Minneapolis Star Tribune highlights how to take advantage of the franchise business model and what to consider before embarking on your business venture. Minnesota is home to nearly 14,000 franchise businesses, employing over 141,000 individuals. John Francis, know as “Johnny Franchise” in the franchise industry, says your first decision in franchising is whether you really want to.
Press
JOHN IN THE MEDIA
Franchise Wire, July, 2022
Article (Link)
Is Working in a Family Business Worth It?
There are Pros and Cons to Working in a Family Business. Here are Five Things to Know.
I grew up in a family business and in franchising. My parents owned a hair salon which they eventually franchised. As a family, we ran the franchise system and also owned a few salons. Throughout my childhood, I ran around the office playing with the copy machines and the telephone system. I remember sweeping the warehouse floors as a kid and learning how to properly merchandise retail products in the salons, among other things.
FranFund, October, 2021
Article (Link)
How Owning a Franchise Can Positively Impact Your Lifestyle and Family
People who know me know that I've been around the franchise industry my entire life. I grew up working at a franchise company from a young age and have been involved in several franchise brands as a franchisor and a franchisee, sometimes both in the same brand. I thought it would be helpful to share some ideas on how owning a franchise can positively impact your life and your family.
FranFund, June, 2021
Article (Link)
Top 5 Questions Franchise Prospects Ask When Ready to Own a Franchise
From time to time, I have people looking to buy franchises asking me, Johnny Franchise, for advice. Well, I am not really a “Matchmaker.” I do like to give people ideas and perspectives to try and help. Here are the top five questions or bits of advice that I provide to these people when they find me.
FranchiseWire, May, 2021
Article (Link)
The Seven Deadly Sins of Franchise Ownership
Why do some franchises fail? Often it’s due to the actions of the franchise owner. Here are seven things a franchisee should never do.
FranFund, April, 2021
Article (Link)
Why Now is the Perfect Time for Franchising
Do you see yourself as the entrepreneurial type? Are you interested in starting and building your own business? Now is the perfect time to consider franchising as the vehicle for attaining your personal and business goals.
FranchiseWire, February, 2021
Article (Link)
How franchisees recruit and keep loyal employees
Most franchisees run operations where they need employees. Some franchises only require a small team, with maybe just one or two employees. Other franchises, however, can be scaled to large operations, with teams of 20, 50 or even more than 100. Attracting, hiring and motivating these employees can be a continual challenge. Having a reliable team is not only essential for your success as a franchise owner, but for the entire brand. The great news is that as a franchisee, you will get help. Your franchisor will likely have some standard operating procedures and guidelines to follow when it come to human resources. Beyond that, it’s up to you as a franchise owner to build a winning team. Through my many years of franchising in multiple brands, I have found some tried-and-true tactics that have worked for me consistently.
StarTribune, February 14, 2021
Article (Link)
How pandemic has changed buying a franchise
How will buying a franchise be different in the post-COVID-19 future? Franchises offer entrepreneurs access to enter businesses with some traction and support from the franchiser, with the benefit of ownership and some independence.
StarTribune, January 31, 2021
Article (Link)
A guide to finding the best post-COVID franchising opportunities
What are market trends to consider before buying a franchise in the post-COVID-19 future? Many people will be looking to maximize the potential return to “normal,” as the pandemic winds down. Success requires serious consideration of many moving parts of the business landscape.
Franchise Wire Magazine, December, 2021
Article (Link)
“The Franchise Industry Says Goodbye to 2020 and Hello 2021”
While it has been an extremely challenging year, the pandemic has positioned 2021 to be great for franchising and for people seeking new opportunities. John shares his thoughts on the challenges with COVID in 2020 and what is to come in 2021.
Upsize Magazine, January, 2020
Roundtable / Article (Link)
Entrepreneurs often feel alone on an island when dealing with the pressures and problems they encounter running their businesses. But there usually are a number of resources they can turn to for help — including others like themselves. For many reasons, from the altruistic desire to give back to the need to put a few more dollars in their pockets, current and former business owners are willing sit on informal boards of advisers or, in some cases, more formal boards of directors. They’re a resource that too often goes untapped, says John Francis, founder and CEO of Next Level Franchise.
Modern Business Podcast, July 2018
Interview (Link)
John was invited to join Ryan Hicks of the Modern Business Podcast to talk about all things franchising: where the industry is today, where it’s going and how franchisees can maximize the success of their investment. Please listen to the full interview, and learn more about the nuts and bolts of setting up an advisory board (as well as the origin of my nickname “Johnny Franchise”).
Social Geek Radio by Jack Monson, February 2018
What is an Advisory Board And Why Do You Need One? (Link)
John Francis, aka “Johnny Franchise” calls himself a Reluctant Consultant. The Franchise industry calls him one of the best advisors and super-connectors a CEO could know! On this episode, John speaks with host Jack Monson about the benefits of an advisory board, how to select them, and how to get the most value out of your advisors.
Franchise Times, February 2016
Up your franchise game with a board (Link)
If your franchise system doesn’t have a board, you’re missing out on a critical opportunity to develop your business’s (and people’s) credibility and inspire confidence throughout the organization.
From helping you sell new franchise units to positioning your organization for future growth opportunities, a well-structured board has the potential to add practical value to many areas of your franchise.
Companies interested in establishing a board generally have two options: they can establish a board of directors or an advisory board. Larger organizations can use both.
Franchise Times, January 2016
Metaphorical Franchising (Link)
At this week’s Franchise Forward event held in the Twin Cities, a great panel of franchise experts delved into a variety of topics impacting the industry, while host John W. Francis used his keynote address to compare multi-unit franchising to the life cycle of people. It was an interesting approach.
Executive Chat – with Rebecca Patt, from Wray Executive Search, April 2018
Article (Link)
John sat down with the Senior Vice President of Development at Wray Executive Search, Rebecca Patt. Rebecca asked him to discuss both the current state of franchising and his role as the founder of Fathers Eve for her monthly Executive Chat column. A big thank you to Rebecca for taking the time to speak with John about two of my biggest passions: franchising and fatherhood!
Beyond The Uniform #129, November 2017
Podcast (Link)
Podcast Beyond The Uniform #129 – Veterans & Franchises (John W. Francis, aka “Johnny Franchise”)
Veterans / Business / Entrepreneurship / Franchising
www.Beyondtheuniform.org
FRANTOPIA Presenter: How To Make The Most Of Your Franchise System, 2013
Event (Link)
Owning a franchise can be as challenging as it is exciting, which is why Frantopia brings together franchise owners from all over the world to share their stories and connect with each other. Frantopia also seeks to provide quality resources and access to best practices to facilitate franchisee growth.
CLIENT PRAISE
All of our franchise owners found the information and your professionally relaxed presentation style beneficial.
President & CEO , Live 2 B Healthy Senior Fitness
John’s personal experience growing up in the franchise hair care business, as well as his later involvement with other franchises and businesses, gives him a unique insight into our business. He has excellent business judgement, and his involvement in other franchise systems is valuable in that he can share some non-confidential best practices with us.
CEO & Founder , Sport Clips
John has been a Mentor over the last year for us through the IFA mentor program. Over the year, John has been a huge help to us as an emerging Franchise to get our business going. He has give us a lot of ideas and has connected us to a number of people that we have needed. John is a great guy with a wealth of knowledge and is very well connected in the franchise world.
VP of Franchising/Co-Founder , Spring Touch Lawn & Pest Control
I was listening to a FBR (Franchise Business Review) webinar and was very impressed with John’s discussion of how to handle a struggling Franchisee (I actually used his strategy recently with success). I looked him up to learn more about his background, realized we both live in the Twin Cities, and contacted him about a personal meeting – which he graciously accepted. We met yesterday and I once again was impressed with his knowledge of the Franchise Industry, and am so grateful for his time and the “nuggets” he shared. I will continue to use these through the rest of my career. I highly recommend you too learn more about “Johnny Franchise” and follow his blogs – great stuff.
International Franchise Business Manager , Front Burner Brands, Inc.