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Category: Press
Original Article via Nett Magazine FRANCHISING PITFALLS Some of the simplest mistakes often cause the most damage, though there are ways to avoid them when taking your business into the franchise world. Franchising can appear to be the next logical step to the owner of a successful small business. While …
Iconic ice cream brand, Ben & Jerry’s, is looking to expand in Australia through franchising. The US chain, which is owned by Unilever, is on the lookout for potential franchisees for its popular scoop shop model. The first Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop here opened in November 2009 in the …
It’s a question many people ponder when they’re thinking of getting into business for themselves. Big Dreams and Safety Nets: There are some amazing success stories of people who have taken an idea and a small capital investment and turned it into a thriving business – indeed, many of these ideas have …
Every year when the BRW Fast Franchises special edition is published, the DC Strategy team gathers ‘round to see how many of our clients have made the list. Again this year, we weren’t disappointed and found that DC Strategy clients represented approximately 50% of the top 15 fastest growing franchise …
What does tomorrow look like for the franchise sector? There has been a flurry of surveys produced from across the sector, varying in their optimism but all reporting a better-than-expected level of confidence. We take a look at what the research is highlighting.
Almost half the franchised businesses in Australia outperformed the broader economy over the past year, growing at an average of 8 per cent. But just 20 per cent – or 150 companies – will produce strong, sustainable growth in the future, says franchise consultant DC Strategy. The economic downturn has …
Australia’s franchises are in good shape, although recruiting franchisees remains a major issue, according to new research. A survey of 150 top franchise CEOs by DC Strategy found that more than 40% experienced at least 8% growth over the past 12 months, outstripping the rest of the economy. Nearly half …
Nearly half of Australia’s leading franchise businesses outperformed the broader economy over the last 12 months, growing by more than eight per cent, more than double the recorded three per cent GDP, and generating a minimum 15 per cent profit, according to the results from the annual Franchisor CEO Survey …
Overseas expansion is high on the list of the nation’s big franchisors, with 35 per cent indicating they were already exploiting global markets and a further 22 per cent looking to grow internationally within the next three years, a survey finds. “Australian businesses face some of the most difficult operating …
If I’m not present in my business, everything seems to stop. How can I ensure it can run without me? What is it that got your business to where it is now? While great products and services are important, a key ingredient in getting your business off the ground was …
It’s a constant challenge in my business to motivate and retain staff. What strategies would you recommend? Staff retention begins even before an employee comes on board. The recruitment process is the first step to staff retention. Making sure you employ someone whose values and goals will fit into your …
A key investor is becoming very demanding at board meetings, saying our business plan is not progressing quickly enough. Handling investor expectations is a critical element in bringing external equity to your business. Overly demanding investors should not deter the use of external equity, but it is vital to plan …
One of my customers is starting to settle their account late. What steps can I take to ensure I get paid promptly? The key to debt collection is communication, so it is important to know your customer and their business. The best course of action is to arrange a face-to-face …
I’m not sure how and how often to review the pricing of my products so I don’t fall behind my competitors. Can you give me some advice? The frequency with which a business should undertake competitive pricing analysis depends on a range of factors, including: The nature of the products …
Is invoice financing a workable solution for SMEs strapped for cash? What are the pros and cons? This area has grown considerably in the past 12-18 months as a result of the economic pressure small business has experienced. The basic model has SME owners moving their debtors to the finance …
I have driven record distributor sales in 2009 with discounting but can’t understand why my cash flow is so poor. Poor cash flow can result from a wide range of factors; however, in your case it is almost certainly because your discounting strategy has simply robbed your business of cash …
Cover Story, Franchising Magazine July/August 2010 Franchising appeals as a tool for business development that offers empowerment to individuals, and a sprinkling of new business ideas keeps it fresh. Australia already has more than its fair share of franchise business with the most recent calculation of franchise systems numbering 1100 …
David and Charles Cohen helped their parents take over Matchbox homewares in 1996 when it was suffering financial difficulties. Since then, the chain has seen solid growth with revenue of $14.8 million during 2008-09. David says much of the growth has been due to the success of a solid franchising …
On the 1st day of March 2010 at 3:15pm Australia’s first hobby store franchise was sold by Exclusive Collectables to Alfred Battiato for the new Top Ryde City store with the support of DC Strategy, Exclusive Collectables specialist franchise consultants and legal representatives.
There are many ways to describe the approach the Cohen family has taken to achieve continued business growth. Risk taking is not one of them…
Investing in a franchise is about more than just buying a job, and can trip up the unwary. Report: Tony Blackie
Franchising can be a good move for a business in a tough economic climate , but the business model has to be right from the beginning. Report: Tony Blackie
So you want to franchise your business? Some crucial questions must be answered before taking the plunge. Report: Jane Lindhe
How does a family business operating successfully for 72 years approach the task of becoming a franchise? Here Shingle Inn director Andrew Bellchambers reflects on some of the trials, tribulations and lessons learned over 12 months as his family’s business is transformed.
It’s every retail entrepreneur’s dream: making it big in the land of the red, white and blue. But the reality for many Australian brands is that the US market is far harder to crack than it might seem. Even household names usch as Bakers Delight have had to pull out …
Continued strong growth in the franchising sector over the past two years is the key finding of the ‘Franchising Australia 2008′ survey. A picture of the franchising industry from 2006-2008, the report provides an important overview of the sector including growth, turnover, employment, confidence, trends, expansion and number of disputes. …
Franchising can benifit from a slow economy. For a new franchisee backing the property market as a long term investor bucking the negative trend could be the surprising result, reports Domini Stuart.
The franchise industry is likely to go through a huge ownership shakeout over the next 12 to 18 months and will require a large surge in capital, says the head of a major advice group.
Are you ready for the life changing effect of running your own franchised business? How much money are you prepared to lose? Take a step back for a moment and discover just what you need to consider before making the leap.
Buying a franchise is no longer about finding the best system for your needs and budget, doing due diligence and sourcing the right location or territory. Today’s franchisees are forecasting for a second or third franchise. Sarah Stowe reports.
A strong economy has been kind to the 2008 BRW Fast Starters, but will they withstand the shocks of the future? Report: Tony Blackie…
Franchising is becoming an increasingly popular way for Australians to manage their own business and build their wealth. Being part of a franchise gives business owners the advantage of being part of a broad, established and profitable group…
John Di Natale of DC Strategy looks beyond the franchise brochure…
Branding invades so much of our lives but how can it be most effectively managed for the franchise you are purchasing? Domini Stuart takes a look at what franchisors need to do to keep their brand alive. If buying a franchise is all about the brand, surely every franchise should …
Selling a franchise requires detailed preparation, writes Tony Kaye. Daniel Ting and Nick Kassim decided to sell their Muffin Break franchise at Brisbane’s Westfield Garden City Shopping Centre because of lime constraints and a need for capital. The brothers-in-law bought the premium franchise outlet in 2002 and are keen to …
From humble beginnings, the franchise sector has developed into an $80 billion industry, providing jobs for more than 600,000 people. Nearly 1000 different franchise operations are in Australia at 64,000 workplaces. The sector accounts for as much as 10 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product in Australia. And the …
The ‘buy-a-job’ crowd of franchisees are being supplanted by business people who want to make real money. When husband and wife Ron and Donna Kerkvliet sold their Capt’n Snooze outlets in Melbourne and Canberra in 2001, they had 15 years of business experience and enough capital to open their own …
In the first of a three-part series on franchising, Mark Fenton-Jones reports on how Australian banks are changing the way they are going after the franchise market. Lending to franchisees is nothing new. What is different, however, is that rather than being conducted on a case-by-case basis, banks are now …
Katherine Sampson shared the same aspirations as many women, namely to strike a happy balance between work and family. Part of that juggling act was running a sandwich shop in Knox City she had bought from a relative in 1992 at the age of 27. But when her marriage came …
Some timely and much-needed business advice put Hairhouse Warehouse on the path to safe and structured growth. Hairhouse Warehouse Business: Hair care Franchises: 50 Turnover 2004-05: $39.5 million Growth: 38% Chief executive: Joseph Lattouf Joseph Lattouf traded his school books for scissors at the age of 15 and became a …
