rogers7808 writes:
I was interested in purchasing a Curves until I read some of the posts.
If Curves is such a bad deal, why has it been named “Franchisor of the Year for 2009?
Rogers7808:
There are no valid franchise awards/rankings that I know of (Though FranSurvey.Com at one time seemed to be useful and well-intentioned.  I’m not sure of its status currently). All are somehow driven by a self-serving motive. For Entrepreneur magazine, the 800 lb. gorilla of franchise rankings, it is ad sales and perpetuation of the franchise myth of great opportunities galore.
The 2009 Franchisor of the Year award was …read more

That wacky AAFD is at it again!  The American Association of Franchisees & Dealers (AAFD) has named Curves International its 2009 Franchisor of the Year!
(In other news, Bernard Madoff has been named Investment Advisor of the Year and Kim Jong Il has won the Nobel Peace Prize…)
You may remember the AAFD as the supposedly pro-franchisee organization that gave Cuppy’s Coffee the “fair franchising” award and public praise it needed to help scam many more out of $30K – $40K deposits before completely abandoning the lucky franchisees who managed to get open (and lose hundreds of thousands).
According to the breaking …read more

Franchising’s Worst-Case Scenarios:
Unhappy Franchisee: Franchising rumors, rants, controversies, issues, complaints & insider information you’re not supposed to know.
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Self-Proclaimed Fairness Advocacy Group Quietly Takes its Ball and Goes Home.
What does it take to for a franchisor to lose its “fair franchising” accreditation with the American Association of Franchisees & Dealers (AAFD )*?
Outcries from dozens of franchisees claiming they were defrauded out of their life savings? No, that’s OK….
Allegations that current franchisees were paid to tell prospective franchisees they were happy? No big deal…
What about a public acknowledgement from the company Prez that they violated AAFD standards? No …read more

What’s the fuss about Cuppy’s Coffee? This’ll get you up to speed: CUPPY’S COFFEE, Java Jo’z, Elite Manufacturing, Medina Blogliography
Cuppy’s Coffee franchisees: Enough is enough! There’s been a lot of whining and snivelling around here lately from Cuppy’s Coffee franchisees (or “depositers” as we call them. Or “Involuntary Investors”).
I paid Cuppy’s Coffee $30,000 and they won’t give it back! and I took a home equity loan to give $39,500 for a Cuppy’s Coffee franchise and they won’t give it back! and even I made a $52,000 deposit for a Cuppy’s franchise and they won’t …read more

(FranchisePick.Com)  I would urge anyone who has a current or past complaint or refund request with Cuppy’s Coffee, Elite Manufacturing, Medina Enterprises, Java Jo’z, Emerald Coast Manufacturing or other related entities to contact attorney Michael Webster (pictured).
Michael Webster is a frequent contributor here, on BlueMauMau.org and publishes his own franchise and anti-fraud blog at http://www.bizop.ca.   Michael is also on the standards committee of the AAFD, the “fair franchising” accreditation organization that is looking into allegations against the Cuppy’s Coffee franchise organization and its affiliate, Elite Manufacturing.
Michael Webster is coordinating the response to numerous complaints from people who are seeking …read more

(FranchisePick.Com)
According to the AAFD, “Cuppy’s Coffee has committed itself to a collaborative franchise culture that adopts high standards of mutual respect between franchisor and franchisees.”
- Cuppy’s Coffee website
In doing your homework investigating which franchise opportunities are best, and which franchise companies are trustworthy, you’ll encounter many “badges of credibility,” such as franchise rankings, satisfaction surveys, and awards from such organizations as the non-profit American Association of Franchisees & Dealers (AAFD). To test your interpretive skills, answer this question:
What does the fair franchising award (as pictured and described above) indicate about the recipient company:
A) The award-recipient …read more