12 Passive Income Franchises to Increase Your Cash Flow
Michael Nicholas / Franchising / February 20, 2024
If you get tired of working yourself to the bone at a nine-to-five job every day, I can promise you — you’re not alone. But millions of Americans continue the vicious cycle. If you’re here, reading this article, then you’ve probably decided to make a change and take charge of your life.
One way to gain financial freedom and have more time to yourself is by buying a franchise suited for passive income. While some franchises require the owner to be on-site every day and supervise the business closely, others allow for less involvement in the day-to-day activities. But is owning a franchise passive income? Keep reading to find out.
First, we need to define what we mean by passive income. For this article, we’re referring to passive income as money you’re earning without a lot of active work. For example, a business owner can put in a lot of work upfront, and then once things are up and running, they can step back and put in minimal effort along the way to keep the income coming.
This doesn’t mean that there’s no work involved. Instead, it means by putting in the hard work now, you’ll eventually be able to step back and let others run your business for you. At that point, you’ll have passive income with minimal oversight.
Using the definition above, yes, a franchise can definitely be passive income! In fact, many franchises are set up with the goal of passive income in mind. That’s why some franchisees end up owning multiple locations of the same franchise, with a separate staff and minimal oversight to run each one.
While it does take a while to get a franchise to the point where it becomes passive income, it can be much faster than starting your own company. When you buy a franchise, it comes with a pre-made business structure, brand recognition, and historical proof that it can be successful. Starting a franchise is basically like getting a head start in the race.
That being said, you do have quite a bit of work upfront. For starters, there’s often a high upfront cost depending on what type of franchise you go for. And even with a head start, it will take some time before you can step back. You’ll need to get the operation off the ground, find a trustworthy manager, and fill out the rest of the staff. Even at that point, you’ll want to continue overseeing the business to ensure things keep running smoothly.
If you decide that a franchise is something you’re interested in, you’ll want to do your research. Not every option is the best franchise for passive income. Specific industries require the owner to be present nearly every day. For example, B2B franchises or those that require special licenses or technical expertise often fare better with the owner-operator model.
If you’re looking for the best passive franchises, look for the following criteria:
Not all passive income franchises have to be semi-absentee, although these often do make good passive income companies. However, if you’re willing to put in a lot of effort upfront, you can set yourself up with residual income that flows for years and eventually will require little to no work.
A P3 Cost Analysts franchise offers a great opportunity for passive income. It won’t be easy, though. You still have to put in the work to build your book of business up. But as you grow your book of business, your residual income stream will continue to grow and make for an excellent passive income business.
It doesn’t matter if fitness is your passion or not. Fitness franchises are proven to make money. 9 Round is a kickboxing franchise that can be one of the best franchises for passive income. They offer a semi-absentee ownership model that encourages a close partnership between you and the manager. 9 Round expects that once the gym is up and running, you’ll only have to work 10-15 hours weekly.
The business model is fully turn-key, and with start-up costs lower than other gym franchises, you can have your gym open for business before you know it.
As the world’s largest convenience store, 711 definitely has brand recognition on lock. From rural US to bustling Bangkok, you can find 711s all over the world. You can start with one store, utilizing their training and support to get the business up and running.
However, they also have a multi-unit business model that makes it easier to scale your passive franchises. 711 is proud to say that 33 percent of its franchisees have more than one store. So the quicker you scale to multiple locations, the sooner you can generate more passive income.
A car wash is often considered the best franchise for passive income. DetailXPerts, in particular, is designed to give you the ultimate flexibility to run the business from home on whatever schedule works best for you.
In fact, flexibility is their motto for all aspects of their franchise. They offer the option of standalone shops, mobile-only, or a combination of the two. With 128 locations inside and out of the country, they’ve mastered the car cleaning process and get the job done with very little water consumption.
Wave Max is trying to change the name of the game of dingy laundromats. They offer customers a clean and well-maintained area with high-efficiency washers and dryers, full-time attendants, wifi, and wash, dry, and fold services. And there’s a national rollout in progress, so now is a perfect time to get in.
Their absentee business model makes this laundromat a great candidate for a passive income franchise. You’re looking at working as little as four hours per week and only being responsible for a small staff of three to four people.
Two Maids & a Mop offers a semi-absentee ownership model allowing you to operate as a passive franchise. They even assist with managerial duties during the opening process until you hire a full-time office manager. Once this cleaning business is up and running, you should expect to work 10-30 hours per week.
The business’s immediate scheduling, digital marketing, and pay-for-performance contribute to its glowing reputation in the industry. Plus, you’ll never have to even think about working nights or weekends with a residential cleaning business.
This one’s for the dog lovers out there — and yes, that’s a prerequisite. Doggy daycares are great passive income franchise business opportunities because pet care services are considered solid recession-proof businesses.
A majority of the owners are absentee or semi-absentee, so you know that the franchise is set up to become passive income with time. Plus, Camp Bow Wow has a proven business model that offers daycare, boarding, training, and grooming and over 200 successful locations, so a lot of the groundwork has been done for you.
Property Management Inc. (PMI) is a franchise that specializes in property management services, making it one of the best choices for those seeking semi-absentee franchises with recurring revenue streams. With PMI, you have the opportunity to build a portfolio of rental properties and leverage their proven systems for efficient management.
The recurring revenue model is a key feature, as you earn ongoing management fees from property owners for your services. With the right team in place, you can oversee the day-to-day operations remotely, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of passive income while your business grows.
MY SALON Suite is one of the top absentee owner franchises and an excellent choice for those seeking a passive income opportunity. Franchisees don’t need to be on-site full-time. In fact, once the suites have been fully booked, MY SALON Suite is one of the best hands-off franchises.
The main responsibilities of a MY SALON Suite owner include recruiting salon professionals, maintaining high occupancy rates for the salon suites, managing finances, and implementing marketing plans. However, most of the hard work is concentrated at the beginning, with the franchise becoming more self-sufficient over time. This makes it an ideal choice for those looking to invest in salon franchises that run themselves.
When it comes to the best absentee franchises in the pet service industry, Dog Training Elite is at the top of the list. Owners can choose to work as little as a few hours per week while still overseeing key operations by hiring both administrative workers and trainers. This business model also allows franchisees to scale quickly, managing multiple territories. And one of the biggest perks is that you can bring your dog to work with you!
The pet service industry is resilient and continuously growing, making it a strategic choice for passive income seekers. With low franchise fees, personalized training and support, and territory protection, Dog Training Elite stands out as one of the best absentee owner franchises available.
Code Ninjas shines as a lucrative passive income franchise within the STEM education sector. As a franchisee, you’ll bring valuable coding, problem-solving, and collaboration programs to your community, meeting the ever-growing demand for these essential skills.
The franchise’s flexible model allows you to appoint a skilled general manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of your Code Ninjas center, granting you a more passive role. You’ll receive comprehensive training and continuous support from Code Ninjas, ensuring your seamless transition into the role of owner of an absentee franchise in the thriving STEM education field.
Footprints Floors offers a semi-absentee owner franchise opportunity that provides big revenue potential with minimal time commitment. As a franchisee, you can run this business alongside your other obligations, dedicating just 10 to 15 hours a week and creating your own schedule.
The business model handles a lot of the hard parts for you, like a customer call center, marketing initiatives, lead generation, and more – making Footprints one of the best hands-off franchises. This flexible model allows you to focus on personal goals, spend time with family, or explore additional business ventures while enjoying a steady income stream.
There are many reasons people look for a way to make passive income. Whether you’re retiring, want to spend more time with your kids, or pick up a hobby, it usually comes down to having more freedom.
The easiest way to get set up with a passive income franchise is by purchasing a semi-absentee franchise. However, if you’re willing to put in a bit more work at the front, you can achieve even larger income streams in the long run. For example, a cost reduction consulting franchise with P3 Cost Analysts can offer quite a substantial passive income once you’ve built up your book of business.
Of course, not every type of franchise out there can result in passive income, so be sure to do your research and invest in a business that will allow you to be hands-off once things are rolling.
