Franchise Frenzy

When John Strom attended his son's bachelor party, his family of law enforcement officials began swapping war stories. One such tale, involving the difficulty of gathering proof of obvious drug use during a traffic stop, turned Strom onto an idea that would catapult him into the world of franchising.

The idea was to take drug testing on the road.

Strom tested this thought with USA Mobile Drug Testing in 2009 and early 2010 before making the push toward franchising in late 2010. The company now has 42 franchisees, who contract with employers who need drug testing conducted on a regular basis. The parent company provides marketing support, and the franchisees service their assigned territory. The model has taken off, with revenues increasing 576% in 2011 so far compared with the same period in 2010.