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Gang on helping
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for you. Fill out the short form for that franchise and we
will be in touch with you with the next step in the process.
Franchising 101:
Learn what you need to know to
find the right franchise for you. If you are looking for
specifics on how to find your ideal franchise just follow these
simple steps. These steps will help you make the most of the
tests, tools and resources so that you can cull through hundreds
of franchise opportunities and get in touch directly with your
ideal franchise company.
If you are familiar with what it takes to find a franchise, you
can search for the franchises you are interested in and go
directly to the information on those companies.
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Self Discovery
There are many types of businesses for sale that suit many
types of managers with a variety of skills, time, interest
and capabilities. A successful match requires that the
franchisee first has a clear vision of what characteristics
they want to find in a franchise.
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Financial Picture
The next step is to have a clear understanding of the
financial resources you have to start your business. Some
businesses require more resources than others. Also, many
entrepreneurs have more resources than they realize.
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Establish Criteria
There are other criteria that can help you narrow down the
list of opportunities that are best suited to you. Location,
Starting Capital, Business type. The objective is to build a
list of opportunities that are as broad as possible, without
compromising hard criteria.
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Gather preliminary Franchise
Information
Now the task of gathering more detailed information about
various franchise opportunities available to you can begin.
Your goal is to review what you "can" do, and refining your
list to what is best for you.
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Contact the Best Prospects
Once you've identified the select franchises you are best
suited for and most interested in, you can begin the
prequalification process. Prospective franchisors will
provide you with a wealth of information and material
including the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
But, in return they will need information from you to verify
you meet their criteria.
How to Research New
Franchise Business Opportunity Listings:
Protect yourself by learning what a new franchise business
opportunity really is, how the government regulates new
franchise businesses including retail franchises, and the proven
business ownership steps required to ensure successful new
franchise business ownership. Find new franchise, review
available franchise opportunities and get started in owning a
new franchise business.
Just what is a new franchise business opportunity? That question
has plagued a great many people trying to decide whether to buy
a current independent business, a franchise, or what we'll refer
to in this text as a new franchise business opportunity.
To allay the confusion, we offer a simple analogy. Think back to
elementary school when your teacher was explaining the
difference between a rectangle and a square. A square is also a
rectangle, but a rectangle isn't necessarily a square. The same
relationship exists between business opportunities, independent
businesses for sale and franchises. All franchises and
independent businesses for sale are business opportunities, but
not all business opportunities meet the requirement of being a
franchise nor are they in the strictest sense of the word
independent businesses for sale.
Making matters even more confusing is the fact that 26 states
have passed laws defining business opportunities and regulating
their sales. Often these statutes are drafted so comprehensively
that they include franchises as well.
Not every state with a new franchise business opportunity law
defines the term in the same manner. However, most of them use
the following general criteria to define one:
1. A new franchise business opportunity involves the sale or
lease of any product, service, equipment, etc. that will enable
the purchaser-licensee to begin a business.
2. The licensor or seller of a new franchise business
opportunity declares that it will secure or assist the buyer in
finding a suitable location or provide the product to the
purchaser-licensee.
3. The licensor-seller guarantees an income greater than or
equal to the price the licensee-buyer pays for the product when
it's resold and that there is a market present for the product
or service.
4. The initial fee paid to the seller in order to start the new
franchise business opportunity must range between $400 and
$1,000.
5. The licensor-seller promises to buy back any product
purchased by the licensee-buyer in the event it cannot be sold
to the prospective customers of the business.
6. Any products or services developed by the seller-licensor
will be purchased by the licensee-buyer.
7. The licensor-seller of the new franchise business opportunity
will supply a sales or marketing program for the licensee-buyer
that many times will include the use of a trade name or
trademark.
The laws covering new franchise business opportunity ventures
usually exclude the sale of an independent business by its
owner. Rather, they are meant to cover the multiple sales of
distributorships or new businesses that do not meet the
requirements of a franchise under the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) rule passed in 1979. This act defines new business
offerings in three formats: new package franchises, new product
franchises and new franchise business opportunity ventures.
(...to learn more about the rules and regulations for franchise
and new business opportunities according to the federal trade
commission, visit the Federal Trade Commission's New Franchise
Opportunity Guidelines)
In order to be a new franchise business opportunity venture
under the FTC rule, four elements must be present:
1. The individual who buys a new franchise business opportunity,
often referred to as a licensee or franchisee, must distribute
or sell goods or services supplied by the licenser or
franchisor.
2. The licensor or franchisor must help secure a retail outlet
or accounts for the goods and services the licensee is
distributing or selling.
3. There must be a cash transaction between the two parties of
at least $500 prior to or within six months after the licensee
or franchisee starts the business venture.
4. All terms and conditions of the relationship between the
licensor and the licensee must be stated in writing.
You can readily see that the sale of business opportunities as
defined by the FTC rule is quite different from the sale of an
independent business. When you're dealing with the sale of an
independent business, the buyer has no obligations to the
seller. Once the sales transaction is completed, the buyer can
subscribe to any business operations system he or she prefers.
There is no continued relationship required by the seller. new
franchise business opportunity ventures, like franchises, are
businesses in which the seller makes a commitment of continuing
involvement with the buyer.
The FTC describes the most common types of new franchise
business opportunity ventures as follows:
Distributorship. Refers to an independent agent that has entered
into an agreement to offer and sell the product of another but
is not entitled to use the manufacturer's trade name as part of
its trade name. Depending on the agreement, the distributor may
be limited to selling only that company's goods or it may have
the freedom to market several different product lines or
services from various firms.
Rack jobber. Involves the selling of another company's products
through a distribution system of racks in a variety of stores
that are serviced by the rack jobber. Typically, the agent or
buyer enters into an agreement with the parent company to market
their goods to various stores by means of strategically located
store racks. The parent company obtains a number of locations in
which the racks are placed on a consignment basis. It's up to
the agent to maintain the inventory, move the merchandise around
to attract the customer, and do the bookkeeping. The agent
presents the store manager with a copy of the inventory control
sheet which indicates how much merchandise was sold, and then
the distributor is paid by the store or location which has the
rack-less the store's commission.
Vending machine routes. Very similar to rack jobbing. The
investment is usually greater for this type of new franchise
business opportunity venture since the businessperson must buy
the machines as well as the merchandise being vended, but here
the situation is reversed in terms of the pay procedure. The
vending machine operator must pay the location owner a
percentage based on sales. The big secret to any route deal is
to get locations in high-foot-traffic areas, and of course, as
close to one another as possible. If your locations are spread
far apart, you waste time and traveling expenses servicing them.
In addition to the three types of business opportunities listed
above, there are four other categories you should be aware of:
Dealer. Similar to a distributor but while a distributor may
sell to a number of dealers, a dealer will usually sell only to
a retailer or the consumer.
Trademark/product licenses. Under this type of arrangement, the
licensee obtains the right to use the seller's trade name as
well as specific methods, equipment, technology or products. Use
of the trade name is purely optional.
Network marketing. This is a generic term that covers the realm
of direct sales and multilevel marketing. As a network marketing
agent, you would sell products through your own network of
friends, neighbors, co-workers and so on. In some instances, you
may gain additional commissions by recruiting other agents.
Cooperatives. This business is similar to a licensee arrangement
in which an existing business, such as a hotel or hardware
store, can affiliate with a larger network of similar
businesses, often for the sole purpose of advertising and
promoting through a common identity.
The FTC Rule, which has been in effect since the latter part of
1979, has had a broad-ranging impact on the franchise and new
franchise business opportunity industry and would-be franchisees
and licensees. The rule is designed to assure all prospective
buyers, of either a franchise or new franchise business
opportunity, that they'll receive a full disclosure containing
the type of background information needed to make an informed
investment decision.
In spite of the FTC's rule and aggressive action at the state
level, there are sellers who seek every possible means to escape
regulation. Neither the FTC rule nor state regulations can
guarantee freedom from fraud. That's why you should pay
especially close attention to the FTC disclosure statement that
is presented to you.
Every prospective buyer of a new franchise business opportunity
must receive the FTC disclosure statement at least 10 business
days before signing a binding contract or paying money (or other
consideration) to the seller. The 10-business day requirement is
minimal. If you meet face-to-face with the licensor or a
representative to discuss a proposed sale or purchase of the new
franchise business opportunity, and if the conversation results
in a serous sales presentation, the licensor must provide you
with a disclosure document at that time.
If you haven't received an FTC disclosure document, don't sign
anything or pay out any money, even if claims are made that it
is "refundable."
If the seller doesn't give you a disclosure document, they're
violating federal law and may also be violating state law. If
the salesperson claims his or her offering is exempt from the
FTC requirements, demand to see an opinion letter from counsel
before dealing with them any further. Also ask the salesperson
for the phone number of the local state agency or FTC office
that has advised them they are exempt. Very few new franchise
business opportunity offerings are exempt. The only major
exceptions are those where the total initial payment within the
first six months is less than $500, or where payment is made
only for initial inventory sold at bona fide wholesale price.
As a rule of thumb, a franchisee receives more support from the
parent company, gets to use the trademarked name, and is more
stringently controlled by the franchisee. New franchise business
opportunities, on the other hand, don't receive as much support
from the parent company, generally aren't offered the use of a
trademarked name, and are independent of the parent company's
operational guidelines.
As we've previously noted, there are numerous forms of new
franchise business opportunity ventures. Some are even turnkey
operations similar to a lot of package-format franchises. These
business opportunities provide everything you could possibly
need to start a business. They help you select a location, they
provide training, they offer support for the licensee's
marketing efforts, and they supply a complete start-up
inventory.
Unlike a package-format franchise, however, these types of new
franchise business opportunity ventures aren't trademarked
outlets for the parent company. The company's name, logo and how
it's legally operated are left solely to the licensee. Many
times the only binding requirement between the seller and the
buyer is that inventory be purchased solely through the parent
company. Of course, all these stipulations are outlined in the
disclosure statement and contract.
Requires a lower initial fee than a franchise. Although the
number of low-investment franchises has increased, the fee to
get into a new franchise business opportunity is still
considerably lower. The FTC requires a $500 minimum investment
for an opportunity to be considered a new franchise business
opportunity, but there are many that fall under this set fee,
although most average around $2,000 to $3,000.
A proven system of operation or product. Existing systems serve
to maximize efficiency and returns and minimize problems. It's
simply a matter of passing on experience, still the best
teacher. Whether they admit it or not, most people like having
their hands held once in a while. During crises, the parent
company is there to help the licensee over the bumps. Many
people like this idea of safety in numbers.
Intensive training programs. In any new business, a lot of time
and money are consumed during the learning period. A good new
franchise business opportunity venture can eliminate the
majority of ineffective moves through an intensive training
program.
Better financing options. Because of its financial size, credit
line and contractual agreements, the parent company offering the
new franchise business opportunity can often arrange better
financing than an individual could obtain. Financial leverage is
an important consideration in any investment situation.
Professional advertising and promotion. Most small
businesspeople don't spend sufficient money on advertising. When
they do, their efforts are often poorly conceived and
inconsistent. Many new franchise business opportunity ventures
supply the buyer with print advertising slicks, radio ads, TV
storyboards, etc., in order to provide a better marketing
effort. Some new franchise business opportunity ventures will
even have a cooperative advertising agreement under which they
will split the cost of print, radio or TV ads. This type of
marketing help is especially beneficial in large metropolitan
areas where the cost of media is prohibitive to the one-shop
owner.
Ongoing counseling. Most new franchise business opportunity
ventures offer support not only through training but also
through counseling from a staff of experts who offer assistance
that no independent could afford. Legal advice is available to a
certain degree. The most efficient accounting systems—perfect
for that particular business—have been designed by experts in
the field. Some licensors offer free computer analysis of
records, and through comparison with other units can pinpoint
areas of inefficiency or loss as well as profitable aspects of
the business that are being neglected.
Franchise Site selection assistance. Experts in site selection
and marketing choose locations using all the scientific tools
available. Professional negotiators arrange leases and contracts
to the best advantage, using the power of a large organization
to influence landlords and other important figures.
Franchise Business Purchasing power. Many times, the parent
company's tremendous buying power and special buying techniques
can bring products, equipment and outside services to the
licensee at a much lower cost than an independent could ever
get.
No ongoing Franchise royalties. In a new franchise business
opportunity, unlike in a franchise, there are no ongoing
royalties to pay to the seller. The profits are all yours.
Under ideal conditions, business opportunities are a good,
low-investment way to get into business with minimum risk and a
good chance for success. But nothing in this world is perfect,
so here are some problems that can be expected:
Poor Franchise site selection. The majority of business
opportunities are consumer-oriented retail operations which rely
on good location, visibility and easy access to the
establishment. Most buyers of business opportunities casually
accept the locations chosen for them. DON'T! Look it over
thoroughly yourself. You might even hire an outside marketing
consultant to evaluate and possibly argue with the parent
company's choice. Having a better locations could literally mean
millions of dollars in profit over the course of 20 years.
Lack of ongoing Franchisee support. There is usually no
requirement for the new franchise business opportunity seller to
offer ongoing support of any kind. If the seller decides not to
supply information or guidelines that could help you once you're
in operation, you may not have much recourse available to you.
Franchise Exclusivity clauses. Are you restricted to selling
only the manufacturer's merchandise? If this is the case and you
deviate for any reason whatsoever, you run the risk of the
licensor canceling the agreement. If you do buy from other
sources, it will be very hard to hide—most parent companies will
require you to open your books for examination at pre-designated
periods of time. Any irregularities will be spotted at these
times. Most smart buyers of business opportunities will
negotiate the point in the agreement stipulating sources of
supply in case product quality is inconsistent.
Franchise Parent-company bankruptcy. Another pitfall is the
possibility of the parent company overextending itself and going
bankrupt. While this is not as serious in a new franchise
business opportunity as it would be in a franchise, you still
run the risk of losing the business because your property
contracts may have been financed through the parent company.
You should carefully investigate any new franchise business
opportunity you're considering. Get a list of operators from the
parent company and call them. Have a lawyer look over any
agreement drafted by the parent company. Make sure you receive a
disclosure statement. Then carefully evaluate the licensor.
Don't let anyone hurry you. Make sure a responsible company
backs the new franchise business opportunity.
First make sure your new franchise business opportunity of
choice complies with all new franchise business opportunity
statutes--which vary from state to state--and is registered in
states where required. Next, find out if the new franchise
business opportunity you're interested in provides an offering
prospectus to buyers. If it's a new franchise business
opportunity that falls under the FTC rule, then it's required to
disclose specific information to you.
When choosing a new franchise business opportunity, keep in mind
that if you buy an opportunity from a company with a sizable
number of outlets that's been in business for at least three
years, you'll pay more for this established concept that you
would for a newer one. If you're considering a more recently
established new franchise business opportunity, you should check
out the parent company's history to evaluate its success and
longevity in its particular field of operation.
If you were to ask a business consultant how to evaluate the
"right" new franchise business opportunity for you, you would
probably receive these guidelines:
1. Make an honest evaluation of yourself and your franchise
ownership abilities. If you've been behind a desk for many
years, will you be happy calling on businesspeople and selling
them an intangible service? If you've been a field salesperson
for years, will you be satisfied selling snack foods behind a
counter?
2. You must run your new franchise business enthusiastically.
Will you be happy introducing a new product or an unusual
service that the public knows nothing about? Can you generate
excitement for an item not nationally advertised?
3. You must have complete knowledge of the franchise product or
franchise service with which you are involved. If the parent
company gives you little or no training in technical or
management know-how, be wary of the new franchise business
opportunity. If the licensor-seller has organized all the
operating knowledge into a standard operating manual, look with
favor upon this new franchise business opportunity.
4. Make a market evaluation of the franchise product or
franchise service to be offered. Is the time right to introduce
it to the public? Is there a need for this type of item, and
what is its potential in relation to competition?
5. Find out how many buyers have been in the franchise business
successfully for a respectable period of time. A legitimate new
franchise business opportunity will even provide you with phone
numbers of other buyers, so you can verify that they're
generally satisfied with the opportunity and that the seller is
capable of fulfilling his or her promises.
6. Check the new franchisee training and franchise ownership
experience required to run the business properly. Is there a
suitable curriculum of training? What is the scope of training?
Does your background fit its requirements?
7. What is the parent company's profit ratio to sales; to time
and service requirements; and to the financial leverage
requirements? Can you make more in another type of franchise
business from Franchise Gang.com?
8. Do you have to work more hours as a franchise owner to make
the same amount you do now? Can you invest the same amount in
the new franchise business opportunity yet operate a larger
operation and get a better return on investment?
9. Check with current franchise operators to see how they're
making out. Are they happy with their franchise businesses? What
problems do they have, if any, that are common to all franchise
units sold?
10. Research parent company's history. Is it a new firm with
little expertise and experience? Is it an older firm whose
regular franchise products have satisfied customers for years?
Are the business opportunities all offshoots of their regular
franchise business?
11. Is there financial strength and strong credit behind the new
franchise business opportunity? Can the licensor-seller give you
an escrow agreement to deliver a building, equipment, leasehold
improvements, inventory, etc., as the franchise unit is made
ready for your use? Check out the bank references given by the
licensor-seller; discuss the company's financial strength with
the appropriate franchise managers.
12. Evaluate the franchise policies and plans of the company
with the associations and business groups in which the parent
company or franchise seller is involved.
13. The Better Business Bureau will give you a report if others
have lodged previous franchise complaints against the company.
14. Having an attorney, accountant or franchise business
consultant conduct an in-depth study of the franchise company
may be an excellent idea.
15. Visit the headquarters of the licensor-seller. Talk to the
personnel and the franchise training director. Visit the
original prototype of the franchise business being sold.
Evaluate other franchise outlets. Expose yourself to the other
franchise outlets' products and franchise services to determine
the quality dispensed.
In the preceding section, we outlined numerous things you should
do to ensure that you're choosing a franchise venture that will
be appropriate for you personally, and will represent a sound
business ownership investment. It's important that you cover all
your bases before signing a new business franchise contract with
the seller. The following are some strategies you should use to
protect yourself as a franchise owner.
Have legal representation. Your attorney should be present when
you're negotiating the franchise purchase with the
licensor-seller. At the very least, your attorney should go over
the franchise contract to purchase the new franchise business
opportunity and advise you as to whether or not you should sign
it in its present condition. He or she should explain what each
aspect of the franchise contract means so that you understand
what you're signing.
Have financial representation. Your accountant should look over
the financial statements of the licensor-seller. In addition, he
or she should be able to check out the financial strength of the
parent company and determine whether the franchise business is a
viable financial investment for you.
Make your own independent survey of other franchise owners of
new business franchise opportunities sold by the parent company.
Are the franchisees happy with the company? Did the company do
everything it promised? Is the company good to work with? Does
it give its franchise distributors help? Does it send out
franchise advertising materials? What do they feel are the
strengths of the franchise opportunity? If they had to do it
over again, would these licensees buy another franchise unit?
Would they advise you to buy a another franchise unit?
Contact franchise competitors. This will verify the status of
the franchise company in the industry. A competing franchise
company will tell you in a hurry what the company's weaknesses
are. You'll also get an opportunity to see whether or not the
new franchise business opportunity compares favorably in terms
of pricing and so on.
Check the credit of the franchise seller. Your accountant or the
person auditing the new franchise business opportunity can help
you with this.
Be sure you understand everything you're signing. Read the
franchise purchase agreement disclosure statement, the franchise
purchase agreement and all of the franchise advertising
bulletins carefully.
Check the credibility of the parent company. The parent company
doesn't have to be big in terms of dollars to be credible. Use
your common sense and advice from people you trust to determine
whether or not a franchise company seems credible. In many
cases, small franchise companies are a great investment for a
franchise buyer because you generally deal with the president or
the top people in the company. They are going to be franchise
training you and working with you. This is a tremendous
advantage, as opposed to working with somebody five or six rungs
down the ladder who may be just doing a job. Are the franchise
seller's people truly interested in you? Do they seem to be
sincere? Did they check you out thoroughly? Are they concerned
with the kind of franchise buyer that will be carrying their
banner? This is very important. If they're just interested in
taking your money, you're in trouble.
Check the performance of the parent company. Are the franchise
seller's claims backed by performance? Do the claims that the
franchise seller make when advertising their product, for
example, stand up at the franchise store level? Do the current
franchise operators you've talked to confirm the profit claims
that the franchise seller makes?
Check the franchise company's management. It's not enough that
they've got a good idea. Do they have the franchise management
strength to be able to train you, help you and keep the
franchise company running for another 20 years?
Know all the franchise costs and obligations, both yours and the
franchise seller's. What franchise costs are you going to have
to incur? What are your franchise obligations on an ongoing
basis?
Is the franchise company going to train you? Is franchise
training at your own expense? In most cases, you have to pay
your own franchise expenses to the training site. How long will
the franchise training last? Do you have enough money to sustain
yourself while you're in franchise training and before your
franchise business starts earning money? What kind of ongoing
franchise supervision will the franchise company give you?
Determine what type of franchise advertising program is
available from the licensor. Will that franchise advertising
program work for you? Check your local market. For instance, if
you're buying a new franchise business in which you'll be
selling bathtub liners, will franchise advertising in trade
magazines really help? Also, what are their ads like? Is the
copy good? What about visual art? Don't negate the possibility
that their franchise advertising program will hurt you more than
it will help. Just because you're dealing with a franchise
company that has experience in the field, their franchise
marketing campaigns aren't necessarily going to be successful.
Are you getting value for your initial franchise purchase price?
Examine the list of equipment, fixtures, inventory, operating
supplies, etc. and call a few franchise suppliers dealing in
these items. Compare the prices those franchise suppliers quote
you against the new franchise business opportunity's prices. You
may be able to purchase everything, including the inventory, for
less money yourself than you could by affiliating with the
franchise licensor.
A franchise disclosure statement is a document that contains
everything there is to know about the new franchise business
opportunity and the franchise seller's company. It includes the
franchise promoter's financial strength, how many franchise
operating units there are, and exactly what you're going to be
required to pay in total so there are no hidden franchise fees.
The purpose of the franchise disclosure statement is to protect
the franchise licensee as well as the franchise licensor and to
eliminate some unscrupulous franchise licensors.
As already mentioned, some 26 states have legal requirements for
disclosure statements and registration. In addition, there are
also federal laws regarding franchise business opportunities.
The most significant is the FTC rule requiring full disclosure
of the new franchise business opportunity on a national level.
The rule doesn't require a franchise registration, but it does
require a franchise disclosure that follows a specific format.
Most states that have franchise disclosure requirements parallel
the federal standards of information that must be supplied to
the franchise buyer. In addition, state-required disclosure
statements often include information stating that the franchise
buyer has three to seven days referred to as a "cooling off"
period so the franchise purchaser/investor can reconsider the
subject after being bombarded by franchise sales pitches from
slick salespeople.
When reviewing a franchise disclosure statement, be aware of the
following items:
The licensor. The history of the franchise parent company needs
to be detailed. It should include the identity and business
experience of any persons affiliated with the franchise
licensor, whether the company has been involved in any
litigation, whether it or any of the officials in the franchise
company have ever declared bankruptcy, any other initial payment
or any payment in total, and any other fees.
Obligations of the franchise licensee. If there are any
franchise financing arrangements, they have to be stated. If you
are going to be required to buy from any franchise supplier,
that should be stated up front. The franchise disclosure
statement also states what the franchise parent company will
have to provide in terms of equipment, franchise training,
ongoing services and a franchise training manual.
What the franchise licensor promises to deliver. This should
include whether you're getting an exclusive area or franchise
territory as a licensee. Any trademarks, service marks, trade
names, logo types and commercial symbols as well as any patents
or copyrights which you're going to be able to use as a
franchise licensee need to be identified in here.
Obligation of the franchise licensee. This is how you will
participate in the actual operation of the new franchise
business opportunity. If this is an absentee franchise business,
it must be stated. If the franchise licensor indicates that you
must personally operate the franchise business, that should also
be stated. Restrictions on goods and services offered by the
franchise licensee are covered. It has some provisions for
renewal and termination, repurchase and modification. It also
has to list the current franchise licensees and their addresses
so you have the franchise opportunity to contact these people.
Public-figure relationships. If this is a new franchise business
opportunity that is identified with a given public figure like a
celebrity or athlete, it should indicate what arrangements have
been made with that person. Is that person active in the
franchise business or receiving a royalty out of the proceeds?
Financial statements of the company. This is required in almost
every state. It is an audited financial statement prepared by a
CPA. There is usually a letter from the accountant indicating
that the books have been audited and are available for people to
study. Any estimates or projections of earnings would have to be
part of the franchise disclosure statement.
Franchise profit and loss statements are part of the financing
process. In business offerings, these are usually statements
audited by a CPA. When you look at a franchise licensor, you'll
want to see an audited statement of the franchise company's
earnings. You'll know you're getting a legitimate financial
statement because CPAs will not stamp a statement that hasn't
been properly audited and certified.
You should have an accountant look at the franchise financial
statement and interpret exactly what the franchise statement
represents for you. You should compare franchise statements from
at least two years to see the direction in which the company is
moving: Is it on an upswing or a downswing? Is it becoming more
profitable and more efficient? The balance sheet, which shows
the franchise company's assets and liabilities, is another
yardstick with which to determine the strength of a franchise
company. The franchise profit-and-loss statement tells you how
much money the franchise company is making or losing. The
franchise balance sheet tells you what the franchise company is
worth in terms of assessing a company's strength.
Franchise companies may give you pro forma projections to show
what you can expect to earn in this particular new franchise
business opportunity. A pro forma is a projected franchise
financial statement. It is developed by taking the typical costs
for a franchise unit doing $200,000, $300,000 or $400,000 a year
and showing you approximately what you can expect to earn at
each of those sales levels. Some states have outlawed the use of
pro-forma franchise statements except in the case of current
operating franchise units. In terms of their reliability, they
do not always accurately reflect franchise earning potential.
We recommend examining actual audited franchise operating
statements to get a good feel for what this company is doing.
Larger companies will be able to provide you with these. Smaller
companies usually can't, and that's where a gamble is involved.
This is where you have to use your own personal accounting and
franchise legal assistance in order to thoroughly check out a
company.
Franchise Information Source: The Small Business Encyclopedia
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