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.
By: Michael Alston for Franchise Insights February 01, 2023 — A substantial flow of leads to franchise development sites comes from prospects originating on portal websites that are used to research franchises. According to surveys over the last several months, 75% of prospects who submitted an inquiry subsequently visited the franchise website. In addition, 29% …
By: Michael Alston for Franchise Insights 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 …
By: Franchise Insights 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. Consistent with a very large sample …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
June 22, 2022 — Most aspiring franchise buyers plan to take advantage of Small Business Administration loans and bank loans, at 48.9% and 45% respectively, despite the rapid rise in interest rates seen in the last few months. Another 14.3% are hoping to take advantage of in-house financing by the franchise they are purchasing. These …
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 …
April 13, 2022 – The southward and westward migration of franchise interest during the pandemic noted in a recent article begs the question – how does that fit into the longer-term trend? The top ten states by share of franchise prospects grew slightly as a percent of all states from 2018 (59.53%) to 2020 (59.65%) …
March 30, 2022 – By comparing the shares by state from January-March 2020 to January-March 2022, there was a shift in the mix of where aspiring franchisees were expecting to locate franchises – from north to south, and east to west, according to new data from FranchiseInsights.com. Increasing state share in that period is in …
March 23, 2022 — There seem to be at least two market segments or distinct buyer groups reflected in the FranchiseInsights.com Small Business Startup Sentiment survey in their preferences for franchises. Respondents were asked to rank eight franchise characteristics in order of importance to their ultimate selection, along with a “not important to me” option …
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 …
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 …
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 …
October 20, 2021 — In September, we shared that the uncertainty and disruptions of the global pandemic did not significantly change the mix of drivers toward business ownership as seen in our large monthly sample set. Desire to “be your own boss” is consistently the top motivator. But what is it about being your own …
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 …
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 …
July 21, 2021 – The largest multi-year data set of aspiring franchisees reveals historic changes in the makeup of the pool of future franchise owners. The percentage of women seeking information about franchise ownership dipped during the height of the pandemic in 2020. But if the first half of 2021 is any indication, women are …
July 21, 2021 – For the first time in history, more Millennials are seeking franchise ownership than Baby Boomers. While Generation X (ages 41-56 in 2021), has shown the greatest share of franchise interest for some years, that share may have peaked in 2020 at 48.2%, based on year-to-date data in 2021 through June. The …
June 15, 2021 – While Generation X prospects (born 1965-1980) are currently the largest demographic group seeking franchise ownership, Millennials are a much larger cohort. Together, these two generations will combine to create the largest US population at the prime ages for business startup. The next two decades are projected to add over 12.9 million …
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 …
May 25, 2021 – Among younger generations in particular, women lead in the number of investment inquiries made to franchises according to analysis of data from January to April 2021. Since we last reported gender demographics in September 2020, women have surpassed men in share of total prospects that are identified as male or female. …
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. …
May 12, 2021 – Despite the availability of dozens of franchise categories and hundreds of franchise options at FranchiseVentures digital brands, most prospects narrow their focus to a single concept when requesting further information. In looking at data for more than ten thousand prospects in April 2021, almost 46% selected a single franchise opportunity for …
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 …
March. 31, 2021 – In a recent survey of aspiring business owners, almost two thirds indicated their interest to “buy a franchise” over the other paths to business ownership. Less than one third (32%) indicated an interest in buying an existing business. While reasons for the preferences were not solicited, the benefits of a network …
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 …
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 …
Feb. 17, 2021 – Millennial and Gen X entrepreneurs continued to grow their share of prospective franchise owners last year, but Baby Boomers showed strength during several quarters as the coronavirus pandemic pressured business plans across many categories. Millennials logged the greatest gain in relative share year over year, and Generation X remained the largest …
Feb. 9, 2021 – Georgia and Nevada continued to generate the nation’s highest adult per capita interest in buying a franchise in 2020, according to the latest data from the Franchise Interest IndexTM , but that interest grew at a slower rate amid the pandemic. Meanwhile, smaller states in the Midwest and Mid-South saw double-digit …
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. …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Nov. 4, 2020 – Georgia, Nevada and Florida continued to lead the nation with the highest adult per capita interest in buying a franchise in Q3 2020, according to the latest data from the Franchise Interest Index(TM), and all three saw per-capita franchise interest grow from Q2 to Q3 as the economy regained ground that had …
Real Estate and Pet Services Franchise Development Categories are Close Seconds Oct. 29, 2020 – Financial Services franchises led the list of growing franchise development categories for the second month in a row in September, as prospective franchise owners increased their investment inquiries among categories that also included Real Estate franchises, Pet Services franchises and …
October 8, 2020 – One clear trend this year is that prospective franchise buyers have become more focused on one or two businesses during the discovery phase of their search. The share of prospects narrowing their research to one or two concepts in any given month rose from Q1 2020 to Q2, and remained higher …
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 …
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 …
Step Aside Millennials: Most Common Age for Franchise Prospects May Be Older Than You Think – Success Can Come at Any Age September 17, 2020 – While successful entrepreneurs start businesses at any age, the most common age may be older than you think. A current analysis of prospective franchise owners shows the most popular …
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, …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
July 22, 2020 – The pandemic has not changed the primary drivers of business ownership — independence and controlling your own destiny remain the most powerful motivations for owning a business. In fact, working for oneself is the No. 1 reason cited by entrepreneurs researching ownership across the leading network of online franchise information directory …
June 30, 2020 – Entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in South Carolina, where potential franchisees were active enough to rank the state at No. 4 in per-capita Franchise Interest Index™ in 2019. The Palmetto State is the nation’s 27th largest by adult population, with 4.8 million adults over the age of 22. But it …
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 …
June 17, 2020 – As the nation’s third-largest state by adult population, Florida is a powerhouse of potential franchisees, ranking No. 3 for total investment inquiries made last year, and also No. 3 in per-capita Franchise Interest Index™ in 2019. With 19.8 million adults over the age of 22, Floridians generated 10.4% of U.S. franchising …
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 …
June 3, 2020 – Exceptionally high interest in discretionary-spending franchises like restaurants, spas and salons helped drive Nevada near the top of the Franchise Interest Index ™ in 2019 and again in the first quarter of this year. Nevada ranked No. 2 in adult per-capita interest in potential franchise ownership last year, accounting for 1.6% …
May 27, 2020 – While Georgia leads the nation in per-capita interest in potential franchise ownership, another Southern state leads in total volume of interested franchise seekers. Texas ranked No. 1 in 2019 for its 11.3% share of inquiries through the FranchiseVentures demand-generation platform in 2019. That’s not surprising, since it also boasts the nation’s …
May 20, 2020 – With the nation’s highest per-capita interest in owning a franchise last year, the state of Georgia also stands apart for its ratio of Millennial franchise prospects, and indexes higher than average for categories like Senior Care and Business and Financial services. Here is a demographic profile of Georgia prospects who contacted …
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 …
May 6, 2020 – The Millennial generation saw a growth spurt in franchise interest last year, growing its share of franchise investment inquiries to 21% in 2019 from 16% in 2018, and leading the field with higher-than average interest in categories such as Personal Care, Child-related and Cleaning franchises. Here is a demographic profile of …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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- …
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. …
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 …
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. …
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 …
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 …
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” …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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,” …
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% …
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 …
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 …
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 …