Find out how to be the boss (Daily Mail franchise | UK franchise opportunities)

Find out how to be the boss

By: Linda Whitney

THIS week's National Franchise Exhibition offers you the chance to find out about over 250 franchises all at once.

The exhibition, at Birmingham's NEC this Friday and Saturday, October 3 and 4, brings together established and new franchises from the UK and abroad.

Fastway Couriers, for instance, will be there looking for regional franchisees to run depots or vanbased franchises.

Others with stands include Signs Express, the signage supplier with over 80 existing franchisees, and Garage Conversion Company, keen to recruit more franchisees to service growing demand as people add space to their homes rather than move.

Home makeover franchise Kitchen and Bedroom Transformations is also seeking more franchisees, as is Western Provident Association (WPA), the not-for profit medical insurance company.

Exhibitions always feature new franchise launches. This time, established franchise Apollo Blinds is launching Apollo At Home. Franchisees will operate from specially-fitted vans instead of the usual showroom, for a start-up cost of £15,000.

The first Japanese franchise to launch in the UK will be there.

Daiso Industries franchisees run retail stores stocking mainly Daiso products. It has 500 retail shops in 22 countries and is now looking for franchisees in the UK.

Young franchise Cherry Tree, which involves selling awardwinning jams, pickles and chutneys at markets and to trade customers, will also be looking for new recruits with £15,570 to invest.

You can find out about life as a franchisee at the daily Franchisee Forum at 1.30pm, where you can ask existing franchisees questions face to face.

The British Franchise Association (BFA), which accredits all the exhibitors, is offering information and franchise guides, and banks and accountants including

Lloyds TSB, Nat West, HSBC, Accountax and Owen White, will offer advice about raising the money and cover legal aspects.

Free 'introduction to franchising' seminars touch on topics such as what you should look for in a franchisor, the business plan and how to raise money.

Well-known entrepreneurs speaking at the show include Josephine Fairley, co-founder of organic chocolate brand Green & Blacks, who will speak at the Women In Franchise zone of the show on Saturday at 12.30pm.

The free Growing Your Own Business Exhibition and Conference runs alongside the franchise exhibition and features presentations about leadership and how to attract customers.

You can also get free guidance on any business issues you are facing at the Advisory Table, where a panel of business owners and a qualified expert will help you.

FOR more information go to www.franchiseinfo.co.uk or www.sme-events.com.

Daily Mail readers can get free fast-track entry by registering at www.franchiseinfo.co.uk using the code: DMED..