America’s Swimming Pool Company – Promoting Diversity in Franchising

LAZARE POUANI – A CHAMPION FOR INCLUSION

February is Black History Month, a time to dive deeper into the achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout history. As we take a closer look at the business world, it’s important to acknowledge the significance of diversity and inclusion in the franchise industry.

We at America’s Swimming Pool Company would like to take some time during this Black History Month to celebrate the progress and accomplishments made by our dedicated franchise owners of color. Specifically, we’d like to spotlight Lazare Pouani for his amazing effort in upholding America’s Swimming Pool Company values.

Lazare became an America’s Swimming Pool Company owner with a territory in Dutchess County, NY. He is a law school graduate and came to the US in 2000. His franchising journey started when the COVID pandemic hit. During this time he started looking at options to make his family more financially stable. Lazare decided to partner with America’s Swimming Pool Company and we are honored to have the opportunity to work with a truly great business owner.

Our team is privileged to support each and every franchise owner as they build the perfect business for their ideal lifestyle. Just like Lazare, new owners can come into our system completely new to the pool industry and our expert business coaches and training staff will provide them with all the knowledge and resources to be successful from day one. We do this through a comprehensive training program known as Pool School where we cover everything needed to launch a successful franchise.

We also take pride in supporting each and every owner with a local marketing support team, business advisors, operational support, and so much more. With all this in place, our owners are empowered to maximize their potential and best serve their communities!

Franchising has been a popular business model for many decades and has allowed individuals to become business owners and entrepreneurs. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s statistics from the years 2007-2017, there is a higher minority ownership rate (11.8% Asian, 10.4% Hispanic, and 8% Native American) among franchised businesses than in non-franchised businesses.

30.8% of franchises were owned by minorities, compared to 18.8% of non-franchise businesses. 

To all our current franchise owners, we appreciate what each and every one of you do, day in and day out. Your work doesn’t go unnoticed.

Special Initiatives and Discounts

To help make business ownership attainable for all who want to take part, we have partnered with the IFA to provide additional support for those of diverse backgrounds. These initiatives and programs aim to increase the diversity in franchising across all of the industries Authority Brands reaches.

As an organization, we participate in the IFA’s DiversityFran® Program, which provides special financial incentives to minority communities. Through this program, we reduce the total Franchise Fee by $5,000 for all minority-owned and women-owned businesses. This discount is for the first franchise only.

To qualify for the Diversity Discount, the franchised business must be at least 51% owned by a woman or minority (i) who is also designated as the Key Person in the Franchise Agreement and (ii) otherwise meet our requirements to purchase a Franchised Business.

As of the date of this disclosure document, we have adopted the definition of “minority” to mean Black Americans; Hispanic Americans; Native Americans; Asian Pacific Americans; Subcontinent Asian Americans; and members of other groups designated from time to time by the SBA.

To take advantage of our special diversity discount or to learn more information on starting a franchise, please click here.