Greater Peoria Metro Area, IL

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Should I Buy a Business or a Franchise?

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Steve Sink, Owner, CBI, M&AMI, Phoenix Affiliates, Represented by Equity Business Brokers

It’s the New Year and many changes are occurring, including in the world of employment. And maybe, you want to be your own boss, but not sure which way to go about it? Here, you can weigh the pros and cons to see whether buying a franchise or a business would suit you best.

Franchise
One of the positives of buying a franchise is the increased number of loan options available to you.

Brand names and a transparent track record of cash flow are preferred by banks and other lenders, so choosing a franchise will make it easier to secure funding. Franchises that have fewer locations may be less attractive to lenders as they have not quite proven the feasibility of the business in all types of environments.

The franchise will often provide information and advice regarding financing the acquisition.

However, unlike buying a business, you will have to pay for the use of their name through your sales (for example, McDonalds charges 5%) and contribute to the national marketing spend.

You will also be asked for an initial franchise fee, and you will need some working capital.

Business
Similarly, success in financing the purchase of a business will be determined by the type of business you want to buy. If you go for a business that has had a rocky financial past, a bank will be more reluctant to lend to you.

One of the slightly more tricky aspects of buying a business is that you should be prepared to pay a larger proportion of the price upfront – around 30 to 50 percent, and be able to finance the rest. However, if you still want to buy a business but don’t have the cash up front, there are several other ways that you can do so.

You could co-op buy the business – maybe with someone else who previously wanted to buy it but didn’t have enough money. Lease with an option to buy is another possibility whereby a down payment is made, enabling you to lease the business as a minority stockholder.

Implementing an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) would provide you with capital by selling stock to employees in the business. You could also use the assets of the business to get financing from factors, finance companies and banks.

Development
Franchise

When entering into a franchise partnership, you will generally get a lot more support than you would buying a business. While you will be expected to provide a business plan, they will help you in implementing it. In doing so they will be able to give you an idea of how your franchise could develop.

However, you will also have to consider whether you are comfortable working under a franchisor’s control. For example, if you wanted to introduce new products, you would have to gain permission from head office and the network of franchisees. As a franchisee, you aren’t an independent business, but part of a much larger network.

You should also perform due diligence to take note of factors that may have affected the development of other franchises in the past.

Business
As with buying a franchise, when purchasing an independent enterprise you should have a business plan.

You should look closely at the current owner’s business plan and take a lot of that on board. An amalgamation of your own plans and vision, with existing practices that work will help you develop your new acquisition successfully.

You should also conduct a due diligence report on the business before purchasing it to consider any issues which could affect its development.

If you are eager to shift the direction of a business, buying an independent business, rather than a franchise is preferable as you ultimately have more control.

A condition to this is if you implement an ESOP scheme, or an equivalent, that involves selling voting (as opposed to non-voting) shares to employees in order to gain capital.

Network
Franchise

The support network you gain is all part of the charm of a franchise. As well as initial franchisor training and ongoing support, you can look for advice from the other franchisees and discuss any issues you may be having with others who are in the same situation.

You will also have a list of suppliers that the franchise buys from and a network of customers who recognize and/or are loyal to the brand.

Business
On acquiring a business you won’t get the same type of network as a franchise. However you may well inherit existing suppliers, customers, financers and advisors. Whether you want to make the most of this will be up to you.

Both buying a franchise and a business can be a risky venture, but there is one simple way to decrease risk: research!

A word of advice:  Always make sure that you get expert advice before purchasing a franchise or a business.

Are you ready to buy a business and be your own boss? Call today: 309-688-5050. Steve Sink is a Certified Business Intermediary, Master Merger, and Acquisition Intermediary. Visit phxaffiliates.com for more information.

Photo credit: Jean-philippe WALLET/iStock