1-800-Radiator & A/C Franchise Spotlight: Steven Edelstein

Each month 1-800-Radiator & A/C recognizes the franchise with the best performance. To determine the top franchise of the month, a variety of sales and growth metrics are considered. For the month of July, Steven Edelstein of warehouse #533 in Pittsburg, PA was recognized.

Steven and his wife, Stacey, began their business careers selling children's amusement ride equipment to indoor malls nationwide. They grew the business into a multinational company, and their success earned them the 2007 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. After selling the business, Steven chose to utilize his business experience and expertise by running a 1-800-Radiator and A/C franchise. He opened his franchise in 2015 and has been successful ever since.

In July, Steven's sales were up 25% and equaled a staggering $70,000 in additional revenue. His out-of-stock inventory remained below an average of 5% across all main categories. This means he had mostly all of the parts in-stock when a customer called to request them. His customer visits increased 27% year-over-year, and he visited more than 750 customers in July.

According to Steven, the following components are the keys to success:

1. Follow the inventory model and work the auto generator properly.

2. Have the right sales guys out there who will work the model properly.

3. Have the right delivery guys and vehicles along with the right methods to manage. 

When you combine these pieces, 1-800-Radiator & A/C franchises can achieve great success.

"If you can take the three components from above and really wrap your head around everything I think truly anyone can be successful," Steven said.

Choosing the Right Franchise

Franchise companies greatly appeal to aspiring entrepreneurs. They offer many of the same perks as having your own business, such as the ability to work for yourself, control your own destiny, and set your own schedule. Along with the advantages of running a business, franchisees benefit from buying into a well-established business model and customer-base. 

While franchises offer countless advantages, they're not all the same. Franchises spread across all industries, and each specific company has its own unique brand and business model. To ensure you are choosing the right franchise for you, consider these tips. 

Consider your goals

People consider franchising for a multitude of reasons. Perhaps you're an experienced executive looking for a career change, or maybe you're an entrepreneur seeking a new profitable opportunity to invest in. No matter, you need to consider your goals and think about what you want to accomplish from running your own franchise. You might want to increase your income, have a better home-work life balance, build equity, or explore your hobbies and benefit from essentially being your own boss. Outlining your specific goals and objectives will help you understand which franchise system is the best for your needs and aspirations. 

Research franchise companies 

Franchise companies aren't specific to any industry. There are franchises in all fields, from tutoring and child care, to restaurants, beauty salons, and auto shops. Research the types of industries that you'd be interested in getting into, and then look at specific franchise companies within those industries. Look beyond their sales pitches and find out what it's like to be a franchisee within their network. Consider franchises that have years of experience and success under their belt and exhibit a strong reputation, continuous growth, and low turnover. 1-800-Radiator & A/C franchises, for instance, are the fastest growing franchises in the auto parts industry and have a reputation of providing the highest quality wholesale auto parts and customer service. 

Know what you can invest  

The amount of capital you need to invest in a franchise varies by company. Assess how much capital you have and establish a clear idea of how much you can invest in the franchise. No matter how successful the franchise network is, you won't make a hefty profit overnight. Make sure you have enough money to enter this venture; then with smart management, you'll be able to gradually turn your location into a profitable franchise.