The 8 | November 11, 2016

8. The Buzz: “Franchise Times: Cubs Historic Win Opens Floodgate for Freshii Offer:” Last week, Master Franchisee for Freshii in Chicago, David Grossman, offered to waive the $30,000 franchisee fee to a diehard Cubs fan if Chicago’s team won the World Series. Grossman, who’s a third generation lifelong Chicagoan and Cubs fan, attended Game 7 of the World Series in Cleveland. “It was just electric,” Grossman told Franchise Times.

After the big win, hundreds of Cubs fans and franchisee hopefuls sent in applications to open up a Freshii location. “It started at like 1 a.m. on Thursday,” Grossman said. “There were several hundred people, and they’re still coming in today. It was amazing how many came in. Some people wrote these stories and sent pictures in, not only how they loved the Cubs, but how they love Freshii. It’s been heart-warming to hear.” Grossman’s concern is that applicants didn’t read the fine print and don’t realize that they’ll still be responsible for buildout and equipment costs, which cost $26,000 on average.

In the next coming weeks Grossman will be conducting phone interviews to find the most qualified applicant. “I really hope that someone is qualified to win this. I really want someone to not only have the money to do this but also the desire to own their own business,” he said.

7. Brand of the Week: WORKOUT ANYTIME*

“The Spectrum:” WORKOUT ANYTIME Eyes St. George, Utah for Development: St. George, Utah has been named one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, and brands like WORKOUT ANYTIME are taking notice.

“WORKOUT ANYTIME’s Simple Business Model and Expansive Growth Potential is Catching the Attention of Multi-Unit Owners:” WORKOUT ANYTIME’s system operates with low-overhead while also delivering high customer satisfaction.

“WORKOUT ANYTIME Franchisee Brooks Rankin Translates His Passion for Fitness Into a Business Model:” After a decade of consulting for gyms, Rankin uses his experience and idealistic approach to operate his own club.

6. People Story: 1851 Editor Megan Ferringer and 1851 Content Producer Cassie McAloon share their favorite interviews from the past week.

5. Profits: No Limit Agency*’s Chief Development Strategist Sean Fitzgerald shares the No. 1 thing franchise prospects should know when doing their research on brands.

4. Places: Brands are becoming more focused on the way they’re expanding. Fitzgerald shares the trends he’s seeing in target market selections.

3. “Creating a Successful Business Starts and Ends with Giants:” Hiring giants within your company is a lot like playing blackjack with the cards up—you can still lose, but you have greater visibility into the probability of winning.

2. Check out 1851 to read our election coverage from the past week.

1. Thought of the Week: We share what makes for a great interview.