Most aspiring entrepreneurs often get stuck with the one question: how much money is required to open a franchise in the U.S.? This article discusses the answer to this question in detail.
The Amount of Money Needed to Open a Franchise in the U.S.
To make money, entrepreneurs have to spend some money first. The amount depends on how much money they already have for investment, how much amount they can loan, what kind of franchise they have interest in, and which brand they want to consider.
While you will find many popular franchises that cost hundreds or even millions of dollars, there are many franchise opportunities that have small franchise fees. In most cases, you need to spend less money than you would need while opening a new business from the scratch. So, in that aspect, opening a retail franchise is a cost-effective way to become your own boss.
The cost of entry in a franchise business varies from less than $20,000 to more than $5 million, depending on the segment of the franchise and the brand. The majority of franchises are available for between $50,000 and $200,000.
While low-budget startup owners might feel tempted to go for the cheapest franchise business they find online, one must consider various factors to see if a franchise is a profitable avenue for them or not. Some of these factors are:
- The demand for the franchisor’s products and services in the area one wants to serve
- The potential overall revenue one will earn each year
- The profit margin that one will get to keep in their pocket
- The amount one needs to pay back as royalties
- Whether the franchise will generate cash flow throughout the year or only during a certain season
- The fee of the franchise and the upfront investment amount needed
- The requirement for physical office or store space
- What kind of support the franchise buyer will get
Knowing how much one needs to pay the fee and invest money to run a franchise successfully allows you to determine whether he/she should take the next step toward buying a certain franchise or not.
While one might find franchises that cost less than $20,000, a budding entrepreneur may not feel satisfied as very cheap franchises tend to produce only small revenue and profit margins. So, focus on finding franchise opportunities that bring a steady flow of customers all the time, regardless of the season or occasion. Otherwise, there is no point in buying a franchise that doesn’t add to the earnings and savings.
Things to Know Before Signing a Franchise Agreement
Remember that the franchise fee and the upfront investment are not the only costs you will incur while buying a franchise. You will also incur other costs, such as professional fees (if you hire an attorney to review the contract and an accountant for bookkeeping and accounting work). You may also incur costs on the following:
- Retail store or office
- Inventory
- Equipment
- Insurance
- Employee training
- Business license
- Signage
- Landscaping
- Marketing
- Utility bills
- Maintenance
- Payment of employees’ salaries
- Uniforms
- Rental costs, and more
Plus, once a franchise is opened, there are also ongoing royalties to pay that typically range from 4 to 8 percent of gross revenues.
Besides, franchisors also have minimum financial requirements to consider a potential franchisee:
- Liquidity: Even in a franchise business, it takes some time to make profits (and the franchisor should be able to tell how long it will take). Since franchisors know this, they require new franchisees to have a minimum amount of liquidity so that the new franchise businesses can stay afloat during the first year or more.
- Net Worth: Many franchisors also have a requirement for having a minimum net worth before they consider some candidate a potential franchisee for their brand.
Is there a good franchise opportunity for low-budget entrepreneurs in the U.S.?
Yes, of course. Connect with Window Medics for an amazing franchise business opportunity in the United States. Window Medics is among the largest and most reputable window restoration companies in the United States.
The fee of its franchise fee is only $35,000 and it may be able to even loan you some part of the fee as an incentive to start the franchise business. In certain areas, the company also offers rebates on its fees. Low cost is not the only attractive thing about the Window Medics franchise.
The best part is that it requires entrepreneurs to have neither prior experience in window restoration nor physical space to run the franchise business. The company provides hands-on training and ongoing marketing support and allows its franchisees to run business right from their home.
Hence, entrepreneurs who buy a retail franchise from Window Medics can get their business up and running with minimal upfront investment.