Franchise Appeal Grows In Down Economy

Belleville News Democrat:

After being unemployed for a year, Pauline Hamian ditched the resume and bought herself a job.

The former Burger King employee had no luck finding a job after being part of a corporate restructuring in 2008. While at an outplacement center, she stumbled on a webinar about franchising.

“I felt I had to do something,” Hamian said. “It provided an opportunity for me to do something I’ve never done before and never really envisioned myself doing.”

With the help of a franchise broker, she decided to invest in ShelfGenie – a company that installs sliding shelves for kitchen and bathroom cabinets. She didn’t need to buy a storefront – it all can be done from home. There were no fixed costs and her two part-time employees work on commission.

Jobs are still scarce, so the unemployed are reinventing themselves and becoming the majority of new franchise owners, industry sources say. The troubles in commercial real estate are making it easier by driving some landlords to negotiate – sometimes offering several months’ free rent or paying for remodeling. More.

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