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

(FranchisePick.Com)  Related reading:  Cuppy’s Coffee, Elite Manufacturing Franchise Complaint on Rip-off Report
Cuppy’s Coffee Franchise, Elite Manufacturing, Medina Complaints
Cuppy’s Coffee’s AAFD Award for “Fair Franchising”
CUPPY’S COFFEE, Java Jo’z, Elite Manufacturing, Medina Blogliography
Tough break.  It looks like the AAFD won’t be getting a share of the blood, sweat or tears of Cuppy’s Coffee franchise owners unless they extract it themselves.
Like many of the Cuppy’s Coffee employees fired after Dale Nabors bought the company, the American Association of Franchisees & Dealers (AAFD) surely misses the good old days when previous owner Morg Morgan cut them in on a share of the plunder. 
In …read more

Links the AAFD would rather you forget about:
 AAFD: Franchising Watchdog… or Lapdog? Part 1
AAFD: Franchising Watchog… or Lapdog? Part 2
AAFD Quietly Suspends Cuppy’s Franchisor Accreditation
Cuppy’s Coffee: Some Words from AAFD Raises More Questions
Answer This Franchise Due Diligence Quiz Question
Franchise Buyers: Don’t Get Fooled by Fair Franchising Awards
Cuppy’s Coffee Franchisees: Show Some Gratitude!
In what passes for a boldness in the world of franchise associations, The American Association of Franchisees and Dealers (AAFD) announced today that it has “suspended its recognition of Cuppy’s Coffee and More, LLC as an AAFD Accredited Contract recipient, pending a determination of the Association’s Board …read more

Source:  Vista Lodge Franchisee Converts & Redeems Failing Franchise Raj and Pina Kshirsagar are creating a true entrepreneurial franchise success story, first buy growing a successful convenience store to the point where they could finance the purchase of an ailing Travellodge location.  The couple have won the Sales & Marketing award from Vista Hospitality Solutions of Tennessee the past two years.  Read how hard work, relationship building, and more hard work enabled them to create an award-winning success story of their successful Vista Lodge franchise:
Read Vista Lodge Franchisee Converts & Redeems Failing Franchise
at Franchisee Marketing.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? ARE YOU FAMILIAR …read more

(FranchisePick.Com)  If you’re trying to discern whether a given franchise company is trustworthy, you might be tempted to interprete a “Fair Franchising Award,” a membership seal of a franchise association, a top ranking in a franchise list, or “approval” by the SBA franchise registry as an indication of trustworthiness.
Don’t.
History ain’t changed… ‘Cause the banners, they all flown in the last war…
In fact, those badges of credibility may actually indicate a company trying to compensate for negative press and unhappy franchise owners.
The meaninglessness of awards from seemingly credible organizations was made crystal clear by Blue Mau Mau publisher Don …read more

(FranchisePick.Com) Join us in celebrating a new FranchisePick.com blog record: $40,000 in a single day!
In a March 13 comment on Cuppy’s Coffee, Elite Manufacturing Franchise Complaint on Rip-off Report, Robert wrote
I am also having problems with Cuppy’s / Elite similar to Chip, Daniel, and Steve. My financing for a Cuppy’s franchise was denied almost a year ago… Cuppy’s / Elite now insists on repaying the monies owed me over 31 months which is unreasonable and unacceptable. Unfortunately I am beginning to believe that this issue will not be resolved… without the assistance of further legal action.
On …read more

(FranchisePick.com franchise blog) (Travel & Lodging franchises)  Congratulations to US Franchise System, the Franchisor of the Microtel Inns & Suites and Hawthorn Suites for winning the American Association of Franchisee and Dealers (AAFD) 2008 Total Quality Franchising Franchisor of the Year Award.  Here is the press information released from the AAFD:
USFS Recognized as 2008 Franchisor of the Year
US Franchise Systems is the franchisor of the Microtel Inns & Suites and Hawthorn Suites hotel brands. With nearly 500 properties open or under construction worldwide, the company has a reputation for treating franchisees with respect and fairness and has been cited …read more

(FranchisePick.Com)  Rumors, graffiti and government documents declassified through the Freedom of Information and/or Patriot Acts have contended it for years, but now it’s official:  Sean Kelly is an S.O.B.
Yes, I have been granted all of the benefits, perks and honors that go along with membership in the not-so-secret society of Successful Blog SOBs..  I’m not sure what those are, but a link from the amazing Liz Strauss & her Successful Blog is enough for me!  Use of the cool button is icing on the proverbial cake.
Thanks to the amazing Liz Strauss at Successful Blog for naming me an Official …read more