Megan and Richard represent the growing number of husband-wife teams making up the Edible Arrangements franchise community.
As I have written before, Edible Arrangements franchisees represent all walks of life and one group that I am happy to see steadily on the rise is the husband-wife team.
Take Megan and Richard, for example.
After spending seven years in the hospitality and restaurant management business, Megan went to work in the EMT field. Richard, meanwhile, was working as a paramedic for Emergency Medical Services, where he still works 17 years later.
As fate would have it, they met in 2008 while working on an ambulance together and were married two years later on 10/10/10.
In 2013, their commitment to helping others carried over into a second career as they opened their Edible Arrangements franchise.
Megan and Richard are not all work and no play, however. They also are proud parents of a little boy named Reed, who loves feeding the animals on their farm as well as working on his ABC’s and 123’s.
“He is our most precious gift,” they will tell you of Reed, who is approaching his second birthday.
With a growing family and a thriving business, they are excited about what the future holds. And we are excited to be a part of their life and able to play a role in helping them make their dreams come true.
When I was young, my uncle used to tell me a story about a frog, and its lesson stays with me to this day. It went something like this:
There was a frog living in a well. One day, a bird looked in the well and urged the frog to come out. The frog declined to do so.
“I’ve got everything I need right here,” the frog said, pointing around the area of the well, pointing out the moss, the insects to eat and the puddles of water from which to drink. “I love it here.”
The bird was not moved and urged the frog to come out. Eventually the frog did come out and was in awe. He was shocked by how much more there was to the world than he knew—different animals he had never seen, things called oceans and mountains, different vegetation, sounds, smells and ways of doing things. He was shocked, and then saddened that he had limited so many years of his life to what existed down in the well.
He determined that he would never limit himself in that way again.
Solar Youth takes part in a Community Art Project.
This story immediately came to mind when I first learned about Solar Youth, an amazing organization that works with young people in New Haven, Connecticut. Solar Youth engages youth from some of the most poverty stricken and isolated neighborhoods in its service area.
As with any poverty-stricken area across the world, these neighborhoods struggle with crime, a lack of resources and lack of opportunity. Despite this, these areas are full of good people, and families who are working so hard to try to make a better life for themselves and their children. Sometimes it is easy to forget the good being done by these passionate and dedicated people when we are barraged with negative news stories of crime and violence that occur in these neighborhoods.
Often, parents are busy working numerous jobs to get by. As a result, their children don’t have access to the activities and exposure to the bigger world “out there” that many of us take for granted. This can present a desolate environment for a child and their future chances of success; which is such a waste of potential.
This is where Solar Youth comes in.
Solar Youth’s mission is to provide opportunities for young people to develop a positive sense of selfand connection and commitment to othersthrough programs that incorporateenvironmental exploration, leadership developmentandcommunity service.
Youth are drawn to Solar Youth for its promise of outdoor adventure and fun activities. These structured programs engage the youth in structured, yet fun learning activities designed to let them know about opportunities outside their immediate world and teaches important psycho-social skills.
Solar Youth:
Teaches ecology, caring for the environment and its impact on human health through hikes, education trips and nature.
Teaches strategies to express anger, stress and frustration in a healthy and productive way without turning to violence.
Develops older youth into mentors so that they can, in turn, work with the younger children but still stay engaged in the organization.
With the older youth, through an internship program, Solar Youth offers weekly training on relevant topics including college applications, resume writing, future career planning, to prepare them for the transition out of high school.
This summer, a series of shootings occurred in the neighborhoods in which Solar Youth works. Children witnessed some of it; some children were related to one of the victims. Solar Youth was there, working with the youth through a difficult time, and ensuring that the children would not accept this violence as “normal.” Counselors were brought in. Youth were supported and engaged in a community art project where they made signs that contained important messages for themselves and others, such as “YOU MATTER TO US” and “ALWAYS CHASE YOUR DREAMS.”
Because of this amazing organization, the dreams of these youth will likely be much more far-reaching than those of the frog when he was in the well. And that is so important because they are our future and no human’s potential should be wasted. I am extremely proud that I am able to support their work through the Tariq Farid Foundation.
To learn more about Solar Youth, go here and explore their website. To donate to support their important work, go here.
Here are a few photos of the people involved in Solar Youth as well as those they support. You can also follow their activities on Facebook.
Members of Solar Youth go on a hike and explore a pond and park in New Haven, learning about ecology along the way
Solar Youth learn how to plant, grow and raise their own vegetables.Solar Youth takes part in New Haven’s Annual Rock-to-Rock Earth Day Bike Ride.Solar Youth do a neighborhood clean-up and help prepare an area for a new community garden.Older members of Solar Youth attend an in-depth seminar that covers everything about applying for collegeOlder members of Solar Youth talk to graphic designers, engineers, small business owners, chefs, clothing designers and more at one of many Career DaysJoanne Sciulli, Solar Youth Executive Director and one of its founding members, poses with the organization’s first ever student intern. He now has a BA in Business Management and is working as an estimator.
We have long-term franchisees that have owned a store (or stores!) for a decade and then signed on for 10 more years.
We have franchisees who always dreamed of being entrepreneurs and small business owners, and we made their dream come true.
Some are military veterans. Some are husband and wife teams. Some own one or two Edible Arrangements’ stores, while others own more than 10!
There are franchisees that came out of retirement after successful business careers seeking a new challenge. There are young upstarts, who always knew they wanted to be a small business owner. And there are those who got tired of the “corporate treadmill” and wanted to be fully rewarded for their work.
Linda falls into several of the categories mentioned above.
An amazing young woman with boundless energy and a very friendly, energetic and outgoing demeanor, Linda was barely in her mid-20s when she became the owner of her own small business—an Edible Arrangements store. She had enjoyed a successful career in marketing, but was disenchanted with the fact that while her work was praised and helped her employer thrive, she was still not given an opportunity for advancement. She started to become unhappy in her job.
Linda knew about Edible Arrangements from her work in marketing and had been watching us grow from the time we started franchising in 2001. Linda says that watching Edible Arrangements grow from from a small start-up into a global chain in just a few years was exciting.
Linda remembers thinking to herself: “What if I could be rewarded for the work I put into something and not have to rely on a boss or someone else to reward me?”
It was then that she decided to make the big jump, leave her job and open her own Edible Arrangements store.
That was 10 years ago! Now a long-term franchisee, a multiple store owner and still young, Linda says she doesn’t regret a thing.
“At first, I thought that I would do this for a few years and then get out,” she told me. “But I found something that I truly enjoyed and I was able to grow along with my business. I love the challenging times, and I still get to use my marketing background!”
The best thing, Linda says, is that “with my Edible Arrangements stores, I definitely get out what I put in!”
From the day I opened my first flower shop as a teenager, technology has played a major role in the success of my businesses. Even at an early age I recognized that unleashing the power of technology could significantly enhance my marketing capabilities, streamline my operations and provide the means to drive sales like few other tools. When I couldn’t find the proper solution to a problem, I created my own, often reselling my customized solutions to other small businesses with the same needs.
This understanding and use of the power of technology was critical as we grew Edible Arrangements into a global icon. Our constantly evolving proprietary software solutions, created by my technology company Netsolace, have given Edible Arrangements and our franchisees a significant competitive advantage and, in my opinion, is a major reason for our success.
Interestingly enough, I have found that even today there are many that still don’t embrace technology and understand the true impact that it can have on their business. In part, this is understandable, as keeping up with advances in technology can be overwhelming and even a little scary. I was lucky enough to have become a “technophile” early in life, but I completely understand the “technophobes” among us.
That is why I am so excited about my latest business venture, Naranga, a new technology company designed to help franchise companies and small businesses take advantage of emerging technologies to integrate their sales, operations and marketing activities.
Earlier this year I acquired proven franchise solutions provider eMaximation. It has been rebranded under the name Naranga, and we have focused over the past few months on improving existing systems as well as expanding the suite of products and services.
Naranga’s products will allow franchise chains to take control of their brand with simple, flexible tools that drive sales, improve operational efficiency, and allow them to easily connect with their franchisees.
In addition to previous products available through eMax, we have added new solutions that can be customized to meet the specific requirements of a franchise chain and eliminate the need to use multiple resources to meet all the technology needs.
The bottom line is that we are making it as easy as possible for others to take advantage of the latest advances in technology in order to become even more competitive in the marketplace.
In addition, all applications are developed with a mobile-first approach. To meet the needs of today’s highly mobile professional, it is critical to design for mobile tools such as smart phones and tablets first, then apply those applications to more traditional formats. This allows us to produce innovative experiences that unlock new ways for franchisors to interact with their customers and their franchisees without having to become experts in technology!
I hope you will visit our website at naranga.com to learn more about this exciting new company or call 800-900-8321 and our experienced and talented team will be happy to discuss your needs and how we can help.
Maurice Welton had dreams of no longer being stuck on the “corporate treadmill” when he discovered Edible Arrangements. Today he owns four successful stores with a fifth on the way!
When I first met Maurice, who now owns multiple Edible Arrangements stores, he WOWED me. Maurice is a veteran, a hard worker and a friendly, fun and charming person. He had big dreams of no longer being stuck on the “corporate treadmill” as he put it.
“I was working so hard, and successfully, but not getting anywhere. No acknowledgement, no promotion even though I was doing great work and making money for the company I worked for,” I remember him telling me.
After watching a program in which I was being interviewed in 2006, Maurice was struck by the thought that Edible Arrangements presented the opportunity for which had been looking.
“It all fit,” he told me. “I felt a connection.”
So, Maurice did some research then called the Edible Arrangements corporate office to get a better understanding of how he could become an Edible Arrangements franchise owner.
After that, he says, “I knew, this was it!”
Maurice opened his first Edible Arrangements store on May 29, 2007 in Texas.
“Everything went smoothly,” Maurice remembers. “Everything happened exactly as my corporate support contact explained it would. And I am still guided by his advice today.”
Maurice’s first store was a success. Then he opened another, and another, and another! He now owns four Edible Arrangements stores with a fifth in the works!
“I do something I love,” he says. “I like that what I sell makes people smile—who doesn’t love a dipped pineapple!”
Maurice says that Edible Arrangements has allowed him to grow, both personally and professionally. He serves on the board of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce and he is a member of numerous other chambers and organizations!
“I love being more involved with the community. Along with my businesses, I have blossomed,” he says with a grin. “That’s what Edible Arrangements has done for me.”
But what is the most important change that his experience as a small business owner with Edible Arrangements has brought him?
“Legacy. It’s not just about being able to provide for my daughter, but I will never have to put a lid on her aspirations. That means the most to me,” Maurice says.
His advice for anyone considering becoming an Edible Arrangements store owner?
(0)
