Special features

Read on to discover more about franchising through a range of speacial featured in previous issues of Business Franchise...

Print and profit

Talk of paperless offices resulting from the emergence of digital technology - most notably, the internet - once sent shivers along the backbone of businesses in the printing and print-related industries. However, contrary to early portents, the sector is thriving, and the use of ink and paper in both domestic and business environments has increased. Here Matt Pigott looks at a handful of franchise opportunities hot off the press... Read more

 

Wheels of fortune

With about 30 million vehicles on the roads, few areas lend themselves more readily to franchising than the automotive sector. In an industry often tainted by the dubious actions of cowboy operators, franchising provides a sense of cohesion, quality and consistency of service that can offer peace of mind to both operator and customer. Matt Pigott puts the high beam on a handful of well-established franchise propositions... Read more

Housing benefits

As experts predict an economic downturn and a shuddering halt to rising house prices, franchisors in the home improvement sector are licking their lips. Carol Davis explains why... Read more

First class

John Bensalhia meets a group of franchisees who have all been with their respective businesses for about a year. He finds out their stories and asks what progress they have made... Read more

We need a hero

Richard Watson, aka Franchise Man, dons his cape and prepares to battle the evil forces within the franchise industry. Read on to find out if he triumphs... Read more

Know good advice

With the annual London exhibition taking place in April, many of you will be thinking about joining a franchise. Here are some sound words of advice from top franchisors and franchisees, as compiled by John Bensalhia. Read more...

Keeping it clean

Snow White was a rare gem. She enjoyed cleaning and general graft, singing a happy tune as she toiled. But most people hate the thought of bleach, buckets and feather dusters - that is, unless they're franchisees in the lucrative cleaning sector. Matt Pigott clears away the cobwebs to reveal some of the sparkling opportunities available... Read more

Golden ages

According to many of those within the industry, people at both ends of the age spectrum are ideally suited to franchising. So why is there still a dearth of both younger and older people in the sector? Carol Davis investigates... Read more

In the niche of time

You may have been wading through the many franchise opportunities out there looking for one that matches your dynamic character, and found that nothing perfectly dovetails with your requirements because you simply don't want to be pigeonholed. Well your search may be over. Here Matt Pigott hand picks six category-eluding franchises to invigorate and inspire... Read more

Working relationships

Not content with discussing marriage plans, new houses or babies, a lot of modern couples are now taking their work home with them - literally. John Bensalhia meets the franchise couples who have made a success of their business together... Read more

Where the wild things are

More than half of the UK's 22 million households have at least one pet and/or at least one child. And because of the size and dispersal of the markets, most businesses catering to children and their parents, or animals and their owners, find that franchising is an ideal medium for national expansion. So whether your desire is to talk with toddlers or walk with Taigans, a veritable menagerie of opportunities exists. Matt Pigott looks at some of them... Read more

The famous five

Business Franchise was a fly on the wall at this year's Franchisor of the Year Awards. Here, we report on the top five award winners and how they managed to secure their trophies... Read more

What women want

As the number of female franchisees falls, Alison Ledger uncovers the stories behind five successful women in the sector to find out how to combat this alarming trend... Read more

How does your garden grow?

Do you often find yourself gazing out of the office window, daydreaming about working with the elements? Are you an avid gardener, entrepreneur, or both, looking for a business with ongoing, lucrative contracts? From interior design and landscaping to domestic and commercial gardening, Matt Pigott unearths several franchises to seed your imagination... Read more

At your service

Experience in special service jobs such as the army, the NHS or the police force can prove to be gold dust if you are thinking of applying for a franchise. John Bensalhia speaks to six prime examples who have made that smooth transition to franchising... Read more

Retail therapy

Almost everyone will have been out to shop for items in a franchised store, but how many have actually been out to shop for a shop? Retail franchises in the UK are plentiful, and many of them are offered as business opportunities for canny entrepreneurs. Here Matt Pigott takes a look beyond the fascias of five high-street franchises to see what's up for sale... Read more

Minority report

Asian communities have the highest rate of self-employment in the UK, and more ethnic groups than ever before are joining the franchise industry. Alison Ledger reveals why franchising is the ideal vocation for the ethnic population... Read more