Children’s Franchises

March 20, 2008 – 7:32 am

There are a lot of different franchises opportunities in the childen’s services area. Some franchises focus on physical fitness, others on entertainment and others still on education. Here is a list of the top franchise opportunities in children’s services from the Franchise Business Review 2008 Franchisee Satisfaction Awards.

If you would like an unbiased review or some input from franchisees on any of these do let us know.  FranchiseSpeak will contact them and ask for their comments.

Abrakadoodle
Abrakadoodle offers art classes, art camps and art parties for children ages 20 months to 12 years old.

Total Investment: $40,700-$72,500
Franchising since: 2004
Website: http://www.abrakadoodle.com/

BouceU
BounceU is an indoor gymnasium filled with giant inflatable toys.

Total Investment: $129,700-$535,500
Franchising since: 2004
Website: http://www.bounceu.com/

Computer Explorers
Computer Explorers is a home-based computer education program targeted at schools and learning centers in your area.

Total Investment: $57,000-$65,000
Franchising since: 1988
Website: http://www.iced.net/ctce_cosy.cfm

E. Nopi Daekyo
E.nopi Math is a unique after-school education program that you can provide for children in your community. It has a focus on math because the subject can be so challenging.

Total Investment: $9,500-$17,000
Franchising since: 1976
Website: http://www.enopi.com/

Educational Outfitters
Educational Outfitters is the first franchise opportunity that sells school uniforms and dress code apparel.

Total Investment: $82,600-$198,200
Franchising since: 2001
Website: http: http://www.educationaloutfitters.com/

High Touch-High Tech
High Touch-High Tech offers in-school interactive, hands-on science and nature programs for children at all educational levels, from pre-school to high school.

Total Investment: $20,100
Franchising since: 1993
Website: http: http://www.sciencemadefun.net/

Images 4 Kids
Images 4 Kids has specialized in providing daycares, private schools and other children’s organizations with high-end, studio quality portraits.

Total Investment: $57,200-$83,200
Franchising since: 2004
Website: http: http://www.images4kids.com/

JumpBunch
JUMPBUNCH offers sports and fitness programs for children 15 months to 12 years of age.

Total Investment: $35,200 - $77,200
Franchising since: 2002
Website: http://www.jumpbunch.com/

Kinderdance International
A nationwide dance and gymnastics program for children ages 2 through 8.

Total Investment: $12,950-$27,100
Franchising since: 1985
Website: http: http://www.kinderdance.com/

The Little Gym
Physical fitness classes that help children develop motor skills and confidence.

Total Investment: $194,500 - $274,000
Franchising since: 1992
Website: http://www.thelittlegym.com/

Mathnasium
Mathnasium is an afterschool program designed to boost children’s math skills.

Total Investment: $41,600-$65,200
Franchising since: 2003
Website: http: http://www.mathnasium.com/

Oxford Learning Centers
Oxford Learning Centers not only tutor, but also teach students how to learn. For students Kindergarten through High School, and college.

Total Investment: $125,000-$215,000
Franchising since: 1989
Website: http: http://www.oxfordlearning.com/

Stretch-N-Grow
Stretch-n-Grow offers exercise programs for kids from 18 months to over seven years old.

Total Investment: $19,300
Franchising since: 1993
Website: http://www.stretch-n-grow.com/

Stroller Strides
Stroller Strides is both a pre and postnatal fitness program for moms with their children.

Total Investment: $3,200-$16,980
Franchising since: 2005
Website: http: http://www.strollerstrides.com/

Young Chef’s Academy
Young Chef’s Academy offers cooking classes and parties for children in a safe environment.

Total Investment: $57,300-$116,500
Franchising since: 2005
Website: http: http://www.youngchefsacademy.com/

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Are You a Martyr To Your Job?

March 10, 2008 – 8:07 am

Article By: Marilyn J. Tellez, M.A.

I believe anyone reading this article knows or has known about job martyrs. Maybe you are one. My definition of a martyr is one who has a calling to become self sacrificial and is willing to sacrifice themselves to a purpose that is larger than themselves and not one that is making happiness come easily..

Being a job martyr is common. Many people keep a job that is either dreadful, boring or harmful to one’s inner being. (I’ve been there).

Here are my reasons people use for staying with a bad job:

1. Fear of making a change.
2. Economic hardship, either real or imagined.
3. Avoiding risks.
4. Inner conflict about self worth.
5. Lack of other goals.
6. Self punishment as a personal choice in life.
7. Seeing the glass as “half empty”.
8. Not enough emotional support.
9. Fear of not “making it”, whatever that means.
10. Parent’s or others have said to grin & bear it.

I don’t think more definitions are needed for this list.

If you find yourself using one of these reasons or all of them, it’s time to take stock and understand why your are stuck. Venturing out of a false comfort zone may be needed to help you find a job you need and want. It might be the right time to find a career coach or counselor coach if “stuckness” becomes a way of life!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

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Thinking About Starting a Recruiting Business?

February 22, 2008 – 9:38 am

Article By: HireAbility Connects the World’s Recruiters and Parses the World’s Resumes

If you want to start your own recruiting agency there are a few things you need to think about. Contrary to what a recruiter mentioned to me recently, there is a little more to this than buying a box of business cards.

There are many forms your business can take on. Some agencies only offer perm placement on a contingency basis. Others provide executive search and ask for up front retainers. Still others provide contractors for temporary assignments. What are you going to focus on? What is your geographical coverage area, what is your niche staffing market expertise?

You will need to think about getting signed fee agreements, recruiting top candidates, job board advertising, resume databases, applicant tracking systems (ATS), billing & collections, contracts, agreements, training, etc. When you work for a large agency all of this is provided for you. When you hang your own shingle you are on your own to figure things out. And the costs can get steeper than many people imagine.

One option is to join a network of recruiters. HireAbility for example is a network that provides members with a social network with thousands of other staffing professionals, access to contract placement funding and payroll, discounts on popular recruiting tools, job posting feeds, and a split placement exchange (with no ‘per placement’ fees) to get you a quick leg up.

Many have tried, some have done well, and some have not. Think about it, what do you need to insure your success? Do you want to build equity in your new business by being able to generate a recurring revenue stream by offering contract placement services? An average IT contractor for example can generate $20/hr in profit, that’s over $40,000 for a one-year contract. You will need to pay your contractor weekly, have workers comp insurance, file taxes…Having a partner in your recruiting network to handle this for you can be a huge asset.

Have no doubts, even a small agency consisting of you and only you can be a very profitable enterprise. At an agency many perm people can bill $200K/yr and earn about half or 50%of what they bring in. The agency covers your phone bill, provides you with an office, health insurance, a computer, a manager, a receptionist, a coffee machine, occasional training, support, a daily commute, and more. On your own you can keep the $200K and cover your own expenses..pretty tempting for sure!

The market is heating up and there’s no time like the present to launch your own business. Be sure to make a list of your options, your costs and your required bank roll before you start. And maybe splurge on a really good coffee machine for your office.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

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Face To Face Webcam Interview

February 22, 2008 – 9:34 am

Article By: Real-Time Video Interviews

Is this a face to face Interview? When you receive an invitation or request to interview for a job via a webcam online, it should be treated as you would any other interview. Virtual interviews are here, and candidates must prepare properly to be considered. I’m not talking about Video Resumes, these can be edited and done over again and again to get it right. This is interviewing in real-time or vitually via a webcam online for a job you’ve applied for. Candidates and employers are interviewing face to face or Cam to Cam, it’s imperative both parties are prepared. Webcams must be checked and tested prior to interviews, sound and video must be working or adjusted. Candidates are encouraged to do a test with a friend or colleague prior to the interview day. Preparation is the key for a candidate to differentiate him or herself from the competition. Employers will want to see you are educated about their company and the position you are interviewing for. Being well prepared and not to mention a nice new suit will help your Webcam interview be a succesful one.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Posted in Articles, General | 1 Comment »

Does a Great Idea Equal Great Success?

February 19, 2008 – 10:33 pm

How many times have you heard someone say that they had an idea a long time ago, about something that is a new successful product. How many times have you heard, “I’ve got this great idea for a business.”, but then nothing comes of it?  Why?

A great idea is nothing but air, unless excellent execution and management are behind it.  Exactly what this excellent article addresses…

There’s a lot of talk among entrepreneurs about the value of an idea. Many entrepreneurs believe that a brilliant idea will spawn a great company. We read about companies like eBay that took one simple idea – on-line auctions – and turned it into a powerhouse company.

Yet ideas alone aren’t worth much. Very few companies, including eBay, became successful based on just an idea. Unless your idea turns into a patent that no one can replicate, it’s worth nothing until you can add the right elements to it.

Therefore a savvy entrepreneur will quickly try to back their idea with smart management, paying customers, and strategic partners as early as possible in order to build value around their idea. All of this can be done even before the company is ever officially launched, generating a ton of value in the formative stages.

Smart Management There’s an old saying that the wrong idea with the right management team can at least have a chance of surviving, but the right idea with the wrong management team is altogether doomed.

That’s because the true value of an idea isn’t about the idea itself, it’s about the execution of that idea. There were lots of companies that easily replicated the idea of on-line auctions to compete with eBay. Do you remember them? No? Neither do I. That’s because eBay’s management team executed so much better than their competitors who had the exact same idea.

You can brag and boast about your great idea, but unless you can pull together a team that can actually pull it off, you’ve got nothing. Investors are well aware of this fact, which is why they often evaluate their investments on the merits of the management team of a new startup company more so than the business idea itself.

You can pull together a management team on paper without having to actually hire all of the members. Many startups have commitments from each key member of their management team long before the company actually launches, and most of those folks will probably be working at their old jobs for a while even after the company launches.

Article taken from Go Big Network / http://www.gobignetwork.com/

Posted in A Franchise Chat, Articles, General, Young Chefs Academy | No Comments »

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