I must admit that my thinking on franchises is a bit dated. I still envision someone being stuck making sandwiches behind a counter at their sub shop 52 weeks a year. While this is still true for many franchise opportunities there is a growing number of franchise businesses that offer more flexibility and opportunity for multiple operations.
StartupJournal has an article on how much easier some of the new franchises have become to operate.
The franchising world is letting loose. Gone are the days of one owner being chained behind the counter of a single store day in, day out. Today, there are absentee owners who oversee their operations from laptops and Treos, and owners who maintain dual careers or run multiple franchises. At Hollywood Tanning Systems Inc., more than half of the 330 franchise owners have another job. The chief executive of Sport Clips Inc. hair salons estimates that 10 hours a week is a "generous allowance" for owners to physically be in stores. And franchisees for the Decor&You Inc. interior-design business can receive decorating and product training at home whenever they like via online video seminars.
(Thanks to Matt Nicholson for passing this along).
