Franklin Report
www.franklinreport.com>
New York, N.Y.
Founded in 1991 by Elizabeth Franklin
The Franklin Report evaluates high-end home service companies like architects and interior designers in five major metro areas (NYC, LA, Chicago, Florida, Westchester) by aggregating information from consumers, co-workers (the plumber who works with the architect, for instance), and the businesses themselves. The company’s 10 employees then parse their interview notes and data to produce comprehensive reports—some of which are featured on the Web site and some in the physical book. Not all vendors in the book are on the Web site, but CEO Franklin says they company is changing that model to place all book entries on the Web and to allow users to post reviews on the site. For a yearly fee, businesses can attach images to their online “portfolios.” The business, which is profitable, sees revenue come from book sales (20%), online ads (20%), and portfolio fees (60%).
Reach: The books profile 5,000 companies and the Web site features twice that. The report will expand to 20 metro areas quickly and 100 soon, says Franklin.
