When you start a business from scratch you have to learn everything yourself and that can be a very expensive learning curve to surf! Owning a franchise is a proven way for entrepreneurs to create wealth through business ownership, but operating a franchise is definitely not for everyone. See this article in the Franchise Genius.com knowledge base to compare starting a biz with buying a franchise : www.franchisegenius.com/Buy-a-Franchise-vs-Start-Your-Own-Business-Article/