Franchise Growth Areas

I left the corporate arena… and one thing that I needed to find was an opportunity where I could make a decent income. With three children and a wife, two dogs and a few other animals.. so we went to work immediately when we bought our dealership and we worked extremely hard to get to where we are, but I’ll tell you what – there has been a lot of success both from a personal standpoint and from a financial standpoint. I think I made a great decision as far as coming onboard with Our Town.

While simultaneously holding a full-time, traveling career, Mike and Julie Douglas speak on their experience running an Our Town franchise… “We bought an Our Town America franchise in the Spring of 2013. We felt we were ready to run a business of our own so we explored several franchising options. Our Town stood out immediately. We liked the idea of being able to make a contribution to our community by helping new movers and local businesses. Our Town gives us the best of both worlds; we can run our own business and enjoy the rewards of our own hard work, but we also have the support and proven track record of a company with over 40 years of experience welcoming new movers. As new franchise owners, it has been exciting learning how to make Our Town America – Route 66 a success!

I purchased my Our Town franchise in October, 2007 after making the decision to be self-employed. I was attracted by the company’s proven results, their success and liked the idea of working with a company that was family owned and community oriented. Our Town was a natural fit for me with over 15 years of sales experience and my desire to make a difference in my community. Reaching out to new movers during one of the most stressful times in their lives and introducing them to businesses that they need and are searching for is much more than just another form of advertising, it is a service to our neighbors. Calling on local businesses in the Charlotte area and meeting all of the business owners who service their community is rewarding in itself. Knowing that I can help their business grow and consistently introduce new people to them is a great feeling. The ongoing support and product development Our Town continues to offer allows me to grow my business and offer the best service and marketing strategies to my sponsors.

When I used Our Town in my previous job, I met a lot of new movers who would come up to thank me for such a nice and personalized warming gift! This gesture as well as the response I had experienced are what drive me today in the Our Town system, I truly believe that what we do makes a difference in the community. The three most important benefits I like from my franchise are: 1- The strong support we get from corporate 2- Not having to keep up with inventory or employees 3- Making enough money to cherish the people and enjoy the important things in life.

The good thing about Our Town is that you can do work at your own pace or your own level of effort and you are going to be compensated directly for that, probably well in excess of what you would typically do out in other types of businesses. It’s a significant opportunity and it’s definitely met my financial expectations.

After 25 years in sales, including 14 years in national direct mail advertising, I was tired of the politics of the corporate world and having to report to other people. I decided to look for a proven marketing franchise opportunity, and with all my marketing experience, I knew what to look for in a good product. I was blown away by Our Town’s innovative, unique program, so in 2005 my wife Julie and I started our first franchise. Our franchise and our clients have been very successful, and we have since acquired more zip codes to triple the size of our territory! (My sister Jane had great sales experience and saw our success, so she also bought a franchise!) We now have more freedom and a good, steady income, so we can also go on great vacations…Our favorite – a Mediterranean cruise!

Yes, we get responses every day telling us that our program is of value and we really helped them (businesses) out, and I get responses from our sponsors. They have families coming in with their certificates and telling them, ‘I would never have come in before’, or ‘I never would have known you were here’… if I hadn’t received the certificate. That goes a long way.

As a single mother, I needed to find a way to generate income plus have the flexibility to be there when my daughter needed me…working 9 to 5 wasn’t an option. I accidentally fell upon this Our Town opportunity and ran with it. With a lot of dedication, I now have the best of both worlds – steady income and the flexibility to be the mom my daughter needs me to be. Being part of the Our Town family since 2006 has truly changed my life both personally and financially.

I became part of the Our Town family in November of 2007. It is the most personally satisfying and financially rewarding work I have ever been part of. There are three entities involved in an Our Town transaction; the family just moving into a new community, the retail business owner and myself. All three win with the Our Town program. The new mover gets a free gift from local businesses, the business owner gets a new customer that could become a loyal customer and I make a great living. And Our Town corporate gives franchise owners all the support they need to become successful. I currently have sponsors that have used the program for years to gain new customers and will probably continue to be part of our program for years to come. Every month, the residuals bring me a income higher than I ever made in the corporate world. I wish I had made the move to Our Town years sooner than I did.