You’re a Bay Stater thinking of starting your own business. But you’ve never owned or operated a company before. You have no idea where to start or even who to go to for help or moral support. Therefore, your dream of being an entrepreneur is likely just what it seems to be — an occasional pipe dream.
Have you thought of taking advantage of franchise opportunities in Nebraska? This just might fuel your entrepreneurial goals in a big way. First, let’s answer the basic question.
Why Start a Business in Nebraska?
Because it’s a great place to get business done. You’ve got a low cost of living in a state with low taxes and high motivation for helping companies get off the ground.
You’ve also got multiple metros. Of course, there’s Omaha — one of the largest and most thriving cities in Middle America. But other cities with prospective customers looking for what you’re offering include Bellevue, Grand Island, Kearney, and the state’s capital and major college town, Lincoln.
Besides, if you’re from here, you probably have figured out who to approach for funding help, and how to get things done quickly and efficiently. After all, no one knows Nebraska like a Nebraskan.
What’s a Business Franchise Anyway?
It’s a privately owned business with the name, logo, branding, work culture, and ways of doing business as a larger and more established organization–the franchisor. You are the franchisee.
Think about it long enough, and you can probably name hundreds of well-known franchise businesses. Examples include The International House of Pancakes (IHOP), Wyndham Hotels, Freeway Insurance, Merry Maids, and Minuteman Press.
If the above names have anything in common, it’s only that they have almost nothing in common. They’re in entirely different lines of business, operate in entirely different ways, and appeal to different audiences. But they’re respected organizations with high brand recognition.
That’s a leading franchise advantage. When you become a franchisee, you own your business, but you have the instant name recognition and brand respect that you’ve inherited from your franchisor. This means that even if you’re a first-time business owner, your familiar, professionally run operation will be taken totally seriously. Your customers might be visiting Nebraska for the first time, but they’re loyal patrons of a business in California with the exact same name, logo, and specialty as your operation — and they assume they’ll receive the same favorable experience they’re used to, from you.
Is There a Downside to Owning a Franchise?
You’ll be trained in conducting your business in the same ways that have proven to be successful for the franchisor and all of its other franchisees. Some entrepreneurs might consider this to be a restraint.
You’ll also have to pay a royalty fee for the right to sell the products or services that have drawn your customers to your location.
If you’d rather truly be on your own and without the fees, training, and guidance you can get from a successful franchise operation, you should steer away from this model of business startup.
What Does a Franchise Cost in Nebraska?
A little or a lot. It depends on multiple factors. For instance, do you need a newly constructed or renovated building, an opening day staff numbering in the hundreds, and expensive equipment, technology, and inventory? That’s likely to cost plenty, so you’d better have some deep-pocket investors on hand.
However, there are many other Nebraska businesses for sale within the franchise framework that cost much less, in part because the startup costs are modest. For instance, if you were to pursue an insurance franchise for sale in Nebraska, you might find it to be much more affordable.
That’s because, as the owner and (at first) sole employee of your insurance agency, your franchise fee and startup costs might be very affordable. You can operate your solo enterprise from your home or apartment. Your equipment might be little more than a phone, laptop, business cards, and website.
The bottom line is that your initial costs for buying a Nebraska franchise can fall at all points on the spectrum, based on the complexity of the operation, the location, your startup needs, and other factors.
So, What Sort of Nebraska Franchise Opportunity Should I Pursue?
Imagine you’re in the boss’s chair. And you’re doing business. Does the business excite you? Does it motivate you? Are you eager to start the new day? Or is it just another job?
Don’t take any franchise opportunity just because you can afford it. Or because you hate your current job so much that anything looks better. You know that saying about jumping from the frying pan into the fire? It means that your situation can get even worse if your plans only involve escaping wherever you currently are.
So start with … everything. Then, quickly eliminate the opportunities that don’t thrill your soul. What’s left? Your passion, that’s what.
Okay, I Might Be Interested. Now What?
Go online. Let your trusty search engine of choice lead you to several sites for franchise operators. They’re easy to find. Ask for “fast food franchises available in Lincoln, Nebraska.” Or “Insurance franchises in Nebraska.” Or “affordable business franchises for sale in Nebraska.” However you phrase the question, you’ll probably get the sites of franchise operators. Plenty of them.
These franchise representatives want to answer all your essential questions, either by email, phone calls, or however you’d like to check in with them. However you reach out, do yourself a big favor: Ask the difficult cost questions first. You don’t want to fall into a situation where you get excited about the business and then find you’re wasting your time on an opportunity you can never afford.
As your discussions become more and more serious, you’ll eventually get your opportunity in writing. This is known as your franchise disclosure document, or FDD.
Your FDD should clearly spell out all of the costs, terms, limitations, and expectations of a relationship. Read it carefully, then let your lawyer, accountant, partners, or other business associates read it.
Does it make sense to them? If you have changes you’d like to see made, try to revise the document. If your prospective partner won’t negotiate, consider whether you can live with the terms spelled out.
Ideally, you’ll eagerly sign the FDD and happily begin the entrepreneurial adventure of your life.
Meet Freeway Insurance, Your Prospective Franchise Partners
We hope that one of the respected franchisors you check out is us. At Freeway Insurance, we can show you how to succeed as a franchise business owner in Nebraska with top-tier training, ongoing support, a deep and abundant inventory of major insurance brands, and strong brand recognition.
We’ve built strong brand trust over the decades. As one of the nation’s largest and most respected personal lines insurance companies, we’ll help make you a major competitor in the Bay State and give you a loyal policyholder base. Just call your Freeway Insurance franchise representative at (877) 822-3024 to start the conversation.
You’ll be amazed at how affordable and gratifying a Freeway Insurance franchise will be.
