ARTICLE AD BOX
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Look, erstwhile you comprehend nan connection "franchising" very less group image a glamorous lifestyle. Fast food? Cleaning services? Home care? No, convey you. Often there's a level of apprehension aliases hesitancy associated pinch that all-powerful "ick" factor.
Hey, I get it. Long earlier entering nan world of franchising, I was moving successful patient America erstwhile a franchise advisor approached maine astir franchising opportunities. Was I happy successful my patient career? No. But it was stable, right? It was nan "smart" choice. The "right" choice. Okay, perchance nan "conditioned" premier is overmuch accurate. But still, I was successful my precocious forties and had chosen my path.
It wasn't until a friend who owned a franchise started expanding his multi-unit cognition and decided to discarded retired successful a multi-million dollar woody that my ears perked up. It ne'er occurred to maine that franchising mightiness modular for illustration that. I decided to springiness franchising a existent look and excavation into nan research.
Now, having owned a franchise myself and having worked successful nan manufacture for 8 years, my position connected galore "ick" franchise industries has changed dramatically. Are drain cleaning services, roofing repair, and (seed) illness powerfulness sexy now? No, but I'll liking astir that cognition arsenic I watch my kids postgraduate from assemblage debt-free and my position savings grow. What I've learned is that location is existent worthy successful those mundane basal industries that, if fixed nan chance, personification existent worldly benefits that conscionable mightiness beryllium nan correct caller for your goals, too.
So what makes these "ick" franchise industries truthful valuable?
1. Unlimited Demand
Consider franchises that relationship location attraction services. Think drain cleaning, location cleaning, (seed) illness control, plumbing, hvac, electric, conception care, junk removal, etc. These service-based companies relationship evergreen services that group petition successful almost each area of nan United States. No matter what, location ownership, level management, commercialized betterment intends ongoing attraction that requires specialty services. Specialty services that are often provided by a conception franchise marque pinch nationalist recognition.
2. Recession Resistant
Working hand-in-hand pinch nan unlimited demand, sloppy of what's happening successful nan economy, galore services are not a "nice to have" but a "need to have." Medical discarded removal? Senior care? Child care? If you deliberation backmost to nan dense of nan pandemic, location were a plethora of services that were in-demand sloppy of lock-down.
A assortment of franchise brands that relationship these captious services and galore overmuch were successful nan cognition supporting group who needed care. Time and again, I've seen really services that are often shrugged disconnected pinch nan building "someone's sewage to do them" overlaps pinch franchise industries.
3. Low Initial Investment
One of nan main benefits of service-based franchise businesses is nan comparatively low-cost obstruction to entry. These brands do not require a storefront aliases customer facing existent estate, and nan activity itself is provided astatine nan customer's location.
It's worthy noting that not each franchises are synonymous pinch "ick" – spot boutique fitness, salon services, pet motels, etc. However, these location-based businesses that spot portion storefronts wherever nan customer receives services astatine a fixed-base location are often associated pinch higher first finance costs.
4. Lower Fixed Overhead
In summation to debased first investments, service-based brands often personification a small fixed overhead cost. In contrast, location-based brands (think salons, boutique fitness, pet care, etc) often personification higher fixed overhead costs – which tin personification overmuch title owed to nan truth that these are passion-based industries.
Let's spot a niche franchise that provides roofing solutions for a peculiar territory. As nan franchise owner, you're getting called to do that activity connected a petition basis. However, arsenic roofing is simply a ample summons item, it isn't a often recurring service. In this business model, you whitethorn only petition a salesman – perchance nan franchise proprietor – and a task caput to spot nan installation through. As for nan labor, successful this model, it tin beryllium provided by hired contractors, keeping nan fixed overhead costs low.
In fact, galore of these project-based activity brands personification contractor models which intends you aren't spending connected labour without contracts to fill. This exemplary helps you get to profitability faster without expanding your overhead costs.
5. Franchisor Support
One of nan galore benefits of moving incorrect a franchise strategy is nan ongoing support you'll personification from nan franchisor. While each reputable franchisor will assistance pinch first set-up and operations, service-based franchisors often spot further services for illustration telephone centers that proviso back-office support. They whitethorn assistance successful scheduling customer visits, determining which services are needed, and more. This cuts retired nan petition for you to prosecute an in-office worker, allowing you to beryllium overmuch time-leveraged and tin moreover fto you to clasp your patient business while building your franchise business.
Since becoming a franchise consultant, clip and clip again I've seen first guidance to a peculiar manufacture dissolve into possibility. The "ick" facet is real, and while you should ne'er get into an manufacture that you can't get behind, it's important that you aren't letting an first hesitation discourage you from pursuing a business opportunity that supports your maestro goals.