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JULY 6 | ENTREPRENEUR.COM
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 Its All About

22 Bo and Trish Sharon,

cofounders of Boulder,
Colo.-based Luckys
Market, would love you
to drink a cold beer
as you shop.

22
It Wasnt Luck
How quirky Luckys Market
changed the grocery store.
By Andrew Parks

30
Do Business at the Bar
The best bars, drinks (and
drinking tips) for making deals.
By Jeffery Lindenmuth,
Ross McCammon and
Kate Rockwood

58
One Bazillion
Potential Shareholders
Crowdfunding just got a
whole lot more accessible.
By Michelle Goodman

68
Going South
Central America and
the Caribbean: franchisings
new hot spots.
By Jason Daley

85
On Top of the World
Behold! The fastest-growing
global franchises.
PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL FRIBERG

By Tracy Stapp Herold

ON THE COVER: Photograph by Carlton Davis.

2 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16 Cover design by Nathalie Kirsheh.
 10
Editors Note
If art is a business, then
business is an art.
By Amy C. Cosper

Culture
18
Travel
Partying in Africa
became a business.
By Ashlea

39
Halpern

20
The Ethics
Coach
What to say when
13 shutting it all down.
By Gael OBrien
Etiquette Guy
The dont-be-a-

18
schmuck guide
to rescheduling.
By Ross
McCammon

14
Ask a Pro
Tools
How do I reduce my 39 42 PHOTOGRAPH BY KATHERINE WOLKOFF; ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN REA
insurance costs?
By Christopher
Shiny Object The Fix
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: PHOTOGRAPH BY FLOTO + WARNER;

Hann The new sign of a A beauty-products

cool ofce: pinball. company corrals its
By Seth Porges expense reports.
16 By David Port
Design 40
Brilliant packaging, Ask a Geek 44
happy customers. Can tech help stop New Ways to
By Lambeth employee turnover? Improve Your
Hochwald
By Mikal Belicove Customer service
via Twitter; inter-
17 40 national cellphone
Marketing Future Tools bills; and music
Turning bugs(!) into A shredder that appreciation.
a company asset. makes paper. By Matt Villano
By Jason Plautz By Marty Jerome and Seth Porges

4 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
From business cards and flyers, to a real street address with one of our mailboxes, to expertly packed shipments,
were here to help. Need to tell the world your story? No problem. theupsstore.com
 53
Start
Up
Money 53
Prole
An auto designer
47 49 takes his game
Your Money Startup tocaskets?
The way to nancial Finance By Ashlea
security comes Leasing equipment Halpern
from chopping gets easier.
expenses. By Michelle 56
By Steph Wagner Goodman Whos Got VC?
Slice Labs raised
48 50 millions off a well-
VC Viewpoint Ask the honed idea.
Why a startup that Money Guy By Brittany
serves another Should I pay wages Shoot
startup is dumb. or commissions?
By Sam Hogg By Joe Worth

49 65
Franchise
Franchisor
Meet the doctor
behind the daiquiri.
By Jason Daley
66
Franchisee
Travel agents are
back in business.
By Jason Daley

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Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. & afliates. Business insurance may be placed through Progressive Specialty Insurance Agency, Inc. with select insurers, which are not afliated with Progressive,
are solely responsible for servicing and claims, and pay the agency commission for policies sold. Prices, coverages, privacy policies and commission rates vary among these insurers.
 EDITOR IN CHIEF/VP
Amy C. Cosper
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Jason Feifer PHOTO DIRECTOR Judith Puckett-Rinella

EDITORIAL BUSINESS ENTREPRENEUR MEDIA NATIONAL

MANAGING EDITOR Grant Davis PRESIDENT/CEO Ryan Shea ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES
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 Editors Note
WHEN ART
IMITATES BUSINESS
I
once saw a painting
called Contemplation on
Emptiness, and it fulfilled
me. It was so insanely
gorgeousthe colors, the subject,
the pure grace of the piecethat
my soul was rocked. Unfortunately,
buying it would also rock my bank
account. I fought the urge. I battled
my internal voice. And then, well,
I snuck it into our familys budget,
and I bought it.
Very sneaky on my part.
About 24 hours after the painting arrived, I sent
the artist, Quang Ho, a note, thanking him for the
joy he brought me. He responded quickly: Thank
you, Amy. Your note made me think about that
piece and about pulling all the parts together and
about changing course with colors and meaning,
but I will never forget how much love I put into
that work. I am so glad that you appreciate my
work, and I thank you for your patronage.
This was cool for a couple of reasons. First of
all, I became a patron of the arts, which made me
OUR BOARD OF
ENTREPRENEURIAL ADVISERS
ANDREW PARKS MICHAEL FRIBERG
Parks proled the dynamic couple Given his base in Salt Lake City,
behind Luckys Market (pg. 22). Friberg, who photographed our
Hes currently driving cross-country, Luckys Market feature, cant help but
running the online music magazine bring a Western sense of light to his
self-titled and readying a new travel subjectsan approach thats landed
and culture site called Cartogramme. work from Apple, Bloomberg and GQ.
10 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
feel like a grown-up. But more important,
his words so perfectly captured how art
is a business, and business is an art. An
entrepreneur doesnt just create something
to sellthey create something that will
be appreciated and embraced by their
customers and patrons. They create a singular
relationship that matters more than anything
else. Thats why someone buys. Its because
they can feel the love.
I felt it. It overwhelmed me. It made me
forget about the cost. And, sure, I may still
be negotiating with my husband about the
wisdom of this purchase (ahem). It caused
a few dustups in the nuclear family, and it
took me years to pay it down. But I have no
regrets. I believed in the artist, and I believed
in the investmentjust like your customers
(or patrons, for that matter) wont have any
regrets about doing business with you.
This issue of our magazine is, in fact, a no-
regrets issue. We talk to a former car designer
who, against his familys wishes, started
making caskets (pg. 53). We hear from a woman
who quit her career in NGOs to sell amazing
experiences in Africa (pg. 18). We learn how
to cancel an appointment without ruining a
relationship (pg. 13). And we look at Luckys
Marketthe story of a couple who ditched
their plans of being full-time chefs and grew a
dumpy little shop into everyones new favorite
eccentric grocery store (pg. 22). I mean, they let
you shop while drinking beer. Sold.
Thats not the only beer youll find here.
We went barhopping around the U.S. to learn
the best spots to do business in, the secrets
of sealing the deal and why bartenders make
genius entrepreneurs (pg. 30). If youve never
done business in a bar, believe me, eventually
you will. Let this issue be your guide.
No matter what your business is (or how
much youve had to drink), never forget that
you are an artist and you have patronsand
PHOTOGRAPH BY JIMMY FONTAINE (ANDREW PARKS)
youll never regret earning their love.
Amy C. Cosper
acosper@entrepreneur.com
@AmyCCosper
Amy C. Cosper photograph by Nigel Parry/CPI
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 Live + Work

etiquette guy

NEXT WEEK? SURE

THE DONT-BE-A-SCHMUCK GUIDE TO RESCHEDULING.
By Ross McCammon

H
i. Sorry. I know you came all this way, but Im gonna have to reschedule this reading
experience. You didnt confirm, so I thought it wasnt going to work for you. So, anyway,
Ill get in touch about another time, OK? Sorry, its just been really crazy the past few
days. Ive been sick, and Im just, you know: Aaah!
Lets analyze why thats such a bad way to reschedule. 1. It happened too late. 2. It placed blame
on the other party. 3. The rescheduling is left open-ended. 4. Its just been really crazy is not a valid
reason to postpone anything in business. 5. Ive been sick is unnecessarily burdensome informa-
tion. And 6. Aaah!? Aaah! No professional action is more revealing than the manner in which

Illustration by Paul Sahre 7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 13

 a person reschedules a meeting. It indicates
how important the person thinks they are,
how important they think the other person is
and how efficient, considerate and depend-
able they are in business. The rescheduling
request is both minefield and opportunity.
But mainly: opportunity.
THE MECHANICS
OF RESCHEDULING
Earnest times call for earnest words. If youre
going to bump that lunch meeting, you need
to show that the meeting is still important
and that your professional bond remains
intact. That means expressing four things:
contrition, availability, deference and reas-
surance. Use words like important or I need
to change the schedule or Lets get this resched-
uled as soon as possible, says Jeffrey Seglin,
director of the communications program
at Harvard Universitys John F. Kennedy
School of Government.
And then get down to the rescheduling.
But dont just ask, Whens good for you? they cant judge the situation.
says Greg Avola, cofounder and CTO of
Untapped, a website and app about bars and
beer. If you say, When are you available? it
puts the onus back on them. And now youre
playing onus volleyball. Whens good? pops
the onus over the net, and then the other person
lobs it back with a Not sure, crazy week.
You canceled, so you offer new times. Give
two or three. Be specific. A mistake I see peo-
ple make over email is not responding in a way
that moves the conversation forward, says
productivity expert Maura Thomas, founder
of RegainYourTime.com. Dont just say,
Tuesdays good. Say, Hows 1 P.M. Tuesday?
Take the conversation to the next step.
THE POWER OF DEFERENCE
And let me reiterate: You need to reiter-
ate. You just canceled a meeting, so you
need to remind the other person just how
important this meetingand theyare to
you. This is simple work. Say that you know
the other person is busy, and that you dont
take their schedule lightly. Add a personal,
complimentary note. Say why youre looking
forward to the meeting. Say what you think
both sides will gain from having met.
Its flattery, sure. Its also compensation
for the irritation of rescheduling. Maybe
theyll do it in return. Now youre playing
flattery volleyball.
THE POINTLESSNESS
OF EXPLANATION
No excuses. Rarely, if ever, give a reason
why you need to postpone. If you do, youre
just telling them where they are on your
hierarchy of responsibilities. But when
someone reads, Unfortunately, I have to
reschedule our meeting for tomorrow, they
imagine any number of scenariosfrom the
mundane to traumatic. But, importantly,
gate those practices that might give
Let them fill in the blanks. Dont give
an excuse. Preserve the leverage that discre-
tion affords.
If you do it wrong, rescheduling weakens
a business relationship through irritation
and complication. If you do it right, you
will irritate and complicate, but you will
make the other feel like they matter more
than they did when you first scheduled the
meeting. Youll turn a mundane scheduling
matter into an occasion to prove sincerity,
perseverance, respect and ownership of
one very impressive onus.
Speaking of, Id like to get next months organizations like Administaff and
column on your calendar. Hows a month
from now for you?
Ross McCammon is the author
of Works Well with Others.
ask a pro
Risky Biz
How can I reduce my companys
Q insurance costs?
Its simple, in theory: The less
A risky your business seems, the
less your insurance company will
charge you, says Michael Turpin,
an executive VP at New York City
based brokerage USI.
1. Think like your insurer. A good
risk manager rst seeks to identify
all risks, then eliminate and miti-
rise to a claim, Turpin says. Those
can include undocumented human
resources practices, nancially
unstable vendors or the absence of
compliance procedures. Catch those
problems before your insurer does.
2. Hire by experience. Dont settle for
your insurance-selling brother-in-law.
Find a broker or agent with expertise
in your industry; theyll know how to
negotiate the best rate. An uninformed
agent, Turpin says, can translate into
signicantly higherpremiums and
gaps in coverage.
3. Buy in bulk. Professional employer
ADP can manage the administration
of your workforcepayroll, benets,
HR and the like. But you can also buy
insurance through them, and their bulk
purchasing power will bring down
your costs. Christopher Hann

jargon

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CREDIT GOES IN THIS SPACE HERE

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ironically bearded social media director.
USAGE: Im sure my tweets could be better, but I cant stand
getting a 20-minute lecture on it from that hashbag.

14 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16 Illustration by Serge Seidlitz

 ONE CARD COULD PUT

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UNLIMITED 2 CASH BACK

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 design

PLAY with
PACKAGING
With a little investment, you can make
THELMAS TREATS
Cost: $2.50 per cardboard
oven, which holds
every purchase more memorable. 24 cookies
Here, what five companies did (and I wanted our box to convey being at
paid) to customize their containers. your grandmothers house for cookies,
By Lambeth Hochwald says founder Dereck Lewis. The oven is
delivered to its customers around
Des Moines, with still-warm
treats inside.

CALIBER COLLECTION
Cost: $4.30 per item,
with custom velour bag
Our packaging was integral to our message,
says Jessica Mindich, who repurposes rearms
into jewelry. Its a big responsibility to take some-
thing that represents the forces of destruction and
intimidation and turn it into something positive.

16 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
 ROSEUR
FINE ROSES marketing
Cost:undisclosed
Why shouldnt a box of
roses look like a dress box
Taking the
from Paris? says co-owner
Allan Ghiassi. Roseurs logo
Right Risk
is die-cut to ventilate the WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
roses; wave-corrugated
A STARTUPS PERCEIVED
material, foam wrap and
a custom-designed base WEAKNESS TURNS OUT
protects the owers. TO BE ITS BIGGEST ASSET.
OST PROTEIN BARS have an

M image on their wrapper.

Gatorade, PowerBar
and Nature Valley show the
food itself, often coated in
chocolate. Clif Bar shows
a rock climber. But
Exos packaging is
minimalist, with no
image. Thats because
its founders feared
P.J. SALVAGE drawing too much

Cost: average attention to its special

ingredient: crickets.
$0.80$1 per box, which Its not as if Exo hides any-
changes seasonally thingcricket powder is on the package,
though in a smaller font than protein bar.
The product is what sells, but the special packagingand But when it launched last year as part of a
the surprise to the person opening itsets you apart from boomlet of cricket-selling startups, nobody
your competitors, says CEO Peter Burke. In the past, hes knew what Americans would swallow. So Exo
sold loungewear and sleepwear in pizza boxes, cereal was understated. Then paleo diet and CrossFit
boxes and even milk cartons. enthusiasts embraced crickets, Exo netted
$4 million in Series A financing and Exo
became a leader in this burgeoning industry.
Now Exo thinks its time for a new strategy:
PHOTOGRAPH BY SARAH BERENDS (ROSEUR); PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF EXO
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SATURDAY MFG./DEAN TANER (THELMAS TREATS);

Flaunt those bugs. Its what makes us stand

out, says cofounder Greg Sewitz. Its what
PEGGY JEANS PIES makes retailers knock on our door instead of
Cost: $0.92 the other way around.
per box But how? Thats the intriguing branding
question it now wrestles with. Its consider-
Say pie and people ing putting a cricket image on its retail boxes,
think doilies and cafeterias, rethinking how it markets the benefits of
but our jars have updated cricket protein and may start experimenting
the experience, says with cricket flour in a variety of foods
cofounder Rebecca Miller. baked goods, shakes and even pizza dough.
Her pies are shipped in jelly Weve proven it could be a huge market if
jars, ready-to-eat, in a box done properly, Sewitz says. Weve battled
that securely holds six vari- [naysayers] over whether this is a health food
eties, with six tiny forks. fad, but this goes a long way to solidifying our
argument. Jason Plautz

7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 17
 travel

Inspiration
Anywhere!
TRAVELING CAN SPARK UNEXPECTED
BUSINESSESAND CHERAE ROBINSON
STARTED HERS BY PARTYING IN NAIROBI.
As told to Ashlea Halpern

I
MAJORED IN BIOLOGY in college and thought
Id become a doctor. But I also wanted to travel.
So as a way to do both, I spent years with inter-
national humanitarian organizations. The
work was satisfying, but the social life was
challenging: My colleagues would go back to their hotel at
nightin part because they were almost all older than me,
but also because they were fearful of the potentially unsafe,
unfamiliar cities we were in. I didnt want to be this far from
home and not experience a place fully, so I often went out.
And I discovered amazing things.
From a rooftop party at an advertising agency to road-
tripping across the country for a DJ set, I was exposed to a
side of Africa Id never seen before. These were cosmopoli-
tan movers and shakers, but distinctly African. In 2011, I met
up with a photographer in Johannesburg; through her lens, I
met entertainers, artists and other influencers. A year later,
I connected with a sorority sister in Nairobi, Kenya, who
was working on MTVs African youth culture series Shuga.
The shows producer, fashion designer and filmmaker took
me out to restaurants and nightclubs, and I had the time
Cherae Robinson of
of my life. Tastemakers Africa.
Thats when the lightbulb went off. People werent
exposed to this Africa, and I wanted to connect visitors to itnot just by the startup. My boyfriend and I closed out our 401(k)s, and I entered an
talking about these amazing things, but by directing people to them. accelerator that gave us $20,000 and then raised another $100,000 from
I spent the next year or so developing Tastemakers Africa, a com- angel investors. I also won first place in a Lagos competition called She
pany to book epic experiences, with epic people, in every African city. Leads Africa, which got me $10,000 and a mentoring network.
In February 2014, I went to Lagos for Social Media Week to show off my We launched our website in December 2014 and ended 2015 with more
early-stage mockup. My session was packed, which confirmed that I was than $200,000 in experience and concierge bookings. Our app, Tstmkrs,
really onto something. I was working for another NGO at the time but launched in beta in December of last year, and we did $100,000 in Q1
quit and joined MediKidz, a VC-backed healthcare startup, to learn more bookings for 2016. Were still figuring out who and where our audience
about building a company. The cofounder, Dr. Kim Chilman-Blair, was a is and what theyre willing to pay, but were learning and growing fast. In
sales genius. She was super-transparent with me about her funding pro- five years, we expect to be in at least 40 countries on the continent. We
cess, and I saw a lot of her documents and pitch decks, and heard about the will bethe brand, and our connections, support and infrastructure will
screwups. But the biggest thing I learned from Kim was to work harder make us important to many others who come here as well. Weve already
than hard. Things need to get done in the NGO world, but there isnt a built partnerships with Uber, South African Airways and Radisson Blu
sense of urgency; Kim always had a sense of urgency. (that ones for a pan-African travel contest in Kenya, Nigeria and South
By that summer, I had fleshed out a prototype. As a proof of concept, Africa), and have gotten interest in an acquisition from a large hospitality
we promoted a Tastemakers Tour of Ghana on my Facebook page, and company. But no matter what happens, I know well have played a huge
it sold out in weeks. I still wasnt ready to make it my full-time job, but role in not just how people think about traveling in Africa, but what peo-
then MediKidz was bought and I was laid offso I slammed the gas on ple think of Africa itself.

18 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16 Photograph by Katherine Wolkoff

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 the ethics coach
THE CONSEQUENCES
OF TRUTH
WHAT TO TELL EMPLOYEES WHEN ITS TIME TO SHUTTER THE BUSINESS.
By Gael OBrien
I need to close my company and file
for bankruptcy soon. Were still
finishing up a few projects, so when
should I tell my team? And my clients?
SORRY YOURE GOING
A through this, but as you
know, now is not the time to wal-
low. Its a time for action. Ideally,
youd have begun telling your
employees within a day or two of
deciding to shutter the company.
If decision day is long past, then
today is the day. Chances are,
20 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
your team already senses a prob-
lem. Theyll be relieved to know.
And you should do it before the
rumor bonfire has scorched
your relationships.
Be honest and helpful to your
employees. Its the right thing to
dobut also, frankly, you need
them to stay and assist you. Talk
to them about how you can help
them find new jobs (such as mak-
ing introductions or referrals)
and invite them to come to you
with specific needs. Explain how
long youll be able to pay them.
Let them know that, although
you understand it will be chal-
lenging, the remaining projects
need to get finishedand at the
usual company standards. Ask
each employee to commit to
making it happen. If possible,
offer incentives for finishing all
client work.
Also, tell employees that youll
be talking to each client later that
day. Then, get at it: Call all your
clients and say how much you
appreciate them, what your plans
are and what they can expect.
If key employees bail and you
end up without the right talent
mix to finish every project, tell
the affected clients youll make
introductions to competitors
who can finish the work
without disruption.
Your best chance at coming
back from a failed business
in the same industry, or if you
want referrals in the future
is to demonstrate integrity in
the midst of a challenging time.
People wont forget it.
My business partner
Q and I disagree over how
to promote our startup. I want to
talk about us as if were thriving
which we will be in five years.
He thinks thats lying, and says we
should talk about our business as
small but growing. Who is right?
YOUR BUSINESS IS
A growing because youve
met (or exceeded) customers
expectations. Dont lose sight
of this. Vision helps a business
flourish, but your actionsnot
predictionsmake it real. Clients
get wise to deceptive advertising,
so why risk your credibility?
People dont want to
unknowingly pay you to learn
on the job. However, many will
happily pay a young company
they trust. So dont worry about
promoting your future. Work on
aggressively creating that future.
Youll soon build a track record
of satisfied customers whose
testimonials will create the most
enduring promotion.
GAEL OBRIEN IS PUBLISHER
OF THE WEEK IN ETHICS AND
FOUNDER OF STRATEGIC
OPPORTUNITIES GROUP.
Illustration by Brian Rea
 For THE

STRAT GIST

YOUR SUCCESS
Find answers, discover solutions and explore new ideas IS OUR BUSINESS
to keep pushing the boundaries of your business.
 [INNOVATORS]
[INNOVATORS]

It Wasnt

BO AND TRISH
SHARON HAD
NO IDEA HOW TO
RUN A GROCERY
STORE. SO THATS
HOW THEY BUILT
LUCKYS MARKET,
ONE OF THE
COUNTRYS
MOST BELOVED
(AND WEIRDEST)
GROCERY CHAINS.
By Andrew Parks
Photographs by
Michael Friberg CREDIT GOES IN THIS SPACE HERE

>
Luckys Market
cofounders, Trish
and Bo Sharon.

22 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16 Illustration by Firstname Last

7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 23
 [INNOVATORS]

he store was a messthe very picture of how not was then a college student working in produce

T
to sell food. The aesthetic was drab. The vibe,
absent. In one area, pickles, marshmallows and
wrapping paper were stocked side by side; Trish
Sharon liked to call it the pregnancy aisle. But
she and her husband, Bo, kept harping on the
bananas: They somehow seemed the saddest
of all specimens, just slapped down on a table
with rough patches of AstroTurf. It was the
cardinal sin of not honoring ones ingredients,
and helped out with the paint job. One wall
was purple, one was yellow and one was teal
green. But it kind of made Luckys a unique
shop, one that was fun to go to, rather than
getting beaten down on by fluorescent lights.
That guiding principlemake it fun, and
embrace the personal touchwould carry
Luckys a long way.

of treating fruit as a simple fuel source.
Bo is always quick with a joke, and he lay
down across the banana table, posing like a
slab of apple-stuffed meat. His wife laughed.
It was like, Who in their right mind would
shop here? Trish says.
It was their job to answer that question.
This was 2002. The Sharons were in their
early 20s and facing their future in every possi-
ble way. The young couple were engaged to be
married and had been handed the keys to the
family businessthe North Boulder Market,
this mess of a place in Boulder, Colo., which
Trishs uncle and father had run for a decade.
Now Trish and Bo were tasked with making it
a more viable business. There were, to be sure,
many ways that could go wrong.
Today, 14 years later, shoppers across the
country have never heard of North Boulder
Market. But many know its new name, which
the Sharons gave it: Luckys Market. The
supermarket chain has become a beloved
institution throughout the South and the
Midwest, where it has 17 locations across 11
states, another seven slated to open this year
and plans for many more to come.
The place is modeled after a farmers mar-
ket, with a wide-open entranceway, neatly
stacked produce that spills onto the sidewalks
in the warm summer months and a folksy
maze of barrels, crates and bins. Employees
wear name tags that include conversation-
starting personal information, and are
trained to talk serious foodsuggesting how
to properly season and sear a Piedmontese
steak, say, or handing over generously sized
samples of Luckys scratch-made fare, such
as cauliflower salad, chicken sausage or
dill caper salmon cakes. A Sip and Stroll
program encourages thirsty customers to
walk the aisles while downing $2 craft beer
drafts (where local law allows, of course).
Each store can develop its own personality,
from the local brands it stocks to the in-house
entertainment: The Iowa City location,
for example, has a shuffleboard table and
vintage Pac-Man machines, and others offer
adult coloring books, free movie screenings
and piping-hot-pizza specials. Customers
have been known to turn their grocery run
into a date night.
Luckys is an interesting company with
a concept that checks almost every box from
what people want in a food store today,
says Jon Springer, a retail editor at the trade
publication Supermarket News. It plays to
the foodie trend of fresh, lively and somewhat
indulgent selections; it emphasizes fresh
foods at value pricing; and its small and easy
to shop in, not loaded with aisle after aisle of
branded packaged goods in multiple sizes like
a traditional supermarket.
Those traditional supermarkets are taking
notice. Krogers, the 2,700-store giant, made
what it calls a meaningful investment in
Luckys earlier this year, which will help the
upstart chain expand even faster. In Florida,
where Luckys has three stores, the Broward-
Palm Beach New Times published a piece
called Ten Reasons Luckys Market Is Better
Than Publix. (Reason number nine: Luckys
makes its own bacon that makes Boars Head
look like Oscar Meyer.) And Whole Foods
is surely on edge: Its currently launching a
new store called 365 to appeal to younger,
cost-conscious shoppers, but Luckys has
already beat them to the market.
Back in 2002, though, the Sharons ambi-
tions were far smaller. They just knew their
little market was ugly and wanted to make it
invitingfast. The walls were an insipid shade
of white, made worse by severe lighting.
Money and time were tight, so instead of
wasting either by securing proper work per-
mits, the couple bought cans of paint and then
raced the clock after hours.
Oh, it was awful, says Nick Gulizia, who
I
VE GOT ALL KINDS of dirt on him,
Trish jokes, as we sit down for
chilaquiles and a baby-kale
Caesar salad at Luckys Cafe, a
casual restaurant she opened with Bo in 2003.
Its located in the same modest complex that
held the North Boulder Market and is the
kind of place the Sharons might have worked
in decades ago. Theyre trained chefs, and
became friends while attending the cooking
program at the Art Institute of Los Angeles.
One day during that time, Bo called Trish to
say hed just lit the side of his house on fire
while cooking a meal. Poorly lit charcoal was
to blame, apparently. To which he added,
Wanna come over?
The whole side of the house was charred,
she says. I should have known then to run.
But Bo impressed her with dinner: roasted
quail slicked with a sour cherry sauce, paired
with fresh tagliatelle and cracked pepper.
All of it was cooked better than the house.
We havent spent more than a few days apart
since, Bo says.
Bo and Trish make a perfect pair: Theyre
both funny and disarmingly casual, and their
banter seamlessly switches between business
and personal. They were engaged within a
year of meetingand although both sets of
parents worried about how quickly things had
moved, nobody doubted their bond. From
day one in culinary school to today, were
partners, Bo says. First and foremost, I trust
Trishs opinion more than any others, and she
does the same in return. We have different
strengths and weaknesses, so being able to
identify those and allow the other person to
take the reins in certain situations is key.
Originally, they planned to start their lives
together with cooking jobs in Las Vegas.
But then Trishs family offered to sell them
the market, and it was too enticing to pass
up: In business, they reasoned, they could
indulge their love of food, share it with many
others and potentially grow something in a

24 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
 [INNOVATORS]
way thats far harder to do from the kitchen.
But once they took over, the couple began
to understand the North Boulder Markets
struggles. Boulder was stuffed with well-
heeled chains: Wild Oats, Vitamin Cottage
and Alfalfas are all headquartered in the city,
and Whole Foods has three locations, includ-
ing a 77,000-square-foot monster thats
mobbed daily. We were the small guy up
against giantsthe definition of David versus
Goliath, Bo says. We couldnt buy as cheap
as our competitors due to our scale. Many big
vendors wouldnt return our calls.
But Bo in particular felt ready for the
challenge. Hed been preparing for it all
his lifeand, in fact, you may have even
seen some of his early training videos. In
the second-to-last season of Happy Days
in 1983, he was Richie Cunningham
Jr., and he spent the next 15 years as a
child actor in everything from Moesha
to The Puppet Masters. The career of a
working actor is essentially 95 percent
rejection/failure, he says. You audi-
tion over and over for different roles
and land only some of them. You need
to dust yourself off and get back on your
feet daily. Being an entrepreneur has
many of the same parallels. Success is always
possible tomorrow.
The couple knew they had to minimize
risk. In a place like Boulder, failure could
compound fast. So they decided to grow
incrementally, always based on their cash
flow and never their credit. They bought
most of their retail equipment secondhand
trekking out to the back alleys of train depots
and who-knows-where to get ovens, display
cases and even shelves.
Eventually, the Sharons hit upon the
insight that would differentiate them from
the crowd: They cannot be one kind of store.
Many of the Boulder-based chains grew
directly out of the organic food movement
and had strict philosophies on what they
carry and what their customers expect. But
that could turn off a customer who, say, wants
organic peanut butter but also wishes they
could find some damn Heinz ketchup. The
North Boulder Market would solve this by
cramming several disparate shopping experi-
ences under one roofa farmers market,
a natural food store and a corner bodega.
This meant combining some of the best
elements of their competitorsso the
26 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
Sharons called up the major chains across
town and asked their execs for advice. How
did they handle pesticide-treated produce and
processed food? How about farm-fresh fare
and local vendors? With persistence, they got
answers. Who were we back then? says Bo.
A dopey little grocery store, so the threat was
pretty minor. And it was never our intent to be
malicious. It was just to learn.
Within a year, theyd renamed their store
Luckys Market. For the next five yearsfive wasnt interested in any of that. There wasnt
long years, Bo stressesthey fine-tuned
the business model. They gave themselves a
tagline, Organic for the 99 Percent, and a
Trish and Bo in the early days, making the most
out of their uninspiring North Boulder Market.
mission to offer high-end fare at affordable
costs. They discovered it was possible if they
dealt with most vendors directly, rather than
through distributors, and sold perishables
at such a low margin that theyd fly off the
shelves, therefore lessening the amount of
waste other stores dealt with.
Ten years after they bought the market,
Luckys finally felt stable. In 2013, they
opened their second location, in Longmont,
Colo. The third came two months later, in
Columbus, Ohio. Four more came in 2014, and
seven in 2015. And theyre just getting started.
I
LL NEVER FORGET my initial
meeting with Bo, Justin Gold
says. The two of them were
standing in Luckys receiving
warehouse, talking about Golds new line of
nut butter, called Justins. This was 2005,
and Golds brand was new back then. He was
constantly touring around trying to get it onto
shelves, and usually he had to go through an
elaborate pitch and a mess of paperwork. Bo
a formal review process; simply a handshake
and the opportunity to prove myself, Gold
says. Bo and Trish are themselves entrepre-
neurs, and their willingness to try new items
has helped launch a lot of brands, including
my own. (And to great effect: In May, Hormel
bought Justins for $286 million.)
There are many stories like thisof hand-
shake deals and operating on gut. But Bo says
that misses the underlying strategy. I dont
find us to be chill; we just are who we are,
he says. Were talking in Luckys corporate
office, a place that doesnt exactly serve as
a counterargument against chill. Almost
everyone here, Trish and Bo included, looks
like they walked out of a REI catalog;
fleece jackets are practically a uniform.
The receptionists desk is a reclaimed
checkout stand. Theres a Ping-Pong
table in the corner, though not out of
some conscious effort to emulate Silicon
Valleystyle offices; its just a gift Bos
mom bought for him and Trish (and
their two kids, ages 11 and 5), but it didnt
fit in their house.
We just are who we are. Thats not
an especially prescriptive policy, but
its core is unmistakable. Luckys has a
cohesive visionsomething customers
feel connected tobecause its identity is
not filtered through marketing studies and
focus groups. Longtime Luckys employees
have a theory of where this comes from:
The Sharons were recent graduates when
they took over the market, and their goofy
enthusiasm and desires became crystallized
as corporate culture. What kid, fresh out
of college, doesnt want to drink beer while
shopping for salsa and snacks? Even the
labels on Luckys private-label goods are
extensions of that vision: Bo writes much of
the copy himself, and gives them witty names
like Ground Control to Major Mustard and
Its Just Oregano, Officer.
For THE

N tworker

YOUR SUCCESS
Learn more about upcoming conferences
now at entrepreneur.com.
IS OUR BUSINESS
 [INNOVATORS]
And so, the Sharons didnt need to think
much about stocking Justin Golds nut butter,
or many of the other thousands of small-batch
products theyve stocked over the years.
Justin in particular had an incredible passion
for food and his product when he started out,
Bo says. I think fellow entrepreneurs find
inspiration in each other, which I have always
found in Justin. He was going to make his nut
butter empire a realization no matter what.
This from-the-gut attitude attracts loyal
customers, but it has another benefit as well:
It lures talent away from larger competitors.
Luckys staff is full of people who put in years
at larger grocery chains. Marketing VP Ben
Friedland, for example, was previously Whole
Foods marketing director for the Rocky
Mountain region. Trish and Bo won him over
with hummus and carrots at a business meet-
ing on their back porch. Boulder store direc-
tor/general manager Tim Overlie has been in
the natural foods business since 1978, serving
many years in management roles at Alfalfas
and Wild Oats. He plans on retiring at
Luckys. Other industry vets include Luckys
28
CFO (Andy Pillari, formerly of Quiznos and
Smashburger), COO (Scott North of Sprouts
Farmers Market), president (Steve Black of
Sprouts) and chief merchandising officer
(Peter Gialantzis of Whole Foods).
They all remember their first moment of
Luckys culture shock, when they discov-
ered just how differently this place operates.
For Luckys department manager Brittany
Strachan, that came during her first cashier
training session, five years ago. A customer
returned kale with some bug bites in ithey,
its organic!and because Luckys has a
policy of limiting food waste, Strachans
boss asked her if she wanted to take the kale
home. I was like, Is she trying to trick me
into getting fired on my first day? Strachan
says. So she turned down the kale; her boss
took it home instead. The atmosphere here
is miles different from anywhere else, says
Strachan. I worked at Pearl Street, one of
the biggest Whole Foods in the country, a
crazy machine with so many moving parts.
Then I came here and everyone was having
fun and joking around.
The (remade) North
Boulder store that
started it all.
T
HE SHARONS PATH was long
and unassured, but their timing
couldnt be more fortuitous.
Just as Luckys is evolving from a
regional to a national brand, the marketplace
is as ripe as their fruit. Up until this point,
better for you items were limited to Whole
Foods and other upscale retailers, says
Michael Paglia, director at the market insights
and consulting firm Kantar Retail. Within
the past year or so, theres been a shift, led by
retailers like Kroger, Luckys and [Trader
Joes parent company] Aldi. Were starting
to see the natural/organic trend hit a critical
mass; its starting to go mainstream.
And so, Luckys is now heavily focused
on growth. New locations are being built,
finalized or opened in South Boulder, Colo.;
Traverse City, Mich.; and Florida, where five
new Luckys will spring up across the state.
The locations speak to Luckys strategy of,
once again, doing things differently than
other grocery stores. Whole Foods and its ilk
have largely pursued more affluent regions,
where shoppers are primed to value organic
food and pay its high price. But Luckys
24 locations are elsewhere, in places where
the brand can be viewed as a trailblazer.
Our goal is not to take over the coasts,
says Bo. If were able to someday spread that
way, itd be totally awesome, but I feel like
theres so many people who need what we
have more somewhere else. The fact that we
were able to survive and flourish in Boulder
was kind of like, If we can do that here, why
cant we do it anywhere? Blue-collar people
deserve fantastic food just as much as the
wealthy do.
And with that comes a different kind of
Luckys customer: the competition.
We opened up this crazy store in
Columbia, Mo., recalls Nick Gulizia, the then
college kid who in 2002 helped repaint the
North Boulder Market. And all of a sudden
you see these Hy-Vee executives walking in
with their ties on, checking it out. Its been an
eye-opener for conventionals that are archaic
in some ways. They realize, Uh-oh, Luckys
isnt just a small mom-and-pop place. Theyre
actually putting a dent in our sales, and we
need to react to that.
Gulizia has been working with the Sharons
since that paint job. Now hes one of Luckys
top product managers. The way he figures,
why go anywhere else?
 Cra Your Success Story
WELL SHOW YOU HOW
Develop invaluable
relationships with Keep overhead low
retailers and and margins high
restaurants with options like
self-distribution

Enhance customer
experiences with Write a winning
events, taprooms, business plan that
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secures funding

Capture customers
and create evangelists
with the story behind Analyze the products,
the brand their distinct challenges,
and dynamic market

FIND THE BUSINESS

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BOOKSTORE
 IT SURE BEATS THE CONFERENCE ROOM. HERE, OUR 2016 GUIDE
TO THE BEST PLACES TO IMPRESS INVESTORS AND CLIENTS, THE
BUSINESS-SAVVY BARTENDERS WORTH KNOWING, THE DRINKS WORTH
DRINKING AND WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU SPILL IT ALL ON YOUR PANTS.

BY JEFFERY L INDENMU T H, ROS S M C C A MMON A ND K AT E ROC K WOOD PHOTOG R A PH BY C A R LTON DAV IS

7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 31
 BEST BUSINESS BARS

new Chicago Athletic Association, serving
designer cocktails replete with rare vintage
spirits. Plan aheadadmission requires an
advance ticket.
Columbia Room, Washington, D.C.
Whether you choose the open seating of
the Punch Garden or opt for paired courses
of cocktails and Asian-inspired bites in the
reservations-only Tasting Room, this
Japanese-inspired bar shows vision, sophisti-
cation and meticulous execution.
The Nomad Bar, New York City
At once upscale and high-energy, this
always-crowded hotel bar impresses with
some of the best cocktails in the city, created
by Leo Robitschek and accompanied by chef
Daniel Humms haute bar food, like chicken
pot pie with truffles and foie gras.

THE BEST BARS TO

MEET WITH A VC
Burritt Room + Tavern,
San Francisco
Its on the second floor of the Mystic Hotel
just elusive enough to keep tourists away.
Request one of the six private booths with
velvet curtains so you can plot world
domination over a Berlinetta (bourbon,
Cynar, Carpano Antica).

Multnomah Whiskey Library,

Portland, Ore.
The public generally has to endure a long wait
to recline in the rich leather club chairs and
Burritt Room + Tavern Multnomah Whiskey Library
Chesterfield couches; only members can make
reservations (memberships run $600 a year,
and theres a wait list). But once inside, the
exhaustive wall of whiskeys and other spirits
evokes unlimited possibilities.

MILK ROOM, Chicago

Nothing says exclusive opportunity like this
eight-seat microbar on the second floor of the

1 2
THE Avoid the windows.
Researchers find that when
Pick a smooth table.
For a study in the journal
PSYCHOLOGY were warmer, were more likely Social Cognitive and Affective
to judge people as trustworthy Neuroscience, participants
OF CLOSING and to be generous. Dont order touched rough or smooth
THE DEAL a round of hot mulled wine, but surfaces before judging social
do sit far from drafty doorways interactions. Those whod
Rule No. 1: Get to the bar early,
or windows. touched rough ones viewed
so you control the tiny details
others as more difficult
of who sits where. And then
and adversarial.

FROM LEFT: PHOTOGRAPH BY AUBRIE PICK (BURRITT ROOM); PHOTOGRAPH BY DINA AVILA (MULTNOMAH); PHOTOGRAPH BY
32 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16 CLAYTON HAUCK (MILK ROOM); PHOTOGRAPH BY SCOTT SUCHMAN (COLUMBIA ROOM); PHOTOGRAPH BY DANIEL KRIEGER (THE NOMAD BAR)
 HOW TO ORDER Match your drink to the moment with this cheat
sheet from mixologist Josh Curtis, bar director at
THE PERFECT Los Angeles Hanglider Bar. Youre welcome.
DRINK

SITUATION Meeting a New Client Closing a Deal Happy Hour with the Team

Desired CORPSE REVIVER NO. 2 PIMMS CUP SAZERAC

Vibe: The name is a little wild, but You can drink ve and If the bartender asks if you want
Hip & thats the point. Youll make not even feel crazy. it with cognac or whiskey, show
Trendy an impression and look very off by asking for New York
cool. In a good way. style, which mixes both.

Desired MOSCOW MULE ITALIAN PINOT GRIGIO BEER

Vibe: Its a balanced drink that Red wine can seem sleepy Ask for the best lager on
Solid & pretty much everyone or like its dinnertime, but tap. Just make sure to
Trustworthy loves, and you can talk this feels like business. notice rst if there are taps
about those copper mugs And lower sultes mean no or not.
all day. hangover the next day.

?
Desired LAST WORD PROSECCO WILDCARD
Vibe: Green Chartreuse is Not everyone knows Nothing says 'creative'
Creative polarizing. Youre saying: what it is, and it has like being open to anything.
Genius Im ne with a structured a celebratory vibe. Put $20 on the bar and ask
classic but not afraid to Its bold to bring it out for dealer's choice.
do something really cool. before the deal is inked.

Milk Room Columbia Room The Nomad Bar

3 4 5
Find a soft seat (for them). Put your phone away. No slouching.
When researchers from It takes the average brain just 200 People with strong posture
Harvard, MIT and Yale asked milliseconds to determine a persons are more likely than their
people to haggle over the price emotional state based on facial hunchbacked counterparts
of a car, participants who were expressions, according to research to feel good about themselves,
parked in a wooden chair held from the University of Glasgows according to an Ohio State
out for more money than those Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging. University study. So sit up
seated in cushioned chairs. While waiting, make small talk straight (and avoid a low
Take the hard seat and put its with a server so youre not caught table), and have the confi-
rigidity in your favor. slack-jawed on Candy Crush. dence to seal that deal.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SHUTTERSTOCK (ALL DRINK IMAGES) GETTY IMAGES (PIMM'S CUP) 7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 33
 BEST BUSINESS BARS
BUSINESS
TIPS
FROM THE
TENDER
Bartenders are known
for their listening skills,
which makes them a font
of knowledge. These three
barkeeps turned treps
reveal how they built their
boozy businesses.
ALWAYS BE ON
When youre bartending,
someone is always watching
you. You may have had a
terrible day, but you never
let it show. And when
conducting business, you're
also on a stage and need
to put everything into your
performance and maintain
the positive energy.
Simon Ford, cofounder
of spirits brand The 86 Co.
STAY AHEAD
You have to be prepared.
If you dont come in early
and do your prep work, then
youre going to be toast.
Most people think that
entrepreneurs are big risk-
takers, but a more important
trait is to be detail-oriented.
Bartenders thrive on that.
Henry Sidel, founder and
president of Joto Sake
LOVE YOUR AUDIENCE
BATTLE TALES
$ FROM THE BAR
DON DRAPER AINT THE ONLY ONE TO DO Spritely swing
WORK OVER WHISKEY. THREE FOUNDERS and a miss
SHARE THE DRINK-FUELED MOMENTS
THEYLL NEVER FORGET.
I dont drink, but I
met the team from
Business born .Co at a bar in San
of martinis Francisco to talk
My good friend about a partnership.
and I were sitting Bartenders usually
at a bar in a want to make it
Chicago steak- really obvious I
Cocktail didnt order a drink,
house, drinking courage
and this one poured
dirty martinis and I attended a
nancial planner my Sprite in a
commiserating conference in New
little-kid glass. I sat
Orleans, hoping to
about the pressures get guidance on down with the CEO,
of never being able starting my own
rm. Im an
feeling silly, and he
to get anything introvert, but I asked why my
signed up for the
done with small brewery and
companys site had
kids around. After cocktails tour. a dot-com domain
We went to the rst
instead of dot-co.
a round she said, place, where I had
a beer, and then So I tried to make
What if we created the second, where
a joke of it, but
a concierge service I had a Pimms cup,
and then the third. basically said that
that helped parents I was a little bit
dot-com was cooler.
looser by that point,
get stuff done? so I introduced Immediately, I
I was like, Yes! myself to someone
thought, Dang it,
ILLUSTRATIONS BY SHUTTERSTOCK (STRONG MAN & DRINKS)

I wanted to connect
Its important to relate to Of course! As the with. Talking to Ive been too
everybody on some level.
martinis flowed,
her in that bar
encouraged me,
honest. The deal
Just like in a bar, its the
people who believe in so did the ideas, and weve since was teed up, and
youthe regulars
formed a strategy
I totally whiffed.
who become the most and the next day group that meets
twice a month. Theyve never talked
valuable supporters.
Doc Hendley, founder
we started the We call ourselves
with me again.
the Lady Bosses.
and president of Wine business. Cathy Derus, Derek Andersen,
To Water, a nonprot dedicated
to bringing clean water and
Natalie DuBrow, founder,
Brightwater
founder,
sanitation to the world cofounder, Momeeze Financial Startup Grind

34 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
For THE

TRENDS TTER

YOUR SUCCESS DAILY

IS OUR BUSINESS Get the app now from Google Play or the App Store.

The company, product and service names used are for identication purposes only. All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
 BEST BUSINESS BARS
SPILLED-DRINK
THE BEST BARS TO... Meadhall
FIRST AID
QUICK TIPS
STAFF YOUR STARTUP ON HOW
Meadhall, Boston TO SAVE
Located near the Kendall/MIT subway Bonus
nus YOUR
station, this massive beer hall buzzes Pretentiousness!!
with MIT and Harvard seniors, joined by
an after-work crowd of biotechs and
engineers. The average IQ in this place will
outshine the best job faireven with the
numbing inuence of 100-plus craft brews. Aretsky's Match Room

CLOSE THE DEAL WITH A PUFF

Aretsky's Patroon, New York City BEST
Laptop: Its the
Pluck a cigar from the Spanish-cedar-lined PRETENTIOUS
private humidor and take in the skyline MAN BUNS
dissolved solids
views from the rooftop terrace of this Harvard & Stone, that remain that do the
midtown steakhouse. The private Match Hollywood damage, and beer and wine
Room showcases Cuban cigars and This hipster haunt have lots of them, says
vintage cigar-themed artwork for the slings inventive Joseph Kouyoumjian,
true enthusiast. cocktails and cheap president of MicroReplay,
Buffalo Wild Wings beer for an under- which restores liquid-dam-
DO WORK IN THE BURBS 35 crowd. No
aged electronics. When
Buffalo Wild Wings shorts or ip-ops
allowed, but
that IPA spills, turn your
With free wi- and locations in all 50 states
(and now Dubai), B-Dubs has the ubiquity beards, buns and laptop off and upside down,
of Starbucks with the bonus of draft beer. burlesque are and remove the battery.
Every U.S. location features tablets for clearly welcomed. If you cant get to a repair
fast ordering and payment with paperless shop, wait 24 hours (rice
receipts, so accounting wont gripe about might speed up drying, but
your undocumented expenses. it wont mitigate damage).
If it restarts, even once,
BRAINSTORM WITH PATRONS King Bee Lounge quickly back up your data
King Bee Lounge, Austin, Tex. BEST
PRETENTIOUS first. It could run for two
This artsy dive conjures creativity with its
perpetually dark interior and long tradition UNIFORMS years or two minutes, he
of live blues. With a genuinely friendly vibe Maison Premiere, says. So be ready.
and conversation starters like a tequila Brooklyn, N.Y.
sunrise served from a frozen drink machine, Dapper gents aunt
their individual take Mobile device:

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BUFFALO WILD WINGS; PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ARETSKY'S PATROON

its a place to let your imagination run wild.
on a strict code of Phones and tablets
DO BUSINESS IN THE AIRPORT
vintage attire: dark are more tolerant of spills,
suit, wingtip shoes, and your data is likely
Minnibar, MinneapolisSt. Paul
vest, tie bar and backed up in the cloud or
International Airport
parted hair. Ladies
Concourse G is a major Delta hub, making on your SIM card. Power
Minnibar wear red lipstick and
it convenient to almost everywhere, and it down the device, pop the
a ower in their hair.
offers some of the best drinks and dining SIM tray and dry the card
in the citylike a Minnesota pork belly banh and inside the slot,
mi. Every seat includes power, a USB port
Kouyoumjian says.
and an iPad with web access so you can
PHOTOGRAPH BY AMERYKAH TREVINO-MARTINEZ (KING BEE);

track your next ight.

Pants: According
BEST to the American
PRETENTIOUS Chemical Society, red wine
ICE gets its color from
Aviary, Chicago anthocyanins, which are
Beyond the whiskey great for heart healthbut
with hand-chipped not for cashmere. If youre
spheres, elaborate
the victim of a red wine
craft cocktails
spill, order a very dry
rely on a nightly
assortment of 25 to vodka martini. Higher-
35 types of ice. And proof alcohol will dissolve
you thought it was the wine stain and dry
just frozen water. faster than water alone.

36 ENTREPRENEUR 6/16
 THE DOS AND DONTS OF
DOING BUSINESS IN A BAR
Quiz: Should
You Order a
Third Drink?
HOW TO MAKE A MEETING
GO SMOOTHLY
Take this handy
quiz to determine
whether you
should be having
a third drink at
your meeting.

Are you drinking an

alcoholic beverage?
PYes PNo

Can you hold

your liquor?
PYes PNo
Eat the free stuff. Peanuts, pretzels, roasted Dont present. Instead: talk.
Is everyone else almonds, popcorn. Eat that stuff. Fortify yourself.
having a (Easy there, a handful is fine.) This is my song! No.
third drink?
PYes PNo Order appetizers for the group. Just tell
the waiter or bartender to bring a few things for This is my jam! Absolutely not.
Hey, bartender, are the table. Menu reading is wasted time, and your
Frangelico and server will deliver only the best they have to offer. No touching. No convivial back-slapping.
Mrs. Butterworths, No convivial hugging. No convivial hand, arm
like, sisters or what? Order the drink the bar serves the most or knee touching. Easy on the convivial.
P Yes PNo of. Beer bar? Then beer. Wine bar? Then wine.
Whiskey bar? Then whiskey. Tiki bar? Move the
Dont announce a decision.
ANSWER KEY: meeting to a beer, wine or whiskey bar.
You can make one. Just dont announce it.
If you answered yes
or no to any of the Order water with your drink.
Fortify yourself. On second thought, dont make a
above questions, you
decision. Make the decision in the morning.
should not be having
a third drink. Keep your device off the table. No
texting. No emailing. No Yahtzee with Buddies. Leave earlier than you want to.
Are things going well? Have bonds
Get to the business early. The longer been strengthened, plans been hatched?
you wait, the less able you are to discern the right Then leave. Leave! In business and in bars:
way forward. Get out ahead.

ADVICE FOR THE

PHOTOGRAPH BY SHUTTERSTOCK/KAMIRA (SPILLED WINE)

NONDRINKER
You dont want to drink? Heres a tip: Dont drink. Order what you want. Club soda is nicewith
the bubbles and the lime wedgeand has the advantage of looking like a drink. Blends in. So
does tonic and bitters, which also happens to be absolutely delicious. Or order a Coke if you
want. Orange soda. Chocolate milk. It doesnt matter. The only thing that matters is that its what
you want to drink. Anyway, there are more important things than what youre drinkinglike the
business youre here to discuss and the personal comfort you feel when discussing it. (Note: If
you are able to successfully order chocolate milk at a bar, then you have picked the wrong bar.
And you are probably at Dennys.)

7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 37
 The Right

shiny object

GHOST
IN THE
MACHINE
THIS OFFICE IS HEADED
FOR A DISTRACTION OF
BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS.
By Seth Porge

INBALL HAS BECOME one of

P the startup sets favorite office

toys, a welcome antidote to
staring at screens and dealing
in digits. When you dedicate long hours
and weekends to your work, a pinball break
lets you unwind just enough that youre
ready to jump back in full swing, says
Steve Martocci, who founded GroupMe
and Splice, and brought a classic machine
into both offices. So who you gonna call for
one? Might we suggest Stern Pinball, the
oldest and largest company still in the busi-
ness, which just released this Ghostbusters
machine? Despite this summers reboot,
its based on the 80s classicwith original
artwork and newly recorded voice call-
outs from Winston himself, actor Ernie
Hudson. Your boss can wait: Slimer needs
bustin. ($5,995 to $8,795; sternpinball.com)

Photograph by Floto + Warner 7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 39


ask a geek
HELP ME HALT
EMPLOYEE
TURNOVER!
Tech can do it, says David Secunda, founder
and CEO of Boulder, Colo.based HR
startup WorkBright. But you need the right tools.
HIRING PEOPLE IS A LOT OF WORKand a huge nancial investment. In fact, the
Center for American Progress says it costs roughly 20 percent of a new hires salary
just to get them signed on. So once theyre hired, Secunda says, youll want a lineup
of great tech that gets them excited and keeps them engaged. Mikal E. Belicove
BEFORE THEYRE HIRED: When an
employee quits early, its often because they
had very different expectations about the job
which means you didnt hire the right person.
Use social media to provide transparency
into your company. Create Day in the Life
videos on YouTube to profile employees,
special events and other insider views of the
business. Be honest about all positionseven
those parts that arent glamorous.
ONCE THEYRE HIRED: Use onboarding
programs like WorkBright or Red Carpet by
Silk Road to collect info on the new employee,
and pair them with a like-minded mentor.
Create a series of email messages, delivered on
a set schedule using a tool like Constant Contact,
to orient them to what makes your company
special. And immediately plug them into your
40 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
employee-only social media platforms, then ask
them to post a photo and share a bit about their
history and why theyre excited to join the team.
EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION: Document
tools like Google Forms can collect nonsensi-
tive paperwork immediately. Many incoming
staffers today prefer completing their onboard-
ing from their smartphone, which is quick and
comfortable, and increases their commitment.
KEEP IT GOING: Use a tool like
SurveyMonkey to ask questions: Does someone
at work encourage your development? If you
need help, are there people you can turn to
for support? Do you have the equipment to do
your work correctly? Once you start tracking
engagement, you can design solutions to address
your weaknesses.
future tools
Greatest
Shredder
Ever?
IT DESTROYSAND
THEN IT CREATES.
Whats better than shredding
a document? Turning it into blank
papera combo of security
and eco-consciousness. Thats
what Epson promises with
its PaperLab machine, which
debuts in Japan later this year.
(No U.S. rollout is planned yet.)
We are also looking to develop
a model that could be installed
next to Epsons ofce ink-jet
printers, to create a sustainable
ofce printing ecosystem, says
Kazuhiro Ichikawa, the projects
general manager. The process:
1 PaperLab is the size of
a high-speed copier at your
local FedEx Ofce. Once
documents are fed into
the machine, theyre
immediately shredded,
then pulverized into
a cottony ber.
2 An air cyclone spins the
bers around, removing
all the ink. Then the bers
are bound back together
into new sheets of paper
all within three minutes.
3 The new paper is
customizable: Ofces can
choose their papers color, size,
thickness and even fragrance.
PaperLab can recycle up
to 14 sheets a minute, or
about 6,720 pages in a workday.
day.
Marty Jerome
Illustration by Frazer Hudson
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 The Fix
Before anything went bust,
Katari discovered Concur
Expense. It has all these
different modules that other
providers dont offer, that we
could add to meet our needs,
he says. Concur is a cloud-
based open platform that
easily works with older systems,
giving it the ability to, say,
capture business credit card
charges and then automatically
process them into a report.
(Or an employee can use its
app to scan a receipt; the system
does the rest.) It also analyzes
employees spending, so
employers can look for savings.

The Results
Concur enforced Oribes travel-
and-expense policiesrules
for travel per diem, preferred
vendors and so onand over
the next two years, Oribes
per-employee expenses
dropped 15 to 20 percent. That
easily covers the fee Concur
charges for each transaction.
Whats more, reimbursement
time shrunk from a month to
Ofcatemos
everite volore vel
just a few days. Now Oribe is
mod quid quiaest testing a Concur feature that
Sid Katari of Oribe. rewards employees for cost-
efcient travel. This is the kind
of forward-thinking functionality
the fix that I dont think a business like
ours could administer ourselves,

The Expense Katari says.

Reports New Do A Second

Opinion
Theres almost no downside
to replacing paper shufing
HOW A GROWING HAIRCARE COMPANY with a paperless expense-
management system, says
TAMED AN UNRULY ISSUE. By David Port Derek Smith, a managing
director at Huron Consulting

O RIBE MAKES HIGH-END HAIR and beauty products, but its system to handle Group. But to get the full
benets, he says, investigate
employee expenses was the equivalent of a comb-over in a windstorma these features: how well the
tangled mess. Sid Katari, CFO of the New Yorkbased company, saw new system can enforce your
companys policies, its ability
piles of forms and receipts, and employees frustrated by 30-day reimbursement to gather and analyze data, and
times, and he got nervous. The company was growing fastin the past five years, how employee-friendly its mobile
app is. Its important to know
workforce shot up from 50 to 200 and revenue grew annually by an average of what you need, since every
46 percentand in a year or two, he says, our expense system was going to break. system is different.

42 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16 Photograph by Jill Greenberg

Dene Your Brand Before
Someone Else Does.
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your company or industry, and become a thought leader in your eld. Whether you are an
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 New Ways to Improve Your...

CUSTOMER SERVICE CELLPHONE BILL OFFICE EXPERIENCE

Twitter can be dangerous for brands.
Its a way to build trustcustomer-service
requests made there increased 2.5 times
since 2014but also a public forum for
mudslinging. So Twitter launched two
features to encourage quieter discussion:
With DM Prompt, a brand can add links
to tweets that, when clicked by the user,
generate private, direct messages; and a
survey tool called Customer Feedback
lets people privately share their opinions
on those interactions. A lot of times the
real resolution [on Twitter] happens after
a business asks a customer for personal
information and that information is
exchanged, says Jeff Lesser, a Twitter
product marketer. Customers can be
uneasy about sharing that data publicly.
Now theres a safe and easy way to pass
it along. Matt Villano
Between the draconian contracts,
impossible-to-decipher bills and
borderline-bonkers international roaming
charges, weve been fuming about wireless
bills since the flip-phone days. Googles
new Project Fi seeks to assuage our anger.
Its software keeps your data draw to a
minimum by smartly switching across
a network of more than a million secure
hotspots, using LTE towers only when it
absolutely has to. (It can even switch from
wi-fi to LTE while youre in the middle
of a call.) There are no annual contracts,
and plans start at just $20 per month, with
extra data clocking in at $10 per gigabyte
even in 120 different countries. And if
you buy more data than you need, youre
refunded the balance. For now, the service
is available only on certain Google Nexus
phonesbut its a promising start to tame
the wireless Wild West. Seth Porges
Some people buy expensive, fancy
headphones just to leave them at the
office. Those people are a little nuts.
For the rest of us, with our inexpensive
earbuds, theres the BoomCloud 360
BoomStick. The $99 dongle connects
between your headphones and your
music player, and makes your tunes
sound bigger and better. The stick seeks
out differences in left and right stereo
tracks and extrapolates that information
to create an audio immersionlike
stepping out of a muffled closet and into
the concert hall. The only downside:
The BoomStick needs to be charged
thats one more thing for you to worry
about!but we found the battery lasted
through several days of regular
rocking out. S.P.
ILLUSTRATION BY EVAN MACDONALD FROM NOUN PROJECT (THE STAT)

73%
THE STAT

83%
SMALL-BUSINESS OWNERS WHO
FEEL THEY NEED TO KEEP UP WITH
TECHNOLOGY TO STAY COMPETITIVE
THOSE AMONG THAT GROUP
WHO THINK THEYRE KEEPING
UP SUCCESSFULLY

SOURCE: BRAUN RESEARCH SURVEY CONDUCTED FOR CHASE FOR BUSINESS

44 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16 Illustrations by Andre Da Loba

 BE SEEN. BE HEARD.
ON ENTREPRENEUR NETWORK
With over 400 million entrepreneurs and small business owners, how is it there is not a wealth
of video content geared towards educating, engaging and entertaining this audience?

Entrepreneur Network is lling that void.

JOIN US.
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Videos shown are featured on the Entrepreneur online channel.
 ITS YOUR BUSINESS
DONT DROP THE BALL
IS A SOLE PROP 3 MAJOR REASONS TO
RIGHT FOR YOU? REASONS TO USE CHOOSE AN
AN LLC S CORPORATION
PAGE 13 PAGE 25 PAGE 36

MYTHS ABOUT 7 DEVASTATING THE IMPORTANCE

C CORPORATIONS MISTAKES TO AVOID OF BASIC
FOR SMALL- WHEN BUILDING BOOKKEEPING
BUSINESS OWNERS CORPORATE CREDIT
PAGE 47 PAGE 61 PAGE 115

12 WAYS TO STAY 6 WAYS TO PICKING THE RIGHT

ON THE GOOD SIDE PROTECT YOUR RETIREMENT PLAN
OF THE IRS HOME IN A LAWSUIT AND PLANNING YOUR
ESTATE
PAGE 126 PAGE 171 PAGE 225

ICK UP THE PLAYBOOK

wering the top FAQs for small business owners at all
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Making + Managing

your money

CHOP YOUR
EXPENSES UNTIL YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND
YOUR SPENDING, YOULL NEVER
BE FINANCIALLY SECURE.
By Steph Wagner

M A FINANCIAL STRATEGIST. I tell do avoid a life-changing financial shake-up,

I people how to manage their wealth. But

I have a confession to make: I didnt have
my own personal-finance aha moment
until several years ago. For decades, I had
blissfully blurred the line between wants
and needsuntil I got a divorce, which
is when those two things were put in stark
relief. To maintain my predivorce lifestyle,
I realized, I needed to immediately bring
home five figures each month. I didnt need
or want that kind of pressure.
Each of us may have a moment like this.
You may think youre protected from it; I
did, too. But heres the thing: Even if you
you should always understand how you use
your money. And you cant accomplish that
until you divide your spending into many
little pieces.
Heres how I learned to do it.
Right after my divorce, I had to downsize
fast. To do that, I needed to figure out what
my true needs were. What were my critical
expenses? That seemed to be straightfor-
ward enough: My mortgage was clearly a
necessity, as were my property taxes, insur-
ance premiums, car payment, cellphone
and grocery bills. But the task quickly
became more complicatedbecause each

Photograph by David Rinella 7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 47

of those need expenditures was also based on my vc viewpoint
want to live a certain lifestyle.
So for three months, I tracked my spending
down to the penny. Using credit card and bank
DONT MAKE A
statements, and cash receipts, I grouped my STARTUP SANDWICH
expenses into three categories: fixed, variable and Beware of launching a company
discretionary. Clearly, my discretionary spending that just serves another one.
could be nixed (adios, shopping splurges). Then I By Sam Hogg
zeroed in on fixed and variable costs. And once I
AS THE STARTUP gold rush and shipping centers for eBay
had a list of those, I developed a two-part question
grows, Ive noticed a scary trend: sellers, a market with no room to
and applied it to every expense: Startups with questionable grow. Remember those startups?
nances are being launched Neither do I.

1 Does this purchase fundamentally

make my life better?
to service other startups with
questionable nances. These
take many forms, like exclusive 2 ARE YOU WORTH BUYING?
When you rely on another
property-management software startup to make your business

2 Is there
Is t
that
a cost-effective alternative
tha provides the same benefit?
th
for Airbnb hosts, or specialty
car-leasing arrangements for
Uber drivers. Sure, these new
model work, youre stuck with
only one potential partner, which
means you have no leverage.
The answers led to two key conclusions: Damn, marketplaces are awash in cash, Maybe the host startup will launch
but many VCs consider this risky its own version of your product.
I wasted a heck of a lot of money! and I have more Maybe it will cut you out of its
business. If youre tempted to join
control over this than I thought! Needing to put the crowd, here are three ques- software. All of this is beyond your
a roof over my head didnt mean it had to cover tions you must consider. controlso how sure are you that
3,000 square feet. Same went for my grocery bill, your product is worth acquiring?
HOW DEPENDENT
which was out of hand thanks to my organic-food
and expensive-wine habits. Within two months,
1 ARE YOU?
Some startups enable their host 3 CAN YOU THINK BIGGER?
PayPal expanded past
I traded in the big house (along with its big util- companieshelping the bigger eBay, helping to jump-start
ity bills, and big rooms to furnish and clean) for a company grow, and therefore many e-commerce startups and
tidy condo a few blocks away. I also replaced my helping everyone. Other startups becoming a new way for people
are simply dependent on the host to exchange money. More recently,
precious SUV (and its high monthly payments,
companys status quo. You need SherpaShare originally started
costly maintenance and gasoline bills) for a more to be the rst kind. Consider the to support a growing number of
affordable and reliable sedan. history of PayPal and eBay, for Uber drivers in managing their
Do you need to start making significant changes instance. Without the advent of ride-sharing protability but has
like these today? Of course notand even if I said PayPal, Id argue, theres no way since expanded to competitors
eBay would have become the Lyft and Postmates, and is now
yes, I dont expect that youd put your house on the
juggernaut it is. PayPal enabled targeting independent workers
market tomorrow. But I strongly advise that, right millions more people to use eBay, throughout the on-demand econ-
now, you find some small way to cut your expenses. which is why they found such syn- omy. Can your idea evolve beyond
See how it makes you feel. Chances are, youll ergy. Contrast that with the once- the initial host company like this?
discover what I didthat you barely miss the old, hot trend of retail processing It needs to.
more expensive thing, and feel great about your
savings. Youll teach yourself a valuable lesson,
and one that you might return to in tougher times.
I kept going: I ditched the gym membership for
a bike; I learned to say no more often to my kids
(and wouldnt you know it, they still love me). Poof!
In total, I cut nearly $3,500 off my monthly nut.
And several years later, my quality of life hasnt
suffered. I still get to travel when I truly want to,
and I never feel Im living a life of self-depriva-
tion. As it turns out, I simply didnt need to make
as much money as I thought to live a sweet life.
And now that I know that, I know Ill be just fine if
times get tight again. That knowledge, my friend,
is worth more than anything else.
Steph Wagner is a private equity investor
and nancial strategist.

Illustration by Robert Samuel Hanson

 It then pools lenders to spread their risk
enabling LeaseQ to work with entrepreneurs
with no (or bad) credit history. Roughly more
than half of applicants are approved, with
repayment due in two to five years. Interest
rates range from 4 to 38 percent, depending
on a persons FICO credit score.
Take a look at how two treps used it, to
see how you might plan for your own needs.

PROJECT EXPAND A GYM

Isaiah Stanback opened a 1,500-square-
foot gym in 2013 called Steadfast Fitness
and Performance, in Flower Mound, Tex.
Last year, he planned to grow into a new
14,000-square-foot operation. Many people
assumed Stanback could afford this himself:
After all, he played in the NFL from 2007
to 2012. Not everyone gets two commas in
their contract, the ex-footballer says with
a chuckle, and his credit score isnt great.
How he used LeaseQ: Stanback raised
$80,000 from private investors, but he
needed $100,000 more. So in late 2015,
he leased through LeaseQ with a three-
year repayment term and no prepayment
penalties. At 18 percent, the interest rate was
higher than he wanted, but other lending
Isaiah Stanback platforms quoted up to 35 percent. It was
wants to build a
gym big enough worth it: In the first two months, he says,
for entire teams. weve almost doubled what we made in the
first year in business.

startup finance PROJECT BUILD A

RESTAURANT AND A CAF

Equipment Sean Woods, Jared Forman and Albert

LaValley wanted to open Deadhorse Hill,
the restaurant and caf of their dreams,
and leased a space in Worcester, Mass., last

Made Easier September. They then spent $90,000 on

kitchen equipment, but that covered only the
restaurant part. To serve the caffeine/caf
crowd, theyd need $400,000 in equipment
and it made no sense to open just
A MARKETPLACE MATCHES CASH-STRAPPED as a restaurant and then evolve later.
STARTUPS WITH FINANCING AND LEASING COMPANIES
ES How they used LeaseQ: They covered
SO THEY CAN BUILD OUT THEIR BUSINESSES. most of it through their personal credit,
By Michelle Goodman friends and family loans and a $25,000
microloan from the city. Then they used
HEN ENTREPRENEURS NEED new equipment for their business, they should ask LeaseQ to finance $75,000 of equipment

W a basic but challenging question: How much can I affordboth in dollars and the
time spent financing all this? A Burlington, Mass.based company called LeaseQ
attempts to change that equation, making equipment easier to get at a lower cost.
at a 12 percent interest rate with a five-year
repayment term and no prepayment penal-
ties. These are the kinds of things we couldnt
LeaseQ is an all-in-one platform. It works with more than 100 equipment-leasing companies afford to do on our own, Forman says. The
around the country that serve roughly 25 industries, from construction to salons to restaurants. restaurant and caf opened in April.

Photograph by Bobby Fisher 7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 49

 ask the money guy

Should
salespeople
work on straight
wages or
c mmissi
com
mm n ? IIf th
hey repay the salary in full and still have commissions left over,
By
y Joe Worth
Wo
orth
that money is paid to them as a bonus.
Ive never seen this work. Truly great commission-motivated
IN MY EXPERIENCE, the best plan includes a mix of both. When salespeople would rather have higher commission percentages.
you offer salary and commission, youre motivating your sales Meanwhile, draws just protect bad performers, which wastes your
team while minimizing the chances that theyll feel disgruntled time and money. Theres only one case for which Ill use a drawand
and underpaid. But theres no one-mix-fits-all. To find the right thats for brand-new salespeople. Ill offer it only for a few months,
system for your business, follow these steps: depending on the sales cycle, and diminish it every month until the
draw is phased out.
STEP 1 LOOK AT HOW YOUR INDUSTRY WORKS.
If most companies in your field follow one particular model, you may STEP 3 GET THE RATIO RIGHT.
not have a choice. The best salespeople in the business will be used The pay plans that seem to work best have a 60/40, 50/50 or 40/60 split
to that model; theyll expect it and likely wont work any other way. of commissions/salary. From there, I like to set up plans that provide
But if theres no status quo, take a look at how your sales operate. for four scenarios:
If your industry has a shorter sales cyclethat is, the time between
getting a lead and closing the dealthen your salespeople are likely + ++ +++

to be happier with commissions. But if youre selling, say, heavy DIDNT MET GOAL EXCEEDED ABSOLUTELY
equipment, and it can take months to close a sale, then straight wages MEET GOAL Pay the base GOAL CRUSHED
can work better. No salesperson wants to wait months to get paid. Goodbye. salary, which Commission GOAL
Theres no is set just of up to 100 Commissions
excuse enough for percent of should at
STEP 2 BEWARE THE DRAW. for paying the person to their base least double
As you do your research, you may hear about companies offering salespeople get by. This salary. their base
who dont will motivate salary, with
draws. Its a complex system: A salesperson is paid a set salary, with the pull their them to work no cap on
understanding that their commissions on sales will repay the salary. weight. harder. earnings.
 

How I Saved
Michelle McAndrew, housing manager, RNnetw
tw
work
k
$522,000
As a travel nurse recruiter and use Travelers Haven, a short-
t empty
e p apartmennts,
n and freed
f up
placement firm, we find nurses term corporate housing provider more than $217,000
$217 000 in
i caash
a flow
their ideal jobs as well as good with accommodations nationwide. by eliminating the need to pay
housing. We used to line up the The move saved us $305,000 in security deposits.
housing ourselves, but now we rent, which we were spending on As told to Grant Davis

50 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16 Illustration by Mark Allen Miller

 Youre only satisfied
when its perfect.
Were only satisfied
when youre protected.

As a small business owner, no detail about your company is too small. Thats why we take the
time to provide the right solution for the risks you may face. At Liberty Mutual Insurance, were
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 The Art of

profile

WE SELL
TO THE LIVING
FORMER AUTO DESIGNER JOSEPH LEDINH KNOWS HES IN
A GRIM BUSINESS. BUT THATS WHY ITS SO EXCITING.
By Ashlea Halpern

HEN JOSEPH LEDI N HS Ledinh figured there was a business in their bread and butter. You cant design a prod-

W grandfather passed away, in

1998, he and his father went
casket shopping. Every
funeral home in New Jersey had the same
product, he says. Hillenbrand, Matthews
International and Aurora controlled the mar-
ket. It was frustrating, but there was nothing
we could dowe had to buy that day.
making modern caskets, but the timing was
wrong: He was focused on becoming an auto-
motive designer. He soon got a job at Honda,
which was less glamorous than he expected.
In the beginning, you think youre going to be
designing the coolest car, but I got put on the
Honda Accord, he says with a laugh. Work-
ing on that project, however, I understood its
uct so outrageous that only five people buy it.
You need 5,000or 500,000.
After 10 years, he arrived at Peugeot and got
to make the cool stuffthe cars of the future,
those conceptual designs that draw crowds at
trade shows. It was, he felt, the pinnacle of his
career. After that, I thought, Where next?
he says. Then he remembered the caskets. He

Photographs by David Yellen 7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 53

 googled the phrase modern casket, and noth-
ing came up. Bingo.
This wasnt Ledinhs first crack at the risk- car-designing days. He chose plywood over
averse funerary industry. Back in the early
1990s, as a graduate student at the ArtCenter
College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., he
had pitched his thesis on tombstones. (Hed
envisioned an embedded, solar-powered
screen that played a memorial video.) Now he
imagined sleek, beautiful casketsa vision
that didnt impress his friends and family.
Its as if I took the most undesirable career
choice in existence, he says. The Ledinhs
immigrated to the United States in 1980 as ref- product; thered be no uninspired words like
ugees of the Vietnam War. My parents were
in shock when I told them. Even yesterday,
my mom said, Isnt there a better profession
you could choose than this? But he found
a cheerleader in his wife, fashion designer
Emma Lee, who encouraged him to work
nights and weekends on his caskets while he
was still at Peugeot. When he was ready to
launch, she took over as the sole breadwinner.
Ledinh chose the name Able Caskets
because trade shows list companies alpha-
preproduction runs. He created a coffin
with streamlined curves, an echo from his
hardwood for its relative malleability and
quicker burn time (for eco-friendlier cre-
mations). He made the lid open from the top
like a canopy, instead of from the sidelike
how Tesla had an SUV with a falcon door, he
muses. And manufacturing domestically had
its perks: it allowed him to tweak the design
as issues arose.
Able Caskets debuted in 2013. He thought
about how the auto industry would market his
memorial and remembrance. So he created the
slogan Love, beauty, soul. Where com-
petitors catalogs showed
caskets silhouetted against
Joseph Ledinh
springs to life. white backdrops, he set his
against memory-triggering
travel photographs. His
cherrywood-finish coffin,
for instance, foregrounds
a nighttime shot of the
Louvre. The marketing is
not geared to the deceased,
says Ledinh. We sell to the
livingto the families.
His Instagram account,
@ablecaskets, mirrors
this thinking, alternating
somewhat incongruously
between casket porn and
images of the Golden Gate
Bridge and Leaning Tower
of Pisa. The fact that Able
Caskets even has an Instagram account is
a revolutionary move in and of itself.
Year one was painfully slow for Ledinhs
casket startup. He barely eked by in year two.
But now, after three years of travel, network-
ing and trade shows, hes breaking through.
Orders are strong in Europe, and hes making
inroads in Japan. A Hollywood prop company
just placed an order.
q&a
FAILURE LEADS
TO SUCCESS
How an engineer learned
the value before building
the product.
JONATHAN SIEGEL has launched
20 companies. Two led to eight-gure
exitshooray!and 16 went bust.
But one failure from 2005 informed a
success a decade later. The op was
PostASAP, which sent letters for users
who didnt want to deal with printing,
envelopes and the post ofce. It died
in a year. Today he owns Earth Class
Mail, a $5 million platform that scans,
shreds or processes businesses snail
mail. Heres how he got from one to
the other. Michelle Goodman
What was the first sign
of trouble for PostASAP?
The week after we launched was an
amazing letdown. We got some press
and plenty of trafc, but nobody was
signing up and staying. At the time,
people werent as comfortable invoicing
or writing important documents online.
And they didnt want to pay a premium
for the service.
Did you try to fix the problem?
We talked to a marketing consultant
who helped us build a customer
acquisition plan; generated site trafc
through Google ads and got an afliate
partner, Stamps.com; and created
different pricing structures.
And none of that worked?
We made about $80 per customer, but
we had to spend $480 to do it. So every
customer we got cost us $400.
PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID ROTH (JONATHAN SIEGEL)

beticallya trick he learned from Steve Jobs.
He wanted to manufacture with a furniture
company, but as soon as I said I was working
on caskets, they wouldnt return my calls,
he says. Eventually he found a Los Angeles
company that makes pool tables and other
gaming tables; their market had shrunk with
the recession, and they were looking for new
revenue streams.
He then spent two years on prototypes and
Ledinh likes bucking the industry, but hes
learned its limits: Yes, he could sell directly
to consumers, but its not worth upsetting
the middlemenfuneral directorswho
control the bulk of the market. And anyway,
hes found a shared spirit in thema younger,
savvier generation now taking over their
family businesses. Theyre hungry for newer
product, he says. Caskets havent changed
in 112 years. They say, Its about time!
What did all this teach you?
If I had turned the business upside
down and started at the endbuilding
a landing page, buying ads, seeing how
much customers were willing to pay
and how much it cost to get them to
that landing pageI could have tested
my business eight or nine months
before I found out that the concept was
no good. Thats a respectable way of
getting an early read on the market.

54 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
 JOIN A LEGACY
C R E A T E Y O U R O W N

For over 110 years, Boars Head Brand has been dedicated to providing
the highest quality delicatessen foods available. Today, we are seeking new
Distributors with opportunities available across the country.
Distributors of the Boars Head Brand are
independent business owners with strong
earning potential. These individuals have an
entrepreneurial drive, unparalleled customer
service skills and a passion for food. They
represent the Brand and our vast array of
products to food retailers and food service
establishments across the country, while
managing their own businesses to achieve
personal and financial success.
This is an elite group of dedicated professionals,
and we wouldnt have it any other way.

S T A R T T O C R E A T E Y O U R L E G A C Y B Y V I S I T I N G,
B O A R S H E A D. C O M / D I S T R I B U T O R

2016 Frank Brunckhorst Co., L.L.C.

 whos got vc?

Reporting by Brittany Shoot

56 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16 Illustration by Wren McDonald

 MAKE
YOUR KIDS
EVEN
SMARTER!

OPEN A KUMON CENTER

FOR YOUR COMMUNITY
Named a 2016 Top Global Franchise
If theres not a Kumon Center in your local area, then your kids and all the kids near you are missing the
opportunity to gain the academic advantage delivered by the Kumon Method. In fact, many Kumon parents
became Kumon franchisees after seeing rsthand how Kumon advanced their kids learning in math and reading.
Talk with us today about opening a Kumon Center for your community and start making your kids,
and all kids, even smarter.

KumonFranchise.com/entrepreneur 844.256.1324
2016 Kumon North America, Inc. All rights reserved. This is not an offer to sell a franchise which can only be made after you have received a Franchise Disclosure
Document and in compliance with the disclosure rules of the Federal Trade Commission and the applicable laws of your state. To request our Franchise Disclosure
Document visit KumonFranchise.com.
 One
Bazillion
Potential
Shareholders
By
MICHELLE
GOODMAN

58 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
 To
most people,
crowdfunding means
that someone invented a thermos
that sings Yankee Doodle, and it just
raised $750,000 on Kickstarter. But
thats about to change. In May, a regulation
called Title III, a part of the Jumpstart Our
Business Startups Act, clicked into effect,
and it has the potential to alter the way
many startups are fundedand
how people use the word
crowdfunding.

7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 59
 The law itself, commonly known as the JOBS Act, is old
news. It was passed in 2012, and part of it went into effect
a year later (see The JOBS Act in Three Phases, pg.
62). It initially allowed companies to publicly solicit Title III
and raise capital from accredited investors BY THE NUMBERS
that is, people who the government determines
are wealthy enough to take big investment 5 PERCENT $2,000 TO $100,000 500 INVESTORS
risks, often meaning they have a net worth TO 9 PERCENT The total that The number of
of at least $1 million. Were not talking Kick- The average unaccredited unaccredited
commission most investors can shareholders your
starter-style funding here, where backers intermediaries will contribute to a Title company can amass
are essentially buying a product ahead of collect. III crowdfunding before the SEC
time, or donating in exchange for a token campaign in a requires it to go
21 DAYS 12-month period, public. Alternately, if
gift. Were talking about true investors The cooling off depending on their your company reaches
getting equity in a companya very dif- period that each income or net worth. $25 million in assets,
ferent kind of crowdfunding, available publicly announced the government will
Title III crowdfunding $1 MILLION require that it go
only to an affluent crowd. campaign must wait The total investment public.
In May, the masses were finally let in before closing any amount that
on the fun. Title III allows early-stage com- investments pledged. companies can
raise in a 12-month
panies to raise money from unaccredited period using Title III
investorsthat is, anyone willing to pay. At crowdfunding.
long last, it seems, heres a level playing field for
cash-starved startups that are too new or small to
qualify for a bank loan, or to capture the imagination
of deep-pocketed angel investors and venture capitalists.
Now you can get money from the masses! Like Kickstarter,
only with cap tables!
It could be great for your young company, but dont get too excited
just yet. Like everything in finance and law, things are complicated.
Theres a mountain of paperwork standing between you and that
money. Theres also a limit: You can raise only up to $1 million during is one major benefit that comes with traditional investing, he says.
a 12-month period from the unaccredited crowd. And as you raise it, Also, consider how transparent youre willing to be. These compa-
youll need to adhere to the Securities and Exchange Commissions nies have to publicly disclose their financials, says Ron Miller, partner
very strict rules and regulations. at the equity crowdfunding portal StartEngine, based in greater Los
This is what youll need to know. Angeles. If you require secrecy around your spending and growth fig-
ures, equity crowdfunding isnt the financing vehicle for you.
But if youre willing to be open, the tradeoff could be worth it: Unlike
What Startups Want just about any other kind of crowdfunding, equity crowdfunding will
MOST KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGNS FAIL, and the same may become drum up an army of brand ambassadors, Miller says. Theyll be
true for equity crowdfunding campaigns. Sometimes the crowd just dozens or hundreds of people who invest and then sing your praises
isnt buying what youre selling. So before you pin all your hopes on the to everyone they know, if for no other reason than to see their own
masses, consider whats reasonably possible. investment cha-ching. If you can rally those troops, youre in business.
If you have a consumer-facing company with a dedicated customer
base (or the potential to grow one), youre probably best positioned d
to benefit, says Aaron Pollak, CEO and cofounder of Venture.co, a The
T
Th
he M
Middl
i d d le m
id men
en Wh
Who Make It
It Happen
Happen
broker-dealer based in Burlington, Vt. Why? Your product or ser- FOO R T HE OLD C ROW W DFUN N DING worrld, a K ickstarr ter--styyle
y web-
b-
vice will be easy to understanda must if youre appealing to casual site handled the back end. In this new world, youll also need a go-
ILLUSTRATIONS BY TAI11/SHUTTERSTOCK (ALL)

investors. A difficult-to-comprehend business-to-business database
for enterprise customers just may not sparkle in quite the same way.
You should also consider your needs. Do you have a massively
appealing commercial product? Maybe Kickstarter-style sites are
still the best route for you: Youll raise your money without giving away
shares of the business. Thats what Andy Karuza is thinking; hes the
founder of FenSens, a wireless fender sensor, and he plans to presell on
Indiegogo and keep all his equity. He does want investors but is inter-
ested only in strategic investors who can help his company grow. That
betweenwhat the SEC calls intermediaries, which can take many
forms. You have options about which kind of intermediary to choose,
but by law, you have no choice about this: You must use one.
There are two main types of intermediaries: broker-dealers and
funding portals. Broker-dealers like Venture.co, FlashFunders and
North Capital do a lot of the work for startups and investorsoffering
additional document drafting and investment management services,
for example. They also allow startups to raise money in two ways at
the same timethrough an equity crowdfunding campaign for those

60 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
 Growing a

B
ILL DICKINSON had earned a
vacation. It was the 1980s, he
was in his 40s and hed worked
hard to build a thriving psy-
chology practice in Savannah. But holi-
days left him frustrated: When he wasnt
seeing patients, he wasnt making money. I
knew I had to figure out some way to make a
living and be able to take time off, he says.
Thats why he was intrigued when, in
1988, a friend approached him with an
investment idea: The guys brother was
going to start a daiquiri bar called Wet
Willies. These watering holes, with their
colorful swirling machines, were mostly a
beachside noveltybut what if they were
taken inland for everyone else to enjoy?
Dickinson bought a 22 percent stake, and
its first location opened near his office in
town. It was a quick hit, and they expanded
to Miami Beach and Charleston, S.C.
Dickinson was thrilled: Finally, he had
a path to the passive income he wanted.
franchisor After a few years, he started pushing the

DOCTOR
company to expand even moreand thats
when his other investors changed the
game. Wet Willies founder, Dave Satchel,

DAIQUIRI
WHY THIS SUCCESSFUL PSYCHOLOGIST
LEFT FOR A FUTURE IN THE BAR BUSINESS.
By Jason Daley
was stretched thin by managing three
locations across 500 miles. If Dickinson
wanted more, they said, hed have to dial
back his practice to help manage the bars.
Dickinson did. I had no idea this would
be my lifes work, he says now. Its gratify-
ing, the way people feel about our product.
Whats the old saying? Therapy is good, but
liquor is quicker.
In 1998, he took over management of

Photograph by Francesco Lagnese 7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 65

 WET WI
POPULALRLIES MO
DAIQUIRSIT

CALL A CA
the original Savannah bar to learn day-to-day The key, he says, is how seriously the com-
m-
4 oz. 190-
B
operations. That gave himand his inves- pany takes its food and drinks. The kitchen n g rain alcl ohol
oz. Bac l
a rdi Ligh
torsthe confidence to expand to 10 locations, is full of Southern favorites: Savannah h 8 oz. Wet t Ru m
Willies
mainly in the South, over the next decade. shrimp and grits, burgers and blackenedd mix (avail
Call A Ca
b flavor
Eventually, Dickinson became CEO. grouper sandwiches. And Wet Williess able at We
tWillies.c
Put all th om)
By 2010, Dickinson decided that Wet Wil- has spent years tweaking its drink flavors. e ingredi
blender. ents into
Fill the a 40-oz.
lies should begin franchising. The brand had Most locations have 20 machines, with 24 with ice. rest of th
Blend unt e blender
a proven business model and enough name different flavors on rotation, including il smooth.
Serve.
recognition to attract the right kind of franchi- four trademarked drinksits signature
sees. A national obsession with cocktails didnt drink, Call A Cab, accounts for more than n 40
hurt, either. Now the company has 14 bars percent of drink sales at some locations. the trash and get one from us.
open, including franchise units, and another In Miami, theres another daiquiri shop hop But theres one thing the daiquiri business
10 franchises in the pipeline. a block down from us, Dickinson says. Ive hasnt provided him: time off for vacations.
The first Wet Willies may have succeeded seen people walk by our bar and say, I didnt After 25 years, hes ready to start. Hes plan-
because it was novel, but Dickinson says that know Wet Willies was down here. Then ning to hand the business over to his daughter
wasnt enough to make it worth franchising. theyll throw their two-thirds-full drink in Emily this year.

by baby-boomer customers. from home, and xes things

Rob Steinfeld Business is growing month
(in captains
hat) and Dean by month, and Steinfeld
Hanson (in cap). thinks they can break
Expedias sales record for
a rst-year franchisee.
when theyre broken. When
I come home at the end of the
day and we have dinner, we
actually have different things
to talk about!

Why a cruise agency? How have you been able

What is the appeal?
ROB Dean and I met on a
cruise way back in 1995, and
its always been a big passion
of ours. Weve cruised at least
once every year since then. And
because theyve been special
for us personally, we decided to
expand that to make them part
of our professional life as well.
DEAN We feel theres a
franchisee
great value in this particular
travel niche. Weve got skin
to grow your business
so quickly?
DEAN Were out there more
than anyone else in town. Were
kind of comarketing ourselves.
Yes, were Expedia, but we
really want to market ourselves
as the local hometown agency.
ROB We live the brand. People
know us as the cruise guys.
Theres never a time were not
wearing an Expedia shirt or an
awesome T-shirt that says ASK

Cruise Control in the game and truly believe

in the product.
How is it working together
A COUPLE RIDES THE TRAVEL
AVEL as a married couple?
AGENT RESURGENCE. By Jason Daley ROB Its good that Dean and I
ME HOW TO WIN A CRUISE! Down
the line, when someone starts
to get ready for a vacation,
we want them to think of us
rst. No one comes in here
without being signed up on
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF CRUISESHIPCENTERS

had been in business together our database.

THE TRAVEL INDUSTRYS conventional wisdom has gone before. We had a corporate
like this: As sites like Travelocity and Kayak made it easier for people headhunting business a few You must be cleaning up
to book vacations themselves, travel agencies withered and died. years ago and didnt do so well on the free cruises and trips
But thats not actually true. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in a shared space. This time for travel agents.
after a steep drop-off in the 1990s, revenues from travel agencies we have clearly dened roles: ROB The perks are there;
have more than doubled since 2002which is why people like Rob Deans passion is behind the we just havent had time to
Steinfeld and Dean Hanson have been so eager to set up a franchise scenes, and mine is growing go anywhere!
and join this unexpected boom. Last year, the married couple set up sales. Im here every day, and DEAN Its like that saying
an Expedia CruiseShipCenters unit in Tampa. The bricks-and-mortar he takes care of things like about the cobblers kids not
offshoot of the website specializes in cruises and is fueled mainly insurance and pest control having any shoes.

66 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
 My

NUMBERS Rock!
$1,326,276*
AVERAGE GROSS SALES
25.68%*
AVERAGE FOOD AND
$247,256*
AVERAGE NET PROFIT
PAPER COSTS FROM OPERATIONS (IN $)

800.546.6904 + OWNAJIMMYJOHNS.COM
*Figures reflect averages for twenty-one (21) affiliate-owned restaurants that opened before January 1, 2011, as published in Item 19 of our April 2016 Franchise Disclosure Document. These averages are based on a 52-week annual period from December
31, 2014 through December 29, 2015. Of these twenty-one (21) restaurants, 10 (48%) had higher gross sales, 12 (57%) had higher food and paper costs, and 9 (43%) had higher net profit percentage during the reported period. The financial performance
representation contained in Item 19 of our April 2016 Franchise Disclosure Document also includes (1) average and median systemwide gross sales, average and median franchise gross sales, and the number and percentage of restaurants exceeding the
averages during the referenced period, (2) average and median gross sales, average and median food and paper cost, and average and median net profit percentage information during the referenced period for fourteen (14) affiliate-owned restaurants
that were opened after January 1, 2011 and before January 1, 2015, and (3) other average and median performance information for affiliate-owned restaurants.

A new franchisees results may differ from the represented performance. There is no assurance that you will do as well and you must accept that risk. This offering is made by prospectus only.

2016 JIMMY JOHNS FRANCHISE, LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

68 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 69
 HEN THE UNITED STATES announced it

W would lift trade sanctions on Cuba in
December 2014, the franchise world
went a little crazy. Breathless articles expounded
on the types of franchises that could thrive there.
PR companies scrambled to announce that their
clients were looking seriously at the opportunity.
But all this buzz distracted from an ever-growing
opportunity already available to franchisors: The
Caribbean and Central America, with their more
than 200 million people, are already welcoming
and many U.S. franchise systems see the region
as more attractive than Asia or the Middle East.

70 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
 Of course, thats not to say the trip south
will be easy. But with patience, close relation-
ships and a savvy understanding of the market
differences, franchise systems will find that
the area is open for business.
Pick Your Spot
To be fair, theres good reason for all the
excitement around Cuba: Its big, well-
populated, and close to the U.S.three
things that most other island nations
lack. Theres potential for growth in the
Caribbean, but its often based around
tourism, says John Canaday of the Americas
Franchising Group, which helps companies
expand throughout the Americas. The real
estate is also very expensive, and its not
always easy to optimize the supply chain or
get fresh food onto an island. And many
struggling economies, such as Puerto Ricos
and, to a lesser degree, the Dominican
Republics, can be unsettling places to make
big financial bets.
The Caribbean does have its upsides,
though. The islands legal systems tend to
make franchising easier, and success can
come in unexpected ways. The Caribbean
wasnt part of our development plan, but
we met the right person and proceeded,
72 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
says Andrea Fonseca, chief brand officer
for Idaho-based Pita Pit. Theyve opened
four locations in Trinidad and Tobago, and
its gone so well that theyll open two more
by the end of this year. We discovered that
people in Trinidad and Tobago really care
about nutrition and healthy eating. They
were a little shy at first, but now they are
passionate customers.
But for franchisors who are new to inter-
national expansion, Canaday suggests start-
ing in business-friendly countries in nearby
Central America. Unlike Asia, the Middle
East and other popular foreign markets,
its nearby and in American time zonescon-
veniences that cant be underestimated. And
in Europe, the local food culture and brands
are so strong that American brands are often
unwelcome. (It took Starbucks many, many
years to even begin making inroads there,
despite heavy investment.) But in Latin
America, they are fans of American foods,
says Alex Oswiecinski, VP of international
operations and development for the Dallas-
based sandwich franchise Which Wich,
which has units in Mexico City, Guatemala
City and Panama City. As a result, not much
(or anything) about a brands American
offerings needs to change.
So, where to start? Canaday suggests
picking countries with stable governments
or populationssomething you wont find
in, say, Honduras. (This is also the problem
with countries in South America such as
START A
HOME-BASED TRAVEL
Venezuela and Brazil.) Instead, try places

BUSINESS
like Panama or Costa Rica, which have
become good hosts for American fran-
chises. Panama, for one, has a dollar-based
economy and experience with imports and
exports, and it has a very pro-capitalist gov-
ernment, Canaday says. Theres no better time to be a travel professional
Those are all reasons that the Atlanta-
based chicken-wings franchise Wing Zone
and theres no better way to get started
opened its first international restaurant
in Panama City in 2010. By the end of this
year, its Panamanian franchisee will have
nine stores. After we saw what our franchi-
see did there, we made the decision to offer
him the rights for all Central America,
says Hair Parra, the companys VP of inter-
national development. He will have three
units in Guatemala City by the end
of the year, and he has one in Honduras.
Hell also close deals in Costa Rica and
El Salvador soon.
But as businesses flock to Panama, the
market there may soon be saturated. Panama
City, after all, has a population of only 1.5
million. So, many franchises are now looking
to nearby Costa Rica, where its 4.8 million
people enjoy political stability and a higher
standard of living. KFC, McDonalds and

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7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 73
 Burger King have been there for a while, but
now smaller brands see it as an alternative to
Panama, Canaday says. Mexico is also ripe
with possibility; despite the large amount of
media attention it gets for its cartel-related
crime, much of the country is peaceful,
and its still a strong market for American
brands. Which Wich, in fact, has seven
stores in Mexico Citywith another two set
to open later this year.
Doing
Business with
a Handshake
Finding the right market is one thing.
Actually opening and operating there is
quite anotherparticularly in a place where
the rules of business are totally unfamiliar.
In the U.S. when youre searching for real
estate, theres a commercial broker system,
Oswiecinski of Which Wich says. In Latin
America, business relationships begin with a
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74 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
handshake and build on family relationships
and reputation.
Thats because the laws there are very
different, so U.S. franchisors need to be care-
ful to assure their trademarks and licenses
are properly registered in these countries
prior to expansion. Having a very good, local
business attorney with experience in fran-
chising is incredibly important, Canaday
says. That person can help you navigate
the unfamiliar terrainand, just as import-
ant, help you find your local franchisee.
The traditional franchise model of opening
single owner-operator franchises doesnt
work in most of Latin America. Instead,
most franchises need to rely on well-
connected, deep-pocketed and established
operators to develop their brand throughout
the country.
Thats why we dont open corporate
stores in these areas, says Wing Zones
Parra. We rely on our local master franchi-
sees because they know how to deal with the
government and get permits and licenses.
We dont.
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Once your international units are set up, you
have a big decision to make: Do you create a
distribution system to supply the exact same
ingredients American consumers get back
home, or do you create new items with locally
sourced products? Theres no right answer
it all depends on what you sell and what your
new customers expect.
When Anthony Russo opened his first
international unitit was in Dubaihe
insisted on making the exact same food at
each location. He founded Russos New York
Style Pizza, which is based in Houston. A lot
of people from all over the world travel to the
U.S. and taste our pizza, and Ive found they
want the real thing back home, not a regional
or cheap variation of it, he says. But pulling
this off requires a complex supply chain, and
adjustments to his menu if, say, an ingredient
is difficult to get into one country. Now we
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 have an infrastructure in place that lets us ship
anywhere we want to go. We ship 56 items,
such as Roma tomatoes and mozzarella, to our
WHY THEYRE WELCOMING restaurants in Mexico, and we have no issues.
But Pita Pit took a different path: Its
Trinidadian and Panamanian menus contain
Mexico Colombia regional specialties, and the food is spicier than
A large (and growing!) The nation is technologically
it is in America. Our customers in Trinidad
middle class, plus proximity advanced, and markets like
didnt really know pitas, says Fonseca, its chief
to the United States, boosts Medellin, the Silicon Valley
of South America, are ripe brand officer. I think its a novelty for them.
prospects in larger cities like
for new brands. We serve things like falafel, tzatziki and other
Mexico City, Guadalajara
and Puebla. Mediterranean flavors they may not be famil-
Dominican iar with, but adding spices theyre familiar
Panama: Republic with helps them understand what a pita is.
The country has a local There has not been a lot How is a brand supposed to know which
currency but also uses the of franchise investment direction to go in? The answers lie in the
American dollar. Its relatively here yet, but brands in local culture, Canaday says. He recalls
safe, full of tourists and higher-income areas and working with one franchise in the Dominican
supportive of businesses. shopping centers do well. Republic: At first it offered only its American
Costa Rica menu, and the place did just OK. But then it
It has political stability, a strong added mangu to the menuits a traditional
tourism base and an increasing local side dish made of mashed plantainsand
standard of living. there were lines out the door.
That kind of success makes all this work
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This advertisement does not constitute an offer of a franchise. A franchise offering can be made
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franchises in that state, and only if we provide you with an appropriate franchise disclosure
document. Franchises are not available in all states.

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7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 75
FRANCHISE SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

BE THE BOSS OF YOUR

FUTURE
Set your sights on growing your
success with one of these featured
business opportunities.

Pirtek Pillar Merle

Hydraulic Hose to Post Norman
Services Home Inspection Cosmetics

K-9 Resorts iLoveKickboxing.com

Luxury Pet Care Fitness
FRANCHISE
MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS:
PASSION FOR BEAUTY
Beauty A Gratifying Career
If you enjoy beauty and fashion, and
love the prospect of helping women
look and feel their best, Merle Norman
offers an exciting opportunity for
you to become your own boss. We
offer prestige products primarily
manufactured in the USA, and provide
complimentary samples to support our
Try before you buy concept.
Whether youre showing your
customer skin care or color, youre
helping create a beautiful picture. She
feels great, and you feel great. Whats
more rewarding than that? And, you get
paid for it too! Kathy Young, Studio
Owner since 1981.
Low Overhead
From 150-1,200 square feet, you can
choose a oor plan in a mall, strip
center or freestanding store that ts
your budget. Unlike other franchise
companies, we DO NOT require a
marketing or advertising contribution
fund. Instead, we actually contribute
60% to approved local advertising.
Youll benet from key cost-saving
support, which allows you to reinvest
back into your own business:
No initial franchise fee
No royalty fees
We Help Every Step of the Way
Our corporate support spans from
lease negotiation and site selection to
build-out and store design. Extensive
training and an annual continuing
education conference will help you
become a successful beauty expert.
National print advertising, impactful
marketing, TV commercials, radio ad
campaigns and social media content
are at your ngertips. And if you need
help, were just a phone call away.
Merle Norman provides an amazing
opportunity to have your own
business, and to do it well. Theyre very
supportive and have made it very easy.
They want their brand name to be
successful and for me to be successful.
Im proud to be a part of MN.
Meredith Poland, Studio Owner
since 2008.
ADVERTISEMENT
ABOUT MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS
Merle Norman Cosmetics is a
nationally recognized franchisor
of full lines of prestige skin care,
foundation and color products
backed by 85 years of
continued success.
MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS FAST FACTS
$40K-$60K minimum liquid capital
No initial franchise fee
No royalty fees
No marketing/advertising
contribution fund
60% advertising reimbursement!
Beauty is Rewarding
The cosmetic industry is stable and
robust with women spending over
$426 billion dollars annually on beauty
products!
Discover the opportunity to enjoy
nancial freedomwhile helping
women look and feel more beautiful.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Merle Norman Cosmetics
P: (800) 421-6648
E: franchising@merlenorman.com
W: www.merlenorman.com
Learn how easy it is to get started in
the travel industry!
FRANCHISE
IN THE FAST LANE: PIRTEK FRANCHISE
TEAMS WITH LOCAL DRAGWAY
Racing metaphors often show up in
discussions about success: a race to
the top, outpacing the competition,
coming in rst. Suchit Gandhi, owner
of PIRTEK West End in Richmond, VA,
is mixing metaphor with reality as he
pursues ongoing success as a
PIRTEK franchisee.
Gandhi started up his PIRTEK Service
& Supply Center in August 2015. Since
then, hes followed the companys
overall penchant for sports sponsorships
by supporting a popular local venue:
Richmond Dragway. As a result of the
sponsorship, the dragways announcer
now calls its right lane the PIRTEK lane.
PIRTEK is the leader in uid transfer
solutions, providing hydraulic and
industrial hose replacement sales and
services. With 57 Service & Supply
Centers and a eet of Mobile Service
Vehicles, its the only franchise of its kind
operating in the United States. Globally,
PIRTEK has more than 400 locations.
A Good Match
Our relationship with Richmond
Dragway is a good match, said Gandhi,
whose PIRTEK West End is at 2115
Dabney Road in Richmond. Theres a
connection because of the hydraulics
and hoses in the racing industry. Some
of the racers are also industry business
owners, so it makes sense for us to put
our brand in front of them.
One of the dragways recent champions
is a PIRTEK customer, and there are
other customers associated with the
racing venue. Some of the people we
do business with come to the dragway
as participants and as attendees, said
Gandhi.
As one benet of the sponsorship, the
PIRTEK logo gets prominent display on
the scoreboard and in the online feed
during the races.
Seeking a Franchise
Gandhi started out in the industrial
world, where he did quality control work
with automotive, injection molding and
aluminum extrusion businesses. During
that time, I came to understand just how
critical downtime can be to production,
he said.
After getting the bug to start a business
of his own, Gandhi began checking out
a number of different franchise options,
including pizza businesses. But he ran
across PIRTEK while paging through
a franchise trade publication and
ADVERTISEMENT
ABOUT PIRTEK USA
PIRTEK is the leader in uid
transfer solutions in sales and
service, the only brand of its kind
in franchising in the United States.
PIRTEK USA FAST FACTS
More than 400 locations
in 23 countries
B2B franchise
Turnkey with exclusive territories
Service & Supply Centers with
Mobile Service Vehicles
$50,000 franchise fee
immediately liked the B2B aspect of it.
Its really worked out for me, Gandhi
said. From day one, Ive been getting
support from everyone like extended
family. I can call and talk to any PIRTEK
owner at any time.
PIRTEK and Sports
The dragway sponsorship is consistent
with PIRTEK USAs growing involvement
in sports. In 2016, the company
sponsored PIRTEK Team Murray in
the 100th Indianapolis 500, and high-
performance snowmobile racing in the
AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series.
We want to be involved in this trend,
Gandhi said. People get a lot of
enjoyment out of these events and were
glad to be a part of them while raising
awareness of the PIRTEK name.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Steve Morris
Franchise Director
PIRTEK USA
P: (321) 504-4422
E: smorris@pirtekusa.com
W: www.pirtekusa.com
FRANCHISE
K-9 RESORTS: 62 BILLION DOLLAR PET
INDUSTRY GROWS YEAR OVER YEAR
For budding entrepreneurs ready to break
into the franchising industry, the rst step into
brand exploration should always be careful
examination of the Franchise Disclosure
Document, or FDD. The FDD is a critical
document that lays out a brands story piece
by piece, but one section in particular that is
important is the Item 19. Thats because it can
give prospective franchisees insight into the
business model and opportunity for nancial
performance of their business. For K-9 Resorts
Daycare & Luxury Hotel, the leader in luxury
dog care, the Item 19 is a place to take the
leash off and outrun the competition.
K-9 Resorts is an award winning, top rated pet
care facility and franchise system, dedicated to
caring for mans best friend. The brand goes
beyond simply listing corporate and franchise
prot margins. It also provides prospective
franchisees with information relating to unit
sizes and capacities, along with data explaining
average expenses on things like kennel
supplies, advertising, rent and payroll cost.
This advertorial is not a prospectus, before making any investment decisions, please carefully review our prospectus. Rated #3 in the Country by http://iheartdogs.com. Rated # 1 in NJ by NJ Monthly Magazine.
We want to give potential franchisees all
the tools they need to conduct their due
diligence when making an investment, said
Jason Parker, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of K-9
Resorts. Thats why K-9s Item 19 includes a
breakdown of certain costs of running a pet
resort so a prospective buyer can make an
educated decision about their investment.
Between 2014 and 2015, the brands
franchises, operating in a 7,000 square foot
location model, saw gross revenue jump
by more than 50 percent. In the franchise
business, if youre not able to demonstrate
strong unit economics for the franchisee, you
really dont have anything. Thats something we
pound away on. said Jason Parker.
The K-9 Resorts franchise system also
recently partnered with private equity rm
Navigator Partners, LLC for a multi-million
dollar investment designed to fuel the brands
expansion outside of its home state of New
Jersey. K-9 Resorts plans to open 80 new
ADVERTISEMENT
ABOUT K-9 RESORTS DAYCARE
& LUXURY HOTEL
K-9 Resorts are multi-award-winning luxury
pet hotels. K-9 Resorts was founded in
2005 by brothers Steven and Jason Parker
in Fanwood, N.J. When in their early teens,
their parents denied them a dog of their own,
so the pair opened a pet-sitting business
to prove they were ready to care for a dog.
That business became a highly protable
enterprise that they sold in 2006 to fuel their
burgeoning K-9 Resorts business.
K-9 RESORTS FAST FACTS
K-9 Resorts is rated #1 in
NJ & #3 in the Country
Extensive training is available for all
aspects of running your business
Discounts and incentives are
available for multi-unit franchisees
Prime territories still available
locations over the next ve years that will
house hundreds of thousands of happy dogs.
One of the main reasons people get into
business is to make money, said Parker.
With the opportunity at K-9 Resorts, in 2015,
franchisees with a 7,000 square foot model,
averaged gross sales of $916,212 with an
average EBITDA of $366,660 and were
extremely proud of their growth.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Jason Parker
P: (908) 889-PETS ( 7387)
E: franchising@k9resorts.com
W: www.k9franchise.com
FRANCHISE
ILOVEKICKBOXING: THE SECRET
FASTEST-GROWING FITNESS FRANCHISE
They dont buy up big ad space.
Theyve had minimal publicity. Yet
iLoveKickboxing, a boutique tness
kickboxing concept, is currently the
fastest-growing tness franchise in
the nation, selling over 425 units in
the past 24 months with no signs of
slowing down. How is this possible?
What about this franchise is so
appealing to entrepreneurs nationwide
- including those who never even
considered a tness franchise prior to
iLoveKickboxing?
The answer to that is two-folds I think,
stated founder and CEO, Michael
Parrella. In short: We researched what
entrepreneurs really want in a franchise,
and we created it.
That led to a few key points. The rst:
great unit economics with a low initial
investment. You dont need to buy
treadmills or any expensive machinery
like that. Kickboxing is simple: mats on
the oor and heavy bags are the only
equipment you need. Next, we solved
the biggest problem businesses face:
getting new customers.
We pioneered a multi-layered online
and offline marketing funnel that drives
memberships right to our locations
doors, and they never have to lift a
nger. You dont have to suddenly
become a marketing expert to own our
franchise as you do with many others.
We handle about 95% of all marketing
for every franchise, so they can focus on
having fun.
And nally, we have systems in place for
semi-absentee and absentee ownership.
That way, if you so desire, your franchise
can run itself without you ever needing
to be there. Thats why no tness
experience is required.
Another factor contributing to the
growth is current owner validations.
When prospective franchise candidates
do their due diligence and call around,
they hear nothing but glowing praise
for the concept. The individuals making
these validation calls are attorneys,
CPAs, and corporate executives with
backgrounds in research as well. Yet
despite their more-than-thorough efforts,
they just cant seem to poke holes
in iLoveKickboxing.
ADVERTISEMENT
ABOUT ILOVEKICKBOXING
ILKB is a boutique tness concept that
takes the bag-hitting, calorie-busting
workouts of pro ghters & makes them
fun & accessible to anyone.
ILOVEKICKBOXING FAST FACTS
Fastest growing tness franchise in
the USA (500+ licenses awarded)
No unit closures.
Not a single iLoveKickboxing has
ever closed
Current owners love us.
Call as many as youd like to validate.
$50k liquidity minimum & amazing
unit economics
We researched many other franchises,
and every third or fourth call youd
make, youd get someone who regretted
purchasing that franchise. With
iLoveKickboxing, we never ran into that.
Not a single person said they regretted
it. They said they wished theyd found it
sooner, stated one franchisee.
Territories are disappearing every
day, stated Director of Franchise
Development, Scott Ferrari. Now is the
time to reach out and get on board while
theyre still available.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
iLoveKickboxing
P: (516) 882-7182
E: FranchiseInfo@iLoveKickboxing.com
W: www.myilovekickboxing.com
Learn how easy it is to get started in
the travel industry!
 5 CORE 1 START IT. Business startup isnt rocket science; its not
as complicated or scary as people think. Once you have a great

STEPS TO
idea, product, or service in mind, its a step-by-step, common-sense
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STARTING 2 PLAN IT. If you build it, will they buy it? Determining

YOUR
whether there really is a market for your product or service is
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FRANCHISE
FRANCHISE FRANCHISE FRANCHISE
500 500 500
FASTEST-GROWING RANKED #1 TOP GLOBAL
FRANCHISE IN CATEGORY FRANCHISE
2016 2016 2016
FROM NASA TRAINER TO INSURANCE
ADJUSTOR, TO NEWEST PILLAR TO
POST FRANCHISE PARTNER
As a former insurance adjuster, Todd
Goodwin witnessed the devastation
and loss that can occur in peoples
lives. In the aftermath of tornadoes,
hurricanes, oods, he helped families
nd temporary housing, provided funds
for food and clothing, and helped
coordinate with building contractors to
replace or repair the homes.
Goodwin now draws upon his adjuster
experience as the owner of local
Pillar To Post Home Inspection of
greater Houston area. With over 500
existing franchises through the 48
states and Canada, Pillar To Post has
been offering stellar home inspection
services for more than 20 years.
I felt that the transition to home
inspection would go very smoothly
with the skills I was utilizing as an
insurance adjustor, said Goodwin,
49, who also worked for NASA for ve
years teaching astronauts to work in
zero gravity underwater.
Pillar To Post Home Inspectors recently
ranked as the number one franchise
in the Home Inspection category
by Entrepreneur Magazine (January
2016 issue). Understandable since
they represent the evolution in home
inspection companies. With the help
and support of the franchisor, there is
ease of booking, same day reports,
and most importantly ongoing training
and the latest tools and data available
in the industry. I didnt want to go
this alone, says Goodwin, a good
franchise is the best way to go into
business. This is the answer for me.
The company is currently North
Americas leading home inspection
franchise, whose professional
inspectors work with both the real
estate community and the buyer or
seller of a home to provide on-the-
spot inspection reports that allow for
rational thinking about an
emotional purchase.
ADVERTISEMENT
ABOUT PILLAR TO POST
Pillar To Post Home Inspectors
is the largest home inspection
company in North America
with over 500 franchisees,
located in 48 states and 8
Canadian provinces.
PILLAR TO POST FAST FACTS
Franchise Fee: $18,900
Provides exibility and
nancial security
Helps your work/life balance
Allows you to take control of
your nancial future
What excites Goodwin about the home
inspection business is watching the
progress and technology that is now
incorporated in new construction.
He also thoroughly enjoys continually
learning about the history of older
homes and the progress that is made
in home construction and safety today.
My main goal is to educate and
assure home buyers that their families
will be happy and safe in the home
they choose.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Pillar To Post Home Inspectors
P: (877) 963-3129
E: franchise@pillartopost.com
Learn how easy it is to get started in
W: www.pillartopostfranchise.com
the travel industry!
STOP DREAMING ABOUT
YOUR PERFECT CAREER
Grab the wheel and find out what its like to be in control of your own
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 the list

ON TOP OF
THE WORLD
Franchisings fastest-growing
global brands.
By Tracy Stapp Herold
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRANDEDUC/SHUTTERSTOCK

7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 85
 I
N A WORLD MADE SMALLER by travel and technology, brands have
a chance to be bigger than ever. Take Anytime Fitness, which took
the number one ranking on our list of the top 200 global franchises.
It recently opened its 3,000th location, a mere 13 years after it started
franchisingfar fewer than it took the likes of Subway, McDonalds
and Dunkin Donuts to reach that milestone. That impressive
expansion is due in part to the companys concerted efforts to grow outside
the U.S. To wit: Anytimes international growth outpaced its domestic
growth for the first time last year, and now almost a third of its locations
are internationalincluding that 3,000th gym, in Stroud, England.
To compile our list, we took each companys 2016 Franchise 500
scorebased on our objective, quantifiable criteria, including system
size, growth and financial strength and stabilitythen adjusted it to give
extra weight to international size and growth. Only companies seeking
new franchisees outside the U.S. and with a minimum of five international
locations open already were eligible for this ranking.
Bear in mind, this ranking is not intended as a recommendation of
any particular company. No matter where you are in the world, it always
pays to do your due diligence before investing in a franchise. Read the
companys legal documents, consult with an attorney and an accountant
and talk to existing and former franchisees to find out whether an
opportunity is the right fit for you.

THE MOST POPULAR REGIONS FOR FRANCHISE EXPANSION, RANKED

1 CANADA

2 WESTERN
EUROPE
4 ASIA AND
3 MEXICO AUSTRALIA/
NEW ZEALAND
(tied)

5 SOUTH
AMERICA

1Anytime Fitness
Fitness centers
Startup cost:
5PizzaPapaJohns
International
Baskin-Robbins
8frozen
Ice cream,
yogurt,
11 Snap Fitness
24-hour
fitness centers
14 McDonalds
Burgers, chicken,
salads, beverages
17 Pita Pit
Pita sandwiches
Startup cost:
$62.9K$417.9K Startup cost: frozen beverages Startup cost: Startup cost: $166.1K$322.7K
Total franchises/ $129.9K$844.2K Startup cost: $118.8K$294.6K $989.4K$2.2M Total franchises/
co.-owned: 3,097/36 Total franchises/ $90.4K$396.1K Total franchises/ Total franchises/ co.-owned: 554/16
co.-owned: 4,141/752 Total franchises/ co.-owned: 1,345/103 co.-owned:
co.-owned: 7,597/10 30,197/6,270
Bricks 4 Kidz
2classes,
Lego-engineering
6 Super 8
Jan-Pro 12 Krispy Kreme
Doughnut Kumon
18 Pizza Hut
Pizza, pasta,
camps, parties
Startup cost:
$33.8K$51.1K
Hotels
Startup cost:
$134.2K$4.3M
9International
Franchising Doughnuts, coffee
Startup cost:
15 Math &
Reading Centers
wings
Startup cost:
$297K$2.1M
Total franchises/ Total franchises/ Commercial cleaning $275K$1.9M Supplemental Total franchises/
co.-owned: 672/0 co.-owned: 2,549/0 Startup cost: Total franchises/ education co.-owned:
$3.9K$51.6K co.-owned: 931/114 Startup cost: 13,248/2,357
Total franchises/ $64.1K$134.1K

3 7-Eleven
Convenience stores
Startup cost:
7SoftAuntie Annes
Hand-Rolled
Pretzels
co.-owned: 7,849/0

13 Vanguard
Cleaning
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 25,391/36 RE/MAX
19 Real estate
Wingstop Systems
$37.6K$1.1M
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 55,944/495
Soft pretzels
Startup cost:
$199.5K$380.1K
10 Restaurants
Chicken wings
Commercial cleaning
Startup cost: 16 Circle K
Convenience
Startup cost:
$37.5K$279.5K
Total franchises/
Total franchises/ Startup cost: $10.9K$35.8K stores co.-owned: 6,986/0
co.-owned: 1,665/14 $192.3K$688.4K Total franchises/ Startup cost:
Subway
4Subs, salads
Startup cost:
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 766/19
co.-owned: 3,109/0 $211.5K$1.6M
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 5,201/3,255
$116.6K$263.2K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 44,702/0

86 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
 :RUOGVODUJHVWFRHGWQHVVIUDQFKLVH
3URYHQEXVLQHVVPRGHO
)DVWJURZLQJLQGXVWU\

anytimefitnessfranchise.com
111 Weir Drive | Woodbur y, MN 55125 | 1.800.704.5004 | any timefitnessfranchise.com
MINNESOTA FRANCHISE REG. #4424 FOR NEW YORK RESIDENTS: THIS ADVERTISEMENT IS NOT AN OFFERING. AN OFFERING CAN ONLY BE MADE BY A PROSPECTUS FILED FIRST WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. SUCH FILING DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW.

FS16319
 GNC
20 Franchising
Vitamins and
nutrition products Food franchises dominate the international scene,
Startup cost:
$190.9K$321.5K
Total franchises/
making up 26 percent of the top global list. Other
co.-owned: 3,210/3,524 well-represented categories: maintenance, personal care,
Dairy Queen hotels, childrens businesses and business services.
21 Ice cream,
burgers, chicken
Startup cost:
$356.5K$1.8M
Total franchises/
IHG Cinnabon Hampton Home Right at Home
co.-owned: 6,669/2
24 (InterContinen-
tal Hotels Group)
26 Cinnamon rolls,
baked goods, coffee
28 by Hilton
Midprice hotels
30 Instead
Senior Care
32 Home care,
medical staffing
Papa Murphys Hotels Startup cost: Startup cost: Nonmedical Startup cost:
22
pizza
Take-and-bake Startup cost:
$7.8M$98.5M
$181.1K$387.5K
Total franchises/
$3.8M$14.1M
Total franchises/
senior care
Startup cost:
$78.2K$131.7K
Total franchises/
Startup cost: Total franchises/ co.-owned: 1,340/2 co.-owned: 2,053/1 $115K$125K co.-owned: 436/1
$264.8K$446.2K co.-owned: 5,025/7 Total franchises/
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 1,071/2
Hardees Cellairis ServiceMaster
co.-owned: 1,369/119
25 Carls Jr.
Restaurants
27 Burgers, 29 Franchise
Dunkin
33 Clean

KFC
23 Chicken Burgers
Startup cost:
chicken, biscuits
Startup cost:
$1.3M$1.8M
Cellphone and
wireless-device
accessories and
31 Donuts
Coffee, doughnuts,
Commercial and
residential cleaning,
disaster restoration
Startup cost: $1.3M$1.8M Total franchises/ repairs baked goods Startup cost:
$1.3M$2.5M Total franchises/ co.-owned: 2,011/118 Startup cost: Startup cost: $69.6K$261.7K
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 1,356/167 $52.4K$330K $217.3K$1.6M Total franchises/
co.-owned: Total franchises/ Total franchises/ co.-owned: 5,021/10
14,162/5,258 co.-owned: 594/31 co.-owned: 11,750/0

88 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
 Snap-on Tools
34 Professional
tools and equipment
38 Interim
Healthcare
Medical home care,
Startup cost: medical staffing
$166.8K$319.5K Startup cost:
Total franchises/ $123.5K$196.5K
co.-owned: 4,636/192 Total franchises/
co.-owned: 549/0

35Signarama
Signs
Startup cost: 39 Chem-Dry
Carpet
$96.6K$248.5K & Upholstery
Total franchises/ Cleaning
co.-owned: 961/0 Carpet, drapery
and upholstery
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF AMERICAN DAIRY QUEEN CORP.

cleaning; tile and

Mac Tools
36 Automotive
stone care
Startup cost:
tools and equipment
Startup cost:
$31.8K$155.5K
Total franchises/
We offer local avors to meet consumer
$86.2K$240.3K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 3,532/0
tastes around the world. For instance,
co.-owned: 800/13

40 Midas
International
Green Tea Blizzards in China, Baklava Blizzards
37 JEI Learning
Centers
Auto repair and
maintenance in the Middle East and Guava Smoothies
Individualized Startup cost:
supplemental
education
$184.1K$430.1K
Total franchises/
in the Caribbean. Brad Houser, EVP
Startup cost:
$62.8K$100.8K
co.-owned: 2,232/4 international development, Dairy Queen
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 298/234

Its whats inside that counts.

Hand-mashed guacamole and
house-made salsa take hours of
chopping, roasting and blending.
Doing it right takes time. But we
wouldnt have it any other way.
Creating a delicious, pleasurable
experience is our ultimate goal.
Bite into Quesada and youll
experience The Joy of Mex.
Master US franchises available.
Tom ONeill
1-866-854-2400 ext.101
tomoneill@quesada.ca
quesada.ca/franchising

7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 89
 Lagos, Nigeria; the planned Mr.
Transmission/Milex Complete
Auto Care shop; Moran Family of
Brands president Pete Baldine.
Africa Calling
An automotive repair franchise takes the leap.
M
OST DOMESTIC COMPANIES start
their international expansion by
staying in the neighborhood, play-
ing it relatively safe by venturing into Canada
or maybe Mexico. Moran Family of Brands
is taking a different route, one that stretches
5,972 miles from the automotive repair and
maintenance franchisors Midlothian, Ill.,
home, all the way to Lagos, Nigeria.
Thats where, this past March, the company
broke ground on its first foreign franchise, a
38,000-square-foot facility that will serve as
both a cobranded Mr. Transmission/Milex
Complete Auto Care shop and headquarters
for master franchisees Temi Adelu-Davis and
Glen Davis. Temi is a native of Nigeria who
came to the U.S. to earn her MBA while Glen
ran an auto repair store in Houston. Now relo-
cated to Lagos, the couple will be responsible
for operating their shop once it opens this fall
as well as recruiting franchisees to open nine
90 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
more locations throughout Nigeria over the
next seven years.
We spoke to Morans president, Pete
Baldine, about the companys first foray into a
foreign market.
It took 26 years for Moran to go interna-
tional. Why now? And why Nigeria?
It had more to do with the right people. Wed
looked at other international opportunities
over the years but never felt comfortable
enough to move forward. The Davises actu-
ally approached us, and after several months
of due diligence, we felt confident that they
not only had the financial strength and lead-
ership ability necessary, but that they knew
their market.
Why did they choose you?
They had done their research and looked at
some of our competitors, but they liked our
PHOTOGRAPH BY BODY LAWSON STUDIOS (LAGOS); PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF MORAN FAMILY OF BRANDS
cobrand option and felt that a one-stop shop
strategy was right for Nigeria.
Did you have to make any adjustments to
your system?
Because parts sourcing is limited in Nigeria,
were making their facility larger than normal
so they can warehouse parts there to supply
future franchise locations. We also modified
our training program, adding an entire week
to teach them how to award franchises, get
them open and support the franchisees.
Whats in store for the future?
The Nigerian deal got the inertia going. Now
were ready to continue that international
movement. Were already working on a deal to
sign another master franchisee in Liberia, and
weve signed on with two brokerage groups to
help us expand in Europe and the Middle East.
T.S.H.
 Discover the
Great life

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If youre passionate, business savvy, and
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GreatClipsFranchise.com/Owners

ACHIEVE YOUR LEGACY

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800-947-1143

Great Clips, Inc. 4400 West 78th Street, Suite 700 Minneapolis, MN 55435 800-999-5959 or 952-893-9088 State of MN Reg. #F-928
This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by a prospectus led rst with the Department of Law and the State of New York. Such ling does not constitute approval by the Department of Law of the State of New York.

THESE FRANCHISES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE FRANCHISE INVESTMENT LAW OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SUCH REGISTRATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OR
ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORPORATIONS NOR A FINDING BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND NOT MISLEADING.
 Churchs Matco Tools Eye Level Keller Williams Gateway
41 Chicken
Chicken
45Days
Hotels
Inn
Startup cost:
48 Mechanics
tools and equipment
50 Learning
Centers
52 Realty
Real estate
54 Cigar Store/
Newstands
Startup cost: $178.9K$7.7M Startup cost: Supplemental Startup cost: Newsstand and
$413.3K$1.3M Total franchises/ $82.2K$267.8K education $175K$328.3K sundry store
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 1,782/0 Total franchises/ Startup cost: Total franchises/ Startup cost:
co.-owned: 1,396/261 co.-owned: 1,688/1 $75.6K$139.1K co.-owned: 809/0 $55.9K$501.8K
Total franchises/ Total franchises/
H&R Block
42 Jiffy Lube
International
46 Tax
preparation, 49 The UPS Store
Postal, business,
co.-owned: 573/741

53 Dennys
Family
co.-owned: 382/0

Minuteman
Oil changes,
light repairs
Startup cost:
electronic filing
Startup cost:
$31.5K$149.2K
printing and
communications
services
51 Press
International
restaurant
Startup cost:
$1.2M$2.1M
55Tutor Doctor
Tutoring
Startup cost:
$219K$400K Total franchises/ Startup cost: Printing, graphics Total franchises/ $66K$104.2K
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 4,435/6,365 $167.8K$353.6K and mailing center co.-owned: 1,551/162 Total franchises/
co.-owned: 2,085/0 Total franchises/ Startup cost: co.-owned: 461/0
co.-owned: 4,908/0 $63.6K$184.98K
Jazzercise
43 Great
Clips
47 Group fitness
classes, conventions,
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 939/0

Hair salon apparel and

Startup cost: accessories
$132.3K$253.1K Startup cost:
Total franchises/
co.-owned:3,868/0
$3.5K$75.8K
Total franchises/
The companies on our top global list added
co.-owned: 8,697/2
8,622 international units between July
Golds Gym
44 Health and
fitness centers
2014 and July 2015, almost 65 percent of
Startup cost:
$1M$3.97M their total overall growth.
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 558/150

92 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
 My Gym Servpro Wyndham Pinkberry
56 Childrens
Fitness Center
59 Hilton
Garden Inn
Upscale midprice
63 Insurance/
disaster restoration
66Taco Bell
Mexican food
Startup cost:
70 Hotels and
Resorts
73 Ventures
Frozen yogurt,
Early-learning/ hotels and cleaning $1.2M$2.6M Hotels frozen yogurt
fitness programs Startup cost: Startup cost: Total franchises/ Startup cost: shakes, Greek
Startup cost: $11.7M$22.3M $156.1K$209.95K co.-owned: 5,398/923 $272.5K-$61M yogurt smoothies
$34.3K$247.2K Total franchises/ Total franchises/ Total franchises/ Startup cost:
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 637/2 co.-owned: 1,702/0 co.-owned: 223/2 $310.8K$615.1K
Sixt Franchise
co.-owned: 381/0

Sport Clips
67 USA
Comfort
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 242/33

57 Edible
Arrangements
60 Doubletree
by Hilton 64 Mens
Auto rentals
Startup cost: 71 Keepers
Anago
International
Sculpted fresh-fruit
Upscale hotels
and resorts
Startup cost:
sports-theme
hair salon
Startup cost:
$1.1M$10.5M
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 1,121/1,080
Home care
Startup cost:
$83.1K$114.4K
74 Cleaning
Systems
bouquets $35.5M$62.4M $183.3K$351.5K Total franchises/ Commercial
Startup cost: Total franchises/ Total franchises/ co.-owned: 747/29 cleaning
Aarons
$192.7K$326.4K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 416/11 co.-owned: 1,485/32
68 Furniture,
Budget Blinds
Startup cost:
$10.5K$65.6K
co.-owned: 1,236/6
61 Ramada
Worldwide
Hotels 65 Yogurtland
Franchising
electronics,
computer and
appliance leasing
72 Window
coverings, window
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 2,377/0

Gyu-Kaku
58 Japanese
BBQ Restaurant
Startup cost:
$195.7K$13.1M
Total franchises/
Self-serve
frozen yogurt
Startup cost:
and sales
Startup cost:
$275.7K$782.6K
film, rugs, accessories
Startup cost:
$99.2K$202.1K 75Weed Man
Lawn care
Japanese barbecue co.-owned: 836/0 $307.2K$699.9K Total franchises/ Total franchises/ Startup cost:
restaurant Total franchises/ co.-owned: 790/1,291 co.-owned: 1,055/0 $68.5K$85.5K
Startup cost: co.-owned: 292/16 Total franchises/
$781.8K$2.1M Merry Maids co.-owned: 563/0
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 674/18
62 Residential
cleaning 69Supercuts
Hair salon
Startup cost: Startup cost:
$60.5K$185.9K $144.4K$293.8K
Total franchises/ Total franchises/
co.-owned: 1,506/172 co.-owned: 1,548/1,062

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7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 93
 Pop-A-Lock
76 Franchise
System
84 Charleys Philly
Steaks
Philly cheesesteaks,
86 First Choice
Haircutters
Family hair salon
88 Microtel Inn
& Suites
by Wyndham
90 Express
Employment
Professionals
92 Pillar To
Post Home
Inspectors
Mobile locksmith and fries, lemonade Startup cost: Hotels Staffing, HR solutions Home inspections
security services Startup cost: $162K$281K Startup cost: Startup cost: Startup cost:
Startup cost: $153K$450K Total franchises/ $4.3M$6.7M $120K$196K $33.2K$42.6K
$100.4K$135K Total franchises/ co.-owned: 200/227 Total franchises/ Total franchises/ Total franchises/
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 490/47 co.-owned: 332/0 co.-owned: 747/0 co.-owned: 512/0
co.-owned: 511/3

Buffalo 85 Once Upon 87Motel 6

Economy hotels
89 Johnny
91 Proforma
93 Rainbow
77 Wild Wings
Buffalo wings,
A Child
New and used
childrens clothing,
Startup cost:
$2.4M$3.5M
Total franchises/
Rockets
Burger restaurant
Startup cost:
Printing and
promotional products
Startup cost:
International
Restoration
& Cleaning
sandwiches equipment, co.-owned: 761/474 $539.5K$975.5K $4.7K$50.2K Indoor cleaning and
Startup cost: furniture, toys Total franchises/ Total franchises/ restoration
$1.4M$3.6M Startup cost: co.-owned: 316/28 co.-owned: 676/1 Startup cost:
Total franchises/ $244.8K$376.6K $171.7K$278.1K
co.-owned: 576/594 Total franchises/ Total franchises/
co.-owned: 316/0 co.-owned: 334/0

78Chesters
Chicken
Startup cost:
$21.9K$293.8K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 1,116/0

Carvel
79 Ice cream, ice
cream cakes
Startup cost:
$250.3K$383.1K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 406/0

Line-X
80 Spray-on
truck-bed liners,
truck accessories,
protective coatings
Startup cost:
$154.6K$333.9K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 509/1

Nestl
81 Toll House
Caf by Chip
Bakery caf
Startup cost:
$148.3K$497.3K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 150/5

The Maids
82 Residential
cleaning
Startup cost:
$98.6K$126K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 1,137/60

Tailored
83 Living
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MOTEL 6

Home-
organization
products and
International expansion comes with challengeslogistics,
services
Startup cost: cultural differences, regulationbut the opportunities and
$116.1K$269.5K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 195/0
growth far exceed these challenges. Brian Woods,
director of franchise development strategy, Motel 6

94 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
 For THE

DR AMER

YOUR SUCCESS
Available on newsstands, Google Play and IS OUR BUSINESS
the App Store now.
The company, product and service names used are for identication purposes only. All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
 Visiting
109 Angels
Nonmedical home care
Startup cost:
$63.8K$104.5K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 519/0

Dale
110 Carnegie
Training
Workplace training
and development
Startup cost:
$19.7K$174.5K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 204/2

Mathnasium
111 Learning
Centers
Math tutoring
Startup cost:
$90.8K$137.6K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 666/11

American
112 Leak
Detection
Concealed water,
gas and sewer
leak detection
Startup cost:
$76.8K$259.6K
Franchising internationally is an opportunity for us Total franchises/
co.-owned: 365/28

to showcase our offerings around the globe. Sandler

Our services are practical in all markets. 113 Training
Sales and
sales-management
Vanessa De Caria, COO, Sculpture Hospitality training
Startup cost:
$91.5K$108.5K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 256/0
Ritas
94 Italian Ice
Italian ice, frozen
97 The Alternative
Board (TAB)
Peer advisory boards,
100
Centers
Expedia
CruiseShip- 103
Tacos
Quesada
Burritos 106Knights
Hotels
Inn
Startup cost: 114 Fatburger
North
custard business coaching Cruise and vacation Mexican food $109K$7.4M America
Startup cost: Startup cost: travel agency Startup cost: Total franchises/ Burgers
$140.5K$414.2K $41.3K$91.7K Startup cost: $161K$238.7K co.-owned: 388/0 Startup cost:
Total franchises/ Total franchises/ $94.5K$179.5K Total franchises/ $498.1K$890.6K
co.-owned: 597/0 co.-owned: 179/11 Total franchises/ co.-owned: 58/3 Total franchises/
Maid
Red Mango
co.-owned: 191/1
107 Brigade
co.-owned: 161/3

95 Yogurt Cafe
& Juice Bar
98 Great American
Cookies
Cookies 101 SuperGlass
Windshield
104 Platos
Closet
Teen- and
Residential cleaning
Startup cost:
$85K$124K 115 FastSigns
International
Frozen yogurt, Startup cost: Repair young-adult-clothing Total franchises/ Signs, graphics
smoothies, juices, $183.2K$316.7K Windshield repair, resale store co.-owned: 482/0 Startup cost:
wraps Total franchises/ glass scratch removal, Startup cost: $151.1K$293.5K
Startup cost: co.-owned: 357/0 headlight lens repair $230.95K$398.2K Total franchises/
Ace
$193.2K$501.3K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 285/1 PostNet
Startup cost:
$9.9K$31K
Total franchises/
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 439/0 108 Hardware
Hardware and
co.-owned: 621/0

99
PHOTOGRAPH BY RAPHAEL KATZ

co.-owned: 319/0 home-improvement Paul Davis

Sculpture
Neighborhood
Business Centers
105 Molly Maid store 116 Restoration
96 Hospitality
Bar and restaurant
Packing, shipping,
printing, signs,
marketing solutions
102 Realty
Executives
Intl. Svcs.
cleaning
Residential

Startup cost:
Startup cost:
$238.5K$1.6M
Total franchises/
Insurance restoration
Startup cost:
$182.7K$356.6K
management solutions Startup cost: Real estate $89.2K$137.2K co.-owned: 4,800/91 Total franchises/
Startup cost: $169.8K$212.3K Startup cost: Total franchises/ co.-owned: 260/0
$43.7K$57.4K Total franchises/ $20.4K$119K co.-owned: 647/0
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 677/0 Total franchises/
co.-owned: 372/5 co.-owned: 516/0

96 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
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 HOMES & LAND IS NORTH AMERICAS
LEADER IN REAL ESTATE MARKETING
For over 40 years Homes & Land has helped
top real estate professionals connect with
homebuyers and sellers. Our Publishers offer
both print and online products, including our
flagship Homes & Land Magazine.
You will receive all the training you
need to succeed
Sales and marketing support in
your territory
Affiliation with one of real estates
most trusted brands

We offer you a rewarding future with tremendous income potential.

Franchises are available in select markets. Homes
No prior publishing experience required. 117
Yogurt
Orange Leaf
Frozen 122 & Land
Real estate
For more information contact Patrick McGroder Frozen yogurt marketing magazine
Startup cost: Startup cost:
888-562-3184 HomesAndLand.com/Franchise $223K$427.5K $47.5K$116K
Total franchises/ Total franchises/
co.-owned: 310/0 co.-owned: 197/17

Wild Birds
118 Homewood
Suites 123 Unlimited

A1 Pressure Washing
by Hilton Birdfeeding supplies
Upscale and nature gift items
extended-stay hotels Startup cost:
Startup cost: $123.3K$192.1K
Residential and Commercial Hot Water Pressure Washing $9.9M$20.5M Total franchises/
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 288/0
co.-owned: 367/0
Wetzels

119 Club Z!
In-Home
124 Pretzels
Soft pretzels,
Tutoring Services lemonade, hot dogs
In-home tutoring Startup cost:
Startup cost: $156.6K$370.9K
$33.6K$57.6K Total franchises/
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 290/12
co.-owned: 393/0

Before After Real

125
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE LITTLE GYM INTERNATIONAL

Hilton Hotels Property

Area developers available Low-cost overhead

120 and Resorts
Upscale hotels
Management
Property
and resorts management
Startup costs $73,000 89,000 Can be operated out of home Startup cost: Startup cost:
$55.99M$97.1M $76.6K$99.9K
Total franchises/ Total franchises/
Financing for most equipment BBB A+ Rating | OSHA Certied co.-owned: 447/113 co.-owned: 283/2

9Round-
2015 Tennessee Veterans Business Associations Entrepreneur of the Year.
121 Country Inns
& Suites
By Carlson
126 30 min
Kickbox Fitness
Kickboxing fitness
Scott Hatcher | (865) 738-5318 Hotels
Startup cost: programs
a1globalfranchises@gmail.com $6.6M$7.9M Startup cost:
10% OFF FRANCHISE Total franchises/ $57.5K$93K
a1-pressure-washing.com FEE FOR VETERANS co.-owned: 468/7 Total franchises/
co.-owned: 240/3

98 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16
 Two
127 Men
and a Truck
131 Hand
and Stone
Massage and
International Facial Spa
Moving services Massage and
Startup cost: spa services
$178K$555.5K Startup cost:
Total franchises/ $406.9K$521.7K
co.-owned: 295/2 Total franchises/
co.-owned: 221/1

Dryclean
128 USA
Dry cleaning 132 InXpres
Shipping
Startup cost: services
$261.5K$606.5K Startup cost:
Total franchises/ $55.3K$160.2K
co.-owned: 421/0 Total franchises/
co.-owned: 280/0

HappyFeet
129 Legends
International 133 School
of Rock
Soccer programs Music education
for ages 2 to 18 Startup cost:
Startup cost: $137.9K$326.6K
$22.5K$29.4K Total franchises/
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 166/15
co.-owned: 161/3

The Little
130 Transworld
Business
134 Gym
Development/fitness
Advisors programs
Business brokerage, Startup cost:
franchise consulting $145.8K$366K
Startup cost: Total franchises/
$59.6K$81.9K co.-owned: 323/0
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 193/0
Homewatch
135 CareGivers
Home care,


nursing-care
coordination,
memory care
Startup cost:
$83.3K$137.5K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 231/3

7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 99
 Oxi Fresh
136 Franchising
Carpet, upholstery,
144 Orangetheory
Fitness
Group personal
164 Steamatic
Insurance/
disaster restoration,
hardwood floor, tile training cleaning, mold
and grout cleaning Startup cost: remediation
Startup cost: $437.6K$772.1K Startup cost:
$38.7K$66.6K Total franchises/ $137.1K$162.1K
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 424/12 Total franchises/
co.-owned: 290/6 co.-owned: 368/0

Ziebart
137 MaidPro
Residential
145 Auto
appearance and 165 Kid to Kid
New and
cleaning protection services used childrens and
Startup cost: Startup cost: maternity clothing
$58.96K$203.8K $172K$331K and products
Total franchises/ Total franchises/ Startup cost:
co.-owned: 202/1 co.-owned: 383/12 $248.98K$373.5K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 112/1
Embassy
138 Suites
by Hilton
146 The Seniors
Choice
Howard
Upscale all-suite hotels
Startup cost:
Nonmedical home care
Startup cost:
$38K$55K Challenges can become opportunities.
166
Hotels
Johnson
$26.2M$39M Total franchises/ Startup cost:
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 213/10
co.-owned: 162/1 In Europe, all marks related to sky were $161.7K$8.7M
Total franchises/
already taken, so we had to create a co.-owned: 413/0

139 Cleantastic
Commercial
147 TacoTime
Mexican food new name: Freedome. This rebranding CertaPro
cleaning
Startup cost:
Startup cost:
$141.7K$817.6K
Total franchises/
gave us the chance to reimagine 167 Painters Ltd.
Residential and
$15.3K$90.9K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 268/0 everything. Jeff Platt, CEO, commercial painting
Startup cost:
co.-owned: 764/0
Mr.
Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park $130K$162.5K

Villa Italian
148 Appliance
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 472/0

140 Kitchen
Pizza, Italian food
Household
appliance services
Sky Zone
Startup cost:
$296.95K$894K
and repairs
Startup cost:
$60.8K$139.5K 152 Rooter-Man
Plumbing, 156 Abrakadoodle
Art-education 160 Bin There
Dump That
168 Indoor
Trampoline Park
Total franchises/ Total franchises/ drain and sewer programs Residential-friendly Trampoline playing
co.-owned: 113/158 co.-owned: 175/0 cleaning Startup cost: dumpster rentals court
Startup cost: $37.8K$80.5K Startup cost: Startup cost:
$46.8K$137.6K Total franchises/ $60.2K$108.4K $1.2M$2.97M
Engineering
141 for Kids
Math, science,
149 Dental Fix RX
Dental-
equipment sales,
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 533/17
co.-owned: 229/2 Total franchises/
co.-owned: 97/0
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 136/0

High Touch-
technology and
engineering activities
Startup cost:
service and repairs
Startup cost:
$97.6K$176K 153 Massage
Heights
157 High Tech
Science activities 161 Flip Flop
Shops 169 Home Care
Assistance
$26.9K$93.6K Total franchises/ Therapeutic massage for schools/parties Flip-flops and Nonmedical
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 125/0 services and products Startup cost: casual footwear home care
co.-owned: 147/2 Startup cost: $61.3K$66K Startup cost: Startup cost:
$360K$636.96K Total franchises/ $174.3K$279.5K $120.3K$265.3K
Martinizing
142 Complete
Weddings
150 Dry Cleaning
Dry cleaning and
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 125/2
co.-owned: 166/28 Total franchises/
co.-owned: 87/0
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 90/19

+ Events Which Wich

Photography, DJ,
video and photo-booth
laundry services
Startup cost:
$445.6K$675.1K 154 ShelfGenie
Franchise
158 Superior
Sandwiches 162 Bostons
Restaurant & 170 Gymboree
Play & Music
services Total franchises/ Systems Sandwiches Sports Bar Parent/child play and
Startup cost: co.-owned: 414/0 Custom pull-out Startup cost: Restaurant and learning programs
$30.4K$48.7K shelving for cabinets $195K$488.8K sports bar Startup cost:
Total franchises/ and pantries Total franchises/ Startup cost: $120.4K$277.5K
Doc Popcorn
co.-owned: 198/2
151 Kettle-cooked
Startup cost:
$70.1K$131.3K
co.-owned: 351/3 $1.1M$2.8M
Total franchises/
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 709/6
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SKY ZONE

popcorn Total franchises/ co.-owned: 410/3

143Thai Express
Thai food
Startup cost:
$39.5K$355.1K
co.-owned: 136/46
159 Padgett
Business
Services Mucho 171 Floor
Startup cost:
$370.9K$832.7K
Total franchises/
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 100/2
155 Romp n Roll
Recreational
Financial, payroll,
consulting and tax
163 Burrito
Mexican food
Coverings
International
Flooring
co.-owned: 271/0 and enrichment services Startup cost: Startup cost:
classes, camps, parties Startup cost: $99.98K $282.5K$649.5K $137.5K$310K
Startup cost: Total franchises/ Total franchises/ Total franchises/
$199.6K$286.5K co.-owned: 377/0 co.-owned: 90/1 co.-owned: 137/0
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 71/3

100 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16

 ADVERTORIAL
FOUR ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A POWER USP
The following was excerpted from Ultimate Guide to Local Business Marketing. Available at all book retailers February 2016.
A unique selling proposition (USP) is the thing that
makes you unique in the marketplaceits what customers
can get from you that they cant find anyplace else. You can
also call it your value proposition. Any time youre com-
municating with a prospect, be sure that you can appeal to
any one of these four essential elements in your USP:
1. Youre unique because of the buyer you serve.
Your business gets traction when you zero in on a niche.
Maybe you target people of a specific demographic or you
solve a specific kind of problem. Test the unique buyer
approach in your ads.
Whether you serve a unique demographic:
Meet Singles Your Age. Were an over-50 dating site made
for older singles.
Or you focus on a unique niche:
Proven ROI Web Design Results. Accountable website
design uniquely for ecommerce businesses.
2. Youre unique because of what you sell.
Do you offer a service where others only offer a product?
Are you the thing for sale, as a skilled technician, consul-
tant, coach, or performer? If so, beat your drum. Having
a story to tell will instantly separate you from the herd.
Test the unique thing for sale in your ads. Here are some
examples.
A product for sale, instead of a service:
Clogged Drains? Skip the plumber. Fix the problem for
good. This ships in 24 hours.
#LocalBusinessMarketing entm.ag/localbusinessmarketing
You for sale, with a unique story:
Social Media Done Right. Canadas only social media
expert running his own 8-figure business.
3. Youre unique because of what your
product/service does not do.
We call these negative promises, and they can be just as
powerful as positive ones. Maybe theres some unwanted
ingredient or feature your product doesnt have. Maybe
theres a bad result you prevent. Maybe your product
avoids cost or waste and saves time and money.
This example ad captures the negative promise concept
perfectly. Try testing one like it for your business:
Reduce Carpal Tunnel 50%. No office visits. No physical
therapy. No painful surgery.
4. Youre unique because of your guarantee.
Give your offer an or elsea penalty to you if you dont
deliver. Or you could refund your customers money,
replace your product, or redo your service.
Here is an example:
I Get You the Right Hireor I redo the entire recruiting
process, any time within 1 year.
Combine your or else with a specific time promise, and
your message has power.
Our Plumber Comes on Time. If were not on time, we pay
you $5 per minute late, up to $300.
How many of these elements are already true of you?
Ultimately the offer your ad and landing page describe
is more important than the words you use to describe it.
What does your customer get by calling you for a free con-
sultation? And how fast do they get it? How fast will it make
a difference in their life? This deserves serious thought,
and most of all, serious experimentation!
REACH THE RIGHT
CUSTOMERS EVERY TIME.
BUY THE BOOK.
 Blimpie Subs
172 & Salads
Subs, salads
175 Furniture
Medic
Furniture and wood
178
Hotels
TRYP by
Wyndham 181 Dippin Dots
Franchising
Specialty ice cream,
184 Coffee News
Weekly
newspaper distributed
188
Ltd.
FasTracKids
International
Startup cost: restoration, repair Startup cost: frozen yogurt, at restaurants Enrichment education
$69.95K$359.1K and refinishing $743.7K$22.3M ices, sorbet Startup cost: Startup cost:
Total franchises/ Startup cost: Total franchises/ Startup cost: $9.8K$10.8K $48.1K$203.5K
co.-owned: 333/4 $55.4K$73.5K co.-owned: 121/0 $112.2K$376.95K Total franchises/ Total franchises/
Total franchises/ Total franchises/ co.-owned: 834/5 co.-owned: 265/0
co.-owned: 342/0 co.-owned: 130/1
Zoup!
173 Systems
Crunch
179 The Glass
Guru
Tilted Kilt 185Churromania 189 Restoration 1
Soups, salads,
sandwiches
Startup cost:
176 Franchising
Fitness centers
Window and glass
restoration and
replacement
182 Franchise
Operating
Churros
Startup cost:
$184.5K$381K
Insurance/
disaster restoration
and cleaning
$391.7K$561.3K Startup cost: Startup cost: Restaurant and bar Total franchises/ Startup cost:
Total franchises/ $304.5K$2.1M $37.2K$135K Startup cost: co.-owned: 150/3 $67.6K$154.1K
co.-owned: 90/2 Total franchises/ Total franchises/ $898K$2.9M Total franchises/
co.-owned: 111/10 co.-owned: 83/0 Total franchises/ co.-owned: 38/1

174 American
Poolplayers Nathans Pak Mail
co.-owned: 95/2
186Travelodge
Hotels
Petland
Association
Recreational
177 Famous
Hot dogs,
180 Packing,
shipping, crating, 183 Rocky
Mountain
Startup cost:
$172.7K$7.5M
Total franchises/
190 Pets, pet
supplies, boarding,
billiard league hamburgers, seafood, freight, mailboxes, Chocolate Factory co.-owned: 415/0 daycare, grooming
Startup cost: chicken, cheesesteaks business services Chocolates, confections Startup cost:
$16.7K$19.9K Startup cost: Startup cost: Startup cost: $273.5K$1M
Play It
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 326/5
$276.4K$1.1M
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 297/5
$133.9K$180.2K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 379/1
$115.6K$499.4K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 271/3
187
Sports
Again
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 144/11

New and used sporting

goods/equipment
Startup cost:
$242.2K$392.5K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 296/0

102 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16

 The love
for pets is
universal, so
our business
model is
relevant around
the world.
Steve
Huggins, VP
business
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PETLAND

development/
international
relations,
Petland

Own the Next Big Thing

in Franchising
Get others to bank on
your business, build on your
brand, and unlock your
growth potential.
Franchise Your Growth
Buy The Book

siness @iFranchiseGroup iFranchiseGroup entm.ag/FranchiseYourBusiness

 Forty-three of the
200 top global
franchises have
more units open
internationally
than they have
within the U.S.

Berlitz
191 Language
Centers
196
Hotels
Park Inn
by Radisson
Language services Startup cost:
and instruction $1.7M$4.8M
Startup cost: Total franchises/
$164K$307K co.-owned: 134/0
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 122/313
Metropolitan
Ben &
197 Franchising
192 Jerrys
Ice cream,
Ltd.
Residential/
commercial
frozen moving services
yogurt, sorbet, Startup cost:
smoothies $59K$250K
Startup cost: Total franchises/
$155.99K$485.8K co.-owned: 11/0
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 574/16
Taste of
Granite
198 Mediterranean
193 Trans-
formations
Greek and Middle
Eastern food
Startup cost:
Kitchen and bath $98.8K$287.4K
remodeling Total franchises/
Startup cost: co.-owned: 18/0
$105K$357K
Total franchises/
Heavens
co.-owned: 155/3
199 Best Carpet
& Upholstery
Precision
194
Cutting
Concrete
Cleaning
Carpet and
upholstery
Uneven- cleaning
sidewalk repair Startup cost:

ARTICLEREPRINTS
Startup cost: $55K$84K
$150K$176.5K Total franchises/
Total franchises/ co.-owned: 1,222/0
co.-owned: 49/5

FROM
Computer
195 The Decor
Group
200 Trouble-
shooters
Holiday and Technology
event lighting consulting and
Startup cost: services for
For Article Reprints, Permissions and Content Licensing Contact our Partner: PARS International Corp. $17.6K$60.3K small businesses
Total franchises/
www.EntrepreneurReprints.com / (212) 221-9595
Startup cost:
co.-owned: 259/0 $32.2K$47.9K
Total franchises/
co.-owned: 376/1

104 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16

 Stop dreaming
and start doing
COMMUNICATION
Put pen and paper to work
in a grant writing business,
use your networking skills in
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or have your graphic design
speak a thousand words.
Blogging Business
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Find the Business Thats Right for You
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 ADVERTISEMENT

FREE INFORMATION FROM ADVERTISERS

Visit entrepreneur.com/freeinfo now to receive more information from
the franchise and business opportunities advertisers in this months
Entrepreneur. Simply take a minute to quickly enter your selections online
to learn more about any of these opportunities!

1. A1 Pressure Washing 15. Lift Brands Inc.

2. Abrakadoodle 16. Lil Orbits
3. Anytime Fitness 17. Line-X
4. Big O Tires 18. Merle Norman
5. Boars Head Provisions 19. Midas
6. CruiseOne 20. Pillar To Post
7. Cruise Planners 21. Pirtek
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9. Homes & Land 23. Quesada Burritos-Tacos
10. iLoveKickboxing.com 24. Retro Fitness
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6/ More than 24 months 7/ Not sure
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Name_____________________________________________ Title______________________________________________
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e-mail ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Fax to (888) 847-6035 or mail to Entrepreneur, P.O. Box 413050, Naples, FL 34101-3050
Expires 11/30/2016
 Opportunity Mart

Take Control
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Own a Lil' Orbits mini-donut operation. It's fun,
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FREE INFO KIT and lifetime warranty.
1-800-228-8305 (Ext.1546)
Fax: 763-559-7545
E-mail: contact@lilorbits.com

LilOrbits, Inc.
Department 1546
8900 109th Avenue, Ste 100
Champlin, MN 55316
If you write to us, please include your phone number!
www.lilorbits.com

FIND THE BUSINESS

THATS RIGHT FOR YOU

BUSINESS AND FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY FINDER

entm.ag/oppnder
7/16 ENTREPRENEUR 109
 Classied
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 MAKE MONEY ONLINE
Whether you need an extra paycheck or are looking to establish a
continuous revenue stream, this guide provides you with the most reliable
and proven prot paths you can start today.

Freelance Writing Prot Path:

Getting Clients PAGE 62

Freelance Graphic Design Prot Path:

Pricing a Job PAGE 84

Virtual Assistant Prot Path:

Getting Set Up PAGE 110

Consulting / Reselling Prot Paths:

Popular Services to Sell PAGE 152

Afliate Marketing Prot Path: How to

Choose an Afliate Offer PAGE 184

DISCOVER YOUR PROFIT PATH.

BUY THE BOOK.

#MoonlightingOnTheInternet entm.ag/moonlightingontheinternet
 Resolutely Difcult Advice
By James Victore

Whenever I got a new project, an old assistant of mine would

always ask, What do they want? How the hell do I know what the
client wants, what the world wants, what will sell or be popular?
We have no control over others ideas, emotions or tastes. Even
with all the focus groups in the world at your command, its still just
a guess. An expensive guess.
My own guess is that the world wants you. It wants your weird-
ness. It wants your complexity and screwball perspective. It wants
your opinion, your humor and your history. It wants all thats beauti-
ful and tremendous inside you.
Dont try to please other people. Just make work that matters
that reects what youre deeply passionate about. This enthusiasm
at the cellular level creates commitment and excitement. You then
become a beacon, attracting your people, your tribe, your audience.
Make yourself happy = make the world happy.

James Victore is a designer for bold believers, an advocate for creativity and
an artist whose work has been exhibited at New Yorks Museum of Modern Art.

112 ENTREPRENEUR 7/16

 L E S S W A I T.
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Logo, Intel Inside, Intel Core, and Core Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation Productivity
in the U.S. and/or other countries. Dell, the Dell logo, the Dell badge and Latitude
are trademarks of Dell Inc. 2015 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Outside.
RIGHT NOW,
YOUR BUSINESS
CAN GO
IN A MILLION
DIFFERENT
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THEM IS RIGHT.
GROWTH IS LIVE.
SAP S/4HANA gives
midsize companies constant
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Live and in the moment.
On premise or in the cloud.
So you can make the right
decision right now.
sap.com/growth
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