You might be thinking that just about anyone can rock up and ‘buy’ a franchise, and this might well be true if you are well in funds; you might be thinking, it is important, though, to understand that you should really be ‘awarded’ a franchise by the Franchisor, and do so do, will have to be part of a process, after all, this is what franchising is all about! One of the reasons you might be looking for a franchise is, of course, to be more in control of your future. But you should also be rewarded for your efforts; you will already know this will not be a paid job. If you did not realise this, you will soon discover that in franchising! You will get out what you put in; I bet you have heard that phrase before! It is fair to say that sometimes individuals are not necessarily wholly motivated by money, perhaps more of a lifestyle change, so there are exceptions to this statement!
How much do you really know about the
franchise you are looking at? Dig much deeper into the actual operations of the business. Would the business suit your lifestyle, for example? Are you dealing with other people as part of your role? Is that even what you are good at or enjoy doing? Only with a more detailed look at the franchise’s inner workings can you properly understand what is involved. Can you genuinely do this remotely and take a view? How about current franchisees? These people have a much better understanding of what is involved; given they are already operational within the franchise, you might not get a better endorsement, or otherwise, of how the franchise is to run!
You might have been drawn into a particular franchise by a figure often referred to as the ‘Franchise Fee‘. This is often the initial fee to get you going and be supported while operating the brand. More frequently, there are other liquid requirements to run the business; this could be in the form of investment required for equipment, stock, staffing and salaries, and working capital. Have you then thought about the total financial commitment? If so, does this fit your budget? If it does not, but you are still keen to explore the possibility, where might you be able to generate the additional finds from? There might be options, but you should also think about this yourself at this stage.
Work-from-home franchises require very little inventory, and minimal additional capital is required, so you could be well funded. If you were looking to invest in the region of £25,000, when you compare this to a brick-and-mortar food outlet, this might show a low franchise fee of £10,000. Still, you will need deposits for things such as commercial leases, additional funds to pay your solicitor, part payment if you are looking to lease equipment, and so on; the list can get quite extensive, meaning you might need to be liquid to as much as six figures or more! This is not designed to put you off; these types of businesses can be highly repeatable and scaleable if you understand the short-, medium-- and long-term implications on your cash.
You have lots of offers for support in the franchise space; there are free-to-attend franchise exhibitions, as I write this, at least a few a year! Then as you request further information on the franchises that either you like the look of or ones that initially match your investment, further information will follow from the Franchisor themselves or, more often, someone representing the franchise. Again the role of these people is to help guide you through the entire process, understand what is so good about the franchise you are enquiring about, learn more about your role, and what support is there initially and ongoing. They will walk you through most stages as long as you engage in doing so, and that is the critical point, you need to make yourself known to get the support you need!
