As you study a franchise business, you will find the Franchise Disclosure Document to be a handy reference tool. It is the source of a lot of good questions to ask in the course of your examination, so put your highlight marker and sticky tabs to good use with this valuable document.

However, as I mentioned earlier, do not expect to learn about why you should join a franchise. The franchise disclosure document is not designed to share this type of information with you. The sole purpose is to insure you are an educated consumer and to make sure you have information on the critical points prior to becoming a franchisee. Read the franchise disclosure document carefully, ask the franchisor about anything you don’t understand or are concerned about, ask the franchisees if they have any of the same concerns you have and then use your judgment to make a business decision about the information found within the franchise disclosure document .

Please go to www.educatedfranchisee.com if you would like additional information on disclosure documents, how they are structured or would like suggestions for additional reading.