Checkmate Systems For these entrepreneurs, starting a business wasn't about <I>who</I> they knew, but <I>what</I> they knew.

There's something to be said for doing what you do best. With 10 years' experience at an employer services firm, would-be entrepreneurs Lawrence Bailliere and Tom Lickliter were ready to venture out on their own-and they decided the smartest thing would be to investigate opportunities in their field of expertise. "For most people [starting] a business, it's wise to consider the businesses [where] they've worked in the past," Bailliere explains. "It's difficult enough to be a successful businessperson-it's just that much more difficult if you attempt to open a business that you don't know anything about."

The business partners looked into several human resources administration franchises before selecting Checkmate Systems. Attracted to the idea of handling everything themselves-from processing clients' checks to dealing with benefits administration-Bailliere and Lickliter decided the franchise suited them well. "While on one hand it's a lot more work," says Bailliere, "on the other hand we'll know the work is done correctly and accurately."