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Archive for the ‘Dina Dwyer-Owens’ Category
Friday, October 22nd, 2010
How a Young, Local Business Succeeds in Today’s Economy
Locals Doug and Darla Thornton admit the decision they made to start a Mr. Electric franchise two years ago was a “big-time risk.”
In the midst of 2008’s turbulent economic times, Doug Thornton made a career move from country music management to owning his own business.
He knew the economy was tough when he started. But “in any economy,” Thornton said, “giving the quality is far more important and will be remembered much more than the price.”
Reward has followed the Thorntons’ risk. Their local business is recognized as Top Gun by Mr. Electric: it’s performed in the top 10 percent of the nationwide electrical service company’s 180 franchises.
Franchisees score points in the annual competition measured by their retail sales, per capita sales, year end financial statements, attendance at corporate events and gross profits.
Darla compared entering the unfamiliar electric business to learning a new language.
Before he bought the franchise, Doug Thornton said his electrical experience was “limited to changing a light bulb.”
This is where Mr. Electric’s franchise support from came in.
“Because we knew nothing,” Doug said, “the only way we knew how to do things was by the system,” referring to the methodology and guidelines Mr. Electric prescribes for business owners.
“Doug’s ability to follow the system has helped him in every facet of his business,” said Mr. Electric Marketing Specialist Mike Weaver. “Our successful franchisees are the ones who follow every part of the system. He’s also done a great job of communicating with us, which is crucial.”
Support and credibility from Mr. Electric and its parent company, The Dwyer Group, appealed to the Thorntons. But when they visited the corporate headquarters in Waco, it was The Dwyer Group’s code of values that made the biggest impression.
The code is based on respect, integrity, customer-focus and having fun in the process. According to Dwyer Group CEO Dina Dwyer-Owens, the Code is responsible for the company’s success. “It’s more than words on a card,” Dwyer-Owens says on The Dwyer Group website, “It’s a road map for the company.”
Doug Thornton’s favorite value reads “We believe our creator put us on this earth to succeed. We will accept our daily successes humbly, knowing a higher power is guiding us.”
Thornton has the words posted on his office wall.
The Thorntons have had their hands full with the franchise. Doug handles the marketing and strategy, and Darla deals with their service professionals and customer service. “All of us – me, Doug, our service professionals – we’re like a big family,” Darla said.
Though he turned a risky situation into a success, Doug remains humble. “Our survival has been a result primarily of the system, help from many other franchise owners – and an answer to daily prayer,” Doug said.
Tags: franchise, franchisee, Mr. Electric, new franchise owners, The Dwyer Group
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Friday, September 17th, 2010
In an interview with Axiom News, CEO and Chairperson Dina Dwyer-Owens proves that The Dwyer Group’s 14 values contribute to the company’s success. When she would meet with potential investors, she would spend the majority of the time discussing the leadership approach she sees the most value in; the approach which involves serving people, including the staff, as the company’s top priority. Only after that was understood would she turn to talking shop and numbers.
In response to why she does this, Dwyer-Owens would respond by saying that if a company puts its emphasis on its people, then profits will follow.
The Waco, Texas-centered company’s success is proof of this principle. Year after year it experiences growth, aside from the last three years in which it has maintained “flat growth” even through the recession. Dwyer-Owens says she links the recognition of being one of the best companies to work for in Texas (in Texas Monthly 3 years in a row!) to the company’s commitment to a servant leadership mindset.
“We’re certainly in the business to make money…At the end of the day, that’s the purpose of any business,” said Dwyer-Owens, “but our mission is not to make money. [It] is to teach our principles and systems [for] personal and business success so that all people we touch will live happier, more successful lives . . . and that’s why we get up and do what we do every day. We want to make a positive difference in people’s lives, and franchising just happens to be the vehicle we use.”
The Dwyer Group was founded in 1981 by Don Dwyer, with its first holding being Rainbow International. In 1994, when he passed away, daughter Dwyer-Owens first served as the executive vice-president until she was promoted a couple of years later.
Now, nearly three decades after it was founded, The Dwyer Group is the holder of seven service-based franchises. The group provides service to over 1,250 franchises in the United States and Canada, and also more than 300 franchise locations internationally.
Stay tuned for more of this story!
If you are interested in franchising with The Dwyer Group, please visit: www.LeadingTheServiceIndustry.com
Tags: Dina Dwyer-Owens, franchise, service, Texas Monthly, The Dwyer Group, Waco
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Friday, September 3rd, 2010
While it is no secret that beginning your own franchise is challenging, Dina Dwyer-Owens, CEO of The Dwyer Group®, discusses her thoughts on women in the franchise business.
Franchises have a lot of appeal to women. They offer a flexible schedule, perhaps the opportunity to work from home or maybe the chance to go into business with your spouse. Specifically to The Dwyer Group, there are many husband-wife teams in which the women are involved in running the office while the husband is training and inspecting jobs. Some own their own business, keeping in mind that since women are the customers, who better to know what is needed?
But why should women even consider beginning their own franchise? According to Dina, women are naturals when it comes to business. Women are willing to collaborate, organize and hear from a team of people on how to improve.
There are countless women who have founded great franchises, many who have gone unnoticed. “We just can’t ignore that there are great women like Debbi Fields, who started Mrs. Fields® Cookies, one of my favorites. Then there’s Mary Ellen Sheets, a good friend of mine. Her and her daughter, Melanie Bergeron, franchised Two Men and a Truck®. That’s a very nontraditional business for a woman, but you know what? It’s perfect for them because they get what they want from a mover.”
With over 80 industries that are franchising, there are more opportunities to find one geared to a service or product interesting to women. “There are those women who are getting into the very specific-women type businesses. I’ve got some friends who own Young Chefs®. I think women are going toward what attracts them. For some women, it’s not so much that they love plumbing, but they love the idea of making that customer have a wonderful experience with a service provider.”
A great aspect of franchising is that there are businesses to fit all lifestyles. Some, like tutoring or cooking lessons, are more structured for those women who perhaps are looking for that sense of fulfillment or accomplishment during the day when their children are away at school. Others can ask you to devote your day to ensuring the business thrives.
Some words of wisdom from Dina to her female audience:
Think of the opportunities before you anticipate obstacles. There are special programs offered through lending institutions for women getting into business.
One of the most likely hurdles to overcome is the desire to be great at everything; best mother, spouse, business leader. We just have to be happy with letting go or delegating. Try joining IFA, if you are looking for mentorship, where people are so willing to talk and help.
Finally, get clarity about your passions before you get into franchising. Look for what doesn’t feel like work for you. Do your homework, visit the franchise sites and just practice smart business to discover what drives you. It might even be plumbing!
Tags: Dina Dwyer-Owens, franchise, HVAC franchise support, new franchise owners, The Dwyer Group
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Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
The Dwyer Group has announced a business agreement with Canadian-based Sunshine Grounds Care and will market franchises in the United States under the brand of The Grounds Guys, effective immediately. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The deal introduces the first grounds care franchise to The Dwyer Group’s trades service brands, which include: Aire Serv, Glass Doctor, Mr. Appliance, Mr. Electric, Mr. Rooter and Rainbow International.
The Grounds Guys franchise opportunity will offer lawn care, landscaping and maintenance services — a complementary line of business to the residential and commercial target customers that The Dwyer Group’s existing concepts already serve.
“The grass is now greener at The Dwyer Group,” said Dina Dwyer-Owens, CEO and Chairwoman of The Dwyer Group. “We knew that landscape maintenance was a natural extension of our family of franchise brands, but it was the expertise of Sunshine Grounds Care in Canada that helped us deliver a business model with a proven track record.”
Based in Orangeville, Ontario, Sunshine was established in 1987 by Tim van Stralen and quickly grew to include his nine brothers. By 2004, the grounds care division of Sunshine, began franchising and today counts 25 franchisees in its network.
Then in 2009, the van Stralen family met The Dwyer Group, and conversations began on how they could collaborate to benefit both companies.
“The Dwyer Group brings extensive franchising experience and Sunshine Grounds Care brings the grounds care expertise,” said Peter van Stralen, President and CEO of The Grounds Guys Canada. “It was clear that we each had good things to offer one another.”
“Having grown up in a family business, we saw a lot of ourselves in the van Stralens and what they were doing in Canada,” said Dwyer-Owens.
Peter van Stralen added that his company was attracted to The Dwyer Group’s Code of Values as a foundation that has helped grow and sustain a large franchise network. “The corporate culture they have created and the values they promote made this a relationship we could all feel good about,” he said.
The result is a one-of-a-kind agreement for The Dwyer Group to sell franchises in the United States with added business training to be provided by Sunshine Grounds Care.
More information about The Grounds Guys and Sunshine Grounds Care -
Sunshine Grounds Care was founded by Tim van Stralen, the oldest of ten brothers, in the town of Caledon in 1987. Since then, Sunshine Grounds Care has expanded rapidly across Ontario and even to other parts of North America. As the company has grown, so have the other nine van Stralen brothers, who today all play a part in making Sunshine a business that operates on family values of respect, effort and a mutual interest in the well being of the group. For more information about Sunshine Grounds Care, visit www.sunshinelandscape.com.
Tags: Aire Serv, Canada, Dina Dwyer-Owens, franchise, franchise opportunity, franchisee, Glass Doctor, grounds care franchise, Grounds Guys, landscape franchise, lawn care franchise, Mr. Appliance, Mr. Electric, Mr. Rooter, Ontario, Orangeville, Rainbow International, Sunshine Grounds Care, Texas, The Dwyer Group, The Grounds Guys, Tim van Stralen, van Stralen, Waco
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Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Great news from the February edition of Texas Monthly. The Dwyer Group was ranked No. 14 in the its list of best companies to work for in the state of Texas. This was a jump up by 10 spots from last year’s rankings.
Dina Dwyer-Owens, CEO and chairwoman of The Dwyer Group, said the credit goes to the associates.
“It’s true when people say the third time is a charm, because this honor is a direct reflection of how our associates continue to feel about our company,” said Dwyer-Owens. “Running a good business means creating a great workplace that attracts wonderful people. And this ranking helps us see that mission in action.”
The ranking, promoted by Texas Monthly, is sponsored by the Texas Association of Business (TAB), the Texas State Council of the Society of Human Resource Management (TSC-SHRM) and the Best Companies Group.
The Dwyer Group is one of 85 companies to make this year’s listing. The annual survey and ranking is designed to recognize and honor the best employers in Texas.
Companies were judged on their benefits, leadership programs, corporate culture, interviews with company employees and more. To be eligible for the ranking, companies must have a facility in Texas, at least 15 employees in Texas, and a minimum of one year in business among overall criteria.
Tags: Best Companies to Work For, Dina Dwyer-Owens, franchise, Texas, Texas Monthly, The Dwyer Group, Waco
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