Food Franchises Less Than $100,000, Part 2

In Part 1 of this series on Food Franchises for Less Than $100,000, I talked about Brewster's Chicken, which is an offering in the Complete Express Foods portfolio of franchises. In Part 2, I will introduce Carla's Sandwiches & Burgers.

Carla's Sandwiches & Burgers is two concepts under one roof. In the sandwich category, they compete with Firehouse Subs and Subway by using 1/3 to 1/2 pounds of Boar's Head meats and cheese to create delicious sandwiches. In the burger category, Carla's competes with Five Guys and Wendy's by using fresh, never frozen, ground beef. Customers can choose from 10 different kinds of cheese, chips, fries, onion rings, and cookies. Customers have the option to enjoy their delicious meal with a nice cold beer!

Not only is Carla's great for the consumer, it is structured in a way to help franchisees be successful. Royalty and advertising fees are a low flat rate which can save a franchisee $50,000+ per year compared to similar franchises. Carla's will let you build your business as big (or small) as you want with express (convenience store, airport, etc), strip mall, and free-standing location options. With Carla's Sandwiches & Burgers, a new franchisee can be in business for less than $100,000!

Contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for more information about Carla's Sandwiches & Burgers. In part 3 of this series I will introduce Italian Joe's.

Food Franchises Less than $100,000, Part 1

Many of my clients are interested in food franchises and their first questions are about McDonald's and Subway. According to McDonald's website, they require a potential franchisee to have a minimum of $500,000 of non-borrowed funds to be considered for a franchise. Additionally, they look for franchisees with restaurant experience. Subway is less expensive than McDonald's to get started, but they charge their franchises 12.5% of gross sales (minus sales tax) every week for royalties and advertising. There is a better way! In this 3 part series we will look at 3 brands from Complete Express Foods that can be started for less than $100,000.

Brewster's Chicken has a menu to satisfy everyone. They serve an 8 piece chicken and their rotisserie process cooks the bird in just 14 minutes! Brewster's also serves jumbo wings in more than 20 varieties and sandwiches/tenders/nuggets similar to Chick-fil-a. Apart from the whole chicken, the menu items are pressure cooked, so they are healthier than deep fried options from competitors. Brewster's also serves 9 different side items, dessert, and BEER!

Not only is Brewster's great for the consumer, it is structured in a way to help franchisees be successful. Royalty and advertising fees are a low flat rate which can save a franchisee $50,000+ per year compared to similar franchises. Brewster's will let you build your business as big (or small) as you want with express (convenience store, airport, etc), strip mall, and free-standing location options. With Brewster's, a new franchisee can be in business for less than $100,000!

Contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for more information about Brewster's Chicken. In part 2 of this series I will introduce Carla's Sandwiches and Burgers.

ActionCOACH's Redesigned Business Library

ActionCOACH has redesigned their Business Library! It is a great tool for business owners and others who are thinking of becoming business owners. Take a look at the library and then contact Meta-Franchise Consulting for information about how to become a Coach or start another business.

Meta-Franchise Consulting October Newsletter

Our October newsletter is available! You can check it out here. It contains great information about the Small Business Jobs Act, Liberty Tax Service, and Meta-Franchise Consulting referral pay-outs.

Doc Popcorn Hits 20

Doc Popcorn has only been franchising for 14 months, but they already have their 20th franchise agreement in place. In the last 30 days they have signed 5 new agreements in 5 different states!

What makes Doc Popcorn so great? For starters, they use the best corn, 100% corn oil, and proprietary all-natural flavor blends. That's why customers like it. Franchisees like it because it's a simple business to operate, there are several business models which allow investors to get in for only $50k, and the business is scalable so franchisees can add multiple locations to their portfolio.

Contact Meta-Franchise Consulting to find out how you can own a food franchise for about $50,000 that will satisfy your customer's craving for a healthy alternative to traditional snack food.

Pet Franchises

Franchise Direct just released a report on the Pet Franchise Industry. The report shows that 62% of U.S. households own at least one pet, and the pet owning population grew 38% between 1998 and 2008. I tell my clients that franchises in the children's industry do well in any economy because people will always spend money on their kids. According to the Franchise Direct report, people are spending money on their pets despite the economy...an estimated $47.7 BILLION in 2010!

Meta-Franchise Consulting represents several of franchises highlighted in the report. The initial investment for these businesses ranges from a low of $10,300 (Snaggle Foot) to $100,000 (Aussie Pet Mobile) and several investment ranges in between. There really is something for everyone who has a desire to own a business and work with animals!

Lessons from Experienced Entrepreneurs

I recently posted a question on LinkedIn that asked, "What's the one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started your business." There were several good answers, but my favorite came from Rob Pene, President and CEO of Mission Driven Brand. He said "To create a consistent platform for sharing my thoughts and "advice" information...regardless if no one reads it to start off with...Everyone's got to start from scratch, and having YOUR OWN platform to share YOUR ideas will build YOU as a brand." I love this and want to continue to put this advice into practice with this blog.

Here are some other great answers by experienced entrepreneurs:
Manish Kumar Aggarwal said, "How to reach my potential customer."

Dave Maskin said, "I wish I realized that my talents could be used at trade shows 25 years ago..."

Martha Retallick said, "How to sell!"

Marko Lauhiala said, "That nobody can afford to be a YES man/woman all the time, learn to say NO to things that don't feel 100% right."

Elswine Rietvel said, "All the functions and possibilities on linkedin."

Marvin Russell said, "Sales don't always equal profits. In fact, 20% of your sales are profitable, the other 80% are just headaches."

Franchising Myths

Franchising is a great way to be in business for yourself with lower risks than a traditional start-up. There are lots of books and internet sites that people can use to educate themselves; so much information, in fact, that it can be overwhelming. How do you sort fact from fiction? Here are some common myths about franchising.

Myth - All franchisees are successful
Fact - Success is never guaranteed. Franchisees do enjoy a better chance of success than other start-ups, but you still have to work hard and follow the processes taught by the franchisors.

Myth - A high cost franchise will give higher returns
Fact - A high cost franchise does not guarantee higher returns, and over time you might make less money with a high cost franchise versus a low cost one. The important thing is to find a franchise that fits your requirements (financial and otherwise) to ensure a higher likelihood of success.

Myth - You don't need help from a lawyer to buy a franchise
Fact - The FDD and Franchise Agreement are legal documents. It is important to have a lawyer review all legal documents before you sign. Your lawyer should have a background in franchising to make sure you are getting the best advice possible.

Myth - After buying your franchise, you are the boss
Fact - Yes, it is your business. However, your franchise is part of a system with established processes. The franchisor can legally require you to order supplies for a certain vendor, have your business open certain hours, get their approval for marketing campaigns, etc. Read the FDD/Franchise Agreement to know what you can and can't control.

Qdoba Joins Our Network

We are very excited to announce that Qdoba has joined our network! Qdoba is the largest fast casual Mexican franchise in the country. They were just named the 4th largest limited service Mexican concept in the U.S.

The backbone of any restaurant company is a strong and transparent supply chain. Their team manages the largest network of suppliers, vendors and distribution centers in the franchised, fast casual Mexican segment; period. And they don’t make a penny off corporate-owned restaurants. They believe in using their supply chain to grow the system, not profit from it. They make the success of franchisees a top priority by providing the very best systems, support and brand equity. They have built this business so you can focus on customers, employees and growth. They provide franchisees support in each functional area of the business including: training & operations, marketing, information technology, supply chain, real estate, human resources, finance & accounting.

Maui Wowi West Loop offers 50% Discount

Meta-Franchise Consulting is proud to have Maui Wowi Coffee & Smoothies in our network. Their West Loop (Chicago) franchisee is offering 50% off. Check them out and then contact Meta-Franchise Consulting to find out how you can have your own Maui Wowi store!

Franchising as an Option for Laid-off Workers

If the economy has not affected your job, it has likely affected the job of someone you know. Recently, a lot of stories in the press have featured laid-off workers in their 50s and 60s. These workers have 30-40 years of great experience, but they are too close to retirement, too experienced, and/or too expensive to fill the positions that employers are hiring for. For these workers, franchising is a wonderful option.

After decades of working for someone else, unemployed older workers will find that franchising offers them the support, training, financial independence, and quality of life that they've always wanted. Do you have a strong sales background and a good track record of customer satisfaction? If so, a Maintenance or Maid Service franchise is probably a good fit for you. Do you have a passion for helping people? If so, a Senior Care franchise may be a fit for your requirements. Are you passionate about kids and education? An Education franchise will help you help children be successful in the classroom. Is your hobby wood working, video games, or pets?

A laid-off worker with dozens of years of experience does not have to settle for a job that leaves them "under-employed". Franchising can provide the income you need and the job satisfaction that may have been elusive as an employee. Why not become an employer?

15 Signs of a Good Franchise System

We all know it is important to do your due diligence before buying a franchise. In a previous post, we talked about questions to ask the franchisor. How do you evaluate what they are telling you and what you are reading in the FDD? Here are 15 signs that the franchise system you are looking at is a sound investment.

1. Franchise is opening stores at a steady pace and growing same store sales.
2. The customers give rave reviews about the franchise’s products / services.
3. There are number of franchisees that have been there for a long time.
4. Franchisor regularly introduces new products and services.
5. Franchisor has regular meetings to get feedback from franchisees.
6. Franchisor does not delve into every minute detail of operations.
7. Franchisor gives flexibility to franchisees for local marketing and advertising.
8. Turnover among existing franchisees – either through business sale or shutdown is low.
9. Franchisees have easy access via email, phone, etc. to management at the franchise office.
10. The area supervisor from the franchise spends time with you during store visit and listens to your concerns.
11. Franchisor does not change store procedures and rules for franchisees frequently.
12. Franchisor visits the franchisee stores on a regular basis and provides improvement suggestions.
13. Franchisor is not opening stores in the close proximity of existing ones.
14. The prices charged for mandatory items from commissary are in line with market.
15. The franchise provides reports on a regular basis with the details on how they are performing at individual, regional and national levels.

Meta-Franchise Consulting can help you figure out which franchise systems fit your requirements AND possess these positive attributes.