Franchise FAQ

is a franchise worth it

by Prof. Garfield Ondricka Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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For those who want to become part of a franchise, there is one common question: Is entering a franchise worth it? The short answer: yes, if you and the franchisor do your parts. You will have a lot of business advantages when you decide to franchise.

Full Answer

Can you make money starting a franchise?

The franchisor doesn’t actually make much money if any at all from the upfront fee that a franchisee pays to purchase a franchise business. The investment cost of a franchise opportunity is simply there to cover the cost for the franchisor in terms of bringing a new franchisee on board. Making strong investments in new franchisees will ensure they get off to a great start. The following fees are usually covered:

Can I make money with a franchise?

When it comes to making money franchising, and if your franchise program is built right (hint, hint), you may have additional sources of revenue built into your franchise program.

Are franchises a worthwhile investment?

Investing in a franchise can be one of the easiest and most profitable ways for entrepreneurs to run their own successful business. If you’re thinking about investing in a franchise, take a look at this list of 25 of the most profitable franchises operating in America today.

Is a franchise a good business opportunity?

The question that prospective business owners often ask is, “Are franchises a good investment?”. Basically, yes, but only if you are looking for the right opportunity. A franchise business’s ...

Can owning a franchise make you rich?

Why is franchising bad?

Is franchising a risk?

When was Franchise.com founded?

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How much does Burger King charge for franchise?

The unfortunate part is that royalty fees are pretty standard in the franchise world. In fact, Burger King charges its franchisees 4.5% of sales in addition to a $50,000 franchise fee, and Dunkin' Donuts has its franchisees cough up 5.9% of sales each year in addition to a franchise fee that can range anywhere from $40,000 to $90,000, depending upon the location. Subtract payroll, food costs, and taxes—in addition to these royalties—and it's easy to see why being a franchisee may not entail the life of luxury you imagined.

How much does McDonald's franchise cost?

For example, when opening a McDonald's, the franchisee must not only pay money toward the location, they must also pony up a $45,000 franchise fee for the right to operate the business for a period of 20 years. After 20 years, assuming the company agrees to renew the contract, another $45,000 franchise fee is charged.

What is the most important factor in determining the success or failure of a franchise?

You've probably heard many times that "location, location, location" is the most important factor in determining the success or failure of any business. The point is, unless the franchise sets up shop in a favorable location that's going to support the business, the franchisee will have an incredibly difficult time making ends meet.

What is the most popular franchise in 2021?

The most popular franchise in 2021 is McDonald's, followed by KFC and Burger King, according to FranchiseDirect. Outside of fast food, the most popular franchises were 7-Eleven, Ace Hardware, and Century 21. 3.

Why are McDonald's franchises limited?

While most franchises will limit the number of stores they open in a given area because of fears of market saturation and diminishing returns , many franchises will still try to fit as many retail locations into a given area as possible. That's why it's not uncommon to see five different McDonald's locations within a five-mile area—the corporate head is trying to squeeze every last dollar out of the territory. But the individual franchisee is really the one who suffers. Every time a new location opens within close proximity, their potential market is cut.

How does a franchise work?

Here's how it works: Each and every year , franchisees must pay the franchise a fee equivalent to a percentage of sales. It also means that no matter how successful you are as a business owner and how innovative you are at driving revenue, you'll always have two partners: Uncle Sam and company headquarters.

What is the purpose of buying a franchise?

Buying a franchise lets you skip over some of the early phases of business development, like creating a business plan, branding, and conducting product research. Instead, you can start your business with a market-tested product that is already familiar to your consumers.

What Makes a Franchise Worth the Investment?

Like many prospective franchisees, you want to know: Is a franchise worth it? Theoretically, the main benefits of buying into a franchise system are:

Why Might a Franchise Not Be Worth It?

While buying a franchise can afford a number of benefits under the right circumstances, buying a franchise is also a risky investment. If your franchise is unsuccessful, not only could you lose what you put in, but you could also potentially face liability for “lost future royalties”.

Learn More from National Franchise Lawyer Jeffrey M. Goldstein

Jeffrey M. Goldstein is a national franchise lawyer who has been representing prospective franchisees for more than three decades. He offers four tiers of fixed-fee franchise business review programs for prospective franchisees. To learn more, call 202-293-3947 or request a free consultation with Mr. Goldstein online today.

Is Franchising Worth it? Do Franchise Owners Make Good Money?

Are you seeking opportunities to become a business owner without having to build an entire business model from the ground up? Are you a self-starter who cannot accept failure? Are you constantly seeking to improve your net worth while also being your own boss? If this sounds like you, then owning a franchise might be a good move. Franchises often allow owners to run with a business plan that is already formulated and, well, working.

Is franchising a business for everybody?

While franchise opportunities can be the right move for many, it’s not always the best for others. A key component of owning a franchise is that you are maintaining a business, product, or service that somebody else has developed. There’s a lot of benefits to skipping the initial hurdles of business ownership, but it also means that there could be some predetermined restrictions like branding, messaging, and even protocols. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though! Many franchise owners love the opportunity to continue a proven business model. Another component to franchise ownership is that once you have the metaphorical keys, it’s often completely up to you to make the business thrive. Owning a business can be hard work and those who are limited to their availability or other restraints may want to ensure that any franchise model aligns with their personal needs and lifestyle.

How much does a franchise cost?

This can be anywhere from a few thousand dollars to multi-million dollar buy-ins.

What is franchise.com?

Are you looking for possible franchise opportunities? Franchise.com exists to connect franchisors with passionate, hard-working people looking to have ownership over their future and, ultimately, their success.

When was Franchise.com founded?

A Trusted Industry Leader Since 1995. Founded in 1995, Franchise.com was one of the first franchise recruitment websites in the world. Today, we continue to be the 'go to' place for people beginning their business opportunity search and the journey of franchise ownership as well as for those already involved in the world of franchising.

Can franchise owners get a loan from the SBA?

For potential franchise owners who may not qualify for traditional bank loans, there are government-backed lending programs for small business owners through the Small Business Administration. For more information on SBA-backed loans, visit the Small Business Administration’s website.

Can franchises get financing?

Some franchises will offer financing options, either directly with them or through partnerships with lending companies. Here are some of the more common financing programs out there:

Why is it important to buy a franchise?

The business system is crucial and as common sense dictates, businesses without good systems usually fail quickly. They are also less valuable because when you look to sell a business you are basically selling the business system that was created. Hence, this is the main attraction of a franchise- the one-two combo of a system and branding already in place.

What is the franchise principle?

Franchise Principle: You want to start a business but you don’t want to deal with all the marketing, research, and branding. You have the capital to invest and someone is willing to help you start and give you the needed coaching. You part with your cash and set up your business as quickly as possible because you are not trying to reinvent the wheel. You start to see income immediately because you integrated a system that already works.

What is the principle of startup buyout?

Startup Buyout Principle: You have an idea for a service or a product but you don’t have the time to go through the process. You look around for a little company that is doing exactly what you want and you see the potential in the company and how it can be a source of substantial income. You pay a large sum of money to buy the company with its client base and you are up and running the next day. Think about Google buying Youtube.

Is a franchise worth it?

So to answer the question if franchises are worth it or not… well, there really is no answer as it’s totally up to your goals and your own situation. Due diligence is required and a franchise is no guarantee of success.

Is buying a franchise the same as buying a startup?

The idea behind this is that Franchises and Buying Startups are different but the principle is the same. You get what you want by throwing money and it with the strategy of saving time and resources.

What are the advantages of franchises over small businesses?

One obvious advantage that big businesses have over small businesses is their access to increased buying power. The franchise may buy large amounts of inventory and equipment on behalf of their franchisees, meaning you’ll obtain these important assets at a reduced cost.

How do franchises promote their business?

Although you as a franchisee may be required to invest a certain amount of time and resources in marketing and advertising (more on that next), the franchises themselves will promote your business via nationwide campaigns that are broadcast on TV, radio, and online.

What happens when you buy a franchise?

When you agree to buy a franchise, you’ll no doubt sign a contract such as a Franchise Disclosure Agreement, which lists all the things you can and cannot do as a franchisee. Break one of those many requirements and you could lose your business altogether.

How much does it cost to buy a franchise?

The biggest barrier to buying a franchise is, of course, the price tag: The exact costs vary depending on the franchise, but some franchise fees are hundreds of thousands of dollars , and overall investment can easily top $1 million. Some may “only” be tens of thousands of dollars, but even that is a sizeable investment for most people. Then there are royalty fees and other startup expenses.

What is the most difficult part of owning a business?

The most difficult part of owning a business arguably comes in the startup stage, where you have to write a business plan, conduct market research, create a minimum viable product, test that product, and then scale (if testing goes well, that is). Buying a franchise helps you skip this section: The system has already been tested and proven to work. It’s now up to you to apply their system to your market.

Is a franchise a success?

Whereas starting a business often comes with a lot of unknowns, a franchise is proof of a successful model already in motion. That doesn’t mean that buying a franchise equals instant and sustained success. In fact, the mythical “statistic” that says that franchises are less likely to fail than other businesses is just that— a myth.

Is buying into a franchise higher than starting a business?

As mentioned above, the costs of buying into a franchise are high—in some cases, markedly higher than they would be if you started your own business. The franchise fee alone may be out of your reach, and if it isn’t, it will take up a severe chunk of your liquidity.

What does a franchisor need to focus on?

The franchisor needs to focus on keeping the organization running smoothly. Investing in the right technology is one way to keep things humming along nicely.

When do franchisees need to attend training?

Franchisees need to attend new training when needed; for example, when a new product or service is introduced.

Who is the franchise king?

I’m The Franchise King ®, Joel Libava. I'm the author of two helpful books on researching and buying a franchise. In addition, I'm a franchise ownership advisor who works 1-on-1 with people interested in buying a franchise, safely. You can get even more helpful tips by subscribing to my free VIP Franchise Newsletter.

Is franchise worth it?

Franchises are definitely worth the investment. In general. Especially if you’re one of these.

Is there such a thing as a business in a box?

To put it bluntly, there’s no such things as a “ business in a box .” And to this day, a few franchisors continue to use that term when describing their franchise opportunity.

Can owning a franchise make you rich?

There’s no such thing as a guaranteed, get-rich-quick model—and any franchisor promising this is seeking the uninformed and naïve. Franchising requires calculated risk, timely investment, and a focus on development: how long after opening will it take to be profitable? Can I invest the money I’ve made into purchasing additional franchises? Can I grow a single franchise’s revenue through customer service and increased sales? Are there any depreciating values in my business model? Ignore these, and any hopes of getting rich disappear.

Why is franchising bad?

The problems with franchising occur when franchisees expect the brand to do the work—immediate business success and monetary gain because the brand already has a committed customer base.

Is franchising a risk?

Business owners play the game of risk and return, and it’s no different for franchise owners. After all, whether you’re starting your own business from the ground-up or taking the reins on a business-unit from a franchisor, there’s always some risk involved. Franchising is different because some of the legwork is already done; you provide an initial investment, and the franchisor provides the business model framework, brand, systems, and marketing.

When was Franchise.com founded?

A Trusted Industry Leader Since 1995. Founded in 1995, Franchise.com was one of the first franchise recruitment websites in the world. Today, we continue to be the 'go to' place for people beginning their business opportunity search and the journey of franchise ownership as well as for those already involved in the world of franchising.

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Overview

Pesky Start-Up Costs and Royalty Fees

Lofty Raw Material Costs

Lack of Financing

Lack of Territory Control

Lack of Individual Creativity

  • Franchises demand uniformity. In fact, everything from in-store decor, signage, products offered…
    Buying a franchise might seem like easy money, but those royalties and fees will quickly cut into profit margins. The majority of franchise owners earn less than $50,000 per year.
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