IS BUTTERFLY LIFE A GREAT FITNESS FRANCHISE?
May 10, 2007 by Sean Kelly
Filed under Business
Read interviews with Butterfly Life franchisees at UnhappyFranchisee.com
We sent out emails to fitness franchise owners, managers, employees, and customers asking which fitness franchise is best, and why. Our first responses were regarding a fitness franchise called “Butterfly Life.”
One commenter wrote:
Butterfly Life is the hottest new fitness franchise to hit since Curve’s… With all 3 aspects of health and wellness under one roof. Diet, Exercise and Well-Being is the combination to SUCCESS!!! Join the movement to make Butterfly Life the #1 Fitness Franchise across the Country!
Phil Gerst said:
The best fitness franchise for Women’s Fitness is Butterfly Life. We’ve been open for 8 1/2 months and have signed over 200 members. Our members are seeing results – losing weight and inches, feeling better and having more energy. The excerise equipment is designed by a women for women and use stacked weight with 12 levels – not the cheap hydraulic stuff. The members really like group exercise classes – and with more than 40 different classes – including step, dance, kick/box, and ball – cardio classes, Pilates and yoga classes and sclupting classes – there is something for everyone. Add BFL’s excellent diet program and nutrition counselling and you have a winning formula for members’ success and ours.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? IS BUTTERFLY LIFE A GREAT FITNESS FRANCHISE? LEAVE A COMMENT AND TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!
…I just can not imagine she would get involved with MG and TG…
These are just licensing deals. Pay enough and you can use a famous person’s name.
The days of this chain being able to afford a high profile spokesperson are long past.
Unless maybe Linda Evans is available…?
The Martha Stewart thing…we were so excited over it!!! WOO HOO….
That was before we came to realize that Martha isn’t going to team up with these losers. They are using her magazine subscriptions to let the new owners (and what’s left of the old ones) think that there is a connection. When all is said and done the clubs have to buy the subscriptions and give them to the new members as a come on. The whole thing disgusts me!!!!
Breathe,
Yes, many of us were told that they had a deal pending and they were finalizing the contract.
The Martha Stewart thing…we were so excited over it!!! WOO HOO….
That was before we came to realize that Martha isn’t going to team up with these losers. They are using her magazine subscriptions to let the new owners (and what’s left of the old ones) think that there is a connection. When all is said and done the clubs have to buy the subscriptions and give them to the new members as a come on.
The whole thing disgusts me!!!!
Who thinks MG and TG should spend some time behind bars like their “Friend” Martha did? It wouldn’t help my financial problems but it would make me feel better!
Do you think they’d organize the boys in the yard at Chino and start up a circuit training franchise for prisons?
Sean and Wize Old Owl……
I think it would be a great idea for them to spend time behind bars and wouldn’t that be a sight to see….all those burly convicts on the “made for women” machines and prancing around doing group x classes!!!! LOLOLOL!!!
Thanks for the laugh!
Sunshine – Butterfly flying -
We have not joined AAFD. We still have month left over at the end of the money. When our financial situation is more stable, I will look more closely into it. I realize the case may be settled before were able to join, but that’s the Catch-22 we’re in.
Even if we were able to become part of the legal action, I would want to know about the chances for recovering any of our losses from these – ‘gentlemen’ (I’m being polite because that is how I was raised). Even if the legal decision goes for the franchisees, as I understand it, there’s not much money available in the corporate coffers.
These guys are wickedly clever in an evil sense and undoubtedly have hired the best legal eagles the fees of newly ensnared franchisees can buy. Is there really any hope that MG & TG’s personal, ill gotten gains could be attached for a settlement?
Seriously Sean, I think the big burly convicts
might find these fellas from Butterfly Life kinda
“Pretty”. Maybe they would have done to them what they’ve done to us. LOL
You may want to forward them some of our picks for the best franchises ro run from prison, including Probst’s Prison Wine and H&R Cell block
Good one, Sean!!!! ROFLMAO!!!!!
If you have equipment to sell, email me at unhappyfranchisee[at]gmail.com
We’re going to promote your equipment here: Your Town Health Club
Sign up for less than $20/mo. here: http://www.yourtownhealthclub.com/sell-your-fitness-equipment/
You can also list your club for sale. Email me if you’ve successfully sold your club equipment and will share who bought it and what they paid.
- Sean
Hello everyone…..well it has been over a year now and as I understand it the disgruntled franchisee owners ARE still hanging in there!! So I wanted to ask Phil Gerst, Susan, Cynthia, Leigh, Franchisee, Freaker out, Ted, Jackie-by all means JACKIE, Doing my best, Eliza Jackson and Observer-have any of you made $1.00 profit this past year? If so, congrats to you! If NOT, we tried to tell you. My family lost an additional $42,763.92(+- the change!) in the last 12 months. So when does one decide-to keep digging deeper-or jump the hell out of the hole?( We jumped months ago, but the hole is still there. How many of you “positive believers in BFL” would like to share your story this year?? Better yet- how many of you are still around? We would love to hear from you again.
Sean,
Let me say “Thank you” once again. For all you have done, tried to do and continue to do. Hopefully the above links will be of help to some of us. First there was M & T robbing everyone, now the economy, and God help us all because Nov. 4th. is right around the corner!
Sunshine:
You’re welcome. Thanks for sharing your hard lessons with our readers who are getting quite the education from some of your unfortunate circumstances. I think that you guys who refuse to go away quietly are doing a lot to help clean up franchising – good franchisors need to realize the damage that the others are doing and help put a stop to the less savory business practices of the cloud merchants in their midst.
Anyone willing to share their stories on UnhappyFranchisee.com, please email unhappyfranchisee[at]gmail.com for a list of questions.
Thanks,
Sean
Sean and all who have read and posted to this blog. It is with much sadness and a heavy heart that I say this. An ex- BFL franchisee from Atlanta, Georgia, Cynthia Holt, who lost her club, was in debt beyond repay, whose home was in forclosure- has ended her life. All of the details are uncertain at this time. As sad as this is, it says a lot about what destruction and despair many are facing. No one ever thought anything like this would happen, but it has. You will be missed Cindy.
Sunshine & All BFL Franchisees:
That is very sad news. I am sorry for the loss of your friend and colleague. You are more than welcome to post a tribute here and/or on UnhappyFranchisee.com on the Butterfly Life page.
My condolences and prayers go out to the Holt family.
Sean
Feel free to share a message here:
BUTTERFLY LIFE: Franchisees Mourn the Loss of Cynthia Holt
To Butterfly Life Corporate…..
HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT!!!!!!!
To the employees that exist at corporate…..
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT WORKING FOR THIS COMPANY?! ARE YOU THAT DESPERATE FOR A PAYCHECK?!
Breathe
You tell ‘em girlfriend!
I am too damn mad right now.
I am so deeply saddened by Cynthia’s passing.
I can say that I have had some really depressing days and Weeks but my family is there to pump me back up thank GOD!
These ruthless franchisors are ruining lives and laughing all the way to the bank.
The lawmakers at Our state level and In
Washington need to hear our stories and change the laws to stop what happened to Cynthia and
the rest of us.
Cynthia I know you are in a better place sweetheart you will be missed. My prayers are
with you.
Just wanted to add my condolences to everyone associated with Cindy. To her family and friends, I pray for them to have God’s strength at this difficult time. I usually post on Contours Express blog and read all the other blogs because it seems our stories are pretty much the same. It always gives me strength to get through the day reading and knowing I’m not alone in what happened to me. Yes, how can these so-called franchisors sleep at night!!! Yes, they ARE to blame. There have been just too many people hurt by their actions not to step back and see the big picture. Now this, another death! Whoever reads this and is among all of us going through tough times: there is HOPE for us. Please, don’t give up. This too shall pass. God bless us everyone.
I have been a Life MD Advisor for ButterflyLife. I have never been paid anything during this entire period of time. My contribution was going to involve making videos for the Life Vision project, however this never happened. I am very sad to read about what has happened in the past 1-2 years and was not aware of these issues. I have known Mark Golob for 30 years and have always found him to be an honest and dedicated professional business man. When the TV production was done in Los Angeles, we were paid for travel expenses and a small stipend for our time. However, we were never paid any further when the commercials were aired around the country.
I would like to touch on 2 posts:
First (and foremost), I want to express my condolences to Cindy’s family, what a loss and a huge hole that will make in their lives….the notification brought tears to me eyes and pain to my heart!!!!!
Second, Dr. Widman, what is it you are trying to say? That Golob WAS a friend and now you feel differently because his true colors showed up or are you still defending him? Also, are you referring to the ad that they used to sell the franchises? There was never an ad to really PROMOTE the clubs themselves. And that stupid “blurb” that was supposed to be a “teaser” to the SHOW….yeah, right!……with Lisa Bellini making Blondies…how bad was that???!!!! Again, the advertisements for that said you can get in shape by listening to their 5 minute blurb….never did it refer to the clubs! Wouldn’t that be nice to watch a 5 minute spot on tv each week that will get you back into shape!!! HA
However wrote….”this has got to stop”….is so right. There has to be something done to these people!
Sorry, I meant whoever not however…sorry!
My prayers go out to Cynthia’s family and friends.
We will always remember you Cindy!
We will fight to the very end!
And we will win!
Down with Butterfly Life-we are stronger now than yesterday-than last week-we will not give up and go away!
Dr. Widman – I realize you have known Mark Golob for 30 years and based on that knowledge, and the fact that you had no idea of what was going on, it would be great now if you could step up and use your personal relationship with Golob to bring a resolution to this issue that is fair and just. Obviously, we don’t know the same Mark Golob you know. As you can see from what’s going on, and now the death of one of our members due to her stressful life and financial ruin, Golob has caused so much pain and suffering to so many franchisees who just wanted to earn an honest living and support their families. Many of them have lost their life savings, their homes, their retirement and some their marriages as a result of business failures. It’s easy for a franchisor like Golob to say that the failure is a result of the actions or non actions of the franchisee. But when the franchisor cannot point to one franchisee who has been able to make a sustainable income, then one must question the ethics and values of attempting to sell more franchises into a system of proven failure. I think that you and others who were unwittingly involved like Carole Lieberman and Beth Shaw could use your influence and relationship with Butterfly Life to address this ongoing tragedy. Its not just for ex and current franchisees of BFL, but for all franchisees in this country who are not being protected, and infact are being ignored by the FTC and the regulations that govern franchising in this country. We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our franchisees and also the loss of a Quizno’s franchisee who took his life under similar circumstances. Our united front will continue until justice is served!!!!!
By the way, as an original franchisee in 2004, we were told that we would receive a dvd by you for viewing on our Life Vision. That never occurred and Golob is still using your name to promote Butterfly Life.
Dr. E. Regina Widman,
Your post is evasive. What are you trying to say? Why do you still allow yourself to be a represented advisor with BFL, since you do not get paid or do much good towards this sleazy company? Are you concerned about your reputation in regards to being involved with BFL? I just do not know how someone with good conscience could be involved with BFL.
Still waiting for your response Dr. Widman….I believe that we are due at least that from you.
Come on group-do you truely believe the post was from E. Regina Widman, M.D.??? I don’t. If it were I think she would have responded by now. But then it has taken her over a year to post, how and why did she even find out about franchisepick??? Why now??
Beth Shaw is easy to find, Michelle Rotell is easy to find-why not look for Cicely and see what she has to say. Beth Thorp-I never saw anything on fashion-unless they are referring to the “retail junk” we had to order that faded, was over priced in any market and mostly did not sell.
What about PSYCHOLOGY ADVISOR
Diane G. Sanford Ph.D.-if Cindy had had a psychologist to talk too-maybe she would still be alive. But she didn’t. She lost her club, had lots of debt like the rest of us, no money-like the rest of us-she was losing her home-like some of us have and will-she felt worst than a failure. She felt screwed-like so many of us-but she had no where and no one she felt she could turn to anymore. She felt death was better than the hell she was living here on earth. Before BFL-Cindy had a job, money in the bank, her home, credit cards, family-and she had a dream. That dream became her nightmare-which broke her (and I don’t mean money). I hope the boys hurt for her-I hope they find out the details-I hope it haunts them like it does some of us. But then we have a soul and a conscience-I don’t believe they do.
These are my own personal opinions-if you don’t agree it is ok-and if you do–then SOUND OFF!
Outraged,
I guess some of us are naive. Maybe that’s what got us into this in the first place. I did truly believe that Dr. Widman posted that. OH well, at least it got people back to posting a bit!
I agree with you in that I hope BL Corp hurts over the death of Cindy. It’s a sin, plain and simple!!! Is anyone close to her family? Will they prosecute for wrongful death? I think they should.
When I became a Life MD Advisor for BFL in 2004, I planned to make several dvd’s on women’s health. I wrote several scripts and production dates were scheduled, but they were cancelled and never rescheduled. I had hoped to teach women what I teach my own patients every day about health, wellness and preventive health. I am very saddened about all that has happened. I have requested that my name be removed as Life MD Advisor today. I have no power, nor any authority regarding the BFL corporation. I believe that the concept of BFL was wonderful, encompassing so many aspects of health and fitness. I have never received any compensation for my position of Life MD Advisor.
Such a tragedy! Could it be avoided? It is because prospective BF franchisees were tricked into buying a very high risk investment with terrible consequences, under cover of government regulation, that Cindy put more at risk than she should have put at risk —-and this destroyed her.
Understand that regulation is designed to permit franchisors to hype and sell their franchises without being required to disclose the actual risk, and to protect the franchisors in the courts and in arbitration from charges of fraud when the businesses fail.
The contracts are malicious legal traps that are designed by the best attorneys that money can buy to ensure that those franchisors whose franchisees survive in the markeplace will continue to serve the franchisor whether or not there are profits. It is public policy to protect the franchisor and the franchisees who survive from those who fail because the government believes that this serves the “greater good” of the public.
This dirty little secret of franchising and the alliance of all of the special interests is what perhaps what combined to destroy Cindy —-but the experts would have you believe that it is because she didn’t do her due diligence on Butterfly Life and find out the great risk of the offering, etc.. and the consequences of failure that is what really destroyed Cindy.
Sean is a good man who is trying to help us sort this out. Would Cindy have been saved if she had done extensive due diligence on BF and discovered the ACTUAL RISK of the investment. Would that have saved her?
Something to think about!
May God Bless and comfort Cindy’s family in their great grief.
Carol
Thank you for responding Dr Widman…if that’s who you really are.
Carol,
I love the term “due diligence”…….and I think that your inferring that Cindy didn’t do her “due diligence” was kind of a slap in the face…not that I truly believe you meant it that way but it knocked me back as though it were. I think that we all went into this trusting the people that we thought were the experts only to find out they were experts as scam artists. We BELIEVED what they were saying and I know that we (my mom and I) felt that we did our due diligence as I’m sure Cindy did and all else who got caught in the web of deceit by Butterfly Life Corporate. It is now time for them to own up to what they have done and try to undo some of it. If the have any kind of a concience they will or at the very least I hope they will.
Butterfly Flying:
Yes, you did due diligence the best you could on Item 20 but because franchisors of new franchise concepts are permitted, under regulation, to overseed for the purpose of rapidly growing system visibility in the economy, you or Cindy could not have knowm the true risk of the investment by looking at your UFOC or talking to franchise references in Item 20. Your franchisor, of course, didn’t talk to you about risk and only talked to you about success but he tricked you into signing a contract wherein you have given up your due process rights because, in reality, you have acknowledged that you bought your franchise with no promise from the franchisor of success or profits.
In the beginning of the life of a new franchise, all franchisees are trying to break even and there is no performance history available to the first new franchisees and there is always a year before franchisees have to report in the next FD (UFOC) if some of the startup franchisees are failing to thrive. The failures either terminate or give their businesses away as reflected in Item 20 in the first years of the franchise.
All new franchisors would be delighted if all of their new franchisees were successful and if there were no failures. But, government and the experts and franchisors know there will always be failures and regulation is all about protecting the franchisors so they will TRY to grow franchise systems that feed the economy.
I am trying to explain that franchisees are a calculated sacrifice under government regulation that the franchisors take advantage of because they CAN.
I am not at all chastising you or Cindy for not doing the best due diligence you could do under the circumstances.
Please read my post again and understand what I am asking you to think about in this post!
I hope your franchisor will try to undo some of it but concience has nothing to do with it. Franchisors are encouraged to franchise new concepts to stimulate the economy and their protection from those who fail is an inducement for them to franchise a concept.
Ugly reality and truth that franchisees must understand.
Carol
Regina-If you indeed requested your picture and bio be removed from the BFL website, lets see how long it takes them to do that. ( It is nothing more than a phone call from Cathy G.)
I am wondering if it will be removed as fast as the franchisee’s that quit paying, or did not have enough money to pay the royality fees. Smart woman! Run while you can. I hope your practice and reputation are intact. Honestly, I do. Too many people have already been hurt and damaged.
Cindy and her partner did their due diligence, as did many others before and after them. I remember my mother saying “Do not go looking for trouble, unless you want to find it.” If we had been looking for trouble (dirt) I guess we are all gulity of “not digging deep enough”.
Carol wrote:
Could Cindy have been saved if she had done extensive due diligence on BF and discovered the ACTUAL RISK of the investment. Would that have saved her?
That is a question we will never know the answer to. If I had done “extensive” due diligence and discovered the AUTUAL RISK of the investment, I would NOT have taken the risk with BFL. I do remember the very first club I visited. The owner handed me several “ads” and said to me “Never leave a club without taking something with you.” I remember reading them, or so I thought! On the bottom back side of this one flyer it said 101 Clubs with cities all across the U.S.A. listed. What I did not see or read was the small fine print that stated not all clubs are open. Why didn’t I read that? Because I was caught up in the “NEW and EXCITING”. After all these are successful (wealthy) business people with over 75 combined years of experience-why wouldn’t I want to believe them! That was in 2006 when there were only 18 clubs! BFL even had me call 6-7 of what I now know to be “the choosen ones”. Part of following your dreams-is to be able to believe in them, is it not? We all believed-for awhile.
Cindy had her problems like many other people do today. She was not a bad person, just broken. If her club was open today with 279 members (her break even) and if all the BS with BFL Corp. did not exist-I believe Cindy would still be with us. Maybe the ex-franchisee’s in Georgia should band together and send a message to all of Georgia’s goverment. Maybe every state should do the same. One may just listen and take notice. But one thing is for sure-do nothing-get nothing.
Cindy, I miss you. May you rest in peace.
Sean:
What would you do in this situation? Which way do we turn now? I do not ever want to hear of another death like Cindy’s. God Bless us all!
It’s sad to see people pouncing on Dr Widman when obviously she’s been victimized like the rest of us. I commend her for coming forward and telling her truth. With the childish behaviour that I’ve seen expressed how could ever think that any other “BFL Expert” would come forward and tell her story. This board has a lot to offer but all the cattiness makes it lose credibility.
To Carol:
I am not sure who you are, friend or foe and the reality you speak of is created by government, legislators, lawyers, bureaucrats who us poor schmucks, franchisees, pay their salaries. And if their incentive is to stimulate the economy etc. then who does the follow-up ,where is the accountability. I haven’t had a job in my life where I had no accountability. If fact, their very process has created a deficit for the economy in many states because the powers that be are great at initiating, patting themselves on the back that they have schlepped a pile of papers and launched a venture. The true failure comes in the FACT that their job, or percieved responsibily ends. They don’t care what happens down the line and I guess because no one makes money on follow through the book gets closed. So Ms. Cross, if the franchisors are encouraged to franchise concepts to stimulate the economy would you not assume (there it is ass u me ) that they would check or someone would check to see if that in fact has happened. Do you or they think that we beleagured BFL, Contours, Cuppys Curves,Quizno’s etc. franchisees are stimulating the economy. Quite the opposite we fill the bankruptcy courts, the forclosure statistics and the suicide stats. All because “they” passed it on down shook hands and went on. Why are those that create economic disasters not penalized! “Due Diligence” is a misnomer. You can only read what is not hidden and they “have to print” and they are “required” to reveal so little, I guess to stimulate the economy. If I had know that 12 of the 16 franchisees in existence were failing and organizing against BFL do you think I would have signed!!! But those folks were listed as happy campers in my UFOC. I even called some of them and they were so harrassed by and afraid of Mr. Golob and Gergley that they lied,some even paid $50k to get rid of them. That wasn’t printed anywhere.
In this country we have so many definitions of murder 1st, 2nd, special circumstances. But to the victim and his or her family there is only ONE…..DEAD! Take the analogy anywhere you want.
Cindy we love you and it wasn’t your fault.
Mark and Tom we will not go away we have “angels”.
P.S. Ms Cross.
I guess my massive investment stimulated the economy, however my outcome will reverse the 2005 gains. But I guess that was then and this is now and never the twain shall meet. Does anyone do any ROI (true ROI) any more. The states have netted goose eggs from ther eown employees.
Carol Cross,
Could you write a basic letter that we could all
send to our state representatives as well as representatives in Washington. I think if everyone had a basic letter to start with they could personalize it and maybe a letter writing campaign would begin – not just for BFL franchisees, but everyone in Seans Blogs.
My claim to fame on this website was the published list of open and closed. We are working on an update although it is hard as the closure situation with BFL needs hourly monitoring. Suffice to say they touted @216 and growing last year in their postcard campaign yet have only 73 on their website. “Where have all the flowers gone long time passing” We have confirmaton that several Area Reps have stopped their fees. Given the reports we have on franchisee situations, I think fees to corporate are not what one would think. The five left plus wives are it that is your support system. IS YOUR FRANCHISE SYSTEM SUPPORTED BY A REAL STAFF OR THE CREW THAT HAS RUN COMPANIES TO THE GROUND FOR YEARS.Contact Sean Kelly. I would be happy to talk to any of you, including you MR. HOKENSON, yes I am still open and would love to give you background your UFOC couldn’t possibly provide.
Do you know who you are in bed with? Do you have the body parts to contact me directly? Sean if he does you have my permission to release my e-mail and contact info.
In memory of Cindy.
Grow Up wrote: It’s sad to see people pouncing on Dr Widman when obviously she’s been victimized like the rest of us. I commend her for coming forward and telling her truth.
I agree, and think that Dr. Widman is to be commended for joining the discussion, and for asking to be removed from the Butterfly Life website and list of “expert” advisors. She was obviously sold on the illusion that Butterfly Life represented a way that she could help women live happier, healthier lives and get paid for doing so – the same appealing proposition that attracted Butterfly Life franchisees. It seems that her name, photo and professional reputation was then used primarily to sell franchises, and she received no compensation whatsoever.
Take a look at the experts page on the Butterfly Life website:
http://www.butterflylife.com/pages/c_experts.html
At the bottom of the page her picture is accompanied by the words “MEDICINE Dr. Regina Widman, M.D. Read Bio and watch video”
The expectation is set that the video would be informational and medical in nature. The video that accompanies her bio is, in fact, the franchise sales video.
Not only should Dr. Widman be thanked for speaking out, perhaps the other experts should be made aware of their true purpose with Butterfly Life.
Hello, all
I don’t feel that Dr. Widman was pounced on…there were some concerns at first that maybe it wasn’t her posting ~~~ the first message wasn’t clear on what her postion on Tom was. We know that corporate posted on this blog pretending to be other people….some of us recognized writing style etc,. Dr. Widman should be commended and I believe WAS thanked for posting. I wish her only the best and hope that her name has not been damaged from being connected with that group!
Good morning Butterfly Flying, Hotel California, and “This has got to stop” —
I have researched franchising the past few years because my family members suffered great loss of money and great pain and stress with the franchise, The UPS Store, and finally failed.
I wanted to know what happened and why and how it happened! I now want to warn others and share what I have learned. Please use your Google Search and research under Franchise Fraud and Churning in an effort to start to try to understand the big picture.
There are others in your BFL system who are organized and taking legal action, I believe, and you should ALL join together to confront your franchisor because you cannot win “one-on-one” because the deck is stacked against the franchisee. (Read NOLO’s TEN GOOD REASONS NOT TO BUY A FRANCHISE in Forbes.Com. to start your research)
I know that you are subjective now because of your personal situations but you are not alone! What has happened to you has happened to others here and throughout the world because franchisors ARE subsidized with government regulation because franchisors DO stimulate the economy. (If 50 fail and 50 stand for however long, the 50 who stand do feed the economy) Franchisees, under law, are rendered merely a resource for the franchisors who serve the economy for what government deems to be the “greater good.”
When the federal government took franchisors out from under common law fraud statutes of the States in the late 1970’s, retail franchising started to grow in our economy because The FTC Rule and the State UFOC/FDD does generally protect franchisors from common law fraud charges in both arbitration and the courts while permitting them to hype and freely sell their franchises OUTSIDE of the UFOC/binding boilerplate contract that is a red herring that diverts the buyer’s attention from effective investigation of the risk.
Franchisors are permitted to hype and hard sell franchises OUTSIDE of the contract as long as the UFOC and the actual franchise contract that the franchisee signed contains language that protects franchisors from charges of misrepresentation and fraud in arbitration and the courts. Franchisors get “special” treatment under the Truth in Advertising Laws and franchisees, generally, under most state laws are not considered to be “consumers.”
Franchisors, themselves, are NOT required, under law, to disclose any UNIT financial performance statistics that are in their possession at the time they sell you the franchise and this is the FATAL flaw of the FTC Rule and the State UFOC’s (now FDD’s) upon which prospective franchisees are supposed to conduct due diligence before the purchase.
In my opinion, the FTC Rule is a subsidy of the franchise industry and does not meet the PURPOSE of the FTC Rule, as stated by the FTC, themselves.
It would be better if you wrote to your Governor and your state representatives and federal representatives and senators out of your own understanding —-but, if Sean agrees, I will try to draft a “form-type” letter for you to send to your elected officials.
I’m sure Dr. Widman is like millions of others and like our own Congress, many of whom don’t know the difference between a franchisor and a franchisee, and was just taken in in her effort to do a good thing.
Carol
As personally knowing Dr. Widman for a year now I can honestly convey to you that she has recieved no compensation for her participation of promoting this company. It was not until this past weekend that she had learned of the problems surrounding Butterfly Life in which she was very surprised. She has since contacted Butterfly Life and requested that her profile be removed from their website. Dr. Widman had been contracted for a year back in 2004 to make a dvd and due to scheduling issues her appointments were canceled and the dvd was never made. Dr Widman was on a one year contract which experied three years ago. I think you need to give her credit for coming forward here.
Dr. Widman was very supportive of the initial concept of Butterfly Life and womans health. She has been described as one of the top family phyisicans in Marin County and although I am not a doctor I can confirm her dedication to her practice and patients. Dr Widman’s concerns with the issues at present with this company displays her professional attitude and support for all parties involved.
Well said Carol and thank you for your post and offers to help.
Lies, lies and more lies! Many of us were told that they tried to produce DVD’s but that Dr. Widman was too nervous and stumbled “on camera” so they weren’t able to produce a DVD that they could use. It makes me wonder where Dr. Sanford’s DVD’s are????? Actually, I have to wonder what the truth is regarding ALL the other “experts” too?
Dr. Widman,
Thanks for coming forward. Perhaps you can contact other “advisors” and let them know of the true evolution of Butterfly Life.
I never produced any dvd’s nor did I ever have any trial runs for a dvd and therefore the comment posted today regarding me was totally untrue. I wonder who posted the comments. All the experts produced several minute spots that ran on the BFL commercials on TLC, which included myself and were shown around the country.
Hello everyone…..while on the subject of “experts” has any one checked the site lately? How long has Beth Shaw, the yoga expert been gone? Smart woman!
Dr. Widman, your profile and picture are still on the BFL web site. You might want to consider sending your request to them by certified mail. (Proof you requested to be removed.) I am pleased you are reading and posting to this blog because many of us know that BFL also reads and post here. As Sean has pointed out to us before-speak the truth and you have nothing to fear. Or was that Mario?????
My last count of Calif. “open” clubs was 16. Tonight I notice only 12. Has anyone else seen this? I think I shall go and recount all of them…good night my friends.
Dr. Widman,
No one has malice toward you if you are legit. However, none of us are in the financial position to sign an agreement expect payment and then years late realize you have not received that payment.
If you have known Mark for all those years have you never heard of his involvement with Elaine Powers and how he raked someone who took him in as a young man. Or the demise of Linda Evans…we are a very suspicious group, we don’t doubt you have been taken by these guys…And as kind as my previous email the part I have a hard time with is knowing Golob all those years and believing he is a stand up guy. For most of us it only took as long as him taking our money and never delivering. Time will tell. Have you challenged your friend?