Lake Highlands area residents looking to start off the New Year with a new career have the opportunity to break out of their 9-to-5 lifestyle and go into business for themselves with a franchise concept as hundreds of franchises will be at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Jan. 18-20 for Franchise Expo South, the largest franchise expo serving the southern United States and Latin America.

Residents will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with high-level executives of top franchise brands to learn more about their opportunities. Specifically, this year’s expo offers an in-depth look into the hottest trends in the industry as attendees can explore franchise opportunities from as little as a $10,000 investment to over $1 million.

For those new to the idea of franchising or who just want to learn more, this year’s expo will have over 60 free educational programs on topics from buying a franchise to small business growth and development. For entrepreneurs looking for more in-depth learning, a number of paid workshops are also available. There will also be a “Small Business Center” where attendees can obtain free advice from experts in the field on a variety of topics including how to finance their new business.

“Dallas is a stronghold for small business and economic growth. With many businesses looking to expand into the DFW area, it is apparent that returning to Dallas was the best option,” said Tom Portesy, President and CEO of MFV Expositions, producers of FES. “We are honored to return and continue to create events in an epicenter of economic growth that attracts potential franchisees who are eager to launch a business for themselves but not by themselves.”

After relocating from Houston to Dallas last year, the expo found success by tapping into one of the epicenters of economic and population growth in the United States. According to an Oxford Economics forecast, the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area is projected to be the nation’s fastest growing economy over the next five years. Franchising will play a major role in the economy as the franchise sector continues to outpace all other sectors economy-wide. In Texas alone, franchising has added 635,500 jobs to the Texas economy and accounts for $53.1 billion of the state’s economic output.

To register to attend the Franchise Expo South, visit http://www.franchiseexposouth.com/. Use code “PSR” for a free pass.