January 21, 2015 - In This Issue:
 
Franchise Locators is on Social Media!
  
Entrepreneur Magazine Online

Anna Wilds is now a contributing author for Entrepreneur magazine online. Take a look at: 4 Factors to Consider Before Starting a Business While Keeping Your Day Job.

 

If you're interested in a semi-absentee or full-time business,  contact Anna today.  

Featured Partner: CatchFire Funding

An essential piece of the puzzle when it comes to buying a franchise is how you're going to fund the business. I often refer franchise candidates to

Bill Seagraves, Founder and President of CatchFire Funding. With more than 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and financial funding expert, Bill specializes in franchise financing and is passionate about helping mid-life entrepreneurs succeed in their business ventures.

 

CatchFire Funding offers a variety of funding options, including conventional loans, SBA loans and the use of retirement monies without tax or penalty.  

Franchise Business Outlook for 2015
2014 was a year of solid growth for the franchise industry, and 2015 looks to be even better. A few highlights of the Franchise Business Outlook for 2015, prepared by IHS Economics for the IFA, include:
  • The number of franchise establishments in the US to increase by 1.6%, matching the pace of growth in 2014
  • Employment in the franchise sector will continue to outpace the growth of employment in all businesses economy-wide
  • The gross domestic product (GDP) of the franchise sector will increase by 5.1% to $521 billion
Are You a Career Coach or Professional?

What do you do with clients who express an interest in owning a business? How knowledgeable are you about executive franchises and reducing business risk? Do you have the expertise to advise clients about entrepreneurship? Are you looking to extend the range of your services at no additional cost? Are you looking to gain a competitive advantage and increase the number of clients you have?  

 

Franchise Locators is here to provide you and your clients  guidance as they navigate a career transition or find the right business investment.

 

Contact us today. Our services are free and provide a depth of business expertise. We have a wide network of resources to help your clients explore alternatives to traditional employment and secure their encore career as an employer versus being an employee.  

A New Year, A New You!

Greetings! 
 

If you've been waiting for the perfect time to be your own boss, 2015 is it! Stop waiting and start doing.

 

2015 promises to be a great year for the franchise industry. For the  fifth year in a row, franchise businesses are expected to grow and create more jobs at a faster pace than the rest of the economy. (Read the International Franchise Association's (IFA)  Franchise Business Outlook for 2015.) What are you waiting for?

 

We rang in the New Year with increased optimism overall on the economy. The stock market is at an all-time high, the unemployment rate continues to decline and gas is cheaper than we've seen in years. With consumer confidence high and the economy at its best in years, now is the time to realize your entrepreneurship dreams!

 

With over 3,000 franchises available, there are many options to choose from based on your skills, lifestyle goals and financial situation. Whether you plan on keeping your day job or want to own and operate the business full-time, franchising could be a good fit for you.

 

If you're currently employed and wish to keep your job, it's certainly possible to remain employed AND grow a potentially lucrative business on the side. Read about how you can do this in my blog for Entrepreneur magazine online.

 

If you're like many of the transitioning professionals I work with, you might be fed up with the corporate world and ready to strike out on your own. A brick and mortar business might be better suited for you. Whatever your goals, I can help you find the right business for you!

 

Let 2015 be the year you realize your dreams of owning a business.

 

Yours in franchising,    

 

Anna Wilds 

Certified Franchise Executive Candidate                       

Sr. Franchise Consultant 

Honor Roll Franchise Consultant

a[email protected] 

www.franlocators.com

(706) 736-0579 

Associate - Career Thought Leaders Consortium

 

     

Can Franchise Consultants Help Outplacement Firms? For this Career Professional, the answer is YES!

Careerminds CEO Raymond Lee spent most of his adult life helping people determine their professional paths. With 18 years of experience in outplacement services, career consulting, and human resources leadership, Lee is capable of steering his clients to their ideal career almost every time.

 

When that career path includes entrepreneurship, he calls Franchise Locators' Anna Wilds.

 

"Anna offers expertise in being able to screen candidates to be business owners. If it's a fit, then she guides them to the right business. As a career consultant, that wasn't something I had in my skill set," Lee explained.

 

And he's not alone.

 

Career coaches excel at helping people transition from one job or career to the next but are less often experienced when it comes to guiding clients ready to venture away from the job world into entrepreneurship.

 

As a franchise consultant, Wilds fills that void for career professionals especially those at outplacement firms.

 

"I spend 15 to 20 hours on average per person at no charge, so it's a win both for the career professionals and their clients. Career coaches help people transition from one job to the next. Our expertise is helping people transition from the corporate world into business ownership," Wilds explained.

 

Lee met Wilds in 2013 through a recommendation from a fellow career consultant. For Lee, it was an opportunity to learn a bit more about franchise opportunities and dispel the misconception he had about the options available with franchised businesses.

 

"I'd say I had a lack of understanding in regard to franchising. When I thought of a franchise, I thought of something traditional, like a fast food chain," Lee said. "Anna taught me that there are a lot more choices than that."

 

"Like everyone else, people in the career industry have preconceived notions about franchises. Twelve years ago was the first and last time I placed someone with a food concept. That shocks a lot of people," Wilds said.

 

According to the International Franchise Association, over 70 different industries utilize the franchise business model. The range is very broad from home-based businesses with no employees to the classic retail concepts us Americans frequent as consumers.

 

Lee referred one of his clients, Larry Keller, to Wilds in 2014 with positive results.

 

Lee looks forward to working with Wilds again when his clients express an interest in having an alternative to a corporate job and doing something on their own.

 

"Larry had a good experience with Anna, so we will certainly refer her again. As a career consultant, she's definitely a good resource to have."

 

Are you a career coach or professional advisor with clients interested in entrepreneurship? Click here for more information on how Franchise Locators expands your career possibilities.


Who wants to make the change from employee to entrepreneur in 2015?
You already know someone who has thought about owning a business, or who has questions about franchising. Do a good turn and share my contact information with them: [email protected] or phone at 762-233-7227.
Franchise Locators, Inc.
762.233.7227
www.franlocators.com
[email protected]


Finding the right business for you!