FBR Issue 1 - 2021

FBR SPECIAL REPORT
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.
For more information on the companies in this report, visit www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com | 21