18/8 Eighteen Eight Fine Men’s Salons Franchise Warning

311 thoughts on “18/8 Eighteen Eight Fine Men’s Salons Franchise Warning”

• Prison for Mr CEO Scott Griffiths, his wife and business partner, Loretta griffiths, business partner, Ron Love, another croonie and family member Brigitte Love Thewes, Chris Brown, Mark Elson and a few more. They all need to be locked up for stealing hard earned money of people who were sold a fraudulent franchise. Books were cooked, numbers inflated, things looked great so why not invest? The problem is that these were thiefs, swindlers, shady crooks. I’m sorry for anyone who invested. Time is on our side and they will get theirs.

• Speaking of Mark Weingast, there are only 2 in the entire greater NYC area stores still open, both are not making money and are listed for sale. 2 for 12 Scott Griffiths stores still hanging on! Scott, you must be proud. That is quite a testament. Are you still doing interviews about being such a successful franchisor? Scott, you used to always blame the franchisees (and NEVER thought a store should close) though you have closed plenty since and had already closed a store described by Ron Love in Yelp that in essence was an 18|8 though never disclosed. Do you still blame the franchisees for 10 of those 12 stores finding they could no longer survive as an 18|8? Do you blame the 2 current franchisees barely hanging on for not making money at this point? Are they also not following the system as preach on the BHC for such a long time? I know they also are living with huge regret for believing your statements Discovery Day and made in FDD statements or, for not discovering your ommissions in the FDD?

  (Obviously selling stores on the BizBuySell website translates to pennies on the dollar compared to the accumulated investment, even if they can sell to get out from under personal guarantees. So, in reality, Scott Griffith’s you are batting zero in the greater NYC area!)

  Here were the opening store counts from what I gather for greater NYC:
  —–
  Bunce-1
  Case-1
  Kinnally-1
  Patel-2
  Shanklin-1 *
  Stearns-1 *
  Tessitore-1
  Vinci-3
  Weingast-1

  ——
  * – still open, listed for sell on BizBuySell

• Regarding prison for W. Scott, et. al… Is anyone aware of any ongoing criminal investigations? To the best of my knowledge government organizations (i.e., the SBA via the Office of Inspector General, states via their corporations divisions, etc.) do not normally pursue criminal prosecutions against a crooked franchisor. Instead, these organizations tend to “slap the wrists” of the W. Scotts of the world by baring them from future franchisee loan approvals, franchise registrations, etc. It’s a real shame, but a sign of how laws and regulations are drafted in favor of the banks, big business, etc. The little guy always gets hosed. Unfortunately, W. Scott et. al have been able to take advantage of these big business protections to date. Perhaps it’s time for another course of action.

• 18/8 Honolulu has also recently closed;
  https://www.yelp.com/biz/18-8-fine-mens-salons-honolulu-honolulu-2

  Good luck trying to drive a truck down there to ransack the place like you tried to do when the stores in San Diego closed, scumbag Griffiths.

• Looks like they are still trying to lure suckers in with low quality youtube commercials.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUl44wDiG9I
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0diyZpa0s2s
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZDnoUT7U8Q

  The Andrew Hulse one is especially hilarious! INTEGRITY

• Those videos are unbelievable. Andrew standing in front of a white curtain with bad lighting and sound, rubbing his nose at the end. And the first video highlights three salons: WeHo (debranded), Newport Beach (debranded) and La Jolla (closed).

• LoL at Chris Brown’s self correction on store count from his Zenoti interview just a year ago from 100 to ‘about’ 60. He has basically turned into a mini Scott that mumbles when he’s making shit up.

  Also good effort trying to make Griff’s sound like a success when there is one store open and the franchisee had set out to build 10 by the end of last year. I talked to the Griff’s owner last month and he said it was the biggest mistake he has ever made.

• Former Franchisee, I dropped a question onto the Griff’s Roanoke Yelp page asking where the other nine stores are located since they were supposed to have ten open by now. JG’s answer was the other cities on the website are planned future locations. You’d think since Chris said Roanoke was profitable in 60 days, he’d be jumping at the chance to develop his territory fully.

• When approximately 95% of all franchisees without a conflict of interest, inclusive of those who paid the upfront amount but didn’t build a store, regret their investment, you have to think Chris and Andrew are putting themselves into a problematic position with investors, present or future, who have consulted with them and invested.

  Chris and Andrew know full well the overwhelming experience that franchisees have. An interesting question to Chris and Andrew would be for someone considering to invest would, “Why didn’t you build all the stores you paid to develop in the time period of your development agreement? Why haven’t you already built 15 stores”?

  As far as that concerns, a question Scott might be along the same lines. As well as, “Why is your busiest store in the original FDD no longer open?”

• Andrew Hulse, a former naval officer from Elk River, Minnesota, is listed as a Vice President / VP at 18|8 Eighteen Eight Fine Men’s Salons. Andrew Hulse owns two 18|8 Fine Men’s Salons, one in Maple Grove, Minnesota and the second in Wayzata, Minnesota. Chris Brown, a former Brand Manager for Procter and Gamble from the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area and an associate of Andrew Hulse, is the Vice President of Marketing and Brand Management at 18|8 Eighteen Eight Fine Men’s Salons. Shame of both Andrew Hulse, an associate of Chris Brown, and Chris Brown, and associate of Andrew Hulse. Both Andrew Hulse and Chris Brown know the truth about 18|8 Eighteen Eight Fine Men’s Salons franchises, as well as the fraud committed by the founders of 18|8 Eighteen Eight Fine Men’s Salons. Andrew Hulse and Chris Brown are doing bad, bad things that will catch up to them in the end. Shame on you Andrew Hulse and Chris Brown!

• Chris Brown has told me straight up that he’s not interested in building any more stores. But he’s telling others that they should? What a dick.

• Chris Brown is not even interested in continuing to own and operate two locations. Powell, OH, the location Chris Brown received for free from Scott Griffiths after the original franchisee closed, is currently listed for sale on BizBuySell.com. Go to hell, Chris Brown. You already sold your sole. So did Mr. Integrity, Andrew Hulse, husband of Gay Hulse, from Elk River, MN.

• Even by Scott’s standard of stretching the projections and misleading people, this is taking it too a whole new level. This great for laughs until you think it is remotely possible that someone, who obviously does not know Scott, could actually believe it. Then it becomes really sad to think of more people of having a high probability of losing their life’s saving.

  Looks like Chris Brown and Andrew Hulse are perfectly willing to lend their names to this deception. Three peas in a pod.

  Interesting they show stores long ago no longer in 18|8 in the same that shows the ending of “early stage” being the end of 2018. Guess they (Scott, Chris, Andrew) wanted to show a larger store count and didn’t want to be worried little pesky facts. It’s only a marketing document designed to get people to invest their savings. Read on. You can venture to read on and see if it makes you laugh, cry or both.

  https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3851913/3%20-%20Marketing/Landing%20Page/Eighteen%20Eight%20-%20Landing/Files/188%20Launch%20Deck.pdf

• Hmmm, BodeTree must have a pretty low bar when it comes to taking on new franchise development clients. Unlike five years ago, it does not take much effort to uncover W. Scott’s and his co-conspirators’ long history of fraud.

• anyone have a link to where to find the new FDD for 188 or Ace/Griffs. Not on Cali site. Looking for what they are using for financials and if they listed their legal activity. I heard there was one around but can not locate it.

• With the legal hot water that Scott Griffith’s is in, I wonder if Chris Brown and Andrew Hulse will have to start paying royalty payments to someone else.

  At least now, Chris would only have to pay royalties on one store, unlike Andrew. Chris and Scott have said there is never a reason to close a store. They are on record of saying they could save troubled stores. The link below belies that. Chris’s Powell, OH 18|8 store that was posted for sale is now closed. Per Scott, Chris, an 18|8 corporate officer, is the best franchisee of all. Since Chris is marketing to get more 18|8 investors, I guess he may have to say corporate (Scott?) messed up in approving the store location, to begin with. No matter how Scott, Andrew or Chris spins this, this is not good news for them or other franchisees hoping to escape their decision to invest in 18|8 by selling what few stores they built out of the total number units they paid for.

  https://eighteeneight.com/powell-oh/

• Below is the FDD link to Grreat Griffs Two Corp, a Nevada corporation (Not CA for some reason?)

  Branded as Griff’s Shave Bar.

  Item 2:
  Officers:
  President: Tasha Griffiths
  (Manager in 18|8 Costa Mesa 2008-2018)
  (Served a president since January, 2019)

  Director of Franchise Operations: Andrew Hulse
  (Chris Brown, Scott, Loretta, Brigitte, Ron are not listed for some reason.)

  Item 3
  No litigation is required to be disclosed. (A new FDD, it appears, does not need to mention any litigation of its affiliated company even though there is a strong connection an 18|8 is referenced multiple times and even shows the 18|8 marks. Exhibit B has a checkoff line as to which Franchise Model is being selected. Franchise agreement section 6A refers to development of “18|8 salons”)

  Item 6
  The marketing fee is 2%.
  Late Fee $500.

  Item 8
  Can restrict products
  Can restrict suppliers
  Can require purchases “from us”
  Have the right to receive payment from suppliers in dealings with you. (No cap is noted on how much of a cap or % would be laid on top of the portion of the payment made by the franchisee to the supplier.)

  Item 15/Exhibit C
  May require a personal guarantee of you AND your spouse.

  Item 20
  Zero franchisee stores, zero franchisor stores are noted. Projects 5 stores in the next year.

  Item 23
  It is intended to register this disclosure document in a long list of states e.g. CA and notes the contact info being Commissioner on Department of Business Oversight, 213-576-7500, http://www.dbo.ca.gov

  https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3851913/3%20-%20Marketing/Landing%20Page/Eighteen%20Eight%20-%20Landing/Files/181211%20Griff's%20FDD%20(multi-brand)%20FINAL.pdf

• LoL. Andrew “INTEGRITY” Hulse now works for Tasha Griffiths at GRreat GRriffs Two Corp?

  HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHHHAHAHAHHAHAHA! What a clown show.

• Well, now it is probably safe to add Cooper to the strike list as well.

• I’m just going to leave this here for all of you to think about and get back to me on.
  https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/30821-Seminole-Pl-Laguna-Niguel-CA-92677/25575874_zpid/

• Quick favor to ask ya’ll.

  I’m researching the role of franchise brokers (they call themselves free franchise “consultants” but get commissions from the franchisors) in the selling of bad or ill-fated new franchises.

  Were any of you steered to 18|8 or Griff’s by a franchise consultant? Can you share his/her name and company name? You can post it here or email me at unhappyfranchisee[at]gmail.com.

  Allegedly, a franchise broker organization has privately taken credit for the growth of the 18|8 Fine Men’s and still promotes them as a “franchise partner” along with Griff’s.

  The brokers are now aggressively pushing “Diesel Barbershop” which I suspect will not end well for franchisees either.

• Admin, I’m happy to share this detail with you but the terms of my settlement with the broker disallows me from doing so.

  On the foreclosure…BWAHAHAHA! I had to sell my house to pay off my SBA loan and stay out of foreclosure. Thanks to Scott, I’m now a renter. This couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy.

• Zillow from the link above notes:
  ———-

  * – A loan was issued by MAXIM COMMERICAL CAPITAL LLC on 8/16/2017 in the amount of $240,000

  * – 3/4/2019 Home in default $299,529 past due

  RealtyTrac from the link below notes:
  ——-
  https://www.realtytrac.com/propertydetails/ca/laguna-niguel/92677/seminole-pl/99618324/

  Equity & Loan-to-value
  $1,137,000
  ESTIMATED VALUE

  $1,189,000
  OUTSTANDING LOAN AMOUNT

  -$52,000
  EQUITY

  104.57%
  LOAN-TO-VALUE

  Ownership Information
  Primary Owner: GRIFFITHS,WILLIAM SCOTT S L TRUST
  Ownership Description: Trust
  Owners Mailing Address: 30821 SEMINOLE PL, LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA 92677
  Purchase Price: $435,000
  Purchase Date: 09/10/1997
  Financing: 100% Financed

  Open Loans
  3
  LOANS
  $1,189,000
  TOTAL LOAN AMOUNT
  The total amount of the loans on a home can help determine the homeowner’s equity. This is very useful when making an offer.

  PositionAmountDateEst. Interest RateTypeOriginator
  1
  $649,00001/26/2007 6.19% WASHINGTON MUTUAL BK

  2
  $300,00006/04/2014 3.09% BANK OF SANTA BARBARA

  3
  $240,00008/17/2017 0% MAXIM COM’L CAP

  Did The Banks Say “NO”?
  —
  Get Maxim Financing!

  When the banks say “NO,” business owners with challenged credit turn to Maxim Commercial Capital for the financing they need to grow their businesses. Check out our quick and easy solutions to finance your heavy equipment purchase, refinance expensive debt or unlock liquidity tied up in real estate.

  Date/Transaction
  Price
  Loan
  Parties
  03/13/2019:
  Foreclosure (NOD)
  $299,529
  (Default Amount)
  $0.00
  Owner: GRIFFITHS, WILLIAM SCOTT
  Trustee: CHICAGO TITLE COMPANY
  history-opener
  Full Details for Notice of Default (NOD)
  RECORDING DATE 03/13/2019 DOCUMENT NUMBER 201900074812 TRUSTEE NAME CHICAGO TITLE COMPANY TRUSTEE ADDRESS
  11620 Wilshire Blvd Sn Bernrdno CA 92408
  TRUSTEE PHONE 800-722-0824 TRUSTEE SALE NUMBER 4285-38 LENDER NAME Maxim Commercial Capital LLC LENDER ADDRESS
  11620 Wilshire Blvd West Los Angeles CA 90025
  LENDER PHONE 213-984-2727 OWNER NAME GRIFFITHS, WILLIAM SCOTT DEFAULT AMOUNT $299,529

  08/17/2017:
  Finance
  $0.00
  $240,000
  Borrower: SL,GRIFFITHS TRUST
  Lender: MAXIM COM’L CAP
  history-opener
  Full Details of Transaction
  RECORDED DATE 08/17/2017 DOCUMENT NUMBER 0000349565 LOAN AMOUNT $240,000 LOAN DOCUMENT 0000349565 LENDER MAXIM COM’L CAP

  Foreclosure Parties
  Defendant:
  Griffiths, William Scott
  30821 SEMINOLE PL
  LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA 92677
  Trustee:
  Chicago Title Company
  Lender:
  Maxim Commercial Capital LLC

  Foreclosure Timeline
  Not in Foreclosure
  Pre-Foreclosure (Current Status Per RealtyTrac)
  Auction
  Bank Owned

  03/13/2019
  Notice of Default issued The owner of this property was served a notice of default for missed mortgage payments of $299,529.

• Meanwhile, reportedly two more franchisee stores died. Add them to list. Corporate (Great Griffs Two Corp or Ultimate Franchises?) is now the “proud” owner now:

  Sugarland and Memorial Green are the recent corporate give-backs reportedly. Apparently, corporate didn’t even want Chris Brown’s store, since it went straight out closure after a valiant attempt to sell was, of course, unsuccessful.

  On a related note, BizBuySell.com that previously had nearly 40% of 18|8’s remaining stores listed for sell, now notes the following:

  18/8 Fine Men’s Salon Franchise is currently not accepting new inquiries, please check back soon.

  The link to this message can be seen by clicking on:

  https://www.bizbuysell.com/franchise-for-sale/eighteen-eight-fine-mens-salon-health-beauty-and-fitness-franchise/

  How many more shoes can drop?

• Was Franchoice and Careyann Golliver involved in facilitating any of your sales? I’ve heard she was hawking 18|8 franchises along with ILoveKickboxing, Zounds Hearing for which she’s facing multiple lawsuits.
  http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/franchoice-sued-by-ilovekickboxing-franchise-owners/
  “FCI and Golliver have engaged in a continuous and repeated pattern of
  selling franchises based upon false representations, omissions and violations of the FTC
  Rule. This pattern of fraud and unlawful conduct has injured not only over a dozen
  franchisees of ILKB, but also franchisees of other systems, notably of the hearing aid
  franchisor known as Zounds. FCI and Golliver knew that their misrepresentations were
  false and misleading and would likely create substantial injury to the public. FCI’s and
  Golliver’s established practice of selling franchises unlawfully and fraudulently presents
  a substantial risk of further and continuing injury to the public at large.”

  It appears that these broker networks are a critical part of selling unproven concepts with disreputable franchisors, like 18|8 Fine Men’s Salons and Scott Griffiths.

  You can email confidentially to UnhappyFranchisee[at]gmail.com.

  If anonymity is a concern, use https://www.guerrillamail.com/ which is anonymous, free and requires no registration.

• I was victimized by Jenny Cxxxxx who was with FranNet, then You Network, now is writing books about how to validate franchise opportunities. (!!!!)

• What’s Jenny’s last name? You are posting anonymously. It doesn’t help warn anyone without her last name.

• There’s a Jenny Childs who was with Frannet
  Jenny Childs
  Vice President and Senior Consultant at “The You Network”​ and Co-Author of Franchise Validator
  Las Vegas, Nevada Area

• So Cal all got screwed over by Page Nicol of FranNet. He tried to sell us Zounds too.

• Check out:

  Page Nicol https://www.linkedin.com/in/pagenicol/detail/recent-activity/

  Jenny Childs https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennychilds42/

• Page, what Years was page working for/with them?

• FTB Suspension?

  —-

  https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ca/C4057280

  https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/CBS/SearchResults?SearchType=NUMBER&SearchCriteria=C4057280

  —-

  Entity Number:
  C4057280

  Registration Date
  08/18/2017

  Status
  FTB SUSPENDED (** – Google returns noted below when you type in: FTB Suspension.)

  Entity Name
  GRREAT GRRIFF

  Jurisdition
  CALIFORNIA

  Agent
  JUAN VALDEZ

  —-

  ** – FTB Suspended or FTB Forfeited: The business entity was suspended or forfeited by the Franchise Tax Board for failure to meet tax requirements (e.g., failure to file a return, pay taxes, penalties, interest).

  —

  Does anyone have more context or intel on the above “FTB Suspension” action?

• Melissa Lewis at FranChoice. I Love Kickboxing was also on the list of four presented “opportunities.”

• I will be attending the foreclosure auction and will be placing a bid in a number consisting of all ones and eights. Owning his house will be the perfect ending to this story.

• I am posting this just in case Ultimate Brands files for bankruptcy
  https://www.allbusiness.com/surviving-franchisor-bankruptcy-2975162-1.html
  https://smallbiztrends.com/2012/05/what-if-your-franchisor-goes-under.html

• A couple more links, just in case W. Scott Griffiths and Ultimate Franchises files for bankruptcy. To anyone still in this thing, you have been warned.
  http://kurtzfranchiselaw.com/franchising-101/franchisee-101/franchisor-bankruptcy-surviving-the-unthinkable/
  http://www.franchisee.org/Enews/EnewsV2N4/Enewsp3.htm

• Bankruptcy does not stop criminal charges and if that is the direction I need to go, I will. I can prove my case and you know it! Scott. Ron. Brigitte. Loretta. STG. #cantstop #wontstop #whoagrees

• https://www.bankruptcyobserver.com/bankruptcy-case/ULTIMATE-BRANDS

  Swines. The system is corrupt as they continue to allow these thieves to take $$$ from people. Wake up!!!!! Look at the pattern. Declare bankruptcy, help the thieves, open new entities>>>. Griff’s Barbershops, etc. We the people who invested in good faith will NOT back down. We will not leave Griffiths, Thewes, Love, Elson, Brown, Picone, Campion and the rest of their circus of clowns alone. They must be held accountable. Pepperdine University’s greatest alumni and professor of Thieves 101. Aholes

• https://www.bankruptcyobserver.com/bankruptcy-case/ULTIMATE-BRANDS

  Swines. The system is corrupt as they continue to allow these thieves to take $$$ from people. Wake up!!!!! Look at the pattern. Declare bankruptcy, help the thieves, open new entities>>>. Griff’s Barbershops, etc. We the people who invested in good faith will NOT back down. We will not leave Griffiths, Thewes, Love, Elson, Brown, Picone, Campion and the rest of their circus of clowns alone. They must be held accountable. Pepperdine University’s greatest alumni and professor of the Master Class Thieves 101, Mr. W. Scott Griffiths. Aholes.

• Scott closed the Anaheim Hills store a couple of days ago. (This was another freebie for Scott that failed.) He didn’t want to renew this relatively inexpensive lease 5-year lease. This closure comes on the heels of the two Houston stores closing and Chris Brown’s store closing.

  So many current 18|8’s stores currently twisting in the wind awaiting the store’s (and owner’) fate. (Pro tip: check with an owner that closed a store as to whether they would have wished they would have done it sooner or given it more time.)

  With the whole foundation was built on lies, you can see how this house of cards is now crashing. Just think of all the things you were told at the extremely well-orchestrated discovery day statements that proved to be untrue, but obviously known to be untrue, based on what you you have learned since. Think of the FDD ommissions, the made-up information in the FDD and the baseless information made up in the Bella Terra projections (*).

  There really should be a criminal investigation.

  —–
  * One of the released projections showing 90 days in the Bella Terra projection notes – -” Based on historical information/experience in opening Corporate stores. Franchisee should assume that they’ll need 60 – 90 days to develop ‘sea legs’ ” Sure Scott. Your former employees have commented on the slowness of your original stores. Show us the actuals, an average of your 3 stores that had customer counts at 380 a week (1,680 month) in month 22.

• 6/28/2019 CM/ECF – U.S. Bankruptcy Court (v5.2.1 – LIVE)
  United States Bankruptcy Court Central District of California
  Notice of Bankruptcy Case Filing
  A bankruptcy case concerning the debtor(s) listed below was filed under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, entered on 06/28/2019 at 3:18 PM and filed on 06/28/2019.
  Ultimate Brands Inc
  30821 Seminole Pl Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 Tax ID / EIN: 26-3294909
  The case was filed by the debtor’s attorney:
  Julie J Villalobos
  Oaktree Law
  10900 183rd St Ste 270 Cerritos, CA 90703 562-741-3938
  The case was assigned case number 8:19-bk-12516-TA to Judge Theodor Albert.
  In most instances, the filing of the bankruptcy case automatically stays certain collection and other actions against the debtor and the debtor’s property. Under certain circumstances, the stay may be limited to 30 days or not exist at all, although the debtor can request the court to extend or impose a stay. If you attempt to collect a debt or take other action in violation of the Bankruptcy Code, you may be penalized. Consult a lawyer to determine your rights in this case.
  If you would like to view the bankruptcy petition and other documents filed by the debtor, they are available at our Internet home page http://www.cacb.uscourts.gov or at the Clerk’s Office, 411 West Fourth Street, Suite 2030,, Santa Ana, CA 92701-4593.
  You may be a creditor of the debtor. If so, you will receive an additional notice from the court setting forth important deadlines.
  Kathleen J. Campbell
  Clerk, U.S. Bankruptcy Court

  PACER Service Center
  Transaction Receipt
  06/28/2019 15:21:39
  PACER Login:
  julievillalobos:3799065:0
  Client Code:
  Description:
  Notice of Filing
  Search Criteria:
  8:19-bk-12516- TA
  https://ecf.cacb.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/NoticeOfFiling.pl?1868737
  1/2
  6/28/2019 CM/ECF – U.S. Bankruptcy Court (v5.2.1 – LIVE)
  Billable Pages:
  1
  Cost:
  0.10

• Chapter 11 Definition – some excerpts from Investopedia
  —–
  Scott, you KNOW will spin this. (Honesty just isn’t a thing with him. Truly a brilliant snake oil salesman.) Almost anyone, it appears, who has started doing business with Scott rues the day they met. In this case, it is not known yet whether a finding of fraud, dishonesty, or gross incompetence, as so noted, will be determined to be applicable. (Most franchisee, investors, likely believe all 3 to have occurred. Even franchisees Scott believes he is closest to have admitted to the franchisee community that Scott is a terrible, incompetent CEO, but of course those with a conflict of interest won’t admit it publicly. Notice below, however, what happens when one of the criteria noted is determined and a court-appointed trustee is installed.
  —–
  Business Operations During Bankruptcy Cases
  –
  A business in the midst of filing Chapter 11 may continue to operate. In most cases, the debtor, called a debtor in possession, runs the business as usual. However, in cases involving fraud, dishonesty or gross incompetence, a court-appointed trustee steps in to run the company throughout the entire bankruptcy proceedings. The business is not able to make some decisions without the permission of the courts. These include the sale of assets, other than inventory, starting or terminating a rental agreement, and stopping or expanding business operations. The court also has control over decisions related to retaining and paying attorneys and entering contracts with vendors and unions. Finally, the debtor cannot arrange a loan that will commence after the bankruptcy is complete.

  Reorganization Plans During Chapter 11
  –
  In Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the individual or business filing bankruptcy has the first chance to propose a reorganization plan. These plans may include downsizing of business operations to reduce expenses, as well as renegotiating of debts. In some cases, plans involve liquidating all assets to repay creditors. If the chosen path is feasible and fair, the courts accept it, and the process moves forward. The plan must also be in the best interest of the creditors. If the debtor does not suggest a program, the creditors may propose one instead.

• Re this long anticipated chapter 11 filing while simultaneously talking about an investor, which seems hard to explain, if real.

  1) Whether this is Scott’s first bankruptcy rodeo? We are hearing whispers about a Rhino Brewery, but haven’t seen an original document or link? if there was a chapter 11 (or 7) filing, can someone post the link or paste some portion of a document?

  2) Does anyone know whatever happened with the separation of Scott from Carlton Hair? (And, maybe Fantastic Sam’s and Jose Eber?)

  3) Who this would be investor that has been cited so much?

  4) What happens to shills for Scott e.g. Andrew Hulse, who unbelievably seems to be doing Scott’s bidding as noted the one-way town hall Scott held re this bankruptcy filing? Obviously there is some kind of incentive/special treatment Andrew is getting.

  5) Beyond the likely incentive Andrew is getting, why do you think Scott telling us to go through Andrew? Is he admitting incompetence or is there something else in play? There are not that many franchisees still around after closures, give back and some de-brands?

• There is no investor. Scott has been talking about investors since 2013. There are people and companies he has shilled money from (Garrett Gilbertson, GoCap Financial, Haktan Killic, Irv Goldman, Justin Goehring, etc..). To be called an investor, you would expect some sort of return. These are just scam victims.

  His Franchisees are his investors. The senile old man does not understand that concept.

  There was a town hall re: bankruptcy filing? Details please. I am interested in how they keep spinning this story. Long game scam. So, so, sorry for those still stuck in it.

• How did it go? As expected. At least in my mind. It was the rebrander’s fault. It was everyone that lost their salons and their life savings faults. It was under no circumstances his fault. No idea where it’s going from here. Hold on -it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

• Well there isn’t much reason to be stuck in it anymore, given that Scott’s previous bankruptcy was not disclosed in the FDD in addition to all the other breaches, anyone can simply walk away without recourse. The franchise agreements we all signed are just toilet paper now. Ultimate Franchises has already tried to enforce the FA in court numerous times and have walked away the loser every time. What are they, like 0-20 in legal battles now? By all accounts, it was their own legal fees that have put them under. They owe their last lawyer Timothy Dillon over $100k, and he’s not the only lawyer that has fired Scott for non-payment.

  They can’t blame those that have 100% legally cut ties with this dumpster fire. This is what happens when you have CEO that operates solely on emotion and ego. No brains at all.

• You would have to be one of the most naïve people in the world (or conflicted out e.g. Andrew Hulse) not to see Scott for who he is at this point. Fortunately for Scott (I guess is one way to look at) we were naïve coming out of corporate America re his statements, his FDD filings, and his Discovery Day comments where Lance was in a referee capacity listening to what Scott was saying. A very small % o us of are still being incredibly gullible to the “Liar and Chief”, but not nearly as many anymore. What is there one franchisee out of the original 130+ who plunked down $’s for development rights who are actively increasing the number stores right now? (Scott mentions John Michael Stern, a zee in the cheap part of the country (rent & labor) in areas where he can still charge relatively high rates, not mentioning all the 99% of the franchisees who bought unused rights that ended up as worthless, or worse, merely lining his, STG’s and Frannet’s pockets with the proceeds they were duped into turning over.
  The clock is ticketing under the CA Investment Act. Not suggesting franchisees should pursue this legal action, but all zees should be aware of their legal rights at this critical time. Just like Chapter 11 is the law, so too is the CA franchise investment act with its statute of limitations that are quickly running out.

• Interesting read;
  http://lawzilla.com/blog/660-bvd-llc-v-william-scott-griffiths/

• I have restrained from comment but after investing hundreds of thousands of dollars and pouring my heart and souls to a failed model, i feel the need to say that Brigitte Thewes, Ron Love, Scott Griffiths and colleagues are criminals. After the pain of closing my store with np support whatsoever, i can say that these people are evil and should rot in jail.

• Yikes, Chris Clown, that was interesting. Scott appears to be up to neck in alligators. How many folks did he borrow money from and had no intent in paying back? How many stores did he take over with no intent to pay any rent or was planning not to pay rent if things didn’t go to his liking? Remember, Scott, reportedly told struggling franchisees s not pay their landlords or SBA loan. (He forgot to mention not paying royalties.)

  The thing is, it is one thing to dupe franchisees, but he seems to have such a talent, he even appears to be able to dupe lending institutions and landlords. These guys, you would think, have seen every trick in the book,.