prospect Edition, Issue 13








A Veteran Discovers the American Dream by Becoming a Franchisee



After serving in the military and coming out with a set of impressive skills, you might consider business ownership.

That's what happened with Marc Richard. He bought a Postal Connections franchise in Vero Beach, FL in 2010 and proceeded to thrive in the franchise environment. So much so, that in 2011, he was named Franchisee of the Year.

In fact, business ownership can be a viable path for veterans. In 2007 (the latest year figures are available for), there were 2.45 million businesses with majority ownership by veterans, representing 9% of all US firms.

Often, veterans who go into business for themselves, especially in franchising, can take advantage of favorable offerings to ease the transition. For example, currently, Postal Connections is offering 50% off the franchise fee for veterans. In addition, the turnkey nature along with the built in support system (In Business for Yourself but not by Yourself) features of a franchise can make it a very attractive option for veterans seeking their hard earned slice of the American Dream. (Read the full article on The Franchise Fred blog: http://www.franchisefred.com/a-veteran-discovers-the-american-dream-in-franchising/)


Fred has been in franchising since the 1970's working as an executive with McDonald's, Coldwell Banker Residential R.E., Mail Boxes Etc. (now The UPS Store). He is the Franchisor/Owner of Postal Connections and iSold It.




Why is the Traditional School Calendar Nine Months?



It's not tied to agriculture like many people think. It occurred for a variety of reasons:
  • School reformers wanted standardized school years. The rural areas had two terms (winter and summer) and the urban area went year round. A compromise was made between the two systems.
  • In urban areas, rich families vacationed in the summer.
  • It's hot in the summer, and pre-air conditioning, the buildings would get unbearably hot.
19th Century doctors thought kids needed a break from being in a classroom all day.



Facts about Summer and Students



Following are five facts related to Summer Break and Students:
  • American students spend an average of 6 1/2 hours a day and 180 days in a classroom. By comparison, students in Japan and South Korea attend school 196 days per year.
  • Some students gain as much weight over the summer as they do for the nine months they are in school. This means they gain weight three times faster during the summer.
  • Popular summer jobs include: camp counselor, tutor, retail sales person, food service employee, life guard, baby sitter and landscaper.
  • Research over the last 100 years shows that all young people experience learning loss if they do not engage in education activities while they are off in the summer.
  • Students usually score higher on standardized tests taken at the beginning of summer vacation than they do on the same tests taken at the end of summer.




What do Students do in the Summer?

Whatever the reason for the traditional school year, some parents find keeping their kids occupied during the summer to be somewhat of a challenge. Experts suggest it's all about maintaining a balance. Especially in a nine-month school system, downtime and allowing for a transition period going into and getting out of summer is very important.

Many older students work to keep busy or to earn money to pay for school. In fact, from April to July 2013 the number of employed youth went up 2.1 million to 19.7 million. This resulted in 50.7% of the young people being employed in July.






1653 Lititz Pike
Lancaster, PA 17601

200 E. Verona Ave.
Verona WI 53593

9524 E. 81st. Street, Ste. B 
Tulsa, Ok 74133

3053 W. Craig Rd. Suite E
North Las Vegas, NV 89032

61149 South hwy 97
Bend, OR 97702






The Easy Way to Learn About Postal Connections



Learning what to expect when you own a Postal Connections can be easily understood. John Byron, Postal Connections V.P. of Franchise Development, explains one-on-one what you want to know in a webinar tailored to your questions and available time. With no pressure or obligation, the meeting is done on Web-X without tracking cookies or any invasive files put on your equipment. It is an interactive audio-visual look at our franchise opportunity. Simply contact John with your questions and available time at john@postalconnections.com. Tell him what you want to know. He will customize a webinar for you and schedule a time to join into your live Internet briefing about Postal Connections.

Postal Connections:
Postal Connections, a store in your neighborhood, provides a wide variety of business and administrative services that support on-the-go consumers and business people. We provide the service you want with the technology we know.

Services and products offered include a full spectrum of shipping choices, packaging, mailbox rental, copying/printing, office/shipping supplies, internet services, document preparation, notary services, passport photos, greeting cards and faxing.




Quotes of the Month

Don't start living tomorrow, tomorrow never arrives. Start working on your dreams and ambitions today.
Anonymous

The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any.
Fred Astaire

The young always have the same problem - how to rebel and conform at the same time. They have now solved this by defying their parents and copying one another.
Quentin Crisp