Buying a franchise might seem like a ready-made way to build a business. But local owners agreed that a franchise is only as good as its operator.
"They're giving you the basis to build a business," said Dennis Sallee, a Vancouver franchisee of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho-based Pita Pit USA. "It's up to you to make it work."
Trevor Bryant, a Vancouver franchisee for Anaheim, Calif.-based Max Muscle Sports Nutrition, recommends thoroughly researching a parent company and talking with its current and former franchisees before opening a franchise.
Bryant also advises taking time to:
- Shop for a fiscally sound company that suits your lifestyle and goals.
- Consider the time, money and energy you want to invest in employees.
- Prepare a business plan and a timeline for expansion and profit.
- Secure financing – be prepared to knock on multiple doors to get it.
- Choose your location carefully and ask tenants about foot traffic patterns.
- Budget for advertising and share its costs with other franchisees.
- Stick with the franchisor's plan.
"I operate my business on the model that I paid for," Bryant said.
