Every day I meet people who dream about starting their own business, but wonder if they have what it takes. Some have been in corporate jobs for years and have great skills but not a great idea for a business. Or they may not be a big risk taker. But they still have the desire to do their own thing.

That's the benefit of franchising. I like to think of franchisees as being calculated entrepreneurs. That's because franchises are owned by business people who want to buy an idea and system that is already tested and proven. Here are some franchise basics.

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