New franchise: Nothnagle Realtors Real Estate Agency Franchise

Armand D’Alfonso, Nothnagle Realtors’ president and chief executive, recently announced that Nothnagle Realtors plans to offer franchise opportunities to real estate agencies across the country “similar to Century 21 and Coldwell Banker.” According to an article in the Democrat and Chronicle:

Nothnagle will initially offer franchising rights in cities such as Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany and areas downstate, said John Arquette, vice president of franchise sales and new business development… The most likely franchisees would be small agencies that could benefit from Nothnagle’s technological and marketing knowhow. Under a franchise arrangement, the agencies would remain independently owned.

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Nothnagle also has a history of franchising. In 1950, John T. Nothnagle opened the first Gallery of Homes at the Granite Building in downtown Rochester, where prospective buyers could view photos of houses for sale. Before that, houses were sold to buyers visiting the property. John Nothnagle franchised the concept and, at its peak, there were more than 1,200 galleries around the country. The gallery franchise was sold in 1983, Arquette said. The Gallery of Homes concept was the forerunner of today’s Internet marketing, said John Masters, broker at Nothnagle’s Greece office.

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Some competitors said Nothnagle’s plan makes sense because it reduces the cost of doing business for franchisees while enabling Nothnagle to become a national player. The company already ranks 36th in the country with more than $1.2 billion in annual real estate transactions. “It’s very difficult for a mom-and-pop to keep their costs down,” said Larry Mastrella, manager of RealtyUSA’s Pittsford office, explaining why a small agency in some other part of the country might want to affiliate with Nothnagle.

Affordable spa skincare will come to Houston next month when Faces365 opens for business.

The franchise is based on an almost identical membership-based business model as another health-related franchise, Massage Envy.

Owners say the new franchise is aimed at a clientele that appreciates value, convenience and results. Faces365 will emphasize discounted services, extended hours and will operate 7-days-a-week. The new franchise specializes in facial treatments, waxing and, in some locations, teeth whitening.

Faces365 regional developers are Freddy O’Pry and son Lance, and Kenny and Neice Lang, who are former BP company executives. The O’Prys are also regional developers for Massage Envy in Houston and Dallas.

The Langs will provide franchisee training and operational support for the new partnership. The couple will open two Faces365 spas, including the Memorial/ Bunker Hill location. The O’Prys are also regional developers for Faces365 franchise locations in the Dallas/ Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio areas.

The new franchise will carry several lines of skincare products, including two marketed under the Faces365 label featuring natural, botanical-based formulas. The franchise will also offer the exclusive Yonka® skincare line.

Faces365 will offer customers a $49.99 introductory, 70-minute facial session that includes a personalized, comprehensive complexion analysis. Treatments include microderm, glycolic skin peels, facial and body waxing, brow-tinting and make-up application. The franchise serves men and women. A special teen program promotes early healthy skin care and provides services for acne problems.

Faces365 is membership-based, giving members substantial savings on products and services. Services will also be available to non-members. “Franchise locations are typically 2,000 square feet,” said Freddy O’Pry, “and generally cost between $300,000 and $350,000, with financing available for qualified applicants from several third-party banks. This will allow most franchisees to be in business with only $75,000 cash,” he said.

Here’s an interesting new beauty salon franchise: :10 Minute Manicure.

According to its press release, the corporate mission of :10 Minute Manicure is to lead the market in express manicure and pedicure services. The company strives to excel in customer service and exceed industry standards on cleanliness, and promises to promote healthy nail care through its product offerings and services.

:10 Minute Manicure currently owns and operates 13 franchise locations in the United States and Canada including JFK International Airport, Toronto-Pearson International Airport and Dulles International Airport, among others. With headquarters in Miami, Florida, :10 Minute Manicure plans to continue its home state growth through franchise sales. The company is currently targeting airport and street locations in the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Orlando and Fort Myers.

In the past decade, the manicure business sector has experienced exponential growth. :10 Minute Manicure entered the crowded market with the goal to elevate the standards and customer perception of the business. A few of the ways that :10 Minute Manicure separates itself from the competition are by using medical grade autoclaves to sterilize tools, nail polishes that are free of harmful chemicals, a time-based service menu to fit any schedule and a professional, inviting store appearance.

“:10 Minute Manicure keeps their customers’ health and safety in mind,” said Miami-based dermatologist Alysa Herman, MD, who serves on the company’s advisory board. “Their trained nail technicians and cleanliness practices are well ahead of the industry’s curve.”

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho, Oct 13, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — GarageTown USA began offering franchises of its successful garage “condo” business model last month under the newly formed GarageTown USA Franchise Services LLC (GTFS). For the past several years, GarageTown USA has offered individuals the opportunity to “purchase” personal, over-sized Storage units, commonly referred to as “garage condos.” Currently, there are about 19 GarageTown developments located in six states, including Idaho, Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Texas and Arizona. According to GarageTown Franchise Services Assistant Vice-President Cameron Barclift, “In the short time since receiving the approval to franchise GarageTowns, the phone hasn’t stopped ringing with inquiries from most every major market in the United States.”

The Self Storage Association estimates the self storage industry represents $20 billion in annual revenues. “Garage condo storage is where mini-storage was about 25 to 30 years ago,” notes Mike Ard, of GarageTown’s Colorado operation. “GarageTown is on the leading edge of this next generation of self storage, and now we are providing the opportunity for others to develop in-demand garage condo sites in their neighborhoods.”

GarageTown USA delivers a unique alternative to renting storage space. Instead, investors become owners of secure, enclosed units which average over 1,000 feet of usable space while reaping the same tax benefits as home or property ownership. GarageTown owners often personalize their units with custom cabinetry and flooring. Some even construct mezzanines to maximize the lofty 16′-19′ ceiling space. Owners utilize the garages for collections of classic cars, haulers and trailers; RVs and toys such as Quads and Sand Rails. Still others create personal gyms or their ultimate hobby den. Some units have security gates and most come prewired for phone, cable, Internet and HVAC. Owners are part of an Owners Association where a nominal monthly fee covers services such as building insurance, grounds maintenance, common utilities, security surveillance, and upkeep of a private clubhouse where owners can network and socialize. The overall effect being a garage condo community, where once sufficiently sold out, is self governed and self maintained.

“GarageTown USA has proven to be a successful concept and our company has done the necessary groundwork to deliver a profitable, established business model. Now, franchisees can reap the benefits of our hard work and experience,” says Ard.

Newly enlisted franchisees will attend GarageTown University, an intensive forum where they will learn about site selection, construction, legal procedures and sales and marketing to effectively construct and market their development(s). Investors will benefit from national advertising, financing, branding and PR assistance as well as sales and technical support. GarageTown USA also intends to provide lists of approved vendors, so franchisees can take advantage of the benefits of national purchasing power.

Since its inception, GarageTown USA has received hundreds of inquiries regarding franchising. The franchise arm of the company is now revisiting those inquiries, and preparing to award franchises in areas that are closely in line with its core business model. “We expect to see hundreds of GarageTown USA franchises all over North America, but we want to make sure they’re all done correctly and are successful, so we’re being very selective as to where we go and who joins our team,” adds Barclift.

“I created this business with a mission that no pet should go uncared for,” said Paul Mann, founder and CEO. “When a pet owner hires FETCH! Pet Care, they know they will come home to a happy pet. The majority of FETCH! Pet Care customers prefer not to kennel their pets due to health or safety concerns, or they simply feel better having their pets at home, in the safety and comfort of the pet’s own environment.”
After experiencing frustration in finding professional, reliable care for his own pets, FETCH! Pet Care franchise founder Paul Mann walked away from a lucrative career in the technology industry, determined to fill an obvious hole in the market. Since its founding in 2002, FETCH! Pet Care has blossomed into a multi-million dollar franchise that continues to grow by more than 200 percent each year in this rapidly growing industry. Mann notes more than two-thirds of U.S. households own pets, and an estimated $43 billion will be spent in the pet industry this year — double the amount spent only a decade ago. The industry is expected to grow to $52 billion in just two years.

Paul Mann claims to have built the nation’s largest and most professional at-home pet sitting and dog-walking franchise, with 200 FETCH! Pet Care franchise locations in more than 1,800 communities across 35 states.

FETCH! Pet Care, with a fitting tagline of “We’ve Got Your Tail Covered,” continues to expand at a rapid pace, opening 10-15 new franchises per month, nationwide, by breaking down the No. 1 barrier to pet ownership: a lack of proper care for pets while their owners work or travel. The franchise provides professionally trained, bonded and insured pet sitters for owners of any kind of pet, from dogs and cats, to hamsters, birds, fish, iguanas and more. Caregivers can be hired for ongoing daily services, as well as on weekends, during busy holidays or on short notice.

In addition to its basic pet care services, FETCH! Pet Care also offers daily pet visits, private dog walks, group off-leash dog outings, in-home overnight sitting, private boarding, day and evening care, pet fitness services, pet taxi services, home care, yard pet waste cleanup, and medication for pets.

Mann maintains that while there are many independent pet sitters who are loving and caring, the vast majority don’t have great business acumen, which has affected the perception of the pet care industry. With criminal background checks for all of its caregivers, a sophisticated telephone dispatch system and advanced software that tracks assignments and delivers real-time electronic client order confirmations and automated sitter assignment reminders, FETCH! Pet Care is changing that image. The business can be run from home and requires an initial franchise fee of only $12,000.

Are you familiar with the FETCH! Pet Care franchise? Leave a comment… tell us what you think.

Since launching its franchise operations in the fall of 2005, Pet Butler has grown from a company servicing a single market to 100 franchises, covering half of the country. Its newest franchises are located in St. Petersburg, Florida; Randolph, New Jersey; Boca Raton, Florida; The Woodlands, Texas; and Naples, Florida. Existing franchise partners in Philadelphia; Houston; and Bartlett, Illinois, have expanded their businesses by acquiring additional franchises, which has contributed to the company’s recent franchise milestone.

Pet Butler provides professional pet waste cleanup and removal services and supplies for individual yards, parks, and multi-family communities. The company’s mission is to make life more convenient, enjoyable, and safe for pet owners and to give them more quality time with their pets and families. Together with its nationwide network of franchise partners, the company has been cleaning up poop for 20 years.

For a small per-visit fee, Pet Butler animal waste specialists clean up and safely dispose of grass-killing dog droppings. They keep the yards of individual homeowners and their pets, as well as multi-family communities and parks across the nation, poop-free. The company proudly bills itself as “#1 in the #2″ business.”

Pet Butler’s franchise model offers clients best-in-class customer service and support through the company’s national customer service center, known as “Poop Central Command.” Franchise partners also benefit from ARF (Administration, Routing, Franchising), the company’s fully automated and integrated Web-based network that manages the daily operations of each franchises’ routing, accounting, customer service, and field activities. Pet Butler has also recently launched an online customer service feature that has enabled franchise partners to expand their business by signing up, scheduling and accepting payments for new clients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The company also provides a wireless mobile software solution through its PoopNet network, which allows franchisees to easily track their routes and communicate with the company’s customer service center via handheld computers while in the field. Pet Butler franchise partners are able to leave the administrative details to the home office, so they can focus on business development and providing excellent service to their commercial and residential clients.

Pet Butler attributes much of its franchise growth to the fact that they take the headaches out of owning a small business. Pet Butler generated more than $3.5 million in revenue in 2007 and expects substantial growth, including the addition of 50 franchises, in 2008.

Are you familiar with the Pet Butler franchise opportunity? Share a comment below.

According to the Out U Go website:  “The pet industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Americans spent $41 billion on their furry friends, in 2007, up from $17 billion in 1994. That’s a howling 11% increase per year. In addition, the industry is expected to grow to $52 billion by 2009, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

“Americans spend (more on their pets, than) on the movies ($10.8 billion), playing video games ($11.6 billion), and listening to recorded music ($10.6 billion) combined.”  -Brady, Diane & Palmeri, Christopher. (2007, August 6). The Pet Economy. Business Week.

Here’s how they describe the Out U Go franchise opportunity:  “Out-U-Go! offers an unique entry point into that world. We are one of the country’s premiere in-home dog walking and pet sitting services. After years of providing awesome quality pet care, we have established a name people trust.

“With the same dedication we have always demonstrated towards the furry friends in our care, Out-U-Go! offers franchise opportunities. Supported by our experienced staff, we offer top notch training, individual support, and a tested marketing plan.

“We have lots of fun at Out-U-Go! But from head to tail, this is a serious business and a seriously good opportunity.

Are you familiar with the Out U Go franchise opportunity? If so, please share a comment below.

Waggin’ Tailz is a new Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Franchise opportunity.

According to their website, “Waggin’ Tailz is a petsitting franchise that provides a wide variety of professional and personalized in-home pet care services.  For clients who are traveling, we can care for their pets in their home as alternative to boarding in a kennel. Pets will stay in their own environment and maintain their regular feeding and exercise schedule–a great alternative to a noisy and confined kennel!”

“Waggin’ Tailz franchises are designed for individuals who have a passion for pets and dream of running their own pet care business, but don’t want to deal with the headaches, risk, or expense of starting a pet care business from scratch.  Our sophisticated infrastructure and comprehensive business model sets the groundwork for our franchisees’ success.  As a young franchise, we are dedicated to growing our company through highly motivated and dedicated franchisees.

“With everything we provide for you–training, support, software, supplies, marketing, website, and more–you’ll be able to make your dream of working with pets a reality!  Even if you have no previous experience in running a business, our training and support system will assist you every step of the way.”

Total Investment: $10,300-$17,350  Initial Franchise Fee: $8,000  Royalty Fee: 4%  Advertising Fee: 3%

If you are familiar with the Waggin’ Tailz petsitting franchise, please leave a comment below.

Founder Karen Stewart is touted as a national “divorce guru” by media and supporters alike. Stewart is the author of the newly released book Clean Break: How to Divorce with Dignity and Move on with Your Life. She is also the founder and CEO of Fairway Divorce Solutions®, the first real alternative to the traditional divorce process. With Fairway Divorce Solutions, she has created another category that fairly represents both parties when dealing with all issues of divorce.

Today, Fairway Divorce Solutions, Ltd., announced the opening of its first two additional franchises. One has opened in Edmonton and a second in Calgary, rolling into action a strategic plan to aggressively expand its operations throughout Canada and the United States.

The Fairway flagship office opened its doors in 2006. “We are extremely pleased to grow our successful Fairway Divorce Solutions® franchise beginning right here in Alberta. The new Edmonton satellite and second Calgary offices are the first of many to be opened throughout Canada and eventually the United States.” said Karen Stewart, President and CEO, Fairway Divorce Solutions.

“We have responded quickly to heightened demand. Since our inception, it became apparent clients valued our revolutionary new system for divorce, which uses a practical, step-by-step process to dramatically reduce time, reduce costs, the emotional pain of traditional divorce and, most importantly, to protect the children.”

Margot Gyorgy, owner of the new Calgary franchise, has worked closely with owner Karen Stewart at Fairway’s flagship office as Executive Vice-President, Sales & Marketing, for almost two years and jumped at the opportunity to grow the company. “It was apparent working at Fairway that Karen’s new divorce paradigm, The Fairway Process™, was a clear winner. I am thrilled to be one of the first to take the company to a new level and offer this efficient service to more people looking for a sensible alternative to the traditional divorce.”

The new Calgary franchise is located in south Calgary, making it more accessible to clients in that area. The phone numbers for both locations are: Additional franchises are scheduled to open across Western Canada in fall 2008. Movement into Eastern Canada will begin in late 2008 and traction into the United States will commence in 2010. Cameron Herold, Executive Vice President of Corporate Development for Fairway Divorce Solutions, is the driving force behind the franchising growth. Prior to Fairway, Mr. Herold was a leading force behind 1-800-GOT-JUNK?’s explosive success, growing from a start-up in Vancouver to a franchised company in virtually every major city in North America and Australia.

As the beacon for a “new alternative divorce,” Fairway Divorce Solutions is Changing the Way Divorce Happens™ by saving people money, stress, time and most importantly children from needless financial and emotional pain. It is an alternative to the traditional process of divorce, whereby a couple is taken step by step through The Fairway Process with a trained negotiator, who facilitates resolution on all issues in divorce.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.

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EAGLERIDER is the world’s largest motorcycle rental & tour company that specializes in Harley-Davidson motorcycles, ATVs, dirt bike, watercraft and snowmobile rentals. Why buy it when you can rent it?

Year Established: 1992 Franchising Since: 1997

Total Operating Units: 25
Franchised Units: 21 84%
Company-Owned Units: 4 16%

States/Provinces with the largest number of
1. California 6
2. Florida 2
3. Texas 4

Registered in Following Registration States: California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, District Of Columbia

Investment:
Minimum Net Worth: $225K
Cash Investment: $69.5-184K
Total Investment: $219.5-684K
Average Total Investment: $452K

Fees:
Initial Franchise Fee: $30K
Average Franchise Fee: $30K
On-Going Royalty: 10%
Average Royalty: 10%
Advertising Fee: 0%

Average Number of Employees: 2 Full-time, 2 Part-time

Space Needs (in square footage): 3,500

Preferred Sites: Free-standing Building, Storefront

Other Sites: Industrial