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Anthony Fazzino is the owner of the A&C Superette in Mariners Harbor, Staten Island, a family-owned grocery started by his parents 33 years ago.

"We can do pretty much as much as we want," says Fazzino. "We don't have to go to board meetings or answer to people about certain items that we have to carry or should carry."

Meanwhile, in Queens Village, Queens, Peter Patel stocks the shelves of his newly franchised 7-Eleven. He owned and operated an independent convenience store at the location for the past five years, but finds being a franchisee much more convenient.

"It's the name recognition. I mean 7-Eleven brings its own, you know, and we've seen some clientele that we've never seen in previous stores that are coming into 7-Eleven," says Patel. "And because of their programs, their advertisements, it just helps us out tremendously."

Patel's store is the 100th location to be converted by 7-Eleven's Business Conversion Program. Franchising Senior Vice President Jeff Schenck says franchises not only get national name recognition out of the deal, but also a built-in support system that independent businesses may lack.

"We have a field consultant that visits with our franchises twice a week and brings them new merchandizing programs, helps them solve operational issues, provides training and helps them be successful," says Schenck.

While owning one's own business allows for the freedom to make every decision, such complete control can get overwhelming.

While Fazzino admits it would be easier to have someone else handle the minutiae, he enjoys the satisfaction of being able to cater to the requests of his customers. He also doesn't have to answer to a higher power.

"Except my mother, she's a big boss," says Fazzino. "You don't have to worry about paying franchising fees, who you have to buy products from. They control all that."

Rod Kurtz, the senior editor at Inc. Magazine, says that while opening a business is always a risk, he says franchising probably has a higher success rate due to its proven model, which may also make it easier to get a loan.

"In a way, a franchise is like a business in a box," says Kurtz.

But Kurtz says independent entrepreneurs do not need to pay fees or share profits and often do not need as much money to get started.

"It's your name on the door, but it's your money on the line too," he says. "And if you go belly up, that's your problem and no one's there to help you out."

Much like consumers, Kurtz says let the business owner beware.