Big growth for Big Frog

A new hire proves that a hip-replacement surgery on Leeward Bean, CEO of Dunedin-based Big Frog T-Shirt Company, has not taken the “hop” out of the young firm's growth hopes.

Danielle Fusari was hired by the custom clothing company to assist in the training process of franchisees, a job that was previously carried out by one of the three founders, Robert DeFrece. The creation of the position was based on the huge increase in franchisees in the past year and those forecasted for the next year.

Fifteen new franchisees have already been added so far this year, three more than the firm had in its first two years in business. Big Frog is expecting that number to swell to 24 by the end of the year. And 2012? A whopping 36 are projected. “We got to a point where we were signing a new franchise a week,” says Bean, “We needed someone who was strong and driven to handle the new additions.”

DeFrece will still run the main training operation in Dunedin — a mock store dubbed Big Frog University. But Fusari, a fresh University of Tampa graduate, will be a guidance counselor of sorts, traveling to the franchises after they open and inspecting them to make sure they are on the right track.

Big Frog had about $4 million in sales (based on the number of T-shirts sold and the $16 list price) in 2010, and based on the franchising frenzy, expects $16 million for 2011.