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The post Protected: OneClick Cleaners – November Webinars appeared first on Franchise Discovery Center.

As a special invitation, we are providing free Expo Passes and have a number of great show offers to help bring someone in to our amazing dry cleaning business.

• $5,000 vehicle ownership allowance
• $2,000 free supplies
• $2,000 vehicle wrap and outfitting

Is dry cleaning not your thing? No problem – I am still guiding my clients to the best franchise ownership advice out there – I’m always happy to do the best thing for you.

Please let me know if you’ll be in town for the Expo – it will be wonderful to meet face to face.

The post Anaheim West Coast Franchise Expo 2012 appeared first on Franchise Discovery Center.

• Papa Murphy’s
• Dominos
• Subway
• Dunkin Donuts
• Red Mango

Among other well-seasoned companies like:

• Liberty Tax
• UPS Store
• Curves
• Aamco

Literally, you could visit any industry vertical and find franchises that fit the need, but it’s more important to take the time to find one that actually meets your skills and interests.

One caution that has come up recently is the desire for franchise concepts to attract new franchisees by using special offers and incentives. This article outlines it quite nicely: Forbes.com.

Our point of view is to take a different approach; take time to really think about your budget, your willingness to take on debt, and your true capitalization (most importantly don’t reach and become under capitalized!). The best part about franchises is they have systems in place that reduce the risk to failure, but if you start in the wrong business due to an incentive that enticed you, or stretch your budget so thin you can’t crawl out of the hole, then you haven’t really helped yourself at all.

From a business ownership point of view, maybe you take a more responsible position, invest in a lower cost business – roll profits into a new opportunity and diversify your business holdings by acquiring another business a few years down the line.

Slow and steady wins the race.

The post Researching the RIGHT franchise opportunity appeared first on Franchise Discovery Center.

Throughout my life as an entrepreneur, I have always been keen to business opportunities and taking chances on big ideas. There’s nothing wrong with that whatsoever, as a matter of fact, some might consider that part of the American Dream. Another part of that dream is the ability to have the freedom to spend our money how we see fit – and we do find that certain communities see franchisees as “sellouts” who are hitched to the franchise by way of a franchise fee and royalties. In other words, they think that the dollars they spend don’t go back into the community and therefore buying through a big brand is not really helping their local economy at all.

So we won’t name those communities or the demographics of people specifically, but we do see these behaviors in less populated areas, such as small towns and some core communities on larger cities.

Let’s take a much brighter approach to this: Where are the franchise-friendly cities?

There are plenty of areas and demographics in the country that have that “franchise hunger” we referred to. In actuality, most cities have varying degrees of hunger, but it goes a bit deeper than that. In general, our most “franchise friendly” communities are where the “urban sprawl” exists. Consider major suburbs around large cities and metroplexes. Dallas-Fort Worth is a prime example. Minneapolis-St. Paul is another. Consider all the humongous suburbs in Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Iowa. These are all classic hungry territories! Now that you have been made aware of this, you may notice the next time you drive to work and pass two or three strip malls, that most of the retail businesses that lease there are likely franchises (sandwich shops, restaurants, coffee, dry cleaning, tanning, massage, etc.).

The key to the whole discussion about franchise hunger is: What is YOUR community hungry for?

Even the most conservative communities need franchises. It may not be an in-your-face retail franchise like a coffee shop or restaurant – it could be somethine as obscure as a private security company used to patrol the neighborhoods. Taking a good, hard look at what is missing in a community is the key to being a successful franchisee. Once you determine what “hunger” your area needs, you are then more acutely aware and can solve that need. Don’t fall in love with every concept, fall in love with the ones your city needs. Trust me, there’s at least one for everyone.

The post Is there such a thing as Franchise Hunger? appeared first on Franchise Discovery Center.

So what can one do to reduce the intimidation factor?

Our advice is to apply some systematic reasoning and try to avoid the emotional decision-making. While getting excited about a specific concept is encouraged, applying reasoning and a systematic grading and evaluation system may lead you to a more appropriate conclusion. Here is our advice on how to choose a franchise:

Decide which industry category makes the most sense for you. Then be open to one more. Why? The main reason is because your personal biases may be clouding your point of view. Most people’s goal of starting a business is to be their own boss, be happy and fulfilled, control their own future, and to make money. Your preferred category might be the best option at the beginning of your discovery process, but as you dig in – you’ll clearly find that similar investment levels may lead you to other franchise concepts that has nothing to do with your original idea. For example, one of the top calls we get for a sandwich shop. While a sandwich shop is a fast-paced, exciting, and rewarding business – it still takes a hefty sum of money to start one. But most people don’t realize that you are dealing with a 7-days-a-week business with extended hours and a relatively complicated supply chain and tons of employees. Bottom line is a lot of work and effort for a relatively marginal profit. Take that same investment level and put it into a mobile drycleaning business and you’ll find that you set regular hours, build a customer base then maintain the business (often as an absentee owner). The net result is as much or more net profit, but you work about one third the total amount.

Make sure to get the financials straigtened out up front. Now that you know what categories you want to be in, find out how much it will really take to open your business. We find that most people begin their search without this knowledge, and therefore are undercapitalized. Not to worry, there are ways to get this part under control – but the main thing is you must have a decent sum of money and/or have your loan plans in place before a franchisor will seriously consider you as a candidate.

Begin an objective assessment. Now that you know how much you can invest, take joy in this step. You are planning your future and you want to make a great decision – but our advice is to have a great time doing it. Dreaming is a part of a positive mental approach to life – so let’s feed it here. The key to the objective assessment is to do a number of things, but most of all stay level-headed and don’t let your favoritism for one franchise close your mind to another. Talk to your shortlist of franchises, ask lots of questions, and avoid any hard selling by expressing your timelines, not theirs. Remember, each franchise is in an active selling process as soon as you make contact. Here are some of the other grading elements you may assess:

1. Fees & ongoing costs or royalties – How much does the franchise get from every sale you make? Are their monthly minimums or annual fees?
2. Total investment – Compare total investments. The less you invest, the sooner you are truly profitable.
3. Training & Support – Check with other franchisees about the care and feeding the franchise home office provides.
4. Culture – Do your values match the culture of the franchise?
5. Demand and market analysis – Look around your area. Does your demographic really need what you want to do?
6. Terms in Franchise Disclosure Document and franchise agreement – Some FDD’s and franchise agreements can carry a ton of complexity. Review them carefully with a professional before committing.
7. Growth potential (multi unit ownership) – Can you expand? Are there options or discounts for expansion?
8. Ability to become an absentee owner – Can you hire a manager and just manage your business from afar?
9. Work from home option – Can you work from home (major cost savings!)?
10. Veterans program – Many franchises give discounts to veterans.
11. Women & minority owned program – You may qualify for other discounts or loan programs based on being female or minority.
12. Competition - Some of the hottest franchises right now are frozen yogurt and senior care. Take a look around before getting too serious about your franchise choice. I recall when Krispy Kreme opened near our home, we saw a few more donut shops open nearby. There’s just not enough customers for everyone, so somebody will eventually lose that battle. Be very cognizant of your market and its needs – also be aware of the trends so you don’t get caught up in a competition storm.

The post How to Choose a Franchise – Tips and Advice appeared first on Franchise Discovery Center.

We have a relative newcomer to the franchising world – and we think it is a remarkable fit for anyone who loves to work in their community: Bio-One Inc.

This is the world’s first crime scene cleaning franchise. They are well-known in the industry and are sought after by clients. This is a huge advantage over other franchises (especially cleaning and restoration) who have lots of competition for contracts. The biggest issue for most new start-ups is early sales success and building a portfolio of customers. I suspect that with Bio-One, the customers are calling because of the brand reputation (they are well-known in their field). That is not to say that typical business growth factors (like business networking and marketing) are not important; it’s the attraction of clients and ability to close deals that may make Bio-One special.

The main business for Bio-One is centered around bio-hazardous material cleanup, but the franchise is so much more than just cleaning up blood. They are known to clean up the stench from hoarders, hazardous cells & viruses, unattended deaths, odors, meth lab clean-up, and the list goes on. Just like other restoration services, the fees are often paid by insurance carriers – and the margins are typically 70% or greater.

Why not just start your own without the assistance of a franchisor?

It’s not easy to get into this industry. Check out the movie “Sunshine Cleaning” – a movie about two women who learn they can make some dough cleaning up crime scenes. Well they learn the hard way that cleaning up hazardous materials requires certification, special techniques, and the right relationships. But they also learn it’s quite lucrative! We suppose it’s possible to start on your own, but you will surely be fighting a strong uphill battle until profitability. With a low franchise fee and total investment, Bio-One takes all of the uncertainty out of this field and makes it possible for you to succeed by giving you all the tools and training you need.

We believe in this concept. If you have interest, we have a full cache of documentation and presentations to share, and we can make a direct introduction to the franchise developer and CEO of the company.

Financials:

• Franchise Fee: $35,000 (10% discount for veterans)
• Total Investment: About $59,000

Let us know if you are interested – We’ll give you all the details and set up a one-on-one conversation with this excellent franchise:

The post New addition to our top recommended franchises – Bio-One appeared first on Franchise Discovery Center.

1. Simple Business to run
2. Strong market potential
3. Professional Services Industry
4. Broad customer base (commercial, institutional, government and consumer customers)
5. Little competition
6. First to market with cutting edge service
7. Low start up cost
8. Begin earning money from day one
9. Low overhead
10. No office, retail, or commercial space required
11. No inventory (no “shrinkage”)
12. No cash transactions
13. You never pay an employee who isn’t earning money (no empty retail stores)
14. High return on investment with low accounts receivable
15. Recurring Income
16. Not adversely affected by poor economy
17. Loyal Customers
18. Passive ownership (Once established you can easily hire a manager to run the business)
19. Provides Scalability (the ability to grow)
20. Provides Flexibility (you are not tied to the business, you can still have a life)

The post What is this mystery franchise? appeared first on Franchise Discovery Center.

Franchises vs. Standard Startup – Like Apples vs. Oranges

When you start a business from the ground floor – there are many things to consider:

• Your product and/or service
• Perfecting the way you deliver your product/service
• Back-office (accounting, payroll, inventory, staffing, benefits, insurance, etc.)
• Selecting your location(s)
• Building out your business location
• Equipment and materials
• Suppliers and supply chains
• Digital marketing (website, online advertising, etc)
• Traditional marketing
• Signage
• Business opening strategy (so you have customers on day one)
• Branding
• Pricing
• Market analysis
• Business licenses, corporations, LLC’s, etc.
• And many I surely have not considered

Really when you put it all together, it’s quite a chore to open a business and do it right. Sure, you could rent a small retail space, put in a flat top and deep fryer and start selling hamburgers right away, but there’s a lot more to do if you want to be that exceptional place that keeps the customers coming and puts you on the road to a successful business.

That’s where franchises come in. Consider that a franchisor has already completed that long list of tasks and has proven that their system works. Not only have they proven it, they’ve proven it over and over again by selling their franchise to investors who are making money with the concept.

Take OneClick Cleaners for example:

The concept is straightforward – you own a mobile drycleaning service. However, instead of investing $500,000 in a retail location and being restricted to people who live/work within 5 miles of your store, you can market to a range of 25 or even 50 miles away utilizing a 3rd party dry cleaner facility (wholesale to you). You can work from home and never buy a piece of dry cleaning equipment. You provide an essential service to your customers who will be glad to not have to climb in the car, go to the cleaners, wait a few days then drive back to pick up their suits. We are not permitted to provide earnings claims, but you can run out the numbers fairly conservatively to get a sense of what a business like this could do for you:

• Average ticket $25.00
• Average margin per customer: 50% ($12.50)
• Number of visits per customer per month: 2

Over 12 months, each customer would provide about $600.00 (24 services @ $25 per ticket). If the profit margin was 50%, that would be approximately $300 per customer per year. Multiply that times 500 customers and that is a very good income for an owner/operator. We think 500 is a fair target, but there is really no limit to the number of customers you can acquire. This is where the franchise system comes into play – they have developed best-practices for marketing your business and attracting new clients and business customers to ensure you have every opportunity to be successful. High-end total investment for this business? About $90,000.

Let’s use Extreme Pita as another example.

Their concept is also straightforward: A quick-serve restaurant (QSR) that provides a variety of healthy choices – all fresh ingredients. The bulk of their menu is pita sandwiches – outside the box of the normal sandwich wars (Quizno’s, Subway, Potbelly, Schlotsky’s, Jimmy John’s) but with a higher ticket price. They have done the work for you with regards to setting up shop, finding suppliers, accounting, recipes, etc. The main thing you need to do is comply with their financial requirements ($70,000 liquid, $150,000 net worth, total investment around $100,000+) and ensure you are a good match to successfully run this business. Extreme Pita is comparable to opening a Subway, but is a much simpler business to run with better overall margins.

As you can see, when you buy a franchise you may spend a little more up front, but there is a ton of value in making that investment. You get a proven system, proven brand – and most importantly you get a higher probability of success. If you start on your own, you may save a few thousand dollars, but you may also find it costs just as much (or more!) when you start from scratch. More importantly, you will be the one inventing the wheel – which means more business risk.

No matter which way you decide to go, it is important to take the first steps. We are also grateful you are willing to make an investment in yourself – because your investment helps our economy and our nation by generating jobs and tax revenue that help build our nation. Measure your success – start slowly and carefully. Ensure your foundation is solid before going all-in.

The post Investing in a franchise is a shortcut to being a business owner appeared first on Franchise Discovery Center.

The process is simple for you to earn your rebate.

1. Contact us to begin your franchise discovery. There are hundreds of choices in every business vertical and at all investment levels – some can be opened for under $25,000 while most settling in around $50,000-$150,000. If you already know what franchise you want, let us know and we’ll get the ball rolling.
2. Fill out our confidential candidate questionnaire. We don’t ask for too much personal information. If a question is too personal, skip it.
3. We must be certain you financially qualify. This can be with your own savings, 401k, equity loans, business loans, new business credit, etc. Without proper qualifications, most franchisors will not speak with you.
4. Once qualified, we will assist you in being the gatekeeper to franchises that you are interested in. Our advice is to let us do the dirty work so your cell phone isn’t ringing all day with salespeople trying to close you on a franchise. With our approach, the franchisor sales teams at the different franchises will adhere to our schedule, not theirs.
5. If you still like the franchise at this point, they will share their Franchise Disclosure Document and invite you to Discovery Day.
6. Once you go to Discovery Day, you may be offered a franchise. Remember this is a two-way interview process at this point. Just because you went to Discovery Day doesn’t mean you are required to sign a franchise agreement!
7. Once the franchise agreement is successfully executed and funds are transferred, we will cut you a check for $1000 (a few franchises may be less than a $1000 rebate).

We certainly hope that an offer like this helps get you started. Now is a great time to get into business as the economy begins to turn upwards. Regardless of what’s happening in Europe and the perceived issues with our own economy, you can capitalize on lower lease costs and lower labor costs during the ramp-up of your business.

Contact us today for more information!

The post New Rebate Offer – Up to $1000 When You Buy A Franchise appeared first on Franchise Discovery Center.

Some of my best memories come from July 4 celebrations. Something as simple as melting army men with a bottle rocket (those were great times!) or the times we spent with the whole family on my aunt and uncle’s property at family reunions. One of my favorite July 4th memories was when I was sixteen years old and it was my first one with my driver’s license. My dad and I drove down to the Ivar’s fireworks show in Seattle and he let me drive our Volvo station wagon there and back. I remember it well because a great song was on the radio (“Money for Nothin’” by Dire Straits) and my dad and I were groovin’ to the music with the windows open cruising down the road. I bet if you think back, you also have special memories from July 4th – we’d love to hear your stories!

For me, another important layer to the 4th is the memory of being in the US Air Force for two terms. Something about the this holiday brings out the patriotism in many people. I never really wore that emotion on my sleeve, but the older I get, the more it seems to matter. The same is true at Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day. My chest puffs out just a little extra on these three days of the year; my eyes still well up when I hear the National Anthem. A lot of people risked their lives for this nation, its ideals are unique in the world and it’s one of the few places on the planet where you can truly control your own destiny.

I guess for me, my franchise broker business is an extension of the theme of this post – family, nation, and freedom are all hallmarks to each of us personally – and this drives us to do the things we do. If it wasn’t for my desire to provide for my wife and child and by giving them everything they deserve, there’s a great chance I’d be coasting through life. Instead, I’ve taken risks in my career to advance and done things like start two businesses in the last three years – we are trying our best to do what it takes to succeed.

I honestly don’t know how many people will read this post – could be in the dozens or hundreds. If I’m lucky, it will be in the thousands. Know this: Taking a chance to give you and your family what they deserve is a risk worth taking. We’ve got your back. We want to help. We sincerely hope that you will consider taking the first steps into owning your own business – at the very least, find out if it’s right for you. Who knows? It may be the best decision you ever make!

The post Independence Day 2012 appeared first on Franchise Discovery Center.