With the new century well underway, certain trends related to self-employment are becoming increasingly clear. One that seems certain to continue is that the use of franchising as a means of business ownership will continue to grow at a healthy pace.

This is turning out to be true both domestically and, especially, outside the United States. Potential franchise business owners are coming from many sources and taking many different paths to get there. Some noticeable trends include:

The selection of franchises available to first-time franchisees continues to grow, as young companies in increasing numbers turn to franchise formation as an attractive means of business expansion.

If you are a potential franchise owner, you will need to ask serious questions before deciding which franchise is the right one for you to buy. One of the most important questions is, "Which franchises will participate in important and/or new trends that will insure long-term growth as the 21st century progresses?"

One of the keys for any prospective franchise owner is to identify the franchise companies aligned with those trends. At the outset, it is important to note several things. The first is that trends should not be confused with fads. Fads are temporary, while trends produce long-term growth for the companies which participate in them.

A second point to keep in mind is that franchises do not, as a rule, create trends. For the most part, franchises are created after the fact and simply participate in the growth of a trend by developing a business system that performs a service or sells a product in a better, more efficient manner than its competitors. Finally, and most importantly, the decision to buy a franchise should not be based simply on whether or not it will become part of a "hot" trend. Identifying trends is important, but it is even more important for you, the franchise buyer, to identify the business that meets your financial and career goals.

Your new franchise business should be one that you will enjoy and will be able to operate with competency. In short, you should focus on identifying the franchise business that is right for you.

New and developing trends will cut across many industries as franchise business ownership continues to grow. We will see growth of new trends and the continued growth of existing trends in the food, automotive and retail sectors.

We will see perhaps even more rapid growth in the personal and business service sectors, both of which have already emerged as among the most vibrant areas of this still-young century's economy.

The food industry is the largest in franchising, and it will continue to grow as our population grows. Our busy lives are getting even busier, and demand is rising for the convenience of eating out or eating ready-to-cook, prepackaged foods as home meal replacements (HMRs).

A recent survey by Restaurants & Institutions found that almost half of all Americans eat at fast food restaurants at least once a week. The current trend in food franchising toward co-branding and consolidation of ownership among the major fast food restaurants will continue. However, another predominant trend in the food industry is toward healthier fare delivered with the same convenience offered by fast food and takeout and delivery franchises.

Franchise companies that participate in this growing trend may offer more practical franchise ownership opportunities for new franchisees. These businesses often require less start-up capital and fewer employees than conventional franchises, and those are parameters for business ownership we often see when dealing with prospective franchise buyers.

Franchises that deliver prepared, high-quality dinners to homes (such as steak, chicken and salads) and franchises that provide healthy fruit juice drinks, smoothies and related health food fare are franchises that will benefit from the health and convenience trends in the food industry. The selection of different franchises to buy has been growing steadily for some time, and that growth will continue as the 21st century marches on.

Like the food industry, the automotive industry is very large and continues to grow at a steady pace. Today, more Americans are driving farther to work and using their automobiles more frequently to participate in various family activities.

Cars have become more expensive-the average price topped $30,000 in 2005-and people are driving them longer than ever before, typically keeping a car on the road for almost a decade today. This trend continues to create more opportunities for franchise companies that sell products and services into the automotive aftermarket.

While franchises offering general car care will continue to grow and be successful, companies that sell into niche markets will generate the highest gross profits.

The concept of co-branding (or co-habiting in one location) will continue to increase in popularity as complementary automotive franchises band together under one roof to create an "auto mall" service concept.

The retail industry will produce its share of franchise opportunities that will provide excellent growth in the years ahead. A growing retail trend we see is toward selling products with excellent perceived value at discount prices-stores that sell both new and recycled products, for example.

The number of stores that sell one-price items and that operate in retail "outlet" malls will also continue to grow as the consumer searches for value.

As with other segments of the retail industry, children provide a big business opportunity for new franchises. One very successful franchise now teaches science to pre-school and school-age children.

One important and notable trend we see in the automotive and retail industries relates more to the business owners than the businesses themselves. Many successful franchise owners today are more sales and marketing oriented than has been the case in the past.

This emerging new breed of franchise owner realizes the value of establishing business referral contracts and, in some cases, hiring sales people.

The personal service industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Exciting trends are being driven by changing demographics and the markets created by dual-income and single-parent households, aging baby boomers and retirees.

Maid services, home health care services, home repairs, teaching and/or caring for children and other franchises that enhance lifestyles are among the fastest growing companies in franchising.

The corporate business world has changed drastically over the last 15 years. Companies are not only downsizing for strategic and cost-cutting reasons, they are outsourcing many services that used to be done in-house.

Consulting, sales and management training and job training are some of the services that many large corporations are increasingly turning to outside sources to provide. In the process, this trend is creating a raft of new franchise opportunities.