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May 7, 2010
There's A Franchise For Just About Everything...  There's A Franchise For Just About Everything...
Cliff Ennico
www.creators.com
The conventional wisdom says nobody is starting small businesses or buying franchises anymore because of the currently strong economy. Because people can now find "safe" jobs in corporate America, the conventional wisdom says, they're less likely to take the risk of starting a business from scratch, with no regular paycheck, no benefits, etc., etc.
And, as is often the case, the conventional wisdom is wrong, wrong, wrong.
I've been bouncing around the country attending and speaking at trade shows the past couple of weeks, including the annual Connecticut Franchise and Self-Employment Showcase sponsored by The Entrepreneur's Source (
www.theesource.com
), a franchise brokerage network that is itself a franchise.
With 25 national franchises in attendance at the one-day event, and several hundred attendees from just about every New England state looking to learn more about franchises, I can assure you that franchising is still very much alive and kicking, thank you.
Steve Lehman, the organizer of the yearly showcase and an Entrepreneur's Source counselor based in Fairfield, Connecticut (
slehman@optonline.net
), explained the record attendance: "The traditional career economy no longer exists. It's up to each individual to utilize their skills to position themselves to become self-sufficient and take control of their own destiny. If they don't do it, they'll end up working for someone that did." Lehman said that the demand for franchises from Baby Boomers age 45 and up -- who are nervous about being "left behind" in the shrinking world of large U.S. corporations but who are also nervous about starting a business from scratch without the "handholding" and support that franchises offer - is stronger than ever and continuing to grow.
Thinking of starting a basic retail or service business? There probably is a franchise already doing it. If you think I'm kidding, consider the following actual franchises:
Ageless Remedies (
www.agelessremedies.com
), a skincare and "apothecary" medspa franchise offering a variety of skin care treatments (warning: in many states you have to be a physician to buy one of these);
AllOver Media (
www.allovermedia.com
) - help small businesses in your area with "nontraditional" advertising and promotional solutions (think gas pump and taxicab rooftop ads);
Aussie Pet Mobile (
www.aussiepetmobile.com
) - you buy a truck and go to people's homes to groom their pets;
Colorworks (
www.colorworksusa.com
) - fix the paint scratches on people's cars;
1867 Confederation Log Homes (
www.confederationloghomes.com
) - hey, this is how Abe Lincoln got started;
Entrees Made Easy (
www.entreesmadeeasy.com
) - people come to you and tell you what they want for dinner the next several days - you cook the meals for them, and they heat the meals up at home;
Expense Reduction Analysts (
www.expense-reduction.net
) - you help businesses cut their costs, and take a percentage of the cost reduction;
Fibrenew (
www.fibrenew.com
) - repair leather, vinyl and plastic auto seats and home furnishings;
Instant Imprints (
www.instantimprints.com
) - customize teeshirts, banners, signs and promotional tchotchkes for local businesses;
Interface Financial (
www.interfacefinancial.com
) - you buy a small business' invoices at a discount and collect from the customers;
Mad Science (
www.madscience.org
) - set up children's parties with science-oriented themes, games and fun projects;
ProShred (
www.proshred.com
) - you go around to offices shredding their documents in the back of your truck (hmm . . . a lot of potential Government work here . . . );
Robeks (
www.robeks.com
) - a restaurant chain offering fruit smoothies, yogurt drinks and other "healthy fast food" products;
Spanish Fun (
www.spanishfun.net
) - teach Spanish to preschoolers;
Winfree Business Growth Advisors (
www.winfree.org
) - consulting and coaching services for small business owners and entrepreneurs (hey, wait a minute, that's what I do!).
Even if you're NOT thinking about buying a franchise, it's a good idea to check out the franchises that are engaged in the business you are thinking of starting on your own. Sooner or later, as these franchises grow, they will be "in your face" and you will have to deal with them as competitors. If there's a franchise with a compelling business model doing the type of business you want to do, maybe it's a sign you should call them and offer to be their local franchisee before someone else does. Just be careful . . . a lot of franchises my clients are looking at right now are "early stage" and haven't thoroughly tested their business models yet.
Cliff Ennico (
cennico@legalcareer.com
) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest book is 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at
www.creators.com
. COPYRIGHT 2006 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
Posted by Staff at 1:49 AM |