SAN DIEGO COUNTY : Franchising Help Planned:

Minorities make up a quarter of the U.S. population, but they own only about 3% of the nation’s franchised restaurants, stores and service outlets, an imbalance the Commerce Department wants to correct. Toward that end, the department’s Minority Business Development Agency on Thursday will host in San Diego another in its ongoing series of free franchising seminars. The seminars are held around the country and seek to teach minorities the dos and don’ts of franchising. They also provide a meeting ground where business people can meet franchiser representatives. MBDA acting director Gil Colon said the 100 seminars that have been held over the past two years have led directly to 45 franchise deals for minorities. The upcoming meeting, titled “Buying a Franchise,” will be held at the Hilton Hotel in San Diego’s Mission Valley starting at 6 p.m.