The West Coast Franchise Expo just swept through Los Angeles, showcasing hundreds of franchise opportunities. Because of the increasing number of people laid off recently and the growing uncertainty in corporate America, self-employment is becoming very popular. More and more people are deciding to take their employment and their futures in their own hands through franchising.

The expo is a great place to discover a concept that sparks your interest and to speak one-on-one with different franchisers. The expo makes it easy to compare cost, concepts and companies all in one location. From franchises that offer a $10,000 initial investment to companies that are looking for area developers to invest in high-growth opportunities, you definitely have a variety of choices once you decide to step into the franchise arena.

"This year the show featured an impressive showing of both new and established franchise brands that are actively focused on market expansion and who invested in the expo to personally meet with qualified prospects, according to Lucia Bravo, director of sales development at MFV Expositions. "The show attracted 7,539 attendees compared to the 8083 visitors that came to the expo last year, with approximately 30 percent fewer franchisers exhibiting than last year. While we were aware that the numbers could decrease due to the economy, we expected the quality and the interest level of this year's attendees to be higher based on market trends."

"The shows exhibitors and the attendees reflected a realistic optimism and desire to move forward. Individuals who were scared of the economy last year have accepted the new world we are in and are ready to make a change," she said. "People realize there are no shortcuts to success. Many franchisers commented on the high level of interest and franchise knowledge that the attendees they met with demonstrated and how happy they were with the type of leads they received."

The franchise expo also offers free seminars that covers topics such as "How to be a multi-unit franchisee" for potential franchisees and seminars that teach existing business owners how to franchise their business.

The expo can help answer questions about who, what and why, but the biggest question (How can we access capital to start a business?) is still unanswered. Although many people are interested in opening their own business, the conservative trend in lending has really slowed down the franchise industry as a whole. More home-based franchises are taking off compared with brick and motor concepts due to the initial cost to open and the limited access to cash.

The expo consisted of approximately 40 percent food concepts and the other 60 percent a mix of children-based businesses, senior services, fitness franchises, education and business-based franchises. The next big franchise expo will be in Miami on Jan. 15-17, 2010, and in Washington, DC, on April 9-11, 2010.

If you are interested in buying a franchise, franchising your business or just need a good excuse to take a vacation to Miami, I strongly suggest you visit the next expo. It's a great way to meet some important people in the franchise industry and check out some new and exciting concepts.