Every day, from coast to coast, thousands of men and women make their money perfecting the advertising and marketing of the retail corporations that employ them, hoping to sway the public for just another day of sales. We read ads all the time, watch flashing TV spots that tantalize our senses each night before we go to bed, and look at pictures in magazines that convince us our lives are incomplete without the wealth of products these companies provide. And the major competitors spend millions—hundreds of millions, even billions—on reeling us into the purchase of their overpriced goods.
Still, every Saturday afternoon, when I take a little time to be a relaxed shopper, my very favorite place in town is the only one that doesn’t spend money to draw me in; I go to Goodwill, where the parking lot is always full. Why? Because—aside from the fact that I’m on the poor side of the spectrum—there’s a thrill I feel in knowing that I got a bargain, knowing that I found satisfaction without all that stuff in the advertisements.
The same applies to U-turn Vending or American Vending Systems is that no matter how the economy goes people will not stop purchasing candy, snacks, and soda. There’s a stability there that few businesses—even the really expensive ones—can claim.
In a similar vein, a great low-cost franchise opportunity is The Back Rubber. Learn the secret of making money without a product to sell. Simply find locations in malls to leave your leather back-massage chairs for public use, and people will pay you without you even having to be there.
There are other industries in which demand is relatively constant, like the service industry. These are great business opportunities because, since your labor is the product, the overhead is very, very small—which is why the franchises come at so little cost to you, the owner. VacuVent Air Duct Cleaning is a good example: you, a van, and a vacuum, and you’re good to go in a market that isn’t going away any time soon. If not duct cleaning, perhaps sales and installation of blinds with a Made in the Shade Blinds and More franchise. As well, there’s always Hound Mounds. As long as dogs leave landmines in their masters’ yards and owners are unwilling to get out the shovel, you will have work.
Granted, dog poop isn’t exactly going to inject a lot of meaning into your life, so if you’re not willing to sacrifice altruism just to start a functional business at low cost, try out a franchise with either Caring Hearts Enterprises or The Drug Test Consultants. In the one, franchisees have the honorable duty of providing in-home care for elderly men and women who want to retain a degree of their personal autonomy and dignity. With the other, owners run drug tests for schools, businesses, and private parties in order to bring problems to light before they destroy someone’s life. Cheap doesn’t have to mean meaningless.
Starting an inexpensive, “bargain” business also doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice time with your family to get a poor company up off the ground. With a Press-a-Print business all ready for your turn-key startup, you could be well on your way to starting a successful, home-based advertising operation through which the whole family gets to be a part of serving local businesses. You could even teach your kids to use the print press.
Though it may seem a little odd, a person can even get into the business of money by way of a cheap franchise. By starting a Key Credit Training LLC business, you can propel yourself into the wide world of lease/finance brokering, where it’s possible to bring in a six-figure income, from what—compared to other franchise prices—is only a Goodwill-sized startup cost.
Any way you go, the important issue is that you don’t have to buy the lie that, in order to be a happy, completed, successful franchise owner, you must purchase a multi-hundred-thousand-dollar business. Starting out small doesn’t mean you’ll stay small, and even staying small doesn’t mean you’ll remain unfulfilled.
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