How to Become a Work From Home Franchise Owner
The freedom of being your own boss is a dream for most people. You may be wondering: how do I accomplish that? A fantastic way to get started is by becoming a work from home franchise owner.
Let’s learn more about how to become a franchisee as we dive into some of the most common questions potential franchise owners may have.
What Does a Franchise Owner Do?
A franchise owner is generally responsible for managerial tasks, keeping track of finances and generating sales. Depending on your business goals, you could put in full-time or part-time hours.
Be prepared to commit your time to starting a franchise, though your franchisor will provide plenty of training and assistance to get your business started on the right foot. In most cases, specific hours and tasks vary according to the type of franchise you are operating. Your commitments will also vary depending on whether it is a work from home franchise, a storefront franchise or a low-cost franchise versus a higher investment.
Which Franchise is Right for Me?
There are many franchise options, but they all require different commitments and have varying benefits. Here’s how to narrow down which franchise options may suit you:
- Consider your interests – There are franchises for just about every industry, so choose one that fulfills a passion for you! The best franchises to own have a product or service you genuinely enjoy. For example, Adriana Zak took her event planning experience and turned it into a travel franchise that specializes in romantic vacations and destination weddings, because that’s where her passion lies.
- Consider franchises that fit your lifestyle – Remember, your goal is to create your ideal working environment. In other words, if you dream of working from home, choose a franchise that allows you to do just that. If you plan to continue working a full-time job while starting a new franchise, it needs to be a flexible option – one where you control your own hours.
- Consider your needs as a business owner – Select a franchise that offers the support and resources you’ll require to be successful. The Dream Vacations franchise opportunity is a great choice, because you’ll receive the training you need even if you’re new to the travel industry or to entrepreneurship.
What Kind of Help Does the Franchisor Provide?
Typically, a franchisor will offer help with financial assistance, marketing, training/operations manuals, brand recognition, technology tools and more.
At Dream Vacations, we want to set you up for success, which is why we provide you with a strong, caring community. We also offer in-person training and dedicated support, so you always have someone to rely on for assistance. To ensure that you reach as many customers as possible, we provide lead-generation programs and database growth tools – and you’ll be able to leverage a recognizable brand that indicates you sell all types of vacation experiences!
How Much Do You Need to Invest?
Franchises come in all shapes and sizes. For some franchises, (such as with a Dream Vacations work from home franchise) only a few thousand dollars are required to start – in fact, Dream Vacations is one of the top low-cost franchises!
Depending on the structure of the franchise agreement, there are varying levels of investments for both your money and your time. If you plan to invest in a franchise, ensure you understand the franchise model and have all your questions answered before making a decision.
What are the financial requirements for a potential franchisee with Dream Vacations? Our standard travel agency franchise cost is $10,500, and we require as little as $3,500 down to get started. We also provide discounts for community heroes and U.S. veterans and their immediate family members.
What Does it Take to Have a Successful Franchise?
Every business owner operates his or her franchise differently, but there are some common habits of good franchise owners.
Prepare Your Finances
Starting a franchise is starting a business. The Dream Vacations franchise development team will walk you through what you can expect as you get off the ground. You should be prepared with your finances and understand the requirements and expectations of your investment.
Even with a low-cost, high-value work from home franchise, it is important to prepare your finances. Know how much you need to invest to start your home-based business, but also the expectations of how much you should make each month.
Follow the System
Franchisors have a playbook to follow that they have found leads to success. A franchise is a great business choice because you have a proven pathway to thrive that you can follow. At Dream Vacations, your training and support resources will help you understand how you can leverage your new business in the best way possible.
Be Enthusiastic
By being upbeat, energetic and actively involved with your franchise, you will create a positive environment that your customers will appreciate! Travel is a relationship business, and it’s easy to get truly excited about!
Provide Great Service
If your customers are happy, you’re happy. A satisfied and loyal customer base can make all the difference to a franchise’s success. Satisfied customers will provide repeat service and act as brand ambassadors to their families and friends by giving priceless referrals.
What are the Steps to Start a Franchise?
You’ll have lots of support from the parent company when starting a franchise, though you still want to ensure that you’re prepared before you make the plunge. Here’s what you should do before you make your decision.
Step 1: Establish a Budget
Before you jump into starting a franchise, you need to evaluate your financial resources. Determine how much money you can afford to invest and how you will acquire any remaining costs.
Create a detailed financial plan for your franchise, including business goals and plans for covering costs and making payments while you build a client base.
Step 2: Research Available Businesses That Offer Franchises
Before meeting with a franchisor, you should thoroughly research the franchise to understand the risks and potential growth possibilities.
Start with researching the industry. You should understand the industry intimately by the time you are done. This includes factors like industry size, growth trends, history and competitors. If you’re going to enter an industry as a franchise owner, you need to know as much about it as possible.
There are thousands of franchise brands you can pick from. When trying to select the right franchise, look into their reputation and reviews as a franchisor. Consider how long they have been offering franchises, as well as their online reviews, litigation history and financial performance.
At Dream Vacations, we’re proud of our community of over 2,000 franchises, and honored to be recognized as the #1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur Magazine and many others!
Step 3: Read the Franchisor’s FDD
Franchisors are required to file a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), and a franchisor will provide you with an FDD in the sales process. The FDD is a legal document that includes facts like any previous litigations or bankruptcies, initial fees, operating and other fees, estimated initial investment and financial statements. You should read through the entire FDD, ask questions about anything that is unclear and even compare FDDs from other franchisors against each other.
Your Dream Vacations Franchise Development Manager (FDM) will help you understand any questions you might have about this document – or indeed any other details you may want to learn more about.
What Do Home-Based Franchise Owners Do?
What do you do as a franchise owner on a day-to-day basis? Some companies, like Dream Vacations, offer the opportunity for franchisees to own and run their franchise from their home. Work from home franchise owners are responsible for running and maintaining the company from their home—or wherever else in the world they choose!
Depending on the franchise structure, home-based franchise owners can work from other locations. At Dream Vacations, you can work from anywhere in the world with an internet connection – allowing you to explore the world while operating your business!
Choose to Open a Travel Business Franchise
For as little as $3,500 down, you can launch your future and become a travel agent from home, joining the fun and rewarding travel industry. You can build your business and see the world while establishing a career you love.
Sign up for our webinar to learn how to start your own work from home franchise with Dream Vacations.
Further Reading
This article is part of our How to Become a Travel Agent: The Complete Guide series:
Benefits of Being a Travel Agent
Sharpening Your Travel Agent Skills
- Travel Agent Requirements: Education & Licensing
- Travel Agent Skills
- Travel Agent Training
- What Tools Do Travel Agents Use?
- How to Find Clients As A Home-Based Travel Agent
The Travel Agent Experience
Travel Agency & Franchise