Franchising in the Bay Area: Do's and Don’ts

The Bay Area market is unlike any other market in the country. What works elsewhere may not work here and vise-versa. In this class, serial entrepreneur Katie Fagan will discuss the ins and outs of franchising along with a strategic approach to finding the franchise options with proven track record in the Bay Area.

You will take away a better understanding of the following:  

• Basic information on franchising, including the range of industry categories, investment levels, fees, and myths and misconceptions.
• How to assess the risk involved in business ownership vs. a traditional career path or starting a business from scratch.
• What does Franchising look like today i.e. industry growth and local presence.
• How building wealth and equity through franchise ownership is a viable option in today's market.
• Who is and is not a good candidate for franchise ownership?
• The characteristics of a semi-absentee business model and the business segments that work well with it.
• How to navigate through Bay Area commercial real estate market.
• The financing options available including using your own retirement funds, SBA Loans, Private Equity, etc.
• How to make a safe and wise decision to minimize risk and optimize chances for success?
• A strategic approach to defining your personal business model and selecting the franchise that is right for you.

Whether you are looking for a career change, an additional revenue stream or something full-time, owning your own business can provide you with flexibility, control and financial reward. Join us to see if owning a franchise business is an option for you. 

What People Are Saying About This Class:

Join us for this 2-hour workshop and take your first steps in your entrepreneurial journey.

Registration Information 

Registration Fee: $45.00

Veterans: Free admission is available for this class.  Click Here for details.

Walk-ins: If space allows, you can register at the door and pay by credit card or cash.

Be sure to complete registration fully. Print out the ticket and bring it to class as proof of payment or save the confirmation email on your mobile device and bring it with you.

Seating is Limited.  This class begins promptly at 6:30pm so please arrive by 6:15 to sign in and get seated.

If you have trouble registering, send an email to info@svscore.org

About The Course Instructor:

Katie Fagan

Katie has over 15 years of experience in the world of small business.  In her corporate career she worked as the Vice President of Small Business Funding, focusing primarily on funding start-up franchises and businesses.   During her time there, she gained extensive knowledge on the ins-and-outs of franchising from the back-end forward.  Katie has helped over 600 small businesses open their doors, many of which were franchises, and has facilitated hundreds of SBA loans.  Katie also worked in business brokerage, as a co-founder of a boutique brokerage firm focusing on the resale of restaurants, nightclubs and franchises. Currently, Katie teaches Entrepreneurship at universities across the Bay Area, volunteers with the San Jose Chapter of SCORE as well as other local government and non-profit agencies educating people on the ins-and-outs of small business ownership. She has successfully helped over 1,000 people into business.  Katie holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Finance and a PhD in Mass Communications.