Buy a franchise, go it alone, or forget it completely

[CleverQuacks]

So I have a one year old son. I have been looking for a messy play group in my area because my son loves everything messy but there is nothing locally. Then I stumbled across a company that is looking for franchisees to run messy play sessions in my area. It would be a 3000 pounds outlay and 100 pounds a month but they provide training, equipment, a website and booking page. Then any money I make is mine. I was interested in this but then I got thinking, what stops me just setting up a group on my own? I wouldn’t be doing it to make a lot of money but obviously wouldn’t want to make a loss. I know nothing about business though so would be learning as i go. It would save me 3000 but I wouldn’t have any support. Or do I completely forget the idea?

I'm no expert in this, but the reason to buy a franchise would be to get the benefit of a brand that already has a presence in your area and that advertise (McDonalds is a franchise model). If you weren't aware of this brand, as someone in their target demographic, and only found it through research, I would question the value.

I would absolutely start up on your own. Good luck!

I think if you only stumbled across them it’s not a well promoted brand.
It maybe worth attending a few of their sessions in other areas though.
I suspect advertising would be fairly straightforward Facebook selling groups and local groups, posters, mumbler website, write a short press release and take a photo and send it in to your local paper.

Thank you for your advice. You are right that it’s not a well known brand. Also I have been looking at their website and it’s clunky.

I might save the 3000 and set up myself. I could use that money to put into resources etc

It makes life easy I guess if you buy the franchise and hopefully have support but you could go alone, take to consideration getting a website made, logo etc

Remember you also need to rent facilities and not everyone would be keen on messy play! We charge £11.50 an hour for instance

That franchise sounds rubbish. £100 a month on top of £3000??!! No way. Go it alone. A website is easy to set up. But most people will just pay cash or BACS, I don't imagine many will book and pay thru the website anyway.

My main advice would be focus on profits, not takings. So many new business owners make the mistake of thinking they're doing great because they're taking £150 a day, and not realising that their costs are £120 a day, for example.

Yes I have been looking at local village halls etc. They seem to charge between 10 and 12 pounds an hour so I would need to factor that into costs

Watching with interest as I’ve been questioning the exact same thing! I have a 1 yr old and There’s nothing in our area and dh has recently come into inheritance, would love to invest in something & soft play/messy play would be a dream. I just haven’t a clue where to start ! Franchise seems too good to be true when most independent kids play cafes or similar are doing really well recently! Good luck and I hope it all works out for you.

P.s I vote so it yourself!

I will say when looking at sessions around in my area I prefer to support locally owned groups rather than franchises.

Does being a franchise help with any insurances you might need?