A Guide To a Successful Entrepreneurial Journey For Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Starting a venture is exciting and daunting at the same time. The excitement of embarking on a new journey, charting a new course, being independent and in control, the possibility of amassing substantial personal wealth, making a difference in the world are all reasons to look ahead with great excitement and anticipation. But at the same time, wading into the unknown, stepping outside your comfort zone, lack of a steady and predictable income, and skepticism by those around about entrepreneurship as a career choice, can create stress and anxiety. How do you prepare yourself to undertake such a journey? Read more.

Too often we think about what others will think about our plans, our vision, our dreams. Sometimes, we even doubt ourselves. But, what if? What if those plans, visions, dreams do work out? Learn how Acceler8Success Group may be able to help you achieve your entrepreneurial goals and objectives.

Women entrepreneurs have it best in these metro areas: report

If you’re a woman starting her own business, you might want to consider moving to the Southeast, according to a new study.

On Tuesday, SmartAsset published a report that found the best U.S. metro areas for women entrepreneurs this year. Of the top 10 cities, four were in the Southeast. Learn more.

8 Myths of Private Equity

If you mention private equity to the average person, their first thought will likely be negative. They’ll think of an industry that destroys companies in search of the almighty profit, irrespective of who gets in the way.

In reality, private equity is an important instrument. At a certain point as a founder, you will have taken your company as far as you can on your own. To continue growing, you’ll need private equity.

In order for you to make use of this valuable instrument, you must first dispel the common myths about private equity companies. Read more.

Executive Opportunity: Invest in Your Own Business Brokerage Office

Small business and restaurant resales are on the rise making it an excellent time to consider owning your own business brokerage office. Learn more.

How to Get Your Business to Stand Out During COVID-19

Creativity is vital to any successful marketing strategy. It is the only way your business will stand out against your competition, and these days, it’s more critical than ever. Tapping into your creativity in these times of immense uncertainty and stress may seem impossible, but with the following tips, it’s actually much easier than you think. Read more.

She Built a Business With $30 Million in Revenue–and a Mission to Root Out Racism in the Construction Industry

Racism has always existed in the construction industry. But as the nation grappled with outrage and protests in the wake of the police killings of Black Americans including Breonna Taylor and George Floyd earlier this year, racist incidents in the White-dominated industry have come under more scrutiny than ever before. Read more.

9 Easy Ways to Stay Mentally Sharp

One of the scariest aspects of aging is the realization that your brain can’t function as well as it used to—whether that means accidentally putting the car keys in the microwave or forgetting the name of a new grandchild, it can be daunting.

Most people will experience some form of “brain aging” in their life, ranging from fuzzy thinking to Alzheimer’s disease. Although some causes of memory loss are genetic, you can still improve your brain’s sharpness. The earlier you start, the better—just like losing weight, it is easier to prevent brain aging than reverse it. Read more.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

H. Jackson Brown Jr.

In Tough Times For The Unemployed, Franchising Might Be Their Answer

With millions unemployed and numerous industries struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic, some people who are out of work are considering a new career.

As positions dwindle in the fields they are familiar with, people are finding themselves forced to go outside their area of experience. And for some, that Plan B could be a blessing in disguise.

Owning a franchise has gained popularity in recent years, even in times of economic prosperity, as individuals have looked for a “second act” in their professional life. Franchise sales often do well in a down economy because unemployed people are tired of the lack of control they have in a corporate setting and are ready to become their own boss. Of course, there are also the additional dangled carrots of potentially more income and freedom. Read more.

Are you ready to own your own business?

Are you thinking of going into business for yourself and learning how the choice of a franchise can “jump-start” the process and your earning potential?  Well, Franchise Foundry can help. Working with in-house franchise professionals you will work one-on-one in determining if you’re right for franchising and whether it is right for you.  If you determine that franchising is a path to consider, you will be introduced to various industry segments and ultimately, brands that could be a “right-fit” situation . . . all to help ensure your future success! Learn more.

What makes successful franchises so profitable?

Every business owner dreams of the sustainability of their enterprises. Providing a good product or service, satisfying customers, establishing a reputation in the market are all generally great aspects to base a business on. To kick things up a notch, companies expand, but franchising does not happen overnight. It is just the beginning of a long process that needs constant hard work. Read more.

Identifying the Next Great Restaurant Franchise

When you need insight, asking an expert is the right way to go. Which is why Barbara Castiglia, host of The Main Course, sat down with Dan Rowe, Founder & CEO, Fransmart to discuss all things franchise. Why did we turn to Rowe to learn more about how to grow franchises? Good question. Rowe specializes in finding the next big thing in the franchise world. For more than 20 years, he has identified and grown brands like Five Guys Burgers & Fries, QDOBA Mexican Grill and The Halal Guys from small unit businesses to the powerhouse chains they are today. Under Dan Rowe’s direction, Fransmart’s franchise development portfolio brands have opened more than 5,000 restaurants worldwide, as well as facilitated franchise investments that cumulatively generated over 1-billion in revenues to date. In other words, he knows how to make franchises a success. Read more.

If you’re looking for a business lending source to help finance your start-up or manage your future wealth, contact us today. Benetrends Financial, a pioneer in the industry, has helped thousands of potential small business owners like yourself secure funding over the past 35 years. Learn more.

Business Ownership: Deciding If Franchising Is The Best Route For You

Currently, there are more than 30 million small business owners in the U.S., and of those, nearly 800,000 are owned franchise businesses. Although franchise owners are considered small businesses, they have a lot of advantages that go-it-alone company startups do not share. There is sometimes a substantial investment upfront to invest in a franchise; however, the benefits are numerous. 

Although some people might consider franchise owners to be the epitome of Type A personalities set to revolutionize the world, many real franchise owners might indicate quite the contrary. Franchising is a system that operates on replicating the success of others. Read more.

5 Reasons A Franchise Business Is Even More Important Today

In 2019 and early 2020, the experts were predicting consistent growth in the franchise market. The International Franchise Association, in its February 2020 report, forecasted that franchises in the U.S. would grow by 2.8%, adding 232,000 jobs in 2020, for a total of 8.67 million employees.

While Covid-19 may have altered that prediction somewhat, there is great news about franchising, even during an economic or health crisis. Many franchise brands are even thriving, depending on the industry. So, for franchisors and franchisees (franchise owners), there are many reasons franchising will be more important in 2021 than ever before. Read more.

Technology and How it is Improving Franchising

 Using technology in business is essential for business growth and development, keeping ahead of the competition and increasing profits. Some of the best franchise opportunities around have understood this in exactly the right way and their franchisees are reaping the rewards. Read more.

Would you think about building a house without blueprints?

The purpose of a blueprint is a high-level plan that guides collaborators through the process of designing and contributing to the development of an open course. Its purpose is to visualize the overall “architecture” of the course to guide the design, development, and cooperation process. Now, think about how exploring franchise ownership would benefit from the development of a blueprint as its high-level plan? Learn more.

[Year in Review 2020] The Top 10 Books of 2020 for Entrepreneurs

Undoubtedly and unfortunately, the biggest development of the year 2020 was the coronavirus pandemic – with triple shock effects in health, economic, and social spheres. Though a big setback to many firms, a side-effect was a boost to digital adoption and hybrid business models. See our reviews of the books Pandemic Inc. and Coming Back from COVID for insights on business resilience.

The selection of our Top Ten Books this year provides advice for business models, leadership, tech trends, design thinking, startup ecosystems, storytelling, and connecting to a larger purpose. Read more.

He’s an Inspirational Serial Entrepreneur and a Founder’s Best Friend

Sam Kamani and his effervescent personality have sparked tens of thousands of founders. How? They’ve all read his book, “The 30 Day Startup.” His second book, “Business in the Time of Corona,” was recently released and offers insights on the value of pivoting with guidance as to when and how to best do so. That kind of advice is critical for founders who are typically not flush with cash and often naive about what’s involved, “The biggest disconnect is that founders start with an idea for a solution but the most successful founders start with a problem to solve. All founders get so fixated and have tunnel vision on their own product that they forget about the problem they need to solve,” says Kamani. Read more.

More Entrepreneurship, Less Recidivism Among The Formerly Incarcerated

Recidivism is a big problem in the U.S. Research shows that, within three years of their release, two out of three formerly incarcerated people are rearrested and more than 50% are incarcerated again. In New York, 53% of formerly incarcerated inmates are rearrested within three years.

Since finding steady, gainful employment is difficult for this population, such statistics shouldn’t be that surprising. Read more.

Are you ready to franchise your business or put your recently franchised brand on the right track?

Utilizing a hybrid coaching/consulting approach, the Franchise Foundry team develops and deploys effective short and long-term solutions in franchise management & operations, change management, traditional & digital marketing, relationship & business management technology and domestic & international franchise development. Franchise Foundry also assists franchise brands in raising capital and exploring merger & acquisition opportunities. The company has an expanding list of client brands across various industry segments, with its primary goal of positioning clients with unique, differentiating propositions to stand out in today’s highly competitive business environment. Learn more.

4 Future Trends That Represent Massive Opportunity

Staying on top of trends is how entrepreneurs succeed. I love reading and researching data to understand what’s to come. Sure, no one can predict the future — yet, but excited for the time when AI will do that for us — but trends are our best bet when it comes to projecting where business is heading.  

Not many years ago, we were predicting the rise of something called a smartphone and becoming comfortable with the idea of wide-scale digital subscription services with monthly fees and cars that drive themselves. Now the iPhone and Netflix are part of our everyday lives. Read more.

“ Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Steve Jobs, Co-founder, CEO, Chairman Apple Inc.

10 Tips for Performing Franchise Due Diligence

For many, purchasing a franchise will be the most significant investment they’ll ever make, and no one should ever buy a franchise without performing the proper due diligence. Whether it be looking over the Franchise Disclosure Document or talking to advisors, it’s imperative to really dig in and do the research required to get a full understanding of the brand and the franchise requirements. Read more.

Forget 2020: Mark Cuban’s Secrets to Focusing on the Future

Mark Cuban knows what he would do if he were starting over today. That is if he wasn’t a globally recognizable billionaire in his early 60s, if he were instead a fresh-faced 20-something just out of college or someone looking to make his way in the world, Cuban would focus his time and energy on one thing: voice computing. He would learn everything he possibly could about scripting for Amazon and for Google Home. He would build a business around teaching both at-home consumers and commercial enterprises how to personalize and customize their voice-activated devices. Read more.

Why Entrepreneurs Need To Talk About Their Mental Health

72% of entrepreneurs are directly or indirectly affected by mental health issues compared to just 48% of non entrepreneurs. That’s according to a study by the National Institute of Mental Health. 49% of entrepreneurs deal with mental health issues directly while only 32% of others experienced them. Similarly, 23% of entrepreneurs have family members who face these issues compared to just 16% of others with family members who face these same types of issues. Read more.