In a recent article from Entrepreneur Magazine titled "How Low Can You Go?" -- please ignore the pun-nyness of the title -- there is an attention-grabbing blurb that reads "With these 97 franchises costing less than $25,000, you'd be surprised." Well, color me surprised.

Listing the total cost of nearly 100 franchises, readers will find that these particular ventures run the gamut from food and pets to fitness and child-care. As an example, one could start their own branch of Jazzercise for as little as $3,000; at present time there are reported to be 6,514 franchises of Jazzercise out there. Others recognizable names on the list were Merry Maids, Hot Stuff Foods, Jani King, Christmas Decor, and Aerowest.

Sometimes an entrepreneur may worry about whether or not their services are something that consumers will need. Or how they'll be able to explain their services without a long-winded pitch. But in this situation, you're buying the rights to the brand name, along with the start-up materials. There's little to stop you from being the regional distributor or provider of a sought-after service.

But as with any business decision that you make, this blogger urges those interested to proceed with caution. You may have acquired a brand without knowing exactly what to do what it, or who to sell it to. Without a solid "Who-What-Where-Why-When-How" plan in place, one may find themselves with limited options and even more limited cashflow.

Labels: Branding, Entrepreneurship, Franchising