Each day we hear of companies entering the franchising industry. This is good news for America, right? Well, yes and know. Yes, because franchising is the closest thing to the spirit of free enterprise as any other method of doing business and because franchising offers small business people advantages that they would not normally have in pursuing their American Dream. However it is unfortunate but true that the average Franchisor failure rate is 5:1 in five years. Meaning they are gone out of business in that short amount of time. This is horrific news really. Why is this? Well most often it is due to over regulation, junk lawsuits, under capitalization or greed. Having played in the franchising industry I have seen it all.
Recently I had, had enough of the crap of beating my head against the wall, sure the money is excellent if you have a good concept and we certainly do; www.CarWashGuys.com ; but we found it was easier to make more money and keep more by not growing thru franchising. In franchising you can grow faster, in a 4-year period we went from 4 states to operations and franchised outlets in over 23 states. My point is that there are just too many lawyers and regulations for one to actually believe that anyone in government actually believes in free enterprise, to think they do is a bogus notion indeed.
In our company we are not currently offering franchises to the public. Our focus is to set up company owned units across the US and eventually the world and since I have retired the team will have to do it on their own, sure a few phone calls here and there for moral support or advice, but it just is not worth dealing with that level of bureaucracy and over lititigiousness. We may franchise in other countries but the United States being regulated by the Federal Trade Commission has their heads up their asses and it makes no sense in America anymore. Generally this business decision was made due to many following factors, some of which are listed below:
Sarbaines Oxley Law and Accounting Reporting Cost Increases,
Over Regulation in Franchising and Litigation,
Multiple State Franchise Registration Laws Out of Sync,
Disclosure Laws Hurting Company Proprietary Information,
Required Disclosures which Might Help International Terrorists,
Disclosure Laws, which Require the Giving Out of Personal Information About Franchisees.
Litigiousness of Franchising and Absence of Tort Reforms in the US and Canada,
Higher Profit Margins for the Company Running Our Own Units,
More Efficiency to Corral Our Competition,
More Latitude to Take on New National Account Business,
Better Service Standards for Current and Future Car Wash Customers,
More Control of Business Model and Less Red Tape
We have chosen a new strategy along the lines of a Starbucks, Home Depot, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Federal Express type scenario where we can exert more control and less red tape to insure higher standards and smoother business operations. Regretfully this does impact the small business community, franchise model and those who dream of owning their own franchise business. Over regulation usually does hurt the little guys and stifle competition and creates barriers to entry.
We are not the only franchisor who feels this way and if the failure rates for franchisors in our country are 5:1 it would behoove new entrants to the franchising industry to think long and hard before getting into the franchise game. If you do not have a million dollars going in, you should not go. If you have not proven your concept in many markets over various business cycles forget it. Additionally you may want to look at alternatives to franchising, because with all this over regulation you are not going to have any fun doing it. Think on this.
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.worldthinktank.net/wttbbs
Berwick Chicago charter limousine .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareTo maximum potential profits and dollars in a mobile washing... Read More
Hew Hampshire car wash market. Well we have visited every... Read More
In general, all of us know how to accomplish the... Read More
Purchasing a franchise has become one of the most popular... Read More
Continuing from the second article:6. About the aground mathematical model,... Read More
If I had $1.00 every time I heard someone say... Read More
Due to the over regulation in the Franchising Industry and... Read More
CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR INTERN: Specify the number of hours the... Read More
Seems as though there are a lot of business closings... Read More
When you go into business for yourself, there are many... Read More
Owning a small business in Wichita, KS might not be... Read More
I frequently give presentations at small business gatherings, providing me... Read More
In this paper, I will:1. provide a framework for creating... Read More
One of the great challenges for independent professionals and small... Read More
Many small businesses do quite well due to the blood,... Read More
Canon City, Colorado is known for it's 6 Prisons; State... Read More
More sales and more profit. Isn't that what you want... Read More
What's your job profitability? I meet with business owners every... Read More
Q: I'm curious. What is the dumbest business question you've... Read More
Large corporations use employee manuals to both educate employees about... Read More
Bookkeeping?the "dreaded" word is something we all have to worry... Read More
What does buying a fat pig have to do with... Read More
Many auto detailers fall short in their sales presentations. I... Read More
Most business owners know when they need an accountant, but... Read More
Ask anyone trapped in a cubical about their entrepreneurial dream... Read More
Antioch Chicago limousine service ..So it's time to invest some finances into advertising your... Read More
There will come a time in your business where you... Read More
Disclosure laws in franchising are suppose to help the consumer.... Read More
Last week's question from Anthony R. on how to choose... Read More
If you are a motorcycle detailer and need to expand... Read More
And is having a logo really that important?My answer to... Read More
Most small businesses simply go about their daily business and... Read More
In a world full of complications sometimes we overlook the... Read More
I agree that knowledge should be free, but the next... Read More
Looking for a place to add a Quick Lube away... Read More
When you feel like you're always busy working on your... Read More
CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR INTERN: Specify the number of hours the... Read More
What could Seinfeld possibly have to do with marketing a... Read More
The Dynamics of Daylight Savings Time changes the way we... Read More
Becoming a contractor or sub-contractor for the U.S. government can... Read More
Here are some sound debt collection techniques that can be... Read More
One of the best ways to make money in the... Read More
In my previous article, Step 1, your challenge for the... Read More
Why should you always maintain a good report with a... Read More
Many pressure washing companies will be glad to take on... Read More
The FTC- Mighty Federal Trade Commission has unilaterally decided to... Read More
Doesn't it frustrate you when you've given good service, sometimes... Read More
Many auto detailers fall short in their sales presentations. I... Read More
If small business had no important outside audiences, it wouldn't... Read More
What does it take to grow a business and run... Read More
Small Business |