Franchising 101: Starting a Business through a Franchise

Starting a business through a franchise is often the shortest path to profitability, and some of them require as little as $50K to start and simply operate out of a home office – there is no food and no retail space to rent. But how do you find the good ones and not pay too much (or too little) for your business? Learn everything from how to find the right franchise for you, to which state and local regulations you must be aware of before signing a franchise agreement, to which franchises do well (and don’t do well) in your region. We will also discuss funding options.

This virtual workshop is made possible through a partnership with the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity.

Speaker: Heather Rosen

Who should attend: Current small business owners who are curious about franchising their business and aspiring entrepreneurs who are exploring investing in a franchise.

Date: Thursday, April 21

Time: 12:00 - 2:00 PM

A confirmation email with the Zoom login information will be sent after registration.

About our presenter: Heather Rosen is the president of FranNet of Virginia and DC, a franchise advisory and development services firm with 50+ offices in North America. She is also an attorney who previously advised small and medium sized businesses including sole proprietors on contractual matters, mergers and acquisitions, litigation strategy, corporate structure, and real estate acquisitions and financing. In 2001, Heather moved to Washington, DC to work as an in-house consultant to large, international law firms, advising partners and firm management on strategic planning, client targeting, marketing budget allocation, and proposal writing.

Heather left the legal services industry in 2009 to open FranNet of Virginia, extending FranNet’s reach and expanding her family’s 30 year old franchise consulting practice. For the past 12+ years, she has been the primary authority on franchising in the DC metro area for SCORE, SBDC and the Women's Business Center, as well as for the major outplacement agencies and military transition programs. Heather teaches the franchise workshops for all of these agencies and is regularly asked to counsel clients looking for guidance on going into business through a franchise. She is the co-author of the 2016 book, "More Than Just French Fries: 15 Business Thought Leaders Share Insights on Franchising Success."