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)