GALLATIN, TN--(Marketwire - Apr 25, 2011) - This year, National Small Business Week, May 16-20, will again shine the spotlight on entrepreneurs and independent business owners and the unique contribution they make to the economic strength of America. SERVPRO hopes that the week's focus on the opportunity inherent in small business ownership may strike a responsive chord with experienced professionals who are looking to take a new direction in the workplace.
Whether attracted by the lure of independence, or driven by competition in the jobs marketplace, more and more seasoned professionals are investigating franchise ownership as their next career move. There's a good reason for this, according to Rick Isaacson, executive vice president of Servpro Industries, Inc. "Experience in business does not necessarily translate into experience in business ownership," said Isaacson. "When you purchase a franchise, you are given a roadmap on how to operate the key areas of the business, including management, marketing, business operations, sales and finance. This guidance helps a first-time business owner stay focused on the critical operating components that contribute to running a successful small business."
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, more than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and small businesses create 60-80 percent of new jobs in the country. The small businesses of America drive innovation while they create jobs for the 21st century and enhance our nation's competitive position in the world.
The franchise industry occupies an impressive segment of that small business universe. The International Franchise Association (IFA) published economic impact data prepared for the IFA Education Foundation by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which illustrated that 900,000 franchise businesses provide over 20 million jobs and generate $2.3 trillion in economic activity.
"The opportunity that a well-established franchise like SERVPRO offers is really limited only by the effort and determination of the franchise owner," said Isaacson. "We were ranked #8 in Entrepreneur magazine's 2011 Franchise 500, and placed #1 in the disaster recovery and restoration category for the eighth consecutive year. Small Business Week is really a great time to reflect on whether business ownership is the right choice for you. After all, all SERVPRO owners benefit when new owners join the company and are willing to work hard to maintain our reputation of integrity and professionalism."
SERVPRO specializes in disaster restoration, cleanup and repair services, helping to remediate fire or water damage for both commercial and residential customers. SERVPRO also offers mold remediation, carpet and upholstery cleaning and other home-maintenance and restoration services.
For more information about SERVPRO, please visit www.servpro.com.
About SERVPRO
Founded in 1967, the SERVPRO franchise system is a national leader and provider of fire and water cleanup and restoration services and mold mitigation and remediation. SERVPRO's professional services network of more than 1,500 individually owned and operated franchises responds to property damage emergencies ranging from small individual disasters to multi-million dollar large-loss situations. Providing coverage in 48 states, the SERVPRO System has established relationships with major insurance companies and commercial clients, as well as individual homeowners. All SERVPRO franchises are independently owned and operated.