The Uniform Franchise Offering Circular (U.F.O.C.) is the legal document that the Franchisor will give you when you show serious interest in pursuing a particular franchise. They give it to you at your first meeting, and sometimes before. It can be as big as a couple of hundred pages long.  The US Government states that you are required to receive this document, but they do not checked their validity.What is in the U.F.O.C.?

The U.F.O.C. contains several things including:

·        the officers of the franchise and their business experience

·        It must list ANY Litigation and bankruptcy from anyone in the system

·        The initial investment and all fees of the franchise

·        The franchise gives you any available financing

·        It reviews your territory rights

·        It discusses your renewal, termination, transfer

·        It covers dispute resolution

·        It  lists ALL franchisees, including all who left in the last year, and three years of opened or closed units.

The last point  is very important as you can use the information to fully investigate and contact people in the system to gather information, and answer questions from an owner’s point of view.

You need to read it.  I always insist that my clients protect themselves and have a franchise attorney review the U.F.O.C. with them. The Franchisor must give a copy to the client 14 days before the client may sign any commitment or make any deposits.

As you can plainly see, things can get VERY complicated when investing in a franchise of your own, so use experts.  When you chose an Attorney make sure it is a Franchise Attorney.  Just like you would not use a gynecologist if you need heart surgery.  Experts are experts for a reason.  It will cost you a GREAT DEAL more to use a family friend that is an attorney, which is not used to working through a UFOC!

The best opportunities for the 50 plus entrepreneur are ones that use the skills you spent your whole life developing.  You would use your experience, your skill sets, knowledge, investment ability and personal desires to orchestrate it into exactly what you want. 

You can be extremely successful with a franchise that has a proven business model but a product you know nothing about. . The final product is not really important, but the way that product is marketed and sold is. You can invest in a franchise that you believe has the best chance for success in a particular market and the actual product or service being offered or sold is not of top importance.  This is because the 50 Plus group are experienced and understand that their number one goal is to make money. So, the most important thing to do is find a franchise that is capable of making money, not one that sells a product or service that simply looks appealing.An entrepreneur over 50 might find certain franchises lucrative based on their successful business models and they don’t need to be age old franchises either. Some entrepreneurs might be interested in buying a McDonalds franchise just because it is so well known and successful. However, other entrepreneurs might want to invest in a franchise that is new to the market but has a well-planned model for doing business, such as Winfree Business Systems. A senior businessperson with great experience is definitely a welcome fit for many franchise business opportunities today!

Opportunity #1 Lawn Doctor Franchise

This is a great opportunity for people who don’t have a college degree because it is easy to do, requires a small investment, and anyone can do it, whether you went to college or not, is entirely up to you!

 Opportunity #2 Bark Buster Franchise

This franchise is great for anybody who wants to be involved in the rapidly growing pet industry. Bark Busters is the largest, most trusted, in-home dog training company in the world.  Today, Bark Busters Dog Franchise is a successful, international company with a proprietary holistic and humane dog training system. Bark Busters dog franchise locations are in 8 countries, and they are expanding in the U.S. with franchise opportunities in all 50 states. 

Opportunity #3 Matco Tools Franchise

Matco Tools Franchises work from home, and service pre-established customer bases in exclusive territories. Customer contacts are completed weekly and Matco Tools Franchises enjoy an excellent relationship with their customer bases. Matco Tools Franchises  operate in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada.  Marco Tools has No franchise fees, No royalties, No advertising fees, and No expensive real estate. 

 Opportunity #4 Mainstream Boutique  Franchise

A wonderful franchise you can start from home  is Mainstream Boutique Women Clothing Franchise.  It  is probably one of the easiest moves to become a part of the lucrative growing fashion industry. Boutiques are popping up everyday. The  most successful boutique owners earn decent income to lead a fulfilling lifestyle. 

These are just a few of the franchises available that don’t require extensive education or experience. There are a lot of them out there, many more than you might imagine. So, don’t think that just because you don’t have a formal education you can’t get ahead and buy a franchise, because you can! . Fran Mart Connection can help you in evaluating your needs, the franchise you are considering, and if it is a good match.