Franchise Prospect Insights

Leveraging data from the largest global marketplace of prospective franchise buyers, we apply the tools and techniques of data science and machine learning to offer insights on prospective franchisees’ evolving tastes, financial wherewithal, demographic profile and pre-purchase behaviors.

Five-Year View of the Changes in State Shares of Franchise Prospect Interest Through Franchise Lead Flow

May 17, 2023 -The top ten states by share of franchise prospects declined from 2018 (59.53%) to 2022 (57.78%), and then grew in 2023 to a multi-year high at 60.15%.By looking at January through March franchise lead flow data from 2018, 2020 2022, and 2023 as seen in the chart above, Texas took the largest share among the states with greatest interest in 2020 with 10.62% of total inquiries as the first shock of the pandemic suppressed prospect interest in March 2020. Texas then declined to third place by 2023, as Florida ascended to 11.07% of all prospects, just under California at 11.27%.

Franchises Are Preferred Over Purchases of Existing Businesses

In a recent survey of aspiring business owners, 18.4% indicated a preference for the option to “buy a franchise” over buying an existing business. While 39.5% indicated interest in the franchise purchase option, only 21.1% indicated an interest in buying an existing business.

The Top Prospect Motivations for Franchise Ownership in Q1 2023

April 19, 2023 – Control over one’s destiny continues to propel entrepreneurs towards owning their own business in America. Consistent with our large sample of interested franchise buyers over the past three years, “being one’s own boss” remains the primary motivator cited by entrepreneurs researching franchise ownership.

Personal Savings Leads Increases in Major Shifts Expected For Franchise Funding as Loans Lag

March 29, 2023 – As March 2023 survey data arrives, aspiring franchisees now expect “personal sources” to make up the vast majority of funding for their business launches, with 47.4% including it in their top three sources. SBA loans and banks and other loan providers were second and third, included by 32.6% and 20.0% of respondents, respectively, to round out the top three choices. 

Personal Savings Outpace Loans and Other Sources Expected for Funding New Franchise Units

March 23, 2023 — Amid news of bank failures and high interest rates, business startups expect personal sources to make up the vast majority of funding for their business launches. Those planning to take advantage of Small Business Administration loans and bank loans have dropped to 30.1% and 22.8% respectively, given forty-year highs in interest rates and tightening credit conditions.

One Sure Way To Get Bonus Franchise Lead Referrals to Your Development Website

January 25, 2023 — When evaluating franchise directory websites (portals), cost per lead is often the key decision factor, assuming quality standards are met. But leads submitted at portals also lead to substantial referral visits to franchisor websites, in addition to being a significant source of leads submitted at development websites, as we first reported in September 2022.

The Primary Motivations for Franchise Ownership in Q4 2022

December 28, 2022 – Headlines about war, surging inflation and interest rates, and imminent economic slowdown were no match for the entrepreneurial instincts of Americans in the final months of 2022. The control over one’s destiny continues to propel entrepreneurs towards owning a business in America. 

Franchise Prospects Profess Key Strengths for Ownership Success

Willingness to follow a proven system, and ‘Grit’ are cited by most franchise prospects surveyed. By: Franchise Insights December 14, 2022 — Two-thirds of franchise inquirers profess having both of the two most important characteristics for succeeding at franchise ownership, according to the November 2022 Startup Sentiment survey by Franchise Insights. “Willingness to follow a …

Personal Savings Tops Sources Expected for Funding Business Startups

Norfolk, Virginia – November 9, 2022 — Most aspiring franchise buyers now plan to use their own personal sources of funding for their business launches. Those planning to take advantage of Small Business Administration loans and bank loans are at 39.8% and 35.3% respectively, despite forty-year highs in interest rates seen in the last few …

Vast Majority of Franchise Prospects Focus on a Few Concepts for Research and Contact

August 10, 2022 – While many changes in franchise buyer behavior were noted over the last few years during the height of the pandemic, some things remained relatively constant. Despite the availability of hundreds of franchise offerings among dozens of categories in the directories at FranchiseVentures digital brands, most prospects still narrow their focus to …

Franchises Are Increasingly Preferred Over Purchases of Existing Businesses

 July 27, 2022 – In a June 2022 survey of aspiring business owners, 18% indicated a preference for the option to “buy a franchise” over buying an existing business. While 38.5% indicated interest in the franchise purchase option, only 20.3% indicated an interest in buying an existing business. While reasons for the preferences were not …

The Primary Motivations for Franchise Ownership Are Persistent

July 6, 2022 – Despite pandemic , war, and economic headwinds, the control over one’s destiny continues to propel entrepreneurs towards owning a business in America. In a very large sample over multiple years, “being one’s own boss” remains the main motivator cited by entrepreneurs researching business ownership across FranchiseVentures, the leading network of online …

Funding Grows as Top Concern For Franchise Buyers As Pandemic Impact Fades

April 27, 2022 – Taking a snapshot of each March since 2020, “funding or access to credit” has increased as the biggest consideration for franchise buyers over the next six months.  Most recently in March 2022, 76.6% of respondents indicated that this was their biggest concern. From March 2020 when the total impact of the …

SBA Loans and Personal Savings Are Top Two Sources Expected for Funding Business Startups

March 16, 2022 — Most aspiring franchise buyers plan to use Small Business Administration loans and personal savings to start their businesses, at 48.9% and 45% respectively, according to the FranchiseInsights.com Small Business Startup Sentiment survey. Loans from banks or other lending institutions were identified as the third most common source at 39.8%. The percentages …

Prospects Rank Desirable Characteristics of Franchises, with Surprising Results

March 10, 2022 — In the February FranchiseInsights.com Small Business Startup Sentiment survey, respondents were also asked to rank eight franchise characteristics in order of importance to their ultimate selection, along with a “not important to me” option for each. On the surface, “low cost of entry” and “higher earnings potential” were ranked highest, on …

The Primary Motivations for Franchise Ownership are Resilient

January 20, 2022 — Despite the disruptions to normal human behavior due to the global pandemic, the control over one’s destiny and financial independence continue to be the most powerful motivations for owning a business in America. In a very large sample over multiple years, working for oneself remains the main motivator cited by entrepreneurs researching …

Surveys Say It’s a Better Time to Buy a Franchise than a Home

September 22, 2021 – Preliminary results from the University of Michigan’s September 2021 survey of consumer confidence as reported by Business Insider show that the lowest percentage of consumers in four decades think that “now is a good time to buy a home.” High prices and low inventory have taken a toll on consumer enthusiasm …

The Pandemic Had Little Impact on the Primary Motivations for Franchise Ownership

September 1, 2021 — Some things haven’t changed, despite the global pandemic. The control over one’s destiny and financial independence remain the most powerful motivations for owning a business. In fact, working for oneself remains the main motivator cited by entrepreneurs researching business ownership across the leading network of online franchise information directory brands.  “Be …

Franchise Prospects are Much More Likely to Have the Support of a Marriage Partner

June 9, 2021 – Nearly two-thirds of prospects interested in buying a franchise are married, an above-average rate that may factor into the readiness of individuals to take the plunge.  Of entrepreneurs contacting franchises to explore ownership, 65.5% are married according to data from the FranchiseVentures network of franchise directory brands over the first four …

Franchise Prospect Age Distribution

How has the Pandemic Changed the Age Distribution of Franchisee Prospects?

May 19, 2021 — Entrepreneurs step forward at all ages, but the most common age may be older than you think. Analysis of January through April 2021 demographics of prospective franchise owners shows the most popular ages for exploring business ownership range from the mid-30s to mid-50s, peaking at age 51 thus far in 2021.  …

‘Be My Own Boss’ Remains the Primary Motivation for Small Business Ownership

April 13, 2021 – A year of global pandemic has not significantly changed the primary drivers of business ownership. Financial independence and controlling one’s own destiny remain the most powerful motivations for owning a business. In fact, working for oneself remains the No. 1 reason cited by entrepreneurs researching business ownership across the leading network …

Funding Remains Top Concern For Business Buyers As Pandemic Restrictions Ease

March. 24, 2021 – As the vaccinated share of the population increases, and states ease restrictions on social distancing, respondents to a recent survey of aspiring small business owners chose “funding or access to credit” as the biggest barrier to buying a franchise over the next six months. The survey of future business owners was …

Even Amid Pandemic, Many Franchise Prospects Top Six Figures in 2020 Household Income

Feb. 24, 2021 – More than a third of prospective franchisees earned household incomes greater than $100,000 in 2020, a relatively stable percentage despite the pandemic’s effect on employment for the better part of the year.  For this analysis, Franchise Ventures scored its pool of investment inquiries with demographic data from Alliant, a leading provider …

2020 Q4 Review Shows Resilient Franchise Categories Compared to Pre-Covid Results

Home Services, Senior Health Care and Cleaning and Maintenance Franchise Development Categories Grow Share Over Prior Year Jan. 27, 2020 – As investment inquiries to franchises rose in almost all categories in December, the year end results also provide insight into which business categories are most resilient and grew their share of prospective franchisees’ interest. …

2020 Ends with Optimism as December Inquiries Rise In Almost All Franchise Categories

Computers, Home Services and Pet Services Lead Franchise Development Categories in Monthly Growth Jan. 20, 2021 – In a broad-based sign of small business optimism, aspiring business owners closed out 2020 on a positive note, with investment inquiries rising in almost every category of available franchises. Overall, inquiries rose 11.1% from November to December, according …

Two-Year Franchise Category Trends Show Pandemic Impact on Buyer Interest

Two-Year Franchise Category Trends Show Pandemic Impact on Buyer Interest

Franchise Leads Ebb and Flow With Perceptions of Viability Dec. 22, 2020 – The roller-coaster year of 2020 has left its mark on categories of franchise interest, with winners and losers. The Home Services, Senior and Health Care, and Cleaning and Maintenance franchise categories grew significantly, despite already having large shares of interest prior to …

Which Business Categories Will Grow Most in 2021?

Coming Boom in Travel, Personal Care, and Restaurants Dec. 16, 2020 – Making a range of assumptions about recovery to interest levels prior to the pandemic, inquiries to Personal Care and Travel and Lodging franchises are likely to grow geometrically in 2021.  Per the chart above, future owner interest in Travel and Lodging franchises and …

Among Millennials and Gen X, Women Outpace Men in Share of Franchise Interest

No Glass Ceiling: Women are a Greater Share of Franchise Inquiries than Men Sept. 24, 2020 – Owning your own business holds similar appeal to men and women alike, as both are fairly evenly represented among entrepreneurs who are exploring potential franchise ownership this year. Among younger generations in particular, women lead in the number …

Marital Status Appears as Key Factor for Aspiring Franchisees

Above-Average Marriage Rate May Signal Financial Stability, Value of Family Support  Sept. 24, 2020 – Nearly two-thirds of prospects interested in buying a franchise are married, an above-average rate that may add extra financial flexibility and the value of family stability to the startup process. The current marriage rate is 63.2% for entrepreneurs contacting franchises …

Financial Services Category Leads August Growth in Franchise Interest

Other Franchise Development Growth Categories Include Health and Fitness, Home Services and Automotive September 10, 2020 – Aspiring franchise owners were focused on “taking care of business” last month, thinking ahead about seasonal changes in consumer needs as interest in Financial Services franchises led August growth of investment inquiries, followed by increased interest in Health, …

Georgia Reclaims Top Rank in Q2 Franchise Interest Index™

Southern States Lead in Above-Average Pace of Investment Inquiries September 3, 2020 – Georgia jumped back ahead of Nevada to lead the nation with the highest adult per capita interest in buying a franchise in Q2 2020, reclaiming the No. 1 rank that it held in the full year of 2019 according to the latest …

Hardest-Hit Franchise Categories Lead July Growth in Inquiries

August 19, 2020 – The volume of entrepreneurs contacting franchisors to explore owning a franchise strengthened for the third month in a row in July, with the highest growth occurring in categories most affected in prior months by social-distancing and uncertainty brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.   Many categories also saw gains in the average …

Home Services Surge in Popularity, Rank No. 1 in Q2 Franchise Investment Inquiries

August 13, 2020 – Home Services surged past Food and Restaurant franchises to rank as the No. 1 most popular category for aspiring franchisees in Q2 2020, while Real Estate franchises experienced the greatest increase of investment interest over the previous quarter.  The Franchise Insights rankings are proprietary data drawn from the Franchise Ventures’ demand-generation …

Amid Pandemic, Financially-Strong Baby Boomers Grow Share of Franchise Prospects

July 30, 2020 – As the coronavirus pandemic has strengthened many entrepreneurs’ desire to own a business, Baby Boomers in particular have grown in their relative share of prospective franchisees who are reaching out to  franchise systems to explore potential investment. Generation X still ranks No. 1 with the largest share of prospects, but that …

Google Searches Confirm Uptrend in Franchise and Business Startup Interest

June 18, 2020 – Interest in franchise and business ownership has been rebounding in Google search trends over the past two months, rising steadily after a steep slide during the early weeks of coronavirus uncertainty and mandated state and city shutdowns.  The search gains are confirmed by positive sentiment and increased investment inquiries from prospective …

Franchise Inquiries Rise in Most Categories as States Reopen

June 11, 2020 – After months of economic uncertainty driven by the coronavirus, investment interest rose in May in most franchise categories in the United States. While the most growth occurred in categories that are less affected by mandated closures and social distancing, even some categories more directly affected by the pandemic saw positive signs …

Boomers Lead Potential Business Buyers in Resources for Funding New Franchises

May 11, 2020 – Baby Boomers interested in buying franchises may not claim the same high growth rates of Millennial and Gen X entrepreneurs, but the sizable Boomer segment holds an attractive lead in assets to fund new franchise businesses. Baby Boomers accounted for 27% of prospects contacting franchisors through the FranchiseVentures demand-generation platform in …

Top Franchise Categories Retain Relative Ranking in Q1

Food and Restaurants Maintain Most Popular Rank, as Automotive Leads Quarterly Growth April 28, 2020 – Despite coranavirus-driven volatility in key business sectors in March, the relative ranking of top franchise categories remained the same in Q1 of 2020, compared with Q4 of 2019. Food and Restaurant franchises continue as the most popular category drawing …

Nevada Edges Past Georgia To Lead Q1 Franchise Interest Index™

April 22, 2020 – Nevada edged past Georgia to lead the nation with the highest adult per capita interest in buying a franchise in Q1 2020, according to new data from Franchise Insights. Georgia had claimed the top spot in the The Franchise Interest IndexTM  for the full year of 2019. The Franchise Interest IndexTM …

Coronavirus Drives More Interest in Some Franchise Categories, Less in Others

April 10, 2020 – As the sudden spread of coronavirus has changed so many aspects of daily business and personal life in recent weeks, entrepreneurial interest in different types of franchises has shifted as well. Franchise Insights examined how investment inquiries for different categories changed from February to March, and it seems that potential franchisees …

Mid-tier Metros Log Fastest Growth in Franchise Interest for Q4

Jacksonville, Tucson Lead Top 50 Metro Areas, as Springfield and Worcester Top Mid-Sized Metros March 25, 2020 – Mid-sized metropolitan areas under 1 million population showed some of the strongest year-over-year growth in franchise-buying interest, claiming 7 of the top 10 spots in latest business data from Franchise Insights. The rest of the top 10 …

58% Of Potential Franchisees Are Married, Boosting Average Income

March 18, 2020 – More than half of prospects interested in buying a franchise are married, which turns out to be an important factor in boosting average household income. In fact, half of married prospects have a household income of $100,000 or more in Q4 of 2019, according to the latest data analysis by Franchise …

Access to Funding Identified as Greatest Hurdle to Franchise Ownership

March 12, 2020 – Respondents to a February 2020 of aspiring small business owners cited “funding or access to credit” as the biggest barrier to buying a franchise. This level is just below the 68.5% seen in the month-earlier survey. Franchise buyers recognize that franchise fees account for  a relatively small portion of the capital …

Southeastern Cities Lead Top 100 Metros in New Franchise Interest Index™

March 10, 2020 – Atlanta, Ga., enjoys the nation’s highest interest in buying a franchise, according to the latest analysis of the Top 100 metropolitan areas. Southeastern metros dominated the top 20 leaders in the  Franchise Interest Index(TM), with multiple major metro areas ranked in Florida and Texas, as well as high-interest from mid-sized metros …

Smaller States Post Big Gains in Q4 Growth of Franchise Interest Index™

Alaska, Hawaii lead overall gains, Georgia tops growth among large-population states February 12, 2020 – Small- and mid-sized states with adult population under 5 million showed some of the strongest year-over-year growth in franchise-buying interest, according to the latest data  from Franchise Insights. And among the largest states, Georgia tops the Franchise Interest Index™ for …

Gen X Claims Largest Group of Franchise Prospects, Ranks High for Income, Home Ownership

February 14, 2020 – While Millennials are the fastest-growing group of franchise prospects, Generation X was far and away the largest age group interested in buying a franchise last year.  Generation X claimed 44.9% share of prospects contacting franchisors through the Franchise Ventures demand-generation platform in 2019. Here is a demographic profile of the 39- …

Georgia Leads the Nation in New Franchise Interest Index™

January 13, 2020 – Georgia, Nevada and Florida led the nation with the highest levels of interest in buying a franchise in 2019, according to new data from Franchise Insights. The Franchise Interest Index™ reveals  the relative interest of entrepreneurs making an investment inquiry by indexing proprietary data with state population on a per capita basis. …

‘Side Business Income’ Motivates Half of Potential Business Buyers

Dec. 12, 2019 – Owning a small business is not always a full-time venture – in fact, half of potential business buyers say that one of their motivations is owning a “side business for supplemental income.” That’s according to an ongoing survey of potential business buyers across the Franchise Ventures demand generation platform. Side-business income …

Three-Quarters of Franchise Prospects Own a Home, Most for 5+ Years

Dec. 10, 2019 – Nearly 3 in 4 prospective franchisees own their own home, and more than three-quarters have lived at the same address for more than 5 years, according to the latest data analysis by Franchise Ventures. Those are important indicators of financial wherewithal and stability for franchisors recruiting new owners for their franchise. …

‘Lifestyle Rewards’ Rank as No. 3 Reason to Own a Small Business

Dec. 5, 2019 – Owning a small business can give you the freedom and flexibility to match different lifestyles, and that’s important to more than half of entrepreneurs answering a survey across the Franchise Ventures demand generation platform. More than half, or 56.5%, say “lifestyle rewards” are one of their top motivations as they think …

Education Is No Prerequisite To Entrepreneurship – Ambition Is Its Own Degree

Nov. 27, 2019 – The lure of entrepreneurship appeals to individuals across all levels of education,  according to the latest data analysis by Franchise Ventures, which found most business-buyer prospects had at least some college experience, but not necessarily a completed degree. “In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, we’re grateful for the opportunities that …

Income Potential Ranks as No. 2 Motivation to Own a Business

Nov. 25, 2019 – While a desire to “by my own boss” is the No.1 motivation for people thinking about buying a business, the potential to earn more money ranks a strong No. 2, according to the business-buyer survey across the Franchise Ventures demand generation platform.  Nearly three-quarters of respondents, or 72.5%, cite “income potential” …

Franchise Prospects Top $100k in Household Income

Nov. 22, 2019 – One-third of prospective franchisees have at least $100,000 in annual household income, according to the latest data analysis by Franchise Ventures — and income is clearly a key factor in finding franchisee candidates who are qualified for different opportunities. For this analysis, Franchise Ventures combined its pool of investment inquiries with …

One Third of Prospective Small-Business Buyers Ready to Switch From Corporate Life

Nov. 18, 2019 – More than one-third of potential business buyers are motivated by a desire to stop “climbing the corporate ladder,” according to the survey across the Franchise Ventures demand generation platform.  “In many cases, experienced managers and executives are ready to run their own show,” said Michael Alston, president of Franchise Ventures. “That …

‘Be Your Own Boss’ Tops List of Small-Business Ownership Motivations

Nov. 11, 2019 – The No. 1 reason that budding entrepreneurs want to own their own business is to “Be your own boss,” according to the survey across the Franchise Ventures demand generation platform.  A full 87% of users starting a franchise search said that being the boss was a primary motivation for them, beating …

Women Outpace Men Among Gen X Franchise Prospects

Nov. 5, 2019 – Interest in owning a franchise is balanced almost equally between women and men overall, according to the latest small business analysis by Franchise Ventures — and women are starting to outpace men among Gen X prospects.  “We don’t see a glass ceiling when it comes to interest in buying a franchise,” …

Millennials are the Fastest-Growing Segment of Future Franchisees

Oct. 30, 2019 – Following the broad trends in population demographics in the U.S., the age of franchise-investment prospects continues to shift younger in the latest quarterly analysis by  Franchise Ventures. Generation X, ages 39-54, is the largest group ready to talk with franchisors, at 46.1% of all prospects in Q3 2019. That’s up 6% …

Who Buys Franchises? Digital Prospects Show Focused Intent

March 20, 2019 – With so many different franchise options available to a local investor, it’s easy to assume that a typical franchise prospect is talking to lots of different franchisors at the same time. But that’s a wrong assumption. The largest analysis to date of prospective franchise buyers shows the majority are focused on …

Who Buys Franchises? Prospects Are Financially Stable and Diverse

Feb. 20, 2019 – Franchised businesses can be started at a wide range of investment levels, so it’s no surprise that portals generate leads from a wide range of income levels. But a closer looks shows prospective buyers may be more financially stable than you’d think. That’s according to the largest study of franchise prospects …

Who Buys Franchises? Prospects Span All Generations

Jan. 23, 2019 – The next generation of business owners is likely to be younger than you might think. According to the largest study of prospect franchise buyers to date, more than half of those interested in buying a business are under the age of 50. Baby Boomers and older are still a force to …

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Review our cookies information for more details.