Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Franchises are often a great way to get started in business because of the training and help they offer. But you need to understand there are just as many problems with franchises as there are buying any other business. Never trust just what the franchise tells you.If you are really interested in any one franchise I suggest you talk to four or five of the owners personally and get the real lowdown before you spend your good money. I just had a client that purchased a franchise 6 months ago and now he finds out the training promised is not there the franchise is about to go under and he is in debt some $150.000.

If you think your are tired of working for the man wait until you are in debt up to your arm pits and the support and help you expected does not show up.

However, there are plenty of great sites out there, like Entrepreneur.com. They, for example, come out with an annual franchise 500 listing. This neutral ranking actually takes into consideration many of the issues that a potential franchisee might be concerned about, such as growth, openings, and support. This is a great place to begin! Best of luck.