In the recent survey published by the National Minority Franchising Initiative, Moran Industries, one of the nation’s leading auto aftermarket franchisor, was named as one of the top 50 franchise opportunities for minority business owners.

The NMFI selected the 50 winners from a list of over 300 companies. Each franchisor’s Franchise Disclosure Document and marketing packages sent to prospective franchisees were evaluated. Companies were also required to complete a questionnaire which highlighted such topics as minority leadership roles, minority representation within franchise system and minority incentive programs offered.

Final selection was a function of many factors that included historical performance, brand identification, market dynamics, franchisee satisfaction, the level of initial training and on-going support and financial stability, as well as the results of the questionnaire.

“Being recognized by such a prestigious national organization for our dedication to actively recruit and support minorities within our system, is a great honor,” said Barbara Moran, President and CEO of Moran Industries. “We want to recruit franchisees that are not only interested in running a business but also understand the culture of the clients they serve.”

Logo from Moran Industries, Inc.

Almost two years ago, Franchise Interviews launched their first national radio show. Their mission in creating the show was to introduce and educate aspiring entrepreneurs on franchising. Using a grass roots marketing approach, they have been able to generate thousands of visitors to their website FranchiseInterviews.com as well as thousands of listeners and subscribers to their weekly franchise radio show and franchise newsletter.

On Thursday, November 20 at 10AM EST, Don Johnson and Marty McDermott will discuss the last two years. They will talk about highlights from the last 100 shows, what they learned, what is ahead for the next two years and even some funny moments from the show. You will also here clips from legends in franchising like:

• Jim Rudolph, CEO of Rita’s Water Ice franchise opportunity
• The legendary Michael Gerber
• Hall of fame speaker Warren Greshes
• John Hewitt, founder of Jackson Hewitt and Liberty Tax franchise opportunity
• George Naddaff, founder of Boston Market franchise opportunity
• Kevin Hein, one of the top franchise attorneys in the country.

Screenshot from Franchise Interviews.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Mark Cuban has been charged with insider trading, apparently because he unwittingly received confidential information and then traded on it.

Cuban is not a insider, nor did he accept a fiduciary relationship.

They say that behind every legal defence is great story.

So here is Cuban's defence.

The change should be seamless, but won't be because technology throws up surprises.

The new BizOp News will have the following features:

a) replies to comments, a sophisticated threading system which allows you to respond to commentators.

b) the ability to register for the site.

c) a much faster load time.  much faster.

d) finally, an easier navigation system.

Retailer Mattress Firm said it plans to buy five of its local stores from a Birmingham franchisee for an undisclosed sum.

The mattress retailer has signed a letter of intent to buy the stores from Blue Ocean Waters LLC, which began opening local retail locations in 2007.

The acquisition brings Mattress Firm’s corporate-owned stores total to 530 in 44 markets in 21 states, said a news release.

Logo from Mattress Firm.

Shares of Papa John’s International Inc. fell nearly 4 percent Thursday, a day after the pizza-delivery company said it will provide loans and offer some cost and royalty rate relief to its franchisees.

After the regular session closed Wednesday, the Louisville, Ky., company said it would provide loans to help “operationally strong” franchisees so they can acquire “troubled” franchise groups.

The fast-food chain said it would convene a “lender’s summit” to bring together regional banks and other lenders to explain its business model in a bid to expand credit to franchisees.

Logo from Papa Johns.

Customer service is more important than low prices when it comes to luring and keeping loyal customers, according to a new survey by Accenture.

More than two thirds of over 4,000 consumers surveyed worldwide said they’ve switched businesses as the result of a poor customer service experience, the New York-based management consulting firm reported this week. By contrast, just over half said lower prices lured them elsewhere.

The difference was even more dramatic among American consumers, with nearly 75 percent saying they’ve switched service providers due to poor service, compared to 47 percent who were drawn by lower prices.

The survey also found that customer loyalty continues to erode as consumer expectations rise.

Most respondents said they demand more from businesses than they did a year ago, and many said they will demand even more in the years ahead. Twenty percent of respondents said they would immediately leave a business as the result of poor service, up seven percent from a similar survey last year, the firm reported.

Photo by thadz.

Read the rest of the Papa John's article here.

They look like pumpkins in the field, and the end product is marketed as “pumpkin seeds,” but technically they are squash and squash seeds.

Despite the elastic terminology, Autumn Seed Inc. has firmed up its grasp on the market in the past 60 years. Howard Ropp’s father started the business back in 1943, producing 100,000 pounds of seeds. Now Howard and his son Greg oversee a company putting out 2.5 million pounds in a good year.

“We’re the only ones in the U.S. doing this,” Greg Ropp said. “Our only competitor is China. And they can’t match us for quality.”

“We build our own harvesters, which handle up to 60,000 pounds a day,” Howard Ropp said. “We’ve got nine of them, and run six at a time, but we don’t sell them.”

“The Chinese would love to have these machines,” Greg Ropp added.

“Our harvest runs from September through about the second week of November,” he said. “We’ve got about 15 full-time workers right now, and four full-time year-round - two full-time fabricators and two in the warehouse. A lot of retired guys come work for us during harvest, driving and whatnot.”

The dried squash seeds are shipped to several roasters, “David and Sons being one you’d recognize,” Greg Ropp said. Once the seeds are roasted and ready for market, then they can be called pumpkin seeds, he said.

Photo by ecstaticist.

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