Food and Drink Franchises – Making the Right Choice
Article by Matthew Franchise Anderson
The food and drink franchise industry in without a doubt the largest section of the franchise industry in the UK and the world. With some huge names and brands out there such as McDonalds, Subway, Dominos, Burger King and Cost Coffee you know what you are buying into and you know you are going to gain plenty of people through the door. However as well as these large brands there are literally hundreds of smaller franchises with 20-60 outlets only and although they may not be as well known as the bigger brands they can still be great opportunities to buy into.
When buying a franchise the key is in your research. Here are some tips when buying into food and drink based franchises.
1. Do not look at one brand only. Create a short list of a half dozen franchises which are of interest. Where a franchise might be successful in one area it might not be successful in another so jumping in head first is never a good idea. With a short list of available franchises to buy that are of interest you can then begin your research.
2. With your short list in hand you are probably going to have some well known brands and some lesser known brands. Generally you will be able to see the difference immediately in that the lesser known brands do not cost so much so you need to weigh up the benefits of the brand name crossed with the custom it will generate and compare it with the smaller brand whom the local area may not have heard of.
3. Density of eateries and drinks outlets in your local area. Looking at your shortlist you should then go out into the local area where you are looking to open your outlet, if you are hoping to buy a pizza franchise and there are already 4 existing then you are going to be buying into an already saturated market. Cross out any on your list that have too many outlets open near you or broaden your territory range for opening of your outlet.
4. How long have your remaining short list been in business for? The golden rule about franchising is that you are buying into an established business. Finding out from the franchisor how long they were in business before they franchised and how long they have been franchising for is a must. Do remember though that McDonalds went to franchise back in the 50′s almost immediately after opening up their first store. However, a general rule of thumb is you can trust a franchise who has been in business a long time more. There are many start-up franchises out there though and with these you can expect a much lower initial start up costs.
5. Hopefully have made a few decisions now, with your remaining franchises contact the franchisor and ask for a list of current franchisees, with this ling in hand you can start contacting them and find out how well they are doing with their franchise and if the promises made in the promotional materials are being fulfilled.
Having done the above and the rest of your due diligence you may still be left with several choices and this is where personal preference comes in. Would you prefer looking after a pizza outlet, burger outlet or coffee outlet etc? There are obvious plus points and minus points to them all depending on your own personal preferences.
With the right research you can come out with a fantastic food franchise or drinks franchise which is going to see you and your family with a profitable business for life. Many people jump head first into buying a franchise and this can be a very costly mistake so do not be one of them and go into research head on and ensure you ask the right questions and do your area research to the best of your abilities. Best of luck with your new franchise choice!
The Dynamics of Inner Conflict
Managing conflict isn’t just about what happens at an outer level, inner conflict is also an issue for many people, especially women. That nagging voice that says ‘you’re not good enough’, that ‘you could do more’ and that wonders ‘why you have done everything that you could’ but things still aren’t working’ the way that you want them to. It’s an uncomfortable place to be in, because you’re ‘conflicted’ between what you have and what you desire.
So how does inner conflict manifest itself? As we move along our life journey, there can be times when our confidence and sense of who we are is challenged. A new job or role, relationships with others that become difficult or fractured, a move to a new country or community, all these things can impact our sense of self belief and affect the way that we feel about ourselves and others
Many of us don’t feel good enough, we feel that we should have done more or be more successful, we measure ourselves on other people and their achievements. We can start to feel conflicted and doubt ourselves, who am I in this role? Is it possible for me to achieve my goals? Can I be successful in my work or business life? Can I be the mother, wife, partner that I want to be?
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Different factors influence this sense of not being good enough. For example cultural factors can be an issue, coming from a different ethnic or racial group from the majority can leave you feeling isolated or growing up in a family where you weren’t supported or valued for who you are.
Maybe the inner conflict shows up in the workplace, you may strive to make progress but feel held back by the glass ceiling or inner belief systems. You know that you could achieve more but feel that you aren’t getting the support you need to help you get there.
To resolve inner conflict it’s important to feel that there is an end point and a way to help you through these major transitions in your life. The ‘tipping’ place in the journey comes when you can acknowledge who you are and recognise your achievements and it’s important to be able to develop strength in your skills and abilities.
At the end of the day inner conflict is a tussle between you and you! That means the only way to fully resolve it and manage conflict on another level is by aligning the warring parts of you.
Here are 5 steps that can help you with this;
1.Follow your inner compass – by that I mean listen to your intuition and respond to what it is telling you
2.Set a grand vision – what do you see for your future, where do you want to be in 1/3/5 years’ time and what do you need to take action on, to make that achievable?
3.Reconcile your inner conflicts – by recognising who you are. Get feedback from others, they often see you differently, as more confident, self-assured or skilled than you see yourself.
4.Re-frame who you are and what you do! – many people don’t validate and celebrate their successes, it’s important to do this and honour your achievements
5.Review your beliefs and values – what beliefs and values support you and can be kept and which are out-dated, ones you can let go of?
None of this is easy, but it is possible! So go ahead and explore a little, revisit your inner conflict and make peace with it and you’ll end up feeling more confident and self-assured in the process
Important Buying Tips for a House Humidifier
Article by Waker Glass
Are you looking for a humidifier for your home this coming winter seasons but you aren’t sure what type to buy? These buying tips will help you make a better decision when it comes to choosing humidifiers. If you’re still not sure if you need a humidifier, you can measure the humidity level inside your house using a hygrometer first.There are several questions you need to ask yourself to guide you in the right direction in buying a humidifier. The first question is whether you’d like to have a warm or cool mist sprayed by the humidifier. Apart from these two general types, there are also those special ones which purify the air the same time they humidify it. They are usually more expensive, but the decision will always depend on your taste and budget. Next question you need to ask yourself is how big the room you want to humidify is. Humidifiers are also categorized into two, the central system humidifiers and the portable ones. If you’re just looking to humidify a specific room in your house, you need to know the exact measurements of the room because humidifiers are rated based on the area in square feet that they can cover. Usually, when you go to a store to buy a humidifier, they will ask what size of room you’d like to humidify, so it’d be much better if you go there already prepared with the data. Also if you choose to buy the portable humidifier, there are several size of water reservoirs you can choose from. The most common in the market today range from 1 liter to 5 gallons. Of course, you should choose depending on the convenience it will bring to you and the size of the room you’d like to humidify. Typically, 2-gallon reservoirs usually last for 1-1/2 days, while a liter will need to be refilled every 8 hours.Other things you need to consider seriously are the features of a specific humidifier. Some have the auto-shutoff feature that shuts off the humidifier as soon as the water runs out. This is one of the nicest features some humidifiers have, so it’s not written on the box or description of the one you’re checking out, it’s worth asking the sales rep or retailer about it. Also check for the warranty and maintenance of a humidifier. Most of them have a 1-year warranty, and require regular cleaning to make sure that bacterial and mold buildup is prevented, but for you to be sure it’s better that you also ask about these. If you remember these humidifier buying tips, you”re sure to get the best one for your house. Humidifiers are generally inexpensive and they have a lot of benefits to your health, comfort, and to your house as well, so if you’re considering to buy a house humidifier, it’s always best to prepare.
Tags: Buying, House, Humidifier, Important, Tips
