Franchising can be perfect for those individuals who want to run their own business without worrying about the pressure of starting from scratch and/or coming up with new ideas. It is also suited to people who believe in selling a proven product and like the idea of having the backing of a large organisation.

A recent survey showed that 90% of franchise businesses are profitable and the failure rate is much lower than it is for traditional start-ups. Not surprisingly, then, banks like franchising and will often offer up to 70% of a franchise fee. These are strong reasons why you might consider becoming a franchisee as a less risky route into business, however, as always there are also important factors you need to be aware of that might make it a less attractive proposition.

We've listed a number of the pros and cons below, which will give you something to start thinking about, and if you decide to find out more this month's Franchise Show in London (24-25 February at ExCeL) will provide you with a great opportunity to meet 120 brands, and attend over 100 seminars to receive expert advice on how you can use your experiences to run an extremely profitable franchise. You will also be able to discover franchise opportunities covering a diverse range of industries including some from overseas.