A Bad Economy May Benefit Franchises

With all the negativity making headlines these days, it's difficult sometimes to maintain perspective.

Foreclosures at record highs. Nearly a trillion dollars in bailouts. The Dow with record declines. Mass layoffs and unemployment at five-year highs. Reading Dickens--it was the best of times, it was the worst of timesthe period was so far like the present period--it seems that perhaps he only got it half right.

But for franchisors, truer words were never spoken. Yes, there are some short-term difficulties that will take time to flush through the system. At the same time, however, there are a number of reasons to anticipate that the best of times are right around the corner.