Ask Yourself When Considering A Franchise Business!

As a follow up to my previous post, here are some questions you can ask yourself to begin your conversations with me so I can help you find your perfect franchise business.

 

1.    How many years am I prepared to work in the franchise earning less than what I earn today in my job before I can see the return on my investment?

2.    Retail franchises such as fast food tend to have lots of staff and a high turn-over of staff; do I have a recruitment and training background? Will I enjoy this as a new full time endeavor?

3.    If my store manager does not show for work or I’m short of staff for a shift, will I enjoy working behind the counter?

4.    Will my inventory have a shelf life and if so for how long, for example perishable food items?

5.    Am I passionate about this business and industry?

6.    I want to be the owner operator of my business; can I see myself in this business every day?

7.    Is this business in a highly competitive industry or location?

8.    Is this business in a high growth market?

9.    Is this a cash business and will I need a big family in the business to reduce theft?

10.Is this business contributing to the health and wellness of people and is this important to me?

11.Is this a business I will be proud to tell my family and friends about?

Email me for a free franchise fit evaluation. I have more than 12 years of international executive franchisor experience and I specialize in finding high profit/high growth franchise businesses. My email is:  rmacneil58@gmail.com

MacNeil Sales Consulting and Contracting

Building on my Do's and Don'ts list of business.  For example:  Do what is in your control to prevent potential failure. If all else fails, move on sooner not later. Don't ignore the signs of potential failure. As entrepreneurs we have a tendency (I'm guilty) to hang on to our passion and our dream of grand success with egotistical blinders on. The result may be to go down alone with the ship yelling "But she can be saved!"

Today I continue to build my new business, MacNeil Sales MSCC, leveraging my sales and franchise experience helping others find the right franchise. To help my clients understand a franchise and a franchisors selection process.

I'm also helping a local and established new home builder find investors for his next phase of new home construction in the London and Woodstock, Ontario, Canada area.

As an entrepreneur I'm open to hear how I can help your company as a contractor review your sales system, your franchise system and provide recommendations on building a winning sales team.

If you are interested to learn more about how I can provide insights to your business, or interested in a franchise or a home investment, send me a message.

MacNeil Sales Consulting and Contracting, MSCC

It has been some time now since I last wrote in my blog and I suspect I'm the only reader.  Well I'm back. My last year has been a challenge for my career. I could point fingers but instead I prefer to move forward, rebuild, survive and thrive. I plan to build my new business, MacNeil Sales Consulting and Contracting, MSCC, and take what I learned over my last 20 plus years as an entrepreneur and franchise sales executive to help others find their new franchise business. Or for others who prefer to put their money to work and invest with an establish new home builder who is looking to build another successful phase of new homes in the London, Ontario, Canada area. I can also help existing businesses build a sales team. improve a sales team's performance or assist your HR team with the recruiting of top sales professionals.

I'm open for business and open for discussions. I look forward to getting back to more regular posts in my blog and building a loyal readership and referral base.

Beware of Craigs List Secret Shopper Cheque Scam

My daughter almost got taken in a fake cheque moving scam advertised through Craigs list as a job posting for secret shopper of various online and offline stores. Fortunately, we (parents) found out what she did before it was too late. How does it work?

We arrived home from work and at our door was a couriered envelope addressed to my daughter and addressed from a residence in Ithaca, NY, Min Park. In the envelope was a cashiers cheque drawn on the Bank of Nova Scotia for $3,900. payable in cash to the bearer (my daughter). Who made out the cheque? The Ottawa-Carleton Education Network. The bank is legit and from what we can tell, so is the Ottawa-Carleton Education Network which is a non-profit organization.

We immediately questioned this as my daughter had no idea why she would receive this cheque. She, needless to say, was very excited to go cash the cheque but she also knew this was not only mysterious it was wrong until we confirmed the legitimacy of this cheque. Cooler heads prevailed and we began to google every piece of information we had and yet we found nothing to suggest it may be nothing more than some strange clerical error. We decided to call Ottawa-Carleton the next day once we confirmed they were not open in the evening. We did call the next day but not before we found out what was going on.

My daughter received an email on her mobile phone shortly after we finished our exhaustive online research that ended with no real answers one way or the other. The email was from the company that supposedly hired her to be a secret shopper. News to her. The email instructed her by stating we confirmed you signed receipt of the envelope. Not true. It was sitting on our door step when we arrived home. The email went on to instruct her to deposit the cheque in her bank account. Then she was to keep her total fees and expenses of $520. yet further instructed her to send them a cheque to the Philippines of $3,400. WE NOW KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON...SHE WAS BEING SCAMMED!

The scam; the bank clears the cheque and gives her the cash within days. The bank actually finds out the cheque is fake later and comes back to her to repay and reserves the right to charge her with fraud. Wait! It gets worse. We called the police and we were told that this is a very common scam and because we did not cash the cheque we are not victimized and even if we did cash the cheque, all they could do is file a report. Reason? Because of the difficulty of tracking the paper trail to the con artists behind this who are international and in many cases in countries with no police and inter-governmental co-operation. "It is just not worth the effort for anything under $10,000.", stated the police officer. This is the genius of the scam. The con artists know this crime will never be pursued. The police told me that all we can do is what we are doing and that is to educate the public. First, we were told, is report it to Craigs list. Before we could, the job posting my daughter responded to had already been removed. As I'm sure it is always done for everyone of these scam ads. The police also advise us to contact phonebusters.com. We will and we also contacted Ottawa-Carleton who said 'Oh no, not you too'. They have been receiving calls on this for the last few days. We were the only one, as of yet, who did not cash the cheque and they asked us if we could send it to them for their own investigation. We will send them the cheque as it holds no value to anyone other than them.

I'm glad I have this blog to post our story and hope you pass it along to as many people as possible. Through the power of our online social network we can educate many people to watch for this scam that preys on honest people who only want 'extra income' or employment.

Rona MS 30K Bike Tour

Together we will end MS.


I raise money for all the people with multiple sclerosis who need help financially to get through life and to help increase funding for research so that one day they will find a cure.

Personally, I have an uncle, an aunt and a soon to be sister in-law, all living with MS. To watch them go through the nasty MS development stages fighting to have a life of independence and ultimately life is my inspiration to walk, ride and champion this cause.

By supporting someone in our fundraising events, you can make a difference in the life of someone with multiple sclerosis. Proceeds from MS Society fundraising events provide support and services to help those living with this disease, their families and caregivers as well as fund research with three primary goals: to find a cause and cure for MS, repair nervous system damage caused by MS and stop MS attacks. We believe we will end multiple sclerosis, and with your help we can get there. Please give generously. Click Here to Donate to my 30k bike ride. Thank you!

A Christmas Story - Paulo Coelho

What is now becoming a Christmas Tradition, I received another story from one of my favorite writers, Paulo Coelho, which I am glad to share with you:

"Dear reader, As a way of thanking you for your support in 2009 and keeping with the tradition of the previous years, I am sending you the Christmas Tale I wrote for the columns I have in several newspapers around the world. May God illuminate us all in 2010, Paulo Coelho"

Merry Christmas (I know this is not politically correct but please accept it in the way it is meant - for hope to enjoy time with our family and friends and to give thanks to all for our lives) from my family to yours - Ray MacNeil

A Christmas Story



According to an old and well-known legend, a week before Christmas, Archangel Michael asked his angels to visit the earth. He wanted to know if everything was ready for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. He sent them in pairs, always an older angel accompanying a younger one, so that they could have a broader picture of what happened in Christianity. One of these pairs was assigned to Brazil, where they arrived late one night. Since they had nowhere to sleep, they took shelter in one of the great mansions that can be seen in certain parts of Rio de Janeiro. The owner, a nobleman on the verge of bankruptcy (which, incidentally, happens to many people in that city), was a fervent Catholic, and soon recognized the heavenly pair by the golden halos on their head. However, he was too busy preparing a big Christmas, and so as not to disturb the completed decorations, he requested that his heavenly guests to sleep in the basement. lthough Greetings cards are always illustrated with snow falling, Christmas falls in the middle of summer in Brazil, the sun was
scorching hot and the air, full of moisture, it was almost suffocating. The angels laid down on a hard floor, but before starting their prayers, the older angel noticed a crack in the wall. He got up, repaired it using his divine powers, and returned to his evening prayers. The two felt as though they had spent the night in hell, it was so hot. They slept very poorly, but they needed to fulfill the mission entrusted to them by God.


The next day, they went through the big city, with its 12 million inhabitants, its beaches and mountains, its contrasts, its beautiful landscapes and its horrible places. They completed their reports, and when night fell back they began to travel into the country. But, distracted by the difference in hours, they again found themselves with no place to sleep. They knocked on the door of a humble home, where a couple came to meet them. Lacking access to medieval engravings that portrayed the messengers of God, the couple did not
recognize the two pilgrims, but told the angels that if they were in need of shelter, the house was theirs. They prepared a dinner, presented their little newborn baby and offered his room to the angels. They apologized that they were poor and that while the heat was great during the day, they had no money to buy an air conditioner. When the angels awoke the next day they found the couple in tears. Their only possession, a
cow that gave milk for cheese, and support for the family, was found dead in their field. They quickly parted with the pilgrims, embarrassed because they could not prepare a breakfast.


While walking through the mud road, the younger angel showed his anger, “I can not understand this way of doing things! The first man had everything he needed, and yet you helped him by repairing his wall. Then with
this poor couple, who received us so well and kindly, you did nothing to alleviate their suffering!” “Things are not what they seem,” said the older angel, “when we were in that awful basement, I noticed there was plenty of gold hidden in the wall of the mansion, left there by a previous owner. The crack was exposing the treasure, and I decided to hide it again, because the landlord did not help those in need. Yesterday, while we slept in the bed the poor couple offered, I noticed that a third guest had arrived, the angel of death. He had
been sent to take the child, but since I've known him for many years, I convinced him to take the life of the cow in its place."


Remember the day that is about to be celebrated; since people didn’t give much value to appearance, no one wanted to take Mary in. But the pastors welcomed her, and because of that, they had the grace to be the
first to behold the smile of the Savior of the World.

WSI & Make Child Poverty History

As Successful business owners we need to give back to our community. Kathy and I contribute our money and time to MS, Breast Cancer, The Princess Margaret Hospital and The Sick Kids Foundation (click here to donate to Sick Kids). What are you doing? Let me know with your comments. Here is a great example of a Canadian company leveraging their Global presence as the Internet Marketing leaders for business owners who are giving back to the world of children living in poverty. WSI & Make Child Poverty History.

Sick Kids Foundation

My significant other Kathy and I have started to support Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, as one of our Top 3 Charities. Sick Kids in Toronto has a history of not only specializing with the best research and doctors in the world but also the best care of children from around the world. We provide monthly a financial support and now we have launched a fundraiser website. We started with a very low and achievable goal of $200. Our hope is that with your help and the help of our family and friends that this goal is proven to be way too low. Check out our site and help the kids if you can: click here

Time To Reflect On My Goals With My Family

This will be my last post for 2008 and I will make it shorter than what I'm sure most of you expect from me. For me, this time of year is the time to reflect on my goals and how I met or exceeded them over the last 12 months. What changes do I need to make to my goals if any and, do I need to create a new plan of execution on my goals for the New Year?

Without a plan I don't have a road map to success. Without a plan I may still reach my goals but I may take a longer more detoured route to get to my destination. Thus a map saves me time and fuel.

I also make sure that my family, (my support system), agree with my goals and my plan so that I'm not at odds with them over the year. For example; if working longer hours is a requirement to make more income which will give us a bigger house then, the family needs to agree that the goal of a bigger house is what we all want and therefore Dad, husband, wife, need to support each other during these times of sacrifice when working late. In other words, the goals and the plan become 'OURS'. We all take ownership. As a family we are all driving in the same direction taking the same route to the same destination. This will create a much more harmonious environment for all and will contribute to reaching your goals. Even if you are single and not married you still have family and a support system of friends. To succeed in business you need to succeed in life. You need a balance between family, friends, your personal spiritual beliefs and business.

I hope my experiences expressed give you guidance and again, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Paulo Coelho And Another Christmas Gift to His Readers

I received a special Christmas email today from Paulo Coelho author of 'The Alchemist' which is one of my favorite books listed at the bottom of my blog. Paulo never forgets to send a special story at Christmas to his fans. We can learn from this in business and that is to never forget your customers at Christmas. All your customers, those small and great and those in your pipeline who will become your customers. Enjoy the story:


The music coming from the house

Paulo Coelho

On Christmas Eve, the king invited the prime minister to join him for their usual walk together. He enjoyed seeing the decorations in the streets, but since he didn’t want his subjects to spend too much money on these just to please him, the two men always disguised themselves as traders from some far distant land.
They walked through the centre of the city, admiring the lights, the Christmas trees, the candles burning on the steps of the houses, the stalls selling gifts, and the men, women and children hurrying off to celebrate a family Christmas around a table laden with food.
On the way back, they passed through a poorer area, where the atmosphere was quite different. There were no lights, no candles, no delicious smells of food about to be served. There was hardly a soul in the street, and, as he did every year, the king remarked to the prime minister that he really must pay more attention to the poor in his kingdom. The prime minister nodded, knowing that the matter would soon be forgotten again, buried beneath the day-to-day bureaucracy of budgets to be approved and discussions with foreign dignitaries.
Suddenly, they heard music coming from one of the poorest houses. The hut was so ramshackle and the rotten wooden timbers so full of cracks, that they were able to peer through and see what was happening inside. And what they saw was utterly absurd: an old man in a wheelchair apparently crying, a shaven-headed young woman dancing, and a young man with sad eyes shaking a tambourine and singing a folk song.
‘I’m going to find out what they’re up to,’ said the king.
He knocked. The music stopped, and the young man came to the door.
‘We are merchants in search of a place to sleep. We heard the music, saw that you were still awake, and wondered if we could spend the night here.’
‘You can find shelter in a hotel in the city. We, alas, cannot help you. Despite the music, this house is full of sadness and suffering.’
‘And may we know why?’
‘It’s all because of me.’ It was the old man in the wheelchair who spoke. ‘I’ve spent my life teaching my son calligraphy, so that he could one day get a job as a palace scribe. But the years have passed and no post has ever come up. And then, last night, I had a stupid dream: an angel appeared to me and asked me to buy a silver goblet because, the angel said, the king would be coming to visit me. He would drink from the goblet and give my son a job.
‘The angel was so persuasive that I decided to do as he said. Since we have no money, my daughter-in-law went to the market this morning to sell her hair so that we could buy that goblet over there. The two of them are doing their best to get me in the Christmas spirit by singing and dancing, but it’s no use.’
The king saw the silver goblet, asked to be given a little water to quench his thirst and, before leaving, said to the family:
‘Do you know, we were talking to the prime minister only today, and he told us that an opening for a palace scribe would be announced next week.’
The old man nodded, not really believing what he was hearing, and bade farewell to the strangers. The following morning, however, a royal proclamation was read out in all the city streets; a new scribe was needed at court. On the appointed day, the audience room at the palace was packed with people eager to compete for that much-sought-after post. The prime minister entered and asked everyone there to prepare their paper and pens:
‘Here is the subject of the composition: Why is an old man weeping, a shaven-headed woman dancing, and a sad young man singing?’
A murmur of disbelief went round the room. No one knew how to tell such a story, apart, that is, from the shabbily dressed young man sitting in one corner, who smiled broadly and began to write.

Based on an Indian story.

Translated from the Portuguese by Margaret Jull Costa

Make Child Poverty History Toolbar

Have you ever wondered how you can help the starving children around the world but stopped yourself because the problem just seems too big for one person to solve? Well now is your chance to once again think about this but from a more powerful position. WSI as part of their 'Make Child Poverty History' campaign has now launched the MCPH Toolbar. When you load this toolbar click here and then conduct searches over the internet using this toolbar Yahoo will pay World Vision to help feed children.

When you think about the billions of searches conducted on the internet every day you can just imagine how quickly this can grow if we tell the world about this toolbar. We all know WSI has launched a sponsorship program where they will match dollar for dollar every child you sponsor. As individuals working with companies such as WSI, Yahoo, Benefitbar.com and others we can eradicate child poverty in our life time.

Go ahead, make their day!

Our Lady's Juggler - A Christmas Tale by Paulo Coelho

One of my most illuminating reads is the book; The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Anthony Robbins, author of Awaken the Giant Within wrote of The Alchemist; "I recommend The Alchemist to anyone who is passionately committed to claiming the life of their dreams - today."

Here is a special treat, Paulo Coelho emailed me a short Christmas tale that speaks of our individual gifts and the joy we can bring to others. From Paulo Coelho and my family to your family we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year beginning with the gift of Paulo's writing:

Our Lady’s juggler

A medieval legend tells us that in the country we know today as Austria the Burkhard family – a man, a woman and a child – used to amuse people at Christmas parties by reciting poetry, singing ancient troubadour ballads, and juggling. Of course, there was never any money left over to buy presents, but the man always told his son:
“Do you know why Santa Claus’s bag never gets empty, although there are so many children in the world? Because it may be full of toys, but sometimes there are more important things to be delivered, what we call “invisible gifts”. In a broken home, he tries to bring harmony and peace on the holiest night in Christianity. Where love is lacking, he deposits a seed of faith in children’s hearts. Where the future seems black and uncertain, he brings hope. In our case, the day after Father Christmas comes to visit us, we are happy to be still alive and doing our work, which is to make people happy. Never forget that.”
Time passed, the boy grew up, and one day the family passed in front of the impressive Melk Abbey, which had just been built.
“Father, do you remember many years ago you told me the story of Santa Claus and his invisible gifts? I think that I received one of those gifts once: the vocation to become a priest. Would you mind if now I took my first step towards what I have always dreamed of?”
Although they really needed their son’s company, the family understood and respected the boy’s wish. They knocked at the door of the monastery and were given a loving, generous welcome by the monks, who accepted the young Buckhard as a novice.
Christmas Eve came around. And precisely on that day, a special miracle happened in Melk: Our Lady, carrying the baby Jesus in her arms, decided to descend to Earth to visit the monastery.
All the priests lined up and each of them stood proudly before the Virgin trying to pay homage to the Madonna and her Son. One of them displayed the beautiful paintings that decorated the place, another showed a copy of a Bible that had taken a hundred years to be written and illustrated, while a third recited the names of all the saints.
At the very end of the line, young Buckhard anxiously waited his turn. His parents were simple people, and all that they had taught him was to toss balls up in the air and do some juggling.
When it came his turn, the other priests wanted to put an end to all the homage that had been paid, since the ex-juggler had nothing important to add and might even mar the image of the abbey.
Nevertheless, deep in his heart he also felt a great need to give something of himself to Jesus and the Virgin. Feeling very ashamed before the reproachful gaze of his brothers, he took some oranges from his pocket and began to toss them in the air and catch them in his hands, creating a beautiful circle in the air just as he used to do when he and his family traveled to all the fairs in the region.
At that instant, the baby Jesus, lying in Our Lady’s lap, began to clap his hands with joy. And it was to young Buckhard that the Virgin held out her arms to let him hold the smiling child for a few moments. The legend ends by saying that on account of this miracle, every two hundred years a new Buckhard knocks on the door of Melk Abbey, is welcomed in, and for the whole time he remains there he warms the hearts of all who meet him.

Paulo Coelho

Moving Homes; Need Two Crews

I have been spending the last three months packing and planning the move into our new home and all was going well. Then days before the move people started backing out or offering only a few hours to help with our move. In a normal move this is not generally a problem because if you are like me I always have more help than I actually need. But this time we did something different. We went with what we thought would be a less stressful move. We rented a trailer (U-Move) from AMJ Campbell which I still believe is a great concept at a great price but remember this; you will need two crews to move your home.

The idea was that we would have the trailer dropped off at our present home on early Thursday morning and then take our time loading all day and into the evening if needed. The next morning, Friday, AMJ would pick up the trailer and deliver it to our new home. Then we would have all Friday to unload. Sounds very doable and less stressful than having to load a truck and be out by 1:00 pm and based on my previous experiences, unloading the truck late into night. And there have been many moves over the years as we spent the 80's and 90's buying and selling homes to build equity quicker.

However, in the U-Move scenario not everyone, in fact nobody, could do both days. This meant two crews. As they started dropping like flies, filling the crews up again and doing some juggling to ensure I had an appropriate amount of muscle on each day was a challenge. We did it, we hope, and all that remains to be seen is the move itself.

The U-Move is a great idea, just think more about doing it over a weekend.

Wish me luck and I will be back on my Blog next week.