If you are looking for a flexible and tasty way to make money, becoming a fast food franchisee might just be the answer.

The 2004 franchise survey, produced by the British Franchise Association and NatWest, shows franchising continues to grow in popularity.

The main areas of growth appear to be in sectors such as transport, store retailing and business and commercial services.

Retail franchising, which has grown by five per cent during the past year, has been boosted by the fast-food sector.

Juliet Liebenberg bought a Domino's franchise in Sandhurst in 1998 and has since opened stores in Brighton, Hove and Peacehaven.

She works with her husband Kevin and is a member of Domino's Millionaire Club because her stores' annual turnover is more than a million pounds.

Juliet, 35, wanted to start her own business but because she had young children and a large mortgage, she was aware of the financial consequences if she did not succeed.

She said: "A franchise with Domino's seemed the answer as it provided us with the security of a proven business model.

"You have to remember, Domino's reputation has grown enormously in the past few years, especially with The Simpsons' sponsorship.

"It has become a bit of a can't lose situation for us, although running the franchises is still a lot of hard work, especially managing 120 people."

The couple brought relevant experience to the partnership, allowing them to contribute equally to the success of the franchise. While Kevin, 41, had worked for various Domino's franchises as a manager, Juliet had worked for an accountancy firm in Windsor.

She said: "I have an autonomous role within the business that provides me with a great deal of satisfaction.

"Kevin does most of the day-to-day running of the stores while I deal with a lot of the book-keeping and accountancy."

Work and life experience is important to franchisors when recruiting franchisees.

The 2004 survey found almost two-thirds of franchisees were in salaried employment before taking out their franchise, while 29 per cent were self-employed outside franchising.

Juliet enjoys the flexibility of being her own boss and working with her husband as it allows her spend more time with her three young children.

She said: "Owning a franchise allows me to be a successful businesswoman in my own right but I can also be there for our children.

"I never have to miss a sports day or class assembly." Juliet and Kevin's first investment was an existing franchise. They have turned this business around and increased sales by 400 per cent.

They have gone on to open a further three stores in the region.

Mark Scott, national franchise manager at NatWest, says: "Fast food franchises such as Subway and Domino's Pizza have had an exceptionally good few years, with record numbers of store openings."

Wednesday March 24, 2004