Comments on: KUMON Franchise Owner Complains of Overexpansion http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/ The uncensored truth about franchises... from those who own them. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:58:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Nicole Smith http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/comment-page-2/#comment-19812 Nicole Smith Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:45:16 +0000 http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/#comment-19812 Carol, Andy has been successful in helping many franchisee associations go from a place of very limited influence to one where they are sitting down at the table with the company negotiating for the good of the whole system. It is our hope that he will help us achieve the same, as we know that in order for Kumon to thrive in the 21st century, it must adapt the way its company is run to be more flexible and open to the input of its franchisees. Regards, Nicole Carol, Andy has been successful in helping many franchisee associations go from a place of very limited influence to one where they are sitting down at the table with the company negotiating for the good of the whole system.

It is our hope that he will help us achieve the same, as we know that in order for Kumon to thrive in the 21st century, it must adapt the way its company is run to be more flexible and open to the input of its franchisees.

Regards,

Nicole

]]> By: Carol Cross http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/comment-page-2/#comment-19811 Carol Cross Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:39:40 +0000 http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/#comment-19811 Nicole: I missed out on your post wherein you indicate that Andrew Selden is your attorney. I believe it was Andy Selden who indicated in an interview with Blue Mau Mau that it was "silly" that the FTC Rule and UFOC's mandated 22 items of disclosure but didn't mandate the most important item of disclosure for franchisees -- that is, the "earnings claim." Hopefully, Mr. Selden will be successful in attacking the "stacked deck" and your franchisor will see the light. Franchisors do live very lavishly on the profits of the sales produced by those on the bottom of the pyramid who do the work and take the risk. This is the goal of this business model. Franchising is not an "industry" but rather just an exploitive way of doing business that is used across many industries since the licensing of intangibles has become "big business" and "brand" mentality rules the world. Read: Buying a Franchise! The Great Franchise Hoax! A Business of Your Own?" in a Google Search. http://thegreatfranchisingrobbery.com Nicole: I missed out on your post wherein you indicate that Andrew Selden is your attorney.

I believe it was Andy Selden who indicated in an interview with Blue Mau Mau that it was “silly” that the FTC Rule and UFOC’s mandated 22 items of disclosure but didn’t mandate the most important item of disclosure for franchisees — that is, the “earnings claim.”

Hopefully, Mr. Selden will be successful in attacking the “stacked deck” and your franchisor will see the light.

Franchisors do live very lavishly on the profits of the sales produced by those on the bottom of the pyramid who do the work and take the risk. This is the goal of this business model. Franchising is not an “industry” but rather just an exploitive way of doing business that is used across many industries since the licensing of intangibles has become “big business” and “brand” mentality rules the world.

Read: Buying a Franchise! The Great Franchise Hoax! A Business of Your Own?” in a Google Search.

http://thegreatfranchisingrobbery.com

]]> By: Nicole Smith http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/comment-page-2/#comment-19810 Nicole Smith Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:25:49 +0000 http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/#comment-19810 Ah, the firings at corporate itself, yes, that would have been quite a separate issue that the relocation. I have not gotten information on those. Speaking of lavish, I was quite taken aback when I saw the new corporate office of Kumon Canada how much money had been spent for posh-looking washrooms, among other things. Our franchise dollars at work, as they say. Regards, Nicole Ah, the firings at corporate itself, yes, that would have been quite a separate issue that the relocation. I have not gotten information on those.

Speaking of lavish, I was quite taken aback when I saw the new corporate office of Kumon Canada how much money had been spent for posh-looking washrooms, among other things. Our franchise dollars at work, as they say.

Regards,

Nicole

]]> By: Mary http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/comment-page-1/#comment-19781 Mary Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:31:57 +0000 http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/#comment-19781 More than 8 people were fired. Quite a few of them worked at corporate headquarters already so the fact that they wouldn't move to NJ wasn't a factor. I know of one veteran employee who devoted 17 years to Kumon. I was told that each dept. had to let someone go but I know that some depts. never did. When you go there you'll see how lavish the offices are, with paintings, sculptures, a private staircase between floors. More than 8 people were fired. Quite a few of them worked at corporate headquarters already so the fact that they wouldn’t move to NJ wasn’t a factor. I know of one veteran employee who devoted 17 years to Kumon. I was told that each dept. had to let someone go but I know that some depts. never did. When you go there you’ll see how lavish the offices are, with paintings, sculptures, a private staircase between floors.

]]> By: Nicole Smith http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/comment-page-1/#comment-19764 Nicole Smith Sat, 16 Jan 2010 22:39:40 +0000 http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/#comment-19764 Mary, I was very sad to learn of the firings at the end of October of about eight very good people in Material Development and Instruction departments (some chose to leave around the same time, I believe for other reasons). .My understanding is that it was a cost-cutting measure, and that those who couldn't or wouldn't move to New Jersey to take part in the new training facility, Kumon University (KU), were fired. It has been hard on morale for associates to see their peers fired like that. I hear what you are saying about cost-cutting in the face of the major expenditures on KU and find myself at a loss to reconcile the company's stated priorities of people potential first with such initiatives. These are the sorts of questions I ask Kusu when we meet. Regards, Nicole Mary, I was very sad to learn of the firings at the end of October of about eight very good people in Material Development and Instruction departments (some chose to leave around the same time, I believe for other reasons). .My understanding is that it was a cost-cutting measure, and that those who couldn’t or wouldn’t move to New Jersey to take part in the new training facility, Kumon University (KU), were fired.

It has been hard on morale for associates to see their peers fired like that.

I hear what you are saying about cost-cutting in the face of the major expenditures on KU and find myself at a loss to reconcile the company’s stated priorities of people potential first with such initiatives. These are the sorts of questions I ask Kusu when we meet.

Regards,

Nicole

]]> By: Mary http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/comment-page-1/#comment-19748 Mary Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:52:32 +0000 http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/#comment-19748 What do you all think of the recent layoffs of longtime Kumon employees right after the millions spent on the new corporate offices? What do you all think of the recent layoffs of longtime Kumon employees right after the millions spent on the new corporate offices?

]]> By: hallie http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/comment-page-1/#comment-18323 hallie Sat, 26 Dec 2009 02:48:21 +0000 http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/#comment-18323 Instructors don't worry, I use to work for a center in the NJ area, and there is a lawsuit coming. Instructors don’t worry, I use to work for a center in the NJ area, and there is a lawsuit coming.

]]> By: Nicole Smith http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/comment-page-1/#comment-18293 Nicole Smith Fri, 25 Dec 2009 14:05:59 +0000 http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/#comment-18293 Excellent blog, DJ, thanks so much. I hope that KNA thinks carefully about what you have said. We know that they are following your blogs and tweets, let`s just hope this doesn`t get lost in the shuffle because they are on holiday. Happy holidays to all, Nicole Excellent blog, DJ, thanks so much. I hope that KNA thinks carefully about what you have said. We know that they are following your blogs and tweets, let`s just hope this doesn`t get lost in the shuffle because they are on holiday.

Happy holidays to all,

Nicole

]]> By: DJ http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/comment-page-1/#comment-18251 DJ Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:16:12 +0000 http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/#comment-18251 Potential Fall Out from Franchisee Encroachment http://djpaboro.wordpress.com/ Potential Fall Out from Franchisee Encroachment http://djpaboro.wordpress.com/

]]> By: Shabbir Khalfan http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/comment-page-1/#comment-17543 Shabbir Khalfan Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:24:14 +0000 http://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/kumon-franchise-owner-complains-of-overexpansion/#comment-17543 Special Announcement : To All Independently Owned & Operated Kumon Centers 50% discount for all Custom Kumon Window / Glass Door Graphics and Signs (75% To Only Those affected by Kumon's Over Expansion in NYC). Signs2000 Corp. provided and installed most of the Signs and Graphics to all the recent newly developed Kumon owned centers in NYC : Chelsea, 320 West 23rd Street Midtown West, 747 10th Avenue Gramercy Park, 381 2nd Avenue West Village, 80 Carmine Street Chinatown, 123 Baxter Street Upper East Side, 1582 First Avenue, Battery Park City, 2 South End Avenue, Upper West Side,700 Columbus Avenue Harlem Central, 2235 Frederickl Douglas Blvd., We no longer provide service to Kumon North America. However, we will gladly service only independently owned and operated Kumon Centers at incredibly lower prices. These specially reduced rates are not for Kumon North America. Shabbir Khalfan Signs2000 Corp signs2k@gmail.com Special Announcement :

To All Independently Owned & Operated Kumon Centers
50% discount for all Custom Kumon Window / Glass Door Graphics and Signs
(75% To Only Those affected by Kumon’s Over Expansion in NYC).

Signs2000 Corp. provided and installed most of the Signs and Graphics to all the recent newly developed Kumon owned centers in NYC :
Chelsea, 320 West 23rd Street
Midtown West, 747 10th Avenue
Gramercy Park, 381 2nd Avenue
West Village, 80 Carmine Street
Chinatown, 123 Baxter Street
Upper East Side, 1582 First Avenue,
Battery Park City, 2 South End Avenue,
Upper West Side,700 Columbus Avenue
Harlem Central, 2235 Frederickl Douglas Blvd.,

We no longer provide service to Kumon North America. However, we will gladly service only independently owned and operated Kumon Centers at incredibly lower prices. These specially reduced rates are not for Kumon North America.

Shabbir Khalfan
Signs2000 Corp
signs2k@gmail.com

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