Learn how to evaluate yourself and see what franchises best match you. Don't get stuck on one franchise industry because there may be better options in something you never thought about before. There are more than 3,000 franchises with 75 different industries.

(Tom Scarda is one of only 1,004 people in the world certified as a Franchise Executive by the International Franchise Association. www.franchise.org.

Tom resigned from a government job, purchased a franchise, built it, sold it within five years, cashed out and now helps others do the same around the country).