
Growing a Family While Growing A Business: A Kona Ice Story
Kona Ice owner Reggie Nelson moved from a steady finance job to a thriving franchise business. And as his business grew, so did his family!
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Kona Ice owner Reggie Nelson moved from a steady finance job to a thriving franchise business. And as his business grew, so did his family!
We’re back from the 2025 IFA World Franchise Show in Miami with lots to consider. For one, Miami is beautiful this time of year! For another, we continue to learn more about the path to franchising every day.
Spouses Ken Keffer and Heather Ray grew up on opposite ends of the country: Ken is from Wyoming, and Heather from Florida. They later met in Milwaukee and now call the Midwest their home. Their professional experiences differ, too. Ken holds a degree in wildlife biology, while Heather’s world is marketing and communications. Pulling their expertise together, the two now own a Wild Birds Unlimited in Bloomington, Indiana, that opened in 2022. They found WBU to be a great franchise for nature lovers like themselves.
Asking a franchisor the right questions in the right way is critical to learning more about your top brands during the validation process. Keep in mind that becoming a franchisee is the start of a long-term commitment and relationship.
There is a growing number of Millennials who’ve decided to trade their corporate jobs to be their own bosses.
“We are not afraid of hard work! However, we don’t want to work harder than we need to,” Jordan Espeseth, a franchisee of Real Producers says. “We often find creative solutions that allow us to work smarter, not harder, creating efficiency and increased value.”
If you ask Adam Martindale why he loves owning and operating his Cruise Planners travel agency, he’ll gladly rattle off a lengthy list. One of his favorite benefits, however, is that he gets to work from anywhere while traveling the world and growing his business. In this on-demand webinar, FBR’s President and COO, Michelle Rowan, chats with franchisee Adam and Stacie Faulds, Cruise Planners’ Assistant Vice President of Marketing, about what it takes to be a Cruise Planners franchise owner, and how the travel franchise became the nation’s largest home-based franchise in the travel space.
Starting a franchise can be an exciting venture, but figuring out how to fund it can often feel overwhelming. In this webinar, Michelle Rowan, President of Franchise Business Review (FBR), and Jade Maloney, a franchise funding consultant with Benetrends Financial, discuss several key franchise financing options.
In this on-demand webinar, FBR’s President, Michelle Rowan, chats with Melissa Tash, the founder of the Spoiled Rotten Photography franchise, and two successful franchisee families, Lynn and Rernardo Driver and Joey and Sandi Fotheringham. See for yourself how much they love owning and operating their businesses.
Ready to start your next adventure? Discover how you can become part of the booming mobile coffee trend with the Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck Franchise—a brand that’s already transforming communities one cup at a time! Founded by Tony Lamb, the visionary behind the wildly successful Kona Ice, Travelin’ Tom’s offers aspiring entrepreneurs an exciting, turn-key opportunity to own their own business and serve premium coffee with heart.
Joining the Mathnasium franchise provides franchise owners with a simple startup with comprehensive training, support, national marketing campaigns, and a proven business model. The franchise does not require franchisees to have educator experience or math expertise—just a desire to help students and build relationships. Watch the on-demand webinar to learn more.
Kona Ice owner Reggie Nelson moved from a steady finance job to a thriving franchise business. And as his business grew, so did his family!
Spouses Ken Keffer and Heather Ray grew up on opposite ends of the country: Ken is from Wyoming, and Heather from Florida. They later met in Milwaukee and now call the Midwest their home. Their professional experiences differ, too. Ken holds a degree in wildlife biology, while Heather’s world is marketing and communications. Pulling their expertise together, the two now own a Wild Birds Unlimited in Bloomington, Indiana, that opened in 2022. They found WBU to be a great franchise for nature lovers like themselves.
Jenny and John Propps have a long history of owning a family business. With their pursuit of work-life balance and their love of their area, they’ve built something really amazing in Kitchen Tune-Up because they stick close to their “why”.
Randi Beesing and her husband own 4 Any Lab Test Now Locations. They’re focused on building a legacy with franchising.
Jana Frank was born in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Currently, she lives downtown with her partner and owns 2 Mathnasium centers in the west suburbs. She’s a Chicagoan, through and through. With an extensive background in both psychology and education (specifically Math), she started as a math teacher for grades 4-8. She loved teaching but was eventually ready for a change. After a particularly rough day at school, her father mentioned he heard an ad for a math tutoring franchise and encouraged her to check it out.
You may be surprised to learn that starting a business doesn’t have to come with a sky-high price tag. There are many franchise opportunities available for under $100,000, offering aspiring entrepreneurs a more accessible path to business ownership.
If you’re going to buy a franchise, be sure you understand all of the associated franchise costs. Let’s break down the main expenses you’ll encounter upfront and how to determine the amount you’ll need to finance. Much like buying a home, most entrepreneurs make a down payment on their franchise and finance the rest with a loan which they pay back over time.
Starting a franchise can be an exciting venture, but figuring out how to fund it can often feel overwhelming. In this webinar, Michelle Rowan, President of Franchise Business Review (FBR), and Jade Maloney, a franchise funding consultant with Benetrends Financial, discuss several key franchise financing options.
Like any business venture, franchising comes with its share of one-time startup costs, franchising fees, and ongoing expenses. Knowing these numbers can help you determine what you can realistically afford so you can set yourself up for success. Let’s start with the big three franchising costs to consider when exploring franchise opportunities.
When exploring franchise opportunities, securing the right franchise funding is a critical step in your entrepreneurial journey. This article delves into various financing options available to potential franchisees, providing you with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions.
The Franchise Business Review Hall of Fame celebrates the best franchises to own. These franchises have shown long-term dedication to franchisee satisfaction and providing the best franchise opportunities.
The Franchise Business Review List of Rock Star Franchise owners celebrates franchisees that share an incredibly strong work ethic along with a deep passion for their business.