What do a lawyer, a pharmacist and a real estate agent all have in common? They each invested in a franchise opportunity with Mortgage Choice last year.

In addition to a lawyer, pharmacist and real estate agent, some of the other interesting backgrounds found among franchise start-ups for 2009 are nursing, civil aviation safety, financial planning, landscaping and the music industry.

Wayne Jones, one of the recent new franchisees, moved from a position as a finance manager in a private hospital. Having always wanted to Ôwork with peopleÕ, he felt that becoming a franchisee in the mortgage broking industry would provide that opportunity.

“In my last job I mostly dealt with employees, doctors and suppliers whereas today itÕs mostly younger first home-buyers just starting out in life – a total contrast,” he says. “The best part is, no doubt, the satisfaction of finding a home loan for someone when they have either been rejected by a lender or just thought they wouldnÕt qualify for a loan.

“The people I have helped are truly grateful for the service I provide in finding a solution for them, and have not only referred their family and friends to me but have expressed it with cards and even an expensive bottle of scotch!”

The company’s most recent analysis, the Franchise Recruitment Index, saw a significant drop in new female franchisees, to 14 percent from 35 percent in the 2005/2006 Index.

Sheppard says “The decrease in new female franchise owners is surprising given the flexibility that owning a mortgage broking business can provide. Our brokers determine their own hours, what location they work from — for example, home office, commercial office or shopfront — and the days of the week worked, which can be especially appealing to parents with young families.”

Jones says “The hours can sometimes be long but the flexibility and the autonomy of being my own boss has always appealed to me.”

The youngest person Mortgage Choice accepted as a franchisee in 2009 was 25 years of age and the oldest was 65 years, with the average starting age 46 years (the peak it reached in 1999).

Sheppard explains “Despite a recent steady increase in the age of new franchisees, possibly because Australians are now retiring later in life, on average our network is still relatively young. People of all generations are looking for self-employment in financial services and finding age is no barrier as long as they have passion, motivation and determination to build their business.”