Franchise Direct’s exclusive list of the Top 100 Global Franchises provides an interesting look at the franchise industry in 2009. These exclusive rankings show that franchising is looking to international markets to grow during the downturn in the American economy. It also highlights the unique success of franchises started by women on an international level, with four franchises on the list founded by females.
The four franchises started by women on the Top 100 Global Franchises are Merle Norman (#40), Auntie Anne’s (#41), Jazzercise (#44) and Coffeenews USA (#55). Combined, they show the various experiences of women franchisees over the last century. These franchises were all started in different eras, and the success of each show that women can succeed in properly branding their franchise brand, no matter what the concept.
Merle Norman, for instance, was started in the late 1920s by a young woman named Merle Nethercutt Norman. She had been making her personal skin products for her family friends and wanted to reach a wider audience. She also had realized that a demonstration was probably also the best way to sell her products. From there, her business model gradually grew into one of the top franchise products in the world.
Meanwhile, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels was started back in 1987 when Anne Beiler started making pretzels for a local farmers market. After been a bit of experimentation, this very local concept became a top global franchise. It’s a remarkable transition. Jazzercise followed a similar trend. Jude Sheppard Missett took the niche subject of jazz dance and turned it into a globally popular dance concept in 1969. Finally Jean Daum used her experiences in the newspaper industry to turn Coffee News into a Top 100 Global Franchise.
All in all, these franchise success story provide a blueprint for women entrepreneurs looking to grow their own business concept. These are four of the most unique franchise concepts on the list and prove that no matter what the business, franchising can bring you tremendous results, even at an international level. Female entrepreneurs can find true success in franchising.
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