What’s the most important factor in considering a franchise business?

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October 29, 2008

Vending franchises offer a terrific investment for entrepreneurs

The economic downturn is beginning to shift from Wall Street to Main Street. While financial experts remain uncertain about how long this economic turmoil will continue, the picture in the short-term is stark: banks have seriously slowed down lending lately and the cash flow that underpins the creation and growth of small businesses has stalled.

Yet despite this uncertainty, every entrepreneur will be familiar with Warren Buffet’s famous maxim on investing: “Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.” Enterprising franchisees will be surveying the suffering business world and envisioning future success when the upturn comes around. The obvious question then is which kind of franchise makes for the perfect opportunity at this financial  moment.

Many businesses claim to be recession-resistant, but shrewd franchisees must see the bigger picture when considering their big investment. Franchisees should only really be considering buying into the most proven brands and products—the day of investing heavily in gimmicky items is over, it seems. There must also be inherent value in the product you are buying into. It must not be a niche item, but instead something that will work for you. For these reasons and for many other, the time seems right to focus on Vending Franchises.

Vending opportunities come in an array of shapes and sizes, stocking a number of interesting items. With Franchise Direct alone, there are vending opportunities for the sale of DVDs, coffee, yogurt and ice. The tremendous diversity within vending franchises is only one of their selling points. Just think of the low overhead costs. Rather than have to spend long nights sweating about staff or rents costs, you can sleep easy knowing that a vending machine will simply pay for itself.

Market forecasts show that vending businesses blossomed by over 43 per cent earlier this decade, according to industry publication Vending Times. And the beauty of a vending business is that while people’s tastes and interests change constantly, the medium, i.e. the vending machine, remains constant. The financial world may be in total upheaval, and  people may be holding back on that extra restaurant meal on a weekend, or that nagging car problem, but the immediacy of a vending product, be it an a can of Coke or a cup of coffee, makes them invaluable products.

Still, there are essential things to consider when purchasing a vending business. Having the time to stock the product is a must before signing up to owning your own machine. Likewise, the location you choose is essentially linked to the profitability of your venture. That said, if you can find a vending concept that will be a sure-fire success, the time has never been better to own your own vending franchise.


October 22, 2008

Franchise Direct’s Magic Number: 400,000,000,000

That’s the number of cups of coffee consumed in one calendar year around the world. Good thing that Franchise Direct has a number of outstanding opportunities specializing in the world’s popular beverage.


October 16, 2008

College Hunks Hauling Junk praised

We’ve discussed earlier the business revolution brought on by young entrepreneurs. Well, here’s proof positive: Nick Friedman and Omar Soliman of College Hunks Hauling Junk have been selected among Inc.com’s Top 30 Entrepreneurs Under 30.

The junk hunks of haulage started their business to earn some money during their summer vacation in college, and the idea quickly took off. Their friendship with Oprah has helped the business get off the ground – but it’s not purely about the money. They give a portion of all revenue to a college scholarship fund.

You can learn more about College Hunks Hauling Junk franchises with Franchise Direct.


October 14, 2008

Franchise Direct’s Magic Number: 10,100,000

The number of women-owned businesses in America The latest research conducted by the Women’s Research Center has found that there are over 10.1 million women-owned firms, with ownership defined as 50 percent or more state, throughout the country. These firms open employ 13 million people and contribute almost $2 trillion to the economy.

Read more about the advances of women in business at the Women’s Research Center home page


October 9, 2008

Franchise Direct’s Magic Number: 2,510,000

The number of self-employed people in Canada (according to government statistics from 2005)
This figure represents 16% of the total Canadian workforce. Canada has seen a gradual rise in self-employment over the last ten years.

Read more about it here.


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