Having been around the franchise industry now for some time, it is very interesting to me to now and then run across a few real "sleepers". No, I am not necessarily talking about the hotel industry (sleepers...... get it?). What I am really referring to is a franchise opportunity that just makes sense. There are no specific criteria that I look for when evaluating a franchise opportunity. Every opportunity has its own strengths and weaknesses. It is difficult to compare each opportunity side by side. Generally, it just has to feel good to me.

Here are three franchise opportunities that you should consider:

1) D'Angelo Grilled Sandwiches - This company is over 40 years old. They have over 150 company owned stores. They have already opened over 50 franchise locations with many more on the drawing board. Over half of their franchisees exceeded $600,000 in sales last year. They are also ranked in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Franchise 500." What does all of this mean? They are successful. And...... they are also the official sandwich of the world champion Boston Red Sox.

What makes D'Angelo so sweet? They have effective, innovative marketing programs, intensive 5 week training, classroom support, field support, and they provide all of the supplies needed. They will assist you with your site selection and build out. And, probably most importantly, they have a great product. Sixty percent of D'Angelo sandwiches are made on the grill; no other leading sandwich chain has a grill.

2) EntryPoint Glass - Do you have a creative side? The EntryPoint Authorized Dealer program enables you to cut a hole in a customer's existing steel or fiberglass door and install a gorgeous decorative glass panel, all within one hour. And, over 7 million fiberglass and steel doors are sold each year with clear glass or no glass at all. 16% of all households plan to upgrade their entry door. So do the math. This creates a huge opportunity for you. All Franchised EntryPoint Dealerships will have an exclusive territory. Dealerships also include a retail sales showroom and mobile workshop to complete home installations.

Each Franchise Dealership will encompass an exclusive territory in a major residential growth area. The franchise fee and capital required are very reasonable. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to operate this business.

3) SouperCoups - Does an opportunity that fully utilizes your sales expertise, can be run from your home, and has low start-up costs sound right for you? If so, then this may be the right one. What really appeals to me about this opportunity is the flexibility. No more rigid work hours. You can work as hard as you want and when you want. This could be a great opportunity for the semi-retired. And another thing that I like is that despite the low start-up costs they do not short change you on training and support.

This is an ideal opportunity for the self motivated, sales minded, entrepreneur type that is dog tired of corporate America.

So there you have it. Three top picks in the franchise arena. Check them out on www.theBusinessMarket.com. Good luck!