Recent Articles From EvanCarmichael.com http://www.evancarmichael.com/ http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/Bullet-proof-franchising.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/Bullet-proof-franchising.html A blue print for franchising in increasingly uncertain times. As 2005 approaches it is well worth benchmarking your business plans and formulating your strategy for what may be needed to survive the next 5 years. DC Strategy’s Rod Young looks at ways to blue print your system in increasingly uncertain times. The first 5 years of the 21st Century are about as good as it gets for the broader business community and franchising in particular. Since the 2000 Olympics and the release of the first Lord of the Rings film, the Australian and New Zealand markets have been discovered by the world and have enjoyed economic boom times with low interest rates, record low unemployment and a thriving and fast growing franchising sector. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/The-ideal-franchise-opportunity.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/The-ideal-franchise-opportunity.html Which franchise opportunity is best for you? Should you buy an existing location or start a new one? Rod Young of DC Strategy provides a path through the maze of questions. You've dreamed and planned and now the time has come to invest in a franchise opportunity. The most fundamental question, of course, is in which franchise system you should invest. With that decision made, the next key consideration is whether to purchase an existing franchise business or establish a new one. Let's look first at some of the considerations in assessing the franchise group as a whole. Many factors will determine whether a franchise system is the right one for you. Answering the following 10 key questions will give you an initial insight into the quality of the operation and whether you are joining a "franchisor of choice". http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/Is-franchisee-enquiry-dropping.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/Is-franchisee-enquiry-dropping.html Some anecdotal evidence has suggested franchisee enquiries have declined within the Australian market over the past year. Closer inspection reveals a more educated and discerning franchise buyer, and a need to refine recruitment processes and strategies. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/Multibrand-strategies--pitfalls-and-pluses.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/Multibrand-strategies--pitfalls-and-pluses.html As franchising grows in Australia so does the number of franchisors that operate more than the one brand. Rod Young from DC Strategy discusses the multiple-brand strategy. They may be disparate brands, not related to each other except they occupy retail shopping centre space. For example, the Pets Paradise, Warner Bros. Studios (all company owned) and Billy Baxter’s Coffee Shops are all controlled by the one group. Alternatively, and more commonly, multiple brands in related industries such as the Donut King and BB’s Café brands owned by Retail Food Group, the Muffin Break and Jamaica Blue brands owed by Foodco Group, and the Drytron and Bizzi Beez brands owned by Fibrecare Group, are long established multi-branded networks. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/The-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/The-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly.html The Good with the Bad ...what are some of the disadvantages of franchising you should prepare for? There is no better or safer way for an inexperienced person to get into business than franchising. It is also a most attractive opportunity for more experienced business people to combine their previously learned business skills with a franchisors brand, systems, buying power and market knowledge to generate a degree of profitability that many independent competitors would envy. However, whether you are an experienced businessperson or an employee yearning to be your own boss, you must understand that the franchised business model is not in a guarantee of success. Franchising Magazine asked Rod Young, Executive Director of DC Strategy to identify the disadvantages of franchising and provide a perspective. http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/Tasmania--the-new-frontier.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/Tasmania--the-new-frontier.html As franchising evolves, Enterprise asked Rod Young to comment on its future in Tasmania. 1. How will trends In franchising Impact Tasmania? As the world economy continues to grow the commodities that are becoming more... http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/Assessing-the-merits-of-whether-to-franchise.html http://www.evancarmichael.com/Franchises/994/Assessing-the-merits-of-whether-to-franchise.html Franchising has been hailed as the way of the future for business but Rod Young, Executive Director of DC Strategy, says not all roads lead to franchising and businesses need to weigh up many issues in deciding whether to head down the franchising path. More businesses than ever before are...