Sandler Training

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Source: Sandler Training

A former salesman who frequently traveled, Kevin Hallenbeck bet on a Sandler franchise so he could make a living closer to home.

Description: Sales management training

Owner: Kevin Hallenbeck

Years in business: 22

No. of franchises owned: 1

Start-up costs: $88,150 to $105,750, which includes franchise fee and working capital; minimum net worth $200,000

Franchisor fees: $1,160 at 9th month

2015 revenue, 2016 projection: $653,000; $1.2 million

2016 projected annual growth rate: 90%

Kevin Hallenbeck purchased his Sandler Training franchise nearly 22 years ago, mainly for a lifestyle change. "I was selling capital equipment to the printing industry and was always traveling," he recalls. With a wife and young family, the toll was too much. While flipping through Inc. magazine one day, he saw an ad for Sandler and made a call.

The franchise provides training to companies big and small to help their salespeople better connect with existing and potential customers. Hallenbeck enjoyed selling and liked Sandler's approach of "reinforcement training," which emphasizes repetition and ongoing training in order to change the behavior of salespeople.

"Plus, it allowed me to build my business locally rather than traveling all the time," he adds.

Additional franchisee resources

Today, Hallenbeck works with companies throughout New Hampshire to train their salespeople both in person and online. He credits the parent company, which has 50 franchise offices worldwide, with staying on top of industry trends and technology changes and for hosting multiday conferences throughout the year that allow him to network with other Sandler franchisees. "We all learn so much from each other and really share best practices," Hallenbeck said. "It's helped me to grow my business over the years."

His best piece of advice for potential franchisees is to follow the franchisor model. "Don't get creative in the first couple of years," he said. "Be serious about developing your relationships with the other franchisees. Ask for lots of help, be humble, and work your tail off."