Making the Decision to Exit Your Franchise

There are many reasons why franchise owners decide to close up shop. Sometimes it's a personal decision: too much pressure, too little free time, the desire to move on to something new. But often the

Many people go into a franchise business assuming that their success is guaranteed. Why wouldn't it be, with the backing of a powerful, successful brand and product? But sometimes the particular quirks of franchising can cause significant headaches. Encroachment by rival franchises can steal away customers. Inflexible or unhelpful franchisors can also be a problem, and you and your franchisor may not always have a good working relationship. What are you doing paying a third party a percentage of your sales when it doesn't give you the support you need in purchasing, hiring, and training?

Think carefully about the decision to exit your business. Before making any rash decisions, draw up a list of all the problems you are experiencing in the business, then sit down with your franchisor and go over them one by one. Don't be afraid to float potential remedies for specific situations to your franchisor — if you do have had a good working relationship, it will want to help you find solutions. You should also speak to other franchisees. Perhaps you're simply experiencing drawn-out business "growing pains" that they can assist you with by offering practical, firsthand advice.