Published in La nación economía , 12 - August , 2015 Franchises from abroad

The government opened a competition for six companies that receive support to become microfranchises.

Microfranchising is an emerging business model that has already been used in several countries as a means to increase employment opportunities and reduce poverty, Fallas Karol Estrada, executive director of the National Center of Franchising.

This model is based on replication of a successful business, simple to operate and inexpensive, which helps people set up businesses that assure the generation of stable income flow and thus improving their quality of life said Fallas Karol Estrada, Executive Director of the National Center of Franchising.

Businesses receive support in the processes of formal structuring microfranchising in areas such as strategic planning, financial modeling, manuals, trade patterns and legal documentation.

In addition, each selected company will be supported by grants from ₡ 12,500,000 aimed at formalizing his model microfranchise in the hands of specialized consulting firms. Concluded this process titrate the inhabitants of the Carpio as candidates acquire the right to operate these microfranchises.

Companies can participate in the evaluation and selection regardless of the sector, whether trade, service and industry.

Companies wishing to opt for this benefit through microfranchising model must have a structure in its internal organization to enable them to support a process of structuring and technical assistance to franchisees, have a trademark, franchisable concept, at least one year of operation and have suitable support structure for care microfranchise and franchisees in areas of operations, finance, administration and marketing, Flaws said.

Interested companies must register and be part of a process of evaluation and diagnosis of their potential through franchising concepts microfranchise.

The first activity of the project consists of intensive training called: Microfranchise: An Opportunity for Costa Rica, which will take place on August 17 from 8:30 am to 12:00 noon on the premises of the Chamber of Commerce of Costa Rica.

This program is carried out jointly with the Banking System Development and Program Microfranchise counterpart submitted in April by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Microfranchising is a mechanism of successful business and less risk involved support and training to foster new jobs that benefit the communities involved, Welmer said Ramos, Minister of Economy.