They say you shouldn’t mix business with pleasure, but when it comes to picking a car, things are never so easy. More and more, the two-car family is becoming a thing of the past — KPMG reports that only 57 percent of American households now own more than one car, and forecasts this percentage will decline to 43 percent by 2040. This means the car needs to pull double duty.

For those looking for the right vehicle to meet with clients and spend time with the family, take a look at some of the different options that might be right for your needs:

Compacts

For many commuters, a small fuel-efficient car that is capable of squeezing into the smallest of parking spaces is a dream come true. If you are the sort who goes on urban adventures with your family and works in the city, a compact car may be your best option. The Volkswagen Jetta features a keyless access, which can be handy when trying to load a stroller, diaper bag and carseat or when piling in blueprints, folders and other work documents. It also has a rearview camera, which is great for child safety and tight parking garages, and a premium interior to make your clients feel comfortable. But, if a new Jetta is out of your price range, search for financing or find a used one through a dealership like DriveTime.

Pickups

For those who need a vehicle for work that can bring the muscle but also get the kids to soccer practice, a pickup truck may be the solution. Pickups are versatile cars that can be used for commuting, hauling, towing and family events. When buying a pickup that will serve dual purposes, it is important to think about the size of the cabin. Some pickups have none to speak of, which can be a real problem if you need a place to put a car seat. However, the 2015 Dodge Ram delivers in terms of power and cabin space, with a fuel efficient V-8 engine. Available with the Uconnect system, the 2015 Dodge Ram can serve as the center of your mobile office or as an entertainment center for the kids on a long road trip. And for those who often meet with clients in rural areas with unreliable roads, a pickup is a reliable and strong vehicle that can get you there and back safely.

SUVs

Sports Utility Vehicles come in countless shapes and sizes, and picking the one that is right for your family is critical. The 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport is a high-performance SUV with seating for seven, a rear entertainment system, temperature-controlled seats and a drink cooler to top it off. For the family that wants to travel in comfort, it’s a hard vehicle to beat. In addition, the 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport boasts 550hp and 502lb-ft of torque as well as a zero to 60 mph time of 4.5 seconds. If you need power, comfort and style, this is the SUV for you and your family.

No one type of franchise ownership is right for all; rather, it’s an individual fit.

For veterans considering franchising after the military, it’s important to really evaluate their options – how much time they want to invest, financing and capital, and market factors – before jumping into the franchise ownership game.

Becoming a franchisee is incredible rewarding for vets: it provides them with a systems-and-processes, team-driven environment just like in the military, and the opportunity for them to apply their military-honed skills to maximize business success.

Here are the 5 Franchise Ownership Options for Vets:

1. Single Unit. This is the most popular options for new military veterans, as it gives them the experience of owning a single franchise at a low start-up cost. With training provided by the franchisor (and financing options and veteran discounts available), this will allow you to hit the ground running in business as you learn to optimize business operations, sales and marketing, customer service, and more.

2. Existing Franchise. This involves purchasing an already-established franchise location from another franchisee. With this, it’s just like owning a single unit except you know what to expect from the franchise in terms of long-term sales, supply needs, and existing trends.

3. Multi-Unit Franchise. By investing in a multi-unit franchise strategy, you’ll negotiate a deal to open several franchises in a short amount of time. In order to ensure its success, you’ll need to hire top-end managers to optimize each location’s operations, and then delegate, manage, and track key objectives while overseeing all units.

4. Area Developer. Much like a multi-unit agreement – except on a much bigger scale – being an area developer involves opening even more franchise locations, often within a specific geographic area or zone. While this strategy involves a huge amount of start-up capital, it can allow you to penetrate the market quickly, establish the brand in the area, and significantly boost your earnings and success.

5. Master Franchise. A step above area developer, becoming a master franchise owner is like getting the key to oversee a huge amount of franchises while acting as an intermediary between individual franchisees and the franchisor. More specifically, you’ll collect fees from an entire region of franchisees but you won’t be the owner of the individual locations. This will come at a very large fee, however.

To learn more about entrepreneurship through franchising, attend our free monthly webinar, Franchise Ownership as a More Stable Career Path. The webinar is free, but you need to pre-register, which you can do online by clicking on the linked seminar title.

You may also register by calling 866-246-2884.

Profit margins can be tight in fast food franchises, and that’s why efficiency is key.

And efficiency can be found in all areas of the business – helping to drive profitability and growth, while ensuring long-term business success.

With inflation tied to food prices and more fresh produce in fast food franchises than ever before, finding more efficiencies – and maximizing them – is crucial to ensuring your investment pays off to the full extent.

Here are 5 Ways to Maximize Franchise Margins:

1. Negotiate (or renegotiate) the best supplier deals. Ensure your franchise has the best possible deals from local suppliers, by utilizing its purchasing power. How to do this? By opening more franchises in the region, or with partnering with other franchisees to ensure the cost of goods sold is at a highly profitable margin.

2. Optimize all franchise food promotions. Optimize your franchise’s specials and promotions by marking down the lowest-cost options at the highest margins. Some examples of this? Ice cream/smoothies, soft drinks, and simple sandwiches.

3. Choose a franchise with more low-cost, healthy options. The fast food industry is shifting to healthier options, so it’s crucial to stay on board with this trend – and invest in franchises who are doing this in the lowest cost, highest return way. Broth-based soups are a great example of this.

4. Evaluate labor costs and drive greater operational efficiency. This may be the oldest method around, but it works. By ensuring your team is operating as efficiency as possible, you can potentially reduce the number of staff without reducing quality of service, helping to drive your margins higher.

5. Creating greater value through greater prices. Are more people willing to pay higher prices for better quality food? Apparently so. The industry shift is continuing, and fast food franchises are being forced to adapt. Ensure you’re a part of a franchise that charges more for healthier options that don’t just cost more, but also provide greater margins and profits.

To learn more about entrepreneurship through franchising, attend our free monthly webinar, Franchise Ownership as a More Stable Career Path. The webinar is free, but you need to pre-register, which you can do online by clicking on the linked seminar title.

You may also register by calling 866-246-2884.

A paycheck and a quarterly bonus only motivates employees so much. Anybody will clock in and clock out if you pay them regularly, but getting your employees to buy into your company vision and be above average performers takes continual and creative rewards.

No matter who your employees are and what rewards you have at your disposal, showing your appreciation to your employees is essential to your company’s success. And with only 16 percent of U.S. employees “fully engaged” in their jobs in 2014, according to Modern Survey, it’s imperative that employers change they way they look at rewards and recognition.

By making a concerted and consistent effort to give credit where credit is due, you help increase the productivity of every department touched by human hands.

Gifts With Purpose

Give your employees the gift of cutting-edge technology. Faster tech increases the efficiency of your workforce and their morale. If you have to invest in a computer or cellphone for employees, make sure it’s the latest and greatest. It may cost a little more now, but, in the long run, you want your employees working, not trying to get their tech to work. Look for companies like T-Mobile that offer payment plans and network package deals to keep monthly costs low and get your employees top-of-the-line technology like the Samsung Galaxy S 6.

Pesonalized tools can also be fun. A customized hard drive in their favorite color or a flash drive shaped like Yoda not only gets you cool points, but it often doesn’t cost much more than their boring black counterparts. The ongoing benefit is that employees use these items every day, so these personalized tools serve as a constant reminder that they are unique and appreciated.

Praise and Appreciation

No matter what you get your mom for her birthday, her favorite thing is the handwritten card, right? Employees are kind of like your mom — they appreciate your appreciation. And that doesn’t cost a dime. Below are three ideas that cost nothing to make your employees smile with pride:

1. Thank you notes and a day off: Hard workers really do appreciate the little things like a handwritten thank you note. Make it specific, memorable and unexpected. Also, consider giving out a free day off for completing a difficult task or going above and beyond the call of duty, suggests HR World. This not only rewards them for doing a great job, but also gives them a well-deserved break so they can come back refreshed and ready to go.
2. Coffee and guidance: One of the coolest ideas comes from The Cigna Group. Executives push coffee carts around the office, serving drinks to their employees during crunch times. As they serve, executives coach and encourage employees. At the same time, they’re in the trenches where they can connect first hand with real employee and consumer issues.
3. Employee recognition: Recognition is public and it’s simple. When your employees do well, tell them. You can do this privately or in front of clients, colleagues or at the next staff meeting. The important part is to make it known that you notice and appreciate success and your employees will strive for your praise.