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Archive for the ‘Business Broker Franchise’ Category

You’ve had your eye on that cool franchise business for a while, and you’re finally ready to move forward and become a franchisee.  Congratulations on your decision to take control of your future!  You are showing your desire to be a leader, and someone who wants to be their own boss.  That takes confidence, courage, and discipline.  Before you buy, however, you need to ask some specific, key questions of the franchisor. 

Becoming a franchisee is similar to a marriage, in that your committing yourself to someone long term, and if it’s done correctly, both parties are successful.  For that to happen, though, you must know your partner really, really well first.  That means asking some direct, sometimes tough questions relative to the business.  Exactly what questions are important to ask, though?  A good franchise consultant can provide an entire list of questions you should not only get answers to, but be very comfortable with the answers you receive. 

Here is a sampling of some top questions that need asking:

1.  What type of support will the franchisor provide once your franchise has opened its doors?   One of the top reasons to buy a franchise is for the excellent support provided.  If you’re not satisfied with the answer to this, move on to another opportunity.

2.  What types of territorial restrictions and protections have been set up by the franchisor?  Key question.  You most definitely need to, and want to, know the exact size of the territory you are awarded and its boundaries.  This must be specifically defined before a franchise agreement can be reached.

3.  What arrangements are established through the franchisor in terms of product supply?  Most every franchisor will require you to purchase your products and/or services from an approved, specific vendor.  You may be able to “fill in” with, say, a local supplier in between orders if you run low on an item, but for the most part, you’ll be doing business with a vendor that has been pre-established by the franchisor.

4.  How many franchisees have failed and why did they fail?  Ideally, your franchisor will speak candidly about what exactly it takes to wildly succeed in their business model, and also what some franchisees have done (and what you should steer clear of) to completely screw it up.

5.  How much time am I required to devote in my business on a daily/weekly basis?  A few new, ill-prepared franchisees have been quoted as saying “I feel like I live here I’m here so much” and “ I had no idea I’d be putting in 75 hours a week”.  Almost always, there is one of two reasons for these statements.  One, and most likely, it’s a result of poor time management on the part of the franchisee.  Second, the question of time commitment was never asked of the franchisor.  Either way, its poor execution or implementation by the new business owner. 

These questions are for starters and the franchisors’ willingness to cooperate in answering them should help you judge their sincerity. There are numerous other questions I provide my clients with that need answering before an informed decision can be made.  Existing franchisees are often a more productive and responsive group to speak with, and I’ll discuss specific questions for them in another article.

Find Your Perfect Business

Franchises are among the fastest growing business opportunities available. Once the purview only of those who could afford to invest many, many thousands of dollars – often as many as several hundred of thousands – franchise opportunities now exist that will fit almost any budget.

If you are looking to buy a franchise that carries a low price tag but can yield high profits, you’ve come to the right place. Here are ten top franchise opportunities that can be yours for right around $20,000!

GLOBAL BROKER SYSTEMS

You don’t have to be on Wall Street to earn a Wall Street-level income. Global Broker Systems offers the opportunity to do jus this by offering commercial loans to businesses.

With national name recognition, Global provides you with training and support so you are equipped to handle financial issues ranging from debt restructuring and business acquisition financing to accounts receivable and lease financing.

With a total capital investment is $19,950, you could be well on your way to a successful entrepreneurial career in finance.

FAST-TEKS ON-SITE COMPUTER SERVICES

This unique opportunity places you directly in the manager’s seat. As a Fast-Teks franchisee, you do not repair or service any computers directly. Rather, you manage a team of trained technicians who travel to client sites to perform all repair and maintenance work.

The total capital investment is just $19,500, with an additional requirement of $6,000 to $10,000 for start-up expenses and advertising.

In return, you gain the benefit of working for yourself in a multi-multi-billion dollar industry. No computer experience is required, so check out Fast-Teks today.

BLUE COAST FINANCIAL GROUP

With a motto of “Bring Wall Street to Main Street,” this franchise opportunity allows entrepreneurs to become Blue Coast Advisors who offer “second opinion financial services” to businesses and corporations.

No financial experience? No problem! The parent company’s support staff of expert analysts provide you with all of the information you need to give the best and most accurate advice and guidance to your clients.

Additionally, Blue Coast offers service-provision options that make your services even more appealing to potential clients. Carrying a total capital investment of $19,995, this business franchise opportunity truly does make Wall Street Main Street-accessible.

J. BRANDT COMMUNICATIONS

No one likes to be on-hold, but the fact is that people today will spend a significant amount of time on-hold waiting for information, assistance, or conducting business. The good news is that, as a J. Brandt Communications dealer, you can capitalize on this by marketing Music and Messaging On-Hold (MOH) services to companies and corporations.

The benefit to your clients is that they gain an additional opportunity to market their products and services; the benefit to you is that you can establish a source of recurring income for today and for your future.

The start-up cost capital investment cost for this exciting opportunity is $20,000.

GUARD-A-KID – CHILD ID SYSTEMS

Oftentimes, people look into starting their own business so they can spend more time with their families and create a future for them. This franchise opportunity allows you to do exactly this while protecting your family in the process.

Guard-A-Kid is a child safety ID kit that provides parents with wallet-size and file-size printed IDs as well as a CDROM containing their child’s information. Because the information is in digital format, it can easily be sent to law enforcement personnel in the case of an emergency.

In addition to this basic package, Guard-A-Kid offers parents the option of purchasing additional safety accessories, including wearable IDs, Internet safety software, and more.

The capital investment cost is $19,900, and you can choose to operate your business either from the comfort of your own home or through a Guard-A-Kid kiosk.

CTI – CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

Concrete isn’t just for sidewalks. Through CTI, you can become a business owner in the field of concrete restoration and beautification. Even if you’ve never worked with concrete before, you can succeed as a CTI dealer by benefiting from the company’s comprehensive training program and round-the-clock technical support.

CTI operates in the United States and in 22 countries around the world, and you can become a part of this exciting and growing market for just $19,500.

AMERICAN BUSINESS ADVANTAGE

With interest rates on the rise, more and more homeowners are finding they are unable to meet their mortgage payments, and, as a result, foreclosure looms on the horizon.

You can help homeowners avoid taking this difficult step by becoming a Certified Foreclosure Consultant (CFC) through American Business Advantage. Whether you want to work full-time or part-time, from an office or from the comfort of your own home, American Business Advantage allows you the freedom to choose.

You will receive training and complete support in this business venture for a total capital investment of $19,995.

CRUISE PLANNERS FRANCHISING LLC/AMERICAN EXPRESS

For the past several years, this award-winning franchise opportunity has consistently been ranked #1 in its category by Entrepreneur Magazine. And it isn’t hard to see why.

With a price tag of just $9,995-$19,950, franchisees can capitalize on the growth and success of the cruising industry.

Cruise Planners Franchising LLC/American Express offers top commission levels, the latest in technology, training and support, and unique industry programs and benefits, among other things. If this exciting opportunity sounds like it could be for you, cruise over to the above website for more information.

INFINITE MARKETING

Every business needs marketing collateral, so why not go into the business of providing marketing collateral to businesses?

For a total capital investment of just $14,900, you can become the owner of your own Video Business Card Distributorship. Video Business Cards (VBC) are the new wave of business promotions, and they include personal messages from the business professionals as well as printable marketing materials and e-mail and website links.

Small businesses want to stand out among their competition, and VBCs allow them to do just this. As a VBC business owner, you can earn an income while helping other small businesses succeed at the same time.

DVDNOW KIOSKS

Today’s society is all about convenience. People want to accomplish more in less time. And DVDNow Kiosks allows them to do just that by providing automated DVD rental kiosks so renters can pick up a Friday-night movie without ever stopping at the video-store.

DVDNow Kiosks can be found in grocery stores, convenience stores, office buildings, or any location prone to high foot-traffic. As a DVDNow Kiosks distributor, you earn income every time someone rents a DVD from one of your kiosks. This means that your earning potential continues even when you are not actively working.

This industry is set for an exponential explosion, and for a start up capital of $20,000, you can secure a piece of this pie.

As you can see, low-cost franchise opportunities exist in a variety of industries. Whatever your budget and your area of interest, it is almost a sure thing that there is a franchise that’s perfect for you. So what are you waiting for? Start building your future today with one of these top franchise opportunities.

Seven Essential Tips To Becoming a Successful Business Broker – A New Career.

1. Working Capital (Minimum of eight months working capital until you complete your first deal)

o Working capital means money you require to cover monthly expenses until you start closing deals and earning commissions.

o You will need working capital to cover personal and business operating expenses

o The types of working capital you can get are from debt or equity.

o You can get working capital from savings, equity from your home, you can sell something of value and use the cash as working capital, credit cards, lines of credit, convert investments into cash and use as working capital.

o I personally have used all of the above sources for working capital.

2. Education (Broker Training through an Association such as International Business Brokerage Association and or; training with a Business Brokerage Franchise.

o The specific training that’s necessary to be a successful business broker include how to list a business, how to price a business for sale, negotiation, marketing, and customer relationship management.

3. Systems developed

o The systems you need to develop include:

Marketing. Marketing includes

• Online

• Email campaigns

• Direct-Mail Campaigns

o CRM. CRM stands for “Customer Relationship Management” and involves an online tool that manages your leads and allows you to communicate with on an ongoing basis and to eventually convert into a sale.

4. Skills and Licenses required

o You should know that in some states it is required to have a real estate license to be a business broker.

o In Canada, it is a requirement to have a real estate license in each and every province.

o You should also know How To Read Financial Statements

o Essential skills that are needed by a business broker include interpersonal skills, sales skills, and a balance of empathy and ego drive

5. Networking and Relationships

o It is important to network in your local community. You can do that by becoming a Member of your local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, etc.

o

6. Self-Discipline

o It’s important to make to-do lists and attack each item on the to-do until all activities are complete, moving toward accomplishing your goals.

7. Have a Passion for Deal-Making

o What I mean by this is that you must be driven to close deals, make a sale because in this business “You Eat What You Kill”.