling luxury food produce.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 10,000 [pounds sterling] to 20,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HELEN LINCOLN and partner Graham Tisley spent five years travelling the world; following a stint teaching English in Thailand, they decided to return to the UK. However, Helen knew she didn't want to return to her...

Knight 'n' shining Agas: Ovenclean franchisee Mike Bull has brought the spark back to households all around.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 10,000 [pounds sterling] to 20,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OVENCLEAN FRANCHISEE Mike Bull is something of a hit with the ladies but it's not his good looks or rippling muscles that have them failing over themselves asking for his phone number, it's his talent in the kitchen...

Revive your life: as a previous employee of Revive! Rob knew he was taking a safe step when he bought his franchise.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 10,000 [pounds sterling] to 20,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FRANCHISEE ROB Thorpe began his career with Revive! as an employee in 2004. He believed in the business so much that when the chance came for him to buy a franchise, he grasped the opportunity firmly with both hands,...

No-frills fitness: get Fit4less: energie's innovative response to the challenging times.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 10,000 [pounds sterling] to 20,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ENERGIE GROUP offers an exciting range of fitness franchise opportunities, including the original award-winning energie fitness clubs franchise, offering a full service fitness dub package. Energie also offers the...

Blinding result! Apollo Blinds has been nominated for the coveted British Franchise Association's Franchisor of the Year award.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 10,000 [pounds sterling] to 20,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ATA time when other businesses may be cutting back, Apollo Blinds has been rewarded for adopting a bold position: investing for the future by offering its franchisees practical support and new revenue streams to help...

Crime busters: in just four months, Bryn Glassford's Cava Guard Group franchise is expanding as he commits to a further two territories.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RICHARD PAYNTON started Cava Guard Group in his bedroom in 2002. He grew the security solutions company from being just himself and Mal Ullah (now senior operations manager) to becoming one of the largest key holding...

Full speed ahead: avid motorbike racer Robin Mckee is speeding to success with Select Franchising.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WITH 17 years' experience in small, medium and global recruitment companies, Robin Mckee identified his own ideal role running his staffing business with the backing of the UK's leading recruitment franchison Select...

A fresh start: take a new career path to happiness with ComputerXplorers.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] REDUNDANCY IS becoming a common occurence and, although many of us wish to escape it, it can be a real blessing in disguise--a chance to follow a long-held dream or look for something better. However, in the current...

In safe hands: Belvoir founder reveals how his military background will ensure the franchise continues to prosper.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT IS 14 years since Mike Goddard and his wife Stephanie founded Belvoir, the Lincolnshire based residential lettings agency. Today Belvoir has more than 140 franchises and is one of the largest independent...

A Happy Plaice to work: selling fresh fish and chips in rural areas is a lucrative business, as The Happy Plaice franchisee Debby Staines discovered.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE HAPPY Plaice story began when franchisor Karen Martell decided to rescue what was once a "shabby old van" that sold fish and chips to local villages. Karen explains: "The pleasant chap who ran the business had...

Feel good factor: rewarding, challenging and flexible is how Jill Johnson describes her Pauline May franchise.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PAULINE MAY is a business that involves selling clothing to the elderly in care homes. Franchisee of two years Jill Johnson describes it as a franchise with the "feel good factor". A former company director, Jill has...

The future's bright: why Managing Director Mike Parker is confident Minster Cleaning Services will ride the recession.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MIKE PARKER'S previous experience in the corporate banking sector has placed him in good stead for running Minster Cleaning Services. "There are a surprising number of similarities; both involve managing for profit...

Happy families: Russell Golding is enjoying a new lease of life since buying a Recognition Express franchise following redundancy.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FRANCHISEE RUSSELL Golding, 40, lives in Maulden in Bedfordshire with his wife Sally and their two children, Charlotte, I 0 and George, eight. Russell had been working for a leading media organisation in the City for...

The corporate way: help small businesses cut IT costs and solve problems as an Accelerator franchisee.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THERE'S NO getting away from the fact that pretty much every business now needs IT to some degree, but it can be costly for small businesses to implement an efficient, corporate-level system for a small team of...

The time is ripe: see your labours come to fruition with a Riverford Organic Vegetables franchise.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FROM A wheelbarrow in Devon to 50,000 weekly deliveries around the UK, the Watson family has farmed at Riverford in Devon since 1951. Inspired by walking the fields and picking supper for family and friends, youngest...

Family business: a GreenThumb franchise is the perfect fit for family life in more ways than one ...(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 30,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHEN MARTIN Riches decided to buy a GreenThumb franchise, he sums up what many may think: "Starting a new business in the middle of a recession? Some people must think I'm mad." Launched on 1 May 2009, Martin and...

Low costs, high earnings: interested in earning in excess of 100,000 [pounds sterling]? One in five Auditel franchisees do ...(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] STABLISHED IN 1994, Auditel is one of the UK's leading home-based franchises specialising in cost and purchase management. Its consultants' expertise ranges from premise overheads to human resources where they help...

Cartridge wheel of fortune: discover what's behind the blueprint of success at Cartridge World.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises from 20,000 [pounds sterling] to 50,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... MANY PEOPLE decide to start their own franchises during difficult economic times, perhaps driven by the desire to be in control of their career following a redundancy, which may have provided a lump sum of money. An established franchise...

The proof is in the pizza: Alan Mason on why a Papa John's franchise is a secure investment.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises over 100,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "FRANCHISING IS always a great option for anyone looking to start their own business, but it is especially attractive in an economic downturn because it takes away a lot of the risk," says Papa John's Director of...

Get aboard: packing and shipping franchise Pack & Send has arrived in the UK following huge success in Australia.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises over 100,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RETAIL PACKING and shipping company, Pack & Send specialises in the handling of fragile, large, awkward, and valuable items, and has a proven success record in its native Australian market. Pack & Send is now...

Talent pool: McDonald's explains why it is still investing in employees during the economic downturn.(FRANCHISE FOCUS: Franchises over 100,000 [pounds sterling])
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE STATE of the economy means that it's tough for everyone at the moment, and doing business on the high street is no exception, However, as McDonald's franchisees operate on 20-year...

Home and dry: by quitting his City job, Neil Mansell dodged the economic storm and is now basking in a bright future with Platinum Property Partners.(FRANCHISEE CLOSE-UP)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IN 2006, Neil Mansell was working as a business development manager in the City--a job that offered few opportunities for advancement. Just three years later, Neil has his own property investment franchise with a...

Recognition Express: exceptional resale opportunities.(RESALE OF THE MONTH)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Recognition Express is a major UK Franchisor and very proud of our franchising credentials * bfa member since 1980 * Franchisor of the Year award winner...

What if your franchisor fails? In his first installment on what to do if things go wrong, Manzoor Ishani lists your rights if your franchisor fails.(LEGAL ADVISE: Franchisee rights)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FRANCHISORS ARE not immune to failure and there are a number of reasons why they may fail. Principal reasons amongst these are: * The franchisor may be a very good businessman, but a bad franchisor. * The...

Franchise advice: Q&A.
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE PANEL Dr Joanne Larry Joanne is a lecturer and researcher at Lancaster University, and is the course organiser for an undergraduate module on franchising, Her PhD examined the careers and working lives...

The sum of all fears: legal expert Elise Billy reveals all you need to know about franchise fees and minimum performance targets.(FRANCHISE ADVICE: HOT topic)
June 1, 2009... FRANCHISING CAN be particularly attractive in uncertain times like these; it allows you to become an entrepreneur, but with reduced risk and with support from an established business. However, the economic climate also means you should be...

Solid as a rock: some of the most successful franchisees are the ones that go beyond the support provided by the franchisor. Marketing guru Sarah Cook offers her top tips on going the extra marketing mile.(BEST practice)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT IS believed that when one in two business start-ups fail in their first two years, failure is attributed to inadequate marketing, cash flow, poor planning and an unfamiliar brand. It's a little easier in...

Take ten event franchises: from fish and chips to go-karting and shoe parties--an events-management franchise could be the fun-filled career you've been searching for.(TAKE ten)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Phat Pasty Company The Phat Van delivers freshly baked traditional Cornish pasties, high quality homemade sandwiches, baguettes, salads and soups to local offices, industrial estates and local events. 'Phat...

Franchise services.(Directory)
June 1, 2009... Consultants The Howarth Franchising Group Brian Duckett t: 0870 458 6682 e: info@howarthfranchising.com www.franchise-consultants.com Locations covered: UK and Worldwide The Howarth Franchising Group provides an...

A-Z franchise directory.(Directory)
June 1, 2009... Key terms * Number of outlets Current number of franchise units in network * bfa member status Franchisor's level of bfa accreditation * Initial franchise fee Initial amount paid to...