Growth in Women Owned Franchising

First, let’s get a feeling of the size of the overall expansion in women-owned businesses, the numbers are exciting and stunning in some cases.  According to Fundera, 12.3 Million U.S. businesses are owned by women entrepreneurs and generate in excess of $1.8 Trillion in revenues.  In 2020, the women started 1,821 new businesses every single day!

What’s even more fantastic is that of the new businesses started, 64% of them were owned by women of colour in 2020 showing the growth not only in female business ownership but also in minority-owned business ownership.  In the ten years between 1997 and 2007, women-owned businesses created over 500,000 new jobs and opportunities for employment.

With all this growth and expansion in the overall business market for women, the growth in women-owned franchises and franchise brands should be no surprise.

The undeniable growth and expansion in women-owned businesses around the United States and the world is underway and some of the statistics both in franchising and in small business ownership.

This rising tide for female business ownership is a very good thing for our overall economy as this demographic has historically been a much lower percentage of the business market which means growth and opportunity for women and also growth for the entire economy with new ideas, new perspective and new business initiatives from female-owned firms.

Next, let’s dig into the franchise industry specifically and the impact women have had on the franchise market.  Women have created new brands, developed franchises and defined entirely new market segments while paving the way for entire markets through the franchise business model.

Let’s point to a few specific brands and businesses which are led by strong, innovative women business leaders.  Some of the great new women-owned franchise brands include The Bundt Shoppe, which was founded by Ms. Amina Ahmed, and is a unique and high-margin retail baked goods franchise brand based in the Colorado market.

The business model is beginning to grow quickly in Colorado and surrounding markets.  Kika Stretch is a wonderful example of women-owned franchise systems doing exceptionally well in part because of the female perspective and creative energy supplied by Kika DuBose Wise.

This brand has opened almost thirty stretch studios from its New Jersey headquarters to sunny California markets and has defined an entirely new market segment under her leadership.  Ms. Taria Ramos, the founder of Inspired Cravings, a fantastic Vegan Bakery model is beginning to develop the franchise system from the Virginia Headquarters to throughout the Mid-Atlantic markets and throughout the Southeastern U.S.

Ms. Ramos saw a need and a significant market segment that needed representation in a vegan baked goods brand that customers could trust and enjoy, so she took the first steps and launched Inspired Cravings.

Many of the franchise industry’s biggest brands and most established franchise systems have been developed by women-owned franchisors, but the increasing trend of franchises being owned by women is also undeniable and proving to be one of the richest opportunities for growing franchise brands.

According to the Wall Street Journal, by 2019, women owned over 265,000 franchise businesses in the United States which comprises over 35 per cent of all franchises, this is an increase of 24 per cent from a decade prior.  Stunning growth and a market segment that has pushed many franchise brands to shift their marketing and recruitment efforts to not only include women but to focus on targeting women franchise owners.

This transition has also helped support the growth of many traditionally women-oriented businesses now entering the franchise market and seeing opportunities to scale their brand through franchising.

The Meta Frequency Franchise, a healing and wellness franchise founded by Lysa Bozel has created a business model selling crystals and personal development services that were launched in the last year in the Tampa, Florida market. Fetewell Events, an event venue services franchise has been developed by Ms. Kate Ansari, an influential and fantastically creative entrepreneur in the Washington D.C. area markets.

The model is beginning to franchise throughout the region and expand into the Mid-Atlantic markets.  KemSkin Beauty is a beauty services brand founded by Ms. Natiya Hood which offers a wide range of skincare, waxing and beauty services it was brought to market recently and offers a fantastic beauty services franchise.

Harlem Zen, a beauty services brand focused on women of colour was franchised in 2019 by Ms. Angela McTair in Atlanta.  The brand was innovative, the first of its kind to offer services specifically tailored to women in this demographic and has been enormously well received in a very short time period.

All of these franchise systems and more are part of this fantastic growth in female-owned franchise growth.  Today, more than ever in history, women are a force in the business community and the impact they have is growing every day.  If you are franchising your business, you cannot ignore the opportunity to make your franchise appealing and welcoming to women-owned franchise brands.

FMS Franchise is a full-service franchise development firm with many more great women-owned franchise models, for information on any of these brands, contact us!

Franchise Your Business With Solid Funding Options

Franchise your business with FMS. FMS began its journey in franchise development in 2009, which in some ways had many similarities to the current marketplace for franchising which has been obviously impacted by COVID and the Pandemic. The irony of the franchise industry is that in many ways, the franchise business does better when the general economy is having trouble. Almost like an inverse relationship between the job market and the entrepreneur market.

When people lose jobs or have some difficulties finding employment at the level they would like or be accustomed to, they are more willing to accept the risk of becoming a business owner. So, back in 2009, the market was obviously incomplete turmoil with the financial and real estate collapse in full effect and the job market was about as bad as it could get.

From 2009 to 2012, the franchise industry saw some of the best growth percentages it had ever seen with the recovery taking place and also the amount of talented, high-calibre franchise investors entering the market.

It hit me one day as we sold a flower retail franchise to a former pharmaceutical executive. When the market was good for jobs, he would have probably laughed me off the phone offering him a flower business, but in 2010, he was investing in 9 locations of this particular franchise.

Today, during COVID, there are many of the same attributes in place and so many incredibly talented franchise investors who are entering business ownership due to fewer opportunities in the employment market.

What is different about the COVID economy vs. the 2009 economy is the access to capital. In 2009, virtually no one could get a loan for anything as banks and lending institutions were licking their wounds from a horrendous collapse of the financial industry and in COVID times, just about anyone can get a loan for anything. Joking of course, but the general situation isn’t that far off as recently as last year, FMS had sold one multi-unit franchise to a group that purchased a $4 million investment, which included real estate, for a senior care franchise system and put $0 down on the entire deal.

A transaction that would have been about as believable in 2009 as meeting a group of aliens landing in your neighbourhood some evening. One big change between the two markets is the SBA Funding element, the government is throwing money into the market in a variety of ways and one of those is supporting Small Business Loans through the SBA.

Most franchises, if they have the right mix of operator involvement and a few other characteristics can qualify for what is called the SBA Franchise Directory which is an approval for a franchise brand by the SBA which then makes the funding process quicker, easier and faster for a new franchise buyer if the brand is on this SBA Franchise Directory.

When FMS launches a brand, this is something we do for every new franchise. It’s not only important, it’s critical to being able to fund new franchise investments in a system.

SBA financing isn’t the only option for funding new franchise growth, there is a variety and all should be taken into account. Here would be my list to consider for offering funding to franchise buyers to your brand:

  1. SBA Loans: These loans are backed by the Small Business Administration and if the buyer qualifies, they will generally be the lowest interest rates and the best cost for the buyer to obtain funding.
  2. Commercial Bank Loans: Every franchise buyer has the option to just go to their local bank or lending institution. I would recommend developing a couple of solid relationships with lending groups to offer referrals and a direct option to a lending group with the buyers.
  3. Creative Lenders: There are other lending options for a buyer which come through different channels than banks and in some cases these can be incredibly effective. These are basically private lending groups which in some cases have easier qualifications to close a loan but can be more costly to the franchisee in higher interest rates, etc.
  4. Family and Friends: The one I would always suggest that sometimes is overlooked or just not addressed is many times one of the best ways to help fund a franchise sale. Suggest to the buyer that they present the investment opportunity to their friends and connections. So many times this ends up being the best option for them and they have more resources at their fingertips than they realized and this tends to be the easiest way to fund a deal in many cases.
  5. Franchisor funding the deal: Last but not least would be the deals, the Franchisor would provide lending options, many times the easiest way to offer this is some sort of financing of the franchise fee which allows the franchisee to make payments on the fee over a specified time period. This needs to be disclosed in Item 10 of your FDD, but it can make a big difference in your ability to close some franchise sales.

Every franchise system needs to have lending figured out in order to successfully develop its network and franchise the business model. It isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s a “need to have” for any brand getting into the franchise market and selling their franchise platform.

For more information on franchise lending options or on how to franchise your business, contact us.

CBD Franchise: An Industry On The Rise

A quick drive down many main streets across the U.S. will reveal a new key player on the franchise landscape: CBD retail. What was just a novelty idea a few years ago has quickly become a staple in the franchise business and has carved out a high-growth niche for itself within the retail industry, the CBD franchise market is in high growth mode.

Several CBD franchise brands including American Shaman, Discover CBD and Your CBD Store have exceeded 100 more units in operation across the U.S. and around the world making this one of the more exciting market segments to consider.   

What is CBD and why has it become so incredibly popular over the past few years? Let’s dive into some of the history and the reasons behind its industry stability.  CBD stands for cannabidiol, a compound found within the hemp and cannabis plants. Differing from its ever-popular relative THC, CBD does not cause any sort of high; instead, it’s reported to have a plethora of health and medical benefits. The compound had long been used by people for its purported perks, including reduced anxiety and stress.

Up until 1998, CBD was only an afterthought within the cannabis market and few recognized the potential for CBD products. THC had been the focus of growers who altered the plant to become THC-rich, leaving only trace amounts of CBD. GW Pharmaceuticals’ co-founder Geoffery Guy M.D. rerouted the CBD trajectory in late 98’ as he set out to prove the uses of CBD; he succeeded and the rest is essentially history.

The compound was bound by red tape that inhibited the social awareness behind its uses and its growth by manufacturers and farmers, but the 2018 Farm Bill changed the farmscape for the better, lifting federal regulations against industrial hemp growth, thus allowing for the industry to fully take root. 

CBD is derived from two different resources; it can be extracted from either the hemp plant or the cannabis plant. To be clear, CBD derived from hemp is allowed under the 2018 Farm Bill, but CBD from the cannabis plant still contains amounts over the 0.3% allowable number, making this one an illegal no-no.

The FDA has been careful to keep a close eye on CBD products, but the market has been booming nonetheless. Businesses are sprouting up all over the world to jump on CBD’s rise to the top. By 2024 the industry is projected to reach $20 billion in annual sales according to BDS Analytics. 

The acceptance of CBD products has grown like a weed, with over 7% of the population reportedly already using products containing the compound. There are a variety of products that have been CBD-infused including topical treatments, sublingual oils, edible products, and more. Even water, wine, vodka, and ice cream have entered the CBD scene.

Businesses are finding that growing awareness that CBD does not mean psychological effects or a high is having a direct positive effect on sales. Numerous lobbyists, non-profit organizations, companies, and individuals are consistently spreading the news that CBD is here to help and here to stay. 

The CBD industry has seen explosive growth, driving the incredible expansion within the CBD franchise marketplace. In an industry, as heavily regulated as this one, proven business models and processes is a significant benefit to those wanting to get into the CBD market segment and benefit from a proven franchise system.

Entrepreneurs hoping to start their very own CBD business must consider the roadblocks such as insurance, access to capital, and payment processing, all of which are difficult due to the heavy regulations. Franchised CBD businesses have ironed out all of these kinks, making buying into an existing brand an excellent way to join in on the explosive industry. 

For more information on how to Franchise your CBD Business, Contact Us.

Sources: 

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/15052-how-to-start-a-cbd-business.html

https://www.farmaid.org/issues/farm-policy/whats-in-the-2018-farm-bill-the-good-the-bad-and-the-offal/

EventPrep Franchise

The home-based business segment of the franchise industry is strong and growing over the past decade. In 2016, the New York Times reported that over 43 per cent of the U.S. workforce worked from home at least part of the time. Further still, the Small Business Administration reported that around 50% of small businesses are home-based.

EventPrep is a full-service meeting planning and event prep company with headquarters located in Central Florida and was founded by military veterans, the business began as a large-scale corporate and government event planning organization. With the trend toward home-based businesses and an obvious opportunity to serve the smaller corporate event planning market. 

In 2016, Steve Davis and Paul Trapp, the founders of EventPrep and visionaries behind the brand hired Franchise Marketing Systems in order to develop and start the event planning franchise system efficiently. Together, with third-party franchise law firms, EventPrep and Franchise Marketing Systems developed the FDD, worked with the franchise registration states, developed the franchise business plan, wrote and structured the franchise operations manual, and created the initial marketing collateral.  Franchise Marketing Systems oversaw and supported new franchise recruitment and sales efforts and today, EventPrep has over 17 successful franchises in operation in less than two years of operation. 

Some of the compelling elements which supported efficient growth and effective scale of the organization was a Quick Start Program which leveraged national relationships and strategic accounts to help initial franchisees successfully build their businesses quickly.  In addition, as a company founded by Veterans of the United States Armed Forces, the company offered strong incentives to U.S. veteran candidates.  The franchise model for EventPrep allows for an individual franchisee to work within the brand while maintaining very little overhead and zero staff. EventPrep’s services include registration services, site selection, event planning, and housing management, making the company a one-stop shop for businesses. Franchisees enjoy the flexibility of project-based work and can depend on the support, training, and consultation services provided through the franchise model.   

One of the things that makes the EventPrep franchise model so incredible is the flexibility and lifestyle it offers its franchisees. Professionals who were once overworked, underpaid, and under-appreciated can now “fire their boss”, as EventPrep says, and can work with the flexibility from home that their schedule allows. The market for event planning and the opportunity for expansion of the service platform is large and generally underserved.  With strong, consistent franchise representation in new markets, EventPrep is positioned well to establish the brand as a market leader in event planning work.  For more information on how to franchise an event planning service business, contact us.

[1] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/meeting-convention-and-event-planners.htm

All Paws Pet Wash Franchise

The Global Pet Market is expanding so quickly, there is more and more of an opportunity to provide products and services to customers, particularly those that are convenient and offer services in a simple, easy format.  All Paws Pet Wash has done just this with a simple, convenient format that offers pet washes in conjunction with car washes and facilities that customers are already visiting.  According to the 2019-2020 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 63.4 million U.S. households own at least one dog. All Paws Pet Wash, a mobile self serve dog wash, understands the importance that dog owners place on that relationship and are seeking to take care of their pup the best way possible, to the tune of around 72.56billion dollars in 2018, as a matter of fact. 

The All Paws brand started from CCSI International which is a manufacturer well known for pool enclosures and car wash buildings. They had the structural integrity and the dependable longevity in place to make a move in a new direction and All Paws Pet Wash was born. The uniqueness of the business caught on quickly as pet owners found the convenience and affordability of the pet wash enclosure unsurpassed by any predecessors. The company offers several different types of enclosures, making them easy to add to various locations, lending to the convenience for families and their furry friends. Each unit is affordable for the consumer with options to completely customize the pricing to be applicable to the target market. 

The All Paws brand started out as essentially an equipment sales company selling the product to owners who purchased the product and implemented under their own brand.  In 2018, it was clear that through a franchise platform, the brand could develop more effectively and scale more effectively through a consistent operating model and developing a brand associated with the unique category they had created.  Mr. Caldwell, All Paws Founder, hired Franchise Marketing Systems to develop the franchise system and create the platform that would allow the model to scale and expand through franchising. FMS franchised the business, working on strategic planning, market research, franchise operations manuals and other franchise development needed to market and promote the brand.  The All Paws system was effectively already in place and the proof of concept was there to make the transition to franchising a smooth and efficient way to continue growing the company.  

Due to the fact that the All Paws Pet Wash system can be placed anywhere, auto lube and oil shops, pet stores, apartment buildings, dog parks, beaches, veterinarian offices, pet-friendly hotels, laundromats, or campgrounds, the model was widely accepted and exciting to present to potential buyers. Along with this, the concept required a minimal investment which allowed for existing business owners to add the All Paws Pet Wash as an additional low maintenance stream of passive income in addition to first time entrepreneurs who didn't have the capital to invest in a larger business.  

For more information on franchising your pet services business please contact us here. 

Generator Supercenter Franchise

Lightning strikes. The fridge grows quiet, the wi-fi is out, and the screens go black. What now? Generator Supercenter is the answer. The company, launched in 2008, is the #1 dealer of Generac generators in North America. The brand differentiated itself from others in the market by using only high-quality equipment, trusted installation processes, and dependable repair and maintenance services. In recent years with significant weather circumstances with hurricanes, blackouts and floods, consumer demand for backup power sources has grown significantly and expanded the residential and commercial generator market by leaps and bounds.  With the growing market trends, Generator Supercenter has experienced explosive growth corporately and realized that the market was larger than what could be handled with only company-owned locations.  With this, the company began to franchise the brand to scale into new markets.  

More than just convenience, back-up generators are key to peace of mind and safety for specific populations of the U.S. Medically fragile persons, such as those who are dependent on breathing machines, suction, home dialysis, powered wheelchairs, or oxygen, experience an emergency in what others see as a mere inconvenience. Generators, like the Generac brand found at Generator Supercenter, serve as a life line during power surges, weather events, and human error. Businesses benefit from the investment in back-up generators, securing their information, their business, and their future. Power outages can potentially destroy valuable business data and cause catastrophic damage to your operation. Through the franchise expansion of the Generator Supercenter, more people can sleep well and leave their businesses at the end of the day, knowing they are doing the very best thing for the company and their families. 

Generator Supercenter hired Franchise Marketing Systems in 2017 to organize the model and prepare the brand for franchising. Franchise Marketing Systems worked closely with the leadership and executives to create the franchise strategy, operations, training and marketing platforms to be used in executing the franchise model.  Over the course of a six month process and along with outside franchise legal counsel, a structured platform was put in place and defined that allowed the brand to begin the franchise campaign.  In the first two years, Generator Supercenter has developed 100 franchises and been able to scale into new markets around the country.

Today, Generator Supercenter is poised to be a market leader in the space and has effectively captured the market segment for the generator retail and service market.  With continued operational focus and strong franchise management, GSC has an incredible market opportunity to capture an entire industry segment.

For more information on how to franchise a retail brand, contact Franchise Marketing Systems:  [email protected] 

RockBox Fitness Franchise

RockBox Fitness is an innovative, exciting and disruptive fitness franchise which is the creation of Steve Halloran and Roger Martin.  They recognized the transition happening in the fitness market from large gyms with rows of equipment and large amounts of members who never made it to the facility to smaller, more community-oriented concepts.

These smaller gyms, which were focused on class fitness programs and high-intensity, results-oriented programs were what the customer wanted and also made a great deal of sense from a business perspective.  

In 2016, the RockBox brand was born from years of experience working and managing gym businesses and deep business background in a variety of different industry segments.  The concept was simple, intense and exceptionally focused on generating results for clients who joined the RockBox movement. 

The brand was an instant hit as the first corporate units broke all sales and membership expectations.  Franchising the fitness brand was the next step for the business model and would carry the RockBox system forward into new markets.  

In late 2017, RockBox hired Franchise Marketing Systems to develop the fitness franchise and organize the business to scale through franchising.  

Franchise Marketing Systems team of consultants and development members worked with Mr. Martin and Mr. Halloran to define the franchise strategy, organize key business elements and set critical franchise fee structures. The business plans were written for franchisors and franchisees and then the FDD was developed in conjunction with Jason Powers and Barber Power franchise law. 

Franchise operations manuals and franchise training systems were developed to translate key elements of the business to new franchise investors and systems were implemented to keep franchisees on point with system KPIs.  

For franchise marketing, the FMS team organized franchise brochures, the franchise website, franchise evaluation forms and the franchise marketing plans. The franchise model was launched in early 2018 and the RockBox franchise again broke through all expectations.

In the first 12 months of franchise operations, 25 new RockBox franchises were sold in a variety of key markets across the United States.  Stronger franchise investors opened multi-unit franchise territories and the brand was quickly establishing itself as a fitness franchise to contend with.  

In the coming years, RockBox leadership is continuing to focus on core operating principles, excellent unit-level economics and strong franchise operators.

As of 2020, RockBox Fitness has been able to scale to over 60 units and is quickly becoming a leader in the boutique boxing and fitness market category.  

For more information on how to franchise a fitness business, contact FMS.

Sodastream Professional

Franchise Marketing Systems worked with SodaStream to develop a territory model franchise system that would allow for more consistency. controlled distribution of the product line.

SodaStream Professional (SSP) is a division of SodaStream International (NASDAQ: SODA), a leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of beverage carbonation systems.

The SodaStream franchise model is simple in that it only requires an office setting and the purchase of a minimum inventory requirement. Franchisees' responsibilities consist of two functions, selling the products and brand primarily and secondarily, delivering service and support to customers in their respective markets.

Franchise Marketing Systems worked with SodaStream Professional management to develop a franchise model that would allow for both aspects of the business to be replicated efficiently.

SodaStream revolutionized the beverage industry years ago by empowering people to make their own sodas and carbonated beverages at home. The brand went through a resurgence in the early 2000s globally and with the increasing demand came to the need for stronger, more structured distribution channels.

Franchising and licensing arrangements were the vehicles chosen to facilitate this growth and expansion of the business model into new markets around the world.

SodaStream has driven the majority of its product sales through retail and eCommerce platforms selling the home version of the technology. One of the significant opportunities for growth was in the commercial side of the business.

Selling redesigned versions of the equipment that could be used in office settings and in commercial applications. SodaStream professional was structured to do just that and targeted the commercial side of the business.

Due to the fact that the majority of SodaStream's growth was international and widespread, the need for franchised distributors in these far-reaching markets was even more evident.

By locating strong franchises in new countries, the learning curve, necessary distributor and retail relationships and overall business relationships were much faster to take hold.

SodaStream has always had a strong brand and has certainly been considered the innovator in this niche of beverage production, the franchise channel allowed the business model to scale and monetize more effectively.

The franchise distribution channel has been effective for SodaStream and allowed for lean, global expansion opportunities. Get in touch if you are interested in franchising your business.

VR Junkies – Virtual Reality Franchise

VR Junkies is the invention of Mr. Mckay Christensen and Mr. Josh Hintze.  The two technology-driven professionals were friends and had worked together as top-tier software engineers for a variety of firms in different industries.  A passion for gaming and a continuous drive to develop new platforms and break ground on new technologies pushed them both to look into the virtual reality space. 

First, the two worked on the operating systems and infrastructure needed to deliver a premium virtual reality gaming experience.  There was a large range of virtual reality gaming developers already on the market, but very few venues for which these interactive virtual themes could be enjoyed. 

The retail market for virtual reality was just in its infancy which was seen as a budding opportunity for a branded, consistent customer experience.  In early 2016, VR Junkies was born with the original corporate location opening in Orem, Utah.  The concept was simple, essentially a group of individual booths where customers could enjoy and interact with virtual reality gaming systems in the retail location.

The front counter greeted customers, helped them choose a particular virtual reality gaming system and then directed them to the booth where the actual game was played.  The location was based in Orem mall and was an immediate success as groups of interested and excited gamers came to enjoy virtual reality gaming, many for the first time. 

As the VR Junkies brand took shape and the operating model was more defined, Josh and Mckay began to develop operating systems that refined the business model further and helped provide structure, systems and a financial model that allowed for scale.  The result was a game-changing technology platform that allowed the virtual reality gaming businesses to be monetized effectively at both the unit level and from an enterprise standpoint. 

Through the VR Junkies system, essentially every trend and key performance indicator for the stores could be managed and monitored allowing for strong reporting and an excellent ability to manage the business from afar.  As the virtual reality gaming business segment expanded, so too did the massive interest in the category from others who wanted to open businesses in the market category.  VR Junkies had industry-leading technology, a strong brand, excellent leadership and a first mover advantage in the category.  In 2017, the organization decided to launch a Virtual Reality Gaming franchise platform and the VR Junkies franchise emerged. 

Based on the simple, low investment, high margin model, the VR Junkies franchise was one of the lowest investment options in the retail category and captured the imaginations of those who enjoyed gaming and virtual reality.  The majority of the franchise marketing happened online and through digital marketing mediums driving leads and traffic from potential virtual reality franchise buyers to the VR Junkies site. 

The first franchised units opened in Hawaii, Colorado, New York, New Mexico, Florida, Washington and one store in Canada.  Operators came to the brand from all backgrounds and interests, but the majority had a personal interest in gaming and appreciated the concept of virtual reality as a customer. 

The model scaled effectively in that it required a small labour force, about $100k in investment and had extremely high operating profits with virtually no cost of goods sold.  Locations were generally placed in malls in high traffic, high visibility locations, but with temporary mall leases allowing the locations to be moved and negotiate low rents.  Later versions of the model developed party rooms and allowed for more of a corporate, team-building environment. 

As the system surpassed 14 units in operation including one in New Zealand, the brand began to have economies of scale and purchasing power that could be leveraged by the network and benefiting the franchisees involved and more strategic advantages emerged. 

The virtual reality franchise market is a perfect example of an industry segment that is still being shaped and defined.  The advantage to moving first and fast carries more weight than having a perfectly refined business model and VR Junkies was able to leverage this early market move through franchising.

Franchising allows a business to scale quickly and leverage owner-operators who focus on the day-to-day operations of the business, the VR Junkies franchise is a perfect example of this.  For more information on how to franchise a virtual reality business, contact us.

CitruSolutions Franchise

Citrus Solutions franchise

CitruSolutions is the invention and creation of Mr. Paul Romanick, a U.S. Army Veteran and possibly one of the most caring, genuine business people on the planet.  The concept was created after having spent years in the carpet cleaning and home services markets and realizing the majority of the brands were centrally focused on what he felt were the wrong things. 

Core elements such as customer service, integrity, quality products and a brand that stood for something more than profit are what drove his thinking in creating the CitruSolutions brand.  The concept was centred around a proprietary citrus-based cleaning product which was eco-friendly, clean and even safe to consume (although not recommended!).  Paul came up with a mascot, a marketing model and a business system that not only attracted customers but kept them coming for service on a regular basis.  As the business grew, so too did interest from other parties who wanted to learn from Paul and be part of the CitruSolutions brand. 

After several years in business, Mr. Romanick offered a distributor model to people who wanted to get into the carpet cleaning business, but not be restricted by the rules and regulations of a franchise. 

They could use his materials and brand, but wouldn’t follow a dedicated system as part of his network.  In short order, the CitruSolution network expanded to over 60 distributors throughout the Southeastern U.S.  It didn’t take long for Paul to realize that the true value of the distribution network couldn’t be realized without transitioning to a franchise platform. 

In 2009, Paul worked with Chris Conner and the Franchise Marketing Systems team to define a strategic plan that would allow the organization to transition to franchising and allow for further scale.  The key to the successful transition was to maintain the key elements of what made the network so loyal, committed and successful both in the distributor and customer’s minds.  Through the development of a carefully crafted co-op buying model and an extremely “two-sided” franchise agreement, the transition to franchising was smooth, and effective and ultimately led to a network of almost 100 CitruSolution franchisees in a short time period. 

What makes Paul Romanick and the brand so incredible is that not one dollar of traditional marketing was spent to recruit any of the franchise owners for the system.  The same way that Paul markets to generate new customers for carpet cleaning is in effect how he markets to attract new franchisees.

It is in its truest sense, remarkable networking and a genuine interest in helping people.  For anyone who has had the opportunity to spend some time with Paul, you can’t really describe the experience other than a memorable one.  He wants to know who you are, what makes you tick, what drives you and whether he or others he knows can help you achieve your goals. 

He has never had a CitruSolutions franchise booth at one of the tradeshows, but you will see him in the aisles speaking with people and getting to know the crowd.  His name comes up in conversation as if you were talking about a politician or sports celebrity. 

He has a kindness and a sense of compassion that you just don’t see in people anywhere and he finds incredible ways to give generously to those who need it most.  In the end, it just makes you want to be around him more and soak in the sense of bigger purpose.  

The CitruSolutions franchise is what most would describe as a carpet cleaning business, but when you look further, you realize it is a marketing company.  A Marketing company that works diligently to provide fair and mutually beneficial “deals” to everyone involved in the network from Franchisor-Franchisee to Franchisee-Customer and Vendor-Brand. 

Behind Paul’s leadership, you see, read and hear about heart-warming stories of franchisees donating time, money, energy and focus to great causes, charities benefiting from their involvement and support and people giving back to their community.  This overriding mission to do the right thing is centred around the CitruSolution mantra of finding a work-life balance in everything you do and understanding that money isn’t at the centre of happiness. 

Today, CitruSolutions is about to eclipse the 100-unit franchise mark and has an incredible market position throughout the Southeastern United States.  The brand is positioned well for continued growth and has pushed into markets like Texas and the Mid-Atlantic States and has garnered interest from a broader pool of candidates in all areas of the country. 

For more information on how to franchise your carpet cleaning business, contact us.