Help DECA Score $250,000.00

Just about everyone who knows me, knows of my passion and commitment to an organization called DECA. DECA inspires and educates young entrepreneurs all over the world, leading many of them to careers in franchising. Currently, DECA is competing for a $250,000 Pepsi Refresh Grant, www.refresheverything.com/decainspires.
Voting started on April 1st and runs through April 30. Grants are determined by popular vote, so PLEASE Vote DECA Every Day! – and encourage your friends, family and colleagues to do the same.

What this grant would do for DECA includes the following:
•Support DECA’s Competitive Events Program and their Intl. Business Plan Event.
•Expand DECA’s professional development opportunities for Advisors.
•Build new DECA Chapters and deliver services to greater numbers of members and advisors.

To vote for DECA’s Pepsi Refresh Project go to, www.refresheverything.com/decainspires. You’ll need to register through the Pepsi Refresh site to cast your vote. At the bottom, left hand corner of the page click “Sign In” and follow the prompts - you can either create an account through the Pepsi Refresh site or login through your Facebook account. Once you’re in, click on “Vote for this idea.” You can vote for DECA’s Pepsi Refresh Project one time every day.

Because this is a viral campaign please help to spread the word -
•Post a comment on DECA’s Project page after voting.
•Post your vote on the status page of your Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn and/or other social media pages – click “Promote this idea” from the www.refresheverything.com/decainspires page.
•Create a Widget for your web site – click on “Widgets” from the www.refresheverything.com/decainspires page.
•Encourage your friends, family, classmates, students, colleagues, neighbors.... to Vote DECA Every Day! - and spread the word through their networks.

Voting, and commenting, DECA Every Day! is also a great FREE way to put your brand in front of DECA’s most enthusiastic high school and college members and advisors.

Thanks for your support!

Stan Friedman (on behalf of)
John Fistolera
Director of Development, DECA
1908 Association Drive . Reston . VA . 20191 . 703/860-5000 phone . 703/860-4013 fax

COMING SOON! RetroFacts will be undergoing a complete redesign, with a whole new look and feel. Stay tuned...

Save the Date: September 9 in Atlanta

While we have yet to announce the special location, (be sure to tune in to our LinkedIn Group or our Facebook Page later next week, for details) we have announced the date for the next Atlanta Franchise Alliance networking event and meeting. It is Wednesday September 9, 2009 (Yes, that’s 09, 09, 09), and we will be presenting a powerful expert and speaker, to help us all navigate the tangled mess that has resulted from the recession and credit freeze, and its impact on franchising.

On 9/9/09, come hear one of the foremost authorities on franchise finance, the state of the credit freeze and its impact on franchising, as Ron Feldman, CEO of The Siegel Financial Group (and a RetroTax franchisee) updates us on how we got here, where we are and more importantly, where we're heading.

As those of you regular attendees know, most of our events are purely centered around networking, so having a speaker is a treat... but having Ron Feldman as that speaker, provides an exponential "added value" to the 9/9/09 event. Whether you are a franchisor, a franchisee, a member of a corporate team from either, a supplier, an attorney, ir any an interested party, who's income is dependent upon the well being of those in the franchise space, do not miss this event.

Again, be sure to check out our Web site, LinkedIn or Facebook later next week for additional details – and of course, as always. check my blog. Hope to see all my franchising bretheren on 9/9/09. Check back soon, for updated 411 on the location.

Temple Daily Telegram Highlights Minorities Rise in Business

Let's hear it for Texas. Some might argue that it is still the Wild, Wild West and a less progressive state than others, but when it comes to minority business ownership and job creation, many of those others could take a lesson from the Lone Star State.

Carroll Wilson's article, titled “Small business, minorities in business on the rise in Texas in the Temple Daily Telegram,” is cause for celebration.

America's face is changing and as it does, so should the faces of America's would-be entrepreneurs and business owners. They should reflect the faces of the residents of the communities that they serve. From the sounds of this article, health care and social services are taking the lead in terms of jobs created by small business owners. Now, savvy franchisors from these and all market segments would do well to invite business ownership, not just opportunities for employment, from members of these communities.

To read more about minority franchise ownership opportunities, visit the International Franchise Association (IFA) at http://www.franchise.org/ and search for information regarding Minority Fran. As the second term Chairman of the IFA's Minorities in Franchising Committee, First Vice Chair of its Diversity Institute, and one of the architects of this Minority Fran initiative, I'm proud to see Texas out in front on this one.

Franchise Appreciation Day Drives Business

As in the past, attending the International Franchise Association's Fall Leadership Meetings and Franchise Appreciation Day in Washington, DC, is about spreading the good word about franchising on Capitol Hill to politicians who represent the franchisor’s and franchisee’s communities across the country. In the past, when I worked for established service and restaurant brands, part of my mission in DC was to represent my brand to these politicians. This year though, was different.

Now, as Co-founder and President of RetroTax, a start-up concept, my mission took a slightly different tack. Sure, I still attended the leadership meetings as Minorities in Franchising Committee Chair and First vice-chair of IFA's Diversity Institute, but every bit as important, especially for my business, was meeting with potential franchisees and clients in the Greater DC area.

The reason I bring this up is two-fold. First, no matter what city I travel to, there's no shortage of interested parties to speak with. I mean who would turn down the opportunity to have thousands in tax credits made available to them, especially when there are no up-front fees required for qualifying? Second, I am establishing business for my future franchisees. I am validating the viability of these markets by ensuring companies are indeed interested in working with us. The RetroTax business model allows me to set up theses accounts virtually, without having a "physical" brick and mortar location.

Times are changing. Never before could I go into a new market, where I had no previous presence and be in business just like that. But, with RetroTax, I can travel to any of some 200 "Zone" markets and set up shop immediately. This should more than validate the potential of our opportunity for our future franchisees.

As in the past, Franchise Appreciation Day was a tremendous networking and relationship building event. This time though, it took on even greater meaning, because of the new relationships that I was able to generate, with potential new clients and franchisees.

Buffalo -- My Home Away From Home

"Wingin' it with the Mayor": Me and Mayor Byron Brown talking hot sauce, hot wings, hot franchises (RetroTax) and tax credits.

Backstage with Food Network Celebrity Chef and Frank's Red Hot Spokesman, Kevin Roberts.

Good morning from Buffalo.

I wanted to briefly check in with you and share a link from last night's news that highlights one of the few reasons I am in this great city --Buffalo Wings. This weekend marks the seventh annual National Buffalo Wing Festival, in which I am proud to serve as Chairman of the National Buffalo Wing Hall of Flame, a shrine that few of you knew even existed, much less that I serve as its Chair.

While this weekend has been about fun, this past week in Buffalo has been all business, with a tremendous amount of brand building and business potential for RetroTax- even some tax credit savings opportunites for several of the 30+ wing chains that traveled here from all over the country (more on that later). In the meantime, take a look at this news clip from last night and the photo in the link below. You just may spot me in both!

http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=60304

How to Attract More Latino Franchisees

As the Chairman of IFA's Minorities in Franchising committee, I felt it important to share "Boom Time: How to Attract More Latino Franchisees", an article published in the August 2008 edition of Franchise Times, with you. For the story, reporter Julie Bennett interviewed me, but more importantly addressed a very compelling topic.

First, this was an out box that accompanied the story:

Tips for attracting Latinos to your brand

• Advertise your products or services in Spanish media and on Spanish-language web portals, using a Hispanic advertising agency (for a list go to http://www.ahaa.org/, the site of the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies). Besides increasing your revenues, such ads indicate that you would be welcoming to Hispanic franchisees.
• Be Spanish-language friendly in your locations in or near Latino communities, advised Stan Friedman, a member of the International Franchise Association's Minorities in Franchising Committee. "If they love your brand as a consumer, you can convince them that they'd love you as a partner, too," he said.
• Reach out to organizations that are Latino-focused, like the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (find your local chapter at http://www.ushcc.com/) or the National Council of La Raza in Los Angeles. LaShawn Cartwright, senior recruitment consultant for Chick-Fil-A in Atlanta, said she works with the National Society of Hispanic MBAs and the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement, by speaking at their conventions and participating in their career fairs. Fifty of Chick-Fil-A's 998 operators are Hispanic and Cartwright hopes to increase those numbers.
• Reach out to colleges with high Hispanic enrollments. Angela Gonzalez-Rowe of the HHOA said her organization awards scholarships to Latino students enrolled in the hospitality program at Florida International University in Miami.
• Participate in IFA-sponsored minority events. The trade association's director of diversity Miriam Brewer said her office partners with local economic development agencies to host Franchise Opportunity Seminars around the country. Find a list at http://www.franchise.org/.

Boom time: How to attract more Latino franchisees

By Julie Bennett
As published in: Franchise Times - August 2008

Antonio Swad, of Dallas, created his restaurant chain, Pizza Patron, to serve low-priced fast food to the Latino community. Amigo (medium - $6) and Familiar (extra large - $8) pizzas have Spanish names and spicy toppings, like Chorizo sausage. Store clerks speak Spanish and all menu boards are bilingual.

But when Pizza Patron started franchising in 2003, "We looked for an area developer with a lot of capital who owned other restaurant concepts and could build multiple stores," said Andrew Gamm, the director of brand development. "We also sold a few stores to Latinos who were individual operators. But over the years we found that the individual owner-operators achieved success faster and tended to do a better job operating their restaurants. We did a complete 180 and now focus on finding more individual operators." The chain has 50 franchisees (for 70 locations), 29 of whom are of Latino descent, and hopes to attract more Latinos.

Since most franchise companies don't keep statistics based on ethnicity, we don't know how many other Latinos have become franchise owners, but many industry insiders estimate they make up only about 3 percent of the nation's 800,000-plus franchisees. If a restaurant company targeting Latinos failed to realize what good franchisees that ethnic group could provide, why should we expect mainstream franchisors to recruit them?

Because it's good for business. The country now has 45.5 million people of Latino or Hispanic descent and their numbers are increasing faster than the non-Hispanic population. So is their buying power. According to Chiqui Cartagena, author of "Latino Boom! Everything You Need to Know to Grow Your Business in the U.S. Hispanic Market," Hispanic households are larger, which means "they buy more of everything from groceries to fashion, accessories and cars." Hispanics spend a greater percentage of their incomes on shoes, children's clothing, electronics and home improvement tools than non-Hispanics, eat more fast food and, when dining at sit-down restaurants, arrive with larger groups. When Hispanics find a brand they like, they are loyal consumers.

Corky Calhoun, head of dealer recruiting - U.S. retail support for ExxonMobil Corporation in Fairfax, Virginia, said, "There's a strong business case for us to have more Latino dealers. Sixty percent of our gas stations have convenience stores, and we give our franchisees some leeway in stocking them. Someone who understands what products and services appeal to a Latino customer base will make more money, and so will we. We've had a number of Latino placements, primarily in the Miami area, but also some in New England, Chicago and Los Angeles. We would like more."

Multi-unit franchisee Guillermo Perales, president of Sun Holdings of Dallas, said he wishes more franchisors were as welcoming. Perales has 47 Golden Corrals, 78 Popeyes, 14 Burger Kings and five Denny's. Only Burger King has a program to recruit more Hispanics, he said. "I'm trying to help one of my Golden Corral managers become a franchisee by subsidizing his land and building and helping him get an SBA loan. Franchisors should be doing this by creating incentives, like reduced franchise fees or a short term waiver on royalties, to open more stores to minorities," Perales said.

He'd also like to see more Hispanics in franchising. Perales is pushing his franchisors to improve opportunities for Hispanics to buy their own units. "They don't have many Hispanics," said Perales, who has a seat on Burger King's diversity board. "Nobody has the net worth to become a franchisee."
Perales suggests programs that help longtime employees with loans or other financial strategies that help them open their own units, and he's been pushing his franchisors to do just that. "The Hispanics are a very hard-working culture," he said, adding that franchising would be a perfect fit for them. "Franchising helps you against risk. You're a part of a big system. All you have to do is follow the rules. You don't have to re-invent the wheel."

Several hotel companies, including Accor Franchising in Carrollton, Texas (Motel 6, Red Roof Inns) and Marriott International in Bethesda, Maryland, have diversity ownership programs designed to introduce women and minorities to the benefits of becoming a hospitality industry franchisee. Angela Gonzalez-Rowe, president of the two-year-old Hispanic Hotel Owners Association (HHOA) in Washington, DC, is aiming higher. HHOA's Hotel Investment Series targets high net worth Hispanics who could benefit from adding hotels to their portfolios. The association, modeled after the highly successful Asian American Hotel Owners Association, has 300 members who own or manage 150 U.S. hotels, including Michael Gallegos, whose San Diego company, American Property Management, has 45 hotels and ranks within the nation's top 25 hotel companies.

Casa Latino Real Estate in Danbury, Connecticut, ranks as the only real estate franchise targeting Latino consumers. Since CEO and founder Roberto Heering requires all franchisees and owners to be bilingual, "90 percent of our 40 owners are Latino," he said. Heering, who started franchising in 2006, said he recruits franchisees from professionals attending the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals and the National Association of Realtors events. The down real estate market is actually helping his cause, "because agents today aren't very busy and have the time to listen to a new concept," he said. "There are transactions happening. I advise Latino Realtors to join us because all you need is a seat at the table."

The same statement could extend across all of franchising. According to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., Hispanics now own 2.5 million businesses generating $38 billion in annual revenue. If more of them are encouraged to take a seat at the franchising table, the entire industry can benefit.

RetroTax Featured in Franchise Times

Empowerment -- RetroTax helps companies get credits

South Carolina businessman Joey Dixon had the concept 13 years ago: help businesses access tax incentives from the federal and state governments.

Stan Friedman, a franchise development executive for real estate franchise ERA, would head up the franchise end of the company. The third friend, Al Newcomb, would roll his similar businesses into Dixon's and then be charged with operations and sales.

It was a good dream, but the company they dreamed up was never launched. Dixon became ill with ALS (commonly referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease") a year after the trio got together, and died soon after. Newcomb went back to his business in Atlanta, continuing to offer tax incentive processing to businesses there, and Friedman headed back to franchising and ERA.

"Our paths were just not ready to connect in business, but the two of us remained friends and maintained our connection," says Friedman.

Over the years, when Newcomb and Friedman got together for dinner, Friedman said, "I would beg him to franchise his business." Newcomb, however, was content to keep it local in his hometown of Indianapolis.

Friedman, continued to be intrigued by the subject of empowerment zones, which was part of the tax incentive business. When he joined Blimpie International, Friedman used what he had learned from his friend and helped the company expand in empowerment zones - impoverished urban and rural neighborhoods in which businesses are encouraged to build via tax incentives in order to offer the community jobs and opportunities.

Fast forward to today

Friedman finally convinced Newcomb to franchise the venture. ACI Franchising was launched late last year under the brand name RetroTax.

The basic premise is this: RetroTax helps business owners gain federal and state tax credits and incentives. According to Friedman, state and federal governments legislate these incentives and a fair amount of the resulting dollars go unclaimed. The franchisees are trained to help businesses claim these dollars.

There are two types of businesses that can best take advantage of these incentives:

1.) Businesses that are geographically located in empowerment zones. They employ people who live in the empowerment zone and receive a tax credit for each employee. "Each of these employees could be worth up to $3,000 a year in tax credit," said Friedman. "Before you've made your first sandwich, if you have 10 qualified employees you have $30,000 worth of tax credit."

2.) Businesses with employees who qualify demographically. Certain demographics, such as employees who come from a family that may receive some assistance, those who are part of the Welfare to Work program or returning veterans with disabilities are employees who would be qualified to earn tax credits for a company. This could account for up to $2,400 per employee, per year in tax credits.

Stan Friedman, right, worked with Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory on city incentives that give tax breaks.

The RetroTax target customer is smaller businesses, said Friedman. "Most companies don't know these credits are available and don't have the resources to do the onerous paperwork to get the credits." Worse, he says, is that many of these small companies believe these types of credits are being taken care of by their accountant, and usually they aren't.

RetroTax franchisees charge 15 percent of the dollar value of the credit they help the customer gain. The franchisor splits that 15 percent with the franchisee, since the franchisor does the paperwork to claim the credits. "The franchisee is the relationship manager," said Friedman.

The best franchisee for the concept will be someone with high-level, tangible sales experience, he added. It is a home-based opportunity for someone who desires a 9-to-5 business.

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Finding The (Right) First Franchisee

TEAM RETROTAX™ welcomes our first franchisee Kevin Culkin and his partner Dennis Headings to our organization. Kevin and Dennis will operate their RetroTax business in Atlanta.

SIGNING DAY: (From Left) RetroTax's first franchisee Kevin Culkin; his partner Dennis Headings; RetroTax's President Stan Friedman.

Many emerging franchisors leave the starting gate without having had the benefit of years of franchise experience to draw from. So, they get very excited and thrilled when they launch their concept and sometimes rush into awarding their first franchise too quickly, or for the wrong reasons.

At RetroTax, we decided from the onset, that we were going to be very methodical about our process. We identified six key markets to focus on for our initial development and then looked at our established relationships within those markets, searching for potential franchisee leads. Well, I'm happy to report that the strategy is paying off, as we have just this week awarded our first franchise in Atlanta, GA and we could not be any happier about our choice. Not only will RT-001 operate in a very lucrative market for our opportunity, but he will do so literally in my backyard. RT-001 was awarded to someone that I have known personally and professionally for more than 18 years. Yes, RT-001 is a franchise development professional, turned franchisee. What's more, our kids have grown up attending the same schools and he and I have grown into our franchising careers together, albeit with different companies... until now.

It is with tremendous pride and pleasure that I announce Kevin Culkin as our first RetroTax franchisee. Kevin has the perfect skill set for our franchise, strong interpersonal skills, high level, intangible sales experience and the focus and resolve to succeed in our business. Just as my partner Al Newcomb and I go back more than a dozen years, how much better can it get, then to also have a known entity as your first franchisee. Well, believe it or not, it DOES get better, as Kevin has invited Dennis Headings, a 28 year friend of his, join him in the new business. Kevin and Dennis are here in Indy, training this week and preparing to hit the ground running next Monday morning. How sweet it is. More good news to follow...

So, What are Federal Empowerment Zone Credits Anyway?

When I decided to create my blog, I wanted it to be an informational, if not educational outlet for industry peers, as well as business owners and executives across the nation and around the world. One of the primary functions of the RetroTax concept is to communicate and educate. We make our living teaching employers how they may benefit from those that they employ.

This is important, because it’s usually nothing more than lack of knowledge, that prevents many business owners from redeeming what could rightfully be theirs, namely, BIG $$$. There are several elements of the Federal Wage Tax Credit Programs, but today, let’s focus on Federal Empowerment Zones.

The Federal Empowerment Zone (FEZ) Wage Tax Credit Program is an incentive program created to revitalize the economies of select communities across the country. These zones are often located in some of America's biggest cities: Chicago, NY, LA, San Antonio, are among some of the many. Specifically, the FEZ program provides employers, with a federal income tax credit of up to $3,000 per qualifying employee per year. Employers’ facilities or work sites must be located in the zone and employees must also live in the zone.

The FEZ credit is 20 percent of the first $15,000 ($3,000 max.) of an employee’s annual wages. Employers can take this credit for each qualifying employee through 2009 and apply it directly to their corporate tax liability. (Legislation is currently pending with strong bi-partisan support, to extend this program until 2016) In the case of “S” corporations, LLCs, Partnerships or sole proprietorships, these credits pass through and may be applied to individual shareholders’ or owners’ personal tax liability. In addition, credits are retroactive for 3 years, so that credits of up to $9,000 per qualified employee may be realized in the first year that an employer has us administer the program.

For purposes of this illustration, let me provide you with some insight as to the powerful impact that these credits can have on an average small business owner, when his business is located within the boundaries of one of these zones. For the purpose of this example, let’s take a multi-unit restaurant operator, owning 3 Quiznos, Blimpie’s or Subway type restaurants. Again, for the purposes of this model, I will suggest that each location employs 15-20 part/full-time employees at any given time, and that there would be an annual employee turnover rate of (+/-) 300 percent. Simple arithmetic tells us that this business owner generates (+/-) 180 W2s per year. If only 10% of his annual hires also live in the Empowerment Zone and are therefore, geographically tax credit eligible, the numbers would be compelling. The likelihood is that an even greater percentage of his hires would be eligible for these credits. Let’s take a look at what that means to the business owner:

Federal Empowerment Zone Credits
2008 Tax Year – 180 total hires (X 10%) = 18 qualified employees X $3,000 = $54,000

This program is retroactive allowing the business owner to potentially also claim credits for the previous 3 years.

2007 Tax Year - 180 employees (X 10%) = 18 qualified employees X $3,000 = $54,000
2006 Tax Year - 180 employees (X 10%) = 18 qualified employees X $3,000 = $54,000
2005 Tax Year - 180 employees (X 10%) = 18 qualified employees X $3,000 = $54,000

Identifying and administering these credits could potentially make or break it for many small and medium sized businesses owners, especially in these challenging economic times.

In this illustration, the small business owner could have potentially realized up to $216,000 in personal tax credits during the first year of this program’s administration. How many sandwiches would he have had to sell, to achieve that kind of windfall? What’s best is he could even carry these credits forward for as long as twenty years, if he couldn’t take full advantage of them in the current tax year.

To learn more about these Federal Empowerment Zone Credits now and where they are located, visit our website at http://www.retrotax.com/. Stay tuned for future posts to this blog, for more about Renewal Communities, Rural Renewal Counties and the Work Opportunity Tax Credits.

In Memory of Tim Russert

Celebrity deaths tend to send us into an odd shock, especially when the dearly departed are in their prime; iconic in their fields; and moreover, when they play a prominent role in our lives.

That probably explains why I feel the deep sense of loss that I do, about the passing of NBC News political icon, Tim Russert.

As a long-time, self-professed news and political junkie, I’ve spent more than 15 years watching the political prognostication, interviews, wit and wisdom of Tim Russert, as Moderator and Host of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” as well as in his additional roles of political analyst extraordinaire for the NBC Network, MSNBS, CNBC, as well as online and in print mediums. Russert played a huge role in my life and he will be deeply missed by me and the many millions of others that have invited him into their homes each Sunday morning, as part of their extended families.

Tim Russert has been a larger than life inspiration to both my personal work ethic, as well as my life, period. For years, he has fueled my appetite for being as good as I can be, for being as thoroughly prepared as possible, for everything that I undertake, and for bringing the highest level of passion possible, to all of those things that are important to me.

I have never had the good fortune to meet Tim Russert in person, but he has nonetheless been like a best friend to me. He was someone that I could always count on to be fair and honest, from whom I always knew what to expect and got it. He was someone who never let me down.

It seems kind of ironic, that Tim Russert’s stock in trade was “walking his talk,” while often times interviewing politicians who only “talked” theirs. No matter which side of the aisle his guests came from, if one dared to sit for a Russert interview, less prepared then he was, Russert morphed into an equal opportunity hit man. He’d give any such guest a moment to remember for a lifetime. Like I said, I didn’t know him personally, but I nonetheless feel like I really knew this person. I guess that’s why his sudden death rocked me so hard. Russert was the real deal.

It will be Labor Day weekend before I have the opportunity to return to Buffalo, NY, (Russert’s home town) the one place that I know for certain, that like he, I share a great passion for. I will visit Russert Park in Seneca, NY, to pay homage to this great journalist, political analyst, and beloved family man, when I make my annual pilgrimage to the National Buffalo Wing Festival.

To NBC, the Washington News Bureau that he managed, to all of those in the political world, to journalists at other news organizations world-wide, to the millions of every day Joes, just like me, that loved this guy’s honesty, integrity, fairness and even handed delivery… Tim Russert WAS and will always be THE franchise of political television. For me, Sunday mornings will never be the same… at least not on this plane.

A Man’s Best Friend

I am a media hound – known to never pass up an opportunity to promote my business, brand or self... there I said it. Well this week, this hound passed the spotlight to a different hound of sorts, my dog, Honey.

Now, some of you are already wondering, what’s this got to do with franchising? Come on, you know better than to ask. In some shape or form, everything that I do, somehow ties back to franchising and this is no exception. Firstly, this story about Honey that I’m speaking about can be found at http://www.woofpatrol.com/, a website created and managed by Yvonne Conza, also known as Mrs. Tony Conza, my former employer, good friend and Founder of Blimpie Subs and Salads.

It seems like everywhere I turn, there are links to franchising relationships from the past and this time is no different. Over a recent meal with Tony, we were talking about our mutual love for dogs. I showed Tony a picture of Honey and he told me to e-mail it to Yvonne. Until then, I had no idea that Yvonne had created this wonderful canine-centric website. It just never ceases to amaze me, how many times franchising relationships wind up leading to places or opportunities that I never dreamed I’d go to or know about. It really is important to understand this, especially for those of us that are trying to further establish ourselves, our businesses and brands in the industry. Over the years, many of us have changed jobs, brands or concepts, but those relationships that we had with co-workers and friends at those places, shouldn’t end too, when a job does. Keeping in touch with our peers can lead to bigger and better things throughout one’s career and life.

So, I may be a publicity hound – but now, so IS my hound. Kidding aside, it's just another powerful form of networking... something to talk about... to be proud of... it's all about friends and family, the company I am building and about franchising, the business model that I love so much.

Launching a Franchise... Not As Easy as One Might Think

It was just one year ago that my partner, mentor and friend Al Newcomb and I began the process of launching the RetroTax franchise, built on the foundation of years of success with his affiliated company, Associated Consultants, Inc. (ACI) Now, one year later, we are finally in the position to begin inviting prospective franchisees to join our system – which is a complete relief.

Heading into the process, I knew we’d hit some bumps and snags, as RetroTax is a first of its kind, unlike any other, fresh, new brand. Getting our disclosure documents approved nationwide has taken longer than I hoped, but, now, FINALLY, we are able to begin strategically offering our opportunity to franchisees. I must say, the ride has been well worth it, but I think I can liken it to building a new house, rather than buying one that was previously owned. All right, I’ll quit whining, because the truth is, while I don’t think I’d EVER want to do it again, I am richer for and have relished the experience.

This truly is a franchise opportunity like no other that I have ever seen. Each and every one of my peers that I have discussed this with over the course of the past year has been smitten by it as well. For aspiring franchisors, I offer this piece of advice: Patience is a virtue and like most impresarios, I fall really short on that P word.

One place where I may see some things differently than some of my peers, is in the discussion of unit growth and numbers. A lot of companies boast about how many units they will be adding in the coming years, proud of their growth and development. At RetroTax, our growth will be proactive and strategic, just like the development of our systems. We will only add six operating franchisees in year one – even though we have many more knocking on our doors. When I was a food franchisor, I always knew how to measure the need for additional head count internally, to support a given number of units added in the field. Given the newness of this business though and the fact that we will not only support our franchisees, but also provide services to and for our franchisees’ clients, we’re going to take a slower, more strategic and systematic approach to our development.

Not for nothing, but when it comes to bragging about numbers, my belief is that the only numbers that really count, are the numbers being generated by those that are already in your business, not the number of new units you are planning to add. Are your existing people making money with your business model? If not, adding more is not where your attention should be focused. We are going to do this right at RetroTax.

It's with a breath of fresh air that I happily say, "we’ve finally arrived– HERE WE ARE!"

Come on CNN, Where’s the Rest of the Story?

Was Paul Harvey the only member of the media that could tell the whole story? While it seems that the media has no problem with covering tax issues, they rarely demonstrate a true understanding of exactly what a tax credit is – and how tax credits can sometimes bring more to the bottom lines of business owners, than the products or services that they are in business to provide.

One example is a recent story by CNN – Hire an Ex-Con in Philly, Get A Tax Break.

While this story did a nice job of presenting the local spin on a Philadelphia program being offered for employers that create jobs for ex-offenders in Philly, it didn’t mention a single word about the treasure trove of Federal credits available to qualified business owners in the Philadelphia Federal Empowerment Zone and/or Renewal Community. What's up with that?

Stay tuned, for future posts, that will talk about a very special set of services that RetroTax provides to forward thinking visionaries in both the public and private sectors. I will explain how these programs are helping ex-offenders get a fresh start in life, while at the same time drastically reducing the rate of recidivism in these local communities.

Hello Ohio

Pictured is (from left) me, with Mayor Mallory and Miriam Brewer, Director of Diversity for IFA.
Open for business in Cincy

Meeting Mayor Mark Mallory in Cincinnati

I’m really proud to have had the opportunity to participate in an IFA Minority Fran initiative in Cincinnati on Thursday, May 1, 2008. More than 200 qualified participants attended this day-long educational program about franchise ownership that was sponsored and hosted by the IFA, Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, US Bank, Coca-Cola, and a host of public and private sector sponsors. I wore two hats at this event, participating as moderator and speaking on behalf of IFA, in my capacity of Chairman of the Minorities in Franchising Committee and First Vice Chair of the IFA Diversity Institute, but also as a participating franchisor, seeking franchisees for RetroTax,™ my new concept and company.

Good things have already come from this event and I anticipate that many more will. My personal thanks to IFA Director of Diversity and good friend Miriam Brewer, for pulling this program together. With more than ten years of participation in these events, I believe that this was one of the very best ever. More on this, as it develops…

New Wave of Entrepreneurs/Inspired Work Force on Its Way

If one ever wants to experience something that is truly “right” with America, they need only attend an International Career Development Conference and competitive event, organized by an amazing organization known as DECA. (http://www.deca.org/) DECA is an international association of high school and college students studying marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality. Recently, for the third time in as many years, I had the privilege of participating as a judge and mentor at this annual event.

As was the case in previous years, the conference was packed -- nearly 17,000 high school students from all over North America and around the world, focused on educating themselves in the world of business. They were hungry for information on everything from how to network and create the ideal business plan; to accessing capital and learning about different models for growing an organization or concept. In all cases, these are students that are determined to never be dependent on a paycheck, but rather, on how to focus their energy on the creation of wealth and legacy. It is truly awe inspiring, to see this up and coming generation of future business leaders who are all so far ahead of their years. It’s also comforting to know that the next generation of franchising professionals, will take this beloved business model to even greater heights.

Each year when I participate in this event, it’s really an honor to contribute to the future success of these students’ careers. If my input hits home with just one of them, I know I will have made a huge difference. That’s why I begin each of my mentoring sessions with something of a confession. I tell these kids how lucky I am to be where I am today, in my career and in life. I go on to tell them that I never completed my formal education, but got really lucky along the way. I admonish them to not do as I did and leave their futures to chance. “If a single one of you doesn’t finish college, I promise that these words will come back and haunt you. Don’t leave your future to lady luck.” I hope and believe that my experiences will inspire these kids to not waste 15 or more years of their lives as I did, before figuring out what it is that they’re destined for. In my heart of hearts, I don’t believe that any of them will.

They are already light years ahead of most. I mean, in the Senior Management Institute Mentoring Program alone, there were 500 or more of these incredible kids. They were all wearing their DECA branded blue blazers, khaki skirts or trousers, kerchiefs or ties at 10:00am. on a Sunday morning. They were focused, attentive and asking all kinds of thoughtful questions of the 40-50 mentors, all members of DECA’s National Advisory Board. Their questions were about networking, business and success in general. There’s simply no way that I believe that any of these kids would ever quit on themselves.

During one of my roundtable sessions, I had one student raise his hand and say that he was confused. “My first session mentor said that you have to have passion for whatever you do, but the next session leader said that you shouldn’t just go for passion. Which one was right?”

My reply was both. Passion is important, but it’s not the only ingredient. With a puzzled look on his face, he said, “I still don’t get it.” I asked him to tell me three things that he is passionate about.

He said, Lacrosse, going to ball games and spending Friday nights with his “lady.” The table giggled.

“Look, you have passion for all three, but could you do any one of these things full time? “Of course not,” he replied. I told him that passion is but an ingredient in whatever it is that he might decide to do, but it is just one ingredient. No recipe is built around a single ingredient. Certain of these ingredients are fundamental or essential to the recipe, but they are not exclusive. Once you have passion for something, it can help drive your success, but you must also rely on your other skills to turn that passion into a recipe for success.”

He got it.

Participating in DECA’s ICDC is exhausting, but well worth the commitment. I ended the conference by judging the final round of business plans for the Entrepreneurship Franchising competition. There were 17 finalists, all of whom had 20-30 minutes each, to present and defend their business plans for a franchised business that they wanted to bring to their area. They utilized PowerPoint or stand-up flipcharts, along with projections and business plans, as I played the role of the banker, determining the validity of the financing that they sought, for these proposed plans. I saw plans for automotive, food and service franchises. Some were good, others were great.

Later that evening, I had the privilege of awarding the scholarships and honors for the Entrepreneurship Franchising category, standing on stage at the Georgia Dome with the Top 10 Finalists and presenting honors to the Top 3. What a rush, facing an audience of more than 17,000, awarding the honors to these kids. I invited each of these finalists to let me hear from them as they move on to college and the business world beyond. I told them that if they’d e-mail me within 24 hours, they’d have the opportunity to have a mentor for life. If not, I’d just leave them at the conclusion of this night, with best wishes on a going forward basis. I wanted to put some pressure on them to maintain contact and have the opportunity to continue a dialogue with me beyond this moment in time.

I am once again honored, to have had the opportunity to participate in such a rewarding event as this and truly hope that I have made a difference in some of these young kids’ lives. I have seen a glimpse of the future, and let me tell you something that you’ll never see on your prime time news, “it's all good.”