The Green Franchise Business Scene

Officially, spring begins on March 20^th. Soon, the smell of freshly cut grass will be wafting through the mostly fresh air. A sense of renewal will fill the landscape. Things will start turning green.

Green can be a relaxing color. Tha;s why many hospitals use it in their décor. Some television stations have wha-s called-the green room' which is used for its studio guests, to help them relax. Green (dark green) implies wealth. Our paper money is green.

Entire businesses are focused on green technology, and sustainability. Her's what Caron Beesley, who works with the Business.Gov team, wrote about sustainability and business.

Ther's even some franchise businesses that are either going green, or who are offering franchise business models that are green.

So, do you think that all this talk of'gree' is just a fad? Or, like me, do you feel that it will be an increasingly important part of our everyday lives?

In franchising, there are currently two distinct types of green franchises;

1. Franchises that are green businesses
2. Franchises that are using green technology and green ingredients

A good example of a truly green franchise would be a solar panel design and installation franchise. The franchise's role as the small business owner would be to market their services to prospective homeowners and building owners. Once they start getting interest they would have to sell the solar panel systems to the interested parties, and then design and install the system for maximum benefit.

A great example of a franchise business that has decided to capitalize on the green scene would be a food-related franchise. A good example would be Pizza Fusion*, a newer franchise concept that uses organic ingredients on their pizzas. But, they go even further, as they strive to make their restaurants LEED certified*.

Residential and commercial cleaning services (of the franchise variety) are jumping on the green bandwagon. Some of them are starting to use cleaning products that are non-toxic, and that wo't hurt our environment.

If you are thinking about becoming a green franchise owner, 'd like you to keep a couple of things in mind;

• Think about why you want to become a franchisee in a green franchise business. Is it about your passion to help the environment, while making a profit at the same time, or is it only about the passion that you have towards all things environmental. Remember, franchisors want franchisees that will help them make money!
• Make sure that you do the proper research on the franchises that you end up looking at. In the case of green franchises, make sure that the franchisors are not doing more advertising and marketing that tells you that they're green, as opposed to being truly green. Dig deep.
• Green franchises are pretty new to the scene. Ask the executives what their long-term vision is for the franchise concept. Find out how they'll continue to stay green.

If you feel that green business models are here to stay, and you want to help the environment while making money, explore the green possibilities.

*Hyperlink directs reader to a non-government website.

(The Franchise King®, Joel Libava, is president of Franchise Selection Specialists Inc. Joel helps those interested in exploring franchise ownership all over the country find great opportunities that are a great match for them. He is frequently called on by the media for his no-spin insights on the world of franchising. You can follow Joel on his award winning blog-The Franchise King Blog.)

Edited for formating issues.

About the Author

The Franchise King®, Joel Libava, is the author of the book, Become a Franchise Owner! He's also a franchise ownership advisor; Joel teaches people that are interested in franchise ownership how to properly select and carefully research franchise business opportunities so they can increase their odds of success.