By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Grand Rapids-based myway Mobile Storage is the subject of a five-minute documentary for Eye On America with Greg Gumbel, scheduled to be filmed in Grand Rapids on April 16. The show selected myway, located at 15 Ionia SW, as an example of the innovative new franchise opportunities popping up across the United States.
"With the shift in the economy, more and more people are starting their own businesses and franchises seem to be the way to go for many people," says Bryan Houck, myway founder. Myway began offering unique franchise opportunities just over a year ago—hiring entrepreneurial trainees, paying them to learn the business, and after five years, 'graduating' them into their own franchises.
In that time, the company has sold four franchises in Pittsburgh, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Baltimore, grown from two to 11 staff, and doubled its sales every six months. What's more, Hauck is looking to add 17 jobs in the next few months: three marketing positions, eight call center staff, and six entrepreneurial trainees.
"This will give us some great national publicity, especially for franchise sales," Hauck says, adding that the company could draw potential franchisees to West Michigan after the documentary airs, probably some time in August.
"Our vision is to keep the headquarters, call center, training center, marketing, and IT supports based in downtown Grand Rapids," Houck says.
The documentary will air on the Travel Channel and 19 times on CNN Headline News, with distribution to 4,500 media outlets.
Source: Bryan Houck, myway Mobile Storage; Ellie Frey, Second Story Properties
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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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