Hungry for more: with four food franchises on his plate, this owner reveals his recipe for success

STAN GIVEN'S FATE MUST HAVE BEEN DETERMINED at birth. He was born into a family of quick-service restaurant owners, and the doors seemed to open before Given as he quickly moved from franchise consultant at Taco Bell to general manager for KFC. Looking for a job requiring less travel, he decided to purchase a Buffalo's Cafe franchise in 1992.

Only 12 years later, multiple franchises stand as a testimony to Given's success. He owns a Planet Smoothie, two Moe's Southwest Grills and a Heavenly Ham franchise, which, as of June, became a Heavenly Ham Market Cafe--one of the company's first prototype stores to test its new concept. In addition, he has plans to open a third Moe's and his first Mama Fu's Noodle House. His performance has been recognized by Heavenly Ham and Moe's, which have both honored him as franchisee of the year.

So what is Given's recipe for franchising success? Start with the location--he has found it to be just as important, if not more so, as the concept itself. Visibility accessibility and signage are all critical factors. When choosing between different types of restaurants, such as fast-casual and quick-service, potential franchisees should make sure the franchise offers the type of environment they enjoy working in, says Given, 49. A dash of two final ingredients adds the perfect touch: Make a commitment, and do a lot of homework before purchasing. "Go to a franchise and work for free or whatever you need to do to work in the store as long as possible, not only to learn the business," he advises, "but [also] to make sure you like the day-to-day activities."

I Spy

ONE FRANCHISEE UNCOVERS HIDDEN POTENTIAL IN A PRIVATE-EYE BUSINESS.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATION REQUIRES MORE than just a slight step and a keen eye, or so David Wilson has discovered since opening his Lyons & Wolivar Investigations franchise in November 2003. As a franchisee, Wilson's days are intense with cases to crack, but murders and bank robberies are not among the offenses. Instead, specializing in insurance and workers' compensation fraud cases keeps his team of five private investigators on their toes. They cover the Nashville/Memphis, Tennessee, territory by hiding in cars, following suspects and interviewing co-workers--anything it takes to determine whether a suspect has committed fraud.

While the investigation work can be exciting and suspenseful, Wilson prefers to take care of the equally important behind-the-scenes tasks. He schedules caseloads, checks in with his employees, and markets his franchise. He also compiles and summarizes reports to send to the insurance carriers and third-party administrators that hire him. "Private investigators will sit in the back of a car when it's 100 degrees outside; but [they've] got to sit there because, if something does happen, [they] need to get it," says Wilson, 37. He respects the work his private investigators do but admits, "That doesn't appeal to me. Having and developing a business like this and getting in on the front end of something with a lot of potential [does]."

Though much of Wilson's work is undercover, his satisfaction isn't. Not only has he fulfilled his entrepreneurial dream of investing in his own venture, but he is also doing his part to fight the costly problem of workers' comp and insurance fraud. "There are obvious situations where you know people shouldn't be receiving benefits," he says. "Just the fact that [we're] able to stop a few, and we're all doing that together, we're going to make a dent. It's a very viable enterprise for the future."

WHAT'S NEW

ON THE AUCTION BLOCK

After a flurry of eBay bidding, secondhand items transform into dollars. Now even the most technologically challenged can profit with the help of franchises willing to do all the work. Franchises such as iSold It and Snappy Auction post items, answer questions from bidders, and ship the merchandise. Bidding big on the concept, iSold It plans to open 30 stores in California and Texas, while Snappy Auction aims to open 80 stores nationwide in 2004. For more on this trend, go to www.entrepreneur.com/franzone/trendwatch.

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