If you're ready for a career change, you may want to consider owning a franchise. Business opportunity is rare in these economically unpredictable times and franchises are one way of an almost guaranteed success. Not only do franchises have a mega-high success rate, they also offer a myriad of benefits that don't come with a normal start-up business. Also, the different types of franchises available are very diverse; there are so many options that anyone could find a perfect fit.
Become a Small Business Consultant or A Tutoring Franchise Operator-It's Up to You! There are literally hundreds of different industries from which to choose your franchise business opportunity. There are trends that the marketplace sees every few years due to supply and demand but whole industries rarely fade away into oblivion. Some of the most popular choices for 2011-2012 are:
Business Consulting: This is a perfect opportunity for professional considering a career change after 50. Managers, seasoned sales and marketing professionals and entrepreneurs can put their expertise to good work being a business coach and mentor for Small businesses.
Fitness and Nutrition: With a new and intensified spotlight on the obesity epidemic in North America, more and more people are turning to Personal health and Fitness instruction and training. There are tremendous opportunities to become part of the fitness revolution and an already existing fitness or nutrition chain.
Tutoring and Educational Assistance: Because of the increased stress on children to learn faster, harder and more broadly than ever before, this is a blooming industry that provides a n educational supplement of sorts to help kids excel at their studies.
Convenience Stores and Fast Food: Although not the most popular in the eyes of health conscious North Americans, there's no denying the popularity and high success rates of mega-giant convenience stores like 7-11 and fast food giants like McDonalds.
These are just a few examples of the most popular franchise business opportunities; a different opportunity for every lifestyle, price range and dream career.
There Are Definite Advantages. Aside from the biggest draw of an astoundingly high success rate for a start-up business, there are three huge advantages of entering into a partnership of sorts with already established companies:
1. Recognition and Reputation: buying into an already established and most likely popular company gives new owners a great stepping stone to success with little to no effort required. The public will already know about the company, the product or service and the quality of said product or service; this provides an opportunity for an established customer base. Trademarks and logos are supplied – no need to hire designers and marketing professionals. Also, you may find that financing falls into place easily with a well known brand name behind you.
2. Lower Overhead: Supplies and product will most like be handed out at lower costs from the head company or distribution hub to the franchisees. Also, marketing and advertising plans are generally for the whole of a company, leaving franchisees to simply take advantage of opportunities, rather than spending time, effort and cash on their own.
3. Training: More often than not in franchise situations, new owners are provided with start-up equipment and extensive training. As you will be representing a branch of a larger company, franchiser are extremely concerned with having their franchisees trained and providing ongoing education and mentoring opportunities.
Franchises are not for everyone; they are notoriously controlled by the "head office" offering less creative freedom and usually expensive to buy into. But for an individual wanting the freedom of owning and operating a "sure thing" they may be the best bet.