Dick Bissell comes to FranChoice with a great background that will help new business owners find just the right opportunity for them. He's been on both sides of the "business fence" - he's worked for two worldwide corporations in various sales, marketing and human resource capacities and for the past eight years, he has owned one of the largest and most successful Money Mailer direct mail franchises in the country.
After college graduation, Dick began his business career with Armstrong World Industries in Lancaster, PA. His sales positions, regional manager responsibilities and marketing manager jobs have all given him great skills in working with employees, distributors and suppliers throughout the country. Favorite job at Armstrong? That's easy - it was the three years he spent as Armstrong's national college recruiter. Why? Because it was a truly rewarding experience finding the "diamond in the rough" candidate who turned out to be a top producing sales person, outstanding interior designer or industry leading engineer.
In the mid-80's, a headhunter found Dick and brought him a new opportunity on the other side of the country - Santa Monica, CA. There he became vice president of sales and marketing for LouverDrape, the world's largest manufacturer of vertical blinds. It was an exciting roller coaster ride as he built a distribution network and sales team while the company was bought and sold six times in the nine years he was there. It was a true learning experience seeing the company grow over 400% in those years and knowing that his sales and marketing ideas played an important role in that growth.
A new business venture brought Dick to Chicago in 1993 and after six months with the Kellwood Company, the division he was working with was sold and he got caught in the downsizing movement like so many others at the time. That's when Dick decided it was time to find a business he could own -- no more letting someone else determine his future. So, in the fall of 1994, he bought a Money Mailer advertising franchise in the western suburbs of Chicago. Having never worked within a franchise organization or ever owning a business, it was a real learning experience. In the eight years he owned this business, the clientele grew to over 500 customers while the businesses sales and profits more than tripled.
Owning your own business is challenging, frustrating, and exciting all at the same time! The best thing that Dick found was the enjoyment of helping a brand new business owner get started and become successful with the sales and advertising ideas he could provide with his franchise experience. Dick knows what it is like to make that life changing decision to own your own business. He's ready to help prospective franchisees find the best answer to their business plans and dreams.
Dick now resides full time in Indian Wells, CA and when he leaves his office, you can either find him working on his golf game or in the kitchen preparing a great meal for friends and family. You can email him at DBissell@FranChoice.com or call him on his toll free number 800-594-1445. We promise you that your call with Dick will be informative, insightful and most of all fun!
