Franchises: Buying into brand

It sounds simple: Buy a franchise, get it up and running and watch the money pour in.

Wrong, says Tamyra Wallace, a consultant from Castle Rock who advises people on buying franchises.

Be prepared, she says, to work harder than you ever have. And don’t expect those profits to add up anytime soon.

“We tell people to put aside enough money to live for the first year,” Wallace said.

Still, she said, for people dreaming of owning their own business, a franchise may be the way to go — if they have the funds, the patience and the willingness to follow the franchiser’s rules.

There’s certainly no shortage of franchises to choose from. There are more than 760,000 franchised businesses in the United States, according to the International Franchise Association. Those businesses account for more than 18 million jobs and $1.5 trillion in annual revenue.

Here are profiles of four franchises new to Colorado Springs:

Local franchises

The Little Gym of Colorado Springs

4011 Tutt Blvd.

The Little Gym, a franchise company based in Scottsdale, Ariz., uses curriculum-based gymnastics and other programs to promote coordination, balance, rhythm and flexibility in children ages 4 months to 12 years. The first Little Gym was built in 1976; franchising began in 1992. The Little Gym has more than 280 locations in 17 countries.

The franchisees: Jim and Tressa Bishop. They both come from the corporate world: Jim Bishop worked in insurance and Tressa Bishop worked for a manufacturing firm.

Their role: They split the role of gym director and teach some classes. The company encourages a hands-on role, Tressa Bishop said.

Why this franchise: They enrolled their sons in The Little Gym while living in New Jersey and Florida, and were satisfied customers. When they planned their move to Colorado Springs, they looked for business opportunities and thought of The Little Gym. They moved to the Springs early this year.

The cost: Franchise fee of $64,500. Overall initial investment, $175,000 to $275,000.

Plans for growth: The Bishops may open another Little Gym at some point; their territory encompasses the northern half of the city. But they said they have no firm plans and would be wary of losing their personal connection to parents and children if they had two gyms to manage. Words of wisdom: “If someone is opening up 300 units a year, are they going to be able to support you? The slow, steady growth is what we really liked,” Jim Bishop said.

Spicy Pickle

1466 W. Garden of the Gods Road

Spicy Pickle serves gourmet sandwiches, paninis, salads and a pizza called the Pizzette. It has grown from its first restaurant in Denver in 1999 to 24 restaurants in Colorado, California and elsewhere.

The franchisees: John and Wendy Volmert. The Denver couple are no strangers to franchising. They own a Cold Stone Creamery in Denver and had a second before selling it. They also own two Spicy Pickles in Denver.

Their role: “The store’s never going to run as good as if you were there,” John Volmert said. But with so many stores, that’s not feasible for him, so each store has a general manager and he also hired an area manager.

Why this franchise: With Cold Stone’s business peaking in the summer, Vomert wanted a business to level things out. “Everybody has to eat lunch, but not everybody has to eat ice cream,” he said, adding that he fell in love with Spicy Pickle’s sandwiches with his first bite.

The cost: Franchise fee, $35,000. Overall initial investment, about $400,000.

Plans for growth: Volmert will open a second Springs Spicy Pickle soon at 9275 N. Union Blvd. He plans a third at a location to be determined. Words of wisdom: “The bigger they get, the more rigid the rules get,” Volmert said of franchise operations. “If you don’t want to follow their system and their advice, a franchise might not be for you.”

Facelogic

5735 Constitution Ave.

Facelogic International was founded in 2005 and has 26 locations.

It bills itself as the first spa franchise to offer luxury skin-care services at affordable prices. Facelogic’s founders are working with Gary Findley, retired Curves International president, to grow the franchise.

The franchisees: Marion Swafford and Clara Mueller. Swafford was a chef and ran a catering businesses; Mueller owned a hair salon.

Their role: The two serve as spa directors. “It’s very hard to open a business and not be part of it and expect it to be successful,” Swafford said.

Why this franchise: “There’s nothing else like this,” Swafford said.

After Mueller read about Facelogic, the two researched it, including a visit to the first location in Waco, Texas, and were sold on the concept.

The cost: Franchise fee, $34,900. Overall initial investment, $200,000 to $250,000. Plans for growth: An opening next spring is possible for a second site on the north side of the city, and Swafford and Mueller are considering a third location.

Words of wisdom: “We did a lot of research,” Swafford said.

“We kind of knew the beauty industry, but what’s really important is to look at the company and look at what kind of support you get.”

Smoothie King

9275 N. Union Blvd.

Smoothie King sells fresh-blended smoothies and other nutritional products. The New Orleans-based company opened its first store in 1973 and has more than 450 locations in 32 states. This marks Smoothie King’s return to Colorado Springs; one opened in 2001 but closed two years later.

The franchisees: Vince Scarsbrook, Doug Howell and Cindey Arroyo.

Their role: The three work at Colorado Springs Utilities. Since they’re keeping their day jobs, they hired a store manager. “We’re at the store as often as we can,” Scarsbrook said.

Why this franchise: “We were looking for a business with a simple concept, something we could get involved in the community with, something that would be fun,” Scarsbrook said. They also wanted “a healthy kind of business.”

The cost: Franchise fee, $25,000. Overall initial investment, $150,000 to $250,000.

Plans for growth: Many franchises sell a territory with the option for multiple locations, but not Smoothie King. Still, Scarsbrook said, they may open another store depending on how this one works.

Words of wisdom: “We talked to other franchisees,” Scarsbrook said. “They were very candid. We had some that were happy, some that weren’t so happy. I called some that went out of business or terminated their agreement with the franchisor for some reason or another, just to get their feedback. So we got the good and the bad.”