FRANCHISE & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
THE INTERFACE FINANCIAL GROUP AN OPPORTUNITY OUTSIDE OF THE FRANCHISE BOX
By David Banfield
There is talk circulating that maybe the ‘credit crisis’ is over. We suspect that that may indeed be just ‘talk’.
We are a 43-year old company engaged in the financial service area. Over our 40+ years of doing business, primarily with the small business sector, we have seen it all – recession; growth periods; inflation; defla- tion, credit crises and more.
While ‘ups’ have cancelled out the ‘downs’ and vice versa one or two very solid constants have emerged. Firstly, the tenacity and determined- ness of entrepreneurs to make things happen in adverse conditions has been very prevalent and secondly, that entrepreneurs know when the time is right for growth and they know how to exploit the conditions to leverage their growth options.
Small business is often referred to as the backbone of the national economy - it’s the engine that makes things happen and it’s the job creator. Most of these things are true today and have proved to be accurate statements in the past.
Small business owners have become very knowledgeable in better un- derstanding how to grow their business in recent years. This has been born out of necessity because, although the SME sector is the engine of the economy and the job creator, it is invariably the sector that is worst hit when there is any credit crisis. When the mainline funders start to tighten their lending criteria, it is invariably small business that becomes the primary target.
We operate in that secondary marketplace providing a unique financ- ing tool for SME’s. We are The Interface Financial Group and offer an invoice discounting service for clients whereby they can offer a single
invoice option or a small batch option to their clients - no obligation to discount everything, or to do so on an ongoing basis. It’s a ‘use-it-as- you-need-it-approach’.
We believe that that in itself is a great feature but it gets better. We have perfected a delivery method that is based on a franchise model. Our franchisees are all invoice discounters (sometimes referred to as Spot factors) and they work in their local area in a one-on-one environment with their clients to offer timely and personal service.
Then it gets better... with over two decades of franchise experience, In- terface offers a franchise known as the IFG 50/50 franchise. This model represents a unique partnership of franchisee and franchisor working together, not just on training and start-up but on every transaction for the life of the franchise. Working together, means that the franchisor handles virtually all of the day-to-day paperwork while the franchisees handle virtually all of the ‘people’ work. Another much-appreciated aspect of the franchise is the fact that the franchisor takes care of the major part of the financing, so it limits the franchisee’s exposure.
Through an innovative financing structure the franchisor is able to cre- ate capital leverage for each franchisee at no cost and no obligation to the franchisee. This leverage aspect translates into dramatically higher returns on working capital for the franchisee.
As IFG 50/50 grows franchise opportunities also grow - with a non-terri- torial approach, we already know that your area is available. IFG 50/50 franchisees are often entrepreneurially-minded individuals that are ex- iting the corporate world for self-employment. They invariably have skill sets that include great communication ability, they are problem solvers, they are outstanding networkers and, above all, they are self-disciplined and determined to run their own business within a franchise framework and create an above-average return on their working capital. The bonus with IFG 50/50 might well be that franchisees don’t work hard, but they do work smart.
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