Food franchise Go Sushi has introduced a Manage to Own Program, designed  to encourage talented, capital-poor individuals  to get started on running their own business.

Group managing director Nicola Mills said "Research shows us that younger entrepreneurs are missing out on the opportunity to own and run their own business, because they simply don't have the capital to start up their own business."

Manage to own franchisees will need to front up with a minimum of $50,000 but the rest of the start-up investment will come through vendor finance. David Hill, business development manager at Pacific Retail, owner of the Go Sushi brand, told Franchising "the repayment of the capital will usually be over the term of the lease. There is a standard template but it will also be done case by case.

"It's not interest free, it's vendor finance at the usual business loan rate. We're trying to keep the costs down," he added.

How does it work?

• Ideal candidates have a passion to succeed but may not have experience in food retail or small business
• Applicants receive on the job training and increased levels of support in the first three months of trading
• Manage to own franchisees pay for the business from the profits it makes, rather than investing capital upfront
• More than 75 percent of the business start-up costs are paid over a three to five year period