Home Service Franchising was featured in the Washington Post!

Lending slowdown puts chill on potential franchisers

By Nicole Norfleet
Monday, April 19, 2010

Tim Lynch, 31, wanted a career change.

He was one of thousands of potential franchisees milling about the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for the International Franchise Expo the weekend before last.

With banks freezing up on franchise lending, it's more difficult for potential franchisees to secure the financing they need to get their businesses off the ground. To help solve this problem and attract more franchisees, franchisers have cut start-up costs and some have offered financing themselves.

Lynch, an engineer for a defense contractor, said he was at the conference to get a feel for his opportunities. He walked from booth to booth on the expo's opening day, not sure exactly what kind of franchise he wanted. (Read More)

Franchisee Spotlight: Tony Rivera, Owner of MonitorClosely.com in Western Chicago

Each week we highlight some of the newest franchisees to celebrate them joining the MonitorClosely.com team. This week, Tony Rivera, is our spotlight franchisee.

How Tony Rivera Got Started with MonitorClosely.com…

Tony has worked in the IT industry for 20 years. In that time, Tony played various lead roles in software development, product development, project management and client services/user training. Tony realized he had a strong entrepreneurial desire and began to research various independent business opportunities. He came across MonitorClosely.com and was immediately drawn to the concept. Impressed with what MonitorClosely.com had to offer along with the endless benefits of franchising, Tony knew MonitorClosely.com was the perfect fit for him to combine his passion for technology with his entrepreneurial spirit.

What intrigued Tony Rivera about MonitorClosely.com…

The security industry is ever changing as technology is continuing to advance. Tony knew that becoming part of MonitorClosely.com would give him the best opportunity to stay on the leading edge of the surveillance industry, allowing for him to grow as a business owner. The MonitorClosely.com model has been a very powerful tool, Tony has the ability to own and operate his own business, the ability to establish partnerships with the franchise team of MonitorClosely.com, and also offers plenty of opportunities to provide the community with peace of mind through the use of surveillance systems.

Something Interesting about Tony Rivera Story…

Tony is married to his wife, Jackie, and they have three children. Professionally, he is a member of multiple local chambers of commerce. Personally, he is on the board of directors for a local cultural group and is also involved with community youth sports. Tony is also a musician and currently sings in a band.

For more information about Tony Rivera, MonitorClosely.com or the MonitorClosely.com franchise opportunity, please visit http://chicagowest.monitorclosely.com/.

MonitorClosely.com was recently featured on AllBusiness.com

The Truth About Home-based Franchises

By Sara Wilson

Does going to work in your pajamas, setting your own hours, and never getting stuck in traffic on your way to the office sound like a dream? Ranging from commercial cleaning to business coaching to pet waste cleanup, home-based franchises abound — and one of them might be just the solution to creating that lifestyle. But, before you get swept off your feet by all the advantages that working from home has to offer, let’s take a closer look at some of the often overlooked realities of operating a home-based franchise.

1. The initial and ongoing investment required for a home-based franchise may be significantly lower than the typical franchise investment — but not always. Running a franchise from home means that you don’t have to worry about leasing out a physical location and often allows you to invest your startup capital in more than just inventory. “Most, if not all, home-based franchise systems do not require franchisees to carry inventory, so you are not tying up capital that could be used for marketing initiatives and obtaining new clients,” says Paul Flick, CEO and founder of Home Service Franchising, parent company to three home-based franchises: 360° Painting, MonitorClosely.com, and Maintenance Made Simple. However, don’t assume that just because a franchise opportunity is home-based it automatically means a super-low investment, cautions Matt Boswell, CEO of Pet Butler, a pet waste cleanup franchise. Says Boswell, “The average Pet Butler franchise partner invests over $70,000 during their first year in business working from home.” (Read More)

Franchisee Spotlight: Todd Altman, Owner of MonitorClosely.com in Central Illinois

Each week we highlight some of the newest franchisees to celebrate them joining the MonitorClosely.com team. This week, Todd Altman, is our spotlight franchisee.

How Todd Altman Got Started With MonitorClosely.com…

Todd first began looking at independent business opportunities when he became interested in Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and Internet Protocol (IP) surveillance after having experienced theft of his personal property firsthand. After researching the possibilities of starting his own surveillance business for about five years, Todd found that he was having a hard time getting the tools he needed to get started. After finding MonitorClosely.com listed as a top franchise in a franchise magazine, Todd began researching the concept and knew that becoming a franchisee of MonitorClosely.com would be the best way to get his surveillance business off the ground.

What Intrigued Todd Altman about MonitorClosely.com…

Todd chose to be a franchisee with MonitorClosely.com because of the knowledge and support made available by being a part of a franchise concept. With the support from the MonitorClosely.com corporate team, it was easier for Todd to establish his business through a franchise, rather than trying to start a surveillance business on his own from scratch. With the team concept, Todd felt that he had a greater support net to make him a successful business owner.

Something Interesting About Todd Altman’s Story…

As a local business owner, Todd is very involved within his community. Currently he is on a committee for the local Chili-Fest as a co-chair of the chili-cooking tent. Todd also finds it most important to go above and beyond when it comes to his customers to make sure they are comfortable with the products and services being installed in their home.

For more information about Todd Altman, MonitorClosely.com or the MonitorClosely.com franchise opportunity, please visit http://springfield.monitorclosely.com/.

Franchisee Spotlight: Dave Vesty, Owner of MonitorClosely.com in Acton, MA

Each week we highlight some of the newest franchisees to celebrate them joining the MonitorClosely.com team. This week, Dave Vesty, is our spotlight franchisee.

How Dave Vesty Got Started With MonitorClosely.com…

Dave had been involved in the software industry in the Boston area for 25 years. In that time, he spent many years with Progress Software, which is now a $500 million company. Dave joined when Progress was making $2 million in revenue. His career grew at Progress and by the time he left, Dave was Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations. He chose to leave to do consulting work for software companies where he would work on projects for two, three months at a time and then move to the next job. From that experience, Dave learned he didn’t want to just be involved in one project and move on so then he began to take jobs where he could step in on an interim capacity taking on various roles.

He then realized that instead of working for other companies, he would rather call something his own. While he and his son were browsing the career section of his son’s college website, they stumbled upon MonitorClosely.com. Dave became intrigued by the opportunity and thought it would be a good marriage between his background in software sales and marketing and technology.

What Intrigued Dave Vesty about MonitorClosely.com…

Dave liked very much that he could still have a hand in the technological solution while managing the sales and marketing part of the business. He also likes being able to provide his customers with a sense of peace of mind that their safety is being taken care of.

Something Interesting About Dave Vesty’s Story…

Dave is married to his wife, Sandra and they have two children: James (25) who graduated from Champlain College with a degree in business and Crystal a 24-year old professional living in Chicago. Dave belongs to the Middlesex West Chamber of Commerce and is active in Business Builders, the networking arm of the Chamber.

In May 2010, Dave will cycle across the African country of Swaziland, the country with the highest outbreak of AIDS in all of Africa. Dave’s bike ride is in support of Swazi orphans who are often times left behind after the deaths of their parents and left to deal with having the life-threatening AIDS virus. The journey will take 10 days and Dave is trying to raise $10,000.

For more information about Dave Vesty, MonitorClosely.com, or the MonitorClosely.com franchise opportunity, please visit http://boston.monitorclosely.com

Franchisee Spotlight: Paul Dinkins, Owner of St. Louis MonitorClosely.com

Each week we highlight some of the newest franchisees to celebrate them joining the MonitorClosely.com team. This week, Paul Dinkins, is our spotlight franchisee.

Name: Paul Dinkins
Location: St. Louis, MO; St. Charles, MO
Date: April 2008

How Paul Dinkins Got Started With MonitorClosely.com…

Paul, a 6-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, always dreamed of owning his own business, and franchising made the most sense. Because of the support and help from corporate, as well as the affordable start-up cost, franchising seemed more feasable than starting a business from the ground up. Paul began researching low-cost franchises with huge growth and earning potential and that is when he came across MonitorClosely.com.

What Intrigued Paul Dinkins about MonitorClosely.com…

As a MonitorClosely.com franchisee, Paul is able to offer customers peace of mind with surveillance protection as well as maintain a flexible schedule. The security industry is ever-changing and Paul knows MonitorClosely.com has huge potential for growth. During a time when people don't feel safe in their own communities due to increased crime rates caused by the recession, MonitorClosely.com has helped many St. Louis community members feel safer in their homes and businesses.

Something Interesting About Paul Dinkins Story…

Paul strongly believes in helping people to the best of his ability. Although Paul works full time with MonitorClosely.com, he is also able to dedicate time to The Bridge, a faith-based coffee house and Fair Trade market, working to bring justice and hope to people in developing countries by selling and promoting Fair Trade items.

Paul is married to Trish and they have two children, Roxanna, 5, and Everett, 2.

For more information about Paul Dinkins, MonitorClosely.com or the MonitorClosely.com franchise opportunity, please visit http://stlouis.monitorclosely.com/.