The best home-based franchises - excerpt from 'The Best Home-Based Franchises' - includes glossary and related article on franchise fraud - Buyers Guide

Home Office Computing, Dec, 1993 by Gregory Matusky

Phone: (410) 290-1040, (800) 638-7940

Contact: Don Dwyer

Business start-up/franchised: 1962/1962

Number of units: 329

Professional Dynametric Programs

Company description: PDP is a management and employee consulting franchise. Benefits: The company uses behavioral assessment profiles to match employees to jobs best suited to their skills.

Franchise fee: $29,500

Total initial investment: $29,500, plus personal operating expenses

Financing available: Yes

Royalty/advertising fees: None/none

Phone: (719) 687-6074

Contact: Bruce Hubby

Business start-up/franchised: 1979/1980

Number of units: 32

ProForma Company description: ProForma offers all types of products--from customized invoice forms to computer accessories. Benefits: As more companies depend on technology, the demand for computer-related and business products will swell.

Franchise fee: $39,500

Total initial investment: $45,000

Financing available: Yes; up to 50 percent of franchise fee for a period of 12 to 18 months

Royalty/advertising fees: 7 percent/1 percent

Phone: (216) 741-0400, (800) 825-1525

Contact: John Campbell

Business start-up/franchised: 1978/1985

Number of units: 103

Priority Management Systems

Company description: Priority markets more than 50 employee programs to develop communication, self-motivation, task delegation, and time management.

Benefits: The franchise was rounded by an education professional and a business expert. The pair formed a bond that has won support from hundreds of companies in corporate America.

Franchise fee: $29,500

Total initial investment: $29,500

Financing available: Yes

Royalty/advertising fees: 9 percent/1 percent

Phone: (206) 454-7686, (800) 221-9031

Contact: Todd Schmick

Business start-up/franchised: 1984/1985

Number of units: 275

Respond Systems

Company description: Respond Systems sells medical supplies and CPR classes to small companies that do not have their own staff-operated infirmaries but need first-aid supplies and medications. Benefits: The company is the second-largest mobile medical-supplies franchise in the United States today.

Franchise fee: None

Total initial investment: $35,000

Financing available: No

Royalty/advertising fees: None/none

Phone: (303) 371-6800, (800) 621-2900

Contact: Steve Carson

Business start-up/franchised: 1979/1983

Number of units: 50

Sandler Systems

Company description: Through a series of seminars and one-day workshops, Sandler Systems's franchisees offers training programs designed to help companies boost productivity and generate profits.

Benefits: The company has developed and tested programs to meet the needs of the changing work force.

Franchise fee: $30,000

Total initial investment: $30,000

Financing available: Limited

Royalty/advertising fees: $908 per month/none

Phone: (410) 653-1993, (800) 669-3537

Contact: David Mattson or Phil Goodwin

Business start-up/franchised: 1967/1983

Number of units: 121

Children's Fitness and Education

Computertots

Company description: Computertots offers an innovative approach to teaching computers to small children in day care and nursery schools.