Franchising has always been an enticing alternative for many people who would like to be small business owners. Much of the grunt work is already done for you, like conducting market research, finding the right vendors and creating brand and consumer awareness.

Though the total number of franchises worldwide is expected to decline by 1.2 percent this year, according to the International Franchise Association, there are still many great franchises out there worth getting involved with.

America’s Best Franchises put together something called Franchise Classics in 2009, a list of America’s time-tested franchises in a number of different categories. Many of these franchises also provide training in small business management. Here are some of the franchises that made the list.

  1. Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwich Shops
  2. Snap Fitness
  3. Spring Green Lawn Care
  4. Omega Learning Centers
  5. Play Nation Playgrounds for Children

Joel Libava, who writes The Franchise King blog, recently wrote a very resourceful post for Small Business Trends about franchising trends for 2009. He does a great job of highlighting which franchise industries will see profitability this year, and which franchises are good opportunities within each of those industries. I strongly encourage you to read this post; it has a ton of valuable information for anyone looking to open a franchise in 2009.

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