Funny Stuff is all around

Whenever the subject of starting your own business venture comes to the fore, on many occasions the advice is to go with what your comfortable with and to ignore the other franchise types .

Other experts would disagree and urge you to investigate the types of franchise available as many businesses opportunities are about management of the franchise as opposed to actually working it.

Just about everyone loves pets. Gone are the days in which animals were viewed as nothing more than another resource for humans to use as we saw fit. These days, we tend to view animals as beings with which we share our world, and we treat them accordingly.

If you are thinking about starting your own animal-centric business, take heart—there are lots of franchise opportunities for pet lovers.

Many pet lovers have found out that one way to really get your business off the ground is with a franchise.

A franchise is when you pay a company for the use of their name or likeness in order to boost your business. Rather than trying to build your own business from the ground up, you pay a company to help you get started and from then on you use their name and represent their company as a whole.

Franchises are great because you get name and brand recognition right off the bat. You don’t have to worry about people not understanding what your business is all about; once they see that name they know what to expect and they will not hesitate to visit your store.

As far as franchise opportunities for pet lovers go, there are many to choose from. If you are interested in selling pet supplies, you have Wild Bird Centers of America, Animal Supply House, Just Dogs Gourmet, Pet Depot, and Wild Birds Unlimited.

If grooming is more your thing, you can choose from Aussie Pet Mobile, Hydro-Groom, and Mobile Dog Wash.

As you can see, that’s a lot to choose from. Before you even get started, you need to know your market. Do some research and find out if there is really a need for a business of the type you are envisioning in your area.

You also need to really think about what you want to focus on. Think about your interests and what would you would be the most passionate about in your business. The things you care most about often translate well when you are managing a business, and your customers will pick up on it.

Pick the type of pet service you want to provide or manage and decide on a franchise that you would like to buy.

For available franchise opportunities in the UK visit the Franchise Business Directory

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The new Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), which is going to replace the old UFOC by July, is long overdue. It contains the answers to many of the concerns of both the franchisee and the franchisor. Below are some highlights of the changes that are being introduced in the FDD:

• The list of brokers assigned by the franchisor won’t be present in the new FDD. However, there will be mention of the names in the Receipt Page where all “franchise sellers” are identified by the franchisor.
• The FDD can be delivered by the franchisor through electronic media and the mandatory face-to-face meeting has been scrapped.
• Similarly, the receipt that a franchisee is supposed to sign can be electronic.
• Franchisees, who are starting a franchise which costs more than a million dollar, are exempted from getting the FDD before signing any agreement. The argument is that, a person making such a high range of investment knows what he is doing and doesn’t need the guidance of the FDD. This will help the master franchisees who are, in most cases, companies making an investment in the franchise industry.
• From now on the FDD will not only have the list of litigation cases started against the franchisor, but also those that were started by the franchisor against the franchisees. This will help the prospective franchisees to avoid a franchisor that has repeated problems with its franchisees.
• The name and legal history of all the people associated with franchise business for sale offers will have to be given. Before, franchisees got this kind of information only on the people in the management level. But now, they will know everyone in charge of the franchise wing of the franchisor.
• If a parent company is involved in some way with the franchise company that is offering franchise business for sale, then the litigation and the bankruptcy history of that parent company have to be presented in the new FDD.
• Similarly, if an officer of the franchise company has any holding in a designated supplier, then both the name of the supplier and the officer has to be presented in the new FDD. It will help the franchisees to stay clear of many unscrupulous franchisors who force their franchisees to buy products at high rates from them only!
• If the company is not providing any protected territory in the franchise agreement, then a warning about that has to be given in the FDD. This will alert the would-be franchisees that may face competition from other franchisees or even their franchisor (via different media) in their market.

If you are in a thriving business selling unique and innovative product/concept, then it is quite natural that you dream of owning a chain of units. But there are many constrictions associated with spreading out a business. If you are already thinking of expanding your business, but do not know how to proceed in the journey, then this article is for you. Before considering any other route of expansion, consider franchising; it is one of the safest, cost-effective and easy method of becoming a market leader. Here are some reasons on why you should go for franchising instead of other avenues:
• The biggest obstacle that forces a businessman to forgo the dream of expansion is finance. The lack of capital does not allow companies to expand without risking their assets. But when you go for franchising, your franchisees provide the initial money. Even the money you will spend on them for training and other sundry costs will come out of the franchise fee the franchisees pay.
• Since the franchisee signs all the lease agreements and various other service contracts, you have virtually no liability, but get another location in your product’s name.
• The second barrier is finding competent and reliable people to run your new establishments. If you go for a company-owned unit, you have to find a skilled manager who will be as committed and enthusiastic about the business as you are. Then time and money will be spent in training him and there is not guarantee that he will stick with you forever. But on the other hand, a franchisee has a stake in the outlet and the business, so he will work as hard as you do in order to make it a success. And the association will be forever as long as both of you are comfortable with each other.
• When you go for opening a unit in an unknown territory, you are required to know every detail of the market there. You have to choose the best location, negotiate the lease-process and then arrange for design and build-out. In addition to it, you are supposed to hire staffs, train them and pay them from your pocket till that unit starts making profit. All of these will limit your budget and you cannot expand one unit at a time. But with franchising, all these will be taken care by the franchisee (you chipping in wherever needed) and your unit is ready for operation. Hence, you can start more than one unit simultaneously. And since your income will be based on the gross-sales of the franchisee and not profitability-monitoring, the unit-level expenses is much less.

So, if you want to expand fast without taking hefty risks, then franchising is the best way out. To get further details, you can get in touch with the brandEXPANSION associates.

Everybody wants to bet on the winning horse. Right now, the franchising industry is going through a major boom, as it has more success rate than a stand-alone business. On the other hand, corporate America is going through a bad patch. There are scandals, downsizing and outsourcing of jobs that are making everyone apprehensive about the corporate field. So it is no wonder that interest in the field of franchising is increasing. But, it does not mean you should just plunge in the water; you have to become enough cautious and test the waters before jumping in.

Here are some of the biggest mistakes new franchisees make. Read them well to avoid repeating them.

• Choosing a business they are in or choosing something they have fallen in love with: The first mistake that a new franchisee makes is choosing the wrong field of franchising. Virtually everything is being franchised now, so select very carefully what concept to go for. One of the most common mistakes people make is opting for a field they are already in. That is a big mistake, because working as an employee in a particular arena and running that business are entirely different things. For instance, being a good chef won’t always make you a good restaurant-owner. Another common blunder franchisees make is choosing something they have fallen in love with. Being passionate about your business is necessary; but along with it, you must also know whether people actually want it or not.

• Not researching enough: The cardinal rule of franchising is researching the market. After choosing the field, research about it thoroughly. Learn as much as possible about different franchises under that industry. Looking at your target area, do you think that the demography of the place will support your franchising business? Also research properly about your financial situation. Ask yourself what is your net worth, where can you raise money from and how to approach lenders etc.

• Putting all your savings in buying a franchise: This is another strict no-no. Never ever put all available money in the starting of the business; always keep enough money to run it as well as your household till you break even. Never dip into your retirement fund or children education funds; they are required to be kept as safety net.

• Not reading the UFOC diligently: Another big blunder often a new franchisee makes! The document is an effort of the government to protect franchisees like you, so do not make the mistake of casually going through it. Read it carefully, if possible, along with your lawyer or accountant.

• Quitting their jobs too soon: It is true that there are some businesses that will need full-time commitment, but do not ever leave your job before everything is ready. It is the bread earner of your family, so continue with your job till it becomes absolutely necessary to join your business full-time.

Franchise agreement is the “Magna Carta” that is signed between the franchisor and the franchisee. To ensure a proper relationship between them, it’s necessary that both the parties understand the agreement thoroughly. Since the franchisor is the one who makes the agreement, it’s the onus of the franchisee to understand this important legal paper. The first thing that the franchisee needs to realize is that the franchise agreement will favor the franchisor, as it’s drafted by the latter. Secondly, the UFOC is not the franchise agreement, rather a document that foreshadows the franchise agreement. Thirdly, a franchise attorney is very necessary while reviewing the agreement. It’s a legal paper and hence, the view of a legal authority is quite necessary. Lastly, he or she will get some time to review the franchise agreement.

No company that is offering the franchise business for sale will ask the prospective franchisees to sign the document then and there. This time-period is given, so that the franchisees interested in starting a franchise understand very well what they will get from the system and what they are supposed to provide. If you are one of them, the first thing that you should check out is the fees section. There will be two kinds of fees mentioned in the agreement; one-time fee like the franchise fee and periodical fees like royalty fee, advertisement fee and so on. Then the section to look out for is the support and training the franchisor is going to offer you when you buy a franchise from it. Also, make sure whether the company is offering you site selection assistance or will just refer you to a third party site selector. In that case, note who is going to pay the real-estate company that helps you in finding the best site for your business.

Training is supposed to include both on-site and classroom training. The agreement should also clearly state the on-going support system of the franchisor. Also, look at the restrictions the franchisor may impose on you. You may only use the brand-name under certain conditions and restrictions may be placed on how you display it. There may also be restrictions on what product/service you can provide from your location and where you can get them from. Moreover, you may also be instructed to color your restaurant in a specific way or remodel the floor according to certain specifications. The next thing to watch out for is whether you are getting protected territory. If yes, then you should also learn what the size of the territory is and other related things. Also examine, if there are any pre-conditions for getting this protected territory. Lastly, look into the exit policies from the franchise system along with the terms of renewal and the franchise agreement period.

Who doesn’t like to have a steaming cup of coffee? They are the favorite pick-me-ups for many Americans. That is why coffee franchises are one of the fastest expanding franchise businesses for sale offers nowadays. But, have you tasted the coffee of different franchises lately? Don’t they taste more or less similar? Most of the time, ordinary coffee drinkers can’t distinguish the fine nuances present in a coffee made from finely-roasted coffee beans; but coffee lovers can. And this tribe is growing in number. They demand finely roasted coffee beans that bring out the best taste of the coffee. Keeping these customers in mind, Bear Creek Coffee had started offering its licensee program.

Bear Creek Coffee is already famous in the market for its micro-batch roasted coffee beans. Roasted in various degrees, each batch produces coffees that taste different. As a company, which is helping its licensees to start business, this concept is unparalleled. First of all, there are three business models to start from. You can choose a cart/kiosk or a double drive-thru or a full sit-down diner. The start up cost is very affordable and Bear Creek Coffee also guides deserving candidates to get financial loans.

Bear Creek Coffee will also help you in selecting the right place to set up your business. If some remodeling is needed, the company will help you with that too. The training is quite intense; it will cover everything – from preparing the finest coffees to recruiting employees for your location. There are also tie-ups with leading equipment manufacturers and suppliers who will provide you with the best products at discounted prices. You must have noticed that we are calling it as a license program and not a franchise business for sale, though it provides supports like the best franchises in the market. This is because it doesn’t have any franchise fee or royalty fee! So, if you are looking for a business opportunity that has all the positives of franchise business and none of its drawbacks, then the license program of Bear Creek Coffee is the thing for you!

For details, check out http://coffee-franchises.brandexpansion.com/bear-creek-coffee/.

The computer age was supposed to be create the paperless office. But chances are, you’ve got more paper around than ever. The Printing & Copy franchise industry is going strong, providing a platform to take your business goals to new heights.

Both consumers and businesses are the target audience for this type of business, giving you two types of client to pursue.

If you’re thinking about a franchise in this industry, AlphaGraphics, SpeedPro Imaging and Instant Imprints are great places to get started. Making use of the much talked-about business systems of any of these organizations, you can definitely attain your personal and professional goals (http://printing-copying-franchises.brandexpansion.com/).
http://printing-copying-franchises.brandexpansion.com/speedpro-imaging/

In the digital publishing and other print related services, AlphaGraphics Printshops Of The Future is a name that you can trust. Established in 1970, and first franchised a decade later, AlphaGraphics has its franchised units all over the United States and 9 other countries. The wide variety of printing and copying equipments available in all AlphaGraphics print shops makes the most out of the up-to-the-minute digital technology to provide high-speed and quality turnaround. Whether you want to make your customers happy with excellent desktop publishing or please them with your multicolor printing services, AlphaGraphics can help you in a number of ways! Moreover, the organization will also assist your franchise to get the much-desired ISO 9002 Certification. (http://printing-copying-franchises.brandexpansion.com/alphagraphics/).

Instant Imprints, with 35 franchises currently operating, spins five revenue streams for its franchises: Embroidery, Banners and Signs, Promotional Products, Transfers and Screen Printing . (http://printing-copying-franchises.brandexpansion.com/instant-imprints//).

To see more franchises in the copy industry, click here.http://printing-copying-franchises.brandexpansion.com/

To see franchises in other fields, click here.http://www.brandexpansion.com/network/concepts/