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May, 2008
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Reflections of a Big man on campus
How Jimmy John Liautaud grew Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches into a force to be reckoned with
This June will be the 44-year-old Liautaud's 25th year in the sandwich business. He refers to it as his 51st semester, since he started making sandwiches right out of high school on a college campus. "I had an idea 25 years ago and worked it through," he says. "I thought once you had a good idea, Ronald McDonald, Dave Thomas, the Colonel and Ray Kroc would want to come to your house," he says, only half in jest. But the food business isn't a fraternity of guys with big ideas swapping recipes. It's a lonely place, as he found out. read more
Other May features...
April, 2008
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The way they were
Cutting edge couple elevates hair care and franchising
Franchising has come a long way in a short time, and as more founders are turning over the reins to "the professionals," we thought it might be instructive to look back at some of the pioneers of franchising. Our first choice for this occasional series, Joe and Florence Francis, were innovators in the hair-care industry. Their journey is a love story—they were in love with each other, with their own family and their franchise family and with their industry. They poured their heart and soul into elevating the hair-care industry and in the process, into franchising. read more
Other April features...
- Want a loyal worker? Hire a taco
- Mowing down lawn-care traditions
- What makes a Legal Eagle?
- Crossword Puzzle
March, 2008
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Follow The Leader
PostNet's Steve Greenbaum packs a lot of charisma into his dual roles as company CEO and IFA chair.
PostNet's Steven Greenbaum is the consummate risk-taker, and therefore, his business partner Brian Spindel concedes, the true entrepreneur between the two of them. It was Greenbaum, after all, who wanted to take their original business of helping independent mail centers get started and turn it into a franchise. Spindel—who says he deals with the "nuts and bolts" of the business as president/COO—acknowledges that he was against the decision initially, but once they looked at the competitive landscape, he grudgingly admitted franchising was the way to go. read more
Other March features...
- Counting on chaos
- Where’d all the Quiznos letters go?
- Lifestyles of the rich in franchise
- Crossword Puzzle
February, 2008
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McGolden Opportunity
Don Thompson engineers winning role as McDonald's president
Don Thompson, president of McDonald's USA, may be the restaurant company's first accidental executive. Thompson guided McDonald's recent turnaround and helped create what franchisees say is the best relationship they've had with their franchisor in decades. Once McDonald's ship was righted, same-store sales began their record-breaking rise (November marked the 56th consecutive month of increases) and the stock price tripled. Thompson returned to Illinois as the vice president of Global Innovation Orchestration. In August 2006, Thompson took Alvarez's place as president. read more
Other February features...
January, 2008
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Has Quiznos changed?
Quiznos opened 2007 with a new CEO and an almost entirely new executive staff. That group is now working off a single-page plan, known as the "Go Forward Plan" -- named by Greg Brenneman when he was the turnaround guy at Continental Airlines because airplanes don't go backward. Many franchisees, including some of the chain's harshest critics, say that the efforts are showing results. Food costs are down. The chain's new and profitable $2 Sammies, flatbread sandwiches, are drawing positive early reviews. New ads are bringing in traffic to the restaurants, and the company is more... read more
Other January features...
- A look back at 2007's 20 to watch
- The ABCs of educational franchises
- What exactly is fast casual?
- Crossword Puzzle
- 2008 Retail Construction Outlook
November-December, 2007
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Bordering on Greatness
Led by founding brothers Lee and Jeff Engler, Border Foods has become a major, multi-concept franchise. Here’s how they did it.
Today, Border Foods, is one of the largest multi-unit franchisees in the country—and one that could be larger if the pair had much desire to expand beyond Minnesota’s borders. The route between bankruptcy and the helm of a growing, $170 million business was filled with challenges and setbacks, and navigating it took smarts, perseverance and, yes, a little luck. Along the way the brothers learned many valuable lessons about the business world and about running a multi-unit, multi-concept franchise. read more
Other November-December features...
October, 2007
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Flying High
Carlson Wagonlit franchisee Sandy Lovick is proof travel agencies are alive and booking
Travel management is what business school types would call a “mature industry.” But they might as well just call it old age. Internet companies like Priceline and Expedia continue to provide travelers with reasons to skip the travel agent. The number of travel agencies has plummeted and so has the number of agents, trends that should continue for the foreseeable future. Heck, it’s a wonder whether anybody even uses agencies anymore. read more
Other October features...
- Franchise Times Top 200
- Working with tattoos
- Franchising on the Hill
- Eye of the beeholder
- Shop 'til you drop
- It's gotta be the food
September, 2007
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Creative dealings
NexCen's Bob D'Loren brings financial wizardry to franchising
Unless a person wearing a Bill Blass suit, on a break from shopping for Waverly curtains, walks in her athletic shoes (bought from The Athlete’s Foot) into a Maggie Moo’s (or a Marble Slab Creamery) for some ice cream to go with her Pretzel Time pretzel (or it could be from Pretzelmaker), it’s difficult to imagine all of these brands in the same sentence—let alone under the same brand management company. read more
Other September features...
- Attacks from the blogosphere
- International House of Applebee’s
- Extreme makeover
- Tech know-how, cool gadgets fuel aftermarket franchises
- Chalk it up to success
- 2007 Finance Directory
August, 2007
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He's OK She's OK
A look at how gender differences strengthen the Women’s Foodservice Forum
This article contains generalizations about men and women. Not all business women want to discuss their earrings or shoes before getting down to business and not all men want to make a decision before all the facts are in. Contrary to what early feminists wanted us to think—that men and women are the same— research shows there are diff erences between the way men and women work. There’s no right way or wrong way. read more
Other August features...
June-July, 2007
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Making the '12 points'
Mike and R.C Patel go from 'zee to 'zor to prove fairness is a two-way street
He’s president of the Diplomat Hotel Company, which operates 18 properties in four states; chairman of the board of Haven Trust Bank, a community bank with about $280 million in assets that he helped found; and he just brought the Budgetel brand out of retirement, thus becoming the first Asian-American franchisor. Side dishes include related businesses in travel, commercial insurance, real estate and hotel software. read more
Other June-July features...
May, 2007
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The not-so-famous Dave
David Goronkin has the barbecue joint smokin'
David Goronkin is given much of the credit for improving the company’s focus and overseeing considerable growth that has placed Famous Dave’s well within reach of its goal to become the nation’s top barbecue chain. read more
Other May features...
- May 2007 crossword puzzle answers
- Hotel, Sweet Hotel
- IFE aims to transform lives
- Is the industry half full or half empty?
April, 2007
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Franchising's always in fashion
Model franchisors and the consultants who keep them looking good
While in Las Vegas, Franchise Times gathered together some of franchising's stylemakers to model success for us. Enjoy our first fashion issue. Good fashion's always in Vogue. read more
Other April features...
March, 2007
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Life in the diamond lane:
How 55 companies defy the speed limit
Franchise Times' ranking of the top 55 fastest growing, young franchises as compiled by FRANdata. read more
Other March features...
February, 2007
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Where are they now?
Franchising has an abundance of movers and shakers, so it’s no wonder we’re curious about where these personalities have moved to and who or what they’re shaking up. Some of the ones we’ve chosen are blooming where planted; others are still cultivating the soil. read more
Other February features...
January, 2007
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Cookie master
Franchisee Doc Cohen's home, sweet home
Home is where the art is…at least if you’re Great American Cookie franchisee Lawrence “Doc” Cohen. The 2006 International Franchise Association chairman has great taste in art, wine and architecture. We couldn’t have chosen a more worthy candidate for our first foray into the lifestyles of the rich from franchising. read more
Other January features...
- The New Year is hot, hot, hot
- Children’s educational programs on the rise
- The highlights of dealmaking at its finest
- Talking with Bobby Flay
- Look into my eyes
November-December, 2006
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It’s a beauty-filled world
Why Regis continues to make the cut...
Regis Corp. has built an impressive empire in the 84 years since Paul and Florence Kunin opened a chain of value-priced salons under the name Kunin Beauty Salon. But even more impressive... read more
Other November-December features...
October, 2006
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McMakeover
McDonald’s reclaiming its super-size status
Newly appointed President and Chief Operating Officer Ralph Alvarez refers to franchisees as his “customers,” and he’s determined to collaborate with them to fuel sustainable growth. Alvarez has seen what happens to the chain when it doesn’t. read more
Other October features...
- Don’t warm the bench
- Combo meal deals
- Measuring franchisee satisfaction
- My e-mail runneth over
- Sitting across the table
- How not to shoot yourself
September, 2006
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Making Maaco Magic
Entrepreneur Anthony Martino takes a shine to franchising
Anthony Martino, CEO of Maaco, is that enviable franchisor who seems to have the magic touch when it comes to building franchises from the ground up. read more
Other September features...
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