Learn about a variety of tools and resources prospective franchisees can use to research how to start a franchise.
While starting a franchise lets you be in business for yourself but not by yourself, the key is to find the perfect franchise network partner for you. Luckily, there is a plethora of information available on the internet from many reputable sources you can use to find the best franchise opportunity to fit your budget, interests and lifestyle. If you’re pondering, “how to start my own franchise,” we’ve gathered a few of the best sites and tools to help you get started on your journey.
International Franchise Association (IFA)
IFA strives to advance the future of franchising by protecting, enhancing and promoting franchise business. It provides multiple tools and resources to educate and support members including an information hub, certification program and a franchise opportunity search platform.
The Find a Franchise tool helps match prospective franchisees to the best franchise opportunity. Pick your passion, i.e., the industry you’re interested in, select your country, veteran status and indicate the amount you can invest to see the franchise opportunities available that meet your criteria. Or, skip the filter to browse all opportunities. Results can be sorted by featured businesses, company name, start-up cost, years of IFA membership or by veteran’s discount ranking.
Listings include basic business information, primary products and/or services offered, start-up cost, total investment and veteran discount ranking. Links to request more information or to visit the business’s website are also included.
Franchise Direct
Franchise Direct is a comprehensive online resource providing extensive information on the franchise industry. It houses a collection of articles, news, reports, videos, tips, FAQs, success stories, interviews, a blog and more. You can also sign up for a free newsletter to stay up to date on the latest franchise opportunities.
Use the directory to search franchise opportunities by category/industry, location or investment amount. Filters are included for browsing by: top, new, low cost, mobile and green franchises. You can also filter by opportunities for veterans, SBA approved franchises, those with special financing offers and more.
Each listing provides a quick snapshot of the business. Click the listing to see more in-depth information including a business profile, news, financial information including costs, special offers and financing available, testimonials and success stories.
Entrepreneur
Packed with news, articles, books, videos, podcasts and webinars, Entrepreneur is a great resource for research prior to starting a franchise.
The Franchise Hub is a search tool that helps find the right franchise for you and lets you request more information. Searches can be conducted by category or specific business name. Or, take their quiz to get personalized matches based on your interests, education, experience, financial resources and location. Stay on top of opportunities in your area by signing up to receive updates via email.
Results provide a company bio, number of locations and growth, breakdown of costs and fees, financing options and training and support offered by the franchisor.
The Business Opportunities section provides yet another way to browse through their collection of franchise opportunities and see more information like benefits of franchising with the brand and testimonials from current franchisees.
For a quick look at top opportunities, check out the Franchise 500 ranking, Best Franchises For Any Budget Ranking and 2019 Top Global Franchises Ranking.
Franchise Gator
The goal of Franchise Gator is to help you find your business. It has a large directory of franchise and business opportunities from well-known, established names to new brands in the market. The site provides business ownership information and research as well as hundreds of articles to help educate you on buying a franchise and running a business. A list of franchise expos, conferences and events that allow you to view and compare franchising possibilities is also included.
Franchise and business opportunities can be searched by category, state or cash required. Or browse annual lists of top opportunities broken down into three categories: Top 100 Franchises, Fastest Growing Franchises and Top Emerging Franchises.
FranchiseOpportunities.com
FranchiseOpportunities.com creates and distributes helpful information regarding franchising and small business in addition to maintaining a comprehensive directory of franchises for sale. There are a number of different methods to hone in on the best franchise for you like narrowing results by state, industry or investment range or by browsing low cost franchises or top franchises (based on the number of inquiries each has received.)
Listings include a quick franchise summary, overview, cost, fees and facts, states where opportunities are available, testimonials and of course, the ability to request additional information.
There are also many resources to help you pursue the franchise of your dreams including a net worth calculator, finance center and even a self-survey to help you determine if franchising is right for you. The FAQ and blog are packed with general franchise information and valuable tips for starting a franchise.
