Pita Pit Franchising Featured In the Miami Herald

Recently, The Pita Pit was featured in an article about franchising and appealing to potential investors during a tough economy in the Miami Herald. Below is the first part of the article and a link to view the whole story, including the portion on Pita Pit and their efforts to appeal to potential franchisees.

Franchise Appeal Grows in Down Economy
By Bridget Carey

After being unemployed for a year, Pauline Hamian ditched the résumé and bought herself a job.

The former Burger King employee had no luck finding a job after being part of a corporate restructuring in 2008. While at an outplacement center, she stumbled on a webinar about franchising.

"I felt I had to do something,'' Hamian said. "It provided an opportunity for me to do something I've never done before and never really envisioned myself doing.''

With the help of a franchise broker, she decided to invest in ShelfGenie -- a company that installs sliding shelves for kitchen and bathroom cabinets. She didn't need to buy a storefront -- it all can be done from home. There were no fixed costs and her two part-time employees work on commission.

Jobs are still scarce, so the unemployed are reinventing themselves and becoming the majority of new franchise owners, industry sources say. The troubles in commercial real estate are making it easier by driving some landlords to negotiate -- sometimes offering several months' free rent or paying for remodeling.

While banks continue their tight grip on lending, some franchisors are seeing a dip in investors and are responding by lowering fees and offering internal financing deals. But without a loan, a home-based franchise like ShelfGenie becomes an affordable option for those wanting a fresh start on their careers. Areas that are expected to increase in popularity: quick-service restaurants, real estate, senior care, eco-friendly businesses and health.

(READ MORE)