Franchisee resource center

Assume that I’ve already identified a franchise opportunity that fits my personal, business and financial profile and my application has been approved.

Yet that is exactly what most franchisees do. It's good to be enthusiastic about your future business plans. It's bad to fall in love with the deal and let your emotions take the lead. Think that won't happen to you? If you talk to a hundred franchisees you will find that few knew exactly what they were getting into. Most are sensible people with plenty of information who selectively twisted the facts to support an emotional decision.

Fans of the recently finished series Friday Night Lights remember the show for its heartwarming depiction of a small Texas town, Dillon, in love with its high school football program. (For you non sports lovers, the series' name refers to the day and time football games are typically contested at the high school level).

In general, non-compete provisions state that the franchisee will not, during the term of the franchise agreement and for a reasonable period thereafter (typically two or three years), own or be involved in any “competitive business.” What constitutes a “competitive business” will vary from franchise system to franchise system, but most franchisees can generally expect to be prohibited from taking part in any business that offers goods/services that are either identical to or competitive with the goods/services offered under the franchise system. Non-compete provisions must be limited in geographic scope, and generally cover a set radius (usually somewhere around 5 to 25 miles) around the former franchised outlet, and possibly also the outlets of other existing franchisees.

For new franchisors, standing out from the crowd can be a task of epic proportions. Selecting a strong and memorable trademark is certainly an important (indeed, critical) first step, but for the relatively unknown, picking a trademark that is too abstract can occasionally be viewed as a step in the wrong direction—you want to stand out, but you also want people to actually know what you do or sell.

Starting your own business can change your life in many ways for the better, but potentially also in some ways for the worse. The lack of stability compared to a 9-to-5 job can lead to new stresses, including those on your existing relationships. These are five ways starting a new business can affect your marriage, or really, your entire family.

Time is a precious commodity these days and although buying a franchise is a time consuming process, there are ways to cut to the chase. Of course you should do your due diligence, but first make sure you’re focused on viable choices. Here are some tips to quickly identify the best franchise opportunities for you so no time is wasted.

One of the most difficult tasks faced by the leadership team of a growing franchisor is the development and maintenance of an optimal capital structure and access to the resources that the franchisor will need to stay strong and maintain its growth plans. Access to affordable debt and equity capital continues to be a problem for the growing franchisor even though franchising has matured as a viable method of business growth.