BizCom Associates

Mike Bidwell – President and CEO of Neighborly, the world’s largest franchisor of home service brands – reiterated the results of the increased amount of time we’re spending in our homes: Among Neighborly’s brands that have benefited from their recession-resistant nature are Aire Serv, Rainbow International Restoration, Mr. Rooter Plumbing, Mr. Electric, Mr. Appliance and Mr. Handyman. While so many brick-and-mortar-reliant franchise brands are struggling to attract prospects during this time, Neighborly’s essential brands are experiencing the opposite. Whether it’s fixing the plumbing, electric or installing a new appliance, Neighborly’s franchise brands will be there to provide a platform for home owners to get rapid service.

A great example is the way that BizCom’s PR and Digital divisions have been working together to create  “account synergy” and maximize the results for long-time client Neighborly. In June, we shared a thought leadership article by Neighborly Chief Development Officer Brad Stevenson on his LinkedIn account [Read article HERE]. As all of this was happening, we were also in the process of sharing big news on Neighborly’s behalf regarding the company’s latest acquisition of HouseMaster, which brought the franchisor to 25 total brands under its umbrella. Mike’s interaction with the publication on social media, along with our PR efforts around the acquisition, resulted in another interview with Franchise Times.

Gym and Edible Arrangements — are up and running in as many locations as possible while also debuting brand new franchise opportunities in direct response to the effects of COVID-19 across the U. S. Gold’s As the brand effectively reopened gyms when and where local jurisdictions allowed, the fitness pioneer also bulked up franchise development goals by unveiling a scalable footprint gym model as an attractive alternative for the changing real estate market. What has long been a 40,000+ square-foot, big box presence across the U. S. and in countries around the world can now be plugged into a 10,000 – 15,000+ square-foot experience. As it was deemed an essential business, not only did Edible stay open during the pandemic, but the brand’s 1,000+ stores have achieved record sales while supporting their communities this spring.

That’s because it is now our job to know the latest and greatest on all things hemp, CBD, marijuana, regulation, deregulation, research, scientific studies, product integration, marketing, and even the renegades running amuck in scenes playing out a bit like the Wild, Wild West. Meanwhile, much of the exhibits dotting the tradeshow floor were what you would expect: start-ups and mom-and-pop operations looking to cash in on an early opportunity without the marketing power, industry research capabilities, or sheer business know-how to make a lasting impact on a business vertical desperately hungry for a responsible leader to champion the segment. Our introduction to the power of PR in the CBD space came when Tariq Farid, the founder and CEO of our franchise client Edible®, decided to make hemp-derived products the focus of his next entrepreneurial venture. With all of these major advances, it’s no surprise that Edible’s DFW franchisees were the first to express interest in carrying the new CBD product line.