Auntie Anne’s® to Celebrate National Pretzel Day with Free Pretzels

Welcome Rebecca Monet into The Franchise Woman Partnership

by The Franchise Woman

The Franchise Woman magazine is thrilled to announce that Publisher, Elizabeth Denham, has welcomed Rebecca Monet as partner and Co-Publisher starting immediately.

“Having Rebecca join The Franchise Woman team will elevate the magazine in terms of quality and exposure,” Denham said. “With her roots in the franchising space and her dedication to empowering women, she will help us provide an even higher level of quality and content – and she adds another layer of fun, fierce and fabulous!”

The partnership brings together two women from different generations, different experiences, different political perspectives, different backgrounds, different points of view and one common goal. That goal is to provide a community of women who support each other in business and in life, the resources, tools and connections they need to thrive.

“We want to provide a haven for women in which everyone is welcomed and included,” Monet said. “And the fact that we are an independent magazine means that our doors are open to anyone who needs support and information.”

Denham agreed.

“Giving women a community in which they have a voice and the power to ask for advice, insight or just a friendly ear is so important to us,” she said. “We want women to feel empowered and providing them this space and the education and resources they need will benefit not just women, but the businesses they run as well.”

And be sure to stay tuned. The two have big plans for the next year.

“We are planning on making The Franchise Woman more than just a magazine,” Monet said. “We have already launched our podcast, Where Passion and Purpose Collide, and we can’t wait to build more opportunities for women.”

As we create more resources for women in franchising, be sure to keep in touch as we update our brand and reach out to women to see how we can offer support, tools and connections going forward.

Rebecca Monet

Rebecca Monet is CEO and chief scientist of Zorakle Profiles and has been in the franchise consulting and psychometric assessment business since 1993. Monet is known for her uncanny ability to draw performance correlations. She is fascinated with neurology, neuroeconomics and human performance as it relates to business success.

Monet is the inventor of the meta-analysis methodology used in Zorakle’s SpotOn! Profile and SpotOn! Eclipse Reports which categorically compare prospective franchisees to a franchise system’s top performers. This meta-analysis approach provides insights no singular profile, survey, algorithm or assessment can, and has changed the way in which franchise companies recruit and select franchisees.

Zorakle tools provide franchise companies a means to reduce training, support and litigation costs while increasing franchisee satisfaction, validation and performance. They have helped thousands of individuals desiring to own their own business find a right-fit franchise system. A business in which they have the highest likelihood of success and satisfaction. The SpotOn! System is Monet’s most comprehensive and predictive work to date.

Elizabeth Denham

Elizabeth Denham is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of The Franchise Woman. Elizabeth has a passion for helping women find and use their voices both in their businesses and in their lives. This passion has led her to produce The Franchise Woman as a resource to provide inspiration, practical business tools and new opportunities for entrepreneurial women in the franchise industry.

Elizabeth has had an extensive career in writing, digital media and marketing. She is Editor of Relocating Fauquier County and has edited and written for Relocating Baldwin County. She has written and published two books: “Sweeten the Deal: How to Spot and Avoid the Big Red Flags in Online Dating,” a memoir and advice book for women going through divorce and dating and “Moving Day: Overcoming the Fear of Change,” a children’s book. She wrote a blog on the Huffington Post for five years and has appeared on HuffPost Live and the Daily Brew television program. She has also been featured on John Tesh’s “Intelligence for Your Life” as a relationship expert. She uses her project, “Pursuit of Humanity: Voices of Alabama,” to demonstrate her belief in the humanity of all and to advocate for the acceptance and understanding of the LGBTQ community.

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Optimism in a Time of Crisis

by Elizabeth Denham

“When I see crisis, I see opportunity and innovation. I believe how you handle this crisis tells people who you are. And I believe we will come out better and stronger.”

Rebecca Monet, the founder and president of Zorakle, a company offering a customized suite of assessments used to determine franchisee-franchisor compatibility, believes more good than bad will come from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I believe individuals and businesses will develop a co-opetition mentality – meaning that we will learn to collaborate with our competitors,” she said. “This kind of time tends to make us come together to help each other. People are coming up with new ideas and ways of running their businesses that will last long past the coronavirus.”

Monet credits Dr. Douglas Jackson, an expert in the field of human assessment, with her resiliency and positive outlook.

“When I was in my 20s, I was a young mother with two babies. I was recently divorced and so lost. My uncle introduced me to Dr. Jackson who founded Sigma Assessment Systems, he gave me an assessment and he was there when I started my process of self-discovery,” she said. “He mentored me as a friend, and he told me someday I would be a business owner/entrepreneur.”

Jackson taught Monet how to leverage her gifts to become a more satisfied human being. She said he planted seeds in her over time that helped her grow into who she is today.

“I used what I learned from mentors about how to become successful,” she said. “And I think it is important, especially now, to know that we are not alone.”

Monet tells a story of a singular moment that changed her life. She had been doing one-on-one consultations with businesses identifying values, conflict, belief systems and strategies that could be holding them back from success. She was asked to speak at what she thought was a board meeting -fairly routine for her. It turned out, when she arrived, she realized she was speaking to 300 people – not routine at all!

“It was an overwhelming, scary feeling,” she said. “I was on stage for the first time, and it was like something took over. The things coming out of my mouth came out in a way I had never seen – I was more articulate than I had ever been. I spoke for three hours. And in that moment, my life changed.”

Monet said she had to overcome her conservative, religious upbringing that taught her that as a woman, she was to be quiet and submissive. In getting past the gender role issues, programmed into her from childhood, she was able to step into the gifts she didn’t know she had – until that day.

“It would never have happened without Dr. Jackson,” she said. “And without my insatiable curiosity about who or what I was meant to be.” I had the raw material, and in that moment, all of the pieces came together.”

Monet likens her experience to what we are collectively going through today.

“When you are faced with challenges, when you are feeling attacked, it’s painful. But it often allows us to build muscles to fight back and have bigger impact,” she observed. “You learn that you need to build your own tribe, sense of self and confidence.”

Monet believes that this pandemic, a universal challenge, will help us grow our strength and resiliency collectively, and that we will come out of it with new ideas and stronger relationships.

“When we invest in relationships, the benefits are beyond money. It’s about mental health, physical health and emotional intimacy. And those are the things that will help us sustain and grow our businesses as well. I am excited about the future, and I can’t wait to see what comes from all of this.”

For more information about Zorakle, please visit https://www.zorakleprofiles.com/

5 Questions an Emerging Franchisor Should Answer “Yes” to Before Franchising

by Marietta Snetsinger

Have you been thinking about franchising but aren’t sure if your business is ready? It’s important to look deeply into every aspect of your business to evaluate if it’s suitable or ready to franchise.

Here are 5 questions to ask yourself before you Franchise:

Is your business highly profitable?

Profitability is important in determining whether or not you’re ready to franchise. What is considered highly profitable? You want to be generating more income than your direct competitors or other similar businesses in your industry. There needs to be enough margin in the business to allow yourself and your franchisee to receive a percentage of it while still generating revenue. As an emerging franchisor, you’ll need to go line-by-line through your business to ensure that all possible areas that could increase the profitability of your business have been executed. This could include incorporating any technology that might help. Overall, you’ve gotten your business to a profitable place.

Is your business established?

Is your brand or name recognizable? Are you considered a subject matter expert (SME) in your area? Do you have positive reviews on Google? You want to be able to answer yes to these questions as a way to ensure you’ve established your business and to continue to positively grow your reputation. You need to take action in order to build your reputation because the better your reputation, the more attractive your business is to potential franchisees. If you haven’t taken steps towards establishing your business, you can work on it right now. Here are some easy ways to start establishing your brand and growing your reputation today:

PR events
Personal branding
Association involvement

Writing articles
Speaking events
Apply for awards

Do you have a clear sales and marketing plan?

Along with your business being established, you also want to make sure that you have clear branding that is consistent throughout your various platforms (websites, social pages, etc.). You’ve registered your trademark and if you haven’t yet, you are ready and thinking about it. You also have clarity around what it is that you do different and better in your space. Another important factor is having a proven sales and marketing funnel. You want to have figured out how to attract and retain customers through this funnel and created a continuous flow of customers. Along with this, you’ve figured out how to get your existing customers to consume more of your products or services and return to your business on a regular basis.

Can your business function without you?

You should be beginning to add system processes to your business that will allow you to remove yourself from it. Instead of doing the work yourself, you are now the leader of the organization with a team implementing your day-to-day business practices for you. From here, you’ve stepped into a visionary role that allows you to focus on the bigger picture when it comes to your business. Basically, you’ve added system processes in a way that you’ve replaced yourself so that if you didn’t show up tomorrow, the business isn’t going to fall apart.

Do you have an end result in mind?

You need to begin your franchise journey with the end in mind and start thinking about how to connect with people who would be interested in your business as a franchise. This can be started with an email list. You can keep potential franchisees engaged while you prepare your business to be franchised. Consider sending relevant articles about becoming a franchisee, what your franchise model looks like, or the steps you’ve taken in your franchise journey, for example. Use this engagement as a way to begin a relationship with them so they can tag along for the ride and be kept up to date.

Shifting to a Home-Based Business in the Time of COVID-19

by Susan Scotts

Right now there are so many unknowns for our future and so much fear, uncertainty and doubt in the world.  Many people have been furloughed, laid off or let go by their employers.  According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), “The coronavirus pandemic will cause a severe economic contraction, 14.4 million job losses and a spike in the unemployment rate this spring.”  

In a WSJ survey of business and academic economists, it is predicted that the unemployment rate will hit 13 percent in June this year and still be at ten percent in December.  To give you an example, the jobless rate in March was 4.4 percent. The world, and employment, as we know it has shifted.  SHIFT HAPPENS. But we have to remember that it is not what happens to us, but how we react to it, that is truly important.

Perhaps you have always wanted to work for yourself or would like to learn how to become more self-sufficient.  By leveraging a proven system of doing business, also known as a franchise, you can!  There are many low-investment, excellent opportunities that will allow you to leverage your talents and background which are either home-based or virtual.  These businesses will allow you the flexibility to be there for your children and your family, to take time to travel, and to do what you want when you want to.  This allows you to be in control, so that if a next government ordered seclusion comes, you can still have the opportunity to create income for yourself.

Why not use this quarantine time wisely to learn about new opportunities and perhaps spark the change we need in key areas of our lives?  Now is a perfect chance to re-evaluate our priorities and re-think what is really important to us going forward.  

There’s never been a better time to learn what home-based or virtual businesses might be a good match for you.  There are also options for essential businesses that can really help your community.  The Small Business Administration (SBA) has just approved forgiveness for the first six months of any new SBA loan.  Not only can you possibly use the government’s money to fund the business at the lowest rates ever and pay yourself a salary, but the SBA is offering to forgive the first six months in payments in some cases. These incentives are for a limited time only, so why not investigate all the options available to you as you consider your current options.  Gather the facts and information versus living in fear and waiting to see what happens.  Last I looked, hope is not a good business strategy!  And as one of my clients best put it, “There’s never been a better time to get into business than now.”   

I’m hoping the country can return to normal for everyone’s sake soon, whatever the “new” normal is going to be.  Are you going to allow things to happen to you, or are you going to be proactive and in control by creating your own future?   As Alan Larkin so wisely put it, “Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.”

How to Deliver Bad News In a Good Way

By Nancy Friedman

A long time ago, we at Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training, decided to remove whatever negativity in our life we could. We removed as many negative words, negative thoughts, and, yes, even negative people as we could. This has proven to be fortuitous during the current pandemic crisis. Many of you are probably giving some not-so-greatnews to your customers and maybe even to your employees.

Even during normal times, every once in awhile, owners, managers or staff will need to share negative (bad) news with their customers. We asked ourselves how we could do that effectively without saying, “I have some bad news.” receiving bad news. So what we did was remove the words “bad news.” We just don’t say it. The customer NEVER hears it. When the ‘you know what’ hits the fan and you need to call a customer to explain something that’s not just right, try our Telephone Doctor “mission possible” technique. It works faceto-face, as well.

It simply goes like this. “Mrs. Jones, I have some good news, and I have some not good news; which would you prefer to hear first?” You let the customer decide what they want to hear first. Good news or not so good news first.

Here’s an example: Let’s use the premise that their order did not come in time to make the original appointment.

You: Hi Mrs. Customer. This is Dan from XYZ. Do you have a quick moment to talk? (Without that question, your call is always an interruption.)

Mrs. Customer: Sure, Dan.

You: Good, thanks. (WITH A BIG SMILE) I have some good news, and I have some not good news; which would you like to hear first?

Mrs. Customer: Well, I like good news. Let me hear the good news first.

You: Hi Mrs. Customer. This is Dan from XYZ do you have a moment to talk?

Mrs. Customer: Sure, what’s going on? I was looking to hear from you.

You: Well I have some good news and some not so good news; which would you like to hear first? (Notice we always give the client a choice of what they want to hear first.)

Mrs. Customer: Well, let’s get the bad news over with.

You: Me, too. The good news is your product has been ordered and is alive and well and on the way. All is good on that end. The not so good news is there is a 3-day delay. A bit later than we had anticipated.

If you can offer something to ‘smooth’ the feathers, this is a good time to do it; however, shared positively, it usually works well.

You: The not so good news is the product you ordered has a three-day delay making my promise to you not so good news. The good news is you are first on the list to get it installed on the same day it comes in. Certainly, we apologize, and I know you understand the delay is not on our end, but we do take responsibility for it.

Now let’s try it when the customer wants the not so good news first.

“I’m not sure about you, but I’ve never met anybody who enjoys receiving bad news. Every industry has situations that call for delivering bad news. (Or rather ‘not so good news.’) And this technique will fit every industry. I’ve used it for years. And a bonus? It’s GREAT in your personal life as well! It has always lightened the load and made things much easier.

KEY: Delivery, tone of voice, confidence and smiling are all critical in delivering this statement. There can be no “ummmms” or “ahhh” or over-apologizing.

What bothers people the most is when you don’t offer them an alternative, or you just give them “bad news” without helping.

REMEMBER: No one wants to hear “bad news.” And most people can adapt to “not so good news.”

The other day my husband came to me and said, “Hey Nancy, I’ve got some good news and some not so good news; which would you like to hear first?”

I fell for it and said, “Well, give me the good news first.”

He said, “Well, the good news is our new puppy is doing very well on potty training; the not so good news is – his mistakes are on your side of the bed.”

Laughter lightens the load. Especially now.

Nancy Friedman, Founder and Chairman of Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training, is a sought-after speaker for franchise and corporate conferences, sharing tips and advice in customer service, communication and sales. As a former franchisor, she brings the good, bad and ugly for us to review. Author of nine books, Nancy can be reached at www.nancyfriedman.com, or email her at nancy@telephonedoctor.com or call: 314-291-1012 CST.

Navigating Disaster Relief Programs During COVID-19

Do You Qualify?

by Elizabeth Denham

Bethany Barnes, Director of Business Development at Rapid Business Plans, is using her experience to help businesses navigate the process of applying for stimulus monies to keep them afloat through the pandemic crisis.

“I write business plans every day for people who are applying for SBA loans for their businesses,” Barnes said. “I know what banks are looking for and how to help them through the process.”

When Barnes realized the impact the coronavirus was going to have on the economy, she knew her skillset could help people try to weather the storm and stay in business.

“We are doing whatever we can to help,” she said. “We are sending out information, resources and links as we get them. Some people are great at doing it all themselves, and we guide them to resources. Others hire us to complete the process from start to finish and send their documentation to our Dropbox so that we can do all of the heavy lifting.”

The process Barnes takes people through is fairly simple. There is a questionnaire on her website to help you determine if you qualify. Credit is a factor in qualifying. If your credit score is below 640, she will recommend that you do not apply, and she will suggest other options. Once it is determined that you may qualify, Barnes will help you research what you qualify for in your state and through federal programs.

“We have been recommending businesses apply for as much as eight months of expenses,” Barnes said. “We think that is a reasonable timeframe to expect to be impacted by the crisis.”

“We have been recommending businesses apply for as much as eight months of expenses. Disqualifying Factors • Credit below 640 • An arrest within the last six months • Previous defaults on government loans Programs State Bridge the Gap Loans Programs vary from state to state, but in Florida, for example, you can apply for up to $50,000, 12 months, interest-free. This money would be paid back from proceeds from business interruption insurance or federal disaster assistance. Barnes can let you know what your state is offering. Federal SBA Disaster Loans – EIDL and PPP7(a) Loans Economic Injury Disaster Loan- The federal government has set aside $50 billion (possibly more in the future) in SBA disaster loans that you can obtain for your business or for personal disaster assistance. Low-interest loans up to $2 million are available at a proposed 3.75% rate amortized over up to 30 years. A credit score of under 640 will be immediately rejected and we cannot recommend applying. PPP- Provides up to two months of payroll, rent and utility expense that can be forgiven. If you have received an EIDL loan for different purposes, you are also eligible for this loan. If you have access to other traditional lending, you may not qualify for this program. Traditional SBA 7(a) Loans The CARES Act passed by Congress on Friday, March 27 has a provision providing six months of payments for all SBA 7(a) loans—existing and new—which are not deferments, but rather full payments of principal and interest to the lender for which the borrower will never be responsible again. For new SBA 7(a) borrowers, six months of payments of principal, interest and any associated fees beginning with the first payment due on the loan is available for new loans made within the first six months starting from the date of enactment (3/27/2020).

All in all, Barnes is helping people in whatever ways she can. She has done everything from sending out recipes to helping set up grocery delivery for people. She even helped an ICU nurse get set up with a trauma therapist.

“It’s important to look at ways we can help during this chaotic time,” she said. “I believe the franchise industry will be resilient, and these loans can help them get through the crisis. When they get through it, there will be more of the market share available to them, and they will come out stronger.”

For more information, visit www. rapidbusinessplans.com or text Rapid Business Plans office line at 904.999.3133.

Leadership in the Time of Crisis

by Elizabeth Denham

The Crisis

“Mentorship is absolutely critical, especially in this time of coronavirus. It goes back to the idea of never stopping learning.”

IFA Chair and FASTSIGNS® CEO Catherine Monson has taken her leadership roles to a new level during the COVID-19 pandemic which has impacted every business across every industry. From webinars to videos and from early preparation to constant communication and support she has not, for one moment stopped trying to protect her people. She continually supports her franchisees and ensure the franchising community will weather the storm and come out strong and intact.

“We have had to address issues from both a practical standpoint and an emotional one,” Monson said. “And the principles of success that I speak about are even more critical right now, especially the one about never stopping learning. While I always knew we would face another recession, I didn’t know it would be due to a worldwide health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented, so we have had to continue learning and adjusting and pushing forward.”

Monson often speaks about what she believes are the Five Common Characteristics of Highly Successful People. Those characteristics are:

1. Positive Mental Attitude 2. Goal-Directed Behavior 3. Self Motivation 4. A Sense of Urgency 5. Never Stopping Learning

Emotional Support

When the pandemic began, Monson had a conference call with 500 franchisees to discuss the issues and offer reassurance. Her usual “Connect with Catherine” conference calls with her franchisees took place every eight weeks and have now become weekly calls. She began creating weekly videos for her franchisees to build their skills in focusing on what they can control, perseverance and resilience; she shared those with the IFA, which posted them on their coronavirus site for membership. IFA members responded positively and at the request of the IFA senior team, she has made and distributed videos specifically for the IFA membership discussing courage, self-talk and keeping a positive mental attitude, to name a few. She has shared her story of overcoming struggles, and she has encouraged bravery.

Scared is what I’m feeling. Brave is what I’m doing. “

“Scared is what I’m feeling. Brave is what I’m doing,” she said in one video as she continually encourages leaders to rise to the challenge. She guides organizations to use the power of courage and positive thinking to push out fearful and negative thoughts and meet each day anew.

Practical Support

As FASTSIGNS® CEO, Monson has analyzed operations, supply chain and the reality of remote working and social distancing. She has provided guidance and instruction to her franchise network on how to pivot and produce COVID-oriented signage and other products19-. She has provided guidelines for using remote platforms, offered best practices for working from home and helped with navigating a recession.

“A year-and-a-half ago, I had the team begin working on a document called, ‘How to Weather the Next Recession,’” she said. “It was 95 percent done last summer. Seventy-five percent of it applies to all businesses and the other 25 percent to the signage industry. We pulled it out, polished it and renamed it, ‘How to Weather the Next Economic Storm or Time of Uncertainty.’ We sent it out several weeks ago. It includes specific and detailed action steps to build sales, reduce expenses and improve cash flow.”

FASTSIGNS® created a special website solely to support franchisees during this pandemic called the “Prepared” site. It includes a deep collection of information on operations, technology, supply chain, real estate support, sales support and COVID-19-specific marketing materials. Franchisees send in photos of the signs and products they are selling and share success stories, all of which are posted to the “Prepared” site, inspiring and motivating fellow franchisees. The site also includes educational information about social distancing and provides artwork for the stores to sell to customers about social distancing, new business practices, etc.

FASTSIGNS® has also begun offering sneeze guards and safety barriers to protect employees of essential businesses, face guards for essential workers and even intubation shields to keep medical workers safe. gressional Leadership, the White House and with Steve Mnuchin on legislation to help save small businesses; the IFA was instrumental in getting many franchise businesses protection in the CARES Act. The IFA is providing daily webinars— often two to three a day— for everyone on the IFA member list. The webinars are designed for franchisees and franchisors and provide ideas and advice on how to navigate this crisis. The IFA has brought in franchisors, suppliers and franchisees to offer advice and provide tools.

“Our goal is to provide value to every IFA member,” Monson said. “We want them to know we are here for them during this crisis and beyond. And together, we will get through it and come out even stronger.”

Marketing Your Franchise in the Time of Social Distancing

By Michele Rempel, Managing Partner, Westvyne

As the owner of a marketing and website design company, I’ve had many intense conversations with business owners over the last few weeks. Some have had to close their doors as “non-essential,” while others have seen their revenues drop dramatically. A few have even seen an increase in business. What they all have in common is a question about what they should be doing with respect to marketing. You may have the same question, so here is a summary of what I have told our clients and anyone else who has asked:

Stay active. If your doors are closed or you have reduced business, it may feel weird or futile to continue posting on social media or sending out emails. Resist the urge to stop. More people than ever are on their phones, tablets and computers and are scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, emails, TikTok, etc. Remind them that you’re still here. Reassure them. You owe that to everyone.

Grow your audience. I’ve been telling everyone to make a concentrated effort to increase the number of connections you have on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. On Facebook, this is mostly achieved through placing an ad or sharing your page with friends, but on Instagram you can follow people/businesses in your geographic area and you’ll see many follow you back. Ask to connect with people on LinkedIn. Get your business out in front of more people right now. You’ll have a larger audience when your business is back up to speed.

Be real. Your customers and prospects are feeling weird right now too. Let people know what’s going on with your business and your employees. Consider recording a short video on your phone or on Zoom to talk about what’s happening. For example, we have a client who is the owner of a cleaning franchise. We helped her make a video in which she talked about what they are doing to keep their clients and employees safe. Her clients and prospects have appreciated the information and the time she took to reassure everyone.

Offer tips or helpful information. A few of our clients offer spa treatments and massages, but they are closed right now. So, they are offering self-care tips and educating their clients about products and techniques they can use while they are at home. Some are even inviting people to group Zoom calls to stay in touch and answer questions.

Thank your staff and customers/ clients. If you have had loyal customers or have experienced people buying gift cards for future use, etc., take the time to thank them on social media. You don’t have to name names necessarily, but letting people know you appreciate your customers’ loyalty and help goes a long way. In the same vein, if you have some employees that you would like to highlight, now is a great time to do so!

Make sure your Google My Business listing is updated with your current hours or status. If you’re offering delivery or curbside pickup, you can add that as well. Take some time to upload photos or refresh your listing. Send an email or post a message on Facebook asking loyal customers to leave you a Google or Facebook review. Don’t forget that you can post to Google My Business as well!

Search for your business on Google, Bing and Yelp and review how your business is showing up. Not coming up with the information you want? Take the time to update your listings or let your franchisor know that you need to update some details.

Do a website review. Go through your website with a fine-toothed comb. See anything that needs to be updated? Ask people who aren’t part of your business to give you their perspective. Does it ask the right questions? Does it look current? Is it clear and concise? Do photos need updating? If you have the ability to make updates, take the time to do that. If it’s up to your franchisor, make a list now and have a discussion with the powers that be.

Don’t be afraid of humor. Yes, these are serious times, but I have been amazed and delighted at some of the creativity and laughter generated by clever people at this time. Laughter helps heal and humor reveals the human behind a brand. (And if you’re unsure about posting or sharing something, ask a couple of trusted people first).

Bottom line: Now is a great time to intensify your marketing efforts and look at your marketing channels, online listings and offline materials with fresh eyes. Grow your audience, be real, say thank you, laugh a little and stay healthy! Grow your audience, be real, say thank you, laugh a little and stay healthy!

About Michele Rempel

Michele Rempel is the founder and managing partner of Westvyne, a marketing and website design firm based in California and Illinois. For almost a decade, she and her team have been guiding their clients in what to say, how to say it, where to say it, and who to say it to in order to attract and retain customers.

For more information about Westvyne, visit www.westvyne.com.

Mathnasium Soars in Entrepreneur Magazine Rankings

LOS ANGELES, CA – April 23, 2020 – Mathnasium Learning Centers, LLC recently ranked highly on two prestigious 2020 Entrepreneur magazine lists that target potential franchisees.

Mathnasium ranked No. 7 on Top 100 Franchises for Less Than $150,000 (Top Low-Cost). Mathnasium is the highest-ranking educational franchise on the Top Low-Cost list. Other companies ranked in the top 10 include The UPS Store, 7-Eleven and other household names.

Mathnasium also continues its swift ascent on Entrepreneur’s Fastest-Growing Franchises list, where it ranks No. 21 for 2020 – rising from No. 27 in 2019 and No. 33 in 2018. The top-ranked educational franchise, it scored higher than famous brands such as Holiday Inn, Pizza Hut and Ace Hardware.

Top rankings in the globally respected business publication signal excellent value and are highly sought-after. Both lists are based on Entrepreneur’s annual Franchise 500®, a highly competitive industry benchmark that analyzes over 1,100 companies. Earlier this year, Mathnasium rose to No. 29 on the 2020 Franchise 500® list, up from No. 40 in 2019.

To achieve a high rank, a company must score exceptionally well on measurements of brand strength, franchisee support, costs and fees, financial strength and stability, and company size and growth. Mathnasium began franchising in 2003, making its rapid climb to the top a remarkable success story.

Mathnasium expanded its service offering earlier this year with the introduction of Mathnasium@home. Mathnasium @home delivers live, face-to-face math instruction, through the internet, to parents who can’t bring their children into a physical center. The company expedited the global rollout of @home, ensuring that children can access the company’s signature Mathnasium Method™ from anywhere with an internet-connected computer.

Top 100 Franchises for Less Than $150,000 appears in Entrepreneur’s go-to print guide for expert advice on new business opportunities, Startups magazine.

About Mathnasium

The world’s leading math-only education franchise, Mathnasium teaches math so that children understand it, master it, and love it. The Mathnasium Method™ has transformed the lives of children in grades 2-12 since 2002. With more than 1,000 learning centers worldwide, Mathnasium is ranked #2 in Forbes’ Best Franchises to Buy in America for 2019.

SOURCE Mathnasium Learning Centers

Auntie Anne’s® to Celebrate National Pretzel Day with Free Pretzels

LANCASTER, PA, April 24, 2020 – Auntie Anne’s®, the world’s largest hand-rolled soft pretzel franchise, is celebrating National Pretzel Day on April 26 by giving away 25,000 free pretzels to frontline workers. In addition to nominating a frontline worker to receive a pretzel-pick-me-up, fans can claim their own National Pretzel Day offer when they download the Pretzel Perks app.

Pretzel fans can nominate their friends and family members who are frontline employees beginning Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26 at AuntieAnnes.com/Nominate. Auntie Anne’s will randomly select 25,000* of these frontline workers to receive a free Original or Cinnamon Sugar pretzel offer, as a way to show appreciation to all those keeping us safe and healthy during this time.

Additionally, all Pretzel Perks app users will receive an offer for a free Original or Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel with the purchase of any pretzel item, valid beginning Friday, April 24. To receive this exclusive National Pretzel Day offer, pretzel lovers should download and sign up for the Pretzel Perks app by Sunday, April 26. The offer has an extended expiration to allow fans plenty of time to redeem it.

“At Auntie Anne’s, National Pretzel Day is our favorite day of the year,” said Heather Neary, president of Auntie Anne’s. “We wanted to take this opportunity to share a little pretzel love not only with our fans, but also with all the frontline workers doing their best to keep us safe and healthy. From healthcare professionals and first responders, to restaurant employees and warehouse workers, we wanted to recognize their hard work and say thank you.”

To find an Auntie Anne’s location, visit auntieannes.com/locations. Auntie Anne’s hand-rolled soft pretzels come freshly baked in a variety of flavors including Original, Cinnamon Sugar, Sweet Almond, Sour Cream & Onion, Roasted Garlic & Parmesan, and Pepperoni. For guests on-the-go, Auntie Anne’s offers portable Pretzel Nuggets, Pretzel Dogs, and Mini Pretzel Dogs. With seven dipping sauces and a variety of drinks to accompany each pretzel, Auntie Anne’s is bound to hit the spot any time, any day.

About Auntie Anne’s®

With more than 1,800 locations in 48 states and more than 25 countries, Auntie Anne’s mixes, twists and bakes pretzels to golden brown perfection all day long in full view of guests. Auntie Anne’s can be found in malls and outlet centers, as well as in non-traditional spaces including universities, airports, Walmarts, travel plazas, military bases, and food trucks. Fans can now also order their favorite pretzels for catering and delivery. For more information, visit AuntieAnnes.com, or follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To receive the latest offers – including a free pretzel for your birthday – download the My Pretzel Perks app.

*The free pretzel giveaway is divided into three sweepstakes as follows: 500 pretzels each for residents of Florida and New York and remaining 24,000 pretzels to all other US residents. See below for more information.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Sweepstakes begins on April 24, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. ET and ends on April 26, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Open only to legal U.S. (excluding Florida and New York)* residents who are 13 years of age or older. Children must get their parent or legal guardian’s permission to enter. See Official Rules at https://auntieannes.com/-/media/auntie-annes/national-pretzel-day/2020sweepstakes including additional eligibility restrictions, prize descriptions/restrictions/ARVs and complete details. Many will enter, only 24,000 will win. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: Auntie Anne’s Franchisor SPV LLC 5620 Glenridge Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30342.

Florida: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to FL residents only 13 + (minors must have parental consent). See Official Rules: https://auntieannes.com/-/media/auntie-annes/national-pretzel-day/2020sweepstakes_FL. Only 500 will win. Odds of winning dependent on the number of eligible entries received.

New York: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to NY residents only 13 + (minors must have parental consent). See Official Rules: https://auntieannes.com/-/media/auntie-annes/national-pretzel-day/2020sweepstakes_NY. Only 500 will win. Odds of winning dependent on the number of eligible entries received.

SOURCE Auntie Anne’s