Another franchise success story

At FranNet, we love a good success story. And in today's FranNet Blog, we read about yet another story about someone who has had a long successful career, but yearned for something more. Enjoy!

FranNet Success Story: Anatomy of a Career Switch at 60

Like millions of Americans, Richard Kerr suffered an economic blow in 2008. The commercial real estate pro had 30 years invested in a career he believed would be his last.

Then the California real estate industry tanked. He had to take action — sooner rather than later.

“It was tough, especially in the beginning,” Kerr says. “I was forced to leave a career that was my passion. At one point I lost over $1 million in accounts in one month.”

READ ENTIRE STORY HERE

Meet the Franchisors in Louisville 10/19

Online Ticketing for Meet the Franchisors - October 19th powered by Eventbrite

Have you missed an opportunity?

"I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one."  ~Mark Twain

Do you ever kick around, mumbling about lost opportunities? Have you had opportunities slip through your hands without even recognizing what they were?

The thing about opportunities is that they don't tend to hang around. They need to be snatched.


Whether it's a new career, a new love, or a new financial opportunity, you have to take the chance. Step out of that comfort zone, and risk it.

Child Service Franchises are Hot in Louisville and Beyond

A fairly new type of franchise has been on an upswing nationwide. Here's a great article explaining what it is!

FranNet Sees Spike in Child Services Franchises

Children never go out of style; nor does the desire of parents to give them the best. Child-focused franchises that specialize in extracurricular offerings such as tutoring, art instruction and physical activities, including karate, are hot and getting hotter.


FranNet consultants across the U.S. and Canada are seeing increased interest in services and companies geared toward children, even in a tough economy. This sector has emerged as a success story of the post-recession economy, a trend the Franchise Business Review documented in a recent research report.

READ ENTIRE STORY HERE 

What is Success?

How about this little quote from someone you probably heard from:

"Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom."  ~George Smith Patton

When you start a business, whether a franchise or start-up, you will experience failure.  How you bounce back will determine your success.


Thanks, General!

A Franchise Expert

What do we do at FranNet? We help you find the right franchise opportunity for you...and we do it for free! Whether you're in Louisville, Kentucky, or Austin Texas, the service is the same. Following is an interview with a franchise expert from FranNet. 

An Interview with FranNet Consultant Merri Cronk

Merri Cronk started out with a career in the racing industry. She took a sharp turn when she switched to a franchising career as a FranNet consultant.

Cronk fell in love with franchising because of its potential to improve the lives of people on multiple levels – economical, personal and professional. Also important was that it offered her a better quality of life with her husband and two children. She’s thrilled with the work-life balance she’s achieved since becoming a franchise owner.

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

Emerging Technology Makes Owning A Business Easier Than Ever

The following is a post from the FranNet blog describing how technology is making business ownership easier than ever.


Emerging Technologies Radically Lower Start-up Costs, Overhead for Franchisees


It’s a widespread phenomenon with no end in sight. Technology is driving down the cost of buying a franchise – way down.


The avalanche of super-fast and integrated technologies is long and getting longer — smartphones, GPS systems, social networks, the Internet cloud and embedded digital technologies are just a few. These emergent technologies lower the costs of starting and running a franchise whether it’s by reducing errors and waste, making communication faster and easier or streamlining training, billing and customer service.

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

Meet the Franchisors Workshop in Lexington

You are invited to the Lexington Area's FREE

"Meet the Franchisors Workshop"

June 15th

2:00pm - 4:00pm

or

6:00pm - 8:00pm

Sponsored by FranNet of MidAmerica

Two sessions with a great opportunity to meet franchisors who are eager to enter the Lexington Market.  If you want the freedom of owning your own business this workshop is for you!

Meet executives from award winning franchises experiencing nationwide growth:

•  2011 Franchise Growth Areas and Trends
•  Semi-absentee, Single, multiple and master territory opportunities
•  Executive models - White Collar / Scalable (Manage the Managers)
•  Business to business (B2B) and Retail Personal Services
•  Retirement alternatives
•  Latest developments in franchise financing
•  Speakers from SCORE and SBDC will be joining us to share their expertise on entrepreneurship

Learn how FranNet uses proprietary Franchise Assessment software and personal coaching to determine the best franchise fit for YOU!

Franchisors will share information covering growth trends, what sets them apart, details on their history of success, experience requirements and why their owner's are thriving.

An expert in franchise funding will address how your retirement funds can be used tax and penalty free in conjunction with other popular financing options.

Food and beverages will be provided by the Franchisors and you will have an opportunity to speak directly with the franchise executives.

Seating is limited.  Reserve your seat today.

Register HERE 

This story is from the FranNet Blog...

Corporate Execs Eyeing Career Changes 

FranNet, ExecuNet team up to meet growing demand for top-level guidance

Scores of high-ranking corporate executives are considering starting or buying a business, creating an historic opportunity for franchise companies looking for new talent.

C-suite interest in career alternatives also is boosting demand for companies that counsel senior-level personnel, and FranNet has teamed up with another premier North American provider to give them individualized attention.

click HERE for entire story

Rainmakers networking event

Rainmakers is holding their "Main Event" on Wednesday, May 11 at the Riverbend Winery, 120 South 10th Street in Louisville. It starts at 5:30pm.

It's a fun and productive opportunity to network. If you haven't been to one before, we highly recommend it.

The event is free to 1st and 2nd time visitors, and $35 for others.

Three 2011 trends to watch

Whether you're here in Louisville, Kentucky, or anywhere else in the world, you need to watch for trends. As someone who connects people with franchises, I am always especially interested in future trends. Here is a FranNet blog post that spots three trends you need to be aware of:

Three 2011 trends to watch

Moving into this quarter, it’s interesting to think about predicted trends for 2011 in regard to small businesses and franchising. The last few years haven’t been kind to the US – skyrocketing unemployment, recession, abysmal credit market for startup loans, to name a few of our less-than-finest hours.

But US ingenuity still runs true and the entrepreneurial streak hasn’t been lost completely. This year there will be three trends to continue watching out for....

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

Louisville Venture Sharks Event

Venture Club Louisville Kicks Off 2011 Venture Sharks Event with a $5000 Grand Prize

The “Venture Sharks” will be swimming in Louisville on April 20, 2011 and then again on May 4, 2011.  Inspired by ABC’s popular weekly show Shark Tank, hungry entrepreneurs seeking funding for their business plans will fend for themselves against a panel of savvy investor sharks fishing for the next great deal.

Read entire story HERE

glimmer of hope for franchises

Franchising suffered a downturn during the recent economic slump—a slide that surprised many in the industry.

“Typically during a recession the franchise sector of the economy has done pretty well,” says Joe Sheyka, a partner in the Chicago office of law firm DLA Piper LLP and chairman of the Illinois Bar Assn.'s franchise and distribution committee.

This recession has proved different.

READ ENTIRE STORY HERE

A word of advice on offering your employees advice

This was a great article I came across. It touches on a subject that is a real minefield in business ownership. Enjoy!

Should I Give That Advice

by Sharlyn Lauby

 

A group of managers were having a conversation about giving advice.  It was obvious from the conversation their hearts were full of good intentions.  They’re experienced and smart.  And giving advice to someone else is their way of saying, “don’t make the same mistakes I made.”

On the surface, it sounds like a great idea.
Giving advice is tricky.  And one person’s attempt to help can be interpreted as unwanted or condenscending.

Here’s an example.  I once worked with a group of district managers who supervised a staff of field managers.  Most of the district managers had been promoted from the field manager position.  So they knew the field manager’s job....

READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

Leather and plastics restoration franchise

FranNet Franchise Spotlight of the Month

Are you starting the New Year with a dream? A dream of owning your own business? At FranNet, we try to make that dream come true for you!

Every month, we host a 60 minute webinar which offers a look at a different, successful franchise. This month, we look at the Leather and Plastics Restoration business. This is one of the hottest, most versatile businesses on the market. It's perfect for someone who wants a monday-friday business, and can be operated with very few or no employees.  And, because the products and equipment needed are so compact, most run the business out of their minivan.

This FREE WEBINAR is on January 13, from 7-8pm.

Register HERE.

Call 502-561-0620 with any questions