Video Five: How Safe is Buying a Franchise Business?

If you are considering starting a business, buying a business or purchasing a franchise, consider your options and take a good look at a franchise business. Learn the surprising success rates of our franchise clients and discover why franchising may be a safe and wise career choice for you. FranNet is the top franchise consulting firm in the US and Canada and with our free services we can help you safely select, evaluate, finance and succeed in a franchise business in Central Oregon, Idaho and Washington.

Contact us at:
Michael Sipe
Northwest Franchise Network
541.610.5799
www.FranNet.com/MSipe

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Video Three: Who's Buying Franchise Businesses Now...and Why

If you are considering starting a business, buying a business or purchasing a franchise, consider your options and take a good look at a franchise business. Find out who's investing in franchises these days and learn why franchising may be a wise career choice for you. FranNet is the top franchise consulting firm in the US and Canada and with our free services we can help you safely select, evaluate, finance and succeed in a franchise business in Central Oregon, Idaho and Washington.

Contact us at:
Michael Sipe
Northwest Franchise Network
541.610.5799
www.FranNet.com/MSipe

View the original article here

Who's Buying Franchise Businesses Now...and Why

If you are considering starting a business, buying a business or purchasing a franchise, consider your options and take a good look at a franchise business. Find out who's investing in franchises these days and learn why franchising may be a wise career choice for you. FranNet is the top franchise consulting firm in the US and Canada and with our free services we can help you safely select, evaluate, finance and succeed in a franchise business in Central Oregon, Idaho and Washington.
Contact us at:
Michael Sipe
Northwest Franchise Network
541.610.5799
www.FranNet.com/MSipe

View the original article here

How Safe is Buying a Franchise Business?

If you are considering starting a business, buying a business or purchasing a franchise, consider your options and take a good look at a franchise business. Learn the surprising success rates of our franchise clients and discover why franchising may be a safe and wise career choice for you. FranNet is the top franchise consulting firm in the US and Canada and with our free services we can help you safely select, evaluate, finance and succeed in a franchise business in Central Oregon, Idaho and Washington. Contact us at:
Michael Sipe
Northwest Franchise Network
541.610.5799
www.FranNet.com/MSipe

View the original article here

Franchise Opportunities & Get Information on Buying a Franchise - Franchise Solution Bloomberg TV

http://www.franchisesolutions.com/
Should you open your own business or buy a franchise? How should you go about making that important decision and what's involved in getting started. Listen to Matt Alden, the president of Franchise Solutions, offer his insights into the franchise industry. Learn about franchise opportunities, buying a franchise business and home based businesses from Franchise Solutions today!

http://www.franchisesolutions.com/

View the original article here

Franchise Opportunities & Get Information on Buying a Franchise - Franchise Solution Bloomberg TV

http://www.franchisesolutions.com/
Should you open your own business or buy a franchise? How should you go about making that important decision and what's involved in getting started. Listen to Matt Alden, the president of Franchise Solutions, offer his insights into the franchise industry. Learn about franchise opportunities, buying a franchise business and home based businesses from Franchise Solutions today!

http://www.franchisesolutions.com/

View the original article here

Franchise Opportunities & Get Information on Buying a Franchise - Franchise Solution Bloomberg TV

http://www.franchisesolutions.com/
Should you open your own business or buy a franchise? How should you go about making that important decision and what's involved in getting started. Listen to Matt Alden, the president of Franchise Solutions, offer his insights into the franchise industry. Learn about franchise opportunities, buying a franchise business and home based businesses from Franchise Solutions today!

http://www.franchisesolutions.com/

View the original article here

Is AOL’s Fall On Proxy Win a Buying Opportunity? - CNBC

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AOL's Tim Armstrong defeated a proxy battle by hedge fund Starboard Value today, with shareholders voting at AOL’s annual meeting to re-elect all eight board members.

But despite this victory today AOL’s [AOL  Loading...      ()   ] stock has tanked, down over five percent today. Why the drop? Investors seem to be concerned that AOL’s victory reduces pressure on the company to cut costs.

Starboard criticized AOL for failing to do enough to make money off its patents, and for spending too much on original content for the web. (Here’s its letter to AOL.)

Instead, Starboard said AOL should aggregate content from across the web, at a lower cost to the company. The fund, which owns 5.3 percent of AOL also criticized its “money-losing Patch business.” AOL says it will “be responsive to the messages we heard from our investors,” but that clearly didn’t satisfy investors today.

But a number of Wall Street analysts see today’s dip as a buying opportunity.

Barclay’s Anthony DiClemente reiterated his $31 price target for the stock, saying it presents an “attractive short-term buying opportunity.” He points to four consecutive quarters of global ad revenue growth, and the fact that its display ad business will start growing revenue again in the second half of the year.

Now DiClemente is focused on AOL bringing its local-news service, Patch, to profitability and how it will distribute the proceeds of its $1 billion patent sale to shareholders.

Miller Tabak’s David Joyce recommends buying AOL on the dip, saying he believes the board will continue to execute on strategy. With a $34 target for the stock, he says he’d buy AOL simply because of the patent sale proceeds coming by the end of the year.

Wells Fargo also reiterated its “outperform” rating on the stock. Analyst Peter Stabler says he expects AOL to take some of the criticisms of Patch to heart, projecting the company will “aggressively explore revenue streams to complement local display advertising.”

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Buy Franchise Business, Buying Internet Franchise Business - Dominican Republic

Buying Internet Franchise Business in Dominican Republic: Buy WSI Franchise in Dominican Republic - Review from WSI Internet Franchise owner Maria Isabel Contreras. To know more visit - http://www.wsifranchise.com/BusinessFranchiseOpportunities.aspx

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Franchise Opportunities & Get Information on Buying a Franchise - Franchise Solution Bloomberg TV

http://www.franchisesolutions.com/
Should you open your own business or buy a franchise? How should you go about making that important decision and what's involved in getting started. Listen to Matt Alden, the president of Franchise Solutions, offer his insights into the franchise industry. Learn about franchise opportunities, buying a franchise business and home based businesses from Franchise Solutions today!

http://www.franchisesolutions.com/

View the original article here

UPDATED: Look for Buying Opportunity in Lime Energy Following Earnings Miss, Market Inattention - Forbes

Lime Energy (NASD:LIME) reported first quarter earnings after market close on Thursday with a loss of 19 cents per share,  5 cents below analyst expectations.

Revenue in the first quarter was 3.5% lower than a year ago, with the drop attributable to declining revenues in Lime’s Commercial and Industrial (C&I) business following last year’s decision to refocus this business on opportunities where Lime has a competitive advantage.

Utility Programs

Those opportunities are falling into place nicely.  Central to Lime’s strategy is the company’s utility business, where they bid for long term contracts to implement utility Demand Side Management (DSM) programs.

As I wrote last week, this strategy is being validated by contract wins.  A year ago, Lime had two utility contracts, today they have seven.  In the first quarter alone, they added four new contracts accounting for $65 million in potential revenue.

Lime’s Strategy

Utility direct install programs are the basis for Lime’s edge in the very competitive energy efficiency business.  Utility contracts tend to be long term, and less competitive because of the bureaucratic nature of utilities and their regulators.  Lime’s track record of successful implementation and experience in dealing with utility clients gives them an advantage.  The long term nature of the contracts means that Lime will also have a competitive advantage in bidding for future contracts from the same utility because they will have an infrastructure in place from having serviced the previous contract.

Utility programs have an added benefit.  They give Lime access to smaller C&I customers which competitors find difficult to reach.  In the process of implementing a utility program, Lime is paid by the utility to contact the customer and install a defined menu of energy efficiency improvements.  Once the relationship is established, Lime can go on to offer the customer energy upgrades that fall outside the utility program, but which are profitable to both Lime and the customer.

Investment Community Opinion

Lime’s utility-centric strategy has largely escaped the  notice of the investment community.  I polled my panel of eleven green money managers and analysts about Lime last week.  None said they were paying attention to this micro-cap company, and those who responded were negative.

Most of the comments focused on the highly competitive nature of the industry, and showed a lack of awareness of Lime’s current strategy.  No one on my panel wanted to be quoted by name, but one called it a lousy business “with no barriers to entry and low margins.  No technology; it’s just a body shop without any recurring revenues.”

As you can see, this shows a lack of awareness of Lime’s utility business, which produces both recurring revenues and a barrier to entry.  To me, that makes Lime an excellent candidate: Lime has adopted a new, more viable strategy in the last year which which should start having a noticeable impact on both the top and bottom lines next quarter, but most investors are still thinking about the company as if nothing had changed in the last two years.

View the original article here

Low Cost Franchise For Sale- Buying Franchise Opportunities

http://buy-a-franchise-business.com/?t=ytlcf Looking to buy one of the best low cost franchise business opportunities? Buying a franchise opportunity for sale needs proper due diligence, like buying other business opportunities. We share a low cost franchise business opportunity that has had proven success as an online franchise at a fraction of the cost of traditional franchises for sale.

This low cost franchise opportunity is for serious entrepreneur only. Consider this successful proven internet franchise business model. Recession proof, future proof, 80% profits, ROI in months, low start-up costs, up to 300% return on marketing. This franchise opportunity has low overheads with no employees, no insurance,no inventory and an easy to follow franchise business plan with 85% automation and runs 24/7 by leveraging the internet.

This is a good international online franchise opportunity to suit anyone visiting franchise expo shows to find a cheap franchise opportunities for sale in 2011 in the UK, USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, India or anywhere globally.

View the original article here

Franchise Opportunities & Get Information on Buying a Franchise - Franchise Solution Bloomberg TV

http://www.franchisesolutions.com/
Should you open your own business or buy a franchise? How should you go about making that important decision and what's involved in getting started. Listen to Matt Alden, the president of Franchise Solutions, offer his insights into the franchise industry. Learn about franchise opportunities, buying a franchise business and home based businesses from Franchise Solutions today!

http://www.franchisesolutions.com/

View the original article here

Groupon’s Earnings Restatement: Broken Business or Buying Opportunity? - Yahoo Finance

There's an old saying that goes, "Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me." Today, it applies directly to Groupon (GRPN) as shares of the newly listed leader in the budding daily-deals online coupon business are down 10%, scorching investors for the second time in as many quarters after announcing a revision to its previously reported results.

As the company explains in its press release (which dubiously came out after the market closed on Friday) the latest hit is the result of a "shift in its business mix" to high-end, higher-priced products. Generally speaking, this is a good development and part of the reason why Groupon left its existing guidance intact for the first quarter. The downside, however, is that bigger deals, require bigger refunds and that's the rub, or at least the source of what could be many rubs.

''That's a big problem,'' my colleague Aaron Task says in the attached video, adding that because the company has only been public for five months, its credibility is subject to even closer scrutiny. "You gotta get that right, that's when you should have everything locked down,'' he says, while predicting that the stock will be headed even lower.

As it stands now, the stock has been penalized more than $1 billion for what is essentially a $100 million revenue restatement from last year, a 10% beating that is arguably too harsh for the 4-cent per share crime.

Even so, the way forward for Groupon has now been made even more difficult, as no less than four firms have downgraded the stock and/or estimates this morning while at least five law firms have announced (e.g. advertised) their intentions to sue on behalf aggrieved shareholders. There's also the issue of a big insider lock-up period expiring at the six-month mark, which could see some heavy selling and further weigh on shares.

"They're finding their way as a public company," Task says, raising the question whether this $10 billion business might have ''rushed themselves to market'' before they were really ready to play in the big leagues.

View the original article here

Franchise Opportunities & Get Information on Buying a Franchise - Franchise Solution Bloomberg TV

http://www.franchisesolutions.com/
Should you open your own business or buy a franchise? How should you go about making that important decision and what's involved in getting started. Listen to Matt Alden, the president of Franchise Solutions, offer his insights into the franchise industry. Learn about franchise opportunities, buying a franchise business and home based businesses from Franchise Solutions today!

http://www.franchisesolutions.com/

View the original article here

Groupon’s Earnings Restatement: Broken Business or Buying Opportunity? - Yahoo Finance

There's an old saying that goes, "Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me." Today, it applies directly to Groupon (GRPN) as shares of the newly listed leader in the budding daily-deals online coupon business are down 10%, scorching investors for the second time in as many quarters after announcing a revision to its previously reported results.

As the company explains in its press release (which dubiously came out after the market closed on Friday) the latest hit is the result of a "shift in its business mix" to high-end, higher-priced products. Generally speaking, this is a good development and part of the reason why Groupon left its existing guidance intact for the first quarter. The downside, however, is that bigger deals, require bigger refunds and that's the rub, or at least the source of what could be many rubs.

''That's a big problem,'' my colleague Aaron Task says in the attached video, adding that because the company has only been public for five months, its credibility is subject to even closer scrutiny. "You gotta get that right, that's when you should have everything locked down,'' he says, while predicting that the stock will be headed even lower.

As it stands now, the stock has been penalized more than $1 billion for what is essentially a $100 million revenue restatement from last year, a 10% beating that is arguably too harsh for the 4-cent per share crime.

Even so, the way forward for Groupon has now been made even more difficult, as no less than four firms have downgraded the stock and/or estimates this morning while at least five law firms have announced (e.g. advertised) their intentions to sue on behalf aggrieved shareholders. There's also the issue of a big insider lock-up period expiring at the six-month mark, which could see some heavy selling and further weigh on shares.

"They're finding their way as a public company," Task says, raising the question whether this $10 billion business might have ''rushed themselves to market'' before they were really ready to play in the big leagues.

View the original article here

First Person: The Pitfalls of Buying a Franchise

Excited entrepreneurs constantly seek profitable business opportunities and franchises offer some great ones. However, not every franchise idea is right for you; nothing in business is as shiny as it first seems. I currently own two small businesses and have operated five others over the past two decades. The best advice I can give prospective business owners considering a franchise? Don't get in a hurry!

Buying a franchise means making a serious commitment. It's crucial to your credit score and bottom line to avoid pitfalls that might sabotage the opportunity. First, understand that a franchise is an exchange. The franchiser allows you to use their trademark and you agree to purchase their supplies. Other franchises have different arrangements, I have discovered, so it is important to read the fine print.

The Quota

About fifteen years ago, I was presented a home design franchise opportunity. An exciting franchise presentation and fantastic products sold me. As a new entrepreneur, I saw the potential in home design sales and I couldn't wait to get started. Fortunately, the franchise license was inexpensive - only $125; however the quota clause confused me. In order to keep my license, I had to purchase a certain wholesale amount every two months.

Although the products moved pretty quickly, the quote hung over me and I eventually became discouraged by it. I let my annual license lapse and gave up on this franchise.

The Recruiting

Some franchises like a major cosmetics company I have a license with grant different profit levels. For example, I make 50% profit on the product line but earn bonuses and greater profit for recruiting. Once you begin building your "organization" it costs money to maintain it. Also, if you lose a team member, your bonuses will diminish as well as your profit. In one instance, I had to return a substantial bonus when a high-ranking member of my team quit.

Bad Brands

Purchasing a nationally recognized franchise may seem like a good idea but that's not always the case. In some areas, a brand has saturated the area or made a poor impression on customers. I recommend doing a few Internet searches using the brand and your zip code. Flip through the phone book. Check local business coalitions to see if the franchise is already represented. If there's no room for you in the market, you should move on to something new.

If you have any doubts allow your attorney to review the contract before signing. It's better to be cautious than costly.

*Note: This was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Do you have a small business story that you'd like to share? Sign up with the Yahoo! Contributor Network to start publishing your own finance articles.

More from this contributor:

First Person: Attracting Customers Without Coupons

First Person: My Business is Home-Based But I Can Still Reach New Markets

Managing a Construction Project

View the original article here

Low Cost Franchise For Sale- Buying Franchise Opportunities

http://buy-a-franchise-business.com/?t=ytlcf Looking to buy one of the best low cost franchise business opportunities? Buying a franchise opportunity for sale needs proper due diligence, like buying other business opportunities. We share a low cost franchise business opportunity that has had proven success as an online franchise at a fraction of the cost of traditional franchises for sale.

This low cost franchise opportunity is for serious entrepreneur only. Consider this successful proven internet franchise business model. Recession proof, future proof, 80% profits, ROI in months, low start-up costs, up to 300% return on marketing. This franchise opportunity has low overheads with no employees, no insurance,no inventory and an easy to follow franchise business plan with 85% automation and runs 24/7 by leveraging the internet.

This is a good international online franchise opportunity to suit anyone visiting franchise expo shows to find a cheap franchise opportunities for sale in 2011 in the UK, USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, India or anywhere globally.

View the original article here

Low Cost Franchise For Sale- Buying Franchise Opportunities

http://buy-a-franchise-business.com/?t=ytlcf Looking to buy one of the best low cost franchise business opportunities? Buying a franchise opportunity for sale needs proper due diligence, like buying other business opportunities. We share a low cost franchise business opportunity that has had proven success as an online franchise at a fraction of the cost of traditional franchises for sale.

This low cost franchise opportunity is for serious entrepreneur only. Consider this successful proven internet franchise business model. Recession proof, future proof, 80% profits, ROI in months, low start-up costs, up to 300% return on marketing. This franchise opportunity has low overheads with no employees, no insurance,no inventory and an easy to follow franchise business plan with 85% automation and runs 24/7 by leveraging the internet.

This is a good international online franchise opportunity to suit anyone visiting franchise expo shows to find a cheap franchise opportunities for sale in 2011 in the UK, USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, India or anywhere globally.

View the original article here

Research and Markets: 2011-12 France Small Business Market Opportunity Assessment Report Assesses the Impact Social Media Has On Buying Behavior - Yahoo Finance

Will Oil Prices Surprise in 2012?Daily Ticker

Blackstone Vice Chairman Byron Wien released his 27th annual market predictions list and the most 'surprising' …

View the original article here