Franchisers Pitch To Ford's Laid Off Workers

Novi, MICHIGAN - This weekend at the Detroit National Franchise & Business Opportunities Show started with bad news for Motor Town. Ford announced that it would slash 10,000 jobs in 2 plants on Friday. While just the day before it announced it would trim some 75,000 employees, some of whom would qualify for a buyout package of roughly $175,000 or early retirement package. The preceeding week there was news (WSJ $$) of Ford’s CEO Bill Ford stepping down. And in July Toyota Motor Corporation outsold Ford for the first time ever.

Although a small part of the overall number of people who attended, Ford employees came. Several Ford employees introduced themselves at the Blue MauMau booth at the franchise show. Workers were mulling over being their own boss after long careers at Ford. After working with the auto maker for some 30 years, one person was attending the show to see how best to use his early retirement funds to invest in a business so that he would continue to have income. His goal was to build residual income by not having to work full-time. A couple mentioned that several of the large franchisers such as 7-Eleven, McDonald’s and others had come to Ford during the week to introduce to its workers on the benefits of buying a franchise.

Ken Muir, the U.S. Show Manager of the National Franchise and Business Opportunities Show in Detroit mentioned that his organization sent an email to the Ford Corporation to offer a two for one coupon to the show and announce the show.

Things look tough in Motown. Yet attendance at the Franchise Show was strong.

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