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I don’t know about you, but when I think of July 4th, I think of lounging around the Jersey Shore, wearing a pair of shorts and flip flops. For a few decades now, flips flops have been the footwear of the American summer. So when we heard of a new franchise concept called Flip Flop Shops, it stood out as the kind of franchise perfectly suited to thrive in this economy.

And we’re not the only believers in this franchise. As Jeff D’Arcy from the Allbusiness.com recently wrote, “Flip Flop Shops is the authentic retailer of the hottest brands and latest styles of flip flops and sandals. It’s more than just a shop they like to say… it’s a lifestyle.”

Jeff was so interested in Flip Flops Shops, he invited Brian Curin, president and founder of Flip Flops Shops onto his Franchise Show, one of the top of internet radio shows. Jeff and co-host Christine Mudd talked to Brian about what makes this lifestyle concept and their ‘transparent’ franchise organization. Listen to the interview here.

“It’s very rare that you find a business that works, but the stars have aligned for it,” Brian says.

Brian also discusses Flip Flop Shops first international store (not to mention its units on the Jersey Shore). If you’re interested in this franchise, we’d recommend you take the time to listen to the interview – audio seems be more direct than the written word at times.

Undoubtedly, Flip Flop Shops will be providing foot cover for a lot of holiday-goers this weekend. If you’re ready to open your own Flip Flop Shops franchise, follow this link.

One franchise sector we’re watching with great interest during the economic downturn is pet franchises. In many ways, the extensive boom of pet franchises over the last decade was one of the clearest indicators that we were all flush with cash. Not only were we pampering ourselves, but the explosion of niche pet businesses showed how willing to pamper the animals we love as well.

Polls of consumer attitudes across the board show that people are spending much less than they were in the past and trying to make their money go further. And so perhaps consumers are not buying that new car, but where do they draw the line where their pets are concerned? There are so many different pet franchises now, with everything from pet food courier services to mobile pet cleaners on offer. But can they survive?

Over on the Small Business Trends blog, which is one of our favorite small biz blogs, Joel Libava has an interesting breakdown of the industry and lends his own opinion on a variety of pet franchise concepts. Joel doesn’t offer any direct advice about whether or not to buy a pet franchise, and instead provides analysis as a pet-lover with a grasp of the business world. Readers considering buying a pet franchise will come away with some common-sense wisdom.

“If you are a pet owner, you know the costs involved in keeping your pet happy and in tip-top shape.  Franchises can delivery the quality and consistency you crave,” he says.

Many of these new pet franchises take the work out of owning a pet. Yet some of these statistics from the American Pets Production Association are staggering:

• 62% of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 71.4 millions homes
• $45.4 billion will be spent on our pets in the U.S.
• $3.4 billion of that figure will be spent on grooming & boarding

The fascinating thing is that even when the economy is down, America’s love affair with their pets goes on and on.

The stars are aligning for a surge for in franchising, according to another entrepreneurial expert. It’s interesting to see a growing consensus around this point, which we have been suggesting for a few months now.

Brian Miller, CFE of The Entrepreneur’s Source, has written a lengthy piece for Franchising Times, in which he talks to a number of franchise experts. His feeling is that franchising is about to make a breakthrough. The nub of his argument is this:

Unemployment will continue to rise and create this form of “forced entrepreneurship.” The sooner the credit markets thaw, the faster this economic boom will occur. And as this fertile ground for entrepreneurs emerge, we’ll have opportunities we haven’t even thought of yet. We’re seeing more of an emphasis on “lifestyle” franchises these days as well.

Brian also cites some interesting statistics. In a recent Zogby poll, 63%  of Americans said that entrepreneurs and small-businesspeople would lead America to a better future.

Snap Fitness CEO Peter Taunton also offered some interesting analysis from the front lines of franchising:

“Over the past few months, we have seen a definite increase in the amount of franchise prospects who are ready to control their own destiny. Many who have lost their jobs due to downsizing have stated that they do not want to go through this again and they feel that the real way to financial security is to own their own business.”

With all the talk of green shoots in the global economic climate, it is certainly heartening to hear some positive talk on the franchising front. Miller admits that no one knows what will happen in the next 18 months, but it seems that intrepid franchisees may be able to inspire the economy to greater things.

In this week’s Franchise Update, we have news on an exciting franchise conference and a bold initiative linking small business people with high-tech skills providers.

Click here to download this week’s Franchise Update, or watch in the player below:

The IFA has announced the line-up for its Franchise Development Super Session which will be held in Los Angeles from September 30th to October 1st in the Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites.

Karen Mills, the head of the SBA, has announced a new strategic alliance with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineer aimed to boost business opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs. The IEEE is made up of over 200,000 engineers, scientists and professionals with interests in electrical engineering and computer science.

We’d like to pass on two important notices from the world of conferencing. Do remember how informative (and fun) February’s IFA convention was? Well the IFA wants everyone to know that early bird booking to attend next year’s event has opened.

The 2010 IFA annual conference will be held in San Antonio from February 5- 8th. The IFA has opened early-bird booking for members to IFA members only until September 15. Early bird booking means a saving of $50 on registration fees. But if you book online today, you can save $100 on booking fees. There’s more info here. It will be the 49th annual IFA convention and is certain to be as much of a blockbuster event as this year’s conference, where Bill Clinton provided the keynote address.

In the shorter term, there’s an interesting IFA event being held in LA at the end of September. The IFA has announced plans for its Franchise Development Super Session which will be held in Los Angeles from September 30 to October 1st in the Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites. This year’s Super Session title is “Selling Franchises in a Challenging Economy”. There’ll be a revamped agenda and its program will aim to keep you on the path to successful franchising. Highly notable is the keynote speaker: internet and technology entrepreneur Scott Ksolosky.

A CEO of three successful start-ups and a Turnaround Expert, Scott will be sharing some of his innovative ideas on how to use to the internet and technology to generate sales.  You can also expect the “unconference” format for a section of the event. It’s sure to be a n energizing session, and you can book your place today at the IFA’s website.

Knowledge is power in this economy, so inform yourself at these two events.