A franchise consultant can make finding the right franchise for your budget, background, and interests much easier. Here’s a look at what these professional matchmakers do ..read more

While franchising may be a lower-risk way to start a business, there’s no guarantee of success. Do you have what it takes to succeed as a franchise business owner ..read more

Wondering if you should grow your business by franchising? Learn what a franchise is, how franchising works, and if your business model is a good candidate ..read more

If you’re dreaming of starting a business but you aren’t sure what kind of business to start—or where to start—the ideal solution may be to buy a franchise. In fact, Guidant Financial has gone so far as to dub 2019 the “Year of the Franchise” based on trends in its latest  Small Business Trends survey. Here’s a closer look at what they found about today’s franchise owners (also called franchisees). Who are today’s franchisees? Some 62% of franchisees in Guidant’s survey are baby boomers, while 30% belong to Generation X. Just 8% are millennials. One reason for the low level of millennial invol ..read more

By Jeff Swiggett You would love to operate your own business, and over the years you’ve set aside money to invest in a company to fulfill this lifelong dream. And when it finally comes time to buy a business of your own, you’re left with two options: investing in a franchise opportunity or buying an independent business. While both options put you at the top of the corporate ladder, they each have their own unique advantages and drawbacks. Learn about the pros and cons of each to help you determine which option is right for you. Investing in a franchise: Be your own boss with limits Franchises ..read more

Are you dying to start a business–now? Entrepreneurs are impatient by nature, so going through all the steps required to start a business—from writing a business plan to finding a location and applying licenses and permits—can be sheer agony for many. There are two shortcuts to starting a business that can put you in the driver’s seat fast. Buying an existing business or buying a franchise are easy ways to start a business compared to starting up from scratch. Here’s what you need to know about both of these options. Startup shortcut #1: Buying an existing business When you start a business fr ..read more

By Josh Cohen When you buy a franchise, you’re not starting a business from scratch, but you still have work to do. Many new franchisees underestimate what it takes to succeed—they don’t realize there’s more to franchising than just picking a brand and opening a new location. Becoming a new franchisee is an uphill climb that requires a lot of time and effort. Think of yourself as a mountain climber. You have tools like ropes, a pickax, and a harness, but now you need to start climbing. Success is waiting at the top and you just need to get there. It’s much easier to navigate your route if you ..read more

Is your small business profitable and growing? Do you constantly get out-of-town customers wondering when you’re going to open a location in their neighborhoods? Are you secretly kind of bored running just one, smoothly operating location and want to feel the excitement of your startup days again? If your answer to these questions is an unqualified “Yes,” maybe you’re ready to franchise your business—the key word is “maybe.” To see if you’re really in a position to franchise, ask yourself these six questions: 1. Do I have the standardized systems needed to franchise my business (or can I creat ..read more