Plenty of people want to get into business by being themselves. They want to try and bring new products to the world, they want to introduce unique services and some of them want to do crazy things that no one has ever thought of. However, there are safer routes to take in business and one of them is franchising.

Franchising simply refers to the concept of becoming part of a bigger company. For instance, starting a new McDonald’s store would be franchising and it usually offers some compelling advantages. However, it can also bring some downsides which you might find difficult to cope with. In this article, we’re going to be talking about franchising and explain some of the ups and downs before you consider investing in it as a business opportunity.

There’s a lot of choice

It’s difficult to pick the best franchise to own because there are simply so many out there. With so much choice, you can hand-pick a business or company and have their goals fit your location and your ideas. Since there’s so much choice, you might find it difficult to pick the “best” option, so it does take a lot of research and you might find yourself spending far too much time picking a company before you send in an application and speak to their representatives.

But the choice ends there

There’s very limited flexibility when it comes to owning a franchise. You have to do everything in the franchisor’s way and there’s really not much room to make decisions on your own. Want to change a menu item or add a promotion? Too bad! Unless it’s approved by the franchisor, you won’t be able to do it. This lack of control can put off many entrepreneurs, hence why franchising isn’t always the best solution.

It’s likely going to be successful

Franchises are well-known because they have thousands of stores around the country. When you buy a franchise, you’re getting plenty of ideas that already work, you’re getting products that are in demand (albeit maybe not in your particular location) and you’re going to appeal to a customer base that is already well-established. This will ensure that you make a decent amount of profit and it also means that you don’t need to do things like market online or change your products to suit your audience–everything is already done for you!

It’s extremely competitive

Although you’re likely to be successful thanks to the franchisor’s brand and image, keep in mind that it’s an extremely competitive environment especially if you purchase a franchise that isn’t as well-known. If a business is offering franchising opportunities then you absolutely need to do your research to ensure that it’s an opportunity that you can actually take advantage of. If you pick a brand that isn’t very successful then you’re absolutely not going to get customers. At the end of the day, everyone wants a slice of success and while franchising is an easy way to get yours, it might not be the safest way to do so if you’re buying a lesser-known franchise.