A Fresh Franchise Opportunity

I recently had a chance to talk with John Bornoty, founder of  The Big Salad. If you’re looking for an exciting, and unique, franchise opportunity, this is it.

The Big Salad currently has three successful locations in Michigan (with a fourth opening this spring) and is poised for rapid expansion in Michigan and nationwide.

The Big Salad is based on a lot of fresh ideas. It was carefully designed from the very beginning to be a franchise. It’s a great choice for someone who’s ready to make a career change. No restaurant experience is required. No cooking is required. That’s just the beginning of what makes this franchise so intriguing.

Here’s what Bornoty had to say…

What makes The Big Salad Different?

“What we do is so unconventional in the traditional restaurant world. When we hire managers, we rarely bring in people with restaurant experience. We bring in people who care about people. We’re in the people business not the restaurant business. Nothing is as rewarding as seeing someone enjoy a meal. You want them to leave happy. Everything in The Big Salad environment is working to achieve that goal. (more…)

Will J.C. Penny’s New Strategy Succeed?

Yes, big changes are coming to J.C. Penney on February 1st, 2012, but can the new pricing changes save this company? So far, the teaser ads look fun and the pricing concept sounds promising, but will the consumer really believe in the new pricing policies of J.C. Penney?

Today’s consumer is very educated, and armed with powerful internet and social media tools. Consumers can go online and quickly compare pricing and reviews on any item – at any time.  Consumers also understand the value of the merchandise that they are purchasing. Just because an item has a branded label on it does not mean that all the products of that brand are of like quality. Remember, you always get what you pay for!

Consumers have also been trained to look for sales. Many only shop when they see the word SALE.  Years, ago, the auto industry started rebates and, to this day, many car shoppers still wait for rebates and incentives before making their purchase. Will the J. C. Penney shopper do the same? (more…)

Balancing Your Small Business Team

Balance is that elusive state we all crave – balance in our personal relationships, balance in our business lives.

Events in recent weeks have made me think quite a bit about a basic rule of business: choose your employees and your business partners to fill gaps in your own knowledge, style or mode of operation. Build your team with balance as a primary goal.

Small business owners often overlook the need for balance because they feel so personally connected to – and responsible for – every aspect of the business.

I just read a great post on Inc. titled, Be the Beatles, Not A Flock of Seagulls. The author, John Greathouse, makes the case perfectly as he discusses key attributes of successful startups.  He talks about the importance of group dynamics – how the different, but complementary, talents of each member of the Beatles created a balance that gave their work longevity and broad appeal.  It’s a wonderful example of what you need to do in any venture. (more…)

Positively Negative

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”  -  William Goldman, The Princess Bride

There’s a lot of negative talk going around about negativity.  First of all, let’s get one thing straight.  It’s not negative to say something could be done better – quite the opposite.

Saying something is wrong and can be fixed, or is adequate but could be better, is… POSITIVE.

You wouldn’t think it would be necessary to point this out, but I find many business owners and managers are confused as to what is really negative.  They think admitting a problem is “negative”. (more…)