Together for Recovery Provides Path for Economic Resolution

A few weeks ago, I wrote about an organization that I have recently been introduced to and for whom I have subsequently committed to work tirelessly. It is called the Business Civic Leadership Center. (BCLC) is an arm of the U. S. Chamber of Commerce. Its mission is to advance the positive role of business in society. As such, (BCLC) and the U.S. Chamber work with leaders from business, government, and non-governmental organizations to address and act on shared goals.

Given the depth of the current recession and credit freeze that our nation has been feeling the pains of, since at least Q4 of 2008, one such goal has been to find a way for all of those served by BCLC to weather this storm. In early May, 2009, (BCLC) and the U.S. Chamber actively engaged the business community, government, and nonprofit organizations to help America get back on its feet. It did so during a Rally for Recovery, at its annual National Conference on Corporate Community Investment in Chicago.

Subsequently, (BCLC) launched: http://www.togetherforrecovery.org/ At this portal, business owners, non-profits, individuals will find a one-stop-shop for information and guidance regarding economic recovery. BCLC and the Chamber has assembled the largest collection of examples on how the business community is part of the solution to economic recovery. If your company is doing something to help blunt this recession but is not yet listed, please tell (BCLC) what you are doing, so that they may update the site and share this with their subscribers.

Personally, I wish to thank Katie Loovis, Director of Business and Society at the (BCLC) and Stephan Jordan, Senior VP of the (BCLC) for inviting my participation in the video that is found at http://www.togetherforrecovery.org/ (BCLC) and the U.S. Chamber are committed to ensuring that that American businesses thrive, and that those of us on Main Streets across America emerge as victors, not victims of these trying times. My sincere thanks to each and every member of their team, for all that they do. Let me encourage you too, to become engaged and involved in the work of this organization.

ATLFA Meets This Week: If In Atlanta, Don’t Miss It

I would like to personally invite all of the RetroFacts readers to the Atlanta Franchise Alliance’s May meeting, 5-7 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday, May 21, 2009) at the Paper Mill Grill, 305 Village Parkway, in Marietta, GA.

The meeting is a great networking event and an opportunity to connect with your franchise colleagues from Atlanta.

To understand the value of the ATLFA, one must first understand our growth, as throughout the last year it has been two-pronged. First and foremost, we continue seeing many first-timers at our networking events, which is always a great indicator of growth. Secondly, we are growing internally, with the addition of four new members of our board in 2009. They are: Nick Powills, CEO, No Limit Media Consulting, Rich Greenstein, Partner, DLA, Piper, Greg Cory, CEO, eMaximation and David Asarnow, President, CEO at CLIX Portrait Studios.

This week, without a doubt, the economy and its impact on our businesses and ability to obtain credit and financing for new and existing franchisees will be top-of-mind. That remains the hot topic everywhere.

Our topical meetings set the tone for great interactions. Anyone with an interest in keeping up to date on what’s going on around them in franchising should clear the calendar for tomorrow night. Whether you are a franchisee, franchisor or a supplier, this is where to connect with all of those on the cutting edge of the franchise business model locally.

Interview on WGRZ Buffalo on Franchise Ownership

Good morning from Buffalo, NY. I am there for the “Building Buffalo Businesses Through Franchise Ownership” event at the Hyatt Hotel. If in town, anyone interested in franchising should come on by.

Last night, WGRZ interviewed me about the event. Take a look:


If you are able to make it, below is the schedule of events:
8:00 am – 8:55 am Registration and Networking with Exhibitors

9:00 am - 9:15 am Welcome and Greetings –
Mayor Brown and representation from partnering organizations

9:15 am - 9:35 am “Franchising: Building Local Businesses, One Opportunity at a Time”

9:45 am – 10:45 am Session I (Select one)
A – “Experiences in Franchising: What are Franchisors Looking For and How I Did It”
B – “Legal Aspects of Franchising: What I Need to Know Before Signing on the Dotted Line”

10:45 am –11:15 am Networking with Exhibitors

11:15 am - 12:15 pm Session II
C – “Is Franchising Right for You?”

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Networking Lunch/Time with Exhibitors

1:45 pm – 3:00 pm Closing Session
“Finance and Technical Assistance- What Resources are Available”

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Networking with Exhibitors

Thinking Of Opening A Franchise Business?

This is an article published on WGRZ Buffalo’s Web site about RetroTax and about an initiative I hold near my heart – franchise development; and franchise development in Buffalo.

If you've always thought about opening a franchise business you might want to start with a stop at the Buffalo Hyatt on Wednesday.

Maybe you've always thought about opening a franchise business, ..but you had a steady job.

Maybe you've lost that job, and with nothing else to lose, you're now thinking of pursuing that long held dream.

You might want to start with a stop at the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Buffalo Wednesday. There, an all day seminar will be held called "Building Buffalo Business Through Franchise Ownership". It is sponsored in part by the International Franchise Association which includes Stan Friedman among it members.

"It's a program that's geared toward educating consumers as to how to be a good franchisee, what to look for, how to find opportunities," said Friedman. "It will also focus on what you need to know from the legal aspects of franchising, learning about financing your dream and getting into a concept that's right for you," he said.

While most can rattle off the names of franchise businesses in the retail and dining sector , Friedman says there are numerous other opportunities for which franchise fees and start up costs are a fraction of what a popular restaurant chain might command.

"There are many businesses or business models that are franchised that have nothing to do with anything that you and I and the average person may have ever heard of."

Friedman says there are franchise opportunities for fundamental services such as health or elder care, ...which don't slow during a recession and don't require heavy investment in real estate or equipment.

He cites his own business for which franchises are available as a prime example. Freidman is the franchisor for RetroTax, which is a business to business service. It basically assists other firms in finding tax credits and other incentives which they may be eligible for but about which they are unaware.

"The government puts 11 billion dollars out there in incentive money on one hand, then makes it so impossible for you to figure out how to get the money on the other," Freidman said. "Without a business like mine, most of these businesses that could claim these credits would never do it."

He notes that someone seeking a franchise opportunity with his firm needs not much more than a suit of clothes, a blackberry, an office, and the drive to succeed. But he concedes they also need one more thing to begin a franchise in any field.

"They've got to have some money to start with, and the ability to get some more." Thomas Ulbrich, who serves as Executive Director of the University at Buffalo's Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership says that's where a lot of dreamers are in for a rude awakening. "If you're preparing to look for money or seek a loan, you better be prepared with a solid business plan and you better have very good credit,"

Ulbrich told 2 On Your Side, noting it's even more essential these days as banks tighten restrictions on credit. Both say one thing you don't need to have to be a successful franchisee is a business degree.

"The opposite is more the case because you've got a play book in front of you in franchising," said Friedman.

"By purchasing a franchise or rights to a franchise you're really buying a business plan that's already been created successfully as well as brand recognition," added Thomas.

Thomas cautioned, though, "If you think owning a franchise is a magic bullet that would be a big mistake. You still need to consider carefully location, marketing, and a host of other business decisions. It's not that simple to just say, 'hey I have a franchise so everything's done for me.."

Friedman concurred by saying, "it's not like buying a car that you can trade in if you don't like it. I think the biggest pitfall is not using both sides of your brain when your making a decision."

Above all, both concurred operating a franchise business successfully is a lot of hard work. But both also subscribe to an old saying, which goes: there are very few things in life which are worthwhile which aren't worth working for.

"I can liken this to my own son," explained Friedman. "He wants to be a baseball player but doesn't like to practice. He wants to be a great piano player but doesn't want to practice. He wants to be an "A" student, but you gotta do your homework. This is not all that different than anything else in life. It's just another stage of commitment."

The "Building Buffalo Business Through Franchise Ownership" seminar runs from 8am to 4pm Wednesday at the Buffalo Hyatt hotel. There is a $20 registration fee.
WGRZ-TV , wgrz.com

U.S. Chamber of Commerce-2009 Business Civic Leadership Center

Virtually anyone who knows me professionally knows how much I love my involvement with the IFA. Well this week, I’ve been introduced to yet another national business organization, one that has very quickly smitten me. In many ways this organization reminds me of IFA, but in other ways, it is different.

I’m talking about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and their (BCLC) Business Civic Leadership Center. Last month I was invited to speak at their Annual Convention and now, as I post this blog from Chicago’s Miracle Mile, that conference has just concluded.

This event was attended by just 300, but a more eclectic group of assembled professionals, I have never seen. Among the roster of speakers and attendees were Mayors, C-level executives from America’s leading companies, public and private sector icons, large corporations, small businesses, legacy foundations and start-up non-profits, strategists, economists and even thinkers from academia.

Government officials in attendance represented the White House, the SBA, The Departments of State and Defense and even the USDA. Insurance, healthcare, The Federal Reserve, the media and even the National Governors Association, they were all there too. This conference was a veritable “slice of Americana.”

Similar to IFA’s role in franchising, the BCLC’s mission is to advance the positive role of business in society, but it does so in a much broader sense than IFA. As such, BCLC and the US Chamber works with these leaders from business, government, and non-governmental organizations to address and act on shared goals. Most noteworthy to me and to others that I spoke with as well, was how egos got parked at the door by everyone in attendance at this conference and how engaging and interactive everyone was.

It reminded me of how every year at the IFA Convention, first-time-attendees marvel at how caring and sharing the speakers are and how they are so openly willing to share information, even when potential competitors might be in the audience in the very same room. I got that same flavor at this conference. The difference though , was that while the spectrum here was much broader, the conference much smaller, far more intimate, making the interaction all the more powerful.

I sincerely wish to thank my friend Don Graves for connecting me with Katie Loovis, Director of Business and Society, for the Business Civic, Leadership Center. I hope that Katie, and Stephan Jordan Senior VP of the BCLC will invite me back and allow me to expand my involvement with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This is one fine group of professionals, working tirelessly to ensure that American businesses thrive, on Main Streets everywhere.