Today marks our 653nd show…Our special guest today is Chris Simnick, founder of the Synergy Franchise Group.  With over 40 years of experience as an independent businessman, franchisee, and franchiser, including fifteen years of international experience in launching and assisting franchise systems in Europe and the Pacific Rim, Chris Simnick knows the ins and outs of franchising, and how to establish and fine tune operations to ensure a profitable business at start-up, stability, or maturity - when a refresh or expansion to a new concept is desired. Chris has accomplished this by creating the Synergy Franchise Group Network consisting of the Synergy Franchis Group LLC and FranchiseTeacher.com. Through these organizations, Chris and his team has  guided clients through the process of identifying and purchasing the right franchise based on their interests, personality, and skill level; and assisted others on the opposite end of the spectrum determine if their concept was suitable for franchising, how to recruit and develop franchisees, and how to set up the infrastructure and processes necessary to operate the system effectively and profitably. They provide consulting to both franchisers and franchisees, in all industries and in all sizes, on specific issues ranging from the development of growth strategies to conducting operational reviews and profit & loss analyses to setting up lead generation and tracking programs. They also offer personalized one-on-one coaching to meet any need.