prospect Edition, Issue 9









The State of Franchises



The advantage to buying your own business are many: freedom, being your own boss, seeing profit go to yourself because of your efforts, taking tax advantages and avoiding the insecurity of being fired are just a few of the reasons to strike out on your own.

Another one is the benefit of learning from others who have already been through many of the trial and error processes that eventually shape a successful business model. If that appeals to you when you are ripe to buy a business, consider a franchise. If you go that route not only will you be taking advantage of the tried and true, you will be a part of something big.
Consider the following statistics from the International Franchise Association:

  • Projected 2013 franchise dollar output will be at about $800 billion, up 4.3% from 2012.
  • The number of franchise establishments will increase 1.3% in 2013 to 757,056.
  • A 2% 2013 increase will take the number of franchise jobs to 8.262 million.

An annual IFA business leader survey suggested that franchise businesses are still a good option for entrepreneurs with 81% of franchisors saying they will continue to increase units.

If you're considering going into business, you owe it to yourself to explore the benefits of being a franchisee.

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.





Christmas Gift Returns


Retail analysts put Christmas gift returns at about $46 billion (2010 season figures). The most returned presents include games, electronics and clothing. The breakdown by percentage is as follows.
  • Clothing including shoes: 62%
  • Games, toys and hobbies: 16%
  • Consumer electronics: 14%
  • Kitchen and bath items: 13%
  • Beauty, cosmetics and toiletries: 10%
  • Jewelry including watches: 10%
(Percentages reflect mentions of more than one item by respondents.)

There are other methods of gift disposition according to Consumer Reports:
  • Re-gift
  • Toss
  • Donate
  • Resell
Postal Connections will ship any unwanted gift for you.



The Origin of New Year's



New Year's Day is probably the most celebrated public holiday in the world. The festivities reach their peak at the stroke of midnight as the New Year begins in each time zone. The January 1st celebration goes back to the Roman Empire. Since 45 BC, the Romans dedicated the New Year to the god of Janus (who January is named after). He is the god of gates, doors and beginnings. He was always shown to have two faces one looking back and one looking forward.

Prior to that date, the Romans used March 1st to mark the New Year because it was the first month in the Roman calendar. January 1st is the first day of the New Year in the Gregorian and Julian calendars which were adopted by the Romans in 45 BC.

Long before that, there were thought to be celebrations around this time of the year because ancient people realized that the darkness wouldn't go on forever. They noticed the days begin to get a little longer and celebrated the renewed cycle of life.



Ball Drop



Here in the US, one of the most celebrated of all New Year's traditions is the New York City Times Square Ball Drop. At 11:59 US Eastern time, the 11,875 pound, 12-foot in diameter Waterford crystal ball which is located on the roof of 1 Times Square is lowered down a pole. The 141 foot pole length is just enough to make the drop last one minute.

This grand tradition began in 1907. An average of 1 million spectators have shown up over the last few years to witness the drop.







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.


Auld Lang Syne



Pretty much everyone knows this tune having heard or even sung it during some New Year's Eve celebration at one time or another. In the original Scottish dialect auld lang syne means- “old long since; long, long ago; days gone by or old times”. The tune is a traditional Scottish folk song and the words are from a poem written by Robert Burns in 1788.

The message of the song is to toast to past times with good friends. Usually only the chorus and the first verse are heard. However, it's the last verse, seldom sung, that truly captures this meaning:

Take my hand, my trusty friends,
And give me your hand too,
Let's drink to yesterday, my friends
to auld lang syne.



New Year's Quotes

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.
Oprah Winfrey

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.
(Unknown)

New Year's Eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights.
Hamilton Wright Mabie
(American Writer)