If you have been seriously considering the idea of getting into the business world by owning ventures such as sub sandwich shop franchises, you need to know a few essential things before making your move. Whether it’s a food business or a convenience store franchise, having a business franchise requires some preparations and knowledge of basic concepts.
By knowing such things, you’ll have a better shot at success and get the best returns from your financial investment. Here are five essential things that you must do before getting a business franchise:
Assess what you are capable of
While business franchises have a tried and tested business model that the franchisee only has to implement, it doesn’t mean that there’d be little to no talent involved. In fact, the most successful franchisees are those that possess characteristics that are also found in entrepreneurs who build their businesses from the ground up.
What this means is that you have to know exactly what you are good at and how your qualities will translate to how you will run the franchise you’re aiming for. For example, if you have a natural knack for running a kitchen or whipping up some delicious snacks, then a restaurant franchise might be just perfect for you.
Know as much as you can
Hand in hand with your talent is just how much knowledge you have about the franchise you’re eyeing to have. Now, it doesn’t need to be stock knowledge since you can simply enrol in a business course or research about the specific niche to which your target franchise belongs to. The more you know about the business, the better you’ll understand the risks and opportunities you’ll eventually be dealing with.
Once you’ve started managing your franchise, your quest for knowledge shouldn’t stop. In fact, you have to continuously study your market if you wish to stay updated with the trends that will help you run your venture more effectively.
Choose a franchise with a good reputation, not just a financially successful one
While many are tempted to go for a business franchise that is highly successful in terms of sales or profits, it shouldn’t be your sole consideration. If you care about something other than just financial success, you have to check if the franchise as a whole has an untarnished reputation when it comes to business practices. This would involve how the franchisor pays taxes, how employees are treated, and other parameters that would tell you that the top management doesn’t only care about making money.
Interview other franchisees
Knowing the actual experiences of other franchisees will give a great view of the realities that you would also be dealing with eventually. By asking a dozen or so franchisees, you’ll know a lot of things such as how the franchisor treats franchisees, what the risks and challenges are, and how the management enforces written policies. Keep in mind that you’ll be shelling out a considerable amount of money and time so it pays to be aware of such things.
Read and understand the FDD
The Financial Disclosure Document (FDD) is a critical piece of legal document that you have to read in full and be able to understand. In fact, it’s perhaps the single, most important source of information about the company that you can possibly have. Among other things, it will contain relevant costs involved in franchising, the training provided to franchisees, legal issues of the company (if any), and other critical pieces of information that would help you know if the company is worth trusting.
Remember that business is inherently risky and without the proper information, you can find yourself at the losing end. But with the things mentioned above, you’ll have a better chance of succeeding in your chosen business franchise.
