Franchising the Right Fit for Those New to Running a Business

Franchising is the turnkey solution for aspiring entrepreneurs who may not be able to start their own business from scratch.

"Just about any franchise concept can be good for an inexperienced business owner," said FranNet franchise expert Stacy Swift. "The franchise simply needs to suit the individual’s interests, goals, and financial capabilities."

While accessibility is at the core of every franchise model, there are definitely a few concepts that are particularly suited for amateur business owners. These include concepts that operate under relatively simple, low-maintenance business models, such as fitness, hair care, senior care and services.

For instance, fitness concepts are typically simple to manage, and demand a lower investment because they require less staff, less inventory and may even be operated from a home office.

The simplicity of Workout Anytime’s business model is exactly what attracted Alicia Hill to the fitness brand. The straightforward concept allowed her to balance being a mother of three while satisfying her goal of opening a business that promoted healthier lifestyles in her community.

Other fitness brands such as Fit 36 offer a passive, semi-absentee model, which allows franchisees to maintain the safety net of another job while hiring a manager to run the day-to-day operations of their franchise.

"[Keeping a job] takes some of the risk factor away from the business start-up since [new franchisees] can keep an income, giving them some financial security as they build a business," Swift said.

There is also the master franchise model, typically adopted by brands in the cleaning and real estate industries. The master franchisee assumes the role of a regional franchisor, whose responsibilities are more focused on managerial skills than operational experience.

These models are ideal for entrepreneurs with extensive experience in senior leadership roles that also want to run their own business. A great example is Fred Ingham, who recently signed on to become a master franchisee with Anago Cleaning Systems.

After more than 17 years in chemical sales, many of which he spent as the director of sales, Ingham’s skills were ideal for a role in growing the brand through managing and selling franchises.

“Anago are the experts in the business and I am relying on them to train me to become an expert as well,” Ingham said. “Anago will keep me from hitting the pitfalls that I might have otherwise hit if I had decided to open a business on my own.”