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The Educated Franchisee: The How-To Book for Choosing a Winning Franchise
The Educated Franchisee will show owning a franchise can create wealth-Where to find quality franchisors-What qualities franchisors look for-How to gather information from franchisees-How to make sure the franchise makes money-How to confidently select the best franchise-The five keys to success in owning a franchise
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2008
104 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Rick Bisio
4 booksFranchise Coach Rick Bisio has been focused on the business of franchising for over a quarter century utilizing a unique approach focused on improved decision making. Rick was born in Kansas City, the son of a hard working and independently minded father. Naturally, his father owned his own business. Entrepreneurship is what Rick knew growing up and it is the foundation of how he looks at the world. If you want your children to grow up confident in their own abilities, start a business and let them take part. It will give them the confidence to tackle anything in life.
Although Rick had many small businesses in his youth, he founded his first full time business at age 25. He secured the exclusive rights to import a variety of Italian plumbing brands and promptly quit his corporate job at Monsanto. When he started this business, he knew nothing about plumbing products and had no contacts within the United States plumbing industry. This was what you commonly call a ‘boot-strap start-up’. Suffice it to say that he learned a lot.
After selling the business, Rick spent several years both teaching and studying. While studying for his Master’s Degree in International Business in the early 1990’s, he was introduced to the franchise business model. This chance encounter changed his life.
As one of the most respected franchise consultants in the United States, Rick has guided thousands of people to great business decisions regarding business ownership and franchising. Rick has owned both franchised and non franchised businesses. He has bought, sold and invested in businesses and worked as an adviser to others seeking to do the same. Franchise Coach Rick Bisio is a best selling author and a regular speaker on the subject of business ownership and franchising. Rick currently lives on a small resort island in Florida with his family.
Although Rick had many small businesses in his youth, he founded his first full time business at age 25. He secured the exclusive rights to import a variety of Italian plumbing brands and promptly quit his corporate job at Monsanto. When he started this business, he knew nothing about plumbing products and had no contacts within the United States plumbing industry. This was what you commonly call a ‘boot-strap start-up’. Suffice it to say that he learned a lot.
After selling the business, Rick spent several years both teaching and studying. While studying for his Master’s Degree in International Business in the early 1990’s, he was introduced to the franchise business model. This chance encounter changed his life.
As one of the most respected franchise consultants in the United States, Rick has guided thousands of people to great business decisions regarding business ownership and franchising. Rick has owned both franchised and non franchised businesses. He has bought, sold and invested in businesses and worked as an adviser to others seeking to do the same. Franchise Coach Rick Bisio is a best selling author and a regular speaker on the subject of business ownership and franchising. Rick currently lives on a small resort island in Florida with his family.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 9, 2025
This is my second franchise book as I explore this business opportunity. I would definitely recommend this one over, ‘Become a Franchise Owner’ by Joel Libava. That treatise was very self promotional and chatty in an annoying way. This book is engaging and breaks down the facets of making the decision to own a franchise in a helpful and useful way. The biggest difference between the two is how this one sees getting a franchise coach as a valid approach but that the final decision should always be the one putting down the dollars and expending the blood,sweat and tears.
August 17, 2009
Excellent book. I had no idea of how the franchise system works. This book explains the whole process of buying a franchichise in clear detail. Gives some great ideas on financing that I hadn't read anywhere else.
February 16, 2018
A nicely written step-by-step on the process of evaluating yourself for business ownership and the process of evaluating franchises. This is not a stand alone resource, in that when you read it, you will have all the answers. Rather, you will be better positioned to ask better questions. This is a great tool to add to your arsenal when doing research and working through the process.
May 25, 2024
One of the best business coaching books
Though focused on franchise framework, I recommend this book for any wannabe entrepreneur irrespective of whether he or she takes franchise route.
Many values and approaches that he discussed here like conquering fear, aligning business with a higher purpose, importance of evaluating skills and doing due diligence if skills match what you intend to do (Hint: Follow your passion may not be the right advice), self assessment, leveraging support systems etc., are applicable for any businesses franchise, or not. Loved the fact that he started with the topic of fear. That's for sure the first thing to handle for any progress. Very nicely done in exploring that topic.
There are times though I felt like he is talking from a franchisor perspective. He repeatedly talks about trusting franchisor process that you bought in to, which makes sense for established systems. After all mature systems are successful for a reason. Will the same hold good for new start up franchise concepts? Isn't there a risk in yet to be proven models? People may have bought in to such models based on their belief in end product or service concept. They may have genuine concern in process that is not mature. I wish he dedicated a chapter for such franchise models. Even in a mature process, disruptive technologies may make make established franchisors obsolete. Remember RadioShack? Isn't in franchisee's and franchisors own interest that suggestions should be encouraged and vetted? I see AI as deeply disruptive to any working franchise model. A revised edition to address such risks is due as well.
Though focused on franchise framework, I recommend this book for any wannabe entrepreneur irrespective of whether he or she takes franchise route.
Many values and approaches that he discussed here like conquering fear, aligning business with a higher purpose, importance of evaluating skills and doing due diligence if skills match what you intend to do (Hint: Follow your passion may not be the right advice), self assessment, leveraging support systems etc., are applicable for any businesses franchise, or not. Loved the fact that he started with the topic of fear. That's for sure the first thing to handle for any progress. Very nicely done in exploring that topic.
There are times though I felt like he is talking from a franchisor perspective. He repeatedly talks about trusting franchisor process that you bought in to, which makes sense for established systems. After all mature systems are successful for a reason. Will the same hold good for new start up franchise concepts? Isn't there a risk in yet to be proven models? People may have bought in to such models based on their belief in end product or service concept. They may have genuine concern in process that is not mature. I wish he dedicated a chapter for such franchise models. Even in a mature process, disruptive technologies may make make established franchisors obsolete. Remember RadioShack? Isn't in franchisee's and franchisors own interest that suggestions should be encouraged and vetted? I see AI as deeply disruptive to any working franchise model. A revised edition to address such risks is due as well.
May 15, 2023
The book does a great job at laying out all the aspects of a franchise, the right questions to ask and tips and tricks to make educated decisions and find the information you need to make them. Didn’t apply to my situation as I did not have a choice in the franchise but despite that it still gave me a good understanding of how it works and what to look for.
August 17, 2024
3.5 ⭐
"Whatever you do, don't get discouraged; the right opportunity does exist—you simply need the patience to find it."
i never expected business related books to have so much wisdom. they never fail to make me rethink what i'm doing in my life rn
"Whatever you do, don't get discouraged; the right opportunity does exist—you simply need the patience to find it."
i never expected business related books to have so much wisdom. they never fail to make me rethink what i'm doing in my life rn
June 23, 2025
After reading this book, I feel much better-equipped to move forward with the franchise search and selection process. The book is very readable and straightforward but also provides details and examples to help explain the process.
July 15, 2020
My first book on franchising and I loved it. Great content, the author has a real interest in helping the reader understand franchising.
April 4, 2013
This is a super informative, well-writen, easy to dive into book. I found the language and tone to be very accessable and the organization was easy to follow. Well worth the time.
October 17, 2012
Excellent! Very detailed information, an eye opener on how the franchise system really works.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews