Book Description
Updated and revised in 1999, the reader acclaimed, non-textbook guide to franchising with new war stories, new success secrets, and all the needed how-to’s for prospective franchisees. When you read Tips & Traps When Buying a Franchise you’ll find out why one franchisee stated the book "should be the bible for anyone who is considering a franchise investment. I would have avoided all the pitfalls I am now experiencing if this book had been available before I signed my franchise agreement and lease." If you have time to read only one book about franchising, make it this one. Tips & Traps is a fast read with all the information you need to make a good decision. Insider Secrets Revealed · How to select the best franchise for your personal finances and lifestyle · The hottest franchise opportunities to take you into the 21st Century · Sources of financing-- why it’s never been better · How to navigate the legal maze, understand the fine points of the franchise agreement · How to avoid last-minute deal breakers · Why co-branding makes sense · How the franchisor’s financials affect your business · How to build a business empire with franchises · And much, much more


About the Author
Mary E. Tomzack is a noted franchise expert. She is President of FranchiseHelp, Inc., an information and research company which services prospective franchisees, multi-unit franchisees, franchise lending companies, investors and independent businesses seeking to become franchises. Ms. Tomzack is also the author of Going Global: Strategies and Techniques for New-Multi-Nationals (published by the Economist Intelligence Unit). She has been part-owner of two franchised businesses and previously founded and managed a company which manufactured and marketed women’s fragrances.

ANNOTATION

In a guide to franchising that gives novice buyers the insider savvy they need to succeed, Tomzack reveals how to find the right franchise, financing, and location, match a franchise with finances and lifestyle, avoid the five most common first-year pitfalls, buy equipment, and recruit and train employees. 15 illustrations.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Franchises are red-hot business opportunities - offering everyone from the corporate downsizing victim to the mid-life career changer to the recent college graduate the best path to becoming a successful business owner in today's troubled economy . . . Some franchises are mined with hidden costs, inflated revenue promises, poor marketing support, and worse . . . Learn how to tell the difference before you take the plunge! There's never been a better time to buy a franchise than now, provided you know what you're doing, says author and successful franchise owner Mary Tomzack. In this candid, hard-hitting book, Tomzack provides a crash course in selecting the right franchise and turning it into a lucrative, satisfying business. You'll learn all the insider secrets you need to succeed, including how to select the best franchise for your personal finances and lifestyle; what the 5 hottest franchise opportunities are for the '90s; the questions you should ask up-front, before buying any franchise - questions that will prevent unpleasant surprises down the road; how to avoid the six most common first-year pitfalls; special sources for financing if you are a woman, a minority member, or a veteran; how to navigate the legal maze, understand the fine print of a franchise agreement, and avoid last-minute "deal breakers"; what to do in your first months as a new franchisee - from buying equipment. . . to recruiting and training employees . . . to mounting local promotions; where the ground-floor opportunities are in multiunit franchising and international franchises; how to build a business empire with franchises; and much more! You'll also hear the war stories and success secrets of a wide cross section of franchisees from across the country. They will provide you with the hard-won tips, strategies, and advice that you can rely on to help make your new venture a successful one.

FROM THE CRITICS

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