The power of a secret.

"Yes Virginia... There is a Santa Claus."

Be honest, since learning the truth about childhood "heros" that bring gifts in December, furry critters that deliver eggs and sweets each spring and still more that delve beneath your pillow for ejected deciduous teeth, we haven't had many surprises as adults. Too many people (in my opinion) find out the sex of their babies before birth, the last true mystery we as grown-ups can experience. Unless you're a techie. Unless we visit the mall often and shop in those stores decorated in predominately white. If we look west, to the Northern California suburb of Cupertino, there's still a magical place where secrets are kept. Adult-grade secrets. They are kept so well not even our best guesses turn up the truth. So well that rumors swirl through the Internet as published by our most trusted sources alleging to know what will happen, when it will happen, and what it might entail. Really?

This churn, usually twice a year, eminates from Apple. It comes through their labs, their leader(s) and their product offerings. The level at which Apple goes to in keeping secrets about its product line and features is amazing.  It captivates not just techies, but millions of worldwide users - all waiting and watching to see what their future will be like a year or two from now. We clamor to see what's coming, but inside, we yearn for the surprise. The secrets make for good press, good standup comedy, good speculation and criticism from competitors, it is a wonderful thing we are experiencing. And it's happening now, when we think we know everything, when "google" is a noun and a verb, ten years into the new millenium. How can they seemingly do what so few other entities anywhere else can accomplish? Foreign governments are pressed to keep good secrets from our intelligence agencies. Our government can't readily keep good secrets from the public, but Apple can clamp down in so many ways to keep their gems hidden until they're ready to show them off. It's fantastic, I LOVE THE HYPE!

Here's where we stand... If the media needs to find a prototype in a bar or have a former Vice President blurt out a launch date in a speech to get its info, Apple is masterfully dominating the secret-keeping. I can wait until the next release, I'm anxious to upgrade my iPhone 3Gs to the iPhone 5. I am an adult, and they have me excited like a child. I'm thankful that someone has put together all the pieces necessary to cloak research, muffle the facts about production, disguise delivery and specifics until the launch day arrives. Heck, even the store employees are in the dark until the products are in the back room ready to be displayed. In this age of Twitter, blogs, text messaging and everyone having a camera nearby, kudos to Apple for being smarter that the experts. Thanks to the folks in Cupertino for giving us ideas to follow, products to long for, and a cottage industry of people that can't unlock the secrets, which makes this adult laugh.

I'm excited!

So much happening so quickly, I had better write this stuff down.  This list consists of things I hear about or read about that capture my interest and imagination. You may not know what each item on the list pertains to, but I do. If you have a question, ask. I'm not shy, I'll elaborate and it may make for a future post that is interesting to many!

• iPhone 5 or whatever gets released next month from Apple.
• Paper.li feeds for franchisee's blogs.
• Running my first 50 mi race in October.
• Changes are still being made to EMeBOSS.
• Australasian Expo in Melbourne.
• New features and profile changes on Linkedin.
• Klout.
• Legs of Las Vegas relay running team.
• Microsoft Windows 8 and Metro.
• Getting new mentor shirts for every mentor in the world for 2011.
• Being registered for Boston marathon early.
• Lululemon Athletica.
• Plan Ahead Events.
• IMEX America.
• Nathan sports endurance packs.
• Using iPads in our training center.
• Social Media Primer classes with new franchisees.

I'll have more, it's a list that is always changing...  Comment or reply with questions about any of the above topics and I'll make sesne of it.

-dm

Franchise Financing Press Release

Media Contact:

Carmen Ordonez

email: cordonez@fish-consulting.com

Phone: 954-893-9150

United Franchise Group Signs Agreement with Franchise Finance for $5 Million Franchisee Lending Program

Loan Program to Provide Funds for New Start-Ups and Existing Franchisee Expansion

West Palm Beach, FL (June 03, 2011) - The UNITED FRANCHISE GROUP (UFG), a $500 million West Palm Beach franchise company, today announced it has reached an agreement for a franchisee lending program with Franchise Finance, the oldest independent franchise finance company in the U.S. The program aims to facilitate growth by lending financial support to new and existing UFG franchisees, while offering exclusive access to $5 million of development capital. Franchise Finance has established National Finance programs with only the top 10% of all Franchise Concepts.

"We are proud to partner with Franchise Finance for this exclusive franchise lending program," said Ray Titus, CEO of United Franchise Group. "This program provides a tremendous opportunity for prospective and existing franchisees who want to grow with UFG, but would otherwise have a difficult time securing capital given the current lending environment."

According to a recent study by the International Franchise Association, franchise lending has seen a 40 percent decline, resulting in the loss of nearly 50,000 jobs and more than $5 billion in economic activity. The Franchise Finance lending program was specifically designed to meet the needs of franchisees and specializes in conventional, SBA loans, as well as construction loans and multi lines of credit.

"UFG is the only service-type franchisor we feel confident investing $5 Million into, and we feel secure because of their strong management and business model" said Rick Anderson, general manager of Franchise Finance. "Franchise Finance will provide the custom lending solutions that will enable qualified UFG franchisees to build their businesses."

UFG is made up of five industry-leading franchise brands including SIGNARAMA, the world's largest full-service sign business; EmbroidMe, the world's largest embroidery franchise; Billboard Connection, a home-based advertising agency; Plan Ahead Events, a home-based event planning business; and TransWorld Business Advisors, a business brokerage and franchise development services firm. In 2010, UFG developed nearly 200 new franchises and projects its growth trend to continue in 2011 with a goal of adding up to 300 new franchise locations around the world.

Last year, Entrepreneur magazine ranked UFG number one in its category for the ninth consecutive year in the publication's annual "Franchise 500" ranking, which is determined by factors such as financial strength, growth rate and size. Additionally

The United Franchise Group (UFG), a $500 million West Palm Beach franchiseEntrepreneur magazine ranked UFG number one in its category for the ninth consecutive year in the, Franchise Times also ranked UFG as a Top 200 franchise.

About the United Franchise Group (UFG):

United Franchise Group (http://www.unitedfranchisegroup.com) is a $500-million franchising expert with 30 years of experience and 1,400 franchise locations in over 50 countries. Brands include SIGNARAMA, EmbroidMe, BillboardConnection, Plan Ahead Events, and Transworld Business Advisors. Information on franchising opportunities is availableat 800-286-8671 (U.S.) or 001-561-640-5570 (international).

Carmen Ordonez
email: cordonez@fish-consulting.com
Phone: 954-893-9150

Franchise Financing, who knew?

I preface this posting by saying, "I work here everyday, I should know this stuff."  

I had heard the chatter in the office and at our last Quarterly Meeting about a new financing program that we had been selected to tap into at United Franchise Group. Not being from that side of our business, I half listened and therefore only half understood this to be financing that people could use to start a franchise. Traditionally, we help candidiates secure financing to launch a new business.  Some get there own sources independently, some use SBA, others opt for financing we provide.  This Franchise Financing program is just that, but it is also good for established franchisees looking to grow or restructure their business.

I had a brief conversation with Tim Phillips, our expert here on all things financing.  That's how I learned new entrepreneurs aren't the only ones using Franchise Financing.  He reports that existing franchisees are also using this "line of credit" style financing to boost their business in their community.  These are some examples Tim shared with me, UFG franchisees can:

• Grow your business through expansion of facilities, new staff, new product offerings, new equipment, new services offered to customers.
• Dive into a niche market you've had your eye on.
• Buy-out competitors, taking on their customer lists and incorporating their business into yours.
• Consolidate credit and make sense of spending and borrowing that might have occurred over the last two years.
• Support large deposits. When a significant project is secured, can you proceed with the confidence that you can fund the job with your vendors before being paid in full by the customer? This financing has proven to be the piggy bank buffer some franchisees need to service larger accounts and deliver higher volume sales.

In many cases, this approach is better than what some would hatch on their own. Some attempt to borrow moeny from family members... a daunting task with long tenticles.  Others say they are reluctant to apply for financing because of their credit history or past transgressions - here's where family can help. A family member can secure this type of financing on behalf of your business, freeing their money from being the source of your growth.  In speaking with Tim, he says franchisees are usually pre-approved in 24-36 hrs, with the bulk of approved applicants receiving their funding in 2-4 weeks. 

I am not the financial advisor for our franchisees as many people know, but I have great contact with many of our franchisees over the course of a week.  I told Tim I'd like to get the word out, this could be just what some of our franchise operators are looking for to pull their business to new heights!

Link to post with Franchise Financing Press Release info.

Change is good. Dilution? Not so much.

"Change is omnipresent" ~ echoes the saying. I agree, but I'm mindful of the results of change, too. "Don't lose your soul to dine well for a week", is what I say.  Here's my example... The X Games. They didn't have those when I was young enough to compete, but if they did, I may be blogging about double backflips on bikes and the injuries I sustained in an effort to win an ESPN gold medal.  What a boom for action sports, a whole show in both winter and summer focusing on offbeat sports that look infinitely more appealing to youth than being the 10th man on a little league squad. A multi-day televised event and collection of sports where the chubby long-haired kid had just the same amount of chance at winning as the provebial quarterback au popular. Providing he or she did their training!

The X Games burst onto the scene with some sports you'd seen before. Maybe these were things you had tried and now wished you had stuck with, like skateboarding on wavy streets or BMX bike jumping. The best part about X Games is they always were fantastic at introducing new extreme sports to the masses... things like skysurfing (parachutists on snowboards doing tricks in freefall), barefoot waterski jumping and surfing.  These alternative sports brought plenty of viewers to the ESPN networks out of curiosity... like what the heck are these people doing and let's see some more crashes! Surfing, possibly the original extreme sport, shocks me with it's lack of presence in the last few years of the contest.  What about climbing? The race between two people up a rock wall? That was fun to watch!  I don't understand how the X Games brand has become so watered down, now we only have 4 disciplines of summer games (Moto, skateboarding, BMX and Rally cars, where'd they come from?) and 3 types of winter sports (skiing, snowboarding and snowmobile). The organizers seemed to have lost their teeth for the extreme and are now safely delivering what "most people" and big $$ advertisers want to see. These sports are very fun to watch, but I miss the crazier things you could only see on the X Games. Remember Street Luge? Let's take superfitted skateboards to winding paved hills, lie flat on them, and race to the bottom.  That's extreme! Can you believe X Games BMX jumping doesn't take place on dirt anymore? Or that Moto has a contest for "Best Whip?" Seriously, one trick and you get a medal? Something's gone wrong here.

For those who subscribe to the "change is constant" mantra, I get it.  The X Games today are not supposed to be the same as when they started in the 80s. Has ESPN left the action sports fan unsettled in making a few popular events the backbone of their efforts? I think so.  Have other businesses focused on the new and exciting only to leave their reason for existence behind? Yes. My thoughts here are simple. Innovate, yes. Change, improve, research, test, reconfigure, reissue, repeat, yes. All the while, keep grounded to your main cause, the thrust behind what got you where you are. Using that as a base, build and grow a business or a brand. If you make widgets, make more widgets, different kinds of widgets, make products that accompany widgets, make packaging for widgets, etc. But make widgets all the way through the growth process. You may develop into a company that used to make widgets and now make much more. At some point may widgets drop from the product lineup? My guess is, only when the soul of the business leaves or dies and a new regime is at the helm. The new skipper finds less connection to the reasons that spawned the idea, product or company perhaps. Change, but don't dilute the soul of what you're doing in your career, your business or your personal life. And keep a widget on your desk in plain sight to always remind you where your soul should be.

-dm