There are plenty of great carpet cleaning franchises if this is something you are interested in starting.  If you consider that with a few carpet cleaners working full time the income adds up quickly.  This is a business you can start from your home and with little equipment - compared to something like a restaurant or oil change franchise.  This is also a business you could start on your own but my advice is that you should research the available franchises first as your chances of success increase when you own a franchise. 

The area you are considering is also important.  If you look at Atlanta carpet cleaners are everywhere and the competition may be too much.  You can find out about the competition in your area for carpet cleaning by looking in your local yellow pages phone book and online. 

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If you are looking for some franchise ideas here you go.  A couple listed on this site include roofing and handyman franchises.  I like roofing franchises because they are recession proof.  People have to have roofs.  They can put off some things but when the roof starts leaking they have to get a new one. 

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Madison, Georgia based Don Pablos will be franchising soon. This is a great restaurant that should be on your target if you are considering a restaurant franchise. Don Pablo’s hopes to expand in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, the Washington D.C. area, Indiana, Cincinatti, all of Michigan, Dallas, and Orlando, Florida.

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It’s amazing where we’ve come from and where we are now online. It used to take hours and hours to find information, if you could find it at all, and now everything known is only a few clicks away. I’m constantly amazed at what can be done online. Buying and selling cars online now is as easy as ordering a pizza. Just look at this site that focuses on auto sales online. Did we ever think it would be so easy to sell our cars on the Internet? You can even find used cars for sale on that site and other sites like it.

If you own an auto business you should look at sites like this for inspiration. How can they help you with your business? How can they make you better? Where can they hurt you? If you are not paying attention to what’s happening online then you’re asking for trouble.

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For those of you that own or are opening a new food business in a non-smoking state you don’t have much to think about, but for those in states without a ban yet this can be a tough decision. If you are like me this isn’t much of a debate. I hate smoking and don’t believe smoke free sections work if they are in the same building as smoking sections.

Those that want to allow smoking in their restaurants use the argument that they will lose business without it and smokers will simply go to a smoking establishment instead of there place of business. This sounds like a good argument on the surface.

Those that run smoke free restaurants know that it only increases business as it brings in more families and offers the 80% of the population that doesn’t smoke a clean and healthy place to eat.

My state banned smoking in all restaurants a few years ago and I can tell you that I have never enjoyed eating out more. With the clean air I can enjoy the food and I don’t leave smelling like I just left a bar. Now, when I do eat in smoking states the experience is not pleasant and it makes me appreciate smoke-free restaurants even more.

Eventually every state and every region in North America will be smoke free. It is only a matter of time. So why not open your new business as a smoke free establishment. If you happen to be in a smoking area you will attract all those non smokers that appreciate a place that cares about their health and comfort.

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Even when things are bad Americans still buy goods and services.  Our economy is based on buying stuff and even though we may be buying less we are still buying. 

Yesterday’s news that McDonalds sales were up and recent news that Starbucks was down simply explained the shift in buying.  Consumers have shifted from buying overpriced coffees to cheap burgers.  The urge to buy is not gone - it’s simply shifted. 

Just something to think about as you consider your next investments and projects.

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I was starving when I visited Your Pie restaurant last Saturday. I arrived a couple of hours before the humiliating defeat of the Dawgs against the University of Florida so Athens was still in a great mood. I was greeted by a young and hip staff that worked hard to ensure my order was correct and cooked as fast as possible. My experience was great. If I had to find one weakness it would be the crappy radio station playing hip-hop.

Your Pie Food Quality and Taste

The quality was good and the hot pizza tasted great. The salad I ordered with my combo was lacking, but you can also get gelato instead of a salad. After I finished my pizza and salad I returned and ordered the gelato and was highly pleased. The lemon gelato was the best and I’ll probably return again just for that.

Overall Experience at Your Pie Franchise

My overall experience at Your Pie was good. I loved the hip, college restaurant atmosphere (and maybe it was my age showing through in my displeasure with the music). The pizzas were good with a very wide selection of toppings. The salads could be better, but they weren’t terrible either. The gelato wrapped up the experience making it one I’d like to live again.

This franchise has a lot of potential and with the right investors could go nationwide with the success of something like Zaxbys, another Athens, Georgia based franchise.

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Here’s a PR from a franchise that’s been doing well for the last few years.  It’s worth a look:

Whole grain bakery franchise recognized with ‘highest honor’ by Franchise Research Institute

Dillon, MT (Vocus/PRWEB ) November 5, 2008 — The Franchise Research Institute has recognized Great Harvest as a ‘World-Class Franchise” based on significant research. Great Harvest has received the honor five years in a row and is the only listed company with the special niche of 100 percent whole grain bread made daily from freshly ground, premium wheat from the high plains of Montana.

Researchers contact every franchisee in the system to gather data based on 20 crucial questions regarding the training, and support and quality of assistance from the company. The confidential surveys are used to compile a 13-page report, which details the findings.

“We are grateful for this recognition,” said Great Harvest CEO Mike Ferretti. “We strive to be authentic to our craft and with our customers We’re a uniquely democratic organization that thrives on great ideas and energy flowing between the franchise office and all of our bakery owners. The learning community helps everyone feel engaged in the success of the system. It’s a very unique business model that attracts fun, entrepreneurial and community-minded bakery owners,” added Ferretti.

Great Harvest Bread Company ’s target audience is college-educated adults (primarily moms) who place a high priority on nutrition. Increasingly, as whole grains have proven to reduce heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, Great Harvest has experienced steady growth of both appreciative customers and interested franchisees who love fresh out-of-the-oven whole wheat bread and its health benefits.

Founded 1978 in Great Falls, Montana, Great Harvest Franchising, Inc., has more than 210 bakeries located throughout the nation including Alaska and Hawaii. Great Harvest is known for its handcrafted breads made daily with freshly ground whole wheat from the high plains of Montana. Today, the neighborhood bakeries create an array of legendary fresh baked breads and sweets, as well as specialty items during holidays. Unlike most American bakeries, Great Harvest mills its whole wheat daily. The fresh flour is used within two days to guarantee optimum freshness, nutritional value and rich taste. More information about Great Harvest Bread Company is available at www.greatharvest.com.

Contact:
Kate Ord
Marketing Director, Great Harvest Franchising, Inc.
800.442.0424, ext. 274
kateo@greatharvest.com

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Owning a McDonalds franchise is the dream of many entrepreneurs.  A dream they have until they research and find that either the franchise is far too expensive or there are no franchising options left in their area (like the U.S.). 

There are some real advantages to owning a McDonalds franchise if you can get one of the franchises.  One of the advantages is that you will probably roll in some serious coin.  Another advantage is that very few McDonalds Franchises have ever went out of business.  Another is serious brand recognition.  Folks can be in middle of the desert and still stop and a McDonalds restaurant because they know exactly what they are going to get.

There are cons of course to owning a McDonalds like long hours (at least until you are well established and can hire a manager you trust), and a huge financial investment.  If you can’t buy a McDonalds franchise consider other franchises that may not be as well known but are still highly popular.  I personally like Shanes and Zaxbys. 

McDonalds Image by AdamL212

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I’m heading to Athens, Georgia this coming weekend to check out the Your Pie Franchise.  I’ll be conducting deep research by eating the goods and going back for more. The concept looks interesting.  I’ll report on my findings next week.

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