I run an operation that serves Chicago and the suburbs, and can probably speak to your questions.

Your option 2 is simple in concept and difficult in execution, especially for installers that may be long on nuts & bolts experience and short on experience with partnership laws and partnership ettiquite. You are asking, in essence "Take me on as a parnter for $XXX, teach me, split the profits and equity, and let me vote on major business decisions". Do I have this about right? If not, please set me straight.

If so, and you placed yourself in the position of being the owner of an ongoing business, is this an offer you would take? I suppose it might be a good deal if the $XXX was big enough, your base salary was low enough, and the potential partner was impressed with the general level of skill you can bring to the party.

Open a franchise for $150K to $200K. Wow, somebody feels their business is pretty good to ask that. I pride myself on what we do here, but that's a pretty steep price for entry. On the other hand, if you have no real experience in the business and they set you up with software systems, training programs, internal processes, access to vendors, and polish for the doorknob at the front entrance, then maybe.

You pose an interesting question.