If starting a franchise business sounds like an intriguing opportunity, read about the list of smart franchises to invest in.
If starting a franchise business sounds like an intriguing opportunity, now is the perfect time to find the right system to invest in. Why? Because each year the holiday season is highlighted by communities nationwide supporting their favorite small businesses by shopping locally. Researching the franchise opportunity during the holiday season may provide you with a bird’s-eye view of what you can expect should you open your own business.
Everyone knows small businesses are the heart of every community - communities who are passionate about their local businesses and who support their local business owners. They understand that local businesses provide a better level of service as well as contribute to making the community a better place to live. During the holidays, it’s the perfect time to reinforce the shop small movement. But what if you’re an entrepreneur who wants to help small businesses year-round? Well, franchising can be a perfect way to invest in a business of your own. The key is to find a franchise brand that allows you to work side-by-side with small business owners.
Things to Look for When Starting a Franchise
When looking to invest in a franchise system that supports small businesses, there are several things you need to look for to determine if the brand is right for you.
Brand Support
Whether you’re new to investing or a seasoned entrepreneur, it’s important to find a franchise system that provides its owners support like:
- Start-up assistance such as helping owners find the right location and obtain financing.
- Training to make sure owners are equipped to run day-to-day operations.
- Ongoing services to help owners grow their business including marketing and advertising, technical support and a pipeline of innovative products.
Brand Services
It’s important to invest in a franchise that allows you to work in a field that matches your interests. Luckily, if you’re passionate about serving small business owners in your community, there’s no shortage of franchise brands to choose from. To find the right franchise system for you, look for business verticals and industries that provide services that align with your skill set and interests.
Brand Power
Once you’ve determined what kind of work you want to do, start looking at the brands in that business category. You’ll want to choose a proven brand with an established franchise system and a proven track record of success.
Top Franchises to Invest in By Category
One of the best ways to identify the top brands in the industries that interest you is by looking at Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 list. Entrepreneur’s annual ranking identifies the best franchise systems based on an array of factors to help prospective owners find the right brand to invest in.
To help you find the best franchises for serving small business owners in your community, here’s a breakdown of the leading brands for a variety of service categories on Entrepreneur’s list.
Postal and Business Centers
The UPS Store – 2018 Franchise 500 Overall Rank: 4
As a franchise owner for The UPS Store, you’ll be able to support small businesses in your community with a variety of services including packaging, shipping, copy and print services, mailbox services and so much more. Not only was the company ranked No. 4 overall in the Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list, but they’ve also been the top brand in their category for the past 28 years. If you already own a small business, The UPS Store also offers non-traditional centers so you can open a location within your existing commercial property.
Embroidery and Screen Printing
Big Frog Custom T-Shirts – 2018 Franchise 500 Overall Rank: 225
If you want to help small businesses in your community find the right style for their brand, investing in a Big Frog Custom T-Shirts allows you to help them design and print company t-shirts.
Photography and Video Services
Multivista – 2018 Franchise 500 Overall Rank: 252
If you have a passion for construction and technology, check out Multivista. This franchise system provides construction professionals cloud-based technology solutions to monitor and document building projects.
Moving/Junk-Removal Services
Two Men and a Truck International – 2018 Franchise 500 Overall Rank: 87
Moving entire businesses can be a tricky enterprise. If you’re interested in helping small businesses move into their dream spaces, then investing in a Two Men and a Truck franchise might be the perfect opportunity for you.
Security Services
Signal 88 Security – 2018 Franchise 500 Overall Rank: 89
If you want to help keep small businesses safe, check out Signal 88 Security. This franchise system provides custom security solutions to protect small business clients’ property, personnel and other assets they hold dear.
Electronics Repairs
uBreakiFix – 2018 Franchise 500 Overall Rank: 18
Small businesses don’t always have in-house IT departments or huge technology contracts with lenient warranties. If you love technology and want to help small businesses repair their broken devices, check out investing in a uBreakiFix franchise.
Locksmith Services
Pop-A-Lock Franchise System – 2018 Franchise 500 Overall Rank: 93
Help small businesses get back to work by helping them get back into their place of work – whether that’s an office, a home or a vehicle. Pop-A-Lock offers commercial and automotive locksmith services along with high-tech security systems.
Miscellaneous Tech Services
CMIT Solutions – 2018 Franchise 500 Overall Rank: 186
If you want to put your IT skills to work helping small businesses, check out CMIT Solutions. This franchise system focuses on serving small- to medium-sized businesses with services like remote monitoring and maintenance, data backup and disaster recovery, and mobile device monitoring.
