Top 10 Franchise Consulting Companies to Watch

1. T o p Take a break Role and Essence of Break Time in the Corporate World Franchise Consulting Companies to watch Feeding Frenzy ‘Food’- The Real Stress Buster of All Times! VOL.12 ISSUE 03 Seth Lederman Founder and CEO Your Franchise Search Just Got Easier www.insightssuccess.com

4. A franchise is the best option today for aspiring entrepreneurs than starting their business from scratch. But given the number of alternatives for franchising, it is possible for aspiring businesspersons to get confused about choosing one. Besides, in today’s volatile market, any business today needs consulting support. Several franchise consultants provide highly competitive services, and they have a huge number of takers as well—no wonder this industry has become a multi-billion-dollar industry. Over the past few years, franchise consulting has seen an uphill and will grow further, as evident from the number of business aspirants wanting to start their business through franchise ownership. A colossal number of aspirants are constantly on the lookout for the appropriate consultant to guide them through the unforeseen challenges and start with the franchise. Besides, they also help to-be entrepreneurs understand the market and give exact statistics about businesses to make an informed choice. It helps one decide which business would ensure success to them. Franchise Consultants – A Guide to Fulfilling Your Entrepreneurship Dream

5. A franchise consultant may also guide franchisors in expanding their businesses and giving out franchises. A reliable franchise consultant should have sufficient experience working with companies and aspiring businesspersons. They should have a track record of giving the best possibilities to their client. These companies understand the complexities that budding entrepreneurs face while searching for suitable franchise options. They use the latest technology to speed up the consulting process and help the aspirant go ahead with the business. Whether you desire to own a franchise or start another business but are unsure how to go about it, this edition would be the perfect guide for you. But with a multitude of options regarding franchise consultants, the chances of finding a reliable one also becomes challenging. To ease things for you, we came up with our new edition of Insights Success, Top 10 Franchise Consultant Companies to Watch, Volume-1. So, read on to gauge more about the franchise consultant space and how these consultants have created a niche for themselves. Who knows, you could be inspired to become one! We focused on some trustworthy franchise consultant companies employing new methodologies to assess the performance potential of an aspiring entrepreneur besides their interest in a particular business and the market conditions. They ensure that the franchise is just right for the prospective businessperson and how they should pursue it. Consulting them helps one avoid failures, make the right moves, and pursue their dreams. Happy reading! Sumita Sarkar

6. 08 CONTENTS Your Franchise Search Just Got Easier

7. Articles 20 32 Feeding Frenzy ‘Food’- The Real Stress Buster of All Times! Take a break Role and Essence of Break Time in the Corporate World Angela Cote Inc. 16 Enhancing Your Franchise’s Performance through Ac?onable Advice 24 Franchise Creator Where Success is the Ul?mate Solu?on Global Franchise USA Inc. Shaping Franchising Industry for the Future 28 iFranchise Group A Dis?nguished Name in the Franchise Consul?ng Space 36

8. Editor-in-Chief Sumita Sarkar Senior Editor Managing Editor Assisting Editors Aditya, Abhishek Anish Miller Trishika Rokade Visualiser David King Rohil Shinganapurkar Mrunalinee Deshmukh Paul Belin Art & Design Head Art & Picture Editor Co-designer Business Development Manager Marketing Manager Sherin Rodricks Joseph D'souza Business Development Executives Kelly, David Sales Executives Mark, Alice Technical Head Jacob Smile Assistant Technical Head Amar Sawant Technical Consultants Pratiksha, Aditya, David Alina Sege Amol Wadekar Digital Marketing Manager Assistant Digital Marketing Manager SME-SMO Executives Gemson, Renuka Research Analyst Eric Smith Circulation Manager Tanaji sales@insightssuccess.com Dcember, 2021 Corporate Ofce Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-859-2600 Email: info@insightssuccess.com For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.com www.twitter.com/insightssuccess Follow us on : www.facebook.com/insightssuccess/ We are also available on : RNI No.: MAHENG/2018/75953 Copyright © 2021 Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd., All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights Success. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success.

9. Featuring Company Name Brief Angela Coté Inc. provides resources, strategies, and advising to help franchisors improve their franchise system performance - while having fun. Angela Cote Inc. angelacote.com Angela Coté Founder and CEO Business Alliance, Inc. was founded in 1991 with the goal of helping franchise systems grow by connecting them with the best qualified prospects for business ownership. Natalie Barnes President Business Alliance, Inc. businessallianceinc.com Franchise Brokers Association’s mission is to empower people, businesses & communities through secure franchise opportunities. Franchise Brokers Association franchiseba.com Carolyn McCall CEO Franchise Creator is a leading franchise consulting firm providing franchise services worldwide, including franchising your business. Franchise Creator franchisecreator.com Hossein Kasmai Founder and CEO Frannexus is facilitating franchise ownership for investment diversification or as a career transition alternative. Frannexus frannexus.com Seth Lederman Founder and CEO Global Business & Franchise is a company with the purpose to help companies to explore worldwide opportunities. Global Franchise Network globalfranchise.net Paulo Cesar Mauro CEO The iFranchise Group brings decades of experience to franchise consulting, development, implementation, marketing & sales efforts, whether you're interested in learning how to franchise a business or grow an existing franchise program. iFranchise Group, Inc. ifranchisegroup.com Mark Siebert CEO and Sr. Franchise Consultant New Day Consulting Systems newdayconsulting systems.com New Day Consulting Systems helps companies go from start- up to scale-up. The comapny specializes in franchising, IP commercialization, M&A and fundraising. Kimberly Bonner Senior Consultant Pinnacle Franchise Development pinnaclefd.com Pinnacle Franchise Development is a full-service franchise development team with over 40 years of combined experience. Lory Meyerson President Strategic Franchise Development sfdpros.net Strategic Franchise Development, LLC exists to solve the critical franchising issues facing its clients, both large and small. Charles Dobyns CEO

10. Cover Story Your Franchise Search Just Got Easier We educate franchise buyers and match them with the franchise opportunities where they’ll be most successful.

11. Seth Lederman Founder and CEO

12. T franchise is always a smart and safer way than starting a new business. Buying a franchise saves time and money in building a business right from scratch by selecting a well- established brand with a significant brand value. This brand value decides the success rate of any business. he ever-growing sector of franchising is exploring new horizons every day. Owning a franchise opportunities where they’ll be most successful,” shared Seth. The system developed by the CEO, Seth Lederman utilizes multiple data points to ensure successful client outcomes. Unlike other franchise consultancies, Frannexus only accepts clients that they can effectively match with franchise business opportunities. While other consultants base their recommendations primarily on a client’s budget, Frannexus’ clients are matched on interests, experience, culture, goals, and more. The future is limitless for Frannexus and the entrepreneurs we serve! No wonder franchising is so popular amongst entrepreneurs as it helps avoid mistakes that are most visible in any start-up. However, choosing a perfect franchise for your business is like finding a needle in a haystack. People opt for franchises without enough research and end up facing failure. To avoid this, Frannexus started providing valuable guidance to aspiring entrepreneurs. That’s why Frannexus requires clients to have the open-mindedness and financial wherewithal to explore and compare various opportunities to find the right match. Its data-driven approach allows the team to pinpoint the franchise opportunities clients should consider out of the 4,000+ available. It’s not surprising that over 85% of its clients end up in a franchise they hadn’t considered but are glad they did. numerous business models and industry sectors. Frannexus is committed to empowering people with honest franchise guidance to positively impact their quality of life through a business they love. The CEO of Frannexus, Seth Lederman designed a system to make the franchise search process easy, narrowing down the options from the 4,000+ available franchise opportunities to select a group of the best options. The streamlined search process of Frannexus has been perfected over the years to help prospective franchise buyers make an informed decision faster and with more confidence. At the end of the day, what sets Frannexus apart from other consultants is its efficient and proprietary franchise search process and superior service to clients. Frannexus has everything an entrepreneur needs to make a smart decision. Redefining Benchmarks Along the way, its clients have access to financial and legal support from franchise industry experts and its extensive network of funding partners. Once a prospective client decides to move forward and explore franchise opportunities with Frannexus, they enter a systematic and comprehensive process with a dedicated support team to ensure a successful franchise search. Frannexus is focused on long-term client outcomes. “We educate franchise buyers and match them with the The franchise consulting process at Frannexus starts with a psychometric assessment to generate a business owner profile. The profile predicts compatibility and future performance potential, as well as cultural alignment with franchise brands. Frannexus has worked with hundreds of people to achieve the dream of business ownership through franchising. Frannexus follows the most efficient system to analyze and compare multiple franchise brands across

13. Top 10 Franchise Consulting Companies to Watch Frannexus is committed to empowering people with honest franchise guidance to positively impact their quality of life through a business they love.

14. Inspiring Leadership share the principles he learned in the book and discovered that he really enjoyed consulting. After having the opportunity to formally train with Michael, Seth started working with all types of businesses, including franchisors. These were great brands! They asked Seth to meet with their failing franchise owners to understand why they were struggling. What sets Frannexus apart from other consultants is its efficient and proprietary franchise search process and the superior service it offers to clients. Frannexus’ CEO, Seth Lederman, genuinely believes that people show up to work to succeed, not fail, in what they do. “When work is not appreciated or not recognized, it robs your team of their spirit and energy, resulting in poor performance,” he said. Seth prides himself on providing an environment that fosters both personal and professional growth and advancement. He runs a flat organization with a unique team where everyone utilizes their experience and abilities and is rewarded for their efforts. This is what keeps Frannexus innovative and drives its success. Seth would go out to their locations and meet smart, savvy, well- accomplished entrepreneurs. Talking about the experiences, he shared, “I couldn’t understand where the mismatch was. A great franchise brand plus a great owner should result in success, but it wasn’t adding up. The mismatch, it turns out, was there was no match. They didn’t follow a formalized, systematic approach to select the right franchise for themselves.” “Over the years, it’s been my privilege to match people who are ready to make a career change or diversify investments with a franchise business that achieves their financial and lifestyle goals,” added Seth. franchise buyer will feel overwhelmed. There are 4,000+ available franchise opportunities and too much information for anyone to process. The differing facts and opinions online don’t make it easy to get a straight answer. When people find themselves in this situation, they start looking for solutions. Often, they don’t even know that there are experts like Seth and the Frannexus team whose job is to give unbiased recommendations based on the client’s best interests. It became clear that there’s a tremendous unfulfilled need for impartial experts to help franchise buyers find the right franchise opportunity. That’s how Seth ended up at his company, the founder and CEO of Frannexus, a leading franchise consultancy. The rest is history. Seth started as a health care provider, going room to room, treating patients all day. He got to a point where he realized that his greatest passion and desire was to build the practice. He was working more like a technician than a business owner. Going room to room and treating patients was no longer exciting for him. Leveraging Modern Technology As the franchise industry progresses and AI and other technologies become part of the franchise search process, franchise advisors and consultants will be built into these digital experiences. Awareness and access to this valuable resource will fuel demand for franchise consulting services. To continue to provide a valuable and personalized experience, franchise consultants will rely on AI to educate and prepare clients for their franchise search so that the time they spend together will be more productive. Eventually, Seth read a book that changed his life and his relationship to work. Michael Gerber’s underground bestseller, ‘The E-Myth Revisited’ talked about franchise principles, like getting free of your business so that your business is not dependent on you and provides predictable, consistent, and reproducible experiences for you and your customers. Seth deployed the book’s principles and grew his practice by 300% in just thirty-six months. Inevitably his colleagues and vendors started reaching out to find out the secret to his success. Seth began to Technology is changing, and so is the way people search for and buy franchise businesses. Franchise buyers can find everything and anything they’d ever want to know about franchising and franchise brands online. The pandemic made the process even more digital to the point where today, a franchise buyer might go through the entire process from their dining room table. One might think that it is a bad thing for a franchise consultant, but the truth is that any inexperienced

16. Exhibiting Excellence Ÿ “I had never heard of a franchise consultant, but I reached out – with significant hesitation. After meeting and working with Seth to vet and select a franchise concept, I’m so grateful that he was our guide throughout the journey.” – Jennifer Robinson. Ÿ “Seth’s process allowed me to find a company I have confidence in as I enter the world of franchising. Frannexus was instrumental in providing me with franchise opportunities that align with my values and business principles.” – Marc Ponce, Franchise Owner. Ÿ “Seth introduced us to our target company as pre-qualified applicants! From answering basic questions to identifying our needs/success factors to suggesting specific ideas that we self-chose to prioritize, Seth led us through a careful end-to-end journey.” – Alex Liu, Franchise Owner. Ÿ “I really cannot put into words the level of gratitude I have towards Seth. I recently retired from the professional ball, and my next objective in transitioning was to find something to be part of that I enjoyed but also challenging and profitable.” – David Bass Jr., Former NFL Player, Franchise Owner. Ÿ “Seth took the time to dive deep into not only my work experience but my passions in life to formulate the best path to entrepreneurial success.” – Kate Stemple, Franchise Owner. Ÿ “My experience working with Seth and the Frannexus team was very professional. He is extremely knowledgeable and helpful in guiding a person through the process of franchise decisions. He can help you in your decision-making process and help to fill the gaps in for funding and financial backing.” – Randy James, Franchise Owner. Ÿ “Seth and the Frannexus team have been fantastic to work with and provided critical insight into the process of finding the right franchise. I’ve worked with Seth and the Frannexus team for the past three months as I’ve explored franchise opportunities. Knowledgeable, candid, and professional in every respect, they shared their experience with me during a thorough franchise review process, resulting in a fantastic marriage of franchisor and franchisee. Having never really explored a franchise before this, I couldn’t have done it without him.” – Brian Week, Franchise Owner. Toward New Horizons about franchise ownership at their own pace and schedule a consultation with one of Frannexus’ advisors when they are ready. are provided information and resources to encourage their continued exploration when the time is right. Over the past year, team Frannexus has been designing a better experience for its clients. To provide the level and quality of service franchise buyers deserve, they developed a virtual franchise search assistant, Franbot. Franbot uses AI to personalize and engage people early on in their journey, providing the information and education they want. Deployed immediately, Franbot allows prospective franchise buyers to learn The future is limitless for Frannexus and the entrepreneurs it serves! Team Frannexus is already working on innovations to enhance the franchise search experience even more. “You can expect to be surprised and delighted at the innovative solutions coming from the Frannexus team in 2022,” said Seth. The Frannexus team can focus its time and energy on the people with an immediate and serious interest in exploring franchise ownership. Franbot assists prospects in self-qualification. People who are casually exploring their options, aren’t ready to make a move, or don’t meet the financial requirements for franchise ownership,

18. . Enhancing Your Franchise’s Performance through Actionable Advice 16 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

19. F successfully. However, it is a complex network once you get into the technicalities of becoming a franchisee. or a layman, franchising appears to be a simple method to own a business and run it become a sought-after franchise consultancy company, assisting potential entrepreneurs to navigate the intricate world of franchising. In the following interview, Angela Coté, the CEO and Founder, sheds light on the journey of her company, its values, services, and how it is changing the franchise consulting space. In this internet-savvy world, everything is available on a single click. Though there is a vast information about running any business on the internet, it is only limited to theory. Please brief our audience about your company, its values, and how it is positioned as a leading player in the franchise consulting space. As a result, when new entrepreneurs start their franchises without any real-world experience, they end up with failure. Hence, to avoid such scenarios and for successful running of a business, it has become crucial to contact a franchise consultant. And Angela Coté Inc, has evidently The team at Angela Coté (AC) Inc provides franchisors the expertise and tools to improve their franchise system performance – while having FUN. We do this through our signature strategy: The AC Method, a clear, actionable framework for franchise success. AC Inc was born because founder and CEO, Angela Coté, saw too many franchisors getting vague advice that brought up more questions than it answered. She saw a need for more simple, actionable advice that made franchising a lot more fun. About the leader Angela Coté, the CEO, and vision behind AC Inc, grew up with M&M Food Market, the iconic Canadian brand which she helped grow to almost 500 franchised locations. She has done everything from dressing up as ‘Kelly Kabob’ as a child to working as a franchise business coach in the field. Since starting AC Inc, Angela has built a team of former franchise owners, franchisors, and entrepreneurs to help deliver the AC Method and work with franchise systems to create sustainable, transformational growth. As the boss’s daughter in the field, Angela learned a lot about what works (and especially what doesn’t!) when it comes to getting franchisees engaged and motivated to grow their business. After many years on the franchisor side of the franchise relationship, Angela successfully brought the M&M Food Market brand to Vancouver Island, opening the first 3 franchises in less than 1.5 years and building them into a combined asset valued at more than $1.5 million. The AC Inc Core values (we are obsessed with our core values!) We get more done when we are having fun Action equals growth Give a Sh*t Everything is figureoutable Go be awesome Mindset is EVERYTHING Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Angela eventually launched AC Inc and began working with franchisors who needed help with where to focus their time, energy, and money for streamlined growth. Angela’s strong vision for disrupting the franchise industry with actionable, simple, and effective advice from people who really ‘get’ it has created a motivated and inspired team, intent on helping franchisors achieve their growth goals. Having a proven method has taken time, experience, and some long nights, along with our team’s ‘can-do’ 17 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

20. positive attitude and our success at building community amongst franchisors, is what sets AC Inc. apart when it comes to franchise system improvement. gather for an hour to participate in peer-to-peer learning and collaboration. Originally, these sessions were for helping franchisors deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. But even after the panic of the pandemic had subsided, franchisors were excited to meet regularly to discuss their real-time challenges and spend time for problem solving, with each other. franchisees is the best way to increase profitability and franchise development, so using our expertise to guide brands in this way is a real game-changer. Being an experienced leader, share your opinion on how the adoption of modern technologies such as AI and machine learning has transformed the franchising industry, and what more could be expected in the near future? In under just a year and a half of operations, AC Inc. was recognized as a top supplier as voted on by members of the franchise community. This is a result of Angela’s innovation to create and master the AC Roundtables, an inclusive space for franchisors to come together for peer-to-peer learning. These sessions are facilitated by the AC Inc team and every week we are blown away by the key takeaways and collaboration that comes out of each session. We currently have roundtables for emerging brands, established brands, franchisees, franchise business coaches, and franchise marketers. Something we have noticed with the increase of automation, AI, and modern tech in the franchise industry is the shift in importance to softer skills. As companies are leaning more and more on technology and automation, there becomes a larger need for leadership coaching such as maintaining a positive mindset, active listening, and conflict resolution skills. What other solutions and services does your company offer, and how are these impacting the industry and your clients? We offer a variety of services, including our primary service, one-on-one advising for franchisors. We also offer exciting franchise conference sessions to get franchisees fired up and gain actionable steps for growth. But the two services that are reshaping the franchise industry are the AC Roundtables and our Franchise Business Coach training program. The other service we see making a big difference for our clients and the industry is our proprietary franchise business coach training. We essentially take over the training of the franchise business coaches for a franchise system and give them the systems and tools to support and coach their franchisees. When AI can help with paid advertising and we can automate franchise development training, we can now focus more heavily on creating amazing company culture. Angela sees more and more growth happening in the franchisee coaching and support space as technology becomes more and more integrated into the operational areas of the business. The AC Roundtables are free weekly zoom sessions where franchisors Having incredible area managers/field support/business coaches for your Considering the current pandemic and its impact on global economies, how are you driving your company to sustain operations and ensuring the safety of your employees at the same time? One thing we are very grateful for, in our business model, is our capacity to operate virtually. The pandemic forced many people to get comfortable using virtual communication platforms like Zoom which has enabled AC Inc. to reach and bring together more franchisors across the globe. Creating community is at the base of everything AC Inc. does, at a time when people 18 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

21. first start out include financials, human resources, and administration. How do you envision scaling your company’s operations and offerings in 2022? We have some really exciting projects coming up in 2022. One of the biggest initiatives we have up our sleeves include education and course creation that will help scale the AC Method and advising sessions. We’ll continue to build our community and presence in the franchise space via our roundtables and references from top clients. are craving connections and peer support more than ever. company culture and thrive together virtually. This includes happy hours, quarterly meetings, and fun voice note chats. Demonstrating Excellence The pandemic also drove many people in corporate jobs to re-evaluate their career path and consider becoming small business owners through franchising. This is good news for many franchisors who are looking for franchise partners to help them grow their brands. This translates to an increased need for the services delivered by AC Inc to help franchisors with the performance of their system, so they can continue to attract high quality, right-fit franchise partners. “Working with AC Inc has changed my life as an emerging franchisor. They see the areas I need to focus on for growth, and then provide clear, actionable steps towards my goals. I now know exactly who makes a good franchisee for my brand and how to have conversations with prospects so that we uncover faster whether they are going to be a fit. I wish I had started working with the AC team sooner!” – Ruth Agbaji, CEO of Code Wiz Franchise What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into the franchise consulting space? Something we have found incredibly important in franchise advising is experience in the franchise industry. Franchisors want to learn from folks who have been in their same shoes. Most of our team members have been multi-unit franchise owners or on the franchisor side of the corporate team. This kind of experience is pivotal for offering valuable direction on operations and strategies for growth. Also, our advising sessions, team meetings, and roundtables are mostly held over zoom. We have some incredible messaging and project management tools we use to keep our company and clients working and succeeding together. “The AC team was able to get our owners to think about what they wanted to achieve in their business and then identify actionable items to implement. Through our session, they also helped our franchise owners to step back and take a look at the bigger picture – why they owned a business and what their goals were.” – Bob Lang, President at Blue Moon Estate Sales USA So, if you are interested in beginning to advise franchisors, we would suggest working on the corporate team of a franchise, owning a franchise, or doing franchise business coaching within a system before venturing into the advising or consulting space. Some of our favourite digital tools include: Voxer Asana Zoho Zoom G Suite Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Also, becoming a franchise consultant takes a lot more than just delivering the service. One of the biggest surprises new consultants face is how much work it is to attract and retain clients. In addition to this, some other hats franchise consultants wear when they As a company that was largely built through the pandemic, we have found creative ways to encourage positive 19 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

22. ‘ Food ‘ The Real Stress Buster of All Times! S carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and vitamins which are necessary for our physical and mental health. These nutrients help our body to develop a good immune system to stay fit and healthy. ince our childhood, we have learned that the food we eat not only provides us with the energy to think and work but also provides us with nutrition like A recent study has revealed that eating certain foods can tame stress in many ways. For instance, having a bowl of warm oatmeal can boost the level of serotonin, a chemical that helps to keep our brain calm. Some foods can cut down or maintain the level of cortisol, adrenaline, and stress hormones that can take a toll on the body significantly over time. In addition to that, a balanced diet with regular timings and quantity can help to counter stress by boosting up our immune system and decreasing our blood pressure. Here are some of the nutrients that foods provide and that can help us with stress management. • Simple and complex carbohydrates All the carbohydrates we consume help our brain to prepare and release a chemical known as serotonin which controls the stress and calms the brain over time. It also helps to 20 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

24. Feeding Frenzy • Fatty acids make us feel balanced by stabilizing the blood sugar levels at a required amount. The commonly seen omega-3 is a fatty acid that we consume while eating fast foods. Research indicates that foods or supplements enriched with omega-3 can help to reduce anxiety problems by preventing surges in stress hormones. Also, it has the additional advantage of reducing heart problems by maintaining blood sugar levels and circulation rate at a constant cycle. It also helps to overcome and cure mental health problems like depression, insomnia, and aggression. Few dieticians suggest that simple carbs like sweets and soda can create a spike of serotonin quickly as they are easily digestible. Carbs before bedtime can boost the release of serotonin, which results in better sleep at night. A glass of fresh milk in the morning can provide our body with energy and calcium. Calcium plays a vital role in stress management by reducing anxiety, providing energy, and it also improves bone quality. • Vitamins Black tea is also a good stressbuster. It can help to manage and control stressful situations calmly and quickly. People who drink black tea on a daily basis have a lower level of stress hormones and can overcome stressful situations in a relaxed manner. Eating a handful number of almonds, walnuts, or pistachios can help to lower the cholesterol and ease inflammation of the heart arteries, which controls the fluctuation of heart rate in stressful situations. It also helps protect our heart and mind against the effect of stress like hypertension. Vitamins are necessary for our body to develop a good immune system, but recent studies suggest that vitamins like Vitamin C can also curb the level of stress hormones while strengthening our immune system. Vitamins can also control blood pressure by limiting levels of cortisol and help to execute stressful tasks properly. A regular dosage of food enriched with vitamin C such as orange can prevent illness by alleviating the body’s response towards stress. Also, it controls our behavior and reactions towards emotional and physical stress. Vitamin E helps to bolster the immune system, and B vitamins like B1, B3, B12 make us more resistant while facing stress or mental health issues like depression. Nutrients from these healthy foods can improve blood circulation in our bodies. A regular balanced diet can have a positive effect on our physical and mental health with these nutrients as they can stabilize and enhance the vital chemicals for stress management in our body. • Minerals Good food-good life Foods like green leafy vegetables and beans are enriched with magnesium. The human body needs magnesium to work in a focused and proper manner. When we consume food enriched with magnesium, e.g., spinach, it can avoid the triggers like headache and fatigue, compounding the effects of stress. If we can consume and maintain healthy food for a certain period, we can eventually develop a good immune system, and we can improve our stress management significantly over time. - Abhishek Joshi Magnesium also modulates the activities of the body’s stress-response system, regular intake of food enriched with this mineral can control and reduce anxiety, ease stress, and minimize the reaction of the mind and body’s response to fear. Potassium helps in controlling blood pressure; as a result, it can help in maintaining and stabilizing the heart rate in stressful situations. Crunchy raw vegetables can help with stress management in a purely mechanical way. Munching celery or fresh carrot sticks helps release a clenched jaw, which can ease off the tension with minerals like potassium and a certain amount of B vitamins. 22 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

26. Top 10 Franchise Consultant Companies to watch FRANCHISE CREATOR Where Success is the Ultimate Solution I established businesses. Franchisees can leverage more than just security and business ownership. They also have the opportunity to create a positive impact on the local community. n the recent decades, the franchising business model has grown in popularity, both as an opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs and as a way of expansion for business, go to market, and expand through franchising. We not only offer the services of converting a business into a franchise model, but we also offer franchise sales services for our clients. We stay involved with each and every business that we have franchised, and we guide them as they expand into new locations worldwide. We act as a partner to each business owner client, without taking any equity from their business. Franchising is a win-win situation for everyone involved, from producing jobs to forming synergetic ties with other local businesses. However, selecting a perfect franchise is the most important decision when it comes to investing in a business. It requires profound research about the industry as well as the market. Being an experienced leader, share your opinion on how the adoption of modern technologies such as AI and machine learning has transformed the franchising industry, and what more could be expected in the near future? In pertinence, there are companies that provide astute insights to aspiring entrepreneurs about franchising opportunities and inherent details to accelerate their growth. One such company is Franchise Creator, a leading franchise consulting firm providing business expansion strategies as well as business coaching and consulting services worldwide. We are beginning to see AI become incorporated into many service oriented franchise models. AI provides consistency in the operation which is one of the main aspects of the franchise model. Business owners and particularly franchisors are incorporating technology into their operation in order to meet the shopping habits of the gen z buyers. In the following interview, Hossein Kasmai, the Founder and CEO of Franchise Creator, shares detailed insights about the franchising industry and how Franchise Creator is making a strong foothold in the market. I expect to continue to see innovations in this space by creating and leveraging existing technologies. AI continues to gain momentum in the fields of lead generation and customer support. Also, many franchise systems are beginning to implement AI in their franchise stores in order to reduce payroll costs and improve customer experience. Please brief our audience about Franchise Creator, its values, and how it is positioned as a leading player in the franchise consulting space. Considering the current pandemic and its impact on global economies, how are you driving Franchise Creator to sustain operations and ensuring the safety of your employees at the same time? I founded Franchise Creator in 2011 to help others take their business from a start-up or mom and pop operation into a globally recognized brand, through franchising. Franchise Creator offers clients an all-inclusive franchise development business model to successfully franchise a At Franchise Creator, we are currently experiencing tremendous growth in our business from developing 24 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

27. worldwide., , , , We stay involved with each and every business that we have franchised, and we guide them as they expand into new locations Hossein Kasmai Founder and CEO businesses into becoming franchisors, and also in the franchise sales sector awarding franchises. We are proud to say we have maintained all of our original staff pre- pandemic and have also been actively recruiting and hiring more staff to continue to expand our operations. All of our staff has continued to follow social distancing requirements and tests regularly for COVID-19. The franchise industry is currently experiencing the biggest boom ever. The availability of a variety of financing options at low interest rates and the continuous success of franchised businesses, continue to drive entrepreneurs towards the franchising model. About the Leader Hossein Kasmai joined the franchising industry in 2005 just six months a?er founding a start-up business named Guard-A-Kid. Through franchising as a business model and in just five years, Mr. Kasmai successfully led Guard-A-Kidʼs business growth to over 175 locations in 11 countries world- wide. What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into the franchise consulting space? Year a?er year, Guard-A-Kid was ranked in Entrepreneur Magazineʼs prestigious Franchise 500 ranking and earned numerous awards as the fastest growing franchise. In 2010, just five years from its inception, Guard-A-Kid was acquired by a private group. Franchising a business successfully, requires more than just the legal documents. A true franchise consulting firm must prepare all aspects of the business for franchising, including documentation that describes the operation to the new franchisee, step by step. The preparation of the marketing material is also a must before a business is ready for franchise expansion. My advice for new entrepreneurs is to join firms that have a solid reputation in helping businesses expand through franchising and have ample experience in all industries and not just a few. As a serial entrepreneur, Mr. Kasmai decided to utilize his experience and franchise track record to help others achieve the American dream and thus he founded Franchise Creator. Franchise Creator provides an all-inclusive approach to convert a business into a franchise system and then grow it to multiple locations worldwide. How do you envision scaling Franchise Creator’s operations and offerings in 2022? Due to Hosseinʼs extensive business experience and successful franchise track record, having converted over 600 businesses into successful franchises, today Franchise Creator is considered as the largest franchise consulting firm in the world. We currently have a total of four offices worldwide and are looking to open up additional offices in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and throughout Europe as well as China. 25 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

28. & & The 20 BUSINESSWOMEN to Watch, 2020 Most kimberly Khoury Paving her Way in Sustainability Development

30. Top 10 Franchise Consultant Companies to watch Global Franchise USA Inc. Shaping Franchising Industry for the Future I successfully captured the market. Now, you want to explore the international market, but due to various factors, you feel underconfident and resist expanding your business to unknown lands. magine you start a business which over a year, is gaining healthy profits. The next thing for your business is to go national and without any efforts, you We provide business opportunities, knowledge about markets, nancial sources,and leverage tools to help companies to grow worldwide. Operating an international business is like a milestone for every entrepreneur but achieving it through a franchise can be a little tricky. That is where Global Franchise USA Inc. comes into the picture – to help businesses enter and find success in international markets. A franchise consultancy like Global Business & Franchise helps businesses from entering the global market to effectively indulging and expanding smoothly. We have more than 30 years of experience doing that in the international market and we have created a big network of associates in more than 50 countries. What other solutions and services do your company offer, and how are theseimpacting the industry and your clients? The need for multiple businesses to enter and excel in the global market was increasing and that is how Paulo C Mauro, the CEO of Global Business & Franchise, seized the opportunity and founded the company. We provide business opportunities, knowledge about markets, financial sources,and leverage tools to help companies to grow worldwide. In the following interview, Paulo uncovered various factors that the franchise industry deals with and his journey in the success of Global Business & Franchise. Being an experienced leader, share your opinion on how the adoption of moderntechnologies such as AI and machine learning has transformed the franchising industry, and what more could be expected in the near future? Please brief our audience about your company, its values, and how it is positioned as aleading player in the franchise consulting space. Modern technologies will revolutionise the franchise system. It is not only the question of AI, or machine learning, but also the blockchain technology, the strength of the digital channels, the omnichannel strategy, and several Global Business & Franchise is a company with the purpose to help companies to explore worldwide opportunities. Our main goal is to build bridges between countries, companies and investors. 28 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

31. Paulo C Mauro CEO About the Leader Paulo C Mauro is a visionary business leader. He helped to expand the leasing system in the financial market and the franchise system worldwide. He wrote 4 books about franchising, the last one "Franchising of the Future”. He developed more than 1000 franchise systems and helped several companies to become interna?onal. He opens markets and builds a great business network. 29 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

32. What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into thefranchise consulting space? other disruptive advancements happening at the same time will be accelerated because of the pandemic status. The franchise system will never be the same. The franchisors must change and adapt to survive and continue to grow. The competition is growing so fast that you don’t know from where it will come. Considering the current pandemic and its impact on global economies, how are youdriving your company to sustain operations and ensure the safety of your employeesat the same time? Consulting has no long term future as we know it today. We believe the new entrepreneurs must find a niche to explore, think about the new technologies and be prepared to change all the time. How do you envision scaling your company’s operations and offerings in 2022? We are very excited about the changes we made and we expect to grow with our associates worldwide. We believe now is the time for opportunities, as big changes offer big opportunities. We downsized our company and change the purpose of opening for a wider target, without losing our international vocation. We used the office eventually for special meetings and most of the work is being done at home or wherever our teams are in the world. 30 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

34. Role ofBreak Time in the Corporate World I walk through a tough challenge, it is a temptation to force forward to focus on work, past the point of fatigue. But it is important to take a much-needed break if you want to perform at your best. It can be a ten-minute short break, a longer one, but it is essential for our mind to relax and refresh a little bit. and Essence n order to stay sharp and focused on the office work, it is important to take a break despite all the urgent tasks. When someone is striving to hit a deadline or cannot Taking a break leads to a breakthrough; when employees or an employer cannot figure out the working fundaments to execute an assigned task, their mind can get stuck on the same problem, and trying one thing repeatedly over time can be frustrating. Taking a break will relax their minds, and when they are communicating with other employees, they might figure out diverse ways to execute the task or figure out the working fundamentals. Another advantage of taking breaks from the workplace is that it can help the employees relax and improve their focus, concentration, and mental rest. After the break, as the mind is relaxed a little bit, work can be resumed with more energy and motivation. Taking short and consistent breaks play an essential role in the workplace: 1. Taking breaks can help the employees to process and retain information Human brains have two functioning modes: focused and diffused. When the employees are working, they are completely focused on their task with complete presence of 32 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

35. Take a break 33 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

36. mind. It can make them feel exhausted. If the employees are taking breaks after such hectic situations, the human brain tends to enter diffused mode, and some studies have proven that humans can solve their difficult problems when they are in a diffused state of mind. Taking breaks can help the employees to rest and recharge themselves with their diffused state of mind, and they can change their approach for the task completion. With a different approach and a mindset of trying out new things, they can get back to work with more energy and can execute their task with precision. 2. Taking breaks can improve focus and task execution When employees are focused on the minutiae of a challenging task, it is quite easy for them to find themselves exhausted while executing such tasks. When taking a break from such situations, they can revaluate their goals and priorities, and they can precisely focus on the strategies to execute that work properly. This is a bigger picture that employers and employees can recognize when taking a short break for a few minutes from the office. It can help them to explore their thought process, try innovative approaches, and focus on their strategies towards task execution. 3. Taking breaks can maintain creativity Employees can relax their minds whenever they want, and it is also increasing their productivity. 5. Employees can refresh out of their workspace When employees take a break, they preferably leave their workstations and computer screen and have an enjoyable time with their co-workers. When they communicate with their co-workers, eventually, it develops a friendly connection among the employees working together. Also, having a conversation can promote a positive mood and reduce exhausting or negative feelings. As the employees are getting refreshed, it can help them to discuss and explore new opportunities and try out novel approaches to overcome any difficulties with the solutions. As a result, it increases the engagement between co- workers and adds values to the task execution like teamwork, and it leads to forming a work-friendly environment in the office. Conclusion Eventually, breaks provide the corporate world with opportunities for work-related tasks to be performed precisely, and as they are also helping in increasing the engagement between the co-workers, this is creating and maintaining a work-life balance altogether. It also allows the employees to get to know each other better, even outside the workspace, and promotes a good work-friendly environment. Constantly working and executing intricate tasks can exhaust employees’ minds and their cognitive capacity, resulting in the lack of creative connection that employees can make precisely if their brain is relaxed. Giving the brain a little time to relax and rest can recharge it and energize the employees for their new tasks ahead. As the mind is relaxed, employees can implement their creativity in their further task execution. 4. Employees can determine their moments If the employer is providing the space for it, employees can take a break at their discretion. As per the reports of recent research in the corporate world, taking breaks when required can lead to better insights than those breaks that are provided at fixed timing. - Abhishek Joshi. Now that the employees are provided with short and consistent breaks, it is working in a better way as their performance is rapidly increasing in the workspace. 34 December 2021|www.insightssuccess.com

38. Top 10 Franchise Consul?ng Companies to Watch A Distinguished Name in the Franchise Consulting Space F sales activity in the U.S. over the last couple of years. That said, entering into the world of franchising is not necessarily a simple task for franchisors. Many important strategic decisions need to be studied and calculated before stepping into the arena, if the expectation is to build a successful system that provides lucrative returns for both franchisors and franchisees. ranchising has continued to prove to be beneficial for both the franchisor and the franchisee, with a noticeable increase in franchising development and Mark Siebert (MS): iFranchise Group is the nation's leading franchise consulting firm and has been recognized three years in a row in independent surveys of over 750 franchisors by Entrepreneur.com as the #1 Franchise Consulting/Development company. We are headquartered in the Chicago area, and our franchise consultants are based throughout the United States and provide franchise consulting and development services for emerging and established franchise companies worldwide. This is where the expertise offered by franchise consulting firms becomes important. These companies can help businesses determine their franchise feasibility, and can conduct detailed market research, business planning, and financial analysis. They can also develop operations manuals, training programs, franchise marketing materials and plans, and provide guidance on many other important aspects related to franchise development and franchisee relations. iFranchise Group offers the guidance of the nation's top franchise experts on how to franchise a business, including franchise strategic planning, current best practices for franchising operations training and documentation, franchise marketing, and franchise sales. We are dedicated to forming long-term relationships with high-potential franchisors. IS: What other solutions and services does your company offer, and how are these impacting the industry and your clients? iFranchise Group is a leading franchise consulting firm that helps businesses expand through a professional approach and unmatched expertise in franchising. Founded in 1998, the firm's team of expert consultants has over 800 years of combined experience in the franchising industry. MS: iFranchise Group consists of more than 30 top professionals in franchise strategic planning, operations training and documentation, marketing and sales. We provide highly customized franchise development strategies, operations manuals, training programs, franchise marketing tools, such as e-brochures and websites, plus lead generation strategies and sales solutions for franchisors of all sizes across a wide range of industries. In the following interview, Mark Siebert, the CEO of iFranchise Group, talks in detail about how the company has established itself as a trusted resource in the franchise consulting space by providing state-of-the-art consulting and development services to both emerging and existing franchisors. Having worked with hundreds of emerging and established franchise systems, as well as licensing and dealership organizations, we have played an important role in the launch and growth of literally dozens of highly recognized, successful franchise brands, which contribute significantly IS: Please brief our audience about your company, its values, and how it is positioned as a leading player in the franchise consulting space.

39. , , In the future, we expect to see the emergence of even more robust tools, both traditional and online, that will guide and inform the KPIs of successful franchise systems. , , Dave Hood President (L) Mark Siebert I Franchise Group CEO About the Leader Mark Siebert, CEO- iFranchise Group, Inc to the overall economy. And, our affiliate, TopFire Media is a leader in digital franchise lead generation and franchise public relations. Author of Franchise Your Business, The Guide to Employ- ing the Greatest Growth Strategy Ever, The Franchisee Handbook, The Multiplier Model, and over 300 articles on franchising, Mr. Siebert has been a franchise business consultant since 1985. He founded the iFranchise Group in 1998 as an organization dedicated to developing long- term relationships with a successful franchisor clientele. IS: Being an experienced leader, share your opinion on how the adoption of modern technologies such as AI and machine learning has transformed the franchising industry and what more could be expected in the near future? Mr. Siebert has worked with hundreds of franchisors, from start-up operations to corporate giants. He is an expert in evaluating companies for franchisability, structuring franchise offerings, and developing franchise programs. The recommendations developed by Mr. Siebert have been instrumental in the growth and success of numerous national and international franchisors. MS: Online multi-media tools are important in just about every sector of franchising, and they will continue to play a key role, whether it's via online platforms for marketing and sales efforts, for legal disclosure purposes, or for operational documentation and training. We recognize that franchising certainly is based on building long-term relationships between franchisors, franchisees, and the communities they serve, and understand that face- to-face communications will always play an important role in that. Mr. Siebert has presented hundreds of speeches and seminars on franchising in cities around the globe.He provides ongoing consultation to ifranchise group MENAT, which offers Franchise development service throughout the Middle East. However, we do see automated tools continuing to take a stronger foothold in the industry, such as website chatbots for lead generation, automated text and email messages for marketing campaigns, and the like. He has been a featured speaker for the International Franchise Association, the International Franchise Expo, the International Franchise Association’s Legal Sympo- sium, the American Bar Association, the American Association of Franchisees and Dealers, the Franchise Finance Conference, the National Restaurant Association, the Canadian Franchise Association, the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and at major franchise events in Argentina, Chile, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Peru, and Uruguay. He has been a featured guest on business programs airing on CNN, Fox Business Network, and other programs both in the U.S. and abroad. In the future, we expect to see the emergence of even more robust tools, both traditional and online, that will guide and inform the KPIs of successful franchise systems. These will impact areas such as franchise lead generation, as well as franchise operations, where advancements in technology will continue to allow for more dynamic and user-adaptive operations manuals and other training tools, as well as increasing the efficacy of in-person and remote operational consulting. He holds a B.S. in Advertising and an MBA from Northern Illinois University, and has taught undergraduate and post-graduate courses in business and in franchising at Lewis University, Loop College, and DePaul University.

40. IS: Considering the current pandemic and its impact on global economies, how are you driving your company to sustain operations and ensure the safety of your employees at the same time? Our company's offerings have already been adapted, because we anticipated many of the changes brought about because of the pandemic. For example, we have closely watched marketing metrics over the past two years, updated client operations manuals due to changes necessitated by the pandemic, and helped our clients anticipate required financial profiling modifications during the strategic planning process. MS: Since its founding more than 20 years ago, iFranchise Group has always had a presence across the country and around the world, just by the very nature of the fact that our team of industry experts is not always located within a commuting distance of our main offices near Chicago. Our policy has always been to hire the best, regardless of their physical location. Therefore, virtual offices, onsite client visits, and work-from-home have been a norm for our company, even prior to the pandemic. We are seeing this trend continue for us and all other companies as the use of various online video meeting platforms becomes even more commonplace for our group, our clients, and our vendors – regardless of the current status of the fight against COVID-19. Vaccines and boosters, variants and lockdowns, or not, we know that business can be done effectively even if it means not always meeting face-to-face. And when that can help ensure the health and safety of our clients and colleagues, it's more important than ever to be able to be flexible and adaptable. IS: What would be your advice to budding entrepreneurs aspiring to venture into the franchising space? MS: We tell our prospective clients: if you have a business that you are interested in franchising, don't wait for it to be absolutely perfect before taking the next steps toward expansion. There are certain criteria that can be measured to help determine if a business is a good candidate for franchising, and timing an expansion decision is very important, especially in more competitive industry sectors. IS: How do you envision scaling your company's operations and offerings in 2022? MS: iFranchise Group will continue to provide key franchise development services to more and more emerging and established franchisors. We have seen over the last year or two that the market dynamics are actually ideal for franchising.