Franchising your business is easier and less expensive than you think

Author: John Larson

I began franchising businesses in 1985 when I franchised Muffler & Brake Man Car Care Centers. We grew from 1 store in 1982 to 23 stores in 1991. Since then I have franchised several other stores from coffee shops to restaurants and I was named in the 2003 edition of Entrepreneurs magazine under "Americas hottest franchises".

First things first......DO NOT hire a franchise company. "What?" (Is that your response?). Yes, do not hire a franchise company because they charge the highest fees. Do not hire lawyers either as they don't know about business and thier billing practices can kill your budget. So what do you do? Look for ex-franchise managers of other companies. These are the guys that know the systems, know how to create those systems for your business, and those are the guys who have been in the same shoes you are right now.

Where can you find these people? Simple: Put an ad in Craigslist.com looking for a franchise manager. Make sure when you interview for the position that the potential candidate can do the following:

• Create all your franchise documents such as Federal Disclosure Documents, Pre-Opening manual, Daily Operations manual, Image manual, and brochures.
• Register your company with all the States. Most states are quick or non-registration States but there are a few tough States.
• Know how to generate leads?
• Set up a full franchise system from A-Z

One last thing you want is someone with "skin in he game". The best candidate should be willing to do this with a small deposit ($5,000) and finish the complete system for less than $40,000. If he/she does then they should get paid a salary only after you begin selling franchises so no additional money comes from your pocket.

Here is my website which shows exactly what should be done for every franchise, and yes I will do all the above for every company I represent although I only do four per year at most.

HTTP://www.jetgroup7.com/

About the Author:

JOHN D. LARSON
(312) 515-9272
johnlarson@jetgroup7.com

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Franchise Manager / Operations Manager 2000-Present
PREMIER FRANCHISING, INC. Chicago, Illinois

President / CEO / Operations Manager / Franchise Director 1982 - 2004
MUFFLER MAN CAR CARE CENTERS Chicago, Illinois

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Founded several successful companies which are still in business and profitable today.
• Republican candidate for US Congress in Indiana's 1st congressional district.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Franchising your business is easier and less expensive than you think