The Franchise Handbook: A Complete Guide to All Aspects of Buying, Selling or Investing in a Franchise Paperback – August 14, 2006

If you really want to know what you're getting into when buying a franchise, this book is for you. What I like about this book is the fact that it teaches the negative and the positive things from buying a franchise. You need to do proper research before you make that decision.

I have been doing a lot of reading about franchises and have purchased quite a few books on the subject. The Franchise Handbook was one of the least useful.First of all, it it quite short (288 pages), and is VERY large print with a lot of extra "fluff" like pictures of people that add nothing to the content or value. The book would only be about 227 large-print pages without the "Franchising Resources" and glossary chapters. These two chapters are basically high-level listings that can easily be found on any of the internet's franchising websites for free.Overall the chapters on franshising, planning, and being a franchisee seemed pretty superficial and didn't go into much detail. Another annoying point about the book was that it frequently referred to other high-priced books from Atlantic Publishing (the publisher of this book). While there is a forward by Kevin B. Murphy ("Mr. Franchise"), I could find no mention of an author anywhere in the book. Perhaps it is a poor attempt of a collaborative effort by staffers at Atlantic Publishing.My advice is to buy "Franchising for Dummies" by Michael Seid. It is much more complete and useful, and also includes a CD-ROM with helpful forms and additional information.

It's good reading for somebody like me that just starts considering getting into the franchise business.

This book covers it all and is very readable. It has information for what to do before and after you start a franchise. It is a book to keep and refer back to for helpful reminders on how to keep your franchise going strong.

You should buy this book if you consider buying, selling, or investing in a franchise. It breaks the process down.

As a Franchise Expert and Franchise Attorney with over 30 years of experience in the franchise industry, as well as owning and operating a very successful franchise, I was asked by the publisher to review and edit the chapters of this book. They liked my input so much, I was then asked to write the forward. Most, but certainly not all, of my editorial comments-revisions were included in the published version. Most unfortunately, they elected not to include my comments about the misleading nature of franchise 'success' statistics and some other critical information. For additional details about buying a franchise not included in this book, feel free to visit the Franchise Foundations website at Franchise Foundations dot com. Peruse the "Buying A Franchise" and "Articles II' pages. These will provide additional information and resources to use in making an informed evaluation-investment decision. That being said, this book stands head and shoulders above anything else that's currently published for the general public - and I don't make a dime on the sales of this book. That's just a true statement of the value of this book by a franchise expert, franchise attorney and former franchise owner. Kevin B. Murphy, B.S., M.B.A., J.D., Mr. Franchise

Wouldn't call it a handbook.Very basic intro to franchising and business in general of which most should be common sense for people considering starting a business, by buying a franchise or not. More or less everything in the book can be found on internet or asked from a consultant at your first meeting.

The Franchise Handbook contains a LOT, and I do mean a LOT, of information about franchise systems. Included are step-by-step guidelines regarding how to research possible franchise options including how to estimate start up costs and how to finance the franchise purchase. Of course, the information doesn't stop there; the book goes on to outline how to prepare financial statements, how to conduct a market analysis, and how to successfully choose a franchise location. All pivotal to franchise success or failure.Then, the book goes beyond that. It offers additional strategies on how to hire and manage employees, purchase and manage supplies, protect your franchise territory, and then, when everything is going just the way it should, how to expand your operations. The book is proactive toward developing successful franchise and business practices. It has an unbiased view of the facts and even lists the pros and cons of selecting a franchise model business. Chapter 18 looks briefly at legal issues that affect franchise models and Chapter 19 offers a list of companies that offer franchises and franchising resources.This book is a great starting point for building a level of independence by living the American dream and becoming your own boss at your own business. A definite must read!