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GRN: Global Recruiters Network..
My children and I have been ripped off
by GRN corporate office. Illegal activities by Brad Baiocchi and my former spouse, as well as the collusion of numerous other high level corporate executives were perpetuated.
Acts of fraud to include tax evasion and tax fraud… I have hard video evidence of illegal acts… which had an extreme negative impact on my children’s lives.
I will be filing a federal lawsuit against GRN corporate office in the near future.. My case has the potential of class action status…
Heber City, UT
Dickey’s had banners displayed indicating the location was “under new management”. Shortly after that the place was closed. Approximate timeframe August 2017.
Be aware that another group of four franchisees have filed another complaint/law suit against SEI (at least partially funded by the National Coalition) related to SEI violating the independent contractor status portion of the franchisee agreement, thereby in essence making the franchisee an employee and not independent.
7-Eleven franchisees are no more business owners than slaves or sharecroppers were plantation owners.
How do i contact other unhappy owners to try and get some resolution?
How do I post warnings about my experience to the site to warn others?
Sign-A-Rama Montaque Garden’s. We placed an order in October 2017, paid an 80% deposit and since the worse service I can recall in my more than 30years in Budiness. Poor communication, promises and in the process costed me more money.
Randy:
Contact me in confidence at UnhappyFranchisee[at]gmail.com
ADMIN
Imy son also attended “training” at learning rx. After a few weeks I chose to opt out of the program because I didn’t see results. The director pulled me into her office and “guaranteed” it would work and convinced me to stay that it would transform my son. Nope. Spent $9000. I am a single mother and they didn’t hesitate to take advantage! Shame!!
After having a very bad personal experience with operating a franchise and hearing and reading stories from other franchisees abused by franchisors, we believe that there is a strong need to raise awareness and alarm prospective new franchise owners that there are franchisors who abuse the current legal system and a good reputation of franchise businesses to sell scams, and silence their victims by forcing them to sign confidentiality/non-interference agreements.
1. All franchisors claim that they provide help in marketing, sales and training in business, which is extremely attractive for potential franchisees new to business. The typical franchise agreement, however, does not hold franchisors responsible for any of these. This enables the existence of scam franchises.
2. Franchisees may be harassed and forced to operate their locations despite losses, or terminated on conditions extremely unfavorable to them that are often far worse than losing their own business.
3. The current legal system disproportionately benefits corporations (franchisors) over small businesses and individuals (franchisees) and makes it extremely difficult, in many cases literally impossible for franchisees to litigate against franchisors. Franchisors have considerably more money than the franchisees and are able to use loopholes in the legal system to avoid having franchisees’ cases against them go to court.
4. Confidentiality and non-interference agreements, which franchisees are forced to sign as part of disengagement/termination agreements, are used to cover up franchisors’ unethical and sometimes illegal actions, and leave franchisees with no way to retaliate or warn others without putting themselves and their families at risks of being sued by franchisors.
5. These agreements allow franchisors to literally erase unsuccessful franchisees from franchise history, and by that create misleading statistics. This practice also make it possible for fraudulent franchisors to spread wrongful information about reasons of why locations were terminated and falsificate franchise disclosure documents.
P.S. – since we were forced to sign confidentiality agreement we cannot provide a name or a category of a franchise we operated (it is not present in the list of franchises on your website); we also don’t seek any financial compensation of our personal losses. We contacted you for the purpose of raising a public awareness of the issue which, if would be left unnoticed, will cause huge financial damages and psychological suffering of many new victims. We would like to propose measures which could help to solve this issue and would be happy to discuss them with you.
Thank you
I want to contact you by phone. Please advice.
I contracted with vanguard and they started me off with 3 accounts promising that I can have more. I had the accounts for a whole 1 year, then they come back to me saying that I lost the account because of poor quality. They are recycling the accounts meaning, when their contract is up with the client, that means you loose the account too, and they take that account and give it to give to new franchise contractors. They under bid on accounts Eventually you will end up with no accounts or with 1 account and you will work that account for free to pay off the $7,000 note you owe them. They try to make you buy equipment and chemicals by the cases and you dont even need all of that stuff and its over priced. They are selling cheap supplies to their clients and there are fees that are always coming out of your check. I was supose to be at $1,050 per month, check never made that, checks were like $750, $505, $250, $76.
I am a franchisee owner of cleanet and as soon as our loan for franchise paid off they took our business after good reports week’s earlier with no explanation. The will not get back to use always say person we need talk to in meeting he never returns calls. So because we fulfilled our obligation of the loan they now give us zero business. They are a scam and it’s a sham they sell a dream to hard working people and then rip us off.
I am a franchisee owner of cleanet and as soon as our loan for franchise paid off they took our business after good reports week’s earlier with no explanation. The will not get back to use always say person we need talk to in meeting he never returns calls. So because we fulfilled our obligation of the loan they now give us zero business. They are a scam and it’s a sham they sell a dream to hard working people and then rip us off.
pizza was the shits ( tried) to eat, garbage not cooked, asked for left in longer raw. garlic bread with olives forgot olives and the bread was like eating crackers .You spend your money on something to eat and get shit very unhappy don’t recommend eating at deep river godfathers no body gives a shit working their all young girls with no pride .was Feb 3 2018 at night .
i have paid this $25.00 on 4 different occasions in the past few years..cant you just send me my stuff
I tried to post a comment on “FASTSIGNS Franchise Deception Seems, Well, Amazing.”
Here is the copy:
“Yes, there are many books out there which sell franchises. Some of them sell specific ones, others (which is actually worse) sell a phony idea that franchises offer better and safer business opportunities than tradition businesses.
However, there are also many franchise ‘matches, so-called experts, who advertise themselves as:
“HELPING ENTREPRENEURS FIND THE BEST FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES “… we partner with aspiring entrepreneurs and individuals interested in taking advantage of a franchise opportunity and becoming business owners.” “,
but in fact are getting paid by franchisors to sell franchises.
Why this books and these businesses still exist? Why unlike with other frauds, nobody is hold accountable for their unethical and often illegal activities? The answer to this questions is simple: non-disclosure and non-interference agreements which franchisees are forced to sign in order to get out and which for some reasons still are honored by courts. Nothing will change unless victims of fraudulent franchises would be able to expose the truth to the public without a fear of being financially destroyed by franchisors. Currently, the law which supposedly protects trade secrets and intellectual property, protects crime. It must change. ”
I received an error message “Duplicate comment detected; it looks as though you’ve already said that!” What should I do?
Thank you
TO JENNY CRAIG:
Good luck with your support of the “New Kid in Town” David Hogg. I doubt he or any of his anorexic teenage friends will become Jenny Craig customers
I have several family members and friends who dropped out of their Jenny Craig program because Jenny Craig decided to take an Anti- woman approach and gag the free speech of Laura Ingram on Fox.
I say to Jenny Craig, Good luck supporting the foul-mouthed teenager DAVID HOGG. Long after he is forgotten and his boycott effort is old news – freedom loving Americans will remember you stance against free speech.
At the risk of losing you with my use of metaphor – You opened “Pandora’s Box” with your boycott and you cannot put the Genie back in the bottle.
My family members and friends who quit your program have already started a campaign to inform their friends, relatives, associates and acquaintances of your choice to support the chauvinistic bullying tactics of the young fascist DAVID HOGG.
Buy the way those family and friends of mine – former Jenny Craig customers – are now losing weight just fine on a generic frozen dinner program while saving money.
Jenny Craig, Don’t even bother to try and correct this problem because the concept of “forgive and forget” does not include you.
You did not merely make a mistake, leaving your keys in your car is a mistake.
You made a conscience decision to side with David Hogg and his “Brown-shirts” when you sought to GAG Laura Ingram.
You do not deserve forgiveness anymore than Hitler, Mao, Stalin, ToJo, Pol Pot, and the rest of that ilk.
Continue “Goose Stepping” with your new found Teenage Fascist friends – Oh, there I go again, losing the sophisticated, urbane, cosmopolitan with a bit of metaphor based on history.
Jim Keating
American
I have an article to email to you. Phil
UnhappyFranchisee[at]gmail.com. Looking forward to it, Phil.
[Comment moved here as it was off-topic for the other page]
Buy a Partner On Call license today http://partneroncall.com/about-us/join-us/are-you-a-business-brokerage/
Ted Leverette failed with his Partner On Call franchise and turned to selling Partner On Call licenses.
Donnie
Hi there
Clubstore outlet is a scam business, tap palmer is a scam artist, as well as Shary Thur, I was one of the franchisee that closed because the lack of support , we never got any support from them , everythinf they said was a lie , we lost everything because of these 2 criminals, I got all the details, I can’t give you my name cause this thug made me signed an agreement so i could get a very small portion back of all the money that i have invested but i could never talk about this deal ..
Are there any Good Franchises??
If you had to do it over again, what route would you take, what pit falls would you avoid, and whom would you work closely with when purchsing a franchise?
yes,
yes ,plsesesecontct me
Hi we are victims of ny bagel cafe & deli. we are 3 peoples here in nc who already destroyed with thisfranchise.if you guys will help us to legal fight with ny bagel we will appericiate. we will provide you all paperwork and everything. we lost everything in just 6 months.
Yesterday was Veterans Day. I heard on a radio advertisement that Veteran’s would “eat free” I called the Mabank, Texas store and talked to a man who said “Veteran’s Plate” included 2 meats, 2 sides and a drink. So, my wife and I went there for dinner. I was informed “The Veteran’s Plate” was a sandwich, 2 sides and $1.00 off my drink. I didn’t raise a fuss. Just paid what they said, But, that will be my last visit to Dickey’s Restaurant. It is really Sad to treat Veteran’s that way!
Good afternoon,
my name is Ewa, I am writing from Poland. Im very sorry to bother you, but I need help. I have no idea what to do. I will tell you my short story, I hope you will understand me right, my English isnt perfect…
Two years ago I met on my way life wonderful man. Chris is good, brilliant and very inteligent person with a big heart.
Three things are most important for him: God, familiy and decent living conditions It is difficult to descripe how big is my feeling for him.. One year ago we married and have amazing little baby.
Four mounths after our wedding, my dear husband told me he has some financial debts, big debts… On the beginning I was angry for him, crying all the time becouse he didint told me about such a important thing earlier . Chris promised me, he will pay off the all debts during the year. I felt his love and I trusted him. I was waiting for better ages without financial troubles…
Between the lines, what is very important, I need to say that Chris from 15 years has actived in Amway Company and Network 21. Before I met Chris, I have never heard about Amway. I thought it is normal, conventional company like most business… I had no idea about dangerous manipulations and social engineering.
From some time I have noticed, that Chris treats Amway and Network 21 like religion. For him Amway is the best company that he has ever known and the only company professes the most important rules in life: God, familiy, financial freedom and to serve other people.
Chris says that Amway is like IQ TEST – if you will understand the rules and catch the sense of Amway “plans”, you have high IQ. Well…, I have never done it.
From couple of moths, I was more and more terrified of Amway philosophy, expecially that I recover in Chris mobile phone that his debts are more that he declared on the beggining. During our marriage he took credit as well, without my awareness. Actually his debts is over 200 000 PLN (about 60 000 USD) and it is still growing up. Chris says that he hasnt still the money from Amway becouse he is not sufficiently involved, so it is only his fault.
I told him we cant live in such a way longer. I worry about our future and future our son. I told him also that he has to go abroad to earn the money and pay off all his debts, becouse he is not able to earn this money in Poland. I told him that he has to choose: Amway or me and our family. He said that I am not able to understand him and that the Amway is the only way for good live for us…
In March I have taken a decision to divorse with him, it wasnt easy for me but I leaved him.
I am distraught, I have no idea what to do… I dont want to lose him. Please, please understand that I love him all my heart. Farther it is necessary to save a man. What can I do???? The worst is that his mother is connected with Amway also and she hates me that I criticize this disgusting company…
Please dont live me alone, you are my only hope.
Please…
With sincerely,
Ewa
Please contact me directly
I was doing some research on Brusters Ice Cream and came upon a comment about them on your site, an old business partner of Brusters that owns Handel’s Ice Cream is the same way.
If you look he’s selling franchises in Indiana but when you look at the franchise board Handel’s is not registered to sell franchises in that state.
I would also question why they don’t have any franchise owners that are minorities.
Last is don’t buy until you have done your research and I would start on this site.
According to the latest FDD Handel’s reports two current lawsuits with franchisees – one is suing them and they are suing the other.
There appear to be two closures reported in the last few years.
Indiana registration is very loose. Indiana Secretary of State website says “Franchisor may sell one franchise in one 24-month period without registering the franchise”
If anyone has franchise complaints with Handel’s, please post them or email us at UnhappyFranchisee[at]gmail.com
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This is about Stratus solutions out in philadelphia pa ran by John Coleman an his wife Bonnie They are crooks they have the same practice as all the other company’s grossly under bidding jobs so as an owner you can’t afford to pay anyone so you are running like crazy an all they do is take as much money from you as they can fees for everything never a break they are they take your money an run if you ask all the owners what they think of them it won’t be good an the guys he have to check the accounts after are no better they are idiots puppets on a string they have a lawsuit coming so get ready franchise owners are meeting up an ready for the next step
Could admin please contact me about one franchise listed on your page. I am contracted with one of the businesses listed here and would like to find out how to separate myself from them before I open. As I am still involved with them, I cannot post publicly yet but would be willing to do so if I am able to take legal action.
Goin Postal Franchise Corporation (GPFC) signed a master lease with Walmart in 2014 to open up to 2000 pack and ship stores inside Walmart Super Centers across the country. I signed Option Contracts to open 3 stores and put down a deposit of $9,950 per store. The agreement stipulated that if they failed to open a new store for me within 12 months the agreement was void and I was entitled to receive 100% of my deposit back. They provided me with 1 store only. Despite the fact that 3 franchisees put down deposits for 13 stores, GPFC opened 9 stores (2 company owned) within the first 7 months and never opened another. I was able to get 1 deposit back but they refuse to return the remaining deposit. They claim they sold the part of their business that held the Walmart Master Lease to another company (I will call them “Company T”) and that Company T is the one responsible for returning my deposit. To make a long story short, Company T stopped paying rent to Walmart (we subleased our space) and were issued orders to vacate for failure to pay rent. Furthermore I have learned that Company T was sued for breach of contract for not fulfilling their obligation to purchase GPFC. I am considering contacting the SEC because Company T is a publicly traded company and it’s CEO has already been investigated by them in 1999 for securities fraud.
In Louisville, Kentucky, I was a member of Curves from 2005 – 2014. I absolutely loved Curves!! When I joined, the monthly fee was $29.00 per month. The owner of our franchise had to close her club(s) due to abrupt changes and costs for new equipment (smart equipment), when members were perfectly happy with things as they were. Then again, Jillian Michaels was incorporated and additional costs were added at that time, too. The franchise owners were given no choice. They had to purchase what Curves International told them to purchase. When Curves clothing was purchased by members of the club, Curves International took a certain portion of those sales even though franchise owners had already bought them. So my question is: How could you expect a club to succeed long-term when you are taking their profits away from them? I don’t blame so many to sell or close their club(s). When you have a business that is so successful and popular, why on earth would you change anything?? So sad!
Jani King Commercial Cleaning – Labour law violations-Scam (Vancouver, BC)
Buyer beware this place is going to court for Labour disputes. They scam there franchisee and employees control the owners. Employees never work and have something over the employer. The girl working there is the worst of the worst in B2B and the office psychopath. I am way over qualified and glad to move on, but seeking compensation in lost wages and harassment and abuse. They are breaking the labour laws and all franchisees need to be warned and protected. The existing sales staff lie and never work. It is a loud, unpleasant environment, and they will put on an act to use you. The others have no experience. It is the worst of the worst I have ever seen. Family business that is going to ruin the reputation for the entire company Globally. Most unprofessional, unethical business I have ever experienced. Franchisee scam. There will be no benefits and they will block EI contributions, thinking they can get around labour laws, and benefits just before the three months. Evil is the appropriate word to describe the owners and the way they run there business.
1741 Boundary Rd, Vancouver, BC V5M 3Y7
I use to work for this company. I have seen my share of issues with them along the way. I was a Manager for a few different locations in Texas.
I was wondering if there is a way i can contact some of the previous owner/operators. Or if you have contact info on any of them. Some of the ones i know that i worked with are listed. Some are not.
My experience with DBRI was mediocre at best. Good product.
Bad operation/practices handling on their end.
Ive been doing bbq for about 20 yrs now. Looking at expanding on a great new concept never done before.
Thanks
Former Manager of Dickeys
Gigi’s Cupcakes
Are you aware of the ongoing battle with the franchisor? There has been a legal battle ongoing for going on two years. Completely fraudulent. Many franchisees have been hurt and many more will be. Please contact me.
I was wondering how my name was obtained for your article on Ciera Stockeland? I was the first franchise they sold to and it failed for a number of reasons. They scammed me and yet I paid them to terminate my ownership and I am still paying it today many years later. I should have closed the store and fought them to terminate everything. I was afraid they would sue me and take what few things my husband and I had left. So I paid them. To this day this subject is very painful for me to talk about. The 2008 economy crash had left me with no job 4 children and a husband who’s business was taking a hit as well. Then I have this grand idea to purchase a franchise well needless to say financially it hit pretty hard again. Anyway, things have turned around financially but still paying off a bank loan from that horrible ordeal. The statement she had made about “realizing everyone was not her” really? I followed her advice and did everything she told me to do I worked hard but the damage was already done at that point. I don’t think all of the information shared prior to purchase was accurate or at least at that time.
I have been out of my 7-11 franchise now for 5 years. I worked 20 years corp and 10 years franchise. What a nightmare the franchise was! 7-11 tells you they will help you sell your store when you are ready and that it will be your retirement. NOT! Not only did they not help me sell it, they let currant franchisee’s wait until your time limit to sell is up to buy it so they don’t have to pay you goodwill. I lost every penny I paid to “buy” {my job} the franchise. Please do not buy a 7-11 franchise.
I am considering buying a “Cookie Dough Bliss” franchise. My concern is that they have only been in business for a little over a year and have no financial data from their one and only company store listed in their FDD. Any thoughts? Thank you.
DO NOT BUY INTO ANY FRANCHISE!!!
THEY ARE ALL MONEY GRUBBING RIP OFF ARTISTS.
DON’T DO IT. READ THROUGH THIS WEBSITE AND YOU WILL SEE IT’S JUST NOT A GOOD IDEA.
Travis Berry: I am sorry to read how your franchise turned into a fraud. Like every business venture, there are reliable ones and dishonest ones. Unfortunately, most small-business franchises have the lowest credibility rates, since they target the naive and the unsophisticated. Many junk food franchises are frauds to begin with. If a potential franchisee doesn’t have the skill, knowledge or background to run one successfully, then he’s almost guaranteed to be taken advantage of. Judging by the way you write and spell, I’d guess your highest education is perhaps 7th grade. This is NOT an asset with which to enter into any franchise, much less one for a junk food stand.
Beware of Garage Force out of La Crosse WI. Here is their model: low down / no down, charge you for a territory, a trailer full of junk, then mark up the materials so high you cannot compete, plus want 6% off the top. Zero marketing help, zero business help. Over 50% of their franchisees have failed, close up, went bankrupt or just quit. They marketed to American Veterans as “be you own boss”. Then left them to fail as did others. They never let new franchisees know the failure rates as the signed more up.
Its a total product pumping scam then the hard working families get screwed. Stay away! Run!
I can back up all this with a report that details the facts on each and every owners.
Total Scam!
Pak Mail Franchise By Annex Brands
I was a Franchise Owner of Pak Mail Store, and just for prevent a new good people interested to buy a Packing or Shipping Store, please before to buy this Franchise take a time to do and thinking 2 times, My experience was horrible they never help me to increase the sales, I was following all processes included on the Operations Manual but never works, they never gave me support, the sales in 3 years never reach the breaken even point, they never did marketing and I had to shutdown the store before to loose all my investment.
I paid all cost to set up a new store in advanced and this was my error.
Now I have a full storage with all the equipment, hardware, tools and furniture because they.
Please take your precautions with this Franchise.
I would like to hear from anyone who has or had a franchise agreement with Experimac or Dental Fix . I have some inside information and am launching an investigation into these two franchises, possibly more, and any affiliation with Celtic Bank and the SBA. and also looking for evidence of the relationship of Paul Bosley and Celtic Bank
Beware of Vitality Bowls franchise! You will not be able to earn your money back and the franchise will not help you be successful. Only interested in selling stores. Kindergartners could do a better job of marketing.
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Why is it that the vast majority of potential franchisees absolutely refuse to conduct adequate pre-purchase due diligence? After an adult lifetime of probing that question, I find the answer is reasonably simple and straight forward.
To start, franchising is many things to many people. Begin at the beginning.
First, you have the usual players and/or suspects: franchisors, franchisees, suppliers, fee for service consultants (both reputable and non), brokers and salespeople on commission (who also bill themselves as consultants. That, in and of itself is a great endorsement for the industry, right?).
Next you have the public relations aspects. “Most franchises never fail, but most independents do fail.” That myth was finally debunked. And of course, “Be in business for yourself, but not by yourself.” I worked with one of the ‘fathers of franchising’ who constructed that statement and he really believed it. He was also a master salesman. And it works out to be true if the franchise is credible. Too bad if it’s not. Lobbyists for the franchise industry have also done their job. Published statements (such as ‘most franchises don’t fail’) and SBA loans on bad deals abound. It’s no wonder that innocent franchise buyers trust beyond belief. Why would investigation be necessary when franchising is an obvious winner? And, why would I ever pay for investigative services when I have the franchisor telling me what a wonderful opportunity is being offered and how I am going to be groomed for success? It’s a no-brainer.
But finally, and most importantly, we have words, phrases and references to the franchise industry that new comers don’t hear, don’t understand, and don’t want to understand. But franchise insiders know them all too well. How about ‘land of the blue suede shoes’, or ‘the wild west’, or ‘the last frontier?’ Franchising, regardless of how long FDD’s become, and they are growing faster than Pinocchio’s nose, is still fertile ground for all intentions, good or bad.
Franchise prospects are not on a level playing field, but they think they are. What’s important to most franchise buyers is the dream of success brought to them via two elements. One, writing a check and/or securing financing. And two, the belief, via encouraging salesmanship on the part of the franchisor and their representatives, that a new community of incredible trainers and support staff will carry them to the winner’s circle.
What did ole Jack Nicholson say? ‘You can’t handle the truth.’ Or many times in franchising it should be: ‘You don’t need to know the truth. Trust me.’
Why is there no current closing list of Dickeys when they are closing left and right? It seems like everything about them has stopped. Why?