What the Media Is Saying
From BusinessWeek:
"For more on Bennigan’s, check out Don Sniegowksi’s [sic] story over at Blue Maumau, one of the best sources of franchising news on the Web."
BusinessWeek interviews Blue MauMau on video.
From The Wall Street Journal:
"Blue MauMau (www.bluemaumau.com) [sic]. With its breaking news, original interviews with franchisers, opinion forums and a legal-events reporter who writes about cases of interest to the franchising community, Blue MauMau is a must for keeping current on what's happening in the world of franchising. Named for a Polynesian fish that protects itself from predators by swimming in large schools -- creator Dan Sniegowski [sic] thought that a metaphor for franchisees -- the site is one of a few with regular independent contributors.
To help cover costs, Mr. Sniegowski accepts advertisements, although he insists they don't influence his content. 'If I ever cross [readers], at a click of a button they would go elsewhere and wouldn't come back,' he says."
From the Herald-Tribune of Sarasota, Florida:
“For a bad case of entrepreneurial angst, go online to the Blue MauMau blog at bluemaumau.org. The negative entries expose many blemishes of the franzchising [sic] world. It makes you wonder if owning a franchise is riskier than advertised."
From the American Association of Franchisees and Dealers:
Two Blue MauMau investigative reporters and bloggers, Janet Sparks and Don Sniegowski, received the 2009 AAFD Chairman's Award for Distinguished Service to the Franchising Community
"Regarding investigative reporter Janet Sparks, AAFD Chairman Bob Purvin declares, 'Janet has emerged as a vigilant sentinel for fair franchising practices, tenaciously investigating and exposing unscrupulous conduct, and providing an important outlet for franchisee victims to have their stories taken seriously, exposed and investigated.'
Regarding Blue MauMau, the chairman of AAFD adds, 'Don [Sniegowski] is both innovator and entrepreneur, but is first and foremost a journalist who yearned to reveal hard truths about franchising—to place the glare of public scrutiny on a community that has been much insulated from the voice of franchisees,' said Purvin. 'Because of Blue MauMau, franchisees and their advocates have found their voice, and franchisors are now less likely to succeed in coercive or predatory practices without bearing public scrutiny and scorn.'”
From Franchise Times:
"This is one of the most complete and complex sites up. It has news, commentaries, responses to “Dear Franny” questions, humorous snippets, and individual blogs. The blog’s spokesman, Mr. Blue MauMau, says he aims 'to prosper and amuse' with this independent site aimed at franchisees and franchisee wannabees."