It is a life changing decision, one that involves many considerations and requires a great deal of information, so it makes sense to call on the services of the British Franchise Association (bfa), which has been the voice of franchising in the UK for 30 years.

Part of the bfa’s work involves making sure that those who are thinking about becoming franchisees invest as much time as possible learning about the industry, the concepts and the ways of evaluating their suitability.

Head of marketing Dan Archer said: “Starting a business through franchising will involve a long term commitment and a sizeable investment, so it is important for new franchisees to go into it with their eyes open and to invest the time and money they need to ensure that the decision is the right one.”

Those who are still in full time employment and uncertain about whether franchising is right for them might find one of the bfa’s free evening educational seminars helpful.

Supported by media partners Daily Express and Whichfranchise.com, and sponsored by HSBC, Lloyds TSBC, NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland, these serve as a basic introduction to franchising, and are an ideal way to learn about the concept before making any decisions.

Mr Archer said: “You need to get to grips with the basics and understand the jargon, and this programme allows us to introduce the sector to those who are curious about franchising.”

In addition to the free seminars, the bfa delivers a programme of franchise workshops at locations throughout the UK. For those who feel they are ready to take the next step towards franchise ownership, attending a one-day bfa franchisee workshops will provide them a more in-depth understanding of the industry, and an opportunity to hear from current franchisees, franchisors, and banking and legal professionals, all brought together in one location.

Mark Fordham found the bfa workshop that he attended invaluable in helping make his decision to invest in a TaxAssist franchise, which he now runs in St Albans.

He said: “It taught me what I should look for when choosing a franchise, and highlighted the advantages that franchise ownership has over setting up a business on my own.

“The talks by existing franchisees were also useful and I was able to ask questions to a franchise ‘expert’ to help in my decision making process,” he added.

For information on the next educational seminar and one-day workshop dates and on all aspects of franchising, visit www.thebfa.org