Franchising: The Key to Rapid Business Growth is essential reading for anyone hoping to expand a business through business format franchising, or to inject life into an existing franchise. Regardless of your level of experience, this book will help you with every aspect of franchising: calculating costs, finding franchisees, addressing legal issues, avoiding pitfalls, expanding overseas and more. The inclusion of some template franchise agreements is an added bonus. Franchising demands forethought and hard work, but the rewards, if the franchisor is prepared and determined, can be phenomenal.

First of all, this book is not intended to be an inspirational, "You Can Do It " book. There are plenty of those available and this isn't one of them.

This book, written by a former multi-unit owner of the most popular sandwich franchise in the world, provides a "behind the scenes" look at the reality of owning a franchise, and what it takes to succeed.

This is what you need to know: becoming a franchisee can be as dangerous as it is rewarding and can lead to financial devastation, especially for the unwary.

When you pay attention to the secrets and suggested actions contained in this book, you will be able to answer the following critical questions: Is buying a franchise right for YOU? How much should you invest in a franchise? What is the best way for the first-time buyer to get started? (Hint: it's not what the industry is advising you to do.) Does the franchise have a unique strategic advantage (or disadvantage)? What factors will determine how much money you take home? What are the most important issues you should research before you commit your funds? What is the real challenge in managing employees for the business? What are the keys to creating a realistic business plan?