Entrepreneur magazine has named five brands of United Franchise Group (UFG), the global leaders in franchising, to its prestigious Franchise 500 list. Placing on the 2025 list were Transworld Business Advisors, Signarama, Fully Promoted, Office Evolution and Venture X.
In addition, Transworld Business Advisors is among the top 100 brands on the list, moving up from #80 to #51 since the 2024 list was announced. The business brokerage consulting firm was one of three UFG brands named #1 in their categories, with Fully Promoted topping the Embroidery & Screen Printing group and Office Evolution leading in Coworking Spaces.
The Franchise 500 is the world’s first and most comprehensive franchise ranking, a highly sought-after honor by one of the world’s leading business publications. UFG brands achieved these rankings:
Transworld Business Advisors: #51
Signarama: #174
Fully Promoted: #423
Office Evolution Ranked #439
Venture X: #455
All five brands returned to the list after multiple years of recognition, including Signarama for 26 consecutive years and Fully Promoted for 23 years. This is the sixth year of ranking for Venture X and Intelligent Office.
Their continued appearance on the list is a testament to the strength of the UFG family of affiliated brands and consultants, which provides members with a global network of resources and more than three decades of franchise industry expertise.
“We are proud to see our brands’ tremendous performance recognized once again with inclusion on the Franchise 500, one of the most meaningful honors in the industry,” said Ray Titus, founder and CEO of UFG. “This ranking recognizes what we’ve always known about our franchisees’ hard work, dedication, and success, but to have it validated by this highly respected publication is a true honor. To have one company on this prestigious list is great, but for UFG to have five brands on the list is amazing!”
For almost five decades, the annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500 has recognized the industry’s top achievers. It is considered an invaluable resource for potential franchisees.
“The Franchise 500 is more than a list. It’s really a collection of life-changing opportunities, featuring strong and resilient brands that future franchisees will be proud to be a part of,” says Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine. “This year’s honorees represent the bold ideas, operational excellence, and adaptability that make franchising a cornerstone of entrepreneurial success.”
The Entrepreneur editorial team determines the rankings each year by researching and assessing factors that include companies’ costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is then given a cumulative score based on analyzing more than 150 data points. The 500 brands with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500 in ranked order.
This article was originally published by NAPCO Media
Ray Titus is CEO of United Franchise Group (UFG), a global leader for entrepreneurs with brands in over 1,800 locations in 80 countries.
Of all the gifts I’ve received at business events, two stand out. One is a sweatshirt imprinted with “Founder,” given by the organizers to clients who had started their companies. The other is a set of high-quality steak knives engraved with my name, a gift from the keynote speaker I had hired for one of our expos.
I’m sure the knives cost a lot more than the sweatshirt, but that’s not what made them meaningful. Both objects took some effort and imagination and, most importantly, made me feel special and valued.
That’s how I want our customers, partners and employees to feel when they get a gift from our company. But remembering those two special items has made me realize we must rethink our approach to how we honor our customers and employees. All business leaders who want to make a lasting impression should do the same.
Too often, gifts are little more than tokens, no matter how much money we spend on them. It’s easy to fall into the trap of sending everyone the same imported wine and cheese baskets, the same tech gadgets and office gear, all of it well made but containing nothing unique to the individual recipient. My company sends special items to our franchise owners, vendors and suppliers; they do the same for us. I worry that it all just gets lost in a sea of gifts, that all we’re doing is checking off a list of names and matching them to gifts that may or may not have anything to do with their lives.
When gifting clients and employees, it truly is the thought that counts. Here’s how to make yours matter:
Work on your timing.
Every November and December, companies engage in a blitz of giving to business contacts, charities and nonprofit organizations. Yours could easily be forgotten in the pile.
And when you just do it at Thanksgiving and Christmas, there’s an obligatory feel to it. We have to send our clients something at Christmas, so let’s open up a corporate gift catalog and pick something impressive. It’s the surprise of the unexpected gift that’s the real value, but it gets lost when everybody is doing the same thing at the same time.
I love the idea John Ruhlin offers in his book, Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Client Retention.Give in times when people don’t expect it, he writes, and you’ll immediately stand out.
This year, I think our company may change our main gift-giving to summertime, perhaps the Fourth of July, or in October, just before everyone else starts sending their gifts of appreciation. You could even make up your own holiday at some time of the year not usually known for this.
That’s not to say you can’t still give during the traditional holidays, if it’s in your budget. Be sure to at least send a heartfelt card at the end of the year if you’ve moved the gift to another time.
Make it memorable.
Ruhlin also points out the importance of giving a memorable gift, one that shows how much they matter to you. It’s a critical part of building a relationship.
Our company recognizes franchise owners who reach $1 million in revenue. They are the highest-achieving franchise owners, and they’ve hit high volumes, so we want to recognize them. It’s an amazing honor to be named to this group, it’s a recognition of their success and the hard work it took from them to achieve it. To celebrate, we coordinate a special trip so they know we value their contributions.
That’s what makes my “Founder” sweatshirt so meaningful to me. It takes hard work, ingenuity and a lot of hard work to become a founder, and the sweatshirt recognized that.
What’s special about your customers and employees? What have they accomplished that sets them apart from their competition? What value do they add to your business? Have they mentioned a hobby or favorite interests? The answers can help lead you to the perfect gift.
Make the gift personal—not about their business. You’re looking for something they will find useful to their life, not their business, something that shows you know and appreciate them.
Give more, get more.
It comes down to simple generosity and the time-tested fact that in order to get something, you have to give something. That goes with everything in life, and it’s one of the values I explore in my book, The Challenge: Become a Better Person.
A good example of getting by giving is mentoring. Mentors teach, but we also learn from our proteges. And then we can pass along those lessons to others in our lives as well.
I’ve learned that if I can get someone to be a better employee, parent or spouse or whatever, their life will be better. Positivity is what drives every relationship. The ability to stay positive in difficult situations may be your greatest gift to yourself.
So, as the year begins, we should all take a serious look at our gift-giving practices and how we can make them more thoughtful and meaningful.
PPAI 100’s No. 26 distributor hopes to achieve double-digit sales growth in 2025 as it celebrates a quarter century in business.
As Fully Promoted (PPAI 240143, Gold) commemorates its 25th anniversary this year, PPAI 100’s No. 26 distributor has announced its year-over-year performance in 2024 and ambitious plans for 2025.
Fully Promoted reported year-over-year system sales increasing over 5% in the United States with 11 new domestic locations currently in progress.
The company accelerated its franchise development in 2024, opening 17 new locations in the U.S. in markets like Lawrence, Kansas; Lynchburg, Virginia; and Cincinnati.
The West Palm Beach, Florida-based firm also opened 10 new global locations, including its first in Darwin, the capital city of Australia’s Northern Territory.
Fully Promoted also signed 30 domestic franchise agreements in 2024, which will result in 23 new units across the U.S., propelling the company’s national expansion.
“We are thrilled to see such tremendous growth as we celebrate 25 years of success,” says Andrew Titus, president of Fully Promoted and a 2024 PPAI Rising Star. “Our locations with dedicated sales teams are seeing the fastest growth, and we’re optimistic about achieving 10% system sales growth in 2025.”
We’re optimistic about achieving 10% system sales growth in 2025.”
Andrew Titus
President, Fully Promoted
‘Wonderful Journey So Far’
The company also recently landed on Entrepreneur magazine’s 2025 Franchise 500 for the 23rd year, ranking No. 423, and was the only franchise to rank in the embroidery and screen-printing category.
Fully Promoted is a member of the United Franchise Group’s affiliated brands and consultants.
“Reflecting on the past 25 years, it’s incredible to see how far we’ve come,” says Ray Titus, CEO of United Franchise Group. “The success of Fully Promoted is a testament to the hard work of our team, the loyalty and trust of our customers, as well as the dedication and strength of our franchise network. It has been a wonderful journey so far and as we look ahead, we remain committed to innovation, growth and providing exceptional service to our communities.”
Fully Promoted will recognize some of its longest-standing franchise owners and reflect on the company’s journey at its upcoming brand convention taking place March 29-31 in Fort Worth, Texas.
As Fully Promoted® commemorates its 25th anniversary this year, the leading distributor of branded apparel and promotional products is proud to announce its year-over-year performance in 2024 and ambitious plans for its milestone year.
On the heels of a pivotal year for the company in 2023, Fully Promoted accelerated its franchise development in 2024, successfully opening 17 new locations in the U.S. in markets like Lawrence, Kans.; Lynchburg, Va.; and Cincinnati, Ohio as well as 10 globally, including its first in Darwin, the capital city of Australia’s Northern Territory. Adding to this momentum, Fully Promoted signed 30 domestic franchise agreements in 2024, which will result in 23 new units across the country, propelling the company’s national expansion.
Fully Promoted continues to experience strong performance, with year-over-year system sales increasing over 5% in the U.S. and maintains a robust development pipeline with 11 new domestic locations currently in progress.
“We are thrilled to see such tremendous growth as we celebrate 25 years of success,” said Andrew Titus, President of Fully Promoted. “Our locations with dedicated sales teams are seeing the fastest growth, and we are optimistic about achieving 10% system sales growth in 2025.”
2025 marks the 25th year of business for Fully Promoted. The company was established as EmbroidMe in 2000 by franchise industry titan Ray Titus, founder and CEO of United Franchise Group™ and father of current brand president, Andrew. Ray, who founded the world’s leading sign franchise Signarama® in 1986, recognized the potential within the multi-billion-dollar promotional products industry. The first EmbroidMe company store opened in West Palm Beach, Fla. and quickly grew to 100 locations by 2003. EmbroidMe rebranded to Fully Promoted in 2016 to better represent the vast array of branding and marketing solutions it offers customers, including promotional products, printed materials, garment printing, screen printing, and lead generation tactics.
Today, Fully Promoted has over 270 individually owned and operated locations around the world and is regarded as a leader in both the promotional products and franchise industries. The brand has been named a Top 40 Distributor by the Advertising Specialty Institute for 19 consecutive years and has ranked among the PPAI 100 of the industry’s leading distributors and suppliers by Promotional Products Association International. Fully Promoted also recently landed on Entrepreneur magazine’s 2025 Franchise 500 for the 23rd year, ranking at #423 and was the only franchise to rank in the Embroidery & Screen Printing category.
“Reflecting on the past 25 years, it’s incredible to see how far we’ve come. The success of Fully Promoted is a testament to the hard work of our team, the loyalty and trust of our customers, as well as the dedication and strength of our franchise network,” said Ray Titus. “It has been a wonderful journey so far and as we look ahead, we remain committed to innovation, growth, and providing exceptional service to our communities.”
Fully Promoted will recognize some of its longest-standing franchise owners and reflect on the company’s journey at its upcoming brand convention taking place March 29-31 in Fort Worth, Texas. Fully Promoted is part of the United Franchise Group™ family of affiliated brands and consultants, giving franchise owners unparalleled access to a global network and more than three decades of experience in the franchising industry.
This article was originally published by Franchise Direct
• Upward: Counselor Top 40 distributor Fully Promoted’s (asi/384000) 2024 North American promotional products sales increased by 3% to $131.2 million, executive said.
• Growing Footprint: The company opened 17 new U.S. locations and 10 global locations in 2024.
• More To Come: Fully Promoted signed 30 domestic franchise agreements, resulting in 23 new locations.
Counselor Top 40 distributor Fully Promoted (asi/384000) shared with ASI Media on Thursday that its full-year 2024 North American promotional products sales increased about 3% year over year to $131.2 million.
Fully Promoted President Andrew Titus, a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people, said that systemwide – meaning international locations and income outside of promo – took the total year-over-year increase to about 5%. The Florida-headquartered firm was still making final tabulations on the overall number, he said.
Fully Promoted, which operates a franchising model, reported the revenue rises as it enters its 25th year in business. The gains outpaced the promo industry average: Collectively, promo distributors’ sales increased 1.8% on an annual basis in 2024 to $26.6 billion – a new industry record despite the relatively anemic rate rise, according to the Distributor Quarterly Sales Survey from ASI Research.
Fully Promoted was pumped about its 2024 performance.
“We are thrilled to see such tremendous growth as we celebrate 25 years of success,” said Andrew Titus in a statement. “Our locations with dedicated sales teams are seeing the fastest growth, and we are optimistic about achieving 10% systemwide sales growth in 2025.”
Notably, Fully Promoted accelerated franchise development in 2024, opening 17 new locations in the U.S. in markets that included Lawrence, KS; Lynchburg, VA; and Cincinnati, OH. The firm also opened 10 locations globally, including its first in Darwin, the capital city of Australia’s Northern Territory.
Furthermore, Fully Promoted signed 30 domestic franchise agreements in 2024, which will result in 23 new locations across the United States, the firm said. The other seven agreements involve resales – franchisees who sold their business to another franchise owner, Andrew Titus explained to ASI Media.
Founded as EmbroidMe in 2000 by franchise industry veteran and Power 50 member Ray Titus, the company swiftly grew to 100 franchise locations by 2003.
“The success of Fully Promoted is a testament to the hard work of our team, the loyalty and trust of our customers, and the dedication and strength of our franchise network.”
Ray Titus, Fully Promoted (asi/384000)/United Franchise Group
In the beginning of 2017, EmbroidMe rebranded to Fully Promoted to better represent the solutions it offers customers, including promotional products, printed materials, garment printing, screen printing and lead generation tactics.
Today, Fully Promoted has more than 270 individually owned and operated locations around the world. In addition to being a Counselor Top 40 distributor, Fully Promoted also recently landed on Entrepreneur magazine’s 2025 Franchise 500 for the 23rd year, ranking at #423.
“Reflecting on the past 25 years, it’s incredible to see how far we’ve come,” said Ray Titus, founder and CEO of United Franchise Group, parent company of Fully Promoted. UFG has an array of other franchise brands too, including Signarama.
Titus continued: “The success of Fully Promoted is a testament to the hard work of our team, the loyalty and trust of our customers, and the dedication and strength of our franchise network. It has been a wonderful journey so far and as we look ahead, we remain committed to innovation, growth and providing exceptional service to our communities.”
Based on reported 2023 North American promotional product revenue of $127.6 million, Fully Promoted ranked 21st on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest distributors in the industry.
This article was originally published by Print & Promo Marketing LLC
This marks Signarama’s 26th consecutive year & Fully Promoted’s 23rd year on the list.
Entrepreneur magazine has named five brands of United Franchise Group (UFG) to its Franchise 500 list. Placing on the 2025 list were Transworld Business Advisors, Signarama, Fully Promoted, Office Evolution, and Venture X.
In addition, Transworld Business Advisors is among the top 100 brands on the list, moving up from #80 to #51 since the 2024 list was announced. The business brokerage consulting firm was one of three UFG brands named No. 1 in their categories, with Fully Promoted topping the embroidery and screen printing group.
UFG brands achieved the following rankings:
Transworld Business Advisors: No. 51
Signarama: No. 174
Fully Promoted: No. 423
Office Evolution: No. 439
Venture X: No. 455
All five brands returned to the list after multiple years of recognition, including Signarama for 26 consecutive years and Fully Promoted for 23 years.
According to UFG, their continued appearance on the list is a testament to the strength of the UFG family of affiliated brands and consultants, which provides members with a global network of resources and more than three decades of franchise industry expertise.
“We are proud to see our brands’ tremendous performance recognized once again with inclusion on the Franchise 500, one of the most meaningful honors in the industry,” said Ray Titus, founder and CEO of UFG. “This ranking recognizes what we’ve always known about our franchisees’ hard work, dedication, and success, but to have it validated by this highly respected publication is a true honor. To have one company on this prestigious list is great, but for UFG to have five brands on the list is amazing!”
For almost five decades, the annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500 has recognized the industry’s top achievers. It is considered an invaluable resource for potential franchisees.
“The Franchise 500 is more than a list. It’s really a collection of life-changing opportunities, featuring strong and resilient brands that future franchisees will be proud to be a part of,” says Jason Feifer, editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine. “This year’s honorees represent the bold ideas, operational excellence, and adaptability that make franchising a cornerstone of entrepreneurial success.”
The Entrepreneur editorial team determines the rankings each year by researching and assessing factors that include companies’ costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is then given a cumulative score based on analyzing more than 150 data points. The 500 brands with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500 in ranked order.
View the complete Franchise 500 ranking here or pick up a copy of the January/February 2025 issue.
This article was originally published by GRAPHICS PRO
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