2021 FRANCHISE REPORT Cortez MastoBEHIND THE CURTAIN ExposesDr. John HayesEXPERIMAC FranchiseEXPERIMAX FranchiseJim MuirLisa WelkoRay TitusSBA FRANCHISE LOANSSenator Cortez MastoSPOTLIGHT 1UncategorizedUNITED FRANCHISE GROUP (UFG) Franchise

EXPERIMAX EXPERIMAC Franchise Expose: Behind the Curtain Web Series

EXPERIMAX EXPERIMAC Franchise Expose: Behind the Curtain Web Series gives you an insider’s glimpse into the process allegedly being used by deceptive franchise sellers, their co-conspirators and their endorsers to extract millions of dollars from investors, the SBA guaranteed loan program & the American taxpayer.  This is the first in a series created to illustrate & discuss the vital issues detailed in Senator Cortez Masto’s 87-page report on predatory practices in franchising.  by Sean Kelly

(UnhappyFranchisee.Com)  Experimax is a $350,000 franchise investment being aggressively promoted by United Franchise Group (UFG), headed by Ray Titus.

Experimac Franchise ReportEvery franchise publication, trade show, advertising portal and broker seems to be promoting Experimax as a fast-growing, profitable concept supported by a leading, respectable franchisor.

United Franchise Group,  UFG founder Ray Titus, and “Experimac” founder Jim Muir have sold and enabled SBA financing for hundreds of Experimax / Experimax franchisees.

According to UnhappyFranchisee.Com publisher and creator of Experimax Franchise Expose Behind the Curtain Sean Kelly, approximately 73% of those franchisees have likely failed, and 66% of their SBA-backed loans have defaulted.  And yet UFG keeps selling…

Please share your thoughts, opinions and experiences with a comment below, or by emailing Sean Kelly in confidence at UnhappyFranchisee[at]Gmail.Com.

SHARE:  Please share this link to you contacts and on social media accounts:  https://www.unhappyfranchisee.com/experimax-experimac-franchise-expose/

INVITATION:  Individuals & companies discussed in this presentation or elsewhere on UnhappyFranchisee are invited to provide corrections, clarifications, updates and/or rebuttals below or by email to UnhappyFranchisee[at]Gmail.Com.  Opinions are that of the author and all opinions are welcome.  Copyrighted images are used under the doctrine of fair use.

SUPPORT:  If you would like to support honest and courageous truthtelling about Experimac/x and other UFG franchises consider donating to the Experimax Franchise Report fundraiser.   General contributions can be made at the Contribute section.  Editorial suggestions can be sent, in confidence, to UnhappyFranchisee[at]Gmail.com.

Experimax Franchise Expose: Behind the Curtain SERIES OVERVIEW (12:11)

Direct link:  https://youtu.be/Q5VvmXciCAw

Series Overview (Above) provides a condensed version of the Experimax / Experimac Franchise Expose with minimal commentary.  For a more detailed account, view the Full Presentation (50:03) or watch segments individually, below.

EXPERIMAX Franchise Expose Behind the Curtain Full Presentation (50:03)

Direct link:  https://youtu.be/oTB7j8OTDl0

The Full presentation walks you through the process Experimac/Experimax experienced in researching, funding, opening and closing UFG’s much-hyped franchise, including the Hype, the Endorsers, The Marks, The Pitch, the $$$ Extraction, and The Outcome.

EXPERIMAX Franchise Behind the Curtain (Individual Segments) Part 1: Introduction (3:21)

Direct link: https://youtu.be/csJ2Y1KCDbo

What this is all about… and why.

Part 2: The Hype (8:26)

Direct link: https://youtu.be/Lp5xN9q0XN4

The franchise community is filled with shiny happy people who never have a bad word to say about any franchise opportunity or any franchise seller… though if you ask them about UnhappyFranchisee…

Part 3: Endorsers (4:08)

Direct link:  https://youtu.be/rLdkPZBsKwM

United Franchise Group (UFG) and Experimax / Experimac seem highly trusted and highly trustworthy thanks to the community of attorneys, board members, loan brokers, franchise brokers, service providers, publications, advertising reps, association members, trade show promoters and others who make a living off marginal-to-doomed franchise opportunities.

Part 4: The Marks (2:28)

Direct link:  https://youtu.be/d1-KBZMAU94

The common wisdom is that failed franchisees didn’t do their homework, didn’t follow the system and should have known better.  Experimac / Experimax debunks this generalized fallacy.  In this case, the more homework one did, the more they were misled.

Part 5: The Pitch (4:32)

Direct link: https://youtu.be/RW4IojugYRo

Q.  What kind of pitch does it take to get educated, cautious people to invest their life savings, take on hundreds of thousands of $$$ in debt and commit to a 35-year contract?

A.  A damn good one.

Part 6:  $$$ Extraction (2:48)

Direct link: https://youtu.be/jmFDVSa0Kc0

At their essence, many predatory franchise schemes are a clever collaboration between franchisors/banks/funding brokers to use franchisees’ creditworthiness to extract large sums of money from consumers and taxpayers via the SBA guaranteed loan program.

Part 7: The Outcome (20:39)

Direct link: https://youtu.be/bkJUomxsweI

After a pleasant journey down the yellow brick road and wonderful visit with those at the Emerald City, Experimac / Experimax franchisees got their inevitable glimpse Behind the Curtain.  The result was more terrifying than flying monkeys.

Part 8:  Invitation (4:41)

Direct link: https://youtu.be/ss5x-SXjvoA

What do you think?  Share your opinion below or in an email to unhappyfranchisee[at]gmail.com.

Should United Franchise Group (UFG) be allowed to continue to advertise & sell Experimax – or any other franchise – using an illusion of success?

Should the SBA revoke the Experimac guarantees that were based on fraudulent projections and wipe away franchisee/victims loan obligations?

Should the FTC and DOJ open an inquiry on Ray Titus & UFG’s suspected violations of the Permanent Injunction issued in 20+ years ago for these same alleged practices?

Should the SBA stop risking taxpayer money to reward banks and franchisors for promoting high-risk, high-failure franchises?

Speak out!  Get heard!

Behind the Curtain Extra:  Ray Titus Tribute (:57)

Direct link: https://youtu.be/lOP5v5pOEAg

UFG CEO Ray Titus has never lost a night of sleep in 26 years.  That’s what we were afraid of…

Behind the Curtain Extra:  Jim Muir Tribute (1:10)

Direct link: https://youtu.be/mge5uhBvMLY

Jim Muir, founder of Experimac, personifies the saying “The secret to sales is sincerity.  Once you can fake that, the rest is easy.”

Behind the Curtain Extra:  Dr. John Hayes / Paul Bosley Tribute ()

[COMING SOON]
Dr. John Hayes is proof that anyone can be an reknowned “expert” in franchising… and a best-selling author… just by saying so.

Paul Bosley has created the McDonald’s-like assembly-line of SBA loans.  He states “anyone can be a loan broker,” though it seems that lack of conscience is a definite plus.

Playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2OqOnXssrz1ORdtT0VGUd_ORUxGlvxe2

Behind the Curtain Extra:  For Yourself, Not BY Yourself (:29)

Direct link:  https://youtu.be/EovOAE5svCQ

The franchise industry loves a good catch-phrase.  If it ain’t broke… am I right?

Playlist on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2OqOnXssrz1ORdtT0VGUd_ORUxGlvxe2

Related reading:

Senator Cortez Masto: 2021 Franchise Report & Discussion

EXPERIMAC Franchise SBA Loans Investigated by U.S. Senator

EXPERIMAX EXPERIMAC Franchise Report (The Index)

Experimax Posts

EXPERIMAC Franchise Complaints

EXPERIMAC Franchise Complaints – Part 2

EXPERIMAC Franchise Closed Store List – UPDATED

Is the EXPERIMAC Franchise Chain Built on a Lie? Chicago Experimac Closing Raises Questions.

EXPERIMAC, UFG Franchise Funding Trap: The Paul Bosley Interview

ALSO READ:

FRANCHISE DISCUSSIONS by Company

ARE YOU A UFG FRANCHISE OWNER OR FRANCHISEE?  ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH EXPERIMAX, UNITED FRANCHISE GROUP OR RAY TITUS?  SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.

Contact UnhappyFranchisee.com

Tags: Experimax, Experimax franchise, Experimac, Experimac franchise, UFG, United Franchise Group, UFG Expose, Ray titus expose, franchise expose, Ray Titus, John Hayes, SBA guaranteed loans, franchise loans, franchise funding, Paul Bosley, Business Finance Depot, Tim Phillips, Titus Center, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Catherine Cortez Masto, Cortez Masto Franchise Report, Unhappy Franchisee, Sean Kelly

10 thoughts on “EXPERIMAX EXPERIMAC Franchise Expose: Behind the Curtain Web Series

  • It’s amazing how these predatory companies still are allowed to get SBA backing. Thank you for continuing to expose these “franchisors” and their schemes! Keep up the good fight!

  • Marie Umberger

    I’m embarrassed to admit I fell prey to these people. I’m typically extremely cynical but I let them get me.

    They have a very professional polished pitch they have an extravagant headquarters they spend money to get you to believe they are good at what they do. After you buy into it you start finding out many many things were a lie.

    They said they have never had a failure. Later I found they were trying to keep them away from me so I could ask specific questions.

    They gave me financial statements of stores that were doing it. Found out later that was an absolute lie. Part of their big operation was getting you into an SBA loan. They said it would be easy because the SBA already knew what a winner Experimac was. Had it not been the end of the Great Recession and I was older. The age bias was real. I thought I have to do this for myself. They so convinced me this was real.

    All it did was wipe out my retirement. Saddled me with crushing debt. Please please beware of UFG & Experimac/Experimax. The actual numbers of the failure rate is shocking.

    One more thing: It would not be surprising if 10% of franchises fail. It would be understandable. But when 65% – 70% or more are failing, the franchisor needs to stop and figure out what is wrong with the system. To just keep selling a defective franchise that is more than likely going to fail is unconscionable.

  • Thanks for your comment, Marie.

    One of the points made in the videos is that those who were careful and did their homework were most at risk – since they are masters of planting false credibility. Like being named in Dr. John Hayes’ Amazing Franchises book – which we discovered was a paid promotion… $5K for a chapter the companies were free to write themselves!

  • Missy Morrissey

    Thank you so much for putting all of this together. I too fell prey to this and lost a lot in the process. My life is changed forever from this experience and it was a very expensive lesson. I know a lot of great people who lost a lot to this franchise and it makes me angry that they continue to sell them. It clearly doesn’t work. The people in these videos lied directly to my face and continue to lie to others to this day. Thank you so much for bringing this out in the open. They allowed store after store to fail (even though we had the promise of an “experienced franchise group behind us” and never once stopped to try to fix what was broken. They just kept selling more stores to get the money and never once tried to help keep the existing stores above water. I cannot believe they get away with this.

  • Marie, if you could send me an email to kmiller@franchiseeadvocacy.com. You have 2 new Senators in Georgia. They need to hear your story, and support Senator Cortez Masto’s efforts, both her franchise report that specifically calls out Experimac, and S.1120, which would require specific disclosures for SBA loans and probably would have made your loan impossible if you had that information. I’ll help you contact those offices and give you specific talking points. For the laws to change, Congress needs to hear true stories from franchisees, not just the lies from the franchisor community.

  • Thank you first off for the work you are doing these people are predators.

    I am one of the many people who fell to this scam. It all started during my transition process out of the armed forces. I had to fill out information on websites pertaining to franchises. Experimac was sent my info and they contacted me. They sent a young kid named Matt to give me sales pitch and how grand the company was. Once the initial sales pitch is made they pass you off to another individual the next rung in the ladder scam. In my case it was a gentleman named Mike white.

    The more meetings we had the more he kept pushing that I had to go there to see it for myself and it’s all paid for by them ( you just have to give them a $5500 deposit to go). They fly you to Florida and give you this grand tour and over and over tell you how Ray makes millions and it’s such a great business opportunity (they also have fake customers come in while your there it’s a good show now that I look back).

    In my case I kept asking about how other franchises have done and to see numbers on closures, openings, how much they made who defaulted I thought were valid questions. What I was told over and over again by UFG representatives was I only get that after I sign a contract.

    Again the reason I signed was they told me that they had other people interested In the area I would claim and they couldn’t guarantee me the contract if I waited until after in the case the Christmas holidays of 2016. So once I gave them the $44,500 they still didn’t give me the information, just kept pushing loans on me.

    Once I figured out I could not fund by the means they promoted nor can you operate the franchise with the system and logistics they have in place. They also make this big deal on how they are family oriented and care about the community and they are involved in the church and are great people. When I had a serious injury due to my military service, the sudden death of my mother and maybe a cancer battle. Even when I wrote a note and asked for my money back they refused to contact me. When I finally got a hold of the company they said sorry we don’t do that… tough luck.

    I have never received updates and never was I contacted about my contract… not a word. They took my money and ran. They are criminals plain and simple. As a disabled veteran, I am disgusted on how they have treated me and from I can see many others.

    I pray for all of you and I am adding my financial support, what I have left to help bring then to justice. All of this happened in North Carolina for me. I still have all the original contracts and paperwork they gave me never once was any information on Experimacs franchises zero.

    I just hope we can all get closure and prevent others from falling prey.

  • I was one of the lucky ones who dodged the bullet at the last minute. Now looking back I can see the red signs from day one but i kept ignoring them for some stupid reason. The final straw was when i spoke to a current franchisee and he sounded very depressed (really really depressed) and i said to myself i do not ever want to be that person and I refused. Then came their pressure tactics like “other people are interested in the territory etc etc. But I refused to budge. They eventually sold the city I am in but that location barely lasted 6 months and closed.
    There should be some legal actions against these crooks and their supporters like “Dr. John Hayes’” who scam common people out of their life savings. I am sure there is a special place in hell for people like these.

  • Thanks for your comment, akkas, and congratulations on dodging the UFG franchise bullet.

    Once again, the importance of trusting your gut is validated.

    I don’t know if there’s a special place in hell for Dr. John Hayes, but I can guarantee there’s a special place on UnhappyFranchisee.Com!

    His books, podcasts and little youtube show are clearly, in my opinion, paid endorsements disguised as unbiased expert recommendations… in violation of the Franchise rule and FTC regulations against undisclosed paid endorsements.

  • What happened with Amazon banning his book?

  • He took some down but I think he reposted some with a fineprint disclaimer.

    His How to Buy a Franchise show is one big paid but undisclosed endorsement, IMHO

    Seems like UFG is basically paying him through the Titus Center tax write-off and he uses the school to promote UFG franchises and recruit employees and interns

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *