Second: I despise form letters. For me, doesn’t imply they don’t know. It implies they don’t care about the region in question.

Third: Don’t comment on a power grid if you can’t even understand your own. Vermont doesn’t have a history of the most stable grid so clearly is not a factor in their decision. SA is far more stable than that area of Vermont.

Fourth: For the most part, American news agencies are horrendous. Relying on American news sources breeds ignorance. They are so focused on local news that brief touches on international news are severely biased. I don’t think americans are stupid, just uninformed. And i think you’re right, the testing that americans don’t know geography is probably false. I know some americans who can name every country/state on earth AND their capitals. I also know some americans who cannot name every state in the US. Education is not equal and media certainly has a degree of culpability.

The brush off, while polite, gives no more information about why they are not interested in South Africa, or even any indication about acknowledging where SA is. I’m not saying they should give up the company’s secrets, but c’mon, he could’ve said more, been a bit more constructive?

Just as a matter of interest, how do you think a crisis in the Balkans is equated to knowing a bit about SA’s economy and whether B&Js would do well here? (I don’t mean that sarcastically, but I’m not entirely sure where it fits in…)

I agree that Americans should be a bit more world-aware; this B&J email response, however, doesn’t indicate that they lack any awareness of *where* you are on the planet.

(Just the fact that somebody wrote back to you is pretty good, actually. Also, businesses generally don’t give a reason for turning down a franchise – They won’t say: “Well, actually, we’re planning to expand into South Africa (Cape Town and Joburg first) in the second half of 2010″ – they could be handing over valuable info to competitors)

*Google was invented by some dumb-ass Americans, by the way.

My point is that Saul is allowed to have his own opinion, hence why you’re at saulk.co.za! Regardless, the brush off comes across very much as though the guy has NO idea where on earth South Africa is. But I suppose you have done the research you preach (I can tell from your academic style and referncing), you know it all, there has been NO available ice cream since load shedding!! It would seem Joe that based on what you say, everything in our freezers should have melted… I think, Joe, that you have just solved the world’s problem as to the cause of global warming.

Make sense now?

Did you mean “Blind Americans”?

B&J mailed you a pretty standard “no thanks” email; nothing in there indicates that they don’t know where South Africa is. You would probably get the same email if you suggested a new B&Js in a part of America that they are not interested in.

“Last time I checked there was enough money and demand to support a big name ice-cream shop in South Africa.”
Based on what? Where did you check? Putting *that* research into your blog would make it a worthwhile read. At this point, you are just another asshole on the internet with an opinion.

Expanding into new countries is very expensive; I don’t think B&Js would get a very good rate of return in South Africa, given the huge cost of doing business there, and the iffy infrastructure. (Ice cream melts if the electricity goes out, doesn’t it?)

Tom Stanley