Former journalist Susan Schopp had a desire to help her community and utilize her experience in journalism while being able to work at home with her young children. She had a passion for community members to tell and share their own story and thus founded Neighbor’s Choice – a community-centered neighborhood newsletter brand. Neighbor’s Choice assists neighborhoods of all sizes to stay better connected by producing and distributing individualized monthly or bi-monthly newsletters written by community leaders that include ad space for local businesses.
Franchise Chatter (FC): Welcome, Susan. What is Neighbor’s Choice? Can you share more about the concept?
Susan Schopp (SS): Neighbor’s Choice is the official publication of every neighborhood they serve, offering resources like newsletters and advertising to unite communities all across the country. Neighbor’s Choice connects local businesses, residents, and neighborhood leaders to provide important information, bringing positive change in the community.
FC: What would you say are your brand’s biggest differentiators for prospective franchisees looking to invest?
SS: We understand better than anyone that different neighborhoods have unique needs and it is important that we cater to those needs by providing community leaders with effective ways to communicate. To help with this task, we offer a comprehensive training program that ensures franchisees have all the resources they need to unite communities one newsletter at a time.
Our staff will be by your side every step of the way, with each franchisee being assigned a mentor for three months.
FC: What makes Neighbor’s Choice a strong business opportunity for franchise owners?
SS: This opportunity allows franchisees to set their own hours and prioritize what things are most important to them. As an entrepreneur who started this business at home so I could work while being with my kids, I know how important it is to have a balance between work and family.
Owning a Neighbor’s Choice franchise location comes with the flexibility to run the business from home, or even on the go, thanks to today’s technology.
FC: What qualities do you look for in potential franchisees?
SS: First and foremost, franchisees must be a good salesperson because they’re selling advertising and signing people up for the newsletter. They also need to have strong communication skills because franchisees will have to talk to an array of people within their communities.
FC: What is the typical investment to open a Neighbor’s Choice franchise location?
SS: We have a base franchise fee of $35,000 and the total investment comes in at an unbeatable price, ranging from $60,000-$85,000.
FC: Where is Neighbor’s Choice looking to expand in the near future?
SS: Neighbor’s Choice started in my home state of Texas and serves nearly 100 communities there. We are currently adding one to two neighborhoods each week, so we are growing rapidly and franchising all across the country will help us share news that people want to know about in as many places as we can. Our brand thrives best in urban areas because their dense populations allow us to reach hundreds and thousands of people, so expanding to cities is ideal.
FC: What can we expect from Neighbor’s Choice in the future?
SS: Within the next year, we would like to sell three to five franchises per month and provide our services to more states.
FC: How can our readers learn more about franchising opportunities with Neighbor’s Choice?
SS: To learn more about franchising opportunities with Neighbor’s Choice, please visit https://neighborschoice.com/get-started/.
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