Microfranchise: Endless Possibilities

By David Stoker, Guest Author

When we stop and think of the number of businesses that fall under the umbrella of Franchising in the developed world and the dearth of those business models at the bottom of the pyramid, it is exciting to think of the possibilities. A list of Franchise businesses: Automobile dealerships, Professional Sports Teams, Bottling Plants, Cell Phone Shops, Restaurants, Gas Stations, Pharmacies, Truck Drivers, Ice Cream Carts, Hot Dog Stands, Mechanics, Plumbers, Hair Stylists, Insurance Agents, Avon Ladies, etc. Each have characteristics of branding, training, streamlining of services, regional jurisdictions, and systems of operations.

In the informal market in developing countries it is difficult to form such a list. Each family is forced to be their own enterprise. They understand the power of branding and will sometimes paint recognizable images of Coke or cell phone companies on their stall to give themselves credibility.

There are a couple resources on the web that are gathering microfranchising ideas and examples: Kirk Magelby of the Ascend Alliance posted a listing of opportunities on the omidyar network. There is also a blog, that is gathering news, examples, and potential ideas that fall under the umbrella of microfranchising from around the web.

Up Next: Financing Growth

This segment is a part in the series : Microfranchise