Three days, Monday 9th to Wednesday 11th, of sponsor presentations and workshops provided the best in networking opportunities for both franchisors/sponsors and MatchPoint consultants. This year`s event is the first of many International Annual Summits we plan for our rapidly growing international network of franchise consultants.

Highlights from this important event in the Group`s calendar included UK brands presentations and presentations by Sponsor representatives Snap Fitness, Sopra Brands, DLA Piper, Platinum Property Partners, Tutor Doctor and WSI Internet Franchise

Day Two events commenced with a presentation by Keith Gerson, CFE, Chief Operating Officer of Sopra Brands, titled “Leveraging Surrogate Behaviours To Build Trust”, Keith Gerson has over thirty five years of executive level franchise expertise in building rapid-growth companies able to generate sustainable profits.  Recognized in franchising circles for his extensive leadership experience within the franchise industry, Keith has guided companies to record levels of franchise development, the acceleration of multimillion-dollar revenue growth (and resultant royalties) along with significant EBITDA.

In his role as Chief Operating Officer for Sopra Brands, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, Keith oversees the Presidents of each of Sopra Brands companies which includes HouseMaster Home Inspection, EarthFruits Yogurt, Hogi Yogi, Teriyaki Stix, Lunchboxers and GFEazy. Sopra also acquires and grows companies and provides management and consulting services to companies in the franchise industry. Keith’s exceptional track-record of business success, revenue growth and profit improvements are based on his commitment to creating alignment around key strategies and accomplishing results through a strong interdependent relationship between franchisor, franchisee and all stakeholders.

Monday closed with a fun evening pre-dinner event “Hunting in Oxford.”  The event was based on the popular board game Monopoly and sent the six teams of five all over the historic city to locate clues. Team members were provided with a list of photo challenges that included taking a photo of their team with ten strangers, taking a photo with a celebrity lookalike and taking a photo of the team performing an optical illusion. The evening ended with a fabulous dinner at La Tasca restaurant and a viewing of all of the team photos provided exceptionally lighthearted entertainment. The winning team was Team 2 led by Senior Vice President of Operations of MatchPoint, Victoria Conte. The event and dinner was sponsored by Sopra Brands.

MatchPoint Franchise Consulting Network was born out of a vision shared by a group of leaders within the franchise industry, that there could be a better way of helping individuals find the franchise opportunity of their dreams and a better way of helping franchisors identify efficiently the best potential franchisees. Match Point`s goal is to build the world’s most successful international network of franchise consultants representing the industry’s premier franchise brands, delivering value as a trusted partner to the best franchise brands, and offering high-value services to  prospective franchisee clients.

The first Annual International Summit for the MatchPoint Franchise Consulting Network has just concluded, May 8 through to May 11, at The Oxford Belfry Hotel, Milton Common, Thame, Oxfordshire in England. The three days included an intensive schedule of sponsor presentations, workshops and networking opportunities for both franchisors/sponsors and the MatchPoint team of consultants.

This important event in the Group`s calendar, offering the best of best practices material developed by industry experts especially for MatchPoint, together with UK brands presentations, is the first of many International Annual Summits we plan for our rapidly growing international network of franchise consultants. The formula for the Summit, the excellence of the speakers and the appropriateness of their presentations, together with the opportunity for one on one meetings with the sponsors, was praised by all in attendance.

Day One events featured a presentation by Gary Findley, Snap Fitness Chief Operating Officer, titled “Handling Fear and Other Obstacles” and directed at why consultants need to be sensitive to the three greatest fears and five greatest obstacles a potential franchise owner must overcome. Snap Fitness was the Summit sponsor.  A franchise expert with over 25 years of experience, Gary has a wealth of experience in helping new and experienced entrepreneurs get on the right track to growing their business. Since joining the company as COO, Gary has been instrumental in expanding the concept into seven countries, while managing day-to-day operations at the corporate headquarters with a staff of over 50 employees.

Phil Heaven, the UK Regional Vice President, introduced the Summit with opening comments and later in the day was Moderator for a best practice workshop “Matching the Candidate to the Best Brands”  Phil joined MatchPoint on January 1st and is one of the top performing consultants.

Mark Dobson, Co-Founder WSI Internet Franchise, presented on the power of the Shapes profiling system that MatchPoint uses to determine their candidates natural strengths and weaknesses. Mark has been with WSI since its inception in 1995. He has an extensive background in business development in several industries dating back to the early seventies. His knowledge of the development of human potential and the understanding of behavioral patterns has been instrumental in developing the unique franchisee screening and selection process utilized by WSI.

Two fun social events organized for the evening of Day One were thoroughly enjoyed by sponsors, consultants, spouses and guests and sponsored by SOPRA Brands.

Watch this space for a report on Day two activities, giving more details on the Speakers and their presentations and the workshops.

MatchPoint Franchise Consulting Network was born out of a vision shared by a group of leaders within the franchise industry, that there could be a better way of helping individuals find the franchise opportunity of their dreams and a better way of helping franchisors identify efficiently the best potential franchisees. Match Point`s goal is to build the world’s most successful international network of franchise consultants representing the industry’s premier franchise brands, delivering value as a trusted partner to the best franchise brands, and offering high-value services to  prospective franchisee clients.

We have just released the agenda for the first Annual International Summit, this year taking place in Oxford, England. This is to be the first of many International Summits planned for our rapidly growing international network of franchise consultants. We expect the Summit will be a popular and important annual event offering the best of educational and networking opportunities for both franchisors/sponsors and the MatchPoint team of consultants. The Summit and attendee events have been organized by Victoria Conte, Senior Vice President of Operations of MatchPoint and her team.

The Summit is booked for May 8 through to May 11, at The Oxford Belfry Hotel, Milton Common, Thame, Oxfordshire.  Summit sponsor is Snap Fitness, and sponsors for other events during the three days of speakers, presentations and workshops are Platinum Property Partners, SOPRA Brands, DLA Piper, Tutor Doctor and WSI, Internet Consulting and Education.  Speakers include franchise expert Gary Findley, COO of Snap Fitness, and Phil Zeidman, Senior Partner, DLA Piper, who will be speaking about the legal landscape, both in the U.S. and International.  Day 2 includes a two-part workshop on the highly topical subject of Social Media. In addition to speakers addressing the specifics of building a franchise brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland, there will be special presentations of UK brands and time scheduled for one on one interaction with exhibitors and sponsors.

As well as some fun activities before dinner events, Summit attendees will relax with a range of extracurricular activities including Golf and an onsite Spa, and spouses have a program of a collection of activities to choose from including as the opportunity for sightseeing in and around the Oxford area.

Watch this space for timely reports during the Summit, giving more details on the Speakers and their presentations and the workshops.

MatchPoint Franchise Consulting Network  was born out of a vision shared by a group of leaders within the franchise industry, that there could be a better way of helping individuals find the franchise opportunity of their dreams and a better way of helping franchisors identify efficiently the best potential franchisees. Match Point`s goal is to build the world’s most successful international network of franchise consultants representing the industry’s premier franchise brands, delivering value as a trusted partner to the best franchise brands, and offering high-value services to  prospective franchisee clients.

Late last year, I spent two highly energizing, long planned weeks on a strategic business trip to Mexico City to explore expanding into the region.  The Mexican market has amongst the highest growth potential for the franchise business model outside North America.

In each of the last five years, growth in franchising in Mexico has been between 13% and 17% per annum. The Mexican market is also very accepting of both U.S. and Canadian brands, providing a great exporting opportunity.   MatchPoint will work with locally recruited consultants to develop local brands for this market as well. 

With the experience of the successful establishment of our UK and Ireland MatchPoint Franchise Consulting Network, we know our business model works in the international environment. We have opened the New Year 2011 with the recruiting of our first Mexican-based consultant and have two more appointments in the pipeline.  We expect to have two dozen by the close of 2011.

This strategic direction for MatchPoint, taken some time ago, was very much reinforced by a meeting with the former Mexican president Vicente Fox, in early April 2010.  We discussed the significant growth potential of the Mexican franchise market during the Latin American Entrepreneurship Forum at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.  That Vicente Fox is a great believer in the franchising model is hardly surprising.  His dramatic and successful career in business and his rise to the top of Coca-Cola de México is well documented.  He expressed his firm belief  that franchising will continue to contribute to the future economic growth of Mexico.

Legislation in Mexico has adapted and evolved as franchising, particularly that of local Mexican brands has become more widely known in the last 20 years.  It has also taken into account the protection of franchisees and would-be investors in this attractive and resilient small business model.

 I founded MatchPoint Franchise Consulting Network in 2006 with a mission of helping companies expand their franchise networks and improve their system profitability.  That mission included improving the quality of new Franchisees coming into the system.

Advice is offered freely to franchise buyers by MatchPoint consultants and can be vital to you in making a better, prudent, buying decision.  The advice offered by our consultants does not make us lawyers; it is there to help you, with a high quality due diligence process.  It is an effective hedge against the misrepresentation and fraud sometimes propagated by less than reputable business opportunity marketers.  

MatchPoint consultants trained by Nigel Mayne know the red flags in the investment field.  It takes the very few promoters that practice business fraud to taint the dream of an individual and their family.  

That`s why seeking the independent advice of an expert franchising consultant is wise and invaluable from the start of your due diligence process. 

Starting up in your own business or expanding a home based activity into a reliable, steady and satisfactory income stream is a challenge made tougher by the wide range of opportunities that seem to be available. Maybe you have already searched the internet for small business opportunities and found a wealth, even an overload, of interesting leads.  Which ones match your skill set and which are the ones to walk away from for a number of reasons not overlooking the risk of fraud?

Franchises attract many new investors because the business is established and proven, the learning curve for the entrepreneur is minimised and marketing resources, training and operating procedures get the new venture off the ground faster.

In your initial search on the Internet you will soon encounter many leads for franchise investment, possibly an overwhelming number depending on which country you are focussing your effort.  In the Annual Franchise Development Report produced by a US media group, the internet is the top sales producer, with an increasing amount being spent on advertising franchises using social networking sites.

The franchise business model has, for more than a decade, been well established in North America (the USA and Canada), in the UK, Ireland and Australia in more recent years and growing fast, and now in many European and South American countries, all with various forms and levels of legislative and administrative controls to protect the buyer/investor from the various possible risks encountered in all business models including commercial fraud.

Determining what you can afford or what you could afford to lose, some cynics say, will provide you with the short list of potential franchise opportunities.  The well meant advice relates to the hard fact that in the US nearly 90% of all new businesses fail within 3 to 5 years and not specifically to new franchises.  As with all business models, investing in a franchise carries a level of risk. However note that, by comparison with the statistics available and mentioned above for new businesses, the US Dept of Commerce studies show that, on the contrary, over 90% of new franchised businesses are in operation after more than 5 years.

MatchPoint Franchise Consulting Network was founded in 2006 with a mission of building the world’s most successful international network of franchise consultants representing the industry’s premier franchise brands.  We achieve this through delivering value as a trusted partner to the best franchise brands, and offering high-value services to our prospective franchisee clients.

The advice offered freely to franchise buyers by MatchPoint consultants is vital to the buyer in making a better, prudent, buying decision.  The advice offered by our consultants does not make us lawyers; it is there to help the investor with a high quality due diligence process.  It is an effective hedge against misrepresentation and fraud sometimes propagated by less than reputable business opportunity marketers.  

 

For the new investor, not having to start a new business from scratch offers significant advantage, both in time taken to earn a return and in initial investment cost.  Marketing costs are expected to be reduced.  Of course it’s in the interest of the franchisor that quality franchisees succeed and the franchisor support offered is a quantifiable attraction.  How does that investoruse the due diligence process to reduce risk?

The relationship of the investor franchisee with the franchisor will and must be ongoing.  As with any contractual arrangements it should go without saying that both parties to the contract must honor it.  Disputes arise in the best of relationships and some may give rise to litigation  initiated by either party on the basis of fraud   Here are five key areas where risks not well controlled may destroy the dreams of the franchisee from the commencement of contract.  Some will be familiar to the first time investor as a risk for any entrepreneur; but all warrant that second take.

1.     Make sure to look only at quality franchise offerings.  The new to franchising investor should forget the passion for a particular business and try to be more objective.  Just as too popular franchises will be more expensive, may be subject to passing fads, or have fierce competition alongside the sales territory defined in the proposed contract, there are the few franchisors that are known to someone as ”sharp operators.”   Every franchise offering could have a number of unhappy, unsuccessful franchisees who may claim to be subject to fraud.  Speak to Franchisees.  Is there a pattern to the complaints?  If the complaints make the investor uncomfortable this is an alert to move on to another option. The relationship with the franchisor must be built on trust and respect.

2.     There should be a check whether the franchise principals have any history of litigation.  Disputes over failure to perform can arise from either party’s perspective.  Franchising is a very litigious business and most franchise companies will have some history of legal actions but it’s important to separate fact from fiction (as the internet is filled with both).  Was the franchisor looking to enforce their agreement to protect the brand and the system, or were they taking advantage of the franchisees?  It is important to the franchisee to understand the competition.  The investor`s lawyer may alert the investor to signs of undue competition. But what if the competition represented in various initial discussions about marketing does not in fact exist?  Are there other flags of fraudulent practise of which the investor should be aware?   

3.     Franchisees must go in with eyes wide open. Use of detached, competent and professional help to draft the franchisee`s own business plan and research on earnings forecasts is an essential step  as a protection against fraud on the part of the franchisor – especially internationally where FTC type protections are non-existent.  Breakeven analysis and less optimistic scenarios must be included and the investor should not place reliance solely on the information provided by the franchisor, no matter how well known that particular franchise may be.  In lower cost and lesser known franchise offerings, earnings performance may relate to the strengths and skills of the buyer; then again an optimistic earnings scenario provided to the potential investor may also be a flag of fraud.  The investor should prepare a detailed assessment of initial investment costs and compare that with the data which must be requested from the franchisor.

4.     There is a greater risk inherent in considering a start up franchise.  It is in the interest of the inexperienced would be franchisee to choose a business for due diligence with a track record over a minimum of 4 to 5 years, with a minimum number of currently operating franchise units.  Should the support and expert advice of a franchise consultant not be sought out at an early stage, there will be a need for basic legwork such as visiting the head office of the franchisor and viewing the training material for oneself.

5.     To quote an old adage, the devil is in the detail, even before a study of the draft contract is the next step.  Researching important detail early in the due diligence process will make the intended franchisee less concerned about the possibility of fraud.  They should be comfortable with the quality of training and support provided, where it will be provided and for how long.  A promise to send on the material later should be regarded as just that, a promise, and should be made good promptly.  Delays in the provision of any paperwork agreed to be provided should alert the would be investor and their advisors and the franchisor challenged at an early stage in the process.

MatchPoint Franchise Consulting Network was founded in 2006 with a mission of building the world’s most successful international network of franchise consultants representing the industry’s premier franchise brands.  We achieve this through delivering value as a trusted partner to the best franchise brands, and offering high-value services to our prospective franchisee clients. The advice offered freely to franchise buyers by MatchPoint consultants is vital to the buyer in making a better, prudent, buying decision.  The advice offered by our consultants does not make us lawyers; it is there to help the investor with a high quality due diligence process.  It is an effective hedge against misrepresentation and fraud sometimes propagated by less than reputable business opportunity marketers.  

 

 

In the last 30 years, the franchise has grown into one of the most recognized and reputable business models on a worldwide basis.  According to the International Franchise Association, there are over 767,000 franchises in the U.S. alone, providing nearly 10 million jobs and contributing $624.6 billion in business annually. In the UK, the franchise industry is growing at twice the rate of the entire economy according to a NatWest/British Franchise Association study released in 2009.

While business ownership has traditionally been just a dream for many, franchising has opened the door for ordinary people to build their own small business and reap the rewards.  But how does that ordinary individual cope with the challenges of a business start up?  Shopping for the right franchise is in itself a steep learning curve for many new franchisees. One way to facilitate the process is by  searching out the guidance of experts on the process of qualifying as a potential franchisee and in taking the first steps as a new business owner.

Here are some suggestions on actions you should have underway when signing up for your new franchise.

• Turn your business plan, the same plan you used to obtain the financing that qualified you as a franchise buyer, into a detailed blueprint for your first two to three years in business. 
  
• Ask the franchisor for any checklists they have for new franchisees, along with their estimated timeframes. Year one should have high-level detail plotted out with Years two and three being more big picture.  
  
•  Milestones to mark out include:

1.  Final negotiation of the contracts for the desired location, equipment and fittings. If this is your first lease negotiation, spend quality time understanding all your rights, obligations and additional start up costs, and review them with your legal advisor.  
2. Overlay all your task related activities with the timetable of the training requirements of the franchisor.  This will help you set the first major milestone of opening day. 
3. Working backwards from this major event, you will be able to determine the desired lease date and the date by which you should have your key staff on board.

. By now you will have easily identified a number of the steps that need to be taken concurrently.

• Turn to your franchisor for any assistance in marketing and promotional activities to make your opening day a grand success and keep your new customers coming back for more. This key event is worthy of a detailed plan of its own.
  
• Now budget for each milestone in rough terms, so that you have the bones of cash flow control that you can flesh out as you learn more during the franchisor training sessions.
  
• Allow a slippage factor in all milestone dates and budgets.
  
• Your detailed business plan should be updated or adjusted two or three times a year or immediately should circumstances change.
  

If at any stage you feel a little overwhelmed by processes that are new to you or perhaps not your greatest strengths, remember that just as you don`t skimp on the prime location nor should you skimp on having the right people in the right places in your new business venture. Recognise your business weaknesses and compensate for them in the quality of your business relationships and key staff. Whether it is the actual hiring of staff, setting up your backroom operations or dealing with the detail of cash flow management, you must meet these challenges with the same energy, leadership and enthusiasm you have for the franchise itself.

The risks of failure in the small business franchise are the same as those in any new and legitimate business model and range from issues relating to the personality and strengths and weaknesses of the business owner to intellectual property matters, general contract disputes and failure to attend adequately to fiscal responsibilities, as well as misrepresentation and commercial fraud by third parties.  A solid plan for start-up and year one goes a long way to laying out the areas where the new franchisee needs to call on expert guidance.

 MatchPoint Franchise Consulting Network was founded in 2006 with the mission of building the world’s most successful international network of franchise consultants representing the industry’s premier franchise brands.  We achieve this through delivering value as a trusted partner to the best franchise brands, and offering high-value services to our prospective franchisee clients.

The advice offered freely to franchise buyers by MatchPoint consultants is vital to the buyer in making a better, more prudent, buying decision.  The advice offered by our consultants does not make us lawyers; it is there to help the investor with a high quality due diligence process.  It is an effective hedge against misrepresentation and fraud sometimes propagated by less than reputable business opportunity marketers.   

Taking on a small business franchise as the recession eases may be less of a risk than you think.  It is certainly easier in a recession to find the better performers and the strong brands, as well as a product or service with a demand that is still growing and will outlast your long term exit strategy.

The franchise business model can get you established and profitable in a shorter time than other small business ownership options and industry experience is not a requirement. Other benefits of the franchise business model are that the franchisee has the proven marketing and support systems of the franchisor and the contractual process allows for a level of transparency that minimizes the risk of business failure for many of the same reasons that other small business ventures may fail.

There are many traps for the unwary new investor—insufficient startup capital, a lack of general business acumen, not understanding the level of commitment required and its effect on family life, and a failure to be alert to promoters practicing various forms of commercial fraud.

Is a franchise business opportunity right for you?  If you can share the passion for the brand with the franchisor, understand the need to build a team following the proven system and procedures and focus on building sales in your territory, then success is likely to be mutual.  An honest self evaluation of your potential business skills should come hand in hand with your evaluation of franchise leads.  Most franchise companies now have systems to assess the potential, qualified franchisee.  They are looking for the best fit just as you are. The franchisor wants to ensure that you are financially sound and highly motivated, with both leadership and management skills. Also, your background, work ethic and personality are all attributes important to the franchisor.  This initial period of mutual assessment is vital to both parties.   

MatchPoint Franchise Consulting Network was founded in 2006 with a mission of helping companies expand their franchise networks and improve their systems.  The advice offered freely to franchise buyers by MatchPoint consultants is vital to the buyer in making a better, more prudent, buying decision.  The advice offered by our consultants does not make us lawyers; it is there to help the investor with a high quality due diligence process.  It is an effective hedge against the misrepresentation and fraud sometimes propagated by less than reputable business opportunity marketers.  

MatchPoint consultants trained by Nigel Mayne know the red flags of fraud in the investment field.  It takes the very few promoters that practice business fraud to taint the dream of an investor and their family.  

That`s where seeking the independent advice of an expert franchising consultant is prudent and invaluable. 

We’re now well into February 2011 and those New Year resolutions likely are forgotten dreams.   Except for that one significant promise, to become master of your own destiny and invest in your own business. 

 If owning your own business is one of your goals this year, there are some trends in your favour.  Slow to moderate overall economic growth in many countries hard hit by the recession is forecast to continue through 2011.  In the US, the small business sector remained in recession in 2010, lagging in recovery, but is predicted to see stronger demand and better business conditions this coming year. 

Key trends seen as driving the growth of small business through 2011 are

·         small manufacturing businesses in niche markets  aided by technology  making barriers to entry lower,

·         the weak dollar aiding US manufacturing cost competitiveness,

·         the internet becoming more widely known to small business as a low cost way of sourcing and selling goods and services.

·         Small business growing more familiar with and making greater use of social media in their local marketing efforts -think Groupon Inc and its highly successful coupon business supporting local deals!

When time is not on your side, the resilient and proven franchise business model allows you a faster way to generating positive cash flow.  As the old adage goes, it’s your own business, you just don`t have to go it alone.  Strong viable franchise opportunities are there for the qualified buyer, so how to join that select group? 

Access to financing from traditional sources is expected to remain tight in the US throughout 2011, in spite of the Government’s continuing efforts to support small business through tough times.  We recommend that potential franchise buyers be cautious when selecting companies to do their 401(k) rollovers or when selecting a financing company – with all of the fraud that has occurred in the banking sector over the last several years, finding a reputable company to provide you financing is more important than ever and a winning point in your favor with franchisors.

I founded MatchPoint Franchise Consulting Network in 2006 with a mission of helping companies expand their franchise networks and improve their system profitability.  Its mission included improving the quality of new Franchisees coming into a system.

Advice is offered freely to franchise buyers by MatchPoint consultants and is vital to you in making a better, prudent, buying decision.  The advice offered by our consultants does not make us lawyers; it is there to help you, with a high quality due diligence process.  It is an effective hedge against misrepresentation and fraud sometimes propagated by less than reputable business opportunity marketers.  

MatchPoint consultants trained by Nigel Mayne</a> know the red flags in the investment field.  It takes the very few promoters that practice business fraud to taint the dream of an individual and their family.   That`s why seeking the independent advice of an expert franchising consultant at the start of your due diligence process is both wise and invaluable.

For a new investor searching for self-employment options for the first time, the number and the range of available businesses can be daunting.  One way to narrow down those options is to concentrate on franchise opportunities. The small business franchise has grown in acceptance, strength and across industries, even during these tough economic times.  A franchise can be a safer way of starting your own business because the new business owner can concentrate on operating a proven system within clearly defined guidelines. The franchisee quickly gains confidence in this new venture because he is backed by the franchisor, who has already been through the period of trial and error and has written the guide to success.  

 Where to focus and what to avoid.

When looking at franchise options, focus first on the franchise that is a good fit and fills an immediate need in your preferred locality.  Don’t worry about your knowledge of the business itself at this stage. You’re smart enough to follow a proven system of operation when given quality training and formal procedures.  Most importantly, don’t focus on fads. You don’t want to be in a situation where your commitment to the business outlasts your customers’ interest in your product or service.

Discard those opportunities that sound too good to be true, put pressure on you to follow up quickly, or are multi-level marketing models masquerading as franchises without providing a product or service at all. That way you eliminate the risk of losing your investment to any scams or fraud.

Identify the products or services that are currently in demand, the essential brands that are resilient, continually growing and have recognition and a loyal following.  Quality is always a winner. People are expecting greater value for their money as economies are emerging from recession.

Focus on the franchise with a formula for generating profits, not just sales, and be prepared to follow the franchisor`s proven system throughout the term of the licence.  

You will also need to be prepared to promote your chosen franchise locally.  Your passion for the excellence of your chosen product or service will translate into a confidence in your ability to sell.  

Knowledge builds confidence and it shows.

Do the detailed research and learn as much as you can about your shortlisted prospects. Being knowledgeable and passionate about your choice gives you the confidence to submit a winning proposal to your banker, and will be a major factor contributing to your success with raising the new venture capital.

Another confidence building measure is seeking professional and expert advice to contribute to your final decision. 

MatchPoint Franchise Consulting Network was founded in 2006 with a mission of helping companies expand their franchise networks and improve their systems.  Advice is offered freely to franchise buyers on the web site and by MatchPoint consultants in the field and can be vital to the buyer in making a better, more prudent, buying decision.  The advice offered by our consultants does not make us lawyers; it is there to help the investor with a high quality due diligence process.  It is an effective hedge against the misrepresentation and fraud sometimes propagated by less than reputable business opportunity marketers.

MatchPoint consultants trained by Nigel Mayne know the red flags of fraud in the investment field.   It takes the very few promoters who practice investment fraud to taint the dream of the franchisee and their family.  That`s where the independent advice of an expert franchising consultant is invaluable.