Get The Facts

Business opportunities have roused the interest of would-be entrepreneurs for decades. And it's no wonder why. Promises of untold riches built on relatively small investments have eager future business owners breaking down the doors of many opportunities to grab their share.

Unfortunately, in years past, the all-too-common result was a garage full of vending machines and not much profit to show for it. But the landscape has changed, and though the continuing adjustments make life for business opportunity sellers a little more difficult, entrepreneurs are starting to come into the profits they've been expecting all along--and this time, without getting burned.

This article was originally published in the July 1997 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Get The Facts.