There are many advantages to buying a proven business buy many people are surprised to learn buying a franchise does not guarantee success

Orlando, FL -- Rick Bisio, franchise consultant and noted author of the book, The Educated Franchisee, recently spoke at a workshop designed to provide franchise information to young entrepreneurs who were considering owning a franchise. Rick believes that even in today's economy, buying a franchise is a wise choice but one must be aware of the common misconception that franchise ownership guarantees success.

Rick received a huge round of applause from the attendees who were excited to hear him speak. He began, "Purchasing a franchise is safer than starting a new business from scratch. The whole point of a franchise is that you limit your risk by buying a system that is already proven; the tools for success are already in place and there is no need to spend years reinventing the wheel with product, pricing, marketing and so on."

Rick explained that just because franchising is safer, doesn't mean that it is completely safe. "There are no guarantees and risk is not the same for everyone," Rick said. "The location of your business and the time you invest, your management skills and changes in the marketplace will have an impact on your business."

Rick made a very important point that though franchising offers the opportunity to work for yourself, you are not working by yourself. "A sound franchisor will supply a proven business model that has worked for many franchisees. They will teach you how to be effective working within that model as they provide on-going training and support," Rick explained.

By the time the workshop was over, everyone was very clear that owning a franchise is a lot of work, and it can be very rewarding. Rick concluded, "Owning a franchise requires hard work and long hours, but, eventually, if your goal is to have the freedom to take long vacations, with good management, this can be a reality. If you choose a franchise wisely, you will earn money immediately, but you will be required to invest money to get started. There is the initial franchise fee, and possibly a lease, signs, inventory, marketing and other business related expenses. It can take several months to years to see a huge profit."

Rick Bisio of FranChoice Consulting is the author of the book, The Educated Franchisee. To learn more about how to identify a great franchise businesses and stacking the deck in your favor, go to http://www.educatedfranchisee.com or buy the book - The Educated Franchisee - on Amazon.com. Rick's books and articles cover everything you need to know about buying a franchise, owning a franchise, franchising skills and requirements, finding the right franchise, recognizing great business opportunities, starting and building your own business and more about business franchises.

Contact:

Rick Bisio
FranChoice Consulting
(941) 778 4660 PH
(941) 778 4670 FX
(800) 708 0040 Toll Free
rbisio@franchoice.com

This Press Release was submitted by Right Now Marketing Group, LLC

Gathering great franchise information and choosing a proven franchise concept is perhaps the best route to successful business ownership. There are many advantages to buying a proven business but many people are surprised to find out that buying a franchise does not ensure success. This is a fairly frequent misperception. This article studies some of the facts - and misperceptions.

Buying a Franchise is Safer than Starting a Business from Scratch.

Almost every potential franchisee I talk with has heard this. And it is factual. The whole point of a franchise is that you limit your risk by buying a system that is already established. The instruments for success already are in place and there's no need to spend years reinventing the wheel with product, pricing, marketing, and so on.

But don't make the mistake of thinking that "franchising is safer" means "franchising is safe." There are no guarantees. As we state in the franchise book - The Educated Franchisee - ‘Risk is not the same for everyone'. The location of your business, the time you have to devote, your management skills, and changes in the marketplace will affect your business.

Franchising gives you the opportunity to work for yourself, but not by yourself.

A good franchisor will provide a proven business model that has worked for many franchisees. They will teach you how to be competent working within that model. Additionally, a respectable franchisor will offer on-going training and support.

In many franchises, especially if territories don't overlap and franchisees don't compete with one another, your fellow franchisees will constitute another wonderful resource, assisting you get trained in your particular franchise.

So you will work for yourself, but not by yourself. But don't interpret this to mean that you call the shots and the franchisor is there to help you no matter what. The franchisor has rules and procedures that are designed to protect you and your fellow franchisees. And remember that the only business model the franchisor knows how to support you on is the model you purchased. If you depart from that model and things aren't working, the franchisor will tell you to get back to the model. It's advantageous for the system, and honestly, you can't ask the franchisor to know how to assist you be prosperous in an altered model. One of the most crucial parts of your franchise education is to understand this: You must know how to lead while following. Lead your employees and your business but follow the system. Anything other than this will defeat the purpose of buying a franchise.

Owning your own business means making money while working the hours that are best for you.

How many times have I heard "flexible hours" cited as someone's reason for wanting to buy a franchise. That's fine - as long as you realize that's a long-term goal for most franchises (or any other business, or a new job, for that matter). Having a business involves hard work. The long vacations and extra time with family may come in time, but new franchisees should expect to put in a lot of overtime, at least for a few years.

And not only will you not make money right away, you'll need to invest money. You will need to pay an initial franchise fee, and, contingent on the business, you may have to sign a lease, pay for signs, inventory, marketing, salaries, and royalties, all before you're making any money. It may require several months to several years for a franchise to begin making a profit.

Before you invest in a franchise, look hard at yourself. If you have some tolerance for risk; are willing to follow a system and work hard; and have sufficient capital to carry you until you make a profit, franchising may be the vehicle that assists you reach your goals. Just be smart and realize that, unfortunately, there is no magic bullet.

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The Educated Franchisee is dedicated to franchise education through the sharing of franchise information. Our objective is -

‘To create educated franchise buyers that have clearly defined objectives and are able to recognize the right, or wrong, franchise when they see it. An educated franchise buyer will move into the franchisee role with their expectations properly set and will have a heightened potential for success within the franchise system creating a win/win for all involved.

To get more franchise information about how to stack the deck in your favor -

Visit our website at www.educatedfranchisee.com or

Purchase our franchise book - The Educated Franchisee by Rick Bisio, Franchise Consultant or

Contact author directly at rbisio@educatedfranchisee.com or call 941 778 4660.

There are a lot of key factors to weigh when choosing a franchise opportunity; Not only must it be a perfect fit for you, it must be one that will be around for a long time

St. Petersburg, Fl - Rick Bisio, a franchise consultant and noted author, recently spoke at a workshop for people considering owning their own business. Rick discussed how to choose a franchise opportunity based on its rate of franchise development. Rick said, "The rate of growth is an important issue. A franchise that grows too fast may seem like a good thing at first, but it s possible for a system to develop too fast, making it very difficult to ensure that a system is in place for training and on-going support. On the other hand, one with a slow growth rate may suggest problems with the business model, making it difficult for the franchisees to succeed. The lack of new franchisees may be a sign of an unhealthy franchise system."

Rick discussed how to gauge steady franchise growth by determining the pace at which the franchise grew each year, both in absolute and percent terms. Rick said, "To find this data for the past three years, you can look in the Franchise Disclosure Document under Item 20, the List of Outlets. All the data you need regarding franchise growth will be there in a clear and easy to understand format."

Rick provided informative handouts showing the rule of thumb for medium-sized franchisors, stating the number of franchisees added each year should be between 10% and 35% of the total number of franchisees. Rick explained, "This method doesn't work for very large or very small companies, so one must consider the ratio of operational support personnel compared to new franchisees. A ratio of one support person for every 10 to 20 new franchisees tells you that new franchisees are likely getting the preparation and support necessary to succeed."

Rick concluded by saying, "Meet the support staff and talk to existing franchisees. You can glean a lot of valuable information by asking the right questions and listening to what they have to say about how they feel about support and training they received when they entered into the franchise business. Visit their headquarters and spend some time with the support staff to be sure you are comfortable with their experience, competence, style and ability to communicate since you will need to be able to work with them and trust their advice on an on-going basis.

Rick Bisio of FranChoice Consulting is the author of the book, The Educated Franchisee. His book teaches people how to recognize a good franchise opportunity and how to research the franchise to be sure it is right for them. Rick's book covers everything you need to know about buying a franchise and owning and operating a franchise. For more information on franchising skills and requirements and starting and building your franchise business, visit http://www.educatedfranchisee.com

Contact:

Rick Bisio
FranChoice Consulting
(941) 778 4660 PH
(941) 778 4670 FX
(800) 708 0040 Toll Free
rbisio@franchoice.com
http://www.educatedfranchisee.com

This Press Release was submitted by Right Now Marketing Group, LLC

There are many elements to analyze when selecting the right franchise opportunity. Not only do you need the franchise to be a good fit for you - you are also required to work with a franchisor that will be around for a long time.

How can you learn if a franchise system is sound? In the franchise book, The Educated Franchisee we believe in sharing knowledge. A little franchise education can be helpful in this area.

One important measure is the system's pace of franchise growth.

Too Fast: Rapid franchise growth may seem like a good thing at first but it is possible for a system to grow too fast. It is important to make sure the franchisor has the people and systems in place to thoroughly address your training and on-going support. For example, if a system of 50 franchisees adds 30 additional franchisees in a year, the pace of franchise growth may be too speedy.

Too Slow: If franchise growth is stagnant there could also be a problem. Why isn't the franchise attracting new people? Perhaps there are problems with the business model - problems that make it difficult for existing franchisees to succeed. When potential franchisees make ‘validation calls' they may hear about problems and decide to look elsewhere for a business. Or maybe the franchisor doesn't have the right staff and has to limit franchise development. Either way, a deficiency of new franchisees could be a sign of an unsound franchise organization.

Just Right: Steady franchise growth over time is an indicator of good management and a healthy system. One way to gauge steady franchise growth is to determine the rate at which the franchise grew each year both in absolute and percent terms. To get this data for the past three years you can look in the Franchise Disclosure Document below Item 20 - the List of Outlets. All the information you want concerning franchise growth will be there for you in a clear, facile to understand format.

Rule of Thumb for Most Franchises

As a rule of thumb for medium-sized franchisors, the number of franchisees added each year should be between 10% and 35% of the total number of franchisees. For instance, a company with 100 franchisees ought to own the infrastructure to bring up to 35 new franchisees in the next year.

Rule of Thumb for Large and Small Franchises

This formula doesn't work for very large or very small companies, however, so when looking at behemoth or boutique franchise systems consider the ratio of operational support personnel compared to new franchisees. A ratio of one support person for every 10-20 new franchisees assures you that new franchisees are likely getting the training and back up they need to succeed.

Talk to Franchisees

But don't assume! It is critical that you talk to existing franchisees. Find out about the training they received initially and what they receive in terms of on-going support. Do they find the staff to be knowledgeable? Responsive? Does the franchisee feel comfortable calling on them for help? Give careful attention to the information you find out from new franchisees. Your experience will most closely reflect theirs.

Meet the Support Staff

Typically, a serious franchise investigation ends with a visit to the franchisor's headquarters to get final questions answered and meet the staff face-to-face. Spend extra time with the support staff. Make sure you are comfortable with their experience, skill set, style, and ability to communicate, since you will want to work easily with them and rely on their advice on an on-going basis.

There are many things to think about when researching a franchise business that will meet your needs, but it doesn't matter how much you like the business if the franchisor isn't viable. Collect the franchise information you need and be convinced the system you select is growing and has a large number of fulfilled franchisees. Franchise development is a fundamental part of your due diligence. Only a sound franchise opportunity can sustain your long-term growth and success.

This Article was written by Rick Bisio, a franchise consultant who is dedicated to franchise education through the sharing of franchise information. Rick's objective is to create educated franchise buyers that have clearly defined objectives and are able to recognize the right or wrong franchise when they see it. An educated franchise buyer will move into the franchisee role with their expectations properly set and will have a heightened potential for success within the franchise system creating a win/win for all involved. For a free monthly newsletter and more information on stacking the deck in your favor, visit http://www.educatedfranchisee.com

efore you begin to investigate a franchise business you need to think hard about whether or not being a business owner is right for you.

When you think about owning your own business do you think about the freedom of not having a boss? Do you think a franchise business will ensure your success? Do you see entrepreneurship as a route to a flexible schedule, with no one looking over your shoulder, while you bask in the pride of ownership, and enjoy all that money...

If these are the thoughts you have about owning a small business franchise, do yourself a favor. Stay employed!

Successful franchise business owners usually think more along these lines: where there's a will, there's a way; success requires courage, commitment and sacrifice; and a problem is just an opportunity in disguise. They know that the stars don't align themselves and have never been perfectly aligned for anyone. They are willing to take on risk, and then work like mad to minimize that risk. They trust themselves to do what it takes to drive success.

Successful franchise business owners believe in what they are doing. They appreciate their employees, knowing that well-managed and happy employees, over time, will allow them to step away from the business to some degree, perhaps then achieving the goals of financial security and personal flexibility. And while they know that franchise businesses offer excellent odds for success, they also know the owner's drive and passion makes all the difference.

If the latter description - that of the successful franchise business owner - resonates with you, perhaps you are ready to make the transition into entrepreneurship. If so, buying a small business franchisee is a tremendous direction to pursue. The franchisor provides the business model, the training, the brand, and the operating system. You provide capital, a lot of hard work, courage, and your passion. If that sounds like the way life should be lived, then find the franchise business that meets your needs, take the risk, work like mad to overcome the obstacles, and see your way clear to success!

This article was written by Rick Bisio, author of the book, The Educated Franchisee. Rick is dedicated to franchising through the sharing of knowledge. His objective is to create educated franchise buyers that have clearly defined objectives and are able to recognize the right, or wrong, franchise when they see it. Ideally an educated franchisee will move into the franchisee role with their expectations properly set and, as a result, will have a heightened potential for success within the franchise system creating a win/win for all involved.

To learn more about how to identify great franchise businesses and stack the deck in your favor, visit Rick Bisio's website at www.educatedfranchisee.com or purchase his book - The Educated Franchisee. Contact Rick directly at rbisio@educatedfranchisee.com or call 941 778 4660. Sign up for our FREE monthly newsletter at - http://educatedfranchisee.com/signup.aspx