(FranchisePick.Com) 
Barista’s Coffee Franchise: Attorney Violated Ethical Standards,
People Lie. People Cheat. People Advertise.,
Want to Franchise Your Business? Do Your Homework First.
This is the permanent injuction issued against Barista’s and Friends d/b/a Barista’s Daily Grind franchise company, Steven Sickler and Cathy Mettenbrink for violation of franchise laws.  The attorney who drafted the insufficient documents has been recommended for a “public reprimand”  (See Barista’s Coffee Franchise: Attorney Violated Ethical Standards).
 

 
 
WHAT DO YOU THINK?  SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.
__________________________
Visit FRANBEST’s: Unbiased franchise information, franchise interviews and detailed, searchable information on 400 franchise and business opportunities.
.

Franchisees, customers & experts vote for their favorite …read more

(FranchisePick.Com)  Related story:  People Lie. People Cheat. People Advertise., Want to Franchise Your Business? Do Your Homework First.
The Kearney Hub reports that the “referee” overseeing disciplinary proceedings against Kearney, Nebraska attorney Jeff Orr is blowing the whistle on Orr, and giving him a 15 yard penalty for impersonating a franchise attorney. 
In 2002, Barista’s owners Sickler and Mettenbrink hired Orr to assist them in franchising their 1 1/2 year old coffee shop concept. Orr told Sickler and Mettenbrink that he had franchise legal experience.  His experience, however, was limited to having read a handful of disclosure documents.  He as much as …read more

Steven Sickler, Founder of Failed Barista’s Franchise Company Who Says Law Firm Deceived Him, Responds to Franchise Pick Article. 
 (FranchisePick.Com)  My October post Want to Franchise Your Business? Do Your Homework First recounted the unfortunate cautionary tale of a promising coffee concept called Barista’s and Barista’s founders  Steven Sickler and Cathy Mettenbrick.   In an earlier post  (FTC Stops Coffee Shop Franchisors) attorney Michael Webster reported how the FTC came down on Barista’s and Friends, Inc. for selling franchises with woefully inadequate franchise disclosure documents, and for providing earnings projections in violation of the legally required procedures
Based on the popularity of Barista’s and their ability to sell 40 franchises right out …read more

(FranchisePick.Com) Yesterday, I posted a story (He Put the Con in Franchise CONsultant) about a couple who thought they could franchise their business for $2500 and, within three months, be on their way to owning the next McDonald’s or Subway franchise empire. I concluded (rather insensitively) that if they had actually sold franchises before acquiring a clue of what franchising entails, they would be out a lot more than the $2500 they sent to the consultant.
Just ask Kearney, Nebraska’s Steven Sickler and Cathy Mettenbrick. Their attempt to franchise their popular Barista’s and Friends coffee concept without …read more