Major dough: a former baseball player decided to take a swing at making gourmet pizzas - Opportunities

MIKE HARMS GREW UP COLLECTING BASEball cards; admired his dad, an Oakland A's baseball player; and was drafted by the Florida Marlins right out of college. Playing baseball professionally was something Harms had always dreamed about. However, less than four years later, his dream ended abruptly when he was released from the team.

Crushed, Harms, 30, devoted his time to refocusing and saving money. Then he and his wife, Erin, 31, decided to purchase a franchise. Extensive research helped them choose Z Pizza, a gourmet pizza restaurant offering menu items ranging from Thai to Mexican-style varieties. The size of the restaurant--800 to 1,400 square feet--appealed to them, as did the cement floors and large brick oven. But the food was the clincher in their decision to bring the concept to Reno, Nevada. "I'd never had a brick-oven-cooked pizza or [such] a variety of toppings," says Harms.

By January 2003, Harms was tossing again, but this time with pizza dough. He worked 56- to 70-hour weeks during the first five months and checked in during his time off. After establishing a solid foundation, he finally learned to leave the everyday operations of the business to his 11 employees. "Letting go and trusting the system that Z Pizza has put into effect was the hardest part," he says. Doing so allowed Harms to open a Sparks, Nevada, location in November 2003, and he plans to open a third location in 2004. Meanwhile, the Reno store took off with first-year sales exceeding $400,000.

Scoring big, Harms is realizing that life has more in store for him than baseball. "I'm very happy," he says. "It's been more than I could dream of."

Measuring Up

SEARCHING FOR A GOOD IDEA? JUST TAKE A LOOK OUT THE WINDOW.

WHEN KATHY WILLIAMS GAVE UP HER import/export business to spend more time with her children, she let go of eight years of "blood, sweat and tears" that starting her own business had required. But within 10 years, Williams missed the freedom of running a business and went in search of a new opportunity. "That entrepreneur thing comes back into your blood," she says.

For her second time around, Williams, 41, wanted stability and a systematic approach to getting started, so she decided to open a franchise. After researching several options, she chose V2K, The Virtual Window Fashion Store. She was attracted to V2K's software, which allows her to show potential customers how various types of window treatments, such as draperies or blinds, will look in their homes based on the dimensions of their windows and rooms. With the software, she can also price the treatments and even process an order without leaving the customer's home.

An initial investment of $29,900 put Williams on her feet with a laptop, the software and two weeks of training, which addressed everything from measuring windows to operating the software. The training also covered marketing tactics such as door hangers, mailing lists, and partnerships with local businesses.

Williams' creativity, eye for home decor and interest in marketing helped her reach $60,000 in sales within the first six months. But her entrepreneurial spirit and personal motivation add the final touches, as she projects her 2004 sales to be roughly $300,000. "In this type of business, you have to keep motivating yourself and keep excited" she says.

WHAT'S NEW

THREE'S A CROWD, EIGHT'S A DATE

The Eight at Eight Dinner Club makes matchmaking its business. Using proprietary Web-based software, the company unites people by background and interests--eight at a time. Events range from 8 o'clock dinner parties to dog walks. The result? Forty marriages in four years.

Currently in five cities, the franchise hopes to hit it off with 30 new franchisees in large cities over the next two years.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group