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…)

Franchises – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

When Ray Kroc bought the fledgling restaurant chain called McDonalds in 1955, he had a dream and a vision. He created the most influential fast food chain in the world. Just think how many millionaires were created by his vision.

The world of franchising can open the door to wealth for those willing to seek out this opportunity, but finding and selecting the right franchise for you is a major job in itself. Selecting the wrong franchise can lead to major losses in both time and money. My first piece of advice is, do not make your franchise selection based pure emotion. Many people see a hot franchise and jump on the bandwagon because they think there’re going to be shut out of the opportunity. Slow down. Many franchises start off fresh and exciting, but those same franchises sometimes stumble and fall just as fast, or even faster, than they grew. That’s when things get ugly. (more…)

The Business of Learning

I recently listened to an intriguing series of reports on NPR  about how the dream of upward mobility is fading for the middle class.

This quote stood out:

“We have identified postsecondary education as one of the most important drivers of mobility.”

I started thinking about education franchises and wondering whether economic worries might be making the business of learning more attractive than ever. I spoke with Dr. Wie Pan, who opened a Huntington Learning Center franchise in Canton, Michigan over two years ago, to learn what he sees as the trends and opportunities of this market. (more…)

Investing in the Future – Hot Franchise Picks

The International Franchise Association reports that a new franchise outlet opens somewhere in the United States every eight minutes.

Franchises are hotter than ever.  From recent graduates to displaced workers to retirees, more and more people are considering franchise opportunities as a means to financial security.  It’s an attractive option for would-be business owners who want the added security of a proven concept.  Small Business Administration data shows that, while the vast majority of businesses fail within five years, 80 percent of all franchise operations successfully reach the five-year benchmark. (more…)