College Students Create Business to Serve Essential Pantry Items for Local Community The COVID-19 crisis has forced businesses across the country to rethink their business models to continue to serve their customers, while keeping everyone safe and healthy. Many businesses, such as the Alta Mere window tinting and paint protection store in Oklahoma City, were temporarily closed. Though the business was able to return to reopen at the end of April, that doesn’t mean the store was sitting empty during the temporary closure. Turning an Automotive Business Into a Pop Up Grocery Store Two college seniors took over the workspace and created a grocery drive-through, called Pop Up Pantry, to help serve others in their community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Greg Goodman’s son, Chandler, is a student at Oklahoma State University and is also the Center Manager at his father’s Alta Mere store ... read more

Alta Mere Franchisee of the Year: Randy Durham Many people know the meaning of the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  When something is broke, however, it is important to recognize when a change needs to be made and the best way to go about it. Randy Durham knows how to make these necessary decisions to improve his store’s bottom line.  That is part of the reason he was named Alta Mere’s Franchisee of the Year for the third straight year and fourth time overall. “I’m very proud to have won this award, especially three years in a row,” said Durham. “I’m very humbled. There are some very good Alta Mere shops and franchise owners out there. I really appreciate my peers who voted for me, and I’m very honored to have won this award.” A little backstory. Durham has owned an Alta Mere store in Plano ... read more

Some people think that if you’re a franchise owner, that’s it. You own one franchise, and you’re almost a glorified employee who works for the franchisor. You aren’t really a business owner. You can never grow your business. You just have one stand-alone store in the franchise network, and that’s it. But that simply isn’t the case, as you may already know. Some franchise owners end up running businesses that operate and manage several different franchises. You could own a corporation that has five gas stations in a region, six restaurants and three clothing stores. No, it wouldn’t happen overnight, but the point is that some people do take that approach. Those people are often called master franchisees or area developers, and obviously, it takes a long time to get to that stage in one’s career, if you go that route. But the point is, being a franchise owner never means that you can’t grow and expand your business – and we tak ... read more

If you’ve thought many times about starting a business but quickly dismissed the idea, there are probably some logical reasons holding you back.  Fear of failure, having the proper guidance and being able to market and sell your product or service could all be reasons why you hesitate in starting your own business. One possible solution to overcoming many of these fears is by looking into franchising. That is, running a business that is part of a regional or nationwide company. As you presumably know, McDonald’s is a franchise. So is Subway, Ace Hardware and Circle K. In fact, there are over 3,000 types of franchise brands in a wide range of industries. When you own a franchise, you’re the business owner – but it’s a little similar to being a condominium owner. In that situation, you own the property and have a lot of leewa ... read more

With the new year, many business owners begin comparing year-to-year sales figures, and some independent auto repair shops don’t necessarily like what they’re seeing. Are your sales stagnant? Or worse yet, did your sales drop? Maybe you’re having trouble keeping reliable help. If you already own an auto shop and performance hasn’t been meeting your expectations, we urge you to consider the Moran Family of Brands. The Moran Family of Brands is more than just an auto repair franchise; it’s a one-stop shop that can provide you with opportunities to expand and grow your business while offering trusted “one-stop” service for your community’s car care needs. In fact, we are one of the leading franchisors in the automotive aftermarket industry. So, if sales have been stagnant or if you’re looking for a way to expand your business, c ... read more

Greg DeFever is one of Alta Mere’s most successful and longest tenured franchisees, having owned his store in Lubbock for the past 22 years. Greg’s 23-year-old twin sons, Carson and Cody, have worked at the Alta Mere store the last four years. Carson works there on a full-time basis, while Cody works there part-time while also attending Texas Tech. What did you do before opening an Alta Mere store? I have a degree in finance and accounting, and worked as a tax accountant for four years. That background prepared me for the administrative side of the business and balancing the finances of the company. What drew you to Alta Mere as an attractive franchise opportunity? In my initial meetings with franchisees representatives, I was impressed by their energy, organization and vision they had for the company. I liked the products Alta Mere offered and coul ... read more

Interested in Franchising? Greg Goodman, Alta Mere, shares his experience. A special podcast interview with Greg Goodman, Alta Mere Franchise Owner in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Greg is a top-producing franchise owner from the Moran Family of Brands system and he shares his insight into the franchising world. Take a listen HERE. Discussion areas includes: Benefits of having a franchise business Doubts of starting a business Helpful tips for the “entrepreneurial way” – “Just do it” mentality Entrepreneurial journey – importance of culture Learning curves: how to manage money Influence of gut-feelings vs. business decisions Secrets to success Non-franchise vs. franchise – Greg’s personal 30+ years’ experience Personal development, leadership, motivation ... read more