Mnetters I need your opinion...

[jwithin]

Right, I would like to know what, if anything, would put anyone off running a franchise. Is it the start up fees, insecurity, or what? I am going to advertise on the "Jobs" pages because I am a franchisee and love my job and can't see why other people (especially mums) think it's a con. Could anyone help me with their opinions please before I waste my hard earned cash advertising, bumping like mad every day and get nowhere?! I haven't namechanged back from this but I was stickyj and will be later. Thanks

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Are you all off on the school run?! Come on, I need your opinions pleeeease!!!

I would say high cost payable to someone else.

OK, what if it was really low cost and you only paid a set fee, then kept the rest? Would you all be suspicious?

I think I'd be suspicious of the amount of selling it involves. I think a lot of income is from merchandise rasther than just the activity.

OK so you're all suspicious. Right, I'll advertise on the proper pages and you can check it out. I've been on here for years and years, as Jollymum then Stickyj and I helped LittleLapin start the Xmas appeal. I promise you, I love my job, it worked around my kids when they were little and it's not a con. It's doing music sessions for littlies and you can make money and have fun! I have looked at some of our competitors and honest to God, how do people afford the start up stuff?! £10,000, get real. I am trying to get mums who don't want to go back to work 9-5 to do this. It's really real, it's not a con and I'll even give my home phone number out to any mumsnetter who wants to chat about it. There are loads of franchises areas around the West Midlands which is where I am, and lots of others too!. There's another option too, but I won't advetise now 'cos it's not fair, It's about ante-natal music and it's really special.

Jwithin - why do YOU need to adverise for the main franchise- holder (the big owners)? Why don't they do it themselves? It sounds like a pyramid scheme. See, no wonder it sounds suspicious

It's not a pyramid scheme, it's a music franchise but I need to pay to advertise it on the proper board so won't say too much because it's a bit cheeky not doing it properly! I loave my job and we desperately need more people to run the sessions as I'm nearly full and am expanding into different areas. It's a great job and the bosses who run it do advertise in big franchise mags but we always try and get people from our own areas, mainly to get the name known and because we know the best halls etc. All the agents are really proud of their business and I've been doing it for nine years and it works really well around your own children.

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"I loave my job and we desperately need more people to run the sessions as I'm nearly full and am expanding into different areas."

I obviously don't understand well how this works, but if you're full, you're full and that's as far as YOU can go. If someone else wants to do it, then the bosses who run it should do the advertising, trying to find local people etc. It's their concern, not yours. Unless you get a cut, in which case it IS a little bit, just a teensy little bit like a pyramid scheme, i.e. you become the boss of others and that's why you personally are interested in expanding. Otherwise I don't see why you should be so concerned about doing someone else's job in attracting franchisees.

to be fair pyramid schemes are where the only way you make any serious money is to sell "idea of selling" to more people isn't it? Nothing wrong with getting commision for introducing more people to a valid product - happens in business all the time.

Umm, because I think our "product", our music scheme is brilliant and I know it's not my job to do this, it's my Regional Co-ordinator, but we're both working nearly full time and what's wrong with me advertising on a site I use everyday. I would like other Mnetters, who might not want to go back to work, the opportunity I had and if they don't know about it, how can they? I certainly don't get a cut from it, I just want people to know about it.

Well, you did ask and I replied about what sounded dodgy to me. I think it goes back to the fact that it's not just about doing the activity but getting involved in the sellin & marketing too to make any meaningful amount of money. This would put me off, it's just exchaning one type of boss for another and one lot of targets and business plans for another.

Let?s take Tumble Tots as an example. In the last 5 years, I know of 8 Tumble Tots franchises locally that have folded. Each one was due to financial problems. My nearest Tumble Tots is now well over 20 miles away!

Then there was a music group. At one time, there was a very long waiting list to get a place. But guess what? Yep, that folded too.

Then there was the "Rhyme and rhythm" sessions. That lasted a little longer, but it also ceased.

I know of another couple of examples.

Mums like me - who have used and attended franchises - have witnessed these types of business come and go. It's for this reason (and having spoken to the franchisees that have gone bust) I would not go near a franchise.