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When Robert and Cory Rajotte were married on the beaches of Hawaii three years ago, they never dreamed one day they’d be able to embrace the island’s famed “Aloha Spirit” in their professional lives.

“As my time with the Navy was coming to a close, I expected I’d end up falling back on my pilot experience, maybe working at an airline or at some other corporate job,” remarked Robert Rajotte. “But it had just lost its luster for me. I needed to find a business idea that was unique and enjoyable.”

While Robert and Cory were searching for a new, unique venture, they came across Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffee and Smoothies, a franchise dedicated to supplying authentic Hawaiian products, smoothies and kona coffee. As a Featured Franchisor in the VetFran program, Maui Wowi gives vets the flexibility to define their own transition to civilian life through a variety of franchise options built around the company’s world-renowned smoothies and Hawaiian coffee beverages, offering a 10 percent franchise fee discount on single and standard units and a 15 percent discount on “Empire Builders” (one of the highest discounts in the industry) to veterans. The program is already extraordinarily popular, having logged three franchise sales in the past two weeks.

“No one has earned their right to the American dream more than those who have served honorably in our armed forces,” said Michael Edwards, chief operating officer of Maui Wowi Hawaiian. “The IFA’s VetFran program is a great way for vets to begin building a future for themselves and their families. As a company, Maui Wowi Hawaiian is in full support of VetFran, which is why we offer our discount for veterans interested in joining our business ‘ohana’ [family].”

The Rajottes plan on giving back to the service by opening locations on military bases and offering service member discounts. Robert embraces the ideals of the Aloha Spirit and believes a concept that embraces family, community and a more relaxed way of doing business is exactly what his lifestyle change needs.

“Maui Wowi has provided us with flexible business models and options to fit our lifestyle,” said Rajotte. “We’re really excited to begin this new endeavor with the company.”

Maui Wowi Hawaiian has been helping people exchange their wing-tips for flip-flops for over ten years. Now numbering nearly 500 franchised operating units across the U.S., Maui Wowi Hawaiian is the original fruit smoothie drink franchise.  The company, founded by couple Jeff and Jill Summerhays, has since expanded to include exclusive blended Hawaiian coffees and genuine Hawaiian lifestyle merchandise.

About Maui Wowi Hawaiian
Maui Wowi Hawaiian is the only franchise that offers authentic, natural Hawaiian products, fresh-fruit smoothies, blended Hawaiian coffee beverages, and genuine Hawaiian lifestyle stuff. Founded in 1983, Maui Wowi Hawaiian has experienced meteoric growth to include nearly 500 franchised units in its worldwide franchise ohana, or family.  This earth-friendly company celebrates its Aloha Spirit by embracing the values of family, harmony and balanced living while striving to abide by the principles of sustainable living. 

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LA BOXING Franchise Corporation, a national operator of distinctive cardio boxing, kickboxing and MMA health and fitness gyms, announced today the signing of its third franchise for the suburban Chicago area. The new franchise was awarded to Omar Rudaini for the exclusive rights to the Oak Brook, IL, area.   The Southern California-based LA BOXING Franchise Corporation continues its fast-paced expansion, taking the franchise company to 109 units in 19 states and Puerto Rico.

“We are very excited about our launch in Oak Brook,” said Anthony Geisler, President of LA BOXING Franchise Corporation. “As the leading cardio boxing and kickboxing franchise brand, we look forward to offering the highest quality gym services to our members.”

“LA BOXING continues to expand its brand in markets all across the Midwest,” said Carl Kosnar, Managing Partner of The Kosnar Group, franchise development consultants for LA BOXING Franchise Corporation.  “We are very pleased to be working with experienced franchisees and business people like Omar in developing the brand in the Chicago suburban market and building upon our strong history and loyal membership base.  Omar is on a schedule to open 15 LA BOXING franchises in the Chicagoland area by December 2009.”

The Company's professional fitness and family recreation gyms offer access to professional fighter training instructors and heavy bags, in addition to state-of-the-art cardio, resistance, and free-weight training equipment.  Other benefits include multiple group boxing and kickboxing fitness classes, a team of certified LA BOXING personal trainers, programming, and a full-size professional boxing ring.  Families appreciate LA BOXING’s wide selection of adult and youth programs and classes.

About LA BOXING Franchise Corporation 
LA BOXING Franchise Corporation, a membership physical fitness company consisting of unique professional boxing and kickboxing training regimens which utilize a system and products that are proprietary to LA Boxing, offers a turnkey franchise with the franchisee and staff receiving full training and ongoing support. The Company sources and trains membership salespeople in addition to recruiting professional fighters as instructors for its franchisees. LA BOXING has trained world champions and numerous other professional fighters.  However, the vast majority of our members are women and men who are just interested in a cardio workout and enjoying the benefits of our fitness-training program.

Potential LA BOXING franchisees are required to pay a $25,000 franchise fee which is included in the $174,900 to $185,750 range of capital needed to get started. Location options range from retail strip shopping centers to freestanding commercial buildings. Absolutely no previous boxing, kickboxing, training or health and fitness experience is necessary to qualify for an LA BOXING franchise.

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ServiceMaster Clean and professional basketball player Shane Battier have named Cleveland resident, John Davis, as the fourth awardee of a commercial cleaning franchise from The Shane Battier Franchise Scholarship.  Mr. Davis, a resident of Beachwood, Ohio, is a parole officer with a real passion for helping young people in his community develop their full potential.

A married father of three, John and his wife and business partner, Amonica Davis, had been seeking a franchise opportunity to bring to their community in Cleveland, OH, for some time. John’s research brought him into contact with Stacey Banks-Houston, the Director of the Multi-Cultural Small Business Development Center at the Urban League of Greater Cleveland. Meanwhile, David Messenger, Vice President of Market Expansion for ServiceMaster Clean, had identified Cleveland as a market with growth potential, ripe with opportunities for minority economic development. When Messenger approached Banks-Houston about the Shane Battier Franchise Scholarship, Stacey knew she had a great fit with The Davis family. Sure enough, the service-oriented and career-minded couple applied and won the scholarship. The Davis family was honored with a commemorative plaque at an event held in Memphis, TN in February, 2008.

When asked how he knew the scholarship was the right opportunity for him, Davis said, “[Previous] opportunities did not strike the passion chord in my wife and me. ServiceMaster Clean was what we were missing. We wanted to work for ourselves, honor God in the process and help people reach beyond their ascribed potential.”

The Shane Battier Franchise Scholarship Program, which launched in March 2007, aims to award commercial cleaning franchises, with hopes of helping women and minorities overcome the obstacles that can be associated with building a new business. Previous winners of The Shane Battier Franchise Scholarship include Jeff Kent of Austin, TX, Michael Powell of Houston, TX, and Jesus Martinez of Miami, FL. Battier has great expectations for all of the recent winners, “[They] will make everyone proud, and they will be great business owners.” Additional franchises will be awarded in 2008. 

About ServiceMaster Clean
ServiceMaster Clean is a member of the ServiceMaster Family of Brands.  ServiceMaster currently serves residential and commercial customers through a network of over 4,500 company-owned locations and franchised licenses. The Company’s brands include TruGreen®, TruGreen LandCare^®, Terminix^®, American Home Shield^®, InStar^®, ServiceMaster Clean^®, Merry Maids^®, Furniture Medic^®, and AmeriSpec^®. The core services of the Company include lawn care and landscape maintenance, termite and pest control, home warranties, disaster response and reconstruction, cleaning and disaster restoration, house cleaning, furniture repair, and home inspection.

About Shane Battier
Selected sixth by the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft Battier was traded to the Houston Rockets in July 2006.  Battier won numerous awards throughout his collegiate career at Duke and in 2001 was named the National Player of the Year and received the Naismith and Wooden Awards.  Battier joined the Rockets after five seasons in Memphis and is a member of the USA Basketball squad to compete in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

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Three entrepreneurs in McLean, Virginia, have purchased Bookkeeping Express, a national provider of bookkeeping services, and plan a major expansion, which includes launching a national franchising system in June.

“In a business world where payroll is dominated by national companies like Paychex and tax preparation is synonymous with H & R Block, we see Bookkeeping Express becoming the recognized provider for business bookkeeping services,” says CEO Greg Jones.  “Bookkeeping Express will provide businesses throughout the nation a reliable, affordable source for excellent bookkeeping services.”  “Bookkeeping Express plans on “Revolutionizing Bookkeeping in America.”

“We will focus on in-house financials, operating as an authorized QuickBooks affiliate,” said Jones. “We will charge by the transaction so that our customers can have a complete understanding of what work has been completed and at what price.”

Bookkeeping Express offers “full service” bookkeeping services for businesses.  Our goal is to help business owners succeed by simply, effectively, and honestly performing bookkeeping services.  “If a business owner understands their business, they have a better chance of success.”  Bookkeeping Express, by thorough bookkeeping, comprehensive reports, and special products like easy to understand “dashboards,” help business owners succeed.  “We truly strive to be “The Growth Business Partner” of our bookkeeping clients.”

Services offered by Bookkeeping Express include the following:

• Setting up Chart of Accounts and General Ledger
• Monthly data entry
• Processing and managing Accounts Payable and Account Receivable
• Producing regular monthly reports
• Tax reporting

Bookkeeping Express employs the services of Certified Bookkeepers.  “This is unique because often times,” explains COO Robert Stocker, “when you hire a bookkeeper, you have no idea of their training, certification or integrity.”  “Every Bookkeeping Express bookkeeper will undergo a thorough training program, will be certified, will be insured, and will have oversight of their bookkeeping activities through Bookkeeping Express.”

The new owners of Bookkeeping Express include Jones, an entrepreneur in the franchising field, who also owns the development rights for Five Guys Burgers & Fries in Central Florida; Merritt Green, the Founder and Managing Partner of General Counsel, P.C.; and Bob Stocker, a management consultant. The group purchased the rights to Bookkeeping Express in 2007 and moved its headquarters to McLean. They expect to start selling franchises by June 1, 2008.

Currently, Bookkeeping Express is offering bookkeeping services through locations in McLean and Reston, Virginia.  Additional locations in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. are planned to be opened shortly.

About Bookkeeping Express
Bookkeeping Express is the only franchise company focusing solely on bookkeeping services nationwide.  The new franchising model will offer home-based or office location options, a full training and certification program and local and national marketing and public relations.  It is planned that the cost to purchase a franchise will be substantially below the national average.

Coming out of Northern California in 1987, Bookkeeping Express started out selling services to small businesses through a licensing model.  At one time, there were over 100 Bookkeeping Express offices nationwide.  Currently, there are 27 existing licensee locations across the United States.

“We’ll Handle Your Books, So You Can Get Back to Business.”

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Originally Published in
Washington Business Journal
By Tierney Plumb
 
Bookkeeping Express just got the OK from the Federal Trade Commission to start selling franchises in almost every state, and its three local owners expect to have 400 franchises in five years.

That would make it a $50 million business.

The bookkeeping service was acquired last year by Greg Jones, a franchiser of five Five Guys Burgers and Fries in Florida, Merritt Green, founder of a local law firm, and Bob Stocker, a former top-level executive.

They bought the 20-year-old small business accounting company when it started to falter in California and moved it to McLean with an updated business plan in mind.

"We are looking for [franchisers] to buy area development and put a business structure around it," said Jones, who aligned the company with the Rockville-based American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers to certify its bookkeepers.

Bookkeeping Express plans to unveil a national marketing campaign that will include telemarketing and print ads, as well as fliers mailed to target franchised locations.

"We’ll let the bookkeepers run numbers and put charts together," Jones said. "Most aren’t comfortable making a cold call or a sales pitch to a group of 20. We will do that to drive clients to their door."

The three-year goal is five to eight corporate locations and 150 franchises sold in the U.S.

The company just added Leesburg to its two corporate locations and plans to open in Baltimore, Richmond, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Charlotte, N.C.

Interested in learning more about franchising? Since 1995 Bison's franchise directory has helped hundreds of thousands of people take their first step to becoming a franchise owner!