If, like so many people, you are thinking of moving out, away from the office, away from the daily grind of working hard to make somebody else rich, and starting your own venture, then a franchise opportunity might very well be the answer. However, it isn't necessarily the right solution for everyone, and there are several things to think about very seriously before resigning from your day job.

A franchise offers you the opportunity to run your own business, decide on your own working hours, conditions and arrangements, either working from home, on the internet, in an industrial unit, on the road or on the high street. If you are fortunate, it will also mean working within an area in which you have some interest.

Perhaps you really enjoy working with children, and relish the idea of running nursery groups, inflatable party hire or such like, or perhaps you'd prefer the retail side of things, selling something you enjoy. From jewellery and makeup to electronics and gadgets, from computers to internet businesses, there is a franchise to suit almost everyone.

One of the easiest and most exciting aspects of deciding whether a franchise would suit you is investigating the opportunities available. Perhaps you already have a clear idea of the kind of area which interests you, and the sort of thing you can see yourself pursuing on a day-to-day basis. Many people stumble across a franchise that captures their imagination by accident, starting off a whole new ball game.

However, franchising isn't all about indulging yourself in a field that you enjoy, although naturally, that's a hugely important aspect, but there is the whole issue of working for yourself to deal with. If you're currently able to look forward to the end of the month when a paycheck arrives, such a luxury will no longer be happening. You will get paid when you have actually done enough business to have made a profit, and if you don't make a profit - you don't get paid. It really is as simple as that.

Whilst many people like the idea of being directly responsible for earning every penny they get, other people find this unsettling. If you have family responsibilities, or very high outgoings, perhaps a mortgage or loan commitments, then taking a step which will necessarily entail a degree of uncertainty may not be the best idea.

If your franchise opportunity involves working from home, as very many do these days, perhaps using the internet to run your business; this in itself can create a number of unforeseen problems. To begin with, if you have family at home, they may quite understandably not consider that you are really at work. Children running around, people dropping in to visit, telephone calls, your partner asking for a hand, the dog wanting a walk... and so on. You will definitely need your own computer as the last thing you want to do is fight over whose turn it is to use the machine! The normal day-to-day strains of running a family as well as a business can result in short tempers on both sides.

Another issue to deal with is the reality that you will become responsible for your accounts. Running your own business can be an exciting prospect, but for most people, running your own accountancy department is not. However, you will need to keep a close eye on every financial aspect of the business, including calculating your own taxes as well. Depending on the exact franchise arrangements, you may be given support, advice or even the facilities for maintaining your own business accounts.

But if you are the sort of person who regularly finds themselves going overdrawn, with checks bouncing and charges causing even more headaches, then it will be important to ask yourself whether you really will be able to maintain the accounts to a good standard. After all, if you start causing problems, the franchise owner may not be happy.

This brings us on to another aspect of franchising, which is the whole issue of independence. Although buying in to a franchise provides you with a way of running your own business, being responsible for your own earnings and working conditions, working from home and enjoying freedom, you are still working for someone else in effect. The franchise owner may well stipulate a number of conditions and rules which you will need to follow.

After all, they are letting you use their good name, and they aren't going to want you to do something which will cause any harm to the brand image. Sometimes this might involve them asking you to do things that you don't agree with, and so if you would prefer complete autonomy and independence, then starting your own business might be a better idea to franchising. However, after considering all of these issues, if you still believe that it's the right solution for you, then it could very well be the best career move you ever make.

Whatever type of business you are looking for; chances are that there is a franchise that meets your needs. Franchising is not for everybody but it can make you successful if you like to play by the rules.