Best small business franchise books according to redditors

Yes, I read the Franchise Bible it tells you almost everything you need to know about buying a franchise. Not an exhilarating read, but it contains a lot of useful info.

He completely destroyed the USFL.

Football for a Buck: The Crazy Rise and Crazier Demise of the USFL https://www.amazon.com/dp/0544454383/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AJK3BbSDE02T9

Just got Football for a Buck

Anyone read this yet? I'm pretty excited to dive into it. The 30 for 30 done on the USFL was one of the most interesting ones they did I thought

I don't know anything about operating a cart or mobile location but those franchise requirements don't sound out of line. There are a ton of potential costs when setting up a brick & mortar franchise, such as:

• Initial franchise fee
  
• Legal fees to review the terms of the franchise agreement and your lease
  
• Travel & lodging costs to visit the franchisor HQ so you can learn the system
  
• Costs to set up your legal entity (LLC, S-Corp, etc.)
  
• Rent (first month + deposit at least)
  
• Buildout (almost certainly some amount of remodeling required unless the existing space was used for the exact same purpose)
  
• Business insurance & construction insurance during buildout
  
• Equipment
  
• Fixtures & furnishing (seating, counters, etc.)
  
• Point of sale system (may be mandatory to use franchise specific POS)
  
• Security system
  
• Phone & internet
  
• Utilities
  
• Advertising / marketing
  
• Signage inside & out + installation
  
• Employee uniforms, if needed
  
• Employee payroll fees, workers comp, etc. + the actual labor expense
  
• Inventory / supplies
  
• Accountant fees
  
• Working capital
  
  If they want to see $100k liquid, then the total estimated startup costs will probably be anywhere from 100 - 300k. (You would be expected to get a loan or investors to cover the balance)
  
  After you open you will need to pay a continuing fee to the franchisor every month, typically as a percentage of your gross sales.
  
  Running a restaurant / beverage business is a full time job. If you are in school you would likely need to have at least 1 employee as a full-time store manager and maybe several part-timers.
  
  Any franchisor worth working with should be VERY hesitant to grant a franchise to someone with limited assets, business experience and free time. If they are not, walk away because it means they are handing these things out to anybody. And if they are hesitant then you have a huge task ahead of you to prove that you have the knowledge & ability to be part of their brand. You may want to bring on investment partners if money is the only limiting factor.
  
  If you're still serious about it, read The Franchise MBA before you do anything else.