Another Client Success Story: Meet Mark Derylo

 

In 2010, Mark Derylo and his wife Jodi became the proud owners of a Molly Maid franchise, whose territory covers Kalamazoo and Portage, Michigan. Part of the Neighborly family of brands, Molly Maid has been one of the leading franchisors in the residential home cleaning business for the past 40+ years. The iconic brand has now grown to more than 500 locations throughout the U.S. Mark’s entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of inspirational, which is why FranNet of Michigan chose to feature him as part of our ongoing series of Client Success Stories. Assisted by FranNet Consultant Mark Cory, Mark and Jodi were able to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Below, in his own words, Mark shares the details of his personal journey - from his successful 30-year career in the energy and oil business to launching a successful franchise business in the home services industry.

Background

“I grew up in Wyoming, Michigan, a southern suburb of Grand Rapids. After graduating high school in 1979, I immediately went to work for J&H Oil Company, managing a small, full-service gas station. I methodically worked my way up the ladder, wearing lots of hats, until I was eventually promoted to operations manager. I met my future wife, Jodi, while on the job, though she was finishing up her teaching degree at the time. We began dating, but in 1986 I received some daunting news about my health. Diagnosed with leukemia, I was told I only had a few years to live. We grew closer and closer together and, despite my prognosis, decided to get married in 1989 and face our uncertain future together. Two years later, I had a miraculous and life-saving bone marrow transplant that was literally like getting a second lease on life. We hoped to start a family right away, but that proved to be complicated after the intensive treatments. But there was room for hope. Then, in 1995, we were blessed with boy-girl twins. And three years later, another set of girls! In 2004, we welcomed another girl, which brings our family to five beautiful children. After our first set of twins were born (Kailey and Zach), I made a lateral move into sales with another oil company. At Crystal Flash the focus was primarily servicing construction and trucking companies. Over the years, there were many ups and downs, but I always worked my way back into managerial roles. Eventually, I grew tired of the volatility, so I took a voluntary severance in June 2010 to figure out my next move.”

On Choosing an Entrepreneurial Path…

“I’d been told many times I should start my own business, but for the first time in my 30-year career, I really didn’t know what would come next. But I took advantage of the outplacement services, which is where I first crossed paths with Mark Cory with FranNet of Michigan. I found the idea of establishing an entrepreneurial life through franchise ownership an attractive choice. So, Mark and I went to work, assessing my strengths and poring over my ‘wish list’ of what I wanted in a business. It was important to me to have weekends off and a way to stay closer to family. After reviewing several concepts, I discovered that Molly Maid was an ideal match for what I was looking for – both in terms of a business and how it would integrate with my goals and lifestyle.”

What Attracted You to the Molly Maid Business Model?

“I mentioned that I created my own wish list of items I wanted in a business. As I investigated the Molly Maid business model, I was impressed that most clients like to be serviced on an ongoing basis. And I liked the fact that the business is based on recurring cleaning! I was willing to work hard to succeed, and Molly Maid checked all the boxes for me. So, it just happened that the Molly Maid of Kalamazoo/Portage franchise was up for sale. The previous owner wanted to retire to spend more time with her family. Although it was 65 miles from my home, I was fine with it. The rest is history. It ended up being perfect timing. I was impressed with the brand’s track record – over three decades in business and Molly Maid has become a well-known and recognizable name in the residential cleaning business. I really liked how professional and buttoned up the operation was – and I knew I could succeed by following their proven business model. Our bread and butter is recurring cleaning, but we also perform our share of move-in, move-out cleaning. We also do special occasion cleans upon request. It’s not complicated, really, and we really enjoy playing an integral part in our community.”

Tell Us About Your Experience Getting Started

“We took over in December of 2010. We kept all the original staff, including the general manager. As we built up the business, our goal was to clean anywhere from 90-100 homes per month, using uniformed two-person cleaning teams and our branded cars. Being a lifelong believer in customer service, we do our best to go above and beyond. We guarantee satisfaction – I know how important it is to earn the trust of your customers. If we do that, they’ll stick around as recurring customers. And that’s exactly what happened. We’ve hit our benchmarks year after year and continue to grow our staff and expand our territorial reach.”

Where Do You Stand Today?

In August of 2015 we purchased Molly Maid of Grandville from a struggling newer owner. It was closer to home and turned out to be a great move for us. Since then, things have continued to go quite well. My daughter Kailey joined us as our office manager (in Grandville) but eventually decided to leave in November of 2023. That got my son Zach brainstorming and evaluating his personal wish list and lifestyle. Having grown up watching me run our Molly Maid business, he was inspired to pursue a business degree. He had launched a small entrepreneurial operation of his own – an ADT home security business, which he grew into one of their larger offices in the Midwest. Of course, that did take a toll on him, and the 70 to 80-hour workweeks, knocking on doors cold calling were beginning to wear him down. He had recently married and wanted to spend more time with his bride. That’s when we began talking about joining forces, so to speak. Zach joined the business in January of 2024 and became my partner a year later. Now I have a perfect succession plan in place. I’m truly touched when I hear him say it was the best decision he made and the best thing that ever happened to him. He not only brings his sales experience, but he has great knowledge in marketing. His technical skills prepare the business to excel in the future, which had often been a struggle for me. We’re now perfectly matched, a nice mix of young and old. And as a result, our businesses have newfound energy. 

How Did FranNet Support Your Journey?

“I have nothing but the nicest things to say about Mark Cory and FranNet of Michigan. The first time I saw him speak at a seminar on franchise ownership, I was impressed with his knowledge and background. What he provided me with, first and foremost, was an education on franchising – what it was, how it works, and what to expect. He was patient and answered every question I could come up with. I never felt pressured to make a certain decision and he was always encouraging and kind. We methodically worked our way through the assessment, reviewed several concepts, narrowed them down, and then discovered that Molly Maid was the right choice for me. Whenever I hear of someone who wants to start their own business, I advise them to do their homework and get a business that suits their lifestyle. “By all means, if you want to go the franchising route, speak to Mark Cory first.”

What’s Next for Mark Derylo?

“I’m not ready for retirement just yet, but I’m trying to slow down and I’m ready for Zach to take the reins!  I’m not the least bit concerned, because I know I’ve already got a great partner and succession plan in place. We’ve never stopped thinking about expanding or increasing our territory, possibly acquiring another Molly Maid territory. I’m extremely thankful that we ended up launching and nurturing a family-owned business. It’s given us the exact kind of lifestyle I’d hoped for, and I have no complaints. Over my lifetime, I’ve certainly faced my fair share of challenges, but I consider myself one of the most blessed people I can think of. I’m very thankful and grateful that I met Mark Cory and appreciate him choosing to feature me and my son in his series of Client Success Stories.”

For more information, please visit Mark Derylo’s Molly Maid franchise on the web.

Another Client Success Story: Meet Jennifer Keahl

 

Jennifer Keahl is a proud multi-unit franchise owner for StretchLab in Brighton and Clarkston, Michigan. The franchise opportunity is the industry’s largest assisted stretching brand, offering one-on-one assisted stretching services for all ages and fitness levels. With heightened awareness and demand for recovery and holistic wellness, StretchLab offers consumers more ways to reduce their risk of injury, regain mobility, improve flexibility and range of motion, and reclaim their freedom. Jennifer’s entrepreneurial journey, which began many years ago, is nothing short of inspirational, which is why FranNet of Michigan chose to feature her as part of our ongoing series of client success stories. Assisted by FranNet Consultant Mark Cory, Jennifer was able to turn her entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Below, in her own words, she shares the details of her personal journey - from her successful two-decade career in medical device repair to launching an independent entrepreneurial future in the health, wellness, and fitness industry. 

Background

“I earned my bachelor's degree in environmental science from Michigan State University, then followed that up with an MBA from the University of Michigan-Flint. I spent 20 years working for a medical device repair business in a variety of roles, eventually being promoted to serve as the company’s vice-president of quality. For 10 of those years, we were owned by private equity and positioned ourselves to be acquired by a large corporation. We quadrupled the size and revenue of the company, which required a lot of hard work and dedication to accomplish – something I remain very proud of. On the personal side, I’m recently married, and between my husband and I, we have two adult daughters and two teenaged sons.” 

On Becoming an Entrepreneur

“It was not a surprise when our company was sold. Still, it felt like my baby had grown up and graduated. My role, my duties, everything changed. It was at this point that I wanted to explore and see what else was out there. I didn’t really begin in the franchising space – in fact, I didn’t know much about it at all. Like many people, I assumed it was just fast food. I also looked at regular small business opportunities and, through my network, I was introduced to Mark Cory with FranNet of Michigan. We had a couple of meetings, and I discovered that franchising had a lot of what I liked and needed in order to prepare for an entrepreneurial future. I knew I would need support in areas like sales and marketing assistance. I was certain I didn’t have all the knowledge and experience I needed to be an independent business owner but remember – my background was in quality. And there was something comforting and familiar to me about following a franchise’s proven business model.” 

What Attracted You to the StretchLab Business Model?

“I’ve always been into fitness, and I stretch all the time. In fact, it had never even occurred to me that people did not stretch. When I was investigating different franchise opportunities, I fell in love with StretchLab’s business model. I began to think it was the perfect opportunity to combine my passion for fitness and wellness with owning a business. As a new modality, I felt like StretchLab was both risky and attractive – an interesting combination.” 

Tell Us About Your Experience Getting Started

“Getting starting was very challenging for me, especially since I was still working a full-time job. I know there are many others who’ve taken the entrepreneurial route who can tell you that starting a business of your own can be overwhelming. And it takes a toll on you mentally. So many of the smallest details like tax filings, paperwork, licenses, bank accounts, and registrations – these were all time-intensive tasks. There were a lot of hoops to jump through. Furthermore, our sales were initially very slow, and our corporate regional sales manager did not hesitate to tell me how far behind we were. I felt like I had failed already. However, we then began working with another regional sales manager who turned out to be a terrific help. He set small, achievable goals for us and little by little, we started hitting them. He kept repeating, ‘no worries, just keep going.’ Slowly but surely, we began celebrating our small victories and it became clear that we were making good progress. But it was a rollercoaster, nonetheless. Along the way, I learned not to focus on or predict outcomes based on one little metric – whether it was a good or bad number. I was reminded that the ultimate goal was selling new memberships and retaining the ones we’d already secured. We followed the playbook and eventually hit all of our benchmark goals. Six months after I signed my franchise agreement with StretchLab, I opened the first of my two locations in Clarkston in May of 2023. Shortly after that, I began seeking out real estate for my second location in Brighton. I ended up finalizing that lease in April of 2024 and opened the doors to my second location on August 19.” 

Where Do You Stand Today?

“Today we are doing very well. I have the coolest employees on the planet who care about each other, our clients, and the community in which we serve. We love sharing success stories, such as when our clients achieve their goals. There are few things more satisfying than hearing that your clients improved their golf swing, no longer require daily pain medication, or have regained the ability to tie their own shoes!”  

How Did FranNet Support Your Journey?

“I had a fantastic experience with Mark Cory at FranNet of Michigan. Going into this I had no idea what to expect. But he walked me through each stage of the buying process, and I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. I reviewed four different concepts, all of which aligned with my preferences and goals. When it got to the introductions stage, everyone Mark introduced me to was so quick and responsive. It made it much easier to narrow down my choices. Without a doubt, Mark and FranNet had all the resources I needed. My experience was such a pleasure that I’ve already referred a good friend of mine to Mark to explore franchise ownership using the same process that I did.” 

What’s Next for Jennifer Keahl?

“As for where we go from here, I’m looking at both the short and long-term goals. I know that I want to continue growing, but for now, I’m primarily focused on my two studios in Clarkston and Brighton. I’m trying to ingrain these studios with the community to the point where people won’t know how they got along without a local StretchLab studio. The community aspect is very important to me, which is why we try our best to partner with other local small businesses and organizations. Our goals are the same – we all want to grow and support one another to make this a more vibrant and collaborative community – a place in which we can all be proud to live and work. Another specific area I’m interested in exploring further is how to utilize my StretchLab studios in the injury prevention space. I think there is a lot of potential there and I’m looking forward to expanding our reach in this area. The future looks pretty bright from where I’m stretching.” 

For more information, please visit Jennifer Keahl’s StretchLab studios on the web: https://www.stretchlab.com/location/clarkston, https://www.stretchlab.com/location/brighton.

Another Client Success Story: Meet Ken and Amy Kish

Ken and Amy Kish are the proud owners of Floor Coverings International of East Metro Detroit, a turnkey provider of high-quality home flooring options and personalized service. Their entrepreneurial journey, which began many years ago, is nothing short of inspirational, which is why FranNet of Michigan chose to feature them as part of our ongoing series of client success stories. Assisted by FranNet Consultant Mark Cory, Ken and Amy were twice able to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Below, in his own words, Ken shares the details of their personal journey - from previously successful careers in the automotive and accounting industries to entrepreneurial ownership of their very own home services business…

Background

“After initially meeting at Albion College, my wife Amy and I have been happily married for 33 years. We have three grown children and have been blessed with six beautiful grandchildren. After graduating from Albion, I got my master’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan and Amy became a CPA with Arthur Anderson, one of the big-six accounting firms. My career trek began with a consulting role, primarily for automotive companies in Detroit – including both GM and Ford. I also worked with some of the larger automotive suppliers in the industry. This consulting work eventually led to a transition into the automotive supply base to work for Lear Corporation, which is one of the largest suppliers in the industry.”

On Becoming an Entrepreneur

“In 2007, I moved on from my work with Lear Corporation to work for a logistics startup company which began my entrepreneurial journey. The company was acquired in 2009, which provided me with a little bit of experience before I looked into franchising. I knew Mark Cory before we began working together, as both of our kids played little league together. When we got serious about franchise ownership, we went through FranNet’s process and took the assessment to see which opportunities best aligned with our interests. After reviewing several concepts, we decided to go with Expense Reduction Analysis (ERA), which is a consulting operation that specializes in cost management, control, and optimization for small businesses. My stint with ERA was shortened by an opportunity to work with a good friend to turn around a struggling automotive supplier. Thanks to Amy’s help and contributions, we were able to grow the ERA business effectively and finish up our 10-year commitment. By that time, we were looking for something a little different and went back to Mark Cory to reassess new franchise opportunities. This time around, we landed on Floor Coverings International (FCI), which is a turnkey provider of quality home flooring options delivered with highly personalized customer service.”

What Attracted You to the Floor Coverings International Opportunity?

“We were looking for a franchise with an established business reputation – one that placed a heavy emphasis on customer satisfaction and went about doing things the right way. And eventually realized that Floor Coverings International really checked all of those boxes for us. They’ve been around for 30 some odd years and customer service is a big priority for them. I wanted to get back to that, as the value of providing an exceptional customer experience is something I’d learned back in my automotive industry days. In the end, we did look at several other options, but FCI was a great fit culture-wise and flooring is a good, in-demand product when it comes to consumer sales.”

Tell Us About Your Experience Getting Started

“We started out in September of 2022, and I’d have to say it was a pretty good first year. Though it began a little slow, we actually closed a sale on our very first appointment. From that point on, the follow-up sales wouldn’t turn out to be as easy as the first one, but we did have a good first quarter. Then, in Q1 of 2023, we were fortunate to land a couple of pretty big opportunities that came our way, and overall sales began to go much better for us. At the one-year mark, we saw the need to bring on an additional salesperson and our daughter also began to work with us, joining the team to serve as our office manager. The marketing spend can be a little steep, but it’s necessary to augment the sales process and we’re pretty happy with the revenue we generated at the end of 2023. I think it really gave us some good momentum heading into 2024.”

Where Do You Stand Today?

“At the close of last year, we had our new salesperson onboard and our Q4 sales were great. At the end of Q3 this year, we have surpassed our prior year sales, even during a slower economy and the uncertainty of being in an election year.  We’ve been doing things a little differently this year and we’ve added staff to help us grow – including a new production manager who is managing the installation side of the business. These additions have really freed us up to work on the business, as opposed to in it.”

How Did FranNet Support Your Journey?

“Well first off, Mark is just a genuinely great guy. I think he really cares about the people he works with, and he has a lot of patience. He really digs deep to help candidates find the right fit for their circumstances, but he’s never pushy or impatient. He basically tees it up so that you can make an informed decision that’s best for your future. Of course, we knew each other beforehand, so it’s been a great relationship but on two different occasions, he’s helped us locate the best possible business opportunity. We really appreciated how he streamlined the process and helped us narrow down our choices. Both ended up being great decisions.”

How Things Are Going

“Right now, I’d say we’re actively looking to grow the business even further. Our ambitious plan is to double our sales for the next year. We’ve got the pieces in place to do it, just waiting on the economy to catch up. This past year has been quite instrumental, as we’ve put a lot of effort into building new relationships with other businesses who have customers that need flooring. These partnerships have really helped us level out the highs and lows when it comes to consumer lead flow. Overall, I believe we have a great foundation, and we plan to continue widening our network and remain on the path we’ve established.”

For more information, please visit Ken and Amy’s Floor Coverings International franchise on the web.

Another Client Success Story: Meet Mike and Michelle Peterson

Mike and Michelle Peterson are the proud owners of a Challenge Island franchise in Oakland County, Michigan. Challenge Island is an award-winning educational program that specializes in the STEAM and STEM curriculums. Their entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of an inspirational story, which is why FranNet of Michigan chose to feature them as part of our ongoing series of client success stories. Assisted by FranNet Consultant Mark Cory, they were able to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Below, in his own words, Mike shares the details of their personal journey - from 30 years at General Motors to entrepreneurial ownership of their very own Challenge Island franchise… 

Background 

“I earned an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, then went on to finish my MBA and my wife’s background is in industrial design. I worked for General Motors (GM) for several decades, handling various manufacturing assignments, as well as being involved in strategic planning. We’ve been married since 1994 and have three grown children, all of whom also went into engineering at the University of Michigan. So, I guess the apples don’t really fall too far from the tree after all when it comes to passion for STEM.” 

On Becoming an Entrepreneur 

“I’m not really one of those people who can say they always wanted to own a business of their own, but rather circumstances dictated the opportunity. A few years back, GM was offering buyouts for their more senior employees and my wife, and I saw it as possibly our last chance to cash out and do something different. Neither of us were sure what that something was going to look like, but we took the proverbial leap of faith. Part of the GM buyout option includes comprehensive outplacement services, which is how we came to know Mark Cory at FranNet. After meeting with him and discussing our background, we found out some interesting things. Both of us have always been heavily involved and passionate about working with kids. With three active children of our own, we participated in Scouting and community based educational programs, even some robotics competitions over the years and truly loved it. Mark explained how there were dozens and dozens of franchises that support children’s education and development, and we were amazed – we had no idea they even existed.” 

What Attracted You to the Challenge Island Business Opportunity? 

“In all, I think Mark came back and had us review four or five different educational franchise opportunities. But what caught our attention with Challenge Island was the enthusiasm we felt from the founder and their executive team. Sharon Estroff created the business and Robin Bergeron is their chief development officer, both of whom we ended up speaking with multiple times. There was one particular Zoom call that lasted well over an hour and a half, leaving us wondering how they had that kind of time to afford us amidst their other responsibilities. It was the same when speaking with the other franchisees in the network – they were all so helpful. We were also impressed with Challenge Island’s curriculum and the accompanying teaching materials. We felt like they really knew how to make the STEAM and STEM programs interesting and fun for kids. And there was also a very heavy teamwork component to it. Based on our experiences working with children, that’s a big deal. Challenge Island had a way of bringing the students together during workshops, brainstorming sessions, and other educational programming, while still making it a fun experience for them.” 

Tell Us About Your Experience Getting Started 

“All in all, it was about a six-month process to become official franchisees, and we signed our agreement in June 2019. Obviously, it takes some lead time to get your classes put together and recruit the participating students. By the fall of that year, we had several programs in place in multiple communities and we kept picking up steam over the winter months. Then, of course, came February 2020 and Covid hit. It was worrying because we just felt stuck. But we were both relieved and amazed at how quickly the leadership at Challenge Island came together to address the restrictions we now faced. Just like that, everything transitioned to virtual learning via Zoom call sessions. We adapted as well, going out to get the supplies we needed for our class curriculums, putting the kits together at home, then delivering them to the front porches of our students. We’d then jump on our scheduled call and tell the students to unpack their boxes labeled ‘Week 1.’ And it worked! By that summer, we had one particular program that included children from 10 different states. From a territorial perspective, Challenge Island franchisees don’t compete directly with one another. Certain permissions are secured ahead of time and there’s a lot of cooperation that goes on behind the scenes. Challenge Island’s HQ is very instrumental in keeping us working closely together and the back-and-forth communication.” 

Where Do You Stand Today? 

“I think it’s safe to say that everything has returned back to normal operations – we’re back to face-to-face classes again. As of this month, we’ve just completed 27 different summer camps in and around the Detroit area – 10 communities in all and we had a total of 14 employees involved who worked to make it happen. Looking back, we reached our breakeven point in the third year and we’re in our sixth year now, with good profitability.” 

How Did FranNet Support Your Journey? 

“You know, what I like to say about Mark is that he’s just the nicest, low-key guy you could hope to meet. I’m not sure what I expected at first, but I guess I expected more of a hard sell as far as the process goes. But that’s not at all how it was. Mark was completely no pressure, and he did a fantastic job setting up all of our introductions and meetings with the Challenge Island folks. His step-by-step process was very reassuring, and we understood where we were at all times. That made us really comfortable throughout the journey, which was great. After all, this was a pretty big commitment for us.” 

How Things are Going 

“As of right now, we’re going to keep on keeping on. We’re on a 10-year commitment with Challenge Island and we hope to keep growing what’s become a very successful business for us. Once we reach that point, we’ll be fairly close to retirement, and we’ll have to assess our options at that point. We may sell and move on to something else or decide to stick. But everything is really going well right now. We really do enjoy the community of Challenge Island owners, and we have no complaints.”

For more information, please visit Mike and Michelle Peterson’s Challenge Island site on the web.

Another Client Success Story: Meet John Hunnius

John and Janet Hunnius are the proud owners of Spavia Ann Arbor, located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. A Spavia Day Spa franchise offers numerous therapeutic massage treatments, beauty and skincare treatments, and body treatments in a relaxed and luxurious setting. John’s entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of an inspirational story, which is why FranNet of Michigan chose to feature him as part of our ongoing series of our client success stories. Assisted by FranNet Consultant, Mark Cory, Hunnius was able to turn his entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Below, in his own words, John shares the details of his personal journey – from nearly 30 years in the commercial construction industry to ownership of his very own Spavia Day Spa franchise… 

Background 

“I am happily married with two stepsons, who are grown, so we’ve been empty nesters for the past four years or so. I’m originally from St. Louis and attended Avila University. After graduating, I went into their MBA program and majored in finance. I began my corporate career with Hertz Equipment Rental, which is now HERC Rentals, and I remained there for nearly 30 years. My career took me to Cleveland for six of those years, then I got a promotion with the opportunity to move to Michigan. My last position with the company was a regional vice-president position overseeing a number of profit centers. In October of 2016, I went through a transition period and decided to take some time off and ponder what I wanted to do next. It was either find another role in Corporate America or go out on our own. We had considered business ownership before, but at the time it wasn’t very realistic due to my travel schedule.” 

On Becoming an Entrepreneur 

“We actually have lots of friends who themselves are business owners, one of whom made an introduction for us to Mark Cory with FranNet of Michigan. We participated in the assessment and personality test to determine what type of industries would be the best fit for us. We also have a friend who happens to be a multi-unit franchise owner, and he was very helpful in explaining what we could expect. Like I said, we’d mulled over starting a business, but never really got beyond the ‘what if?’ stage. I had decided returning to Corporate America wasn’t appealing, so it became time for ‘Career 2.0,’ so to speak.” 

What Attracted You to the Spavia Business Opportunity? 

“Well, there’s a couple of sides to it. First off, both my wife and I are really into living healthy lifestyles. I played college sports, she’s a big runner – fitness is just really important to both of us. I’ve been a triathlete for some time now and to date have completed 23 IRONMAN events over the years. Health and wellness is something we’re really passionate about outside of our work lives. Then, as we dug in more, the Spavia opportunity just made sense. The founders, Marty and Allison, are both still very involved in the business and they’ve built an extremely impressive business model. We also liked that it was still an emerging brand, and I think we ended up being among the first 25 franchisees in the system. From the get-go, my wife Janet and I have been very much involved in the day-to-day operations – from the time we signed the agreement, to our grand opening, and ever since. We opened our doors in Aug. 2018 and are still fully engaged, though we did recently decide to bring a capable manager on board. Ideally, this will allow us to work a little more on the business as opposed to in it, for a change. It should free up a lot of time.” 

Tell Us About Your Experience Getting Started 

“After our grand opening in Aug. 2018, we were cruising along pretty nicely for the first 18 months, things were going well and then you know what happened next – the pandemic. We basically had to shut down and close our doors for the next three months, which was a very nerve-wracking time for all of us at Spavia. The brand provided excellent leadership during this trying time and really set the tone for us to follow. We called each and every one of our members and asked what they’d like to do – our goal was to be very transparent. Everyone was very understanding of the situation we were in at the time. The strategy worked and I’m proud to say that we retained 86% of the pre-Covid memberships we had secured. That was a real blessing.” 

Where Do You Stand Today? 

“Thanks to our retention level, we had a head start on things once we were able to open back up and get all of our service lines back up and running. People were coming back, and memberships began to increase again – a real relief. I think one of the biggest things that helped us through that rough patch was how our community rallied behind us. We’ve always gone out of our way to support other local businesses, charitable organizations, and community-based initiatives. It was helpful that we put ourselves out there in the community and our local market. We were there for the community, and they supported us, and we continue to enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship to this day.” 

How Did FranNet Support Your Journey? 

“I have to say that our experience in working with Mark Cory was super positive. He brings a great perspective because not only is he knowledgeable about the franchising industry in general, but he also himself is a franchise owner and understood what we needed to know as new franchisees. Mark was always very accessible and responsive to every new thought or question we had – even the crazy ones. Mark is calm and has great intuition. Not only did he provide a great framework for making informed decisions, but he also really kept us in between the proverbial guardrails. In the end, Mark saved us an untold amount of time and effort. We have a lot of confidence in Mark and would recommend his services to anyone looking to own a business of their own through franchising.” 

How Things are Going 

“At this point, we’re now in year six and continue to grow as an organization. Where will we be in 10 years? That’s a little hard to say, but for now we’re right where we want to be. We’re looking forward to bringing our new general manager on board and we’ll see what effect that has on our focus and how we spend our time. Ultimately, it’s safe to say we are in a great place and look forward to continued growth and success.” 

For more information, please visit John Hunnius’ Spavia of Ann Arbor on the web.

Another Client Success Story: Meet Mike & Debbie Robison

Mike & Debbie Robison are the proud owners of Renue Systems of Michigan, the leading provider of deep cleaning services to the commercial hospitality industry. Their entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of an inspirational story, which is why FranNet of Michigan chose to feature them in our testimonial series of client success stories. Assisted by FranNet Consultant Mark Cory, the Robisons were able to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into a reality. Below, Mike shares the details of the couple’s personal journey – from his previous successful career in the automotive industry to ownership of their very own Renue Systems
franchise… 

Background 

“Well, I’m 57 years old, been married for 29 years, and we have three grown children. I earned an electrical engineering degree from the University of Michigan in 1987, then kicked off a multi-decade career in design and program and project management in the automotive industry. In the fall of 1993, I went back to the University of Michigan, and after four years of evening classes, I got my MBA.” 

On Becoming an Entrepreneur 

“You know, I never grew up dreaming of owning my own business – even though my dad used to advise me to look into it. A funny thing – I had a friend whose dad owned a business, and he routinely told his son not to follow that path! I guess entrepreneurship didn’t appeal to me at first, but in October of 2019, my company got bought out and my job was eliminated with hundreds of others. I was granted severance and access to outplacement resources. I did some interviewing for director-level positions, but then Covid hit, and those opportunities dried up pretty quickly. I had begun to consider franchise ownership when one of the outplacement contacts connected me to Mark Cory with FranNet of Michigan. We met up and I took the assessment, which led to reviewing four different business opportunities. My wife and I did our due diligence and narrowed it down to just two, one of which was Renue Systems.” 

What Attracted You to the Renue Systems Opportunity? 

“We told Mark that we wanted a brand that stood out and was basically best-in-class for whatever product or service they offered. Renue Systems checked both boxes. Mark helped with introductions to the company’s original founder, Marty Jollette, and the current president, David Grossman. We had multiple conversations and – having been through this situation before – I asked if they intended to sell the brand in the future at some point. Well, they’re both still there to this day. I utilized the 401K rollover option to fund the business and Mark helped us line up a source to complete all the paperwork.” 

Tell Us About Your Experience Getting Started 

“We purchased our Renue Systems franchise in November of 2020, went through training in January of 2021, then hired our oldest son to be the general manager. He’s doing a fantastic job as my eyes and ears in the field. Looking back, the first few months were a little shaky. I can still remember – myself, my wife, and our son and daughter (the whole family!) were headed in the van to our first big job – deep cleaning a 149-room hotel. I think we were all pretty apprehensive about what to expect, but we got through it in two weeks. The hotel’s management was very nice and accommodating – something you see all the time in the hospitality industry. Next, we secured two more big commercial cleaning jobs, and we were basically off to the races.” 

Where Do You Stand Today? 

“Everything is going really well. In our first year, we had a sales target goal and managed to double it. In year two, we had a 45% increase in business. Now in year three, we’re doing outstanding. We’re on track to beat our sales numbers by 30%, and we’ve added a second truck and another full-time technician. Since we utilized the 401K rollover funding method, we were even able to offer a matching contribution for our employees – which is a great benefit to offer in this line of work.” 

How Did FranNet Support Your Journey? 

“I would strongly recommend Mark Cory’s services for anyone looking into franchising. He gives clients such an amazing education about what franchising is, something I knew nothing about before. He’s very patient and took the time to see how my individual skill set might transition to success with Renue Systems. And his connections and referrals throughout the process were invaluable. In the end, Mark really delivered the goods for us – that’s the bottom line. Finding the right franchise consultant is like a marriage – you need to work with someone you can trust because these are extremely important decisions and considerations.” 

How Things are Going 

“We’re very optimistic about our future as Renue Systems owners. At this point, we’re concentrating on scaling everything to the right degree, and our goal is higher sales volume. I intend to keep doing this until I reach retirement age, and it’s possible we’ll use a legacy strategy and turn the business over to our children. Just not anytime soon – I’m having too much fun!”

For more information, please visit Mike & Debbie Robison’s Renue Systems franchise on the web.

Another Client Success Story: Meet Matt Carstens

Matt Carstens is the proud owner of an Enviro-Master franchise serving Metro Detroit South. His entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of an inspirational story, which is why FranNet of Michigan chose to feature him in our testimonial series of client success stories. Assisted by FranNet Consultant Mark Cory, Carstens was able to turn his entrepreneurial dreams into a reality. Below, in his own words, Matthew shares the details of this personal journey – from his previous career as a corporate attorney to ownership of his very own Enviro-Master franchise…

Background 

“I graduated from the University of Iowa’s Law School in 1998, which began a 12-year legal career in commercial litigation in Chicago, Detroit, and Cedar Rapids. In 2009, I was then presented with an opportunity to become in-house counsel for ITC Holdings Corp. – the largest independent electricity transmission company in the U.S. A few years later in 2015, I was promoted internally, becoming the company’s vice-president and general counsel for utility operations. I really did enjoy the work during my time at ITC, but after the company was later acquired by another corporation, I began to think about exploring my options.” 

On Becoming an Entrepreneur 

“When I began to look at other opportunities, I was really considering the benefits of working for myself. I had a desire to set my own tone and culture, based on my experiences to date. Franchising was an appealing way to go about it because the business models, infrastructure, processes, and systems are already in place. No need to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. I met Mark Cory with FranNet through a mutual friend, who had just purchased a dry cleaning franchise. I took the personal assessment to discover which franchise opportunities aligned with my interests and goals and Mark helped me go through about four different concepts. 

Why Enviro-Master? 

“Initially, I really liked Enviro-Master’s history of success – they’ve established a pretty good track record over the past couple of decades. I also appreciated how, as a commercial cleaning service, the brand’s value proposition and business model wasn’t going to be threatened by one of the big tech companies or some other disruptor. This was an opportunity where we, as owners, wouldn’t be replaced by AI someday.” 

Tell Us About Your Experience Getting Started 

“I signed my franchise agreement to purchase an existing Enviro-Master location in July 2020. They had a robust client roster and several hundred thousand in revenue when we took over. This was all right about when Covid was really starting to lock everything down. As you might imagine, this turned out to be a fairly advantageous time to own a commercial cleaning and disinfecting company. Enviro-Master has many applications that go well beyond these services as well. Initially, the phones rang off the hook from clients looking for our help. I guess you could say the timing worked out really well. As for my territory, the metro area of Detroit for Enviro-Master is actually split into north and south – I own the region consisting of Wayne, Washtenaw, Monroe and Lenawee counties, though we also service Toledo and its neighboring communities.   We’re fortunate that – even through the ownership transition – we didn’t have much turnover, especially for our managers and technicians. All the top people stayed on, which helped us out a great deal.  Of course, that doesn’t happen by accident, but is the result of a focus on building a team that is dedicated to its task.” 

Where Do You Stand Today? 

“This is still going really well. I’ve learned that this business isn’t for everyone. It takes a lot of work and effort to develop the right interpersonal relationships to maintain our growth. That’s been my main focus over the last three years. I like to say that we work on the business, as well as working in the business. There have been times when I’ve even been out in the field myself, handling technician services as needed. In the last three years, we’ve tripled our annual revenue – an amazing accomplishment. Enviro-Master as a business opportunity is always evolving and looking for new service lines, which creates the potential for additional revenue streams. Even though we’ve been hard at it the last three years in our own territory, I still feel like we haven’t even scratched the surface when it comes to new business development.” 

How Did FranNet Support Your Journey? 

“I’ll begin by saying that I wouldn’t be here as an Enviro-Master owner without Mark Cory’s help. In a turnkey fashion, he was able to guide me through the franchise investigative process and review different business models. I never felt pressured to make a decision one way or another, it was completely up to me. Mark was very instrumental in helping to arrange everything – the meetings, the introductions, the referrals for professional assistance – everything. And the perspective and advice he offered was also very helpful.” 

How Things are Going 

“My main focus is on digging deeper into our own area. There are plenty of dense, commercial-rich clients in southeast Michigan that present a lot of opportunity. I’m also looking to expand our service lines with ‘our existing customers, while we’re busy building relationships with new ones. I think we have plenty of work to keep us busy for a while. I’ll probably stay on and run the business until retirement. One of my two sons has shown an interest in pursuing an entrepreneurial future, so you never know – this could end up being passed down as a legacy business. Ultimately, I’m very happy and I’m not going anywhere.” 

For more information, please visit Matthew Carsten’s Enviro-Master franchise site on the web.

FranNet Success Stories

Julie Piccone | FranNet Success Stories
Julie has always been ambitious and ready for the next adventure. Being a young entrepreneur, Julie didn't shy away from owning her own business and investing in her future. This is her story.

Jeff Gibson | FranNet Success Stories

Jeff served our country bravely for years. After his time in the service, Jeff made his own path to success through business ownership. This is his story.

George Habbouche | FranNet Success Stories

From Lebanon to the US, George came looking for opportunity for him and his family. He found it through business ownership, in an unlikely industry. This is his story.

Another Client Success Story: Meet Mike Doherty

Mike Doherty is the proud owner of a Junkluggers franchise that spans seven territories. His entrepreneurial journey is nothing short of an inspirational story, which is why FranNet of Michigan chose to feature him in our testimonial series of client success stories. Assisted by FranNet Consultant Mark Cory, Doherty was able to turn his entrepreneurial dreams into a reality. Below, in his own words, Mike Doherty shares the details of his own personal journey – from automotive engineer to ownership of his Junkluggers of Mid-Michigan franchise… 

Background

“I graduated from Saginaw Valley State University, then later got my MBA from Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. After completing my education, I continued my automotive engineering career at Means Industries that would span a total of 24 years. My specialty was in the design and manufacturing of transmission-related products, and over the years I served in multiple capacities - up to and including executive level positions. I’ve been married for 26 years, and we have two grown children, ages 20 and 22.” 

On Becoming an Entrepreneur

“I’ve always been interested in an entrepreneurial future and the possibility of owning my own business someday. And then one day, that opportunity presented itself. In 2021, my company merged with another company and, unfortunately, my role was eliminated in the new organization. It was pretty disappointing at the time, but in a larger sense it actually ended up giving me the freedom to pursue my entrepreneurial dream. Through the outplacement services I received, I ended up crossing paths with Mark Cory at FranNet of Michigan. Admittedly, I didn’t know very much about the franchising industry when we first met. Like a lot of people, I just thought franchising meant McDonald’s and such. But I came to find out just how many different franchise concepts there are out there. The more I learned, the more I realized that franchising could be the right opportunity for me personally.” 

Why Franchising?

“Before I decided on franchising, I had considered starting my own business from scratch and maybe even buying an existing business. At the same time, I really didn’t want to spend a lot of time and effort to create business processes and systems on my own. I was more attracted to the franchising model because it’s essentially a business in a box, so to speak. With franchising, you get a blueprint and a roadmap. It seemed like the best way to get up to a significant scale within five years or so – which was my plan. It seemed to be a better choice than doing everything on my own and risking mistakes along the way.” 

Your Experience Getting Started

“Mark Cory and I began working together and he presented me with three or four franchise concepts that were a match for my experience and preferences. I took an academic approach to the exercise, looking at these opportunities from a standpoint that took into consideration the brand’s ownership, management, value proposition, required investment, and the potential ROI. But I was also looking for something that I personally believed in – a brand that had excellent management and a well-defined mission statement. Having something I could scale was important to me, and I also needed to stay within a certain window on my upfront costs. I narrowed my search to Junkluggers because it’s a concept that, quite simply, checked all the boxes. And I really liked their corporate team because it was clear they were all vested in growing this brand.” 

Where Do You Stand?

“I signed my franchise agreement in April of 2021 and ended up opening for business in October. I bought four Junkluggers territories to start off and have added another three since for a total of seven in all – but it’s all run from one central location. In my first year, I was most interested in validating the business model. I wanted to see if people truly cared about the services Junkluggers provides and whether or not they’d use it. I had a specific sales target in mind when I started, and I hit it within the first nine months of operations. My goal for the second year was simple – double my revenue. There’s still a lot of 2023 to go, but I’m already up 109% year over year. To date, I’ve grown the business to include a total of three trucks and 11 employees.” 

How Did FranNet Support Your Journey?

“After I met Mark and we got started, what I needed was an education on franchising – and that’s just what I got. Mark did a great job giving me a high-level rundown of how franchising worked and what he could do for us. My wife and I participated in the assessment, which was a fun exercise. Throughout the process, Mark was patient and understanding – he walked us through each step efficiently. At the same time, he was never pushy and was always very supportive. We never felt pressured in any way. Mark kept the process moving along and, next thing you know, here I am.” 

How Things are Going

“Junkluggers has some really exciting initiatives that they’re getting ready to roll out. I’m pretty excited about their new ‘Remix’ market plan. Our vision is to get to a point where we are keeping 100% of reusable items out of landfills. This currently is not practical, given today’s limitations on what items can be donated and recycled. Remix provides a whole new and efficient channel for reusing items that might otherwise be taken to the landfill thus moving us one more step toward our goal. With Remix proceeds being donated to our charity partners, this is a win for our community, a win for the environment and a win for Junkluggers too. As for my future plans, I intend to keep my business sustainably and profitably growing revenue. It’s possible that I’ll look into adding a couple more territories down the road, and I wouldn’t mind looking at other business ownership opportunities to establish a bigger entrepreneurial portfolio.” 

For more information, please visit Mike Doherty’s Junkluggers of Mid-Michigan site on the web.

Another Client Success Story: Meet Matthew Relyea

Matthew Relyea was born into entrepreneurship, as his family owned a multi-generational business in Columbus, Ohio that began with his grandfather. However, Matthew was determined to see what Corporate America held for him and embarked on a very successful management career for a blue chip customer service brand. Eventually, circumstances changed, and Relyea began a new chapter – this time as the owner of his own business. His inspirational story is why FranNet of Michigan chose to feature him in our series of client success stories. Assisted by FranNet Consultant Mark Cory, Relyea was able to turn his entrepreneurial legacy into a reality – becoming the owner of a Floor Coverings International franchise. Below, in his own words, Matthew Relyea shares the details of his personal entrepreneurial journey…

Background

“I graduated from Franklin Pierce University in southern New Hampshire, where I was a journalism and sports management major. What I really wanted to do was become a sportswriter or work in the sports industry. But an opportunity came along for me to enter a management trainee program with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. I relied on the advice from my father, as his company would hire their employees based upon their own world renowned training program. I couldn’t turn it down, because I was so eager to learn everything I could about business and customer service. I was a fast learner and pretty soon, I was getting promoted and moving up the ranks. I worked in six different cities in four states over the next 11 years, enjoying excellent results with my teams I developed. I eventually earned a promotion to a regional management position in Detroit, Michigan in Feb. 2020.”

On Becoming an Entrepreneur

“I put in a lot of hard work and years with Enterprise. But one day, new management came in, changed up the organizational chart, and that was it – my position was unceremoniously eliminated. It was upsetting to realize that you can still be treated like a number after all the success I’d had, but that’s the way it goes in Corporate America. I knew that if I ever chose to leave Enterprise on my own, it would be to go into business for myself. My family were entrepreneurs and business owners and it’s in the bloodlines, I guess. In a way, I kind of wanted to keep that legacy going for the family.” 

Why Franchising?

“After I was downsized, I was working with an outplacement contact at Right Management who introduced me to Mark Cory at FranNet. The franchising model was appealing to me because I really didn’t have a proprietary idea for starting a business from scratch. And I liked the idea of simply following a roadmap to success. What I was most interested in was finding a business that was recession-resistant and had low overhead. I took FranNet’s Entrepreneurial Readiness Profile, which is an assessment designed to match you up with certain franchise concepts. I found the results to be extremely helpful. I think it showed how FranNet has a great process for determining where your entrepreneurial strengths lie.“ 

How FranNet Helped

“Mark Cory and I reviewed about four or five different franchise concepts together. Mark was very patient, and I never felt pressured to make a decision. Initially, I wasn’t sure why I was a match for Floor Coverings International. But after my first call with the area developer, I felt like I could excel with this opportunity. I really connected with all of the brand executives. I came to realize that this was a business that was heavily dependent on providing excellent customer service and a no-hassle experience. That’s what I’d been doing quite well before. And because home improvement is a very personal undertaking, it makes the customer experience that much more important. Knowing many clients have had home improvement nightmares before, I really felt I could make this business work. I had my grand opening on Dec. 21, 2021.” 

Where Do You Stand?

“Things really got off to a fast start for me. I beat the initial projections by 50% and did $1.2 million in sales the first year. That earned me the ‘New Franchisee of the Year’ honors – basically, I was the rookie of the year for the brand. I credit that to all of my team members because it really does take everyone’s contributions to be successful. Floor Coverings International ended up being the perfect fit for me because, at the end of the day, we’re solving problems for our customers – and I love problem-solving. I love being the one who provides the solution to challenges and each day brings me a fresh opportunity to do just that.” 

How Things are Going

“I’m excited to see what the future holds for my Floor Coverings International location in Columbus. This is a market that’s growing, and it’s expected to reach three million people by the year 2050. The upside of continuing to serve this area is really high, as there’s still a lot of individual and commercial clients out there in addition to great trade partnerships we have established in Columbus just a little over a year in business. Who knows? It could end up being a legacy business for my family someday, but it’s definitely a sustainable operation for my long-term planning. I’ll reassess everything down the road – maybe another five to 10 years, but I truly love what I’m doing right now.”

For more information, please visit Matthew Relyea’s Floor Coverings International business on the web.