Franchise vs. Independent: 3 Pros and Cons

If you’re someone looking to take on business ownership in 2024, you might be wondering the difference between a franchise vs. independent business.

Each has their pros and cons, and it’s important to find out what’s important to you, what level of work you want to do in terms of building, and what aligns with your idea of being your own boss. For someone looking into the moving industry, you might be struggling to decide if it’s better to start your own company or join a franchised moving company like TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®. 

Let’s go over the advantages and disadvantages of a franchise vs. independent business!

Starting from the ground up vs. buying into an established brand

If you want to take on business ownership yourself, you’ll have to build it from scratch. This means establishing a company name, company branding, and finding new ways to market your operation to potential customers while also finding ways to separate yourself from other local competitors.

When joining franchising opportunity like TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, you’re investing in a business framework that has been in operation for more than 40 years. Similarly, our brand is recognizable nationwide, and people looking to move know us as a name they can trust.

The business structure of a franchise vs. independent business

When going independent, it’s up to you to build out your business structure, from operations to marketing, sales, accounting, human resources, and much more. You’ll need to get a business plan in place before you open your doors to ensure you’re able to operate at the level you want.

If you join a franchise, you can tap into the best practices we’ve developed as a brand to help develop your own business plan, which makes the process of building your franchise infrastructure much easier.

The support system of a franchise vs. independent business

Similar to what was mentioned above, starting your own operation means you are fully independent in every way – including the support you receive. You are your own support system, and at the end of the day, you must figure out everything on your own.

Joining a franchise like TWO MEN AND A TRUCK comes with a dedicated support system, like at the one you’ll get at our Michigan Support Center, which encompasses subject matter experts in all areas relevant to the business, so you have experts in the field to help you along the way. Plus, there are educational and training resources at your disposal at all times, so you’re able to continually grow both personally and professionally.

Interested in learning more about franchising with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK? Click here!