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Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More, a Tampa-based national franchise brand, launches limited-time incentives for veterans and first responders, including 20% discounted initial investment and annual royalties waived for one year. The incentive program will run until September 2023.

Veterans & First Responders Franchise Incentives

The franchise brand has set its sights on Arizona, Florida and Texas for expansion but is offering a nationwide incentive for veterans and first responders. The financial incentives could add up to more than $15,000 for qualified veterans or first responders, depending on the location of the shop.

Big Frog launched the veteran-focused initiative to help veterans and first responders fulfill their dreams of owning a small business. Recently named one of the “Top Low-Cost Franchises” by Entrepreneur Magazine, Big Frog has made it a mission to help entrepreneurs start a profitable small business.

“We have always been committed to the success of our franchise store owners. In fact, during the pandemic, we eliminated royalty payments for 14 months – the equivalent of an $800,000 abatement for our franchisees and invested more than 2,200 hours in business coaching,” says Big Frog Franchise Group President & CEO Tina Bacon-DeFrece. “Our average store sales were up to 19% over 2019 numbers, so we know some of these incentives for veterans can translate into similar success.”

Veteran-Friendly Franchise

As a brand, Big Frog values veteran service. Bacon-DeFrece grew up in a military family. Her father was a commander in the U.S. Coast Guard, so the military connection runs deep.

Currently, veteran franchise owners account for more than 4% across the Big Frog system. This initiative aims to triple that number.

Several stores also rely heavily on veteran and reserve employees to manage shops or run critical day-to-day store operations. In addition, many shops independently support local veteran causes. With a “veteran-friendly DNA” firmly entrenched in the brand, launching this veteran franchise development initiative is the right move.

“In the franchising world, veterans and first responders make an ideal franchise candidate because they are disciplined and follow systems well,” said Bacon-DeFrece.

Big Frog Franchise Veteran Owners

Ethan Corbin, Big Frog owner in Sioux Falls, S.D., served in the U.S. Air Force for six years and was deployed in 2012 to Oman in the Middle East. Upon his discharge, he began making t-shirts in his basement because he could do small quantities for friends and family members.

“When my dad and I found the Big Frog franchise concept, I was all in because the brand is built on a ‘no minimum’ business model as well as strong community support,” Corbin said. “One t-shirt fundraiser helped an 18-day-old baby struggle to hang onto life and those parents still send me photos of a thriving ‘Toddler Trey.’ If that’s not a reason to be in business, I don’t know what is!”

The giving back benefit also resonates with Steve Haas, owner in Waco, Texas, who is a U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corp. veteran.

“We’re very fortunate to be involved in many different aspects of the community including helping a graduating high school senior who was homeless,” said Haas. “We were able to get him his cap and gown and invitations that allowed him to walk the stage with his classmates.”

Another positive aspect of the Big Frog concept for veterans is that, unlike a restaurant or other typical retail shop, the brand is built on a “family-friendly” business model with no nights and limited weekends. This appealed to Mark and Jenni Maniscalco, owners of the Big Frog of New Braunfels, Texas. Mark was an aircraft technician for the U.S. Coast Guard. He was stationed in California, Oregon and Alaska, and did four years of contract work in Afghanistan. When his tour of duty was over, Mark and Jenni decided to stay in the small community of New Braunfels to raise their young children.

“I began researching franchises and Big Frog was the perfect fit because it let me come home at night to the family and actually has time with them on the weekends,” Mark said.

One of the best things about the franchise model is the fact that local franchise owners interact with and can directly impact small businesses and their communities. This especially came to light during the 2020 pandemic when business owners – including our Big Frog owners – found ways to support each other and the community through various efforts: fundraising, free lunches, outdoor activities, free PPE gear, and more.

Small Businesses: Lifeblood of Our Economy

Not only do our small businesses lead the charge when a community is in crisis, it’s often said small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. They provide two-thirds of new jobs, drive U.S. innovation and competitiveness, and accounted for 44% of U.S. economic activity in 2019.

In fact, a 2021 Small Business Profile by the Small Business Administration (SBA) revealed 32.5 million small businesses employ 46.8% of the private workforce and most companies in the United States are very small businesses – 96% have 50 or fewer employees. So, even though Walmart employs a full 1% of the U.S. population, it is the small, locally owned businesses that have the most positive economic impact on our communities.

That’s why I’m immensely proud that Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More is among those small businesses positively impacting local shopping and cities while helping drive our local economies forward.

Shop Local All the Way

I’m proud and excited that we recently launched Shop Local All the Way – our very own initiative to help our local owners spotlight other small businesses in their community. The idea is to support other neighboring retailers & businesses by offering discounts, visibility on social media channels, and opportunities to win customized shirts and gear. With open nominations, we encourage people to “shop local” in small-towns and neighborhoods nationwide.

Shop Local All the Way was up and running for the launch of the recent holiday season which began with Small Business Saturday. The 12^th annual event on Saturday, Nov. 27^th encouraged buyers nationwide to support their local stores, shops, and restaurants. An American Express survey  revealed 70% of 2021 survey respondents reported Small Business Saturday makes them want to encourage others to shop at small, independently owned retailers.

We believe Big Frog customers espouse these same feelings. Our independent owners from coast-to-coast comment repeatedly about their “regular” customers and how connected they feel to their communities when they get to know their neighbors.

Being a small business like this today brings me tremendous gratification. I firmly believe small, independently owned retailers like Big Frog fuel local communities and have a unique opportunity to positively impact not only their own profitability and lifestyle, which is certainly an important goal, but can help local economies while supporting their neighbors.

I’ve been thinking lately a lot about the momentum that’s been made by women empowered by business over the years. It’s quite impressive. Part of it is self-reflection on my journey as CEO and Co-Founder of Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More, but if you are of a certain age, you can probably look back on your first job and realize just how far we’ve come in a generation or two.

Did you realize that only about 50 years ago, women-owned businesses represented less than 5% of all businesses? Today, that number has skyrocketed to nearly 50% according to a 2019 American Express State of Women-Owned Businesses report. More than 11.6 million businesses are owned by American women per the National Association of Women Business Owners. These companies generate $1.7 trillion in sales and employ nearly 9 million people.

From race to geography and gender and beyond, diversity in all its forms spurs innovation. And because women bring a different perspective to business ownership, we problem solve differently and innovate in new and creative ways. This bodes well for our economy and is evident in the fact that women-owned firms (51% or more) account for 39% of all privately held firms and contribute 8% of employment and 4.2% of revenues. In fact, one in five firms with revenue of $1 million or more is woman-owned.

While the pandemic shutdown caused far more women than men to leave the workplace, we still don’t know how many women-owned businesses were created. With necessity being the mother of all invention, I would surmise that despite the hardships the pandemic has brought forth, it seems likely that women-run businesses will continue to increase with creative and inspirational new companies being formed every day.

While the trends are positive, women still face more obstacles and barriers than other entrepreneurs when starting and growing their businesses. Eliminating those barriers that thwart growth and opportunity can not only spur our collective economic recovery, but it can also spark productivity, job creation and wealth across all sectors of the economy.

One of the most widely acknowledged and turnkey paths to entrepreneurship is through franchising. After opening Big Frog to franchising in 2008 – we’ve grown into a brand that consists of more than 50% female franchise owners or co-owners.

Did you know that according to a December 2019 Wall Street Journal article, women own or co-own 35% of franchises in the U.S. – about 245,000 units. That represents women-owned franchise growth of 24% from just 10 years earlier.

At Big Frog, being women-owned is something we take immense pride in. As a low-cost, high-volume proven concept, Big Frog is a business that specializes in Direct-to-Garment Printing, along with a variety of decorating services like Screen Printing, Embroidery, Ultra Print, Vinyl & Direct-to-Garment White. Our revenue stream is unlimited, attracting both B-to-C and B-to-B customers. At Big Frog, we make operating a business easy with minimal overhead, including a 2-to-3 team member ratio and low inventory. Our customers also love us. More than 70% of our customers come from repeat-and-referral business. And maybe most important of all, Big Frog is in the people business. Our daylight operating hours makes Big Frog’s model the perfect fit for families. With 9 am – 6 pm weekday retail hours and limited Saturday hours, quality time with family is not diminished just because you own and operate your own business.

From our corporate support systems to our streamlined business model, the entire Big Frog franchise system is designed to set up its local franchise owners for success.  With a strong brand identity, excellent franchise relationships, and passionate executive leadership team firmly established, we also boast an affordable average initial investment of approximately $182,904 – $253,041 including a $39,500 franchise fee.

If you’re interested in learning a little bit more about Big Frog or want to talk about women and entrepreneurship, give us a call at 866-971-3764 or visit us at BIGFROGFRANCHISE.COM.

Online retail competition isn’t what it’s cut out to be – and here’s why. Let’s take Amazon, for example, it isn’t the retail behemoth so many independent stores think it is. Sure, it’s big (ok, massive) in online selling, but it doesn’t measure up to Big Frog when it comes to the loyal passion our shoppers show for our custom products, personalized service, and valued contributions to the local community.

Delivery Isn’t Better with Amazon Prime

Our Big Frog stores offer a one-of-a-kind shopping experience the minute customers walk through the door into our colorful showrooms where they can touch, feel and try on products. Our stores are a destination for screen-weary customers seeking in-person inspiration. And when our customers do need an order delivered, it’s fulfilled and shipped with the greatest attention to detail and quality – one of the many ways Big Frog beats the online retail competition.

As a locally owned Big Frog franchise, here are some franchise business tips on how your store can stand out from the crowded online marketplace:

Know your niches. Focus on the customers who are most profitable for your store. Are they parents with kids on youth sports teams? Newly engaged couples planning fun ways to celebrate their upcoming nuptials with themed engagement party Ts? Is it the yoga studio down the street catering to the 60-plus crowd? Remember, our products aren’t only direct-to-consumer; they help other businesses sell to their customers.

Send them reminders and discounts. As you close the sale, ask your customer if it’s tied to a special event, like soccer season starting up or Grandma’s weeklong vacation with the kids next week. When the same time comes around next year, call or email them a reminder of the amazing custom shirts that would make their event even more special, and offer a limited-time offer.

Welcome customers’ fur babies with a biscuit. Treat their fur babies, and you’ll have a friend (and customer!) for life. Pampering your customers’ pooches makes an instant emotional connection that they’ll take with them after they leave your store. Always ask them first if it’s OK to treat their pup. Even if your customer says “not this time,” she’ll remember your generous gesture.

Tell your story.  Showcase your people. Show off your graphic designer’s most creative looks on social media. Profile the smiling face who greets customers every day in-store at your website. As the owner, share your own voice. A couple of months in advance of the holidays, pitch to your local news or radio program the value of shopping locally and customizable gifts and offer an on-camera interview and tour of your shop. The media is always looking for content.

Online retail competition can be steep, but there’s one way locally owned brick-and-mortar businesses always wins – it’s the personalized service we offer within our own communities.

As each state across the nation begins navigating through their new normal – whether they begin to reopen or continue their social distancing protocols – the one thing that has prevailed is the overwhelming sense of community and support shown towards each other, which is something that should never fade.

From once providing locals with customized apparel for marathons, school outings and recreational sports tournaments, our franchise owners of Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More, quickly rerouted and have utilized their resources to create masks for the community and healthcare professionals, spreading the love to those in assisted living facilities, and supporting other small businesses in this time of need. While some Big Frog locations had to close their doors and others had to modify their operations, our franchise partners saw this time as an opportunity to step up in their communities in a different way.

We didn’t expect anything less of our franchise partners, and we are humbled to hear first-hand that dozens of our franchisees have stepped up in their own unique way to provide comfort, support and compassion to their communities. In addition to extending a hand to their neighbors, they came together, as a part of Big Frog’s franchise network, to offer words of wisdom and best practices on how to navigate through the hardships inflicted by the pandemic.

Mara and John Dougherty of our Northwest Arkansas location made their presence and support known in their community by creating a COVID-19 themed t-shirt collection that not only brought lighthearted humor to these trying times, but a portion of the sales have been donated to the CDC Foundation’s Emergency Response Fund. They also partnered with a local non-profit to provide meals to families in need and offered #FAITHNotFear t-shirts for their volunteers. The pair even launched an #EverydayHERO campaign, which delivered hundreds of shirts to nominated healthcare professionals, teachers and grocery store workers.

Mara and John’s efforts are further showcased in Inc.com.

Hitting close to home, Basil Bearer and Brittany Miller, owners of Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More of Mequon, WI launched an initiative with the help of Home Helpers Home Care to bring messages of love, health and hope to local elderly residents in assisted living communities during the COVID-19 outbreak. The messages – written by the residents’ loved ones, who may be unable to see them in person – are printed on a t-shirt and delivered to the facility, free of charge for all involved. With the gracious donations of local businesses in the area, 300+ shirts will be created and delivered to residents in various living communities throughout their area.

Big Frog of Mequon chose to give back in this aspect as they recognized this community as one that is being hit the hardest by the virus – many of whom are even more isolated from those who bring them the most comfort and love. The first shipment of shirts was delivered to Hamilton House Senior Living in Cedarburg, WI with messages of hope, love and unwavering strength written by family members big and small.

These amazing contributions are featured on Fox6 Now and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Likewise, providing support in their community is Lori Mumma Jozwiak owner of Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More of Naperville, IL, who has launched a collaborative fundraising campaign, “Better Together,” that helps support other small businesses in the area. Each business that sells a t-shirt will receive $6 back per shirt, and can choose how these funds are spent. For example, some businesses might wish to donate to a local charity while others for operational costs due to closures – such as providing support for furloughed bartenders and servers.

This campaign wasn’t the first community-centric idea from Lori and Big Frog of Naperville. When COVID-19 first began, Lori pulled from her experience as a social worker paired with her sewing skills to whip up masks each day, which she puts outside of her shop for the community to take as Illinois faces at least another month of social distancing.

Lori also donated 80 #NurseLife themed shirts to the COVID-19 unit at Edwards Hospital since a lot of nurses expressed worry that they’d carry the virus back to their families or had to unexpectedly stay the night, she wanted to provide them with an empowering, clean shirt.

Recently, Lori’s efforts were featured in the Daily Herald, a suburban newspaper in the Chicagoland area.

We are honored to have the ability to stick to our commitment as a brand that is immersed in the day-to-day lives of the nearly 90 communities we serve, while showcasing our shared understanding of the impact the pandemic has had on all.

In the past 10 years we’ve opened nearly  100 Big Frog Custom T-Shirt stores, developed a nationwide presence and were crowned the #1 franchise in the garment retail industry. Next, we plan on bringing our growth plan back to where it all began: our home state of Florida.

The goal? To open 30 new Big Frog locations in the Sunshine State over the next two years. “Florida is the number one t-shirt market in the United States, and our brand already has a strong name recognition in the state,” said Tina Bacon-DeFrece, President of Big Frog. “We are eager to seek out and train enthusiastic local residents who want to bring Big Frog into their communities.”

Right now, there are 12 Big Frog stores scattered throughout the state, which while a great start, means that some Florida residents have to drive a few hours if they want to visit a store. The growth strategy for the next two years seeks to solve this problem by strategically opening stores in key markets such as Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Naples, Sarasota and the Panhandle. A new location has already opened with great success in the Palm Coast area and one is coming soon to the Winter Garden/Ocoee area;  this has served as the catalyst for this explosive growth plan. “As a one-of-a-kind service provider, our location has received an incredible response from the Palm Coast community,” store owner Mark Khadoo (pictured above) said. “It’s been a thrill to be an active participant in so many events the city has to offer, and we’re excited to continue developing in such a viable market.”

As a company that started with big dreams, this latest growth plan is certainly not the end of Big Frog’s surge to the top. The franchise will continue to branch out into additional markets across the United States, with Bacon-DeFrece expecting the company to hit 300 stores by the early 20’s.

If you’re a resident of Florida and interested in bringing Big Frog to your community, we encourage you to contact our International Headquarters in Dunedin for more information. You can reach us at (727) 286-8985.

When a new franchise business opens its doors, it’s natural for them to optimistically dream about the growth and success they’ll achieve in the future.  When we opened our first store almost 10 years ago, we did it too.

We’re now proud to say that through hard work, a solid business model and a great community of franchisees, we’re exceeding our own expectations – and hitting milestones many franchise organizations never achieve…never mind in less than 10 short years of business.

“We learned early on, the most important factor in a healthy franchise organization is happy and profitable franchisees,” said our President Tina Bacon-DeFrece. “Our entire team truly focuses everything we do on improving the franchisee experience and building their success. We promote transparency, planning and open communication to grow our brand to new heights.”

By focusing on the franchisee experience – and providing them with the support, training and coaching needed to grow a successful business, we’ve had nine years of double digit growth. In fact, we’ve just celebrated the opening of our 100th location – with plans to open 25 more stores in 2018.

It’s a level of success we couldn’t have reached without the dedication and enthusiasm of our franchisees. These men and women are contributing positively to their communities, building relationships with each other and representing a brand they believe it – not just for their own personal gain, but for their customers, their fellow franchisees and the entire organization.

We’re proud to have partnered with such a qualified and dedicated group of professionals. It’s because of you that we’re one of the top franchise opportunities in the market right now. And it will be because of you that we’ll continue to grow and open new stores both this year and in the years to come.

“Never underestimate the power of a t-shirt.”

That was Robyn Brewington’s reaction after her Southern Las Vegas store was flooded with orders in the wake of the mass shooting last October that left Vegas – and the rest of our nation – heartbroken. In the days after the tragedy, Robyn and her team worked around the clock to produce “Vegas Strong” t-shirts and give them away to members of the community. That idea spurred another, and they then began selling the shirts as a way to raise money for the victim’s fund. With a direct 50 percent match from Zappo’s, the store has raised over $30,000 for the cause to date.

“It’s been incredible, everybody wants to have one because I think they want to feel like they’re showing, on their person, how they feel about this,” she said in an interview for KTNV Las Vegas (you can see the full story here).

Rebuilding Communities Far and Wide

The Southern Las Vegas Big Frog store wasn’t the only location that believed in the power of a t-shirt in 2017. With serious natural disasters in northern California and Texas, many stores in those areas also rallied together to support and help rebuild their communities. In Mountain View, California, Big Frog collected clothes for those impacted by wildfires. In Texas, almost two dozen stores created and sold #TexasStrong t-shirts to raise money after Hurricane Harvey.

There’s no doubt that it’s been a difficult fall, with serious tragedy directly impacting many parts of the country (and taking a toll on us all).  It’s these unfortunate moments that test our resolve – and make us even more reliant on the support of our family, friends and community.

From all of us, thank you for being a source of strength and hope in the communities you serve. We couldn’t be prouder to have you in the Big Frog family.

For those outside of the franchise industry, it may seem counterintuitive to open stores in close proximity to each other. After all, how can you be successful when you’re competing against your fellow franchisees?  Aren’t one (or more) of you bound to fail?

But the result isn’t always conflict and unhealthy competition…rather, it can be a community of like-minded business professionals focused on one thing: working together to build a better, more successful brand.

The Benefits of Froggy Fellowship

When showing how powerful this teamwork can be, there’s no better place to look than the relationship between a group of Big Frog franchisees in Texas. “One of the first things I noticed as a Big Frog owner, was that the top three stores in the country were all in the Atlanta metroplex,” Plano franchisee Joe Mock said. “This was also where Big Frog had the largest concentration of stores. This led me to the conclusion that rather than compete with one another, there was an obvious advantage to building brand recognition in a market that benefited all owners.”

Inspired by what he saw in Atlanta, Mock made the decision to embrace Big Frog newcomers in his Texas community- rather than compete with them. From loaning printing equipment when a store’s machines were down, to letting a new franchisee try their vinyl cutter before deciding to purchase their own, franchisees worked together to build each other up.

“Over three years, we went from being the #3 store in the system, to #2 and last year we were #1,” Mock said. “Clearly it took more than adding new stores, but it certainly didn’t hamper our ability to grow and prosper.”

 

Today there are seven stores in the area and they continue to work together closely. In addition to lending a helping hand (or heat press) when it’s needed, the owners meet several times a year to discuss business issues such as special pricing, personnel and vendor performance.

And then other times? They get together for nothing more than a good meal and some froggy fellowship. After all, building a strong, supportive community is what Big Frog is all about.

Have you been struck by the entrepreneurial bug?

Whether you’re a new or seasoned franchise owner, building a successful business can be a thrilling prospect. But while you may be building your OWN business, you certainly won’t be doing it alone. Not when you join the Big Frog family, anyway.

At Big Frog, teamwork, community and open communication combine to create a culture akin to a tight-knit family. In fact, it was President Tina Bacon-DeFrece’s experience growing up in the military that helped shape our company values – and contribute to the company’s growth. Below we discuss a few of the ways these experiences shine through in the culture of Big Frog. You can read more about Tina, her background and the Big Frog connection, by checking out this article in Forbes Magazine.

Teamwork

Life on a military base gave Tina a first-hand look at what can be accomplished when people work together for the common good…not just in terms of productivity, but also in the safety and sense of community that evolves from that level of teamwork.

Listening to our franchisees and hearing their opinions is one way we’ve tried to mimic that same level of community at Big Frog. Through this commitment, franchisees are better able to see themselves as true partners in our brand.

 Community

 Our relationship with the local community is also something very important to us at Big Frog.

One way we gave back recently, was through the sponsorship of an area middle school. Not only did franchisees visit the school to meet with students, but we also brought students back to our annual convention for an inspirational session that included open dialogue about hopes, dreams and the path to entrepreneurship.

Communication

Moving around and meeting different people gave Tina early exposure to how quickly language and communication styles can change depending on where – and who – you’re speaking with.

A key to developing that adaptability? It comes in part to an ability to listen and be there for your team. One way we do this at Big Frog is through our Big Froggers Facebook page. Here, franchisees and employees gather to engage, ask questions and share their success stories.

These three qualities play an important role in the culture of Big Frog. What qualities are most important to you when choosing a franchise?