Franchising opportunities expected to increase

As the recession continues to keep many locals unemployed, the thought of investing in your own business, being your own boss and/or working from home can seem like a worthy risk. However, it appears that, while it can be challenging, it is a healthy risk in this economy, particularly if you have the strength of a national company and a proven business model behind your initial investment.

Franchise businesses are expected to grow 2.5 percent this year, according to the International Franchise Association. The number of franchises will increase, providing more than 190,000 jobs across the country in 2011, the IFA reports. Franchising accounts for more than $700 billion nationally.

Getting into the franchising world changed one local woman's life.

"(I went into franchising) to take control over my own future and explore my entrepreneurial dream of owning my own business," said Dina Mitchell, area developer for Tropical Smoothie Café's Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Ventura, Calif., region.

"I enjoy being able to use my success to give back to the community and, of course, set my own schedule," she said.

Tropical Smoothie Café began in Florida in 1997 and has expanded its franchise businesses across the country, with more than a dozen stores in Las Vegas. It has recently increased its menu offerings to include grilled flatbreads and other lunch items, which has shown to be successful for the franchise locally.

Each franchise store has bonus and incentive plans for all of its employees, who are trained in the Tropical Smoothie Café business model.

Tropical Smoothie Café is currently hiring for many positions, including management and front-of-store employees. Previous restaurant experience is preferred, but not required.

There is room to grow for employees who show a strong desire to excel, Mitchell said.

If you plan to get into a franchise business, be well-prepared for the many challenges -- and rewards -- the business will present. Research the franchise company and the local market before venturing into the business.

"Owning your own business is nothing short of hard work and sacrifices," Mitchell said. "Sometimes I have to make a choice between a birthday party, wedding or a friend's or family's important event over running my business. Thankfully, as my success grew, I now have more time to make those special events."

Something that surprised her about opening her first franchise was, "the amount of support and tools to arrive at success that the franchises give us," she said. "A franchise such as ours gives an abundant amount of training so the only thing I recommend is bringing commitment to hard work and belief in the system that works."

She has no regrets of jumping into the franchise world, particularly with a successful and growing franchise company.

"If I had the chance to do it all again I would," Mitchell said. "I don't attribute my success to luck but rather hard work and a great system to follow."

In this difficult economy, work-from-home businesses with a national corporation has become more popular, with independent contractors working local areas selling a product and using a provided and proven business model from the national company.

Rastelli Direct is a distributorship opportunity with a negligible investment, "certainly compared to franchises," said Royce Reed, business development executive for Rastelli Direct.

Rastelli is a meat and seafood supplier that delivers food to your door. The company hires associates to deliver locally.

"Our associates have the rare and unusual opportunity to offer the world's finest restaurant-quality food products direct to consumers with no inventory, shipping, billing or collections responsibilities or expenses," Reed said. "Our associates are backed by the reputation and resources of the Rastelli Food Groups, recognized as a global leader in premium food production and distribution."

Of the 1,000 Rastelli representatives across the country, 50 of those live in the Las Vegas area.

"We have a very active distribution network in Las Vegas with prominent chefs, pro athletes and business people as associates and customers," he said. "Even Mayor Oscar Goodman has sampled our products and wrote us a rave review."

Local associates include Brian Diumenti, a former local food and beverage executive, and Napoleon McCallum, former professional football running back and Los Angeles Raiders star.

The company's corporate offices are in New Jersey and the company plans a major launch of the product in 2012.

To become a Rastelli associate, or to begin receiving the quality foods and possibly sign up friends and family, go to www.rastellidirect.com

"We basically believe that anyone can be successful with this business model, just getting the word out there and developing the skills," Reed said. "Our target market is foodies, opportunity seekers, those who are into organic foods and health foods. We offer an incredible value to our customers on all those levels."

So far the company has grown mostly through word of mouth.

"As people get involved as customers, with the excitement they have of the product, people start telling family and friends about it, and that's how we've been growing," Reed said. "Another thing we have going for us is all the food shows that are so popular on TV. Everybody wants to be an at-home chef."

In this economy, many foodies are carving out their restaurant habit from their monthly budget, he said, and Rastelli is hoping to tempt them with restaurant-quality foods they can receive right to their door at comparable grocery store prices.

"Dining in is the new dining out for a lot of our customers," Reed said. "Mainly because our prices are as competitive with grocery stores such as Whole Foods and our beef, lamb, poultry, veal, seafood and sides also are of the highest quality you can find."

The quality is what originally lured Rastelli associate Diumenti, a former food and beverage executive with MGM Resorts and president and co-owner of Nevada Culinary Consultants with Cyndi Bennett.

"We buy steaks, seafood regularly and have it delivered to our house and it's really good quality," he said. "It really surprised me how affordable and good the product is, which is the main reason why I buy it for myself."

After tasting and using the product, he researched the business model and found it to be a worthwhile small business he could do from home.

"I believed in the product," he said. "It is restaurant-quality food and it is food that is really hard to find, at least of that caliber, at the local grocery stores."

He also makes a little income from the people he's recruited, mostly friends and family that have come to his home for dinners made with the meat and seafood from Rastelli Direct.

"At first I was hesitant, but I knew the quality was there, and it is a really good product," he said.

"Once they try it they love the quality, and how it comes packaged. Everything is individually packed so you don't have to waste good food. It's really cool. You can reseal it and it's pretty easy to use."

The business side of selling Rastelli products was also a selling point.

"I get a little extra income and I don't have to do much to sell it," he said. "I have four people that signed up and I get a (return) on their sales since I brought them on. I've found it to be lucrative for me, and it is food I buy anyway. It's a pretty good deal for what you get back, and it's a good deal for the pricing compared to Omaha Steaks. It's a good half or third less than the (other food delivery companies) and about the same price you'd find at Whole Foods."

Working from home alone can be challenging, which is why John Lombardo, national trainer and recruiter for Qivana, enjoys assisting those looking to increase their income with a proven business model.

Qivana is a network marketing company based in Provo, Utah, specializing in health and nutritional products. Lombardo ventured in to the home-based business industry a little more than five years ago.

"I looked at people who had been doing what I was doing 10 and 15 years longer than me, and they were no better off than I was financially," the professional musician said. "I could see that in terms of creating the lifestyle I wanted financially, I was on a dead-end path. Plus I was completely burned out at my job. It was a way for me to start my own business, be my own boss, and I could afford it."

There are many benefits for working for yourself from home, he said.

"I enjoy that I make my own schedule, I work smarter not harder, I can't be fired or downsized out, and all I really do is meet people and help the ones who have similar goal," he said. "Also, I spend a lot more time with my family. That is priceless to me."

Being your own boss does come with some down sides, although they are small compared to the benefits.

"The only difficult thing about what I do is to keep it consistent," Lombardo said. "If a person is capable of consistency, they can be hugely successful at what I do."

His company trains people on a simple system that's created significant incomes for people over and over again, he said. Qivana is one of the fastest growing natural products in the country.

"I know it works, because I've been using it for five years," he said.

The question is, can you be disciplined?

"Too many people get into this business with a lottery mentality," he said. "They believe they can make money fast, doing almost nothing. That doesn't exist in the legitimate business world, and what I do is big business. In fact, I have never seen any job that has the wealth creation potential of the home-based model for those not afraid to work hard."

What he does is more accurately described as micro-franchising.

"The surprising thing is how I can micro-franchise myself all over the country, and it costs me nothing," he said. "In fact, when I start a franchise in another state, I get paid. Also, by creating those types of partnerships with other motivated people, there is no limit to what I can earn."

He explained it this way: McDonald's gets paid 5 percent on the 25,000 locations it has around the country.

"I can do the same with this model, with no overhead and very low startup costs," he said.

Training isn't essential to be involved in his business. Micro-franchising is different from the more traditional franchise model.

"I prefer you let me train you," he said. "We train all our team members at no cost them. I always say, if I never made a penny doing what I do, the last five years would have been worth it for the business education I've received for free."

He is currently seeking business partners.

"I'm looking for motivated people who want to create serious wealth in the next two to three years and realize that they won't be able to do that in a job," he said. "I train them, set some realistic goals with them, and help them start making money right away. I only earn money when the people I train become profitable, so it's a great model."

In the last few years, our world and our economy have changed forever. The direct sales home-based business model is one of the last ways available to average people to earn genuine wealth, he said.

"In fact, what I do is growing faster than retail right now," Lombardo said. "I am living proof that it works. That, coupled with the fact that our company is growing rapidly in a recession, should compel the right person to want to know more."

Those looking to work for themselves need to go into their business venture with their eyes open, he said, and willing to do the work it takes to make their dreams materialize, what ever they may be, money, security or retirement.

"I hope that people understand that in order to create wealth, you must position yourself in front of growth trends," Lombardo said. "Our industry is growing faster than ever, and our company is among the fastest growing in the industry. The opportunity is huge right now."