FRANCHISE BUSINESSESTen franchisors will be on hand to discuss business in the field of:• Personal care• Senior care• Staffing business to business• Design and construction• Restoration and preservation of exterior wood• Digital imaging, signage and graphics• Residential and commercial repair• Cleaning, restoration and indoor air quality• Business-to-business coaching• Auto repair and maintenanceIF YOU GOWhat: Meet the Franchisors, an opportunity to learn about franchising from businesses looking to enter the Chattanooga areaWhere: Marriott Residence Inn Chattanooga near Hamilton Place, 2340 Center St.When: 12:30 to 4 p.m.Cost: Free to those who register, $10 at the door. To register, visit www.ChattanoogaFranchiseExpo.eventbrite.com More information: Email Jerry Bird at Jbird@FranNet.com
There can be instruction manuals for starting a business, and Jerry Bird wants to help Chattanoogans find the manual that's right for them.
Bird will host an afternoon seminar Wednesday connecting potential franchisees with all the resources they need to start a business in the area.
"We wanted to show people in East Tennessee and especially the Chattanooga market what options are out there and some companies that are interested in coming," he said. "You're buying basically a business in a box."
Ten franchisors will present their concepts, then talk with any interested potential business owners at Wednesday's seminar. Financial and legal specialists also will be available to help answer any questions.
"It's a great learning environment," Bird said. "We walk away feeling like we really did a great job of showing people what franchising is all about."
Bird heads FranNet, which represents franchisors across the country. He said Chattanooga is an attractive market for expanding businesses.
"It's exploding with new industry, new people coming in," he said. "Everybody sees this as a growth part of the state and the East Coast."
The forecast is positive for franchises across the country. This is projected to be the first year since 2008 where the number of franchises in the country will grow. The businesses are expected to generate sales of $782 billion this year, up from $745 billion in 2011, according to IHS Global insight, a leading economic forecasting firm.
About 75 people are expected to attend Wednesday's seminar. Ronelle Sellers with Southside Creative Group expects most of the attendees will find the seminar worthwhile.
"If you've never owned a business of any kind, they help," she said. "When you've got something that somebody else has worked on, and it's a well-oiled machine, that takes a lot out of the headache of getting started."
Contact Carey O'Neil at coneil@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6525. Follow him at twitter.com/careyoneil.