Franchise Today

Michelle Fee is the founder and CEO of Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative. Backed by more than 35 years in the industry, Michelle is a well-rounded corporate travel veteran with in-depth knowledge in emerging travel trends and the franchise business.

Founded in 1994, Cruise Planners is now the nation’s largest network of home-based travel agents, yet Michelle maintains personal connections with franchise owners and even a mentor to new franchisees at the company’s STAR University.

Under Michelle’s leadership, Cruise Planners franchise owners are provided with unique marketing programs, hands-on training and cutting-edge tools allowing them to conduct business anywhere, anytime. She also leads a Home Office Team of more than 100 team members at Cruise Planners’ headquarters in Coral Springs, FL, which is full of Cruisitude.

Michelle is the recipient of numerous awards and has been named Ultimate CEO, Entrepreneur of the Year and Woman of the Year from media outlets and charity organizations. She has been quoted as an expert in The New York Times, USA Today, Entrepreneur, Inc. and other well-known publications. Cruise Planners is also highly decorated, with countless awards and accolades from the world’s leading travel and franchise partners.

Kit Vinson is a marketing specialist with over 20 years of experience from the ground up. His resume includes corporations such as Hillenbrand Industries, Service Corp. International and Infinity Broadcasting, showing his experience in advertising, financial services, and manufacturing. Kit earned an MBA from The American Graduate School of International Management (a.k.a. Thunderbird) in 1994. His fields of study include International Marketing and the Spanish language. He has also completed business studies at the University of London in London, England and language studies in Antigua, Guatemala.  Kit’s entrepreneurial ventures and his experience working for Fortune 500 corporations have given him a unique perspective into the business world.

Kit is very active outside of work as a volunteer basketball coach for the YMCA, and the Den Leader, Assistant Pack Master, and Committee Chair for Cub Scout Pack 847.

Kit is also the host of an industry specific podcast called The Franchise Manual Podcast. Using this vehicle, Kit is creating a resource library for start-up and emerging franchisors, to help them as they travel down the road of franchising. His podcast has been downloaded by listeners across the U.S and 42 countries. Next up, on Franchise Today!

Bette Fetter is the Founder and CEO of Young Rembrandts.  She is also the author of Being Visual: Raising a Generation of Visual Thinkers!  Bette’s life’s work has been focused on the importance of creative arts and visual learning in children.  Her true passion for kids, art, teaching and creativity, is what helped Bette launch a $35 a week part-time hobby into a multi-million-dollar, international franchise business. 

Today, this mother of 4, tells us how "life balance" contributed to the growth of this 100-unit, International franchise system.  With franchisees successfully operating in 28 states, South Korea, Germany and the Middle East, she has Young Rembrandts geared up and positioned to begin growing the next hundred locations.  Primary geographical targets include the US, Canada, China and India. 

Bette Fetter shares her passion, her story and moroe about her journey, this week on Franchise Today.

Christian Pillat is passionate about transforming disruptive ideas into actionable business strategies.  As co-CEO of TRANSITIV, he does just that.  Transitiv provides franchisors and franchisees with cutting edge intelligence about their customers and local store marketing.  By enabling franchisees to identify their best customers, they can then market more effectively to them and bring them back more often.  They can also target more customers like them and increase their average spend and frequency of visits.

This Grandpre is all about slow and steady... No race here!  Chris Grandpre is the Chairman and CEO of Outdoor Living Brands, the franchisors of multiple brands:  Archadeck, the world's leading designer and builder of custom decks, porches, sun rooms, patios and outdoor living spaces; Outdoor Lighting Perspectives, whose name is self explanatory, Renew Crew, a cleaning and protection company caring for a wide variety of exterior surfaces at residential and commercial properties; and Conserva-Irrigation, focused on the service and maintenance of sprinkler systems in a water-efficient manner. Outdoor Living Brands is also formerly the franchisor of Mosquito Squad, which they recently sold to Authority Brands, in December, 2018.

Chris Grandpre sets the strategic direction for the company, across 250 existing franchisees, is the scout for future acquisitions, and proudly fosters a corporate culture of innovation and service, both internally and throughout the multiple franchise communities of their brands.

Jonathan Barnett is Founder, President and CEO of Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning, one of the fastest growing cleaning franchises in North America, with over 300 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Their Mission is to be an environmentally friendly, green carpet cleaning company, who’s #1 goal is to provide their customers with the highest quality carpet cleaning experience in the industry and accomplish this with excellent service and support throughout all levels of the company. Listen, as he explains how he is accomplishing this, with both consumers and his franchisees.

Angela Cote is a second-generation franchising pro and consultant, from the Canadian Pacific Northwest.  Angela refers to herself as a Franchise Growth Catalyst.  Uniquely, she has experienced both sides of franchisor-franchisee relationships.  Her family founded the iconic Canadian franchise brand, M&M Meat Shops, a hugely well-known and successful franchise company that grew to just under 500 locations  from Cost-to-Coast across Canada and has won multiple business awards and distinctions, along the way. 

Today, Angela helps emerging franchisors reach their growth goals faster as well as having some fun while doing it.  She is with an organization called Cultivate Advisors and she is here to share some stories about growing up inside a franchise family and how that helps her guide, counsel and consult with emerging brands today.

The UPS Store, Inc. recently launched, Mission: Veteran Entrepreneurship, a program offering significant financial incentives – valued at nearly $300,000 – for a select group of qualified U.S. military veterans to help open their own The UPS Store® franchise location.  

The UPS Store, Inc. is proud to support America’s U.S. armed forces as they pursue starting their own business and as a part of this effort the company will waive the franchise license fees for 10 first-time veteran franchisees.  

The UPS Store, Inc. is accepting franchise application packets through Monday, Nov. 11, 2019 (Veterans Day).

Chris Adkins, The UPS Store's Vice President of Franchise and Business Development will discuss this and more during this episode of Franchise Today.

During this episode of Franchise Today, Chip Baranowski talks about he awards franchises, with Authority.  As VP of Franchise Development for Authority Brands, Chip discusses everything from marketing and lead generation, to processes, procedures and pipeline, funnel and candidate management.  All that and more, on this episode of Franchise Today.

In the Front of the House, I talk with Ryan Hicks, about his 15 day, Multi-State Modrn Businss Podcast Road Show and tour, starting July 15th.  Then, my interview this week is with Brig Sorber, Chief Brand Officer and co-founder of Two Men and a Truck. He and his brother Jon started in the early 1980s as a way to make extra money while in high school. 30 years later, the company has grown to more than 350 locations worldwide.  This brand has a great story and a powerful culture.  It's all been born out of a great family's shared belief in focusing on giving.    

Their mission:  Continuously strive to exceed customers' expectations in value and high standards of satisfaction.  

Brig shares how his family built their brand through servant leadership.  He believes that this more than anything, is the fuel that has powered their growth.  From movers and office personnel, to franchisees and the communities that they serve, everyone is on the same page, at Two Men and a Truck.