Franchise Players is Entrepreneur's Q&A interview column that puts the spotlight on franchisees..Mary Yeager isn't your average grandmother.For one thing, she's a Palm Beach Vapors franchisee.However, long before she opened her e-cigarette store, Yeager was developing her entrepreneurial skills in the U.S.Army and as a defense contractor.Here's why she decided to open a business of her own.Franchise owned: Palm Beach Vapors of Odenton, Md.How long have you owned a franchise?My franchise opened May 30, 2015.This is a career change for me.I have never owned a retail business, and I wasn’t sure I had the knowledge base to open an independent shop.The franchise system gave me an opportunity to open my own business but have the backing of a system that would make me successful.Related: No Gender Bias Figured Into What These Franchisees Chose to DoWhy did you choose this particular franchise?Once I decided I wanted to open a vape shop, I contacted three potential franchisors.Frankly, the other two were not very transparent or responsive to questions.

Some of the other constraints franchisors put on the business were show-stoppers for me.For example, they mandated all prices, which did not take into account the specific market I was in.Also, they had heavy online sales that the franchisee got little to no revenue from.There was no comprehensive start-up support like with Palm Beach Vapors, yet they somehow cost more in franchise fees and monthly royalties.Palm Beach Vapors had a strong business model and offered the support that I needed.What were you doing before you became a franchise owner?I retired from the U.S.Army in 2003 and became a defense contractor.I worked my way up to COO of a small defense contracting company ($20 million annual revenue).The company I worked for had three owners and I watched them destroy that company through bad business practices and bickering.I wanted to be able to make my own business decisions.I was in the defense industry my entire life and wanted a change.I wanted my own business – a new challenge.

I also became a grandma this year, I suppose you could think of me as Vape Grandma.How much would you estimate you spent before you were officially open for business?Make ready fee (initial inventory, decorations, etc.): $35,000Security and rental deposit: $7,000Leashold improvements (build-out of space): $35,000Expenses for initial training: $1,500Professional fees (lawyer and accountant): $1,200Related: It All Adds Up to the Fact That This Franchisee Made the Right ChoiceWhere did you get most of your advice/do most of your research?The Internet was a great source and reading, reading, reading.I also have friends who own their own businesses who were very helpful.For specific vape industry information, I read and visited all the stores and talked to lots and lots of vapors.What were the most unexpected challenges of opening your franchise?I was new to retail.The system that Palm Beach Vapors has is great but I had a learning curve when it came to some of the basics of retail.We had a very successful first week and ran out of many items.

Getting control of inventory has been my biggest challenge.What advice do you have for individuals who want to own their own franchise?Be prepared to work very long hours.You must be committed to making your business a success.vapor store keller txHave a lawyer review and explain absolutely everything in the franchise agreement.topoo vaporizer vp-160Understand exactly what your commitment is before signing anything.top 10 e cig mods 2014Know your numbers and have a solid business plan with reasonable goals.vaporizer store fishkill nyIf you have never done a business plan, do not commit to anything until you have a business plan and understand what it will take to make it happen.What’s next for you and your business?e cigarette share price

We are only two weeks old.But if these two weeks are an indicator, my plan is to open a second store within six months.Related: Coming to America: An Immigrant Who Overcame a 'Taxing' ProblemSign in if you're already registered.e cigarette without nicotine safeToday’s date is a high holiday for stoners.vaporizer reviews paxThe celebration of “4/20” is thought to have started back in 1971, marking the time of day a group of industrious youths would meet up at a Louis Pasteur statue outside their high school in search of an alleged patch of wild cannabis nearby, according to The Washington Post.Three decades later, 4/20 is a ubiquitous term for both high times and an international marijuana-appreciation holiday.cost of opening a vape shop

And now, even businesses are getting hip to 4/20.Today, a San Diego-area McDonald’s “coincidentally” started testing out the franchise’s breakfast menu all day (previously, and frustratingly, available only until 10:30 or 11 a.m.).And this morning, pot poster boy and country music superstar Willie Nelson (finally) announced the launch of his cannabis brand, Willie’s Reserve, which will be “an extension of Willie’s passion and appreciation for the many varieties and range of the plant’s qualities,” according to a press release.aromatherapy vaporizer reviewsThe singer swears by vaporizers, noting that they have helped his congestion and don’t kill his vocal cords.Culture - Get the best of Newsweek delivered to your inboxExperts believe vaporizers, which use heat, might be even more potent than joints or bongs, but there isn’t definitive proof that vaporizers are 100 percent free of health risks.

A 2007 study in the Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics journal, however, found that vaporizing cannabis was a “safe and effective mode of delivery of THC.”  Of all the portable vaporizers out there, which ones (if any) are worth the toke?We’ve rounded up nine of the most popular smoking hot vapes.The Snoop Dogg G Pen ($67.95)Snoop Dogg takes every opportunity to market his well-documented marijuana habit.His G Pen, which recently saw a price drop to $67.95 from $84.95, is a classy glass pen that requires no cartridges or hash oil, just leaves.It isn’t the smoothest of vaporizers, though: a recent Cannabist review noted that the G Pen basically combusts the marijuana instead of vaporizing it.Still, it may be the best choice for those who want to smoke in style and drop it like it’s hot.Cloud Vape Pens ($39.99-$129.99)Stoners will be on cloud nine with these pens, available in glass, liquid vaporizers and herbal vaporizer varieties.While it’s been noted that the sleek V edition is a bit difficult to fill with cannabis, it wins plaudits for a sleek design, and fans insist that it hits more potently than similarly priced competitors.

The Cloud just released a signature Tommy Chong edition, so at least one famous pothead has endorsed the heavenly device.Juju Joint ($25-$70)By all accounts, this e-joint produces only the good kind of juju.The disposable vaporizer is a convenient cigarette-sized option for the noncommittal smoker, good for about 150 hits of cannabis, and requires no cartridges or refillings.The Stranger, Seattle’s local alt-weekly, dubbed Juju “the joint for people who don’t like to smoke joints.” Juju Joints are the vaporizers most readily available in Seattle’s legal marijuana establishments, with prices that vary depending on the retailer.It’s perfect for locals traipsing around Capitol Hill happy hours, or tourists who want to reach new heights at the top of the Space Needle.O.penVAPE ($24.95)“This is everything the Jetsons promised us it would be,” a Seattle friend recently said of her trusty O.Pen Vape Pen.Fans rave about the O.Pen’s size—small enough to fit in a front pocket—and durability.

The O.Pen requires cartridges of concentrated cannabis, which heat up quickly and last for 100 to 200 puffs, but can leave a slight but unsavory metallic aftertaste.The O.Pen boasts several neat features: It charges via a detachable USB port, and the end of the pen moonlights as a stylus for tablets and phones, though answering work emails after vape use is not recommended.PAX 2 ($279.99)The PAX is a high-end vaporizer some smokers have lovingly dubbed the “Highpod,” given its resemblance to Apple’s MP3 contraption (its beautiful packaging bears more than a passing resemblance to the white box iPhones come in).The company just released a second-generation edition, PAX 2, that’s chicer, smaller and easier to clean than its big brother.Clocking in at nearly $300, PAX 2 isn’t the most affordable vape out there, but users wax poetic about its short charge time, long battery life and smooth highs.Firefly Portable Vape ($269.95)If you’re looking for the intersection of quality and design, look toward the Firefly.

The contraption resembles a set of car keys, small enough to be pocketed but not large enough to be lost in a bottomless purse or backpack.The Firefly is usable with both loose-leaf blends of cannabis and different concentrates, and has consistently been touted as one of the best-tasting options out there.It’s expensive, but serious stoners swear by it.Magic Flight Launchbox ($119-149)Not so long ago, the Magic Flight Launchbox seemed to be the ubiquitous vape for stoners on the go.It made sense: One just needed to load the wooden box with cannabis, insert a charged battery, press and puff away.But while it was affordable and portable, the Launchbox’s less-than-stellar battery life and occasional unpleasant burned taste made some people take their tokes elsewhere.In recent years the Launchbox has gotten a major rebranding, though, and now boasts an “artisan collection” of customizable boxes and detachable wood stems.Can the little box hold up in this brave new world of vape pens and hash oil?