WikidFranchise

Some articles have more educational value than others.

• Rothstein: Bankers 'in my pocket' — $1.2 B ponzi scheme allegedly enabled by one of Canada's huge centralized banks and this isn't news in Canada?
• Florida ponzi schemer alleges TD played ‘critical’ role in $1.2-billion fraud — CDN banks are great at "don't ask, don't tell" when fraud is done on a large-scale
• Serving up a surprise for U.S. franchises — in any franchise article, the truth pops out in the comments ("More McSh!t for the lazy, obese, hard-of-thinking")
• TD Bank tool case — see my 2005 Franchising Opportunism paper where I described predatory franchise lending.
• An empire served on a plastic tray When a car is totaled, it gets sent to a junk yard to be cut up for parts. Junk yards are very lucrative for the the owners.
• Firms denied fee boost: Class counsel wanted $20M, appeal court gives $14.5M — a $30-million of Money Mart coupon "scheme" for future predatory loans does NOT really make an "excellent settlement"; BUT asking originally for $27-million in lawyering — that's getting somewhere.
• GM dealers launch suits in fight to stay in business
• Where’s the Wiki you made of your franchisor’s documents? — A properly structured wiki is the best defense: much, much better than any organization that is prone to capture.
• Anti-franchisee engineers get the stick — Public safety, such as rail, nuclear power should not be in a franchised model because of the hard-wired benefits of cutting corners.
• WSI Master Franchise — I always keep my eye on WSI, especially since they're now governed by the CFA's Code of Ethics. I hope Dean, his family and the other "Lucky 13" dodged the recent Kiwi earthquake.
• Number of TGI Friday's to double — Going from 350 to 700 stores while having less than 6 per country on average while not putting any timeframe on this expansion promise? wow Nick Shepherd appears to be Pres/CEO.
• Meet Doc Cohen, the First Franchisee in IFA’s Hall of Fame — A franchisee arguing against relationship regulation? See Doc's 1999 Congressional testimony here.
• Anonymous Hackers Target Alleged WikiLeaker Bradley Mannings’ Jailers — The management of digital documents is an evolving issue in franchising.
• The Middle East’s feminist revolution — Each system with a spousal-directed, trust building Facebook group; wiki training and family franchise litigation.
• Judge certifies class action against General Motors, Cassels Brock
• Lights! Camera! Reaction! — Reputation self-immolation as signal we're well past the public's tolerance for modern franchising's degenerate behavior.
• Despite problems, small-business program wins support - For every $1 lost by the taxpayers per year ($113-million last year), $10 is lost by small business investors in this government guaranteed loan lure program.
• The $5-million man — Wallace McCain is one of the world's greatest entrepreneurs.
• Taming Canadian Monsters — Good faith entails the provision of commercially reasonable amounts of time and detail for franchisees to make business decisions.
• Ontario considers radical amendment to franchise disclosure law — Changes in CDN law will revolutionize industry practice internationally.
• Salon worker fired over headscarf, she says — All Trade Secrets franchisees are affected because of one franchisee's alleged actions.
• Quiznos’ Appeal to Supreme Court Dismissed — Ontario/Canadian franchise class actions will modify behaviour.
• Class actions can target firms as defendants — Sue the franchise attorneys for playing both sides.
• Cyberspace war heats up — A good summary article of the sand eroding under AUS Big Franchising.
• Co-founder of Clearly Lasik eye surgery found guilty of plotting to kill partner
• Dr. Helena Jaczek, MPP, Second Reading Debates — Bill 102 in front of he Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.
• A franchise is never 'your own' business — Listen to Dianne Buckner and the CBC.
• Nosestretcher alert: food safety is not simple, even if a $5 billion corporation says it is Nosestretcher alert, Barfblog and Maple Leaf Foods
• Murder-for-hire trial begins for eye surgeon with connections to Vancouver Island
• Revolt of the franchisees — After 40 years, ON Bill 102 looks to protect franchisees.
• Layoffs at Quiznos double — Did anyone think Quiznos would pay $1 to franchisees from the 4 class action lawsuits?
• Quiznos closing shocks workers — When it hits the fan in franchising, it REALLY hits the fan.
• Franchise Industry Shows Glimmer of Recovery — Come on Wall Street Journal: don't let newbies like Sarah E. Needleman submit debt trap crapola articles. You know better. Shame I tell you: shame.
• Exclusive: WikiLeaks Will Unveil Major Bank Scandal — Same "ecosystem of corruption" in franchise banking.
• Why I love WikiLeaks — Hey Julian help Oz and CDN lawmakers: leak Bank of America controlled SBA 7a loans data.
• Julian Assange's Great Luck — Why can't I get thrown in jail, too? I guess I'll just have to be let my new posts continue to be deleted by the editors at Blue MauMau
• Fighting WikiLeaks — WikidFranchise appears to have been 100% copied 11 times.
• McGuinty hints fall vote will be his last — It was the Courts (not the PCs) that put teeth in Wishart. Franchisees should do as I say (Wilkinson).
• KFC accused of encouraging 'greenwashing' — What is a franchisee association's position on their "liar brand"?
• Queen’s Park officials charged in alleged kickback scheme - What more can I say?
• The burgers sell better at Hungry Jack's — Is it just me or are Canadians are having a disproportionate influence on the world of franchising? Jack Cowin has done so for decades in Australia.
• Franchisee class actions on the rise in Canada — Class proceedings seems to be increasing in frequency and depth of issues, at least in Ontario.
• Angry fraud victims to confront bank — Everyone works for the lenders in ways that were not usual a generation ago.
• $16M fraud an inside job, federal bank says in suit — The Business Development Bank of Canada and fraud: It is useful to try to unpack this one.
• No Fills foods opens in Edmonton - Very powerful cognitive biases affect decision making. Time will tell with Steve and Gordon.
• Madoff trustee sues UBS, others - Sue the predatory franchise lender.
• Druggists in revolt over handling of rebates - Franchise class actions are the medical equivalent of the most advanced and dangerous forms of neuro-surgery. Use only the pre-eminent franchisee litigator and make sure the inevitable distant and immediate franchisor retaliation is planned for.
• Lexpert: Franchisors Face New Obligations - CDN franchisee sleeper alert: see what I wrote about this over at FranchiseFool.
• 'Surrender your rights - or else' — Jo Gash is relentless.
• Hookers & Booze: Your tax dollars at work — Franchising uses government guaranteed loan programs extensively as I documented in 2005.
• Aiming for balance, she bought into boilerplate approach — 22% in two years?
• Willy Loman, the ultimate underdog — People naturally blame themselves (the tree) when the learning curve is so steep in understanding the franchising "forest".
• Why SA’s proposal to regulate franchising is impractical — Some of the blocking from the voices of Big Franchising in Australia.
• Australian state franchise legislation, 2010. You can find all the articles on this tag at the risk section right after Sophism: an argument used to deceive and just before South Sea Bubble.
• SA Government backs new franchising laws, will introduce “good faith” clause — It appears the AUS franchisor trade association (like every other one in the world) dislikes good faith and fair dealings in franchise relationships. Or at least wants to make it optional, unilaterally, only by the franchisor.
• Commissioner hired to protect small firms from 'franchise bullies' — A practical first step because franchising is a very complex industry with many stakeholders willing to misspeak.
• How Tim Hortons will take over the world — Many Canadian companies have had their head handed to them by their USA competitors. Time will tell if optimism bias is a franchisee-only tendency.
• MPPs seek anti-swindling law for franchises — Although free to do so, I choose not to practice do-it-yourself dentistry. Pre-sale franchise due diligence is at least as complex as basic dental surgery.
• Women out $1.5 million to ‘lovey-dovey’ con man — Anyone can be taken in by a skilled con man. The list of male doctors and lawyers is a very lengthy one.
• Food trucks are rolling into the mainstream — Food truck encroachment: I suggest that this internet-enabled innovation will cause civil war within franchising and the loss of $ millions in mom-and-pop bricks-and-mortar QSRs. Say good-bye to the trendy foodies when Big Franchising shows up.
• Tim Hortons’ extra-large trouble trouble: The bitter battle inside the country’s favourite coffee shop — An important article that shows even the "bluest" blue chip system runs identically; all around the world.
• World's Largest Digital Marketing Franchise Invests Back Into the US Economy Through a Nation-Wide Business Opportunity Program — …eradicating childhood poverty? boy, oh boy, oh boy…
• 'They tried to destroy us' — Terminating a franchisee on Christmas eve? I love documenting this industry's best practices.
• Auto Masters breakdown: 12-year fight leaves a man facing ruin — (1) Many people think having a regulator "police" the franchise industry would be great. (2) Many people think suing is the way to go. The Auto Masters case suggests neither work for mom-and-pop franchise investors.
• The Donut War: Tim Hortons' move from fresh to frozen is threatening to rip apart Canada's favourite company — Tim Hortons manages their image more rigorously than many other national cultural icons. The Sept. 13th Maclean's article by Michael Friscolanti should be interesting.
• Calls for cigarette-style health warnings on junk food that is 'as addictive as heroin and cocaine' — Modern fast food is a highly engineered product and blaming the fatties only goes so far.
• Tony Martin, MPP, Second Reading Debates - The best summary ever made of the almost 30-year history of Ontario, Canada's first franchise law as told by Tony Martin.
• John Gerretsen, MPP, Second Reading Debates — Mr. Gerretsen is now the Minister in charge of the Ontario Wishart Act. After 10 years, perhaps a second set of public hearings may be in order to take that "second step".
• Doughnut dreams turn sour — People assume that large systems (because they are large) means they give all/most/some investors good value.
• Merde! Asterix Screwup Shows McDonald’s Just Can’t Get It Right in France — Some people think that there are human values more important than the marketplace and resent those that fail to show respect for their society's values.
• "Utu Squad" Names And Shames Burger Fuel For 89th Day Sacking — Franchisees are well-advised not to improve their situation by worsening their employees'. They lose 100% of any potential public sympathy.
• GM Canada, 21 dealers settle suit — Current and potential investors need as much material information as they can get to make efficient capital allocation decisions. For this efficiency reason, gag orders should be banned in franchising, notwithstanding the power they give to the franchise bar.
• Tragedy of Wendy's 'pink people': they gave it their all and it cost them everything — Our thoughts go out to Therese Evans' family and friends.
• Sad end: Wendy's franchisee dies after detailing dispute — Everyone has their limits. Please see your doctor regularly.
• Bad Apples and Bad Barrels — Blaming the individual is not useful in understanding franchising. It is an inaccurate and superficial approach. Franchising is a prison to many.
• Ice cream dream becomes nightmare — The stupid (?) foreigners deserve their fate because the myth that the world is "fair" is widespread (see Belief in a Just World, BJW, Melvin Lerner). Scapegoating the individual and deflecting responsibility for a lucrative but discredited industry.
• Ontario courts side with franchisees — Peter Dillon of Siskinds LLP sounds an alarm regarding the Ontario judiciary and franchsie law in this Canadian Lawyer magazine article.
• Lawsuit: Petland sells sick puppies — Franchisees must be 100% lily-white: collaborating with their franchisor means you buy a whole peck of problems.
• Blue Chip test case to Supreme Court after GE wins appeal — A great example of how a non-regulated country lcan continue to watch wholesale pillaging of their most vulnerable citizens and remain steadfastly devoted to no franchise law. Amazing to watch in New Zealand and just a matter of time in the United Kingdom.
• Earl Jones victims can sue Royal Bank — Running a fraud always needs an obliging banker to move the money and provide a veneer of respectability, in this case, for almost +27 years. (see Franchising Opportunism).
• Franchises could be 'worthless' — Clear thinking from Oz.
• Blue Chip rulings favour stung clients — Lawyers need to sued more frequently than they currently are.
• Leading doctors call for urgent crackdown on junk food — Soon, junk/fast food will come with warning labels and be banned for children under a certain age. Fast food will change.
• Lawyer's past censure hushed — The authority that attorneys offer is a very persuasive element in massive frauds. Second opinions are crucial if you're thinking of suing your franchisor.
• Teachers slams Maple Leaf poison pill — There is an old saying about family companies that predicts/warns: "Shirtsleeves-to-Shirtsleeves in 3 generations" (labourer to labourer in 3 generations).
• Teachers' won't swallow Maple Leaf's 'poison pill' to thwart hostile takeover — Canada Bread is the one consistently profitable MLI division. The National Bread Network is the independent franchisee association that represents +750 of these Canada Bread direct service delivery businesspeople.
• Ontario Court of Appeal Uphold Class Certification in the Quizno’s Case: The Door Opens for Increased Competition and Franchise Litigation in Canada — An important decision based on national competition law and provincial class action laws (…the Court of Appeal specifically found that “a dispute between a franchisor and several hundred franchisees is exactly the kind of case for a class proceeding.” [re: tied buying conspiracy]).
• Canadian is India's Ponzi buster — Fraudsters are extremely skilled at deceiving everyone, including the brightest. Wave after wave of doctors and lawyers have been swindled over the years, 95% victims shut up.
• Almost 30% of franchisees don’t trust their franchisor: Survey — Probably understated results explained away by an tobacco industry-type research think-tank. Pre-sale education is just like warnings on cigarette packages: a red herring and liability dodge.
• Federal Judge: Franchising Sounds Like Ponzi Scheme — Franchising has changed into a way to re-allocate (not create) wealth. It's getting nastier because the short-term ROI for predation is » sustainable system development.
• Buckle Up Your Seatbelt and Behave — The safer you feel, the more risk you will seek (up to your maximum tolerance). Increases in franchise laws, badges of authority, online discussion, etc. will lead to riskier investment unless less risky franchise investing behavior is rewarded (Risk homeostatis theory, Gerald J. S. Wilde).
• Rising Success — Exporting dodgy systems to naive overseas investors is an old trick. Notice how this CDN article does not mention the Australian tradename, Bakers Delight. Never any shortage of Uncle Tom franchisees.
• Network Rail is 30%-50% less efficient than rivals says new review — Creating a few new monopolies from an old one by franchising a state-run utility, just disguises inefficiencies (unfunded taxpayer subsidies). Franchising is no substitute for accountable, cost-effective and competent management.
• Boooooooooooo Subway! — When you choose to whore out your brand (ie. get the benefits of other peoples' capital) don't be surprised when it gets beaten up a bit by bozo franchisees (risks). Whine some more about the big bad internet and a twenty-something "loser" community who generate 195 comments mostly bashing you as a bully.
• Maple Leaf CEO: get your butt off that kitchen counter, someone may make food there — Universities provide independent expert opinions that are not necessarily distorted by economic interests. Innis, Frye, Goffman, Galbraith, McLuhan, Hadfield, and now Powell: fearless CDN-born scholars.
• Tight Credit Is Turning Franchisers Into Lenders — Money is not chasing every deadbeat system as it did before the banking fraud issues arose.
• Maple Leaf Foods sees shares drop by 3% — A near-monopoly on fresh bread in much of Canada and investors still fry your stock? Maybe stop treating their franchised partners as children, might be a start.
• Franchise Council survey slams push for new franchising laws in South Australia — My, my: the sky seems to be falling in Australian franchising these days. Zaid of Canada and Zeidman, USA would never write to a media outlet. Perhaps Mr. Giles thinks the franchisor bar's golden goose fees may be at risk?
• The IFA's Strange Penchant for Tyrants — Hats off to Janet Sparks and Don at Blue MauMau: this is a courageous article! (and I never use exclamation marks)
• Bryers' secret trust link — It's difficult to think that this franchisor hadn't put a few $ as his system took $80 million from largely Kiwi seniors. No worries: he now lives in Oz.
• Junk food 'as addictive as heroin and smoking' — Our behavior is a lot more biochemistry than logic. We act and then make logic fit our actions.
• ACCC to fund free online training for would-be franchisees — Propaganda is the use of communication to support power rather than truth. Herr Goebbels earned his Ph.D from Heidelberg University in 1921.
• AnyonebutBP.com When you're lazy and rent a trademark in a franchise, your sloth may come back to bite you in the ass.
• Boycotting BP: Who Gets Hurt? — Live by the Brand, Die by the Brand. It's better to own a tiny business 100% than rent what seems to be a bigger concern.
• The American Way — Australia is talking about starting government guaranteed loans similar to the U.S. SBA and the Canada Small Business Financing program. They shouldn't be in the business of luring unsuspecting investors into losing their life savings.
• Police warn Toronto residents of food tampering
• Tim Hortons’ baking partner pack it in — I wonder what their independent franchisee association has to say about higher product costs? Do they have an IndFA? Should they have one?
• Cloaked in suspicion: franchises — Excellent description of opportunism and due diligence's inability to identify or prevent this abuse. BTW: Who funds the APCFE? It ain't franchisees.
• Wonderfully Fresh — It took 15 years to get to 48 (alleged) units and the projection is to go national with 100 within 3 years? Buy only after having worked everyday in a franchise for 6 months. The real story always comes out.
• Bryers a tall poppy? Venus fly trap is more like it... — This +$80-million loss was a result of a franchised network of investment dealers which legally protects "the brains behind the outfit". Bryers got 75 hours of community service and a $37,500 fine. Kiwis need a franchise law.
• Store owners howling mad — Legal fees aren't being paid from mis-directed franchisor royalties: are they?
• Dunk'd and Dumbo'd — Great story that is applicable to every business format franchise. Experience and deep-pockets do not prevent opportunism.
• State's Small Business Body Writes Off Millions — Government guarantee loan programs are a cornerstone of franchise lending but they are vulnerable to loss/fraud.
• Combo Minus Trombo, Equals Dumbo’d — Multi-brand corporations are often most prone to stripping value from franchisees in a predatory manner.
• Dunk'd, My Odyssey Through Franchise Hell — Private equity funders only see short-term ROI.