Harley-Davidson enthusiasts Chris McIntyre, Jeff Brown and Peter Wurmer always dreamt of touring the world on motorcycles.
Their dream is now a reality for them and the tens of thousands of customers who rent motorcycles, ATVs and watercraft from EagleRider franchise locations in the United States, Mexico, France and Spain.
McIntyre, Brown and Wurmer started EagleRider as one shop in Los Angeles in 1993, catering to adventure-seeking professionals and tourists. It has since become the largest motorcycle rental and tour franchise company in the United States and Europe.
While the three EagleRider founders have been able to see their business grow and prosper over the years, they understand that starting up a business can be a risky endeavor. To help other entrepreneurs who are interested in investing in the growing motorcycle-rental industry, they have turned EagleRider into a franchise opportunity
Simply put, franchising is a way of distributing products or services that have instant name recognition. According to statistics from the Small Business Administration and Department of Commerce, the failure rate for franchised businesses is significantly lower than for other start-up businesses.
One reason franchises are more sustainable is that they give entrepreneurs easy access to established products and proven business models, reducing some of the risks associated with starting up a business.
And as an added incentive, opening a franchise gives an entrepreneur the opportunity to operate independently while tapping into the experience and expertise of the franchiser's organization.
Like any other investment, entrepreneurs need to do plenty of research before selecting a franchise opportunity. Consider the demand for the product or service, the franchiser's background, the level of support you will receive and who your competition will be.
Whether you want to feed the masses with a fast-food franchise or take part in the exciting and adventurous world of motorcycle rentals, the list of franchise opportunities goes on and on.
