FBR Issue 1 - 2021

Franchise Business 

REVIEW 

Ratings and Reviews of Today’s Top Franchises 

2021 Issue 1 

2020 Highlights Franchising’s 

Greatest Strength: 

Community P. 6 

SPECIAL REPORT 

TODAY’S TOP 

200 

FRANCHISES 

NEXTHOME 

FIRSTLIGHT HOME CARE 

EAST COAST WINGS + GRILL 

TSS PHOTOGRAPHY 

NOTHING BUNDT CAKES 

RHEA LANA’S and more... P. 10 

FRANCHISEE SPOTLIGHT: 

Jason Edge, JUNK KING P. 23 

James Laramee, NATURALAWN P. 25

FBR SPECIAL REPORT 

In business for yourself...but not by yourself 

Build a life 

you love with 

BIGGBY ® COFFEE 

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or email franchiseinfo@biggby.com 

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1/26/21 11:08 AM 

2 | For more information on the companies in this report, visit www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com


Features //2021 Issue 1 

6 20 21 

5 Letter From the Founder 

Together We Are Stronger 

6 2020 Highlights Franchising’s 

Greatest Strength: Community 

Franchise Owners Work Together to Overcome Challenges 

9 Funding Your Franchise 

You Have Options 

10 THE LIST 

Best of the Best: Top 200 Franchises 

34 Marketplace: Franchise Opportunities 

More on the franchisee approved franchise 

opportunities for 2020 

Franchisee Profiles 

23 Jason Edge, Junk King 

25 James Laramee, NaturaLawn 

26 Janice Blasinsky and Angela Yaniga, 

Any Lab Test Now 

27 Ralph Moccio, InXpress 

+ 

Reviews, interviews, satisfaction awards, 

and more resources are available at: 

www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com 

ON OUR COVER: Dawna Bedsoe of Shreveport, LA is just one of many successful 

NextHome real estate franchisees that helped propel the company to the #1 spot 

on this year’s Top 200 Franchises. 

For more information on the companies in this report, visit www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com | 3


Letter from the founder 

Together We Are Stronger 

With 2020 behind us, many people are looking ahead to what will hopefully be a brighter 

future. Last year was filled with many challenges and great loss—yet also bright spots of people 

and communities rising to the challenges to make the best of bad circumstances. Once again the 

world proved that “together, we are stronger!” 

As we look ahead to 2021 and beyond, the future of franchising is bright. Hard work and 

entrepreneurship have always been strong core values in America and franchising helps make 

business ownership more accessible for thousands of people. After a year of deep reflection 

for many of us, we now stand at a crossroads in our careers and our lives. What do we value? 

What are our goals and dreams? How do we want to contribute to our communities and make 

a difference in the world? 

For some, business ownership may hold the key. An opportunity for change. An opportunity 

to give back to your communities. An opportunity to build something bigger than yourself. 

If your path forward includes business ownership, Franchise Business Review is here to help. 

We all have much work to do but together we are stronger. 

Hard work and 

entrepreneurship have 

always been strong core 

values in America and 

franchising helps make 

business ownership more 

accessible for thousands 

of people. 

Best of Success! 

Eric Stites, Founder and CEO 

Franchise Business Review is the leading franchise market research firm that performs 

independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction and franchise buyer experiences. 

Before you invest in any franchise opportunity, read our reports to get the facts 

from those who know best — franchisees. We publish quarterly research reports, 

examining segments of franchising including the Top 200 Franchise Opportunities, 

Top Low-Cost Franchises, Top Franchises for Women, Top Food & Beverage Franchises, 

and Top Franchises for Veterans. All publications are available digitally at 

FranchiseBusinessReview.com. 

Eric Stites, CEO & Managing Director 

Michelle Rowan, President & COO 

C.J. Fleck, Senior Web Developer 

Ali Forman, Marketing Director 

Taryn Myers, Senior Director, Digital Marketing 

Lisa King, Web Designer 

Nicole Dudley, Director of Client Relations 

Courtney Stillings, Client Consultant 

Danielle Vitkus, Client Services & Sales Coordinator 

Margot Doering, Accounting 

The Secret Agency, Design and Production 

Call us at 866-397-6680 

HOW WE IDENTIFY THE TOP FRANCHISES 

Participation in Franchise Business Review’s franchisee satisfaction research is free for all North American franchise systems with 

a minimum of 10 franchisees. For this report we looked at data from nearly 28,000 franchise owners from 307 leading franchise brands. 

We collected this data between January 2019 – November 2020. We asked each franchisee over 33 benchmark questions ranking their franchise 

in the areas of financial opportunity, training and support, leadership, operations and product development, core values (e.g., honesty and 

integrity of franchisor) general satisfaction and the franchisee community. We also asked them to answer an additional 16 questions about their 

market area, demographics, business lifestyle, overall enjoyment running their franchise, and role in the franchisee community. From this data, we 

identified our list of top franchises with the highest franchisee satisfaction. More detailed information about our research methodology is available 

at www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com. 



Multi-unit franchise owner Kyle Norcut of Two Men and a Truck. 

2020 Highlights Franchising’s 

Greatest Strength: Community 

Franchise Owners Work Together to Overcome Challenges 

It goes without saying that 2020 was a year 

unlike any other in recent memory. As we 

usher in the new year with the prospect of 

a vaccine and economic recovery, many small 

business owners are feeling hopeful and optimistic. 

Every year we look forward to talking 

to franchise brands and franchise owners, but 

this year, under such abnormal conditions, we 

were especially curious to hear how they have 

adapted, changed, persevered, and grown. 

This year marks our 16th annual Franchisee 

Satisfaction Awards and the naming of the 

Top 200 Franchises for 2021. We surveyed 

over 28,000 franchisees at more than 300 leading 

franchise companies to find out exactly 

how satisfied they are with their franchise 

business—an especially intriguing question in 

2020. Did being a part of a franchise system 

help or hinder business owners this year? 

Were franchise owners still satisfied with their 

choice to invest in their franchise? 

We combed through the data and interviewed 

franchisees at some of this year’s 

top-rated franchise brands to hear what they 

had to say. Their feedback provides a glimpse 

into the benefits of franchise ownership 

during a volatile market—and offers helpful 

information for prospective franchisees. 



THE ECONOMIC TOLL OF THE PANDEMIC 

In most down markets, franchising witnesses 

an uptick, with greater numbers of unemployed 

people looking for an income stream and a new 

opportunity they can control. As Maryellen 

Torres, chief brand officer at Fyzical, a physical 

therapy franchise, remarked, “More than ever 

before we are seeing remarkable interest from 

people of all backgrounds. People want to take 

control of their future rather than relying on a 

corporation for a paycheck that can be taken 

away at any time.” 

Still, the pandemic hit businesses hard and 

unevenly, with certain segments of the economy 

suffering enormous blows, while others 

have remained steady or even prospered. 

For the travel industry, the economic 

impact of the pandemic has been severe. 

Dream Vacations, a top-rated travel agency 

franchise with 80% of its business focused on 

cruise sales, saw business come to an immediate 

halt in March. Not only were cruise sales 

stalled, but domestic and international travel 

came to a standstill as well. “Our franchise 

owners get paid their commissions when 

people travel, not when they book—so there 

were several months where our franchisees 

were receiving little to no income,” said Debbie 

Fiorino, chief operating officer. “Fortunately, 

many of our travel partners made the decision 

to protect commissions and were paying our 

franchisees on cancelled sailings.” With multiple 

vaccines on the horizon and significant 

pent-up demand for vacations, the travel 

industry is optimistic for a strong recovery in 

2021 and beyond. 

At a TWO MEN AND A TRUCK location 

in Texas, sales were also impacted early 

on, but by June they were outproducing their 

budget by a larger margin than expected, 

explained Chad Arnold, franchise owner of 

Two Men and a Truck in Dallas Fort Worth. 

This rebound was likely a result of the uptick 

in the housing market, which saw a boom 

over the summer. “Overall, although the economic 

impact has been harsh on many, we did 

not see a negative impact on people’s ability 

to relocate, purchase a home, or need internal 

moving services,” said Randy Shacka, president 

of Two Men and a Truck. “In fact, our 

system has finished 2020 with record months 

for growth in the 4th quarter.” 

Fort Worth, TX Maid Brigade franchise owner Keith Clem checks in with his employees. 

Jackie Asti, a Maid Brigade franchisee in 

Colorado, says that her total revenue was down 

about 20% while her expenses were up about 

10% due to additional costs for PPE and new 

cleaning supplies and methods. “So, my profits 

are down significantly,” she says. “But we are 

still open and operating, and that is good!” 

In fact, not a single location closed in 2020 

due to the pandemic, according to Raychel 

Leong-Sullins, president at Maid Brigade, who 

says that several locations have actually grown 

during the pandemic due to their ability 

to quickly add PUREmist Commercial Disinfection 

to their businesses. System wide, Maid 

Brigade’s October 2020 revenues were at 85% 

of where they were during the same period in 

2019, with sales trending upwards. 

Jason Howell, VP of franchise development 

at 360 Clean, says the pandemic has been 

very positive for their franchise system, with 

service requests increasing. “Our franchise 

owners have been able to offer our healthfocused 

cleaning system to new clients and 

expand services with existing clients. As a 

franchisor, we have seen more people wanting 

to start their business journey in the janitorial 

industry, which continues to see rapid 

growth,” remarked Howell. 

A cleaning business doing well during a 

global pandemic isn’t completely surprising. 

But with high unemployment rates, what is 

surprising is the boom to certain retail concepts 

like Wild Birds Unlimited. Surprising 

that is until you consider how many people 

are now working from home with travel plans, 

dinner dates, and social meet ups on hold for 

the foreseeable future. The homebound are 

looking for new hobbies and bird watching is 

a great option. 

“Our stores are doing better than ever, we 

are getting more new customers and we are 

still awarding new and transferring existing 

franchises to new franchise store owners,” 

said Paul Pickett, chief development officer of 

Wild Birds Unlimited. “We are actually doing 

very well. Same store sales are up nearly 16% 

and new customer acquisition is stronger than 

ever in our brand’s history.” 

Similarly, at Nothing Bundt Cakes, a franchise 

bakery concept specializing in delicious 

bundt cakes, sales soared after an initial dip in 

March. “We started to see an uptick in sales, 

and around Easter and Mother’s Day, we hit 

record sales and maintained that momentum,” 

said Kyle Smith, president at Nothing Bundt 

Cakes. 



Franchise owner Terry Baker of Christian Brothers Automotive in Pearland, TX. 

Kaysi Curtin purchased her Sandler 

Training franchise two-and-a-half months 

before the pandemic hit, a particularly precarious 

time to be launching a new business. 

But, by adapting early on and moving her business 

to a 100% virtual model in mid-March she 

was able to get in front of more people at once 

and quickly grow her business. Since opening 

her franchise, she has tripled her annual s 

ales goals. “I know it sounds so cliché to say, 

but I say it with conviction each time I talk 

about owning a Sandler Training franchise … 

Best decision I have made in my career,” 

said Curtin. 

Sean Pettit, a Payroll Vault franchise 

owner in San Antonio, Texas, said they were 

unsure of the impact the pandemic would 

have on their business, but were surprised to 

see an increase in sales and client acquisition. 

Payroll Vault, a boutique-style local payroll 

service, “was put in a unique position to 

help business owners navigate the new and 

changing economic stimulus resources that 

were made available to business owners and 

their employees through payroll related legislation 

and loans,” explained Jessica Martin, 

director of marketing and executive project 

manager at Payroll Vault. 

FORCED TO ADAPT, MANY FRANCHISES 

SEE THE CHANGES AS POSITIVE 

To stay afloat during the pandemic, many 

businesses were forced to adapt to a new world 

in which virtual communication, curbside 

pickup, and cleanliness are of utmost importance. 

As a result, many brands have learned a 

lesson or two about their resilience in the face 

of challenge. 

“What this has taught us is that we can 

create and implement at record speed and will 

continue to do so,” said Pickett. Wild Birds 

Unlimited shifted to curbside pickup at many 

locations and migrated over 45 stores to online 

platforms. Unsure if in store shopping will 

ever return to 100%, Pickett says that the curbside 

option will probably always be in place. 

Christian Brothers Automotive, an 

automotive repair concept, added several new 

services to adapt to the pandemic including 

vehicle pick up and drop off, contactless service 

options, and digital vehicle inspections. 

For most, the changes they’ve made in 

response to the pandemic have been positive 

ones that will live on long past the year 2020. 

Tim Lightner, owner of four Two Men 

and a Truck franchises in Wisconsin says that 

their business has undergone many changes 

since the pandemic began in March—“almost 

all of them are for the better,” he says. They 

have moved from voice to video conferencing, 

which has proven much more effective 

for internal company meetings. “It’s just good 

to see people AND it improves the quality of 

our communication while we are working at 

Continued on page 19. 



Funding Your Franchise: You Have Options 

Jeremy Ames, President & Co-Founder of Guidant Financial 

There are a few significant differences in financing a multi-unit 

franchise versus a single unit, though many of the same financing 

solutions will work for both. Aside from the usual cash, credit cards 

or even asking for financial support from family and friends, 

the most common methods used to finance multi-unit franchise 

purchases include loans from the Small Business Administration, 

401(k) business financing, unsecured loans and portfolio loans. 

Here’s what you need to know about each: 

SBA Business Loans 

Loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) are one of the 

most popular financing methods for business owners of all kinds, from 

startups to franchises. SBA business loans are not directly from 

the SBA. Rather, the SBA encourages banks to lend to small business 

owners with preferable terms and low interest rates. In return, the SBA 

covers 75 to 85 percent of the loan for the bank if the loan defaults. 

This creates a win-win situation for both the lender and borrower. 

When it comes to multi-unit franchises, SBA lenders usually look 

at each individual unit and also at the collective performance of all the 

units. Most lenders want to see at least two years of profitable tax 

returns with the initial business prior to applying for funding for 

another location. The sooner the business becomes profitable and the 

stronger a borrower is, the more flexible lenders are. For example, 

if the borrower shows a strong credit score, has prior business experience 

in the industry and is able to put down a significant down 

payment (more than 20 to 30 percent), the bank may be willing to 

approve funding for more than one location simultaneously. 

SBA Loan Eligibility Requirements 

• 20 percent down payment for an existing business purchase 

or 30 percent for a start-up 

• 640+ credit score 

• Personal collateral required 

• Industry experience preferred 

• Secondary income preferred 

401(k) Business Financing 

With 401(k) business financing (formally known as Rollovers for 

Business Start-Ups or ROBS), you can use up to 100 percent of funds 

from an existing retirement account to buy or start a small business 

or franchise without taking a taxable distribution or getting a loan. 

Funding through ROBS has been an option since the Employee 

Retirement Income Security Act passed in 1974, and it’s growing in 

popularity. 

Since ROBS doesn’t involve taking a loan, there are no monthly 

payments or interest rates, and there are no collateral or minimum 

credit score requirements. ROBS can also be used in combination with 

an SBA loan, allowing business owners to use retirement funds as the 

down payment for the loan. 

The process for funding a single-unit franchise versus multiple 

units is the same with 401(k) business financing. You can either roll 

100 percent of your retirement funds during the initial transaction to 

use for one or multiple units, or choose to use a lesser amount initially 

to open the first location, then complete another rollover when 

you’re closer to opening your second location. However, there are 

timing considerations to take into account, especially if you plan to 

open multiple units within the first two years. In this case, you may 

choose to open your first location using an SBA loan, then use ROBS 

as the down payment for a second loan so you can show lenders 

strong liquidity. 

ROBS Eligibility Requirements 

• At least $50,000 in a rollable retirement account 

• No minimum credit score requirements 

• No down payment needed 

Unsecured Loans 

If you don’t want to jeopardize personal property in order to obtain 

financing, unsecured loans provide up to $150,000 without any collateral. 

Unsecured loans work like small business credit cards, consisting 

of multiple lines of revolving credit that can be used and paid back 

as needed. But instead of relying on collateral, lenders look at your 

creditworthiness to secure the loan. As such, a high credit score and 

solid borrowing history is necessary. 

Unsecured loans have no use-of-proceeds requirements, so the 

funds can be used for your first franchise location or subsequent units. 

It’s important to note that this type of loan shows up as revolving 

credit on one’s credit report and can have a meaningful impact on a 

credit score, especially if payments are not made on time. For that 

reason, we recommend using unsecured loans as a last resort and only 

as a short-term financing solution. 

Unsecured Loan Eligibility Requirements 

• 690+ credit score 

• Credit utilization rate below 50 percent 

• Minimal recent credit inquiries 

• No recent derogatory comments on your credit report 

Portfolio Loans 

If you own stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other eligible securities, you 

can borrow up to 80 percent against the value of your portfolio without 

having to liquidate your holdings. Portfolio loans, also referred to as 

stock loans or securities-based lending, work like a revolving line of 

credit—allowing you to finance a business or franchise by borrowing 

(and repaying) at will. Because of this, they’re ideal for financing multiunit 

franchises as you can use as much as you need, pay it back, and 

then borrow again when you’re ready to move forward with additional 

locations—all without getting a new loan. 

For a detailed walkthrough on funding your franchise, visit www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com/financing 



THE LIST 

Best of the Best: 

Top 200 Franchises 

ADVERTISING & SALES 

* Our Town America — more on p. 22 

Advertising services 

Discovery Map 

Alternative advertising maps 

Survey 

Date 

Sep. 

2020 

Aug. 

2019 

Initial 

Investment 

$63,300 – 

$86,250 

$35,250 – 

$44,950 

Cash 

Requirement 

Total 

Units 

$70,000 53 

$50,000 144 

Town Money Saver 

Advertising services 

March 

2019 

$5,700 – 

$17,000 

$5,000 – 

$12,500 

44 

AUTOMOTIVE 

* Christian Brothers Automotive 

Automotive repair 

Nov. 

2020 

$461,250 – 

$566,400 

$85,000 231 

Auto Appraisal Network 

Automotive appraisal services 

Nov. 

2020 

$16,700 – 

$44,275 

$3,000 – 

$10,000 

29 

* Snap-on Tools — more on back cover 

Automotive services 

Sep. 

2020 

$172,076 – 

$375,503 

$37,999 – 

$55,377 

4,727 

“My wife and I continue 

to be impressed, inspired, 

and motivated by our 

colleagues and peers. 

This group is of the 

highest caliber in terms 

of character, integrity, 

honesty, and commitment 

to serving our customers, 

community, and 

employees.” 

– Christian Brothers Automotive franchisee 

Tint World 


RNR Tire Express 

Custom wheel & tires 

Ziebart 


BUSINESS SERVICES 

* FASTSIGNS 

Visual business communications 

* Sandler Training — more on p. 2 

Business consulting & coaching 

* Express Employment Professionals 

Staffing solutions 

* ActionCOACH 

Business coaching 

Sanford Rose Associates 

Recruiting services 

March 

2020 

Sep. 

2020 

June 

2019 

Oct. 

2020 

Sep. 

2020 

Feb. 

2020 

Jan. 

2020 

March 

2020 

$199,950 – 

$299,950 

$500,000 – 

$1,000,000 

$228,200 – 

$463,100 

$218,596 – 

$298,679 

$113,525 – 

$143,500 

$150,000 – 

$239,000 

$45,000 – 

$125,000 

$108,250 – 

$143,580 

$70,000 – 

$80,000 

83 

$500,000 126 

$150,000 373 

$80,000 741 

$91,525 236 

$50,000 822 

$45,000 – 

$150,000 

971 

$108,250 106 

* Minuteman Press 

Printing & marketing services 

Aug. 

2019 

$74,904 – 

$180,053 

$50,000 967 

Nextaff 


Oct. 

2019 

$123,000 – 

$152,000 

$150,000 86 

* Supporting Strategies 

Bookkeeping services 

June 

2020 

$77,130 – 

$102,390 

$100,000 100 

Network in Action 

Professional Networking 

July 

2019 

$43,610 – 

$57,500 

$50,000 47 

Remedy Intelligent Staffing 


Jan. 

2020 

$152,010 – 

$258,450 

$80,000 – 

$120,000 

616 

*Full Satisfaction Report Available at 

www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com 

Best in Category 

10-Year Hall of Fame Member 

Featured on our Best of the Best List for 10 or more years. 

YESCO 

Visual business communications 

AtWork Group 

Recruiting services 

Dale Carnegie 

Leadership training 

* InXpress — more on p. 27 

Business shipping 

Feb. 

2020 

Feb. 

2020 

Sep. 

2019 

May 

2020 

$64,300 – 

$350,000 

$154,000 – 

$231,000 

$19,700 – 

$174,500 

$85,600 – 

$169,990 

$60,000 123 

$100,000 74 

$50,000 – 

$200,000 

245 

$65,000 405 



Survey 

Date 

Initial 

Investment 

Cash 

Requirement 

Total 

Units 

BUSINESS SERVICES (CONTINUED) 

Office Evolution 

Virtual office services 

July 

2020 

$373,950 – 

$1,557,000 

$300,000 72 

Intelligent Office 

Office space 

July 

2020 

$326,430 – 

$535,180 

$150,000 33 

CHILD SERVICES 

* Soccer Shots 

Youth sports 

Amazing Athletes 

Early childhood development 

Young Rembrandts 

Children’s art classes 

* TSS Photography 

Sports, school & event photography 

Snapology 

STEM/STEAM programs & activities 

Sep. 

2020 

April 

2019 

Oct. 

2019 

July 

2019 

Sep. 

2019 

$41,034 – 

$53,950 

$27,500 – 

$64,950 

$41,250 – 

$48,650 

$20,415 – 

$74,725 

$40,900 – 

$220,500 

$38,000 249 

$30,000 141 

$40,000 96 

$10,500 179 

$37,000 – 

$50,000 

155 

“The culture at Soccer 

Shots is very positive 

and encouraging. It is 

comforting to know 

that we have a strong 

community to call on 

for help and support.” 

High Touch High Tech 

Hands-on science programs 

June 

2019 

$62,750 – 

$69,000 

$37,650 34 

– Soccer Shots franchisee 

CompuChild 

Entrepreneurship & STEAM education 

July 

2020 

$14,900 – 

$30,900 

$15,000 – 

$20,000 

16 

TGA Premier Sports 

Youth sports 

Feb. 

2019 

$18,750 – 

$68,250 

$25,000 – 107 

CLEANING & MAINTENANCE 

* MaidPro 

House cleaning & maid services 

Anago Cleaning Systems 

Commercial cleaning services 

Aire-Master of America 

Commercial hygiene service 

Maid Brigade 

Residential cleaning 

* Office Pride 


* 360clean 


Heaven’s Best Carpet/Upholstery Cleaning 

Carpet & upholstery cleaning 

Sep. 

2020 

Aug. 

2020 

Dec. 

2020 

Feb. 

2020 

Sep. 

2020 

Sep. 

2020 

Feb. 

2020 

$57,560 – 

$222,450 

$11,265 – 

$68,250 

$40,364 – 

$145,900 

$96,150 – 

$129,300 

$65,000 – 

$107,200 

$15,800 – 

$24,000 

$55,560 – 

$110,000 

$75,000 276 

$1,000 – 

$23,500 

1,711 

$50,000 115 

$50,000 452 

$85,000 141 

$15,000 95 

$39,000 880 

“I greatly appreciate how 

fast the home office got 

on top of everything this 

year! Very impressed with 

all that the home office 

did under this pandemic. 

Thank You!” 

– Office Pride franchisee 

* The Maids 

Cleaning & maid services 

April 

2019 

$64,100 – 

$154,300 

$50,000 1,397 

* Image One 


June 

2020 

$59,900 – 

$123,700 

$59,900 71 

You’ve Got MAIDS 

House cleaning & maid services 

Aug. 

2019 

$36,394 – 

$107,437 

$39,900 – 

$100,000 

95 

Jan-Pro Cleaning Systems (Master Franchisors) 


Jan. 

2020 

$4,170 – 

$56,020 

$1,000 10,118 

Executive Image Building Services 


Sep. 

2020 

$24,100 – 

$68,000 

$25,000 38 



THE LIST 



EDUCATION 

The Goddard School 

Early childhood education 

* Mathnasium 

Math learning center 

Survey 

Date 

Aug. 

2020 

April 

2019 

Initial 

Investment 

$712,800 – 

$786,100 

$112,000 – 

$149,110 

Cash 

Requirement 

Total 

Units 

$150,000 519 

$112,750 1,081 

* The Learning Experience 


May 

2020 

$544,419 – 

$3,586,419 

$150,000 243 

Online Trading Academy 

Trading/investment education 

Sep 19 

$389,800 – 

$684,500 

$250,000 49 

Huntington Learning Center 

Tutoring services 

Oct 19 

$134,000 – 

$277,000 

$65,000 302 

“As big as our brand 

footprint is becoming, 

it amazes me (but does 

not surprise me) how 

close-knit our Payroll 

Vault family is. 100% of 

the time there is always 

someone that will reach 

out and help any one of 

us anytime we need it. 

Amazing!” 

– Payroll Vault franchisee 

LearningRx 


School of Rock 

Music school 

Creative World School 


Best In Class Education Centers 


FINANCIAL & TAX 

* Payroll Vault 

Payroll services 

* Brightway Insurance 

Financial services 

We Insure 

Insurance services 

Motto Mortgage 

Brokerage services 

* ATAX — more on p. 26 

Tax preparation, business services 

July 

2020 

Sep. 

2019 

Dec. 

2020 

Sep. 

2019 

Aug. 

2020 

Jan. 

2020 

Oct. 

2020 

Oct. 

2020 

Sep. 

2019 

$90,000 – 

$149,000 

$271,500 – 

$494,100 

$2,445,300 – 

$5,206,000 

$67,375 – 

$127,730 

$39,313 – 

$65,769 

$18,100 – 

$173,500 

$46,010 – 

$97,250 

$52,800 – 

$73,800 

$53,350 – 

$76,699 

$44,000 – 

$60,000 

55 

$125,000 302 

$400,000 – 

$600,000 

25 

$50,000 59 

$31,500 62 

$25,000 – 

$200,000 

$30,000 – 

$75,000 

208 

112 

$12,000 130 

$40,000 62 

FITNESS 

Planet Fitness 

Fitness club 

March 

2019 

$968,100 – 

$4,113,000 

$1,500,000 2,059 

Orangetheory Fitness 

Fitness club 

Nov. 

2020 

$576,022 – 

$1,498,122 

$150,000 1,385 

* Crunch Fitness 

Fitness club 

Dec. 

2019 

$255,500 – 

$2,320,500 

$400,000 – 

$500,000 

293 

* 30-Minute Hit 

Boxing & kickboxing circuit 

Oct. 

2019 

$122,350 – 

$212,500 

$45,000 92 

FOOD 

Nothing Bundt Cakes 

Snack retailer 

May 

2020 

$408,187 – 

$588,587 

$150,000 343 

* Kona Ice 

Frozen treats 

Sep. 

2019 

$134,850 – 

$140,350 

$20,000 1,373 

A&W Restaurants 

Fast casual 

May 

2020 

$269,000 – 

$1,213,000 

$150,000 – 

$250,000 

963 

Tropical Smoothie Cafe 

Fast casual 

Oct. 

2020 

$198,500 – 

$543,500 

$125,000 871 



Survey 

Date 

Initial 

Investment 

Cash 

Requirement 

Total 

Units 

FOOD (CONTINUED) 

Wingstop 

Quick-service 

Aug. 

2020 

$376,300 – 

$724,000 

$600,000 1,427 

* Pizza Factory — more on p. 26 

Fast Casual 

Oct. 

2020 

$308,000 – 

$552,000 

$75,000 102 

Donatos Pizza 

Quick-service 

Sep. 

2020 

$386,500 – 

$698,900 

$200,000 162 

Pizza Ranch 

Fast casual 

Sep. 

2019 

$768,000 – 

$3,458,000 

$400,000 215 

Fazoli’s Restaurants 

Fast casual 

The Wendy’s Company 

Quick-service 

* Checkers & Rally’s 

Quick-service 

BIGGBY COFFEE — more on p. 2 

Beverages 

Oct. 

2020 

June 

2019 

Sep. 

2020 

Oct. 

2020 

$1,098,000 – 

$1,739,818 

$300,000 – 

$3,000,000 

$254,000 – 

$1,431,000 

$189,550 – 

$378,600 

$250,000 212 

$2,000,000 6,564 

$250,000 882 

$0 243 

“I appreciate Pizza 

Factory’s integrity, 

honesty and effort 

to make us a better 

company.” 

Walk-On’s Bistreaux and Bar 

Louisiana themed sports grills 

Sep. 

2019 

$1,214,000 – 

$4,033,700 

$90,000 42 

– Pizza Factory franchisee 

* Chicken Salad Chick — more on p. 22 

Fast casual 

Sep. 

2020 

$562,000 – 

$740,000 

$200,000 180 

Captain D’s 

Fast casual 

Aug. 

2019 

$1,005,600 – 

$1,223,600 

$350,000 529 

LaRosa’s Pizzeria 

Fast casual 

Teriyaki Madness 

Fast casual 

Qdoba 

Quick-service 

Lennys Grill & Subs 

Quick-service 

Cousins Subs 

Hot/cold subs 

Simple Simon’s Pizza 

Fast casual 

June 

2019 

Nov. 

2020 

March 

2020 

July 

2019 

Aug. 

2020 

Sep. 

2019 

$800,000 – 

$1,000,000 

$322,755 – 

$862,435 

$475,000 – 

$1,095,000 

$192,844 – 

$431,326 

$197,200 – 

$648,000 

$142,000 – 

$536,000 

$500,000 65 

$100,000 – 

$200,000 

$350,000 – 

$1,000,000 

78 

713 

$75,000 95 

$100,000 – 

$500,000 

98 

$20,000 190 

“I love the PJ’s franchisee 

community! We come 

together to help and 

support and advise. 

We are a strong team 

and fun competitors.” 

– PJ’s Coffee franchisee 

Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop 

Quick-service 

Aug. 

2020 

$380,000 – 

$660,413 

$150,000 – 

$300,000 

104 

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream 

Frozen treats 

Sep. 

2019 

$230,000 – 

$1,300,000 

$100,000 186 

Wings Etc. 

Fast casual 

Oct. 

2019 

$292,847 – 

$1,733,707 

$200,000 – 

$500,000 

74 

* The Haagen-Dazs Shoppe Company 

Ice cream/Yogurt/Frozen treats 

— more on 

p. 23 

July 

2019 

$164,518 – 

$542,408 

$80,000 – 

$200,000 

217 

* PJ’s Coffee 

Quick-service 

Oct. 

2020 

$198,000 – 

$578,000 

$100,000 – 

$250,000 

114 

* East Coast Wings + Grill 

Casual dining 

Oct. 

2019 

$434,268 – 

$982,275 

$250,000 36 

* Happy & Healthy Products 

Ice cream/Yogurt/Frozen treats 

Mach 

2020 

$53,206 – 

$92,936 

$0 30 

Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe 

Fast casual 

Sep. 

2019 

$468,000 – 

$831,000 

$500,000 92 



THE LIST 



FOOD (CONTINUED) 

Frios Gourmet Pops 

Frozen treats 

Straw Hat Pizza 

Fast casual 

Survey 

Date 

June 

2020 

Aug. 

2019 

Initial 

Investment 

$25,000 – 

$30,000 

$262,500 – 

$861,500 

Cash 

Requirement 

Total 

Units 

$50,000 38 

$250,000 25 

Nathan’s Famous 

Fast food 

Aug. 

2019 

$276,360 – 

$1,040,360 

$200,000 262 

HEALTH & PERSONAL SERVICES 

Fastest Labs 

Drug alcohol & DNA testing services 

Nov. 

2020 

$83,309 – 

$111,650 

$75,000 58 

“DreamMaker’s strong 

core values are what 

lead me to them. 

The DreamMaker team 

exemplifies these 

values all the time.” 

– DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen franchisee 

The Joint 

Chiropractic 

FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers 

Physical therapy centers 

Palm Beach Tan 

Beauty services 

MY SALON Suite 

Private, spacious salon suites 

Sola Salon Studios 

Salon suites 

Any Lab Test Now — more on p. 26 

Lab testing services 

Oct. 

2020 

June 

2020 

Sep. 

2019 

July 

2020 

Nov. 

2020 

Aug. 

2020 

$183 – 

$378,697 

$61,250 – 

$729,000 

$624,438 – 

$926,790 

$664,738 – 

$1,453,518 

$532,282 – 

$1,715,682 

$133,600 – 

$214,600 

$250,000 546 

$70,000 – 

$140,000 

407 

$250,000 542 

$200,000 172 

$500,000 524 

$50,000 186 

Drybar 

Hair salon 

Sep. 

2019 

$639,180 – 

$1,391,470 

$150,000 143 

Miracle-Ear 

Hearing aids 

Nov. 

2019 

$119,000 – 

$352,500 

$25,000 1,471 

101 Mobility 

Mobility equipment services 

Nov. 

2019 

$118,290 – 

$216,620 

$100,000 182 

The Woodhouse Day Spa 

Health & Beauty 

Feb. 

2020 

$808,250 – 

$985,000 

$250,000 64 

Spavia Day Spa 

Day spa 

Nov. 

2020 

$353,251 – 

$700,820 

$200,000 49 

Blo Blow Dry Bar 

Blow outs 

Nov. 

2020 

$229,500 – 

$347,700 

$7,000 77 

HOME SERVICES 

* DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen 

Home remodeling 

Aug. 

2020 

$142,575 – 

$364,550 

$250,000 36 

Mr. Handyman 

Home repair services 

Oct. 

2020 

$117,500 – 

$149,100 

$50,000 249 

Mr. Appliance 

Appliance repair 

Oct. 

2020 

$65,800 – 

$144,515 

$45,000 295 

* HouseMaster 

Professional home inspections 

Oct. 

2020 

$61,100 – 

$106,150 

$30,000 – 

$50,000 

305 

Surface Specialists Systems 


June 

2019 

$43,200 – 

$56,000 

$25,000 47 

* Kitchen Solvers 


Sep. 

2020 

$91,584 – 

$116,720 

$30,000 46 

Color World House Painting 

Residential/commercial painting, repairs 

Feb. 

2020 

$72,260 – 

$143,200 

$40,000 24 



Survey 

Date 

Initial 

Investment 

Cash 

Requirement 

Total 

Units 

HOME SERVICES (CONTINUED) 

Aire Serv Heating And Air Conditioning 

HVAC Services 

Oct. 

2020 

$82,600 – 

$206,400 

$35,000 – 

$35,000 

183 

House Doctors Handyman Service 

Home improvement 

April 

2019 

$98,000 – 

$128,650 

$60,000 37 

The Patch Boys 

Drywall repair 

June 

2019 

$48,900 – 

$75,900 

$50,000 92 

Miracle Method Surface Refinishing 

Bathroom & kitchen remodeling 

Dec. 

2020 

$84,500 – 

$180,000 

$85,000 – 

$90,000 

162 

TruBlue Total House Care 

Handyman services 

July 

2020 

$59,650 – 

$86,000 

36 

The Grout Doctor 

Grout repair services 

Aug. 

2020 

$20,615 – 

$33,725 

$15,905 – 

$39,915 

79 

HandyPro Senior Modifications 

and Handyman Service 

Home services 

Jan. 

2020 

$70,640 – 

$128,643 

$30,000 16 

Bloomin Blinds 

Custom blinds and window coverings 

Jan. 

2020 

$50,000 – 

$85,000 

$40,000 50 

ShelfGenie 

Shelving solutions 

Dec. 

2019 

$33,175 – 

$109,500 

$75,000 172 

PET SERVICES 

Pet Supplies ‘PLUS’ 

Pet retailer 

July 

2020 

$440,600 – 

$1,315,250 

$200,000 472 

* Dogtopia — more on p. 27 

Dog daycare & boarding 

In Home Pet Services 

Pet sitting & dog walking service 

REAL ESTATE 

NextHome 

Real estate 

Keller Williams 

Real estate 

Sotheby’s International Realty 

Real estate 

Weichert Real Estate Affiliates 

Real estate 

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate 

Real estate 

Nov. 

2020 

Sep. 

2019 

Nov. 

2020 

Jan. 

2020 

Jan. 

2020 

Sep. 

2020 

Jan. 

2020 

$757,253 – 

$1,553,415 

$9,200 – 

$35,100 

$14,750 – 

$213,595 

$183,947 – 

$336,995 

$194,650 – 

$627,000 

$62,500 – 

$324,700 

$190,970 – 

$513,550 

$300,000 167 

$9,200 – 

$35,100 

15 

$3,750 – 450 

$183,947 – 

$336,995 

$63,650 – 

$206,000 

1,026 

607 

$25,000 – 482 

$100,000 231 

“Excellent support in 

both marketing and 

operations from the 

Dogtopia corporate office. 

The communications 

throughout Covid have 

been professional, positive, 

and very useful. Thank 

you… and keep up 

the great work!” 

– Dogtopia franchisee 

United Country Real Estate 

Real estate 

Oct. 

2020 

$10,875 – 

$50,380 

$15,000 395 

Showhomes Home Staging 

Home staging 

Jan. 

2020 

$60,550 – 

$103,000 

$30,000 – 

$100,000 

61 

JPAR Real Estate 

Real estate 

Oct. 

2020 

$41,300 – 

$290,660 

48 

Help-U-Sell Real Estate 

Real estate 

Oct. 

2020 

$29,650 – 

$67,650 

$4,950 102 



THE LIST 



RETAIL 

* Wild Birds Unlimited 

Nature retailer 

* Pinch A Penny — more on p. 24 

Pool supplies retailer 

Survey 

Date 

Oct. 

2020 

Oct. 

2020 

Initial 

Investment 

$170,382 – 

$281,606 

$289,375 – 

$411,200 

Cash 

Requirement 

$40,000 – 

$50,000 

Total 

Units 

349 

$150,000 257 

Rhea Lana’s 

Children’s consignment 

Dec. 

2019 

$19,050 – 

$38,950 

$15,000 – 100 

Just Between Friends 

Children’s consignment 

Oct. 

2019 

$38,588 – 

$54,889 

$43,178 – 

$49,000 

166 

Dash In Food Stores 

Convenience Store 

Sep. 

2020 

$119,650 – 

$517,750 

$119,650 – 

$517,750 

67 

SENIOR CARE 

* Visiting Angels 

In-home senior care 

Oct. 

2020 

$84,085 – 

$125,885 

$59,950 – 641 

“I hope to be seen as 

a leader within our 

organization as I learn 

and grow more. I love our 

franchise, our people, and 

how this has challenged 

me to be a better 

business owner, manager 

and a better person. 

Thank you FirstLight!” 

– FirstLight Home Care franchisee 

Home Instead 


* Senior Care Authority 

Assisted living placement services 

Assisting Hands 


Right at Home 


* FirstLight Home Care 


* BrightStar Care — more on p. 27 


Home Care Assistance 


* Amada Senior Care 


Aug. 

2020 

Nov. 

2020 

July 

2020 

March 

2020 

Aug. 

2020 

April 

2019 

Nov. 

2019 

April 

2019 

$108,900 – 

$124,910 

$57,500 – 

$87,700 

$80,050 – 

$152,000 

$80,150 – 

$147,150 

$112,881 – 

$199,376 

$101,656 – 

$169,414 

$77,775 – 

$245,250 

$87,710 – 

$174,654 

$55,000 1,049 

$50,000 – 

$150,000 

57 

$48,000 130 

$150,000 347 

$100,000 215 

$150,000 330 

$80,000 175 

$90,000 111 

Oasis Senior Advisors 


Nov. 

2020 

$64,890 – 

$99,090 

$40,000 2,039 

Home Helpers Home Care 

Senior Care 

June 

2020 

$84,450 – 

$136,600 

$100,000 310 

* CarePatrol 

Assisted living placement services 

Oct. 

2020 

$71,540 – 

$88,490 

$85,000 150 

SERVICES 

Weed Man 

Lawn care 

Oct. 

2020 

$69,490 – 

$86,550 

$60,000 349 

* Two Men and A Truck 

Moving services 

March 

2020 

$179,000 – 

$585,000 

$80,000 – 

$190,000 

386 

* Fibrenew 

Leather & vinyl repair services 

Oct. 

2020 

$87,812 – 

$99,452 

$15,000 – 

$25,000 

253 

Precision Concrete Cutting 

Concrete maintenance services 

Aug. 

2020 

$155,000 – 

$181,500 

$72,000 71 

* Fish Window Cleaning 

Window cleaning 

Sep. 

2020 

$87,300 – 

$151,600 

$100,000 276 

Bin There Dump That 

Residential dumpster rentals 

Feb. 

2020 

$72,200 – 

$127,600 

$50,000 198 



Survey 

Date 

Initial 

Investment 

Cash 

Requirement 

Total 

Units 

SERVICES (CONTINUED) 

Mosquito Shield 

Outdoor pest control 

Oct. 

2020 

$92,850 – 

$127,040 

$100,000 54 

Critter Control 

Wildlife control & removal 

Sep. 

2020 

$63,525 – 

$169,525 

$8,075 – 

$52,075 

83 

Precision Door Service 

Garage door services 

Oct. 

2020 

$71,255 – 

$314,955 

$100,000 – 

$200,000 

98 

Mr. Electric 

Electrical services 

Oct. 

2020 

$103,600 – 

$239,750 

$35,000 – 

$35,000 

171 

Window Genie 

Window cleaning 

Oct. 

2020 

$92,800 – 

$172,500 

$50,000 121 

Property Damage Appraisers 

Property damage assessments 

* The Glass Guru — more on p. 25 

Window restoration 

* Mosquito Joe 

Mosquito control services 

Mr. Rooter Plumbing 

Home services 

* PuroClean — more on p. 24 

Property emergency repair services 

Signal 88 Security 

Private security services 

NaturaLawn of America — more on p. 25 

Lawn care 

Nov. 

2020 

Oct. 

2020 

Oct. 

2020 

Oct. 

2020 

Oct. 

2020 

July 

2020 

Oct. 

2019 

$20,300 – 

$41,950 

$72,750 – 

$179,500 

$95,600 – 

$137,150 

$79,975 – 

$187,140 

$72,765 – 

$192,615 

$59,200 – 

$223,150 

$47,500 – 

$112,650 

$20,300 – 

$41,950 

242 

$64,150 89 

$50,000 – 340 

$79,975 – 

$187,140 

$50,000 – 

$75,000 

290 

310 

$45,000 520 

$50,000 97 

“The support provided 

by The Glass Guru 

home office is very high 

quality and translates 

directly into increased 

productivity for 

franchise owners.” 

– The Glass Guru franchisee 

Green Home Solutions 

Mold remediation 

Nov. 

2020 

$51,595 – 

$154,070 

$110,000 141 

Grasons Co. Estate Sale Services 

Estate services 

Oct. 

2020 

$48,900 – 

$73,600 

25 

Junk King — more on p. 23 

Junk removal 

Oct. 

2020 

$89,850 – 

$175,440 

$50,000 – 

$75,000 

112 

Hoodz 

Commercial kitchen cleaning 

Nov. 

2020 

$62,521 – 

$179,840 

$100,000 137 

Glass Doctor 

Glass repair & replacement 

Oct. 

2020 

$127,300 – 

$265,500 

$127,300 – 

$265,500 

182 

Pirtek 

Hydraulic hose replacement 

Nov. 

2020 

$201,400 – 

$869,300 

$100,000 – 

$500,000 

526 

MarbleLife 

Stone restoration 

Aug. 

2019 

$50,000 – 

$65,000 

$30,000 40 

Clean Air Lawn Care 

Sustainable lawn care 

Nov. 

2020 

$60,901 – 

$117,761 

$50,000 36 

Creative Colors International 

Leather & vinyl repair services 

Feb. 

2020 

$95,125 – 

$122,250 

$50,000 77 

Boulder Designs 

Custom rocks and boulder signage 

Nov. 

2020 

$86,495 – 

$109,500 

$40,000 – 125 

* Truly Nolen of America — more on p. 24 

Pest control 

March 

2020 

$50,200 – 

$293,000 

$35,000 380 

Service Team of Professionals 

Service Team of Professionals 

Sep. 

2019 

$83,700 – 

$144,500 

$50,000 31 

Border Magic 

Concrete edging and landscape curbing 

Nov. 

2020 

$78,040 – 

$100,545 

$40,000 63 



THE LIST 



SERVICES (CONTINUED) 

Ductz 

Air Duct cleaning 

Tide Dry Cleaners 

Dry cleaners 

Survey 

Date 

Nov. 

2020 

Nov. 

2020 

Initial 

Investment 

$103,237 – 

$187,830 

$681,100 – 

$1,573,300 

Cash 

Requirement 

Total 

Units 

$100,000 76 

$1,100,000 185 

College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving 

Junk removal services 

March 

2019 

$95,700 – 

$231,200 

$75,000 129 

SPORTS & RECREATION 

Kampgrounds of America/KOA 

Camping services 

Nov. 

2019 

$30,250 – 

$9,172,925 

$500,000 – 

$3,000,000 

519 

“We have an extremely 

supportive community 

of franchisees... great 

mentors and they provide 

generous feedback to 

other owners. I have 

learned a great deal.” 

– NerdsToGo franchisee 

Freedom Boat Club 

Members only boat club 

Monster Mini Golf 

Mini golf 

American Poolplayers Association 

Pool league 

* Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park 

Camping services 

British Swim School 

Swim lessons 

Goldfish Swim School 

Swim lessons 

Sep. 

2020 

Nov. 

2020 

Sep. 

2019 

March 

2020 

Feb. 

2020 

Jan. 

2020 

$149,200 – 

$458,700 

$431,000 – 

$520,000 

$20,523 – 

$28,408 

$63,000 – 

$5,000,000 

$91,275 – 

$145,845 

$1,335,283 – 

$3,065,358 

$38,000 196 

$30,000 27 

$20,763 331 

$200,000 78 

$100,000 104 

$450,000 – 

$600,000 

95 

Streamline Brands 

Swim school services 

Sep. 

2020 

$52,000 – 

$1,870,000 

$60,000 – 

$300,000 

171 

TECHNOLOGY 

TeamLogic IT 

IT services 

Aug. 

2020 

$106,375 – 

$146,300 

$60,000 204 

* NerdsToGo 

Technology services 

May 

2020 

$126,900 – 

$217,050 

$80,000 27 

TRAVEL SERVICES 

* Cruise Planners 

Travel agency 

Oct. 

2019 

$2,295 – 

$23,617 

$10,995 2,801 

* Dream Vacations 

Travel agency 

Oct. 

2019 

$3,245 – 

$21,850 

$3,500 1,540 

Expedia Cruises 

Travel agency 

May 

2019 

$169,950 – 

$299,650 

$39,000 301 

SENIOR SERVICES 



their product to assist first responders by 

providing them with disinfection solutions 

and spraying down their vehicles to help keep 

them healthy. 

Susan Sykes of Raleigh, NC with fellow Sandler Training franchisees. 

Continued from page 8. 

remote offices, distant offices and/or at home,” 

said Lightner. They have also stepped up their 

safety practices with a renewed focus on the 

health and well-being of their team members. 

“I don’t think anyone in their right minds 

would have welcomed a pandemic, but we 

have found some success trying to use it as an 

avenue for positive change,” he remarked. 

At Payroll Vault, virtual communication 

was critical. Through weekly conference 

calls, one-on-one calls with franchise owners, 

letters, articles, announcements, and webinars, 

Payroll Vault kept franchise owners up to date 

on new and evolving legislation and resources. 

“Our top priority was evaluating information 

and implementing change through increased 

communication to disperse the information 

quickly and efficiently,” said Martin. “Payroll 

Vault is more digital and resourceful today, 

ready to implement new ideas when they are 

identified and benefit the overall brand.” 

In fact, almost every franchise we talked to 

noted how important the shift to virtual has 

been for their business. Express Employment 

Professionals, a top-rated staffing firm, has 

implemented virtual and drive-through job 

fairs. Dream Vacations, which is a home-based 

business, has shifted their initial franchisee 

training and their national conference virtual. 

Three out of five of their regional trainings 

have also gone virtual. NextHome, a progressive 

real estate franchise, held educational 

webinars for specific regions to address their 

different needs and to help keep them abreast 

of support they could get from the home office 

and government programs. “When people 

are in crisis, the important thing to do is to 

create momentum in a direction, then we can 

course-correct together as we get more information, 

said Keith Robinson, Chief Strategy 

Officer at NextHome. 

In addition to moving virtual, businesses 

are hyper focused on cleanliness. At Maid 

Brigade, where cleanliness is the name of 

the game, their PUREcleaning system had 

them one step ahead when COVID-19 hit. 

“PUREcleaning involves cleaning and disinfecting 

homes, using electrolyzed water and 

electrostatic sprayers. Electrolyzed water is 

incredibly safe, effective, and the hypochlorous 

acid is one of the products recommended 

by the CDC against the novel coronavirus,” 

explained Raychel Leong-Sullins, president 

at Maid Brigade. Their services have been in 

especially high demand at gyms, and restaurants, 

where Maid Brigade has been assisting 

to keep these hard-hit businesses open and 

safe. The franchise company has also deployed 

FRANCHISOR SUPPORT INVALUABLE 

DURING THE PANDEMIC 

2020 witnessed the closure of thousands of 

businesses, with small businesses being hit 

particularly hard. On their own, many business 

owners have been forced to close as they 

watch their sales fall and their expenses rise. 

For franchise owners though, the support of 

the system has been a lifeline. “During the 

pandemic, we have offered support at a level 

that would be very difficult for a single small 

business owner to find,” said Debbie Adams, 

director of franchise development marketing 

at Mr. Electric. 

Asti, a Maid Brigade franchise owner 

agrees. “I do not believe that I would have been 

able to make it through the past year without 

the support and help from the franchisor, and 

even more so from my fellow franchisees,” she 

said. “The ability to communicate the ups and 

downs and bounce ideas off of each other has 

been instrumental in making it through such 

a tough year. If I had to do this all alone, without 

their support, I am sure I would not have 

survived this long.” 

Lightner, franchisee at Two Men and a 

Truck, also credits the franchise system with 

helping his business through a very challenging 

period. “This has been a challenging year 

from a business perspective. Slowing sales, 

then rapidly growing sales has presented 

large staffing challenges, all with the shadow 

of a virus that we are all learning more about 

each day, has been challenging to say the least. 

Being a part of a franchise system has made 

that much less daunting. We can learn from 

each other and share with each other, leaning 

on the network that is inherent in franchising. 

It’s a great benefit.” 

Another Two Men and a Truck franchisee, 

Chad Arnold agrees with Lightner and has 

noticed the brand’s effort to increase communication 

to support franchisees during the 

pandemic. “This year could have been a disaster, 

but the steady approach and open lines 

of dialogue between us all has really helped. 

I never felt alone. If anything, I can say I have 

never felt in my 20 years of doing this, more 



imagine having to deal with these difficult 

times without a strong, supportive team and 

a franchise community committed to encouraging 

one another and coming through this 

intact. While the pandemic challenges have 

been extreme, I’ve been amazed at our team 

and our franchise community’s resilience and 

positive attitudes,” he said. 

Jessica Lemcke Habasevich of Weed Man of Houston TX delivers service with a smile. 

connected to the brand than I do today. We 

have seen leaders lead and I think the brand 

has grown stronger in the past 11 months.” 

Challenging times can bring people 

together, as has been the case at Maid Brigade 

too. “We have seen incredible support and 

camaraderie within our system. Our franchisees 

have always been close, but all of us 

are really ‘in this together,’ remarked Leong- 

Sullins. “There have been challenging and 

frustrating situations along the way, but our 

franchisees know that their home office team 

is here to help them, whatever happens.” 

Soccer Shots, a children’s soccer franchise, 

was hit particularly hard by the pandemic. 

Their CEO Justin Bredeman says he “can’t 

FRANCHISEE SATISFACTION IN 2020 

Despite a challenging year, franchisee satisfaction 

is at an all-time high at the top brands 

based on Franchise Business Review’s 15-years 

of research tracking satisfaction. “We will all 

be glad when the pandemic is over, but the 

franchise industry has risen to the challenge,” 

said Eric Stites, CEO and founder at Franchise 

Business Review. “It’s cliché but the promise 

that franchising is about ‘being in business for 

yourself, but not by yourself ’ has never been 

more valuable than now. Many franchise business 

owners are grateful to have the support of 

a large organization behind them.” 

One of the reasons many franchise owners 

embark on small business ownership is their 

desire to contribute to their communities. 

It’s why so many say they love franchise ownership. 

In 2020, despite the challenges that 

franchise owners have faced, their love for 

their work has not changed—and giving back 

is a big part of that. 

Franchises like Home Instead Senior 

Care, a home care service for seniors, has 

been playing a critical role in keeping seniors 

safe and healthy at home at a time when they 

are most vulnerable. “In a time when medical 

systems are overwhelmed, home care plays 

a critical role in the health care system,” said 

“Dave Banark, COO at Home Instead, Inc. 

“We are alleviating pressures from hospitals 

as more and more seniors recovering from 

COVID-19 are able to return home, freeing up 

hospital beds for more critical care patients.” 

Looking forward, Smith at Nothing Bundt 

Cakes believes that franchise businesses with 

purpose will become more attractive than 

ever. “Nothing Bundt Cakes experienced an 

increase in franchise inquiries throughout 

2020, which we attribute to alignment with 

Nothing Bundt Cakes’ purpose and values— 

all focused on bringing joy to others,” he said. 

Lightner at Two Men and A Truck put it 

simply: “Love. What. I. Do,” he said. “We are an 



organization that is devoted to taking care of 

customers, improving the lives of our employees, 

giving back to our community, and participating 

in and improving our brand. We happen 

to do this by being a moving and junk removal 

company. But taking care of customers, our 

teammates, communities and brand, well it’s 

what gets me out of bed in the morning.” 

“I absolutely love the work we do,” echoed 

Pettit at Payroll Vault. “It is such an essential 

service. There is a profound satisfaction 

my team and I get from providing the services 

we do, which includes the additional support 

we provide to our clients navigating the 

many changes in payroll requirements and 

legislation.” 

At Dream Vacations, franchisees continue to 

report high satisfaction, deep appreciation for 

their franchisor, and great hope for the future. 

“We are so thankful to be part of the 

Dream Vacations franchise organization,” said 

Amy Madson, a franchise owner in Orlando, 

Fla. “They provided incredible support with 

transparent communication, unwavering 

assistance with booking/cancellation issues, 

invested in new technology and reporting 

tools to help us manage the business and 

provided moral support and encouragement 

with weekly webinars and personal updates! 

Honestly, they did all this before the pandemic, 

and somehow, they added even more.” 

Peggy Rosenthal, another Dream Vacations 

franchise owner in Bella Vista, Arkansas 

has not wavered on her decision to invest in 

a Dream Vacations franchise, instead finding 

ways to pivot in the challenging environment. 

“I am very satisfied working as a travel advisor. 

I enjoy introducing clients to new travel 

experiences.” she said. “For instance, this year, 

I introduced long-time cruise clients, whose 

cruise was cancelled to an all-inclusive experience 

in Mexico. They enjoyed it so much, 

they took a second trip to an all-inclusive in 

Jamaica the next week.” 

FRANCHISING IN 2021 AND BEYOND 

Franchise companies are hopeful for the 

future. 

Travel brands like Dream Vacations believe 

a pent-up demand for travel will fuel a resurgence 

in their industry post pandemic. “I am 

confident that sales will rebound significantly 

in the next few years,” said Rosenthal. 

Living R.I.C.H. (respect, integrity, customer-focus, and having fun in the process) is core to the mission for all 

Mr. Electric franchise owners. 

Madson, fellow Dream Vacations franchise 

owner in Orlando, Fla. also sees growth in the 

near future. “We expect to be flat or see a slight 

increase for 2021. For 2022 we expect to be up 

at least 30% over 2019 with 10-20% growth 

per year after that.” 

Pent-up demand can also be found in 

youth sports. “We’ve seen the pent-up demand 

for our services through enrollment numbers,” 

said Soccer Shots’ Bredeman. “It’s a matter 

of when, not if, youth sports will return en 

masse, and I believe it will be as big or bigger 

than what we experienced pre-Covid-19.” 

Wild Birds Unlimited also feels confident 

about the future. “We have continued to add 

new stores and have transferred existing stores 

at a very strong rate,” noted Pickett. “We feel 

that the pandemic has altered the culture and 

focus for so many people who have realized 

that the joy of birds and nature is so important, 

especially during these trying times. These 

same people have been leaning in to the hobby 

of backyard bird feeding and doing more and 

more shopping in our stores.” 

The sentiment is echoed yet again at 

Express Employment Professionals. “The 

staffing industry is the number one most 

researched franchise to own right now because 

of the recession-resilient nature of the business 

model,” said Vinny Provenzano, Express 

Employment vice president of franchising. 

“Right now, it’s a rewarding investment 

in rebuilding communities to bring hope 

through employment.” 

COVID-19 is a bump in the road, one that 

has caused great suffering but has also ignited 

change—change that will be long lasting even 

after the pandemic is simply a memory. As 

for the franchise model, the pandemic has 

illuminated one of its greatest benefits: community 

support. The unmatched support 

from the home office and the franchisee 

network is unique to franchising and is 

one of the primary reasons for its success. 

For many franchise owners, this support has 

made all the difference during one of the most 

challenging periods in modern history. As 

Two Men and a Truck founder, Mary Ellen 

Sheets said, “All of us are smarter than one of 

us.” The same could probably be said about 

strength. All of us are stronger than one of us. 

If you would like to learn more about franchise 

ownership, our recently released list of 

this year’s Top 200 Franchises is a great place 

to begin. 


FBR SPECIAL REPORT // MARKETPLACE 


Chicken Salad Chick 

Spread Joy, 

Enrich Lives, and 

Serve Others 

with our unique 

franchise model 

Average 

Unit Sales 

$1,246K 

(on a 6 day work week)* 

Multiple 

Revenue 

Streams 

Dine In, Take Out, 

Drive Thru, Catering, Offsite 

ActionCOACH 

Initial Investment: $45,000 – $125,000 

Cash Requirement: $45,000 – $150,000 

Total Units: 971 

Business coaching is booming and the global 

demand is unprecedented. Business coaching 

is the second fastest growth industry behind IT. 

ActionCOACH offers you a flexible work-life, with 

little overhead and high margin returns. 

ActionCOACH is the world’s #1 business coaching 

franchise with +25 years of experience. Spanning 

+60 countries, our nearly 1,000 ActionCOACHes 

work with more than 18,000 businesses weekly 

changing lives through business re-education. 

Join Our Family of 

Franchise Owners 

Visit ChickenSaladChick.com/Franchising 

*This figure represents a total of 102 franchised 

location at the end of 2019 with 71 in operation for the 

entire year as published in our April 30, 2020 franchise 

disclosure document. 

Becoming part of the ActionCOACH family 

connects you to a global community of 

professionally certified experts. The training 

is unparalleled, the ongoing support is 

unmatched, and you get access to the library of 

ActionCOACH’s methodologies. Work with clients 

you choose and start living the life you have 

always wanted. 

For more information on ActionCOACH 

opportunities, call (888) 488-2828 or 

(702) 795-3188, email info@actioncoach.com, 

or visit www.actioncoach.com 

Be Your Own Boss 

while Supporting your Local Economy 

There Has Never Been a Better Time 

Connect local businesses with new customers through niche Direct Mail Marketing. 

• Quick Ramp Up 

• Home-based 

• Flexibility 

Quality of Life 

• Scalable Business 

• Job Security 

• Residual Income 

• Low Overhead 

No Employees Needed 

• Sales & Service 

No Production 

• Intuitive Mobile Apps 

• Veteran Discount 

#1 Advertising 

Franchise in the U.S. 

"This business model is perfect; work from home with no overhead, supportive 

& responsive corporate team, & ability to grow residual income with unlimited 

earning potential." - Jane McElhaney Columbia, SC Franchise Owner 

800-497-8360 X236 • OurTownAmerica.com 

Our Town America, A Franchising Corporation • 13900 US Highway 19 N | Clearwater, FL 33764-7238 

MN Residents: Minnesota Franchise Registration No: F-6498 (Unit); F-7645 (RD) NY Residents: This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by 

aprospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. * FranchiseBusinessReview.com 



InXpress 


Cash Requirement: $65,000 


InXpress is a business-to-business, home based 

franchise in the global shipping and logistics 

industry. InXpress franchisees are consultative 

salespeople who call on small-to-medium sized 

businesses to save them time and money on their 

shipping/freight/import/export needs. As a global 

company, we earn the massive discounts and 

increased service through cooperative buying 

that bundles the revenues of these small 

businesses together. InXpress franchisees 

generate revenue on each shipment sent by their 

customers, building a strong long-term residual 

income. The collective nature of the franchise 

fosters a true collaborative effort among InXpress 

franchisees and promotes our GREAT culture. 

For more information on InXpress 

opportunities, call (801) 523-8726, 

email Victor.vallejos@inxpress.com 

or visit www.inxpressfranchise.com. 

RETAIL 

Wild Birds Unlimited 


Cash Requirement: $40,000 – $50,000 


Wild Birds Unlimited franchise store owners 

are the community resource for backyard bird 

feeding products, services and nature education. 

Who we are goes far beyond the products 

we sell. Each day our owners deliver a joyful 

experience to their customers while helping 

them purposefully engage with nature. A typical 

day involves customers swapping stories about 

latest bird sightings and sharing excitement 

about attracting new birds with our vast array 

of proprietary products. 

For more information on Wild Birds Unlimited 

opportunities, call (888) 730-7108 or visit 

www.wbufranchise.com. 

Jason Edge 

Junk King 

Portland and Vancouver 

Franchise owner since 2016 

FEATURED 

Franchisee 

What was it about the franchise that led you 

to purchase it? 

Ultimately, it was the ability to impact individual 

lives and give back to the community while still 

having the freedom and flexibility to control my 

schedule. 

The focus on sustainability was key for me. 

By being able to recycle, repurpose, and reuse 

the items we pick up from junk removal jobs, 

it makes me feel like I’m doing something good. 

Most importantly, it’s something I believe in. 

I also appreciate that Junk King is a service 

model that allows me to set my hours. I’m able 

to have dinner at home and spend quality time 

with my family. 

What advice do you have for prospective 

franchise buyers? 

My biggest piece of advice is to make sure you 

take the time to discuss the opportunity with 

a lot of successful franchisees within the system 

so that you can learn from them. Climbing on 

he shoulders of those who came before you 

will start you off on the right path. 

Also, be prepared to work hard. There are many 

benefits to joining a franchise system, but you 

will only get out of it what you put in. Like with 

any business, there will be challenges that will 

help you grow as a person and business owner. 

To learn more about franchise opportunities 

with Junk King, call 888-887-JUNK or visit 

Franchising.junk-king.com. 




SENIOR SERVICES 

TECHNOLOGY 

FEATURED 

Franchisee 

FirstLight Home Care 




FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of nonmedical 

home care, helps individuals achieve the 

quality of life they deserve. At FirstLight, caring 

is our calling. We’ve set a new standard in home 

care by creating an unmatched Culture of Care 

that drives industry-leading client and employee 

satisfaction. FirstLight is a lifeline for seniors; 

veterans; people recovering from illness, injury or 

surgery; adults with disabilities; and anyone over 

the age of 18 who needs extra assistance. Our 

professional caregivers provide compassionate 

care at private residences as well as independent 

and assisted living communities and other 

healthcare facility settings. 

For more information on FirstLight Home Care 

opportunities, call (877) 570-0002 

or visit www.firstlightfranchise.com 

TeamLogic IT 




TeamLogic IT franchisees provide computer 

services and managed IT solutions to small- and 

medium-sized businesses. Franchise owners 

serve as the CEOs of their business and hire the 

IT staff to perform the work. The ideal candidate 

for a TeamLogic IT business is a person who 

wishes to work in a business environment, 

understands technology, has an aptitude for 

sales and/or building relationships, and enjoys 

working with other business professionals while 

building a team to deliver outstanding service 

and support. 

For more information on TeamLogic IT 

opportunities, call (866) 870-3767, 

email pspaan@teamlogicit.com or visit 

www.teamlogicfranchising.com. 

America’s Favorite Neighborhood Glass Shop 

. In-Demand Products & Services 

. 13 Year Track-Record of Franchise Success 

. Proven Phased-Growth Executive Model 

. World-Class Franchise Training & Support 

. No Glass Industry Experience Required 

James Laramee 

NaturaLawn 

North Attleboro 

and Hudson, MA 




Right out of high school, I knew I wanted to start 

and own my own business. I always had a passion 

for sales. Coupled with my love for the outdoors 

and desire to find safer alternatives to lawn care, 

NaturaLawn seemed like a great fit. 

What advice do you have for prospective 

franchise buyers? 

Don’t get sidetracked on the shiny objects. Stay 

focused on the core business and listen to your 

support team at the Home Office. We receive 

great support from the Home Office that helps 

us provide better service and, ultimately, better 

results for our customers. I knew I wanted a 

franchise that offered a strong support system 

with fresh ideas, and NaturaLawn does that. 

What do you wish you had known prior to 

going into franchising? 

I recommend working in all areas of your 

business. This will help not only with your 

training, but will also help with setting 

expectations for your employees. 

We broke all the rules back in 2004 with our 

industry-disrupting foggy window repair service. Since 

then, we’ve become America’s Favorite Neighborhood 

Glass Shop. Find out more about why The Glass 

Guru is one of the most recognized franchise brands 

in home services, and why we’re setting records 

during these uncertain times. 

Before 

UNIQUE 

FOGGY WINDOW 

REPAIR SERVICE 

After 


with NaturaLawn, call 800-989-5444 or visit 

www.Naturalawnfranchise.com. 

FIND OUT MORE TODAY! 

888-998-9552 | TheGlassGuruFranchise.com 

This ad and the franchise sales information on this ad do not constitute an offer to sell a franchise. The offer of a franchise can be made 

only through the delivery of a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). Certain states/provinces require that we register the FDD in 

those states/provinces. We will not offer or sell franchises in those states/provinces until we have registered the franchise (or obtained 

an applicable exemption from registration) and delivered the FDD to the prospective franchisee in compliance with applicable law. For 

More information, please see our Franchise Disclaimer. https://theglassgurufranchise.com/why-franchise-with-us/disclaimer/ 



FEATURED 

Franchisee 

Join Us Now & Help Us 

Serve the Trillion Dollar 

US Latino Market! * 

Janice Blasinsky and 

Angela Yaniga 

Any Lab Test Now 

Medina, Ohio 

Franchise owners since 2010 

What do you like most about owning 

a franchise? 

Most profound has been the opportunity to 

provide resources to our community so they 

can gain knowledge about their own health and 

wellness. It has been extremely rewarding! Every 

day, we look forward to working directly with 

customers, local businesses, and government 

officials. 

Be part of our rapid nationwide expansion in serving the thriving 

Latino community, both the individual taxpayer and business owner. 

Low Startup Investment - Dedicated On-Going Training & Support 

Powerful Marketing System - Easy to Operate Franchise Model 

Proud to be a 

member of 

*According to a Forbes Magazine publication. 

Take the First Step Toward Building Wealth & the Lifestyle You Deserve! 

ATAXFRANCHISE.COM 1(866)999-2829 FIND US ONLINE 

It’s truly an honor to be part of our customers’ 

wellness journeys. We provide consumers the 

ability to take direct control of their health 

without the necessity of a physician’s order. 

Recently, when our affordable pricing allowed a 

customer to get more tests than her doctor had 

initially prescribed, the physician was able to 

detect and diagnose her cancer at an early stage. 



As owners of a professional medical business for 

over 20 years, our previous experiences have 

been invaluable to our growth and success with 

Any Lab Test Now. We recognized the changes in 

the healthcare industry and we knew an Any Lab 

Test Now franchise provided us the opportunity 

to make available alternative choices for lab 

testing services in our community. 


with Any Lab Test Now, call 770-250-3393 or 

visit www.AnyLabTestNow.com/franchise. 


Helping others has never been so rewarding 

FEATURED 

Franchisee 

Our commitment to the highest standard 

of in-home healthcare provides franchisees 

with multiple revenue streams that generate 

an annual average of $1,925,681*. 

877-689-6898 

brightstarfranchising.com/home-care 

* 2019 average unit revenue for all first franchise locations that were open 12+ months as 

of 12/31/2019 per our 4/1/2020 FDD - Item 19. A new franchisee’s results may differ from 

these represented performances. There is no assurance that you will do as well and you 

must accept that risk. This offering is made by prospectus only. 

Ralph Moccio 

InXpress 

Austin, Texas 


How has your business navigated the impacts 

of COVID-19? 

When Texas shut down, my team and I knew 

we had to adjust to the realities of the global 

pandemic. Two weeks after the state’s shutdown, 

I started calling customers to check in on them 

and their businesses, and let them know our 

carrier partners and trucking companies were 

still running and able to meet their shipping 

needs. I saw a positive response from these calls, 

so I began doing the same with new prospects. 

My team has always been customer-centric. 

We began offering tailored services to meet 

the needs of companies going through their 

own COVID-19 struggles. After having to lay off 

shipping teams, many business owners were 

looking for extra customer support; we started 

processing shipping labels for them. We’ve 

managed to have a successful year because of 

our sincere outreach. 

What habits should a successful InXpress 

franchisee form early on? 

In order to scale any business, you have to 

understand what you represent and what you 

have to offer. In my case, it’s shipping through 

InXpress. I made a list of every shipping service 

the franchise offers and, from there, identified 

the top five services that would generate top 

margins. 

There is always room to better yourself. I’ve 

been in the business for 9 years and the business 

owner I was then versus now is night and day— 

and I’ll continue to evolve over the next 

five years. 


with InXpress, call 844-514-SHIP or visit www. 

Inxpressfranchise.com.

FBR Issue 1 - 2021

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