The single most important task for a prospective franchisee (or small businessperson) is to prepare a realistic cash flow statement that accurately reflects the economic potential of a franchise (business). "How Much Can I Make?” is an insider's guide that provides historical sales, expense, and/or profit data on actual franchise operations to establish a solid basis for making these critical financial projections. Over 75 financial performance representations, prepared by the franchisors themselves, are included for major industry categories. The roster of franchisors runs from the McDonald's and 7-Elevens of the world to several newer, smaller franchises with significantly fewer operating units. Only about 55 percent of franchisors provide this information. Given that franchisors are not allowed to make, or even discuss, any financial projections other than those published in their franchise disclosure documents, this hard-to-obtain data is especially useful.

In addition, the author provides a detailed profile of each franchisor, its logo, and detailed worksheets, as well as his own insights into making meaningful projections.