| April 11, 2012 | News for the franchise sector |
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- Franchises are looking for Latinos to join the business
Latinos account for a fairly small segment of franchise owners. Some franchises -- such as Cruise One, Yogurtland and Soccer Shots -- are trying to attract more Hispanic franchisees. "Some of our most successful stores are in Hispanic neighborhoods, but finding operators from the community is always difficult," said Yogurtland's Larry Sidoti. FoxNews.com
(4/9)     
- The making of a Subway breakfast campaign
Ad agencies WDCW and McKinney showed different approaches as they vied to create a winning breakfast campaign for Subway in the first episode of AMC's "The Pitch." The ad world has been debating whether participating in reality TV is in the best interest of the clients, but Subway says it has seen nothing but success from similar media partnerships. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Food & Beverage
(4/10)
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Winners of "The Pitch" promote Subway idea on Twitter: Calling it a "happy accident," Subway has followed its featured role in the new AMC series "The Pitch" with "promoted trend" ads via Twitter that show the fruit of the competition between agencies. ClickZ
(4/9)
- McDonald's pushes suppliers to perfect the fries
McDonald's serves about 9 million pounds of french fries around the world each day. As consumers increasingly demand more information about where their food comes from and rivals gear up to take on the quickservice giant's fries, McDonald's aims to stay on top of its game with campaigns that focus on potato farmers and a semiannual contest that challenges suppliers to cook the perfect McDonald's fry. Bloomberg
(4/8)
| Best Practices & Business Leadership |  |  |
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- Bosses should get a taste of their own medicine
Bosses should simmer their leadership philosophy down to a handful of succinct maxims, then share the list with their peers, workers and even families, Mike Figliuolo writes. Give the people around you permission to call you out when you betray those core principles, and you'll soon find yourself becoming the kind of leader you aspire to be, Figliuolo says: "There's nothing that tastes worse than your own medicine." ThoughtLeaders blog
(4/9)
- Number crunching isn't an effective way to manage talent
While most companies use "talent analytics," a better -- and cheaper -- way to get a handle on what talent needs and wants is simply engaging in face-to-face conversations, writes John Mills of Rideau Recognition Solutions. "Get out and talk to workers. Get to know them. Find their passions and reward great work regularly," Mills writes. IndustryWeek
(4/9)
 | Join us for the Refresh Leadership Live Simulcast, hosted by Express Employment Professionals, May 16. You'll hear a distinguished lineup of speakers' perspective on leadership, including Patrick Lencioni, Troy Aikman, and Dr. Bertice Berry. Register at refreshleadership.com/live |
- Restaurants create more than half a million new jobs
U.S. restaurants have added 562,600 new jobs in the past two years, and eateries now employ about 180,000 more workers than they did at their pre-recession peak, according to a National Restaurant Association analysis. In a separate survey, 24% of restaurant owners said they plan to further add to their staffs in the next six months. QSRMagazine.com
(4/9)
- Can green improvements boost quickservice sales?
Reducing packaging, installing energy efficient grass roofs and promoting nonbeef burgers with a smaller carbon footprint helped Sweden's Max Burgers become the country's top burger chain. Despite efforts by a few chains, sustainability efforts on a large scale haven't yet caught on with U.S. chains, but growing interest among younger consumers is likely to spur green changes, analysts say. Time.com
(4/9)
- Hospitals in a quandary over quickservice contracts
McDonald's operates eateries in 27 U.S. hospitals, many under long-term contracts. These and other in-house quickservice eateries are proving problematic as health care facilities move to provide visitors, staff and patients with healthier fare. McDonald's says its menus offer options to fit any diet, and some of its foods can be comforting to patients undergoing medical treatments. National Public Radio/The Salt blog
(4/9)
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"Buffett Rule" would harm franchise small-business owners
Franchise business owners could be significantly challenged in their efforts to expand and create new jobs because the "Buffett Rule" proposed by President Barack Obama on Tuesday would impose a tax increase on individuals and small-business owners with more than $1 million in revenue. The Senate is expected to hold a vote on the Buffett rule Monday. "What franchise business owners need is comprehensive tax reform that lowers the overall rate for both corporations and individuals and eliminates the complexities of existing credits and deductions," said IFA President and CEO Steve Caldeira, CFE.
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From rocket fire to fueling a franchise dream
Hunkered down in a bunker amid rocket fire in Iraq three years ago as part of their Middle East deployment in U.S. Army logistics, April Rose Blake and her future husband, Isaac Jackson, imagined their new lives as arty entrepreneurs. They talked nightly about their plans for establishing their Abrakadoodle franchise. Now, thanks to the franchise, which is a member of IFA's VetFran program, Isaac and April Rose are launching their dream in Oklahoma City. "As industrious veterans who have served our country well, Isaac and April Rose bring not only an amazing work ethic, but also a passion for art and education," said Abrakadoodle President and Co-Founder Rosemarie Hartnett, CFE.
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