“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man” -Shakespeare (from Hamlet) Regardless of why you have chosen to investigate the purchase of a franchise, the assumption is that you are at a certain stage in your life at which you have certain experience and success. The purchase of a franchise is a significant investment…usually thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars. Do you have the intestinal fortitude to be in business for yourself? When you decide to buy a franchise, there are certain character traits you must possess. Owning and operating your own business requires motivation, willingness to work hard, wisdom, money, people skills, communication, knowledge and experience, family support, perseverance and being level-headed, among many other things, such as complete trust in the franchisor. Motivation is the “unbridled desire” that drives us no matter what…that burning fire to succeed to do whatever is necessary to make the franchise work. What is your motivation in starting your own business? Knowing that you will be a good fit, financially, culturally and mentally will make you a much better franchisee.