Working from Home Opportunities: Sorting the Wheat from the Chaff
Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise
We have all seen the Ads which go something like… make thousands without even leaving your own front door. If I had a pound for every email I’ve had which goes something along those lines I’d probably be a very rich man indeed! Unfortunately, the vast majority of these ‘opportunities’ turn out to networking or pyramid schemes which benefit those at the top at the expense of those who sign up further down the line. They promise much, sound plausible, but very often fail to deliver.
So how can you sort the wheat from the chaff? What will stop you buying a bad egg? Here’s a couple of things to look out for that may give you cause for alarm when looking at different business opportunities:-
- Does the opportunity claim to require minimal work in return for huge amounts of cash? (With no real information on how you will make money).
- Does the opportunity have clear direct contact details? (i.e. phone number and real address, not a PO Box)
- Will they happily give you contact details of real people who are already being successful running the business that you can speak to as references?
- Do they seem interested in your suitability for running their business? Or are they more interested in whether you have the money to invest?
And here’s a number of things that may indicate an opportunity that’s worth checking out further:-
- A proven and documented business model (such as a franchise business)
- A willingness to be transparent about how they operate and be able to show clearly how you will make money
- A willingness to provide references, i.e. other business people who are already running the business or franchise, so that you can verify their claims
- A willingness to invite you to see their company offices/setup to verify they are a bonafide outfit with support and training systems in place
Of course, ultimately you will have to trust your gut instinct and make sure you do as much background checking as possible. Don’t be bought by big promises especially when there appears to be sketchy evidence to back it up. Investing in any business is not without risk, and if in doubt its best to seek professional advice.
This is where a good franchise system can really help. A franchise should be built around a proven business model, provide a good level of backup and support and should have no problem providing references of successful franchises who are already trading and running their own businesses.
Whatever you choose, whether it be franchised or non-franchised, be prepared to work hard to make it succeed. I have yet to come across a business which truly provides money for doing virtually nothing.
A good rule of thumb to bear in mind is: If it seems too good to be true… then it probably is!
Tags: franchise, franchise business, home based business, joel caws, work from home, working from home
Get on the road with a Van Based Franchise Business
Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise
While many people may be happy to carry out their work sat behind a desk, there is a certain freedom to the thought of getting out and about and meeting customers face-to-face. Van based franchise businesses can give you just such a freedom, although like any job you are still likely to have some paperwork to do which means you might not be completely free of the desk!
A Van based franchise can provide alot of variety, and might include:-
Getting out and about
Some people just enjoy driving about and so a van franchise can work very well. Having a little time to yourself where you drive from one customer to another can be relaxing as long as you can cope well with traffic when you encounter it!
Customer interaction
A van based franchise will usually feature delivery of products of services directly to a customers home or business premises. This can be great if you enjoy meeting new people and being able to talk face-to-face.
Work from Home
Many van based franchises allow you to work from your own home. Your interaction with customers is generally at their own premises or via the telephone which means you mat not need a dedicated office and may find working from a spare room in your house to be quite adequate.
Manage your own time
Having a van and getting out to visit customers means you will probably have to manage your own schedule. This may be a challenge aswell as a benefit. Your time might be flexible but remember that you will need to work hard if you want your business to be a success.
If you have been thinking about starting up your own business, you enjoy meeting new people, you like the sound of operating out of a vehicle and the idea of a home based business opportunity appeals to you, then a van based franchise might well be the type of franchise you have been looking for.
Tags: franchise opportunities, home based business, joel caws, van franchises, work from home, work from home franchise
Franchise Ideas for Homeworking
Joel Caws - Technical Director, Select Your Franchise
In the year to February 2011 the number of people self-employed in the UK rose by 120,000 over the previous year according to the Office for National Statistics. It’s clear that self-employment is continuing to rise and its easy to see why. The recent recession resulted in many, from both public and private sector alike, being made redundant and looking for something new to do, and some of these have decided to start up their own business. In addition, many have simply decided they wanted a change from working for an employer and made the switch to working for themselves. The move to self-employment is likely compounded further by the fact that jobs are harder to come by and competition for what vacancies are available is increased.
Interest in homeworking is also on the increase for those considering self-employment. It’s attraction is driven by a number of factors including the flexibility of lifestyle and the benefit of keeping business overheads low since there are no premises to pay for.
The franchise industry boasts a good range of franchise opportunities that can be operated from home so, if you are considering homeworking, what kind of suitable franchise business could you look at?
Internet Franchises
An Internet franchise focuses on supply of Internet services primarily to other businesses. This might be website design or consultancy services or providing online advertising via local community based websites. Many of these types of opportunity can be run from your own home.
Training & Coaching Franchises
Providing business training or management coaching can in many cases be run as a home based business opportunity. Training and coaching are often performed on-site at a customers premises so having an office can be unnecessary. It might be that you can book your appointments from home and then visit customers offices as necessary.
Distribution Franchises
Distribution franchises involve provision of products to businesses or direct to consumers. Depending on the nature of the product, a corporate storage space may not be necessary and it could be possible to function from your own home and using a vehicle such as a van to deliver your wares to your customers.
These are just a few of the many different types of franchise businesses that could be worked from home, in the UK. For further options its worth checking out other home based franchises that you can find listed on franchise directory websites.
Tags: Coaching franchise, distribution franchises, home based franchises, home working, internet franchise, joel caws, work from home, working from home
