The current recessionary period has resulted in quite a number of people becoming unemployed, and also losses for existing businesses. These dark times have actually discouraged potential entrepreneurs from investing money, and people are now struggling to find the right source to earn money to run their lives. For those individuals who have recently been left unemployed and are interested in starting their own business and become self empowered, the only option they have is to establish a business which sells products or services for which they have a passion for and an interest. But at the same time, there are several risks involved in starting your own business, and considering the bleak outlook of the economy, it will not be such a good idea to establish a new business at the moment. However, if you are very much serious about starting your own business while avoiding all the associated risks, then the best option for you is to apply for a franchise opportunity. Franchising is a booming industry, and more and more industries are now adopting this model for expansion of their businesses and to reach out to a wider and more diverse market. At the moment, there are 80 kinds of industries which have adopted this model, and a few of the hottest franchise opportunities are discussed below. The industry which has benefitted the most from the franchising model is the fast food industry. The fast food companies started replicating this model around 40 years ago, and since then have expanded to different locations worldwide thanks to franchising. This industry is registering a fast growth, and has managed to survive the recession itself. The revenue of the fast food industry is in excess of $140 billion, making it a very lucrative opportunity for new entrepreneurs looking to earn great returns on their investments. These companies have a major market presence, and have a strong customer base. Also, apart from the regular pizza and burger joints, the green food joints which serve healthy food including salads, sandwiches and soups are also now gaining prominence due to the increase in the population of seniors. The two other industries that have greatly benefited from the franchising model are the retail and home improvement industries. Retailing companies have adopted this model and managed to expand their businesses on a global scale, turning itself into a multibillion dollar industry with room for much more expansion. As far as the home improvement industry is concerned, it remained quite stable during the recession phase, and its services are in high demand amongst households, which are currently trying to improve the interiors of their existing homes, rather than moving out and purchasing a completely new house.