Australia Feature Articles

Business supplies are like the air we breathe: they're all around, necessary for life, and noticed only when missing. Where would we be without our business cards, business forms, stationery, logo-ized pens, printer and toner cartridges-not to mention all the computing and communication gear and gizmos-that keep the wheels of commerce turning? And don't forget the signage on everything from delivery trucks to the booths of trade shows.

In 1996, a young London inventor asked British franchise veteran Victor Clewes whether he should franchise or sell the innovative machine he'd created for filtering used cooking oil. Clewes had never set foot in a commercial kitchen, but it didn't take him long to see that Jason Sayers was sitting on a franchising goldmine.

Australian companies looking to expand beyond their borders are casting a hungry eye on the U.S. market. Physically Australia is over ¾ the size of the United States but there are only 19.9 million people in the country compared to a population of over 293 million in the U.S. What's more, high household and disposable incomes and the almost competitive desire to be the first on their block to try something new give American consumers both the means and the propensity to buy Australian products and services.

John F. Kennedy made a famous speech at the Berlin Wall, when he said, "Ich bin ein Berliner." Literally, this translates to "I am a jelly donut" because a "Berliner" is a type of jelly donut. To be correct, he should have said "Ich bin Berliner." So now a famous phrase echoes around the world, with millions of people declaring that they want to be a jelly donut. But several million of those would probably rephrase it, "Ich bin ein Krispy Kreme"-fanatical followings are not unusual for that brand.

Franchising is driven by expansion and growth. Creating leads and identifying prospects is an essential part of any corporate franchise operation. Franchise executives understand the importance of effective marketing and recruiting. They spend significant amounts of time, human resources, and financial resources to develop systems that help them optimize their recruiting.

Franchisors in search of new concepts have discovered a rich market in small businesses that could benefit from the perks that larger companies enjoy, but cannot justify or afford them. Having access to these professional services can have a profound impact on the success of small businesses.

Franchisors in search of new concepts have discovered a rich market in small businesses that could benefit from the perks that larger companies enjoy, but cannot justify or afford them. Having access to these professional services can have a profound impact on the success of small businesses.

Rich Kissane's son was a good athlete, but "kind of clumsy," says the 25-year franchising veteran. The family was living near Atlanta, and friends told him about Velocity Sports Performance, a small company that offered the same kind of sports training that large professional sports organizations provided their players. Kissane enrolled his son, and "The next year, he was defensive player of the year for his football team."