Franchise Direct Blog

All the big franchises had humble beginnings. The International Franchise Association has set up the 'Young Entrepreneurs in Franchising' competition, a campaign targeting young entrepreneurs around the world and asking them to submit creative new ideas for the franchise industry.

Read about 'Introduction to Franchising', the Irish Franchising Skillnet's workshop where experts teach the potential franchisee how to be a successful one. Due to take place in Dublin on 4 November 2014.

Budget 2015 may have been the first non-austerity budget in seven years, but it did little to encourage SMEs and entrepreneurship. Learn of the changes that were made which will benefit Irish franchisees directly and indirectly.

Read of John Rusnak's happy ending. The ex-currency trader famous for fraud has now gone to the other end of the scale and turned to franchising – an industry that relies heavily on honesty.

With less than a month to go to the halfway point of 2014, this is an ideal time to take stock of the year and your aspirations to set up your own business. Read the article that summarises perfectly how franchising provides the right candidates with proven systems, tools, training and support to help them combat the main reasons for business failure.

Starting and operating a new franchise is a challenge, and it takes certain material supplies to succeed.

It started off right here in Ireland in 1999. Now the Franchise Direct network has 15 years of experience generating online leads, and spans 13 websites in four languages globally. We set up Franchise Asia in December 2013 with the highly successful opening of an exclusive portal for the growing Indian franchise market, and today we are excited to announce the launch of our brand new franchise directories for Singapore and Malaysia.

On 14th and 15th February, the greatest franchise exhibition of the year was held in the ExCel Exhibition Centre, London. We just couldn't miss it, and three of our sales team travelled from Franchise Direct's European Head Offices in Dublin to set up stand and converse with franchise clients and potential franchisees. Here UK editor Ann-Marie gives us a day-by-day report on the whirlwind trip that they enjoyed so much.

For many, retirement is a daunting life stage to go through. Whilst some retirees cannot wait to enjoy the comforts of living according to their own rules and time, others become easily frustrated as their ambition didn't retire with them. This is when they can become a franchisee.

The biggest franchise exhibition of the year is approaching…have you put it in your diary?