In The Ultimate Guide to Franchising, straight-shooting author Joe Mathews delivers a practical and hands-on “how-to” guide for aspiring franchisees seeking to start their own businesses. In the book, you'll explore real-life stories from the franchising trenches that illustrate how to effectively look past the obvious and dig deep into the bones of a franchise to establish fit, predict success, and mitigate risk. You'll discover the personality types most likely to experience success and failure at franchising and identify the entrepreneurial traits that can expose you to additional risk.
You'll also find: - All the info you need to know about franchising before you start looking for the right fit - Strategies for properly and fully investigating a franchise opportunity in your area - Techniques for conducting proper diligence to determine a franchisor's skills and viability.
Perfect for budding entrepreneurs, founders, and other business-minded professionals, as well as employees, leaders, and suppliers to franchise brands who want a better understanding and appreciation for how franchising works, The Ultimate Guide to Franchising will earn a place on the bookshelves of anyone serious about opening their own franchise as well as those who have already begun their franchising journeys.
Table of Contents
Preface ix
Introduction xv
Part 1: What You Need to Know Before You Look at Franchises 1
1 Introduction to Franchising 3
2 Special Advice for the First-Time Entrepreneur 25
3 Setting Your North Star 35
4 Matching Your Skills and Aptitudes to Opportunities 69
5 The Learning Curve and Lifecycle of a Franchisee 83
6 What Insiders Want You to Know About Franchising Before You Invest 117
7 Assessing the Skills and Viability of a Franchisor 163
8 The Franchisor Landscape in the United States 173
9 Understanding Where Franchisors Are in Their Lifecycle and Learning Curve 183
Part 2: How Do You Find the Right Franchise? 235
10 Identifying Potential Franchise Options 237
11 The Franchise Buyer Journey 247
12 Your Final Decision Checklist 301
Conclusion 307
Acknowledgments 311
About the Author 313
Index 315
