by J. Lang Wood

Created on: June 02, 2009   Last Updated: June 24, 2009

Recessions favor the starting of new businesses, and as people lose corporate positions during layoffs, they often find the motivation needed to strike out on their own. Women entrepreneurs may find that franchises are the most cost effective way to enter a home-based business that offers greater flexibility in work hours. Women also may be attracted to the training and support offered by franchises. They might also like that their investment money backs a proven product with a tested market and reliable methods of operation and delivery.

Women often tend to gravitate to franchises like home maintenance, grooming and massage, child tutoring and enrichment services, home health care or senior care, financial and tax services, computer training, or pet care. These franchises reflect the strengths of their experiences as wives, mothers, community leaders, and organizers. allowing them to tap into their natural networking connections, their ability to easily collaborate with others, and their greater facility for multi-tasking.

Home maintenance services such as Maid Brigade (Start up cash: $34,500) or Kitchen Tune-up ($50,000 Start up cash), and Interiors by Decorating Den (Start up: $40,000) give women the opportunity to use their own homecare expertise and community contacts to expand their business opportunities to the maximum. With intensive training and support, these franchises fast-track women to financial independence and personal fulfillment.

Women in particular can appreciate the value grooming and massage services for today's busy schedules. Fantastic Sam's (Start up: $50,000) has one of the top ratings for franchises in the country. Zen Massage Centers ($50,000 Start up) involves one of the fastest growing services in the U. S. into franchises that makes it easy and affordable for women to enter.

Child education and entertainment franchises are another popular choice among women. Services such as MadScience (Start up cash: $25,000) Computertots ($20,000), or Mathnasium ($55,000) offers enrichment education that parents are looking for in these busy times. Skills that give children an edge in school, and in life, are very desirable choices that women are happy to stand behind in marketing, advertising, and promotion.

Senior care services are one of the fastest growing segments of the franchise area and will continue well into the future because of demographic trends. Senior Care franchises (Start up cash: $50,000) takes advantage of the growing senior population who chooses to remain in their homes instead of moving into assisted living or nursing facilities. Adult children living far from aging parents will continue to seek services to help seniors with daily living and activities. Medical staffing franchises, such as @Work Medical Staffing ($40,000 Start up cash) also capitalize on the growing senior population who tend to use more healthcare services.

Financial service franchises understand customers' need to feel comfortable with a recognized name when dealing with their business issues and tax matters. Roni Deutch Tax Centers ($15,000 Start up cash), offers customers that reliability with name recognition second only to H & R Block. Mission Benefits (Start up cash: $50,000), offering employee benefits handling for companies with 2-50 employees, assures business that this recognized franchise will handle their proprietary information in a professional and confidential manner.

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