Is Buying a Franchise a Good Idea?

I think whether or not buying a franchise is a good idea depends a lot on your personality. On the upside, many franchises are turnkey operations, making them especially appealing to people who are starting a business for the first time.

On the downside, there's no getting around the fact that if you buy a franchise you are buying into someone else's business, not creating one of your own. In most franchises, you are told what to do, when and exactly how to do it. If being your own boss is really important to you, buying a franchise is not a good choice.

Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of buying a franchise in Should You Buy a Franchise?

Think you want to buy a franchise but overwhelmed by the incredible number of franchises out there? This Future Franchisee Questionnaire from About Franchising Guide Don Daszkowski will help you make an intelligent choice.

If you do decide that buying a franchise is your path to starting a business, and you've chosen a particular franchise that you think you want to buy into, be sure to Interview a Franchisee Before You Buy. He or she will be able to give you the inside scoop on what it's like to be a franchisee in that particular organization.