Franchise Trends

The Other Side of Risk in Franchising

By Joel Libava - Dec 9, 2010 - 9 Comments

It’s a risky proposition to make the move from corporate America to small business ownership. Not everyone has the courage to actually do it. Lots of people look into becoming franchise owners as a way to mitigate their risk. As you’ll soon see, there’s plenty of risk to go around. Lots of … Read More

Why Aren’t More Women Interested in Franchise Ownership?

By Joel Libava - Oct 28, 2010 - 14 Comments

I’ve never really understood why men dominate general inquires about opportunities in franchise ownership. Well, maybe I understand part of the reason: It’s the numbers. According to a report by Catalyst, only 13.5 percent of Executive Officer positions at Fortune 500 companies were held … Read More

The Latest Trends in Franchise Development

By Joel Libava - Sep 14, 2010 - 2 Comments

When I write about franchising, 90 percent of the time it’s about buying franchises, researching franchises, and updating folks on the latest franchise news. (I throw in some op-ed sometimes, also. It’s just my nature.) There’s another part of franchising, and it’s really the most important … Read More

Conflict Shouldn’t Surprise Franchisors and Franchisees

By Scott Shane - Aug 9, 2010 - 11 Comments

A recent Wall Street Journal article described several conflicts between Burger King and its franchisees. In one of these disagreements, three franchisees sued Burger King over the franchisor’s effort to get them to keep their outlets open later at night. While the courts will have to decide … Read More

Will The Numbers Keep Adding Up for Senior Care Franchise Owners?

By Joel Libava - Aug 1, 2010 - 19 Comments

I'm getting a little concerned. I'm starting to wonder if there will continue to be enough senior citizens to go around. Recently, I contributed a post over at Business.Gov in which I discussed the popularity of the senior care segment of franchising. I stated that "there are over 30 different … Read More

Buying A Franchise With A Well-Known Brand Doesn’t Guarantee Success

By Joel Libava - Jul 12, 2010 - 10 Comments

I know that lots of people go into franchise ownership because they feel that they can piggyback on an established brand, thereby increasing their chances of success. That's certainly logical thinking. But sometimes, business defies logic. For instance, take a look at the SBA's loan default … Read More

How to Carefully Select a Franchise To Buy: A Review

By TJ McCue - Jun 22, 2010 - 3 Comments

Are you a rule follower or a rule maker? This is one of the questions Joel Libava, known as The Franchise King, and author of How to Carefully Select a Franchise to Buy, asks in one of his recent videos. The best franchise owners are often rule followers; they prefer the systems and … Read More

Finding Money for That Franchise When Money is Tight

By Joel Libava - May 28, 2010 - 9 Comments

Commercial lenders have been making life difficult for future franchise owners and small business owners looking for capital. President Obama and his administration have been putting the heat on lenders. So far, however, that has not turned the credit situation around. The franchise industry … Read More

25 Franchise Business Folks You Should Follow On Twitter

By Joel Libava - Mar 25, 2010 - 10 Comments

I opened an account on Twitter in May of 2007. (@FranchiseKing) At first, I really had no idea what I was doing. I just knew that if I was going to get on board with this new thing called "social media," I'd better learn all I can about Twitter, and watch how others were using it. I learned that … Read More

5 Great Questions To Ask Franchise Company Executives Before Buying A Franchise

By Joel Libava - Feb 17, 2010 - 20 Comments

If you're looking to become a franchise owner, there are several ways for you to increase your chances of success. One way is to arrange some time to talk with the operations people at franchise headquarters, and if possible, the president of the company. Some well thought out questions can have a … Read More

The Top Franchise Trends For 2010

By Joel Libava - Dec 21, 2009 - 27 Comments

There are a couple of categories in franchising that will continue to gather steam in 2010, and for many years to come. There will also be some other interesting things going on in franchising in 2010, and they don't involve the latest pizza craze, or the launch of a solar-powered pretzel … Read More

The Burger King $1 Cheeseburger: How Much Does It Really Cost?

By Joel Libava - Nov 18, 2009 - 12 Comments

I'll admit it. Most of the time I am biased. I am usually out there trying to protect prospective franchisees. I try to provide tons of information to them about the realities of being a franchise owner. I also try to provide tips that current franchisees can use to grow their businesses. It's … Read More