Everything you need to know about running a franchise

The UK is a nation of would-be entrepreneurs, with more than three-quarters of young people saying they'd like to start their own business one day. And in the first half of this year, more than 90,000 people took the plunge and did exactly that, according to Barclays and the Business Growth Fund.

But for many people, going it alone is just too risky - which is where franchising comes in. It's a way of becoming your own boss while exploiting an existing brand and getting help and support from the start. The odds of success are significantly higher than starting a business from scratch: more than 90 percent of franchises report a profit every year and only four percent fail. And the vast majority of franchises - 85 percent - show a profit within two years.

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