The 8 | March 17, 2017

1. Frantastic: Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Not only does today give you the opportunity to eat corned beef without it being considered a sin, it’s also the perfect day to revel in the mother of all viral videos. 11 years ago, a local news station in Mobile, Alabama heard reports of a leprechaun sighting. Naturally, they rushed to the scene to catch it on camera. But when they got there, it appeared that the leprechaun was hiding in a tree. To revisit how the story ends, check out “The 8” for our favorite highlights from this week’s Frantastic video.

2. Franlebrity: Our latest 1851 Franchise cover star—and this week’s Franlebrity—is Catherine Monson. The FASTSIGNS CEO knew from an early age that she wanted to run her own business. She started helping out with her family’s business at just 10-years-old, and took on more responsibilities as she got older. Monson eventually found her way to the franchising industry, where she worked for brands like Sir Speedy, Inc. and PIP Printing & Document Services. Now, as the leader behind FASTSIGNS, Monson is driving growth and paving the way for the next generation of women leaders in franchising.  

3. Frash Money: McAlister’s Deli is making moves. The fast casual chain that’s best known for its handcrafted sandwiches, famous sweet tea and hospitality just announced that it climbed 123 spots on this year’s Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list to No. 23. McAlister’s Deli is planning to capitalize on this momentum and brand awareness by opening up restaurants in new development markets throughout 2017.

4. Frant of the Week: No Limit Agency* CEO Nick Powills is back with the third installment of his series on winning more clients for this week’s Frant. His latest column explains how overpromising only leads to stealing money. Brands need to be realistic when they make promises—saying that you can fly to the moon when you can really only reach a cruising altitude of 40,000 feet will lead to disappointment. But when brands set goals that they can potentially beat, clients and customers will be happier in the end.

5. Franch Forward: Toppers Pizza* is tapping into the potential of multi-unit franchisees in 2017 in an effort to Franch Forward in target markets for development. And those efforts are already proving to be successful—the brand is celebrating an opening this weekend in a Charlotte, North Carolina neighborhood. In the months ahead, Toppers expects that trend to continue with more multi-unit owners poised to open up new locations.

6. Fran Funny: How many Notre Dame basketball players does it take to screw in a light bulb? One—to hold it in place while the world revolves around him.

7. Franspiration: “A little nonsense now and then is cherished by the wisest men.” – Roald Dahl

8. Franemies vs. Frands: SMB Franchise Advisors* has always been one of our Frands here at “The 8.” But that Frandship goes far beyond our hit web series—the brand is helping entrepreneurs turn their businesses into franchising opportunities. The latest story to hit their 1851 page highlights the top five things to consider before you franchise your business, which is a must-read for anyone thinking about breaking into the industry.