The 8 | March 24, 2017

1. Frantastic: Spring is officially here, and brands are celebrating in a big way. From seasonal items and LTOs to special events marking the first official day of spring—including Dairy Queen*’s Free Cone Day—companies are capitalizing on the warmer weather. And even though it’s 70 and sunny where we are today, we were a little late to the party when it comes to spring weather. Check out this week’s edition of “The 8” to see how we felt about starting off spring with piles of snow still on the sidewalk.

2. Franlebrity: Our latest 1851 cover star and this week’s Franlebrity proves that a little luck and a lot of hustle goes a long way. Dzana Homan first came to the U.S. as a refugee with only $1,200 in her pocket. But her passion for education and drive to succeed led her to leadership roles with brands like FutureKids and Huntington Learning Centers. Now, as CEO of School of Rock*, Homan is passing her love of learning on to the next generation. For her full story, head to 1851 Franchise.

3. Frash Money: Mosquito season may just be getting started, but Mosquito Joe* is already tapping into consumer demand for its services in Florida. The brand is experiencing success in the Sunshine State with multi-unit owners—in fact, two owners who thought that they’d be able to expand into one new territory every year are already ramping up operations for service in five just two years after launching their business. Mosquito Joe expects that type of success to continue as it continues to grow.

4. Frant of the Week: No Limit Agency* CEO Nick Powills is back at it again with another Frant. In part four of his series highlighting ways to win clients, he explains that storytelling is the future of selling. In today’s digital age, brands have the opportunity to control their messaging and reach prospective candidates in new ways. And by telling their story and targeting the right audience, brands can make the most of that opportunity.

5. Franch Forward: Famous Toastery is headed West. The Charlotte, North Carolina-based better breakfast brand is expanding outside of the Southeast and opening up its first Colorado location in Fort Collins. The new opening is a significant move for the brand as it prepares to target more communities outside of its home region.

6. Fran Funny: Today marks the celebration of one of the biggest holidays there is—Chip & Dip Day. But be on the lookout for double dipping offenders. For this week’s Fran Funny, we decided to let George Costanza do the talking.

7. Franspiration: “I came to the U.S. as a refugee. I didn’t know English, and I didn’t have a network or support system to fall back on. Franchising opened the door for me to be a part of more and greater things. At a time when I felt like so many things were out of my control, franchising allowed me to determine my destiny.” – Dzana Homan, School of Rock CEO

8. Franemies vs. Frands: When it comes to two-step verification processes, ain’t nobody got time for that. That’s why Instagram is our Franemie—the app just announced that it’s introducing a two-factor authentication system for its users. Sure, it’s a great way to secure your account. But it’s also annoying, and it steals 10 seconds that we don’t have to spare.