It appears that two owners of small Utah-based franchise companies – Mitch & Manny Cypers of Steel Coated Floors and Cameron Carson of Worried Bird Window Washing – may have sold their companies and sold out their franchisees. It’s looking more and more likely that both the Cypers and Carson don’t want the truth to come out: that they sold their franchisee’s franchise agreements to a company that’s alleged to exploit franchisees and turn legitimate franchise offerings into “pyramid schemes.” by Sean Kelly
UPDATE We received a response to this post (sort of) from Cameron Carson, founder of Worried Bird. Check it out next:
Cameron Carson Responds RE: Sale of Worried Bird to Phoenix Franchise Brands
It’s no secret that Greg Longe and his franchise sales gang, Rhino7, are being accused of deceptive and exploitive sales tactics.
Franchisees allegedly victimized by Phoenix Franchise Brands (Fetch! Pet Care, Furry Cuts mobile pet grooming, Spray Foam Genie, Door Renew) have been among the most outspoken and courageous franchise owners in recent history.
See: FETCH! Pet Care Franchise Complaints (Index)
The Fetch! Pet Care Independent Franchisee Association has filed a complaint with the Attorney General of Michigan and initiated arbitration against the franchisor.
About 40 Phoenix Franchise Brands franchisees submitted complaints about Phoenix’s business practices one of the most complaints against ANY franchise system in the country.
13 Phoenix Franchise Brands franchisees testified in an FTC Open Meeting about franchisor Greg Longe’s and Maria Longes allegedly abusive & predatorial business tactics.
See their 2 minute presentations to the FTC: SPRAY FOAM GENIE Franchise FTC Complaints (Video)
Then there are the active arbitration complaint & the civil lawsuit filed by a Spray Foam Genie franchisee for fraud, embezzlement & breach of contract.
See: Kevin Longe, Greg Longe, Rhino7 Sued for Fraud, Embezzlement
Then there is the separate lawsuit by call center provider EagleOne Insights, LLC.
The list of complaints and allegations grows daily.
So it’s not surprising that supposedly respectable franchisors would not want it getting out that they sold their franchisees’ franchise agreements (and livelihoods) to Phoenix Franchise Brands.
What IS surprising is that they thought they wouldn’t have to face a backlash and public scrutiny for what appears to be a callous betrayal of trust.
Two weeks ago, Phoenix Franchise Brands & Greg Longe were facing a firestorm of criticism on the Internet.
Sometime around two weeks ago, it’s rumored that Phoenix Franchise Brands laid off the majority of its support staff: around 20 employees.
And two weeks ago, Cameron Carson, the founder of the 7-unit Worried Bird Window Washing franchise company, was THRILLED!
On his then-public Instagram account (@camwhyz ), he wrote:
“After 11.5 years I’m thrilled to share that Worried Bird Franchising has been acquired by a large firm chomping at the bit to take it to the moon.
As something I started simply as a way to pay for school, I never thought I’d have gotten to this point.
I poured my whole heart and soul into that company, built an amazing system and a great team and I can’t wait to watch it continue to grow and thrive from a distance.
The next CEO is going to do wonders with it!”
Cameron Carson posted a similar message on his LinkedIn profile (which I’m now blocked from viewing).
He also proudly added “Acquired” to the LinkedIn name of his company (Worried Bird Franchising (Acquired))
Two weeks ago? I thought.
It couldn’t be Phoenix… right after laying off 20 people, right?
But Worried Bird seemed perfect for Phoenix Franchise Brands… from the boast of a national call center to the neurotic bird in the logo to the website pre-loaded with earnings claims and questionable representations…
Could Greg Longe have decided to use his now-lower PayChex payroll expenditure to buy a shiny new franchise venture?
Yesterday afternoon I deployed what the sales guys call the Assumptive Close.
I direct messaged my 1st Degree LI connection Cameron Carson:
Hi Cameron: Sean here…
Congratulations on the acquisition of Worried Bird by Phoenix Franchise Group (another bird, coincidently).
Would you have any time tomorrow or Monday for a phone interview on the Worried Bird sale and what you’re doing with FranBassador?
Thanks,
Sean
Cameron Carson (Here for Doers™) messaged back:
Hi Sean –
Thanks for reaching out.
I’m surprised you know about that already as we’ve not made it public.
I’m not interested in a conversation at this time.
Thank you though.
Maybe some other time.Best,
Cameron
To which I responded:
I’m confused. You posted it on instagram & your LI profile says you sold the company.
That seems public, no?
I don’t want to overstep.
How did your franchisees react to the news?
Cameron Carson (Here for Doers™) messaged back:
We have not disclosed who it was acquired by just that it was. Thanks.
Normally, I wouldn’t share a private exchange verbatim like this, but I believe Cameron Carson released me from that courtesy with what happened next.
I guess I ruffled his feathers because my next message to Cameron Carson prompted a “Message Not Sent” error message.
Just like Greg & Maria Longe and others, rather than being transparent Cameron had unlinked me, blocked me, denounced me as not even worthy to view his profile.
When I went back to his Instagram post, I found that he had just changed his @camwhyz account to Private just moments before.
Yes, Cameron Carson (Here for Doers™) was in full panic mode, blocking, terminating, shredding papers, going to ground.
He’d gone from Worried Bird to Paniced Parakeet to Apoplectic Parrot in a matter of moments.
My final message to Cameron Carson (Here for Doers™) never reached him:
Cameron:
Don’t you think the “great” franchisees who entrusted you with their livelihoods & families’ financial futures deserve to know who now owns their franchise agreements?
Shouldn’t you introduce them to their new family of Phoenix Franchise Brands franchisees of Fetch! Pet Care, Furry Land, Spray Foam Genie and Door Renew so they can tell them what wonders the new CEO likely has in store for them!
As luck would have it, I had taken a screen shot of Cam’s Insta announcement before he marked it Private.
Now we know he brilliantly mixed metaphors to describe Phoenix Franchise Brands as “a large firm chomping at the bit to take it to the moon.”
Now we know he’s referring to Greg Longe (or maybe Kevin Longe) as “The next CEO” who is “going to do wonders with it!”
And now we know why Cameron Carson can’t wait to watch what happens to his franchisees – and future franchisees – from a distance.
In fact, from as much distance as he can put between himself and the “wonders” that await Worried Bird franchisees.
Even though his dissed me when he flew for cover, I wanted to get Cam’s permission to share the exchange above.
So I sent him a final direct message on LinkedIn:
Hey Cameron:
Do I have your permission to share our conversation publicly?
If yes, please reply “Message Could Not be Sent.”
Thanks!
Related story:
Is Steel Coated Floors Owned by Phoenix Franchise Brands?
Are you familiar with Cameron Carson or Worried Bird Window Washing?
What about Mitch Cypers, Manny Cypers and Steel Coated Floors?
Are you familiar with Greg Longe, Maria Longe, Phoenix Franchise Brands?
Please leave a comment below or email us, in confidence, at UnhappyFranchisee[at]Gmail[dot]com.
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Tags: Cameron Carson, Worried Bird Window Washing, Worried Bird franchise, Mitch Cypers, Manny Cypers, steel coated floors, steel coated floors franchise, Phoenix Franchise Brands, franchise complaints, Greg Longe, Maria Longe, Maria Shinabarger, Rhino7,
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