Only you can make the decision. If it is the right decision, you will join the ranks of thousands of other franchise owners who have successfully invested in a franchise, and sometimes have subsequently bought additional franchises in the same or different systems.

So what is a good franchise?

• It's one that will help you meet your own personal and financial objectives.

• It is a business in an industry in which you are interested.

• It involves a company and people whom you trust and whom you believe have the knowledge, expertise, financial resources, and commitment to develop and improve a competitive business.

• It is the one that offers products and services in which you can take pride, and which you will be demanded by consumers during the life of the franchise.

• It's a business that will continue to provide programs, guidance, and other forms of assistance which you are persuaded, over the long term, are worth at least the money you pay to the franchisor for royalty and advertising payments.

• It's an agreement which contains sufficient controls over the operation of a franchise business to convince you that the franchisor will be able to act to protect the uniform standards which are a key to successful franchise business systems.

• It's one in which the franchisor is dedicated to enforcing contractual provisions which are important to the business success.

A good franchise is one that will give you benefits that you could not obtain independently.