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Browse our selection of franchise articles and features to help further your knowledge in opening and operating a franchise business. Our exclusive features cover the , , , , , , and site of the franchise business. Written by the editorial team that produces Franchise Update Magazine and Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine, the franchise industries premier magazines.

Over the past several years, we have spoken with business owners around the country who had decided they had reached the point of being ready to leave their businesses. However, no one was stepping up to provide them the exit results they wanted. These owners had spent all of their time aggressively working in their business, but had spent little time aggressively working on how they would eventually exit their business. They found themselves late in the game with few options to achieve their exit objectives. Simply put, they were too late.
  • Andrew D. Horowitz, CPhD, and Nicholas K. Niemann, Esq.
  • 5,195 Reads 1,015 Shares
In my inaugural column as chair of the 2009 Multi-Unit Franchising Conference (right around the corner from April 15-17 at the Bellagio in Las Vegas), I wrote "I think it is important, more than ever, that multi-unit owners like ourselves have the opportunity to hear from others dealing with similar challenges, and to network with them in an open, informal setting. Because as hard as it might have been for some of us last year, the times are even more difficult as we head into 2009."
  • Gary Grace
  • 3,199 Reads
It's no surprise that multi-concept franchising continues to soar. So much so, that for a second consecutive year, we have devoted an issue of Multi-Unit Franchisee to covering it in detail. This high-flying approach to expansion is growing in popularity for a multitude of reasons. As a growth strategy it offers more units, brands, territory, and income--while spreading risk across the different concepts in a franchisee company's portfolio. Multi-concept operators typically have a solid infrastructure in place that, among other things, allows them to hire and retain talented individuals by providing growth paths within the organization. And of course there's the leverage of economies of scale in this type of operation.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 5,571 Reads 1 Shares
First, let's set the record straight on what's going on. This isn't just a credit crunch crisis. It may have been triggered by credit issues, but it is much bigger than that now and won't be solved by governments throwing money at it, although that is a necessary first step. This crisis will get solved when consumer income and debt levels can support a stable level of demand, not just in the U.S., but worldwide.
  • Darrell Johnson
  • 3,165 Reads 3 Shares
Everyone knows what the McDonald's logo looks like and what the "Golden Arches" represent. No matter where you go in the world, if you set foot inside a McDonald's you can order a Big Mac or Quarter Pounder and know exactly what it's going to taste like. Established brand awareness, reliability, and uniformity are part of the power of franchising.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 36,808 Reads 3 Shares
There may be some lag time, but experts note that every recession since the 1950s--with its rising unemployment and weakened economy--has been tied to an increase in crime, most notably property crimes and robbery.
  • Rollie Trayte and Gary Widman
  • 4,621 Reads 22 Shares
When franchise sellers seek exit strategies, they most often look to strategic buyers, other franchisees, their franchisor, or financial investors such as private equity as potential buyers for their businesses.
  • Dean Zuccarello
  • 3,623 Reads 5 Shares
Franchise Update Media Group (FUMG), the leading industry resource for franchise development, is sponsoring the premier event in multi-unit franchising, the 8th Annual Multi-Unit Franchising Conference, April 15-17, 2009 at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. This is the only conference in the country with an exclusive focus on multi-unit franchising, the fastest-growing sector in the industry, where franchisors can meet and network with successful multi-unit franchisees looking for new opportunities.
  • Press Release
  • 3,299 Reads 1 Shares
Greg Hamer, Sr. grew up working in his father's Louisiana oilfield service business. But in 1982, he began to put time and money into growing a franchise business that has since grown to 50 locations.
  • John Carroll
  • 6,197 Reads 3 Shares
For over a year, the headlines have been rife with dire warnings that seem to indicate the demise of the world as we know it. For example, we learned that in June we experienced the worst percentage decline in the broad market averages since the Great Depression. We also discovered that home prices are declining faster than at any time in recorded history, and that debt levels (personal and governmental) have never been so high--nor have gas prices, even factoring in inflation. Gold is going through the roof and the dollar is falling through the floor. Corn, copper, steel, soybeans, etc. are shattering more records than Michael Phelps. And woe is us: flu season is right around the corner. Could this be the year of the "Great Pandemic"? It's no wonder that consumer confidence has dropped to multi-decade lows, and that stock markets around the world are misbehaving. But what could actually go right as a result of this upheaval?
  • Carol Clark
  • 4,167 Reads 73 Shares
German beer makers are often cited as the originators of franchising. Dating back to 1800s Europe, many beer makers granted pubs and taverns the rights to sell and use their name. In fact, the word "franchise" is a French derivative meaning privilege or freedom.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 36,306 Reads 9 Shares
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As you may recall, in my last column I asked if the hiring managers in your organization know the answers to the 15 questions that make all the difference between success and failure in recruiting, selecting, and retaining the best employees. Here now are the answers.
  • Mel Kleiman
  • 4,405 Reads 1,014 Shares
Technology tools have become a mainstay for every multi-unit franchisee, used for planning, budgeting, forecasting, and many other daily activities. Today franchisees are embracing technology for demographic research and site selection.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 6,150 Reads 259 Shares
I have a suggestion that will raise your odds of winning--and it won't cost you any money. To clarify what I mean by improving your probability of winning, let me contrast that with an example of winning by chance.
  • Jack Mackey
  • 6,041 Reads 1,014 Shares
The multi-unit operators highlighted in this issue of have gained both market dominance and respect for their achievements. Wouldn't it be nice to follow in their footsteps? How does one go about doing so? Bookstores are full of how-to books on every aspect of strategic and tactical business building. Yet, ultimately, it mostly comes down to trial and error because the single biggest factor is you and the people around you in your company.
  • Darrell Johnson
  • 3,858 Reads 23 Shares
I will never forget as we clustered around a single Quotron watching as market prices plunged more than 23 percent on that fateful day back in 1987. I was a rookie analyst in a trust department and distinctly remember the shock and horror that everyone, from newly minted analysts to gray-haired veterans, felt as we watched the seemingly impossible happen right before our eyes. Honestly, having survived one "500-year flood" event, I never imagined I'd still be in the business when another came along.
  • Carol Clark
  • 3,993 Reads 2 Shares
It was like a gut punch for Charlie Marshall. In less than a year's time, the Spring-Green Lawn Care multi-unit franchisee went from paying $12 per bag for lawn fertilizer to more than $25 per bag. "That will make you look for ways to streamline and cut costs," says Marshall. To add insult to injury, gasoline prices were skyrocketing, making it even more expensive to fire up his seven trucks and dispatch crews to care for his customers' lawns each day.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 4,678 Reads 1 Shares
About 20 years ago, Greg Cutchall learned a crucial lesson. An investor group he worked with forced him out of a chain of KFC restaurants in Omaha, units he had operated and helped to build. That fired him up to make things happen for himself.
  • John Carroll
  • 5,290 Reads 1 Shares
When you have only one location, it's pretty easy to work both in your business as well as on it. When you have two locations, most often it's still doable--you can manage it. Almost without exception, however, when you get to three or more locations, you'll find yourself stretched way past your limits. You will be so busy working in your business that you won't have any time to work on it, and that's a recipe for disaster. When the disasters start piling up, it's past time to recruit the unit-level managers (ULMs) you need to keep things running smoothly and help you grow your business.
  • Mel Kleiman
  • 4,403 Reads 22 Shares
Reciprocity Restaurant Group President Lyndon Johnson good-naturedly lets new acquaintances have a little fun with his name. That's because he's fine with his name. "I can think of a lot worse people to share a name with," says Johnson.
  • Debbie Selinsky
  • 7,543 Reads 251 Shares
"One day I had 1,000 people, the next day I had a hair salon with 5 stylists," says Richard Bielecki, Fantastic Sams regional owner for South Texas and New Mexico.
  • Eddy Goldberg
  • 4,135 Reads 18 Shares
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As a marketing expert for a string of fast food chains, Bill Welter learned his craft under "three wonderful kingmakers" of the franchising world: Ray Kroc, Colonel Harland Sanders, and Dave Thomas. But it wasn't until Welter got inside the four walls of his own restaurant that he understood the true nature of the business and the keys to its success.
  • John Carroll
  • 6,966 Reads 1 Shares
In his earlier life as a CPA for a pharmaceutical company, Gary Vega traveled the world extensively. Spending so much time on the company's dime allowed him to stash away his own income until the right opportunity arrived to start his own restaurant business.
  • John Carroll
  • 6,675 Reads
For many of us this past year has been a giant proclamation of change. The franchise industry experienced some of the largest mergers and personnel changes in recent memory. This change comes as little surprise for many of us as the economic situation, and the unsettled feelings in the political world, leave us with little option but to adapt to this new marketplace and innovative new ideas. Historically, times like these are often followed by great innovation, new businesses being formed, and a new era of technological advancement. Just as the 1980-1982 recession gave birth to the home computer market, the 1990-1991 recession gave birth to the innovation of the world wide web, the 2008 recession will bring forth a whole new wave of business. It is in our darkest hour that we have the most potential to do something remarkable. That being said we can expect 2009 to be a year for change and innovation. Before we look to the future, let's recap several key developments in the franchise industry.
  • Benjamin Foley
  • 2,076 Reads
What does one of the most successful Subway multi-unit operators, and now multi-unit operator and area developer for LA Sunset Tan, do for his next trick? Make a horror movie, of course.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 9,166 Reads 1 Shares
Customer loyalty is never more important than in turbulent times. High levels of customer satisfaction are a must to win customer loyalty. That's one reason measuring customer satisfaction is a great idea--if the numbers are real! Unfortunately, many customer satisfaction scores are unreliable.
  • Jack Mackey
  • 5,618 Reads 1,014 Shares
In these tight economic times, many multi-unit franchisees and area developers are focusing less on continuing the remarkable unit growth they've enjoyed for the past five years, and more on improving performance at their existing units. As consumer spending drops, savvy franchisees see increased royalty streams as a more attractive prospect than spending long hours with struggling franchisees, or worse, shuttering failing ones as the U.S. economy continues to sputter.
  • Eddy Goldberg
  • 5,528 Reads 218 Shares
When your grandfather is one of the co-founders of a successful franchise concept and system, it might seem natural for subsequent generations to be involved. But that wasn't always the case for Justin and Sally Haddock. "My grandfather, Jack Fulk, along with Richard Thomas, co-founded Bojangles'," says Justin. "My mother and father followed suit and they have been franchisees since 1980." In fact, his folks still operate 39 Bojangles' locations today.
  • Kerry Pipes
  • 3,343 Reads
You have several units--maybe even several brands--and you do a pretty good job of controlling your area. In fact, other franchisees in the chain often look to you for answers. And when the franchisor introduces a new product or advertising campaign your voice mail and e-mail overflow with peer requests for advice. You're a hot property for the suppliers, the franchisor, and your franchisee association or advisory council. Your franchisor spends more time with other franchisees because they see you don't need their help. You have dozens, even hundreds of employees and your share of G&A expenses. Your banker and the institutional lenders love you (for the time being), and you have more opportunities than you can evaluate.
  • Bill Hall
  • 3,371 Reads
As a potential seller seeking a liquidity event, will the current credit markets prevent me from finding a buyer/investor at an acceptable valuation multiple? Are potential buyers/investors unwilling to pursue transactions in the present financing and economic environment?
  • Dean Zuccarello
  • 4,124 Reads 8 Shares
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