Buying a franchise, the saying goes, is like buying a job.

        And there’s nothing wrong with that, especially in this economy, says T.J. Schier, a Which Wich franchisee. Schier, who quit his job as vice president of field support at Chuck E. Cheese’s seven years ago, says buying a franchise is a better investment than starting an independent concept. Banks are more likely to loan money to a franchisee than an entrepreneurial startup.

        “Having a proven brand certainly helps from a financing standpoint,” he says. “It’s also good for credibility with developers when you go lease the space. If they heard of you and they want you in the center, that’s a plus. If you’re an independent, they say: ‘I never heard of that. How do you know it’s going to work?’”

        After leaving his job, Schier spent a few years working as a consultant. In 2007 he partnered with some former co-workers and founded SMART Restaurant Group. The Dallas-based company opened two locations of Which Wich, the fast-casual sandwich chain, and plans to open 13 more in the next three years.

        He cautions that although there is some franchisor support, the work is not easy.

        “There’s no Staples Easy Button here,” he says. “You have to learn a lot about many different things. I knew nothing about real estate and construction and bank financing, or legal issues.”

        According to the Washington, D.C.-based International Franchise Association, the franchise sector of the economy grew by 18 percent from 2001 to 2005. During that time, companies added 140,000 franchises and 1.2 million jobs. That includes not only restaurant franchises but also cleaning, automotive, and other sectors.

        Schier started thinking about becoming a Which Wich franchisee about a year and a half ago.

        “We all love this brand,” he says. “Whatever you get involved in, you have to like it first.”

        His advice: Before investing in a franchise, make sure the company is financially sound. Also, make sure you have restaurant experience.

        “If you have not been involved in the restaurant business, it is a lot harder than it looks,” he says. “I see a lot of franchisees who worked at a computer company, and they ate lunch somewhere and said, ‘I want to buy one of those.’”

        Some franchisees buy locations of the company where they have worked in the past. Stephani Williams, an associate in the franchise development and recruiting department for Domino’s Pizza, says the majority of the company’s franchisees are former team members.

        “Solid operations experience is important,” she says, “but passion is the biggest key.”

        The Ann Arbor, Mich.-based franchisor recently announced it was eliminating 55 positions, but Williams says it’s too soon to tell whether any of the laid-off workers would return to Domino’s as franchisees.

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