Franchising seems easy, right? You pay a fee and in turn you get a business-in-a-box. A playbook to guide you at every turn. The answers to all future issues and a roadmap to profits while you sit back and do your best Scrooge McDuck impression counting your coin.  

Well, sorry to break it to you. It’s going to take more effort than it seems and most franchisors are not set up to help you in the way most new franchisees need. Franchisors mean well and the good ones have strong infrastructure to hit the basics, but they can’t go deep with you. It’s not a knock on any Franchisor, it’s just a reality that they don’t have the bandwidth to help you tackle what you will face out there. And in some areas Franchisors are restricted by federal law and cannot be much help. You'll be assigned a contact to help you onboard and navigate the early days - but they do not know how to (and cannot) play the Three Games of Franchising.

Game 1

You need a professional to help guide you through the search, evaluation, and negotiation of finding and buying the right franchise for you, your market, and your investment level. There are thousands of franchise options across a myriad of industries. You must evaluate them but also learn to speak their language, navigate their process and put your best foot forward (first impressions matter!). You may want to consider a resale - that is, an existing franchise business whose owner is looking to sell. With resales, you need study the existing financials and understand cash flow and how you can impact the daily operations. As an experienced Franchise Coach and Consultant/Broker, I have helped many people win at Game One with experience on the search, evaluation, resale, financing, and franchisor side of things. I represent over 700 of the best brands, have personally opened multiple franchise units over the last 8 years (I am still a multi unit owner!), I have sold units, and I have coached a multitude of aspiring owners. Don't go it alone.

Game 2

You’ve signed that Franchise Agreement. The Franchisor has sent you a slew of online learning modules and booked you for 4 ½ days of franchisee training - hopefully in-person! But this isn’t enough. You’ll need to hit the ground running with various new stakeholders in your fledgling project: Commercial Real Estate Search Brokers and Lease Negotiation, Landlords, Equipment Vendors, Architectural Firms and Design Intent Packages, General Contractor acquisition, SBA or Conventional Lender contacts. It is essential to also conquor business plans and proformas, financial planning and budgeting, and local municipal regulations. And oh yeah, you actually need to conduct a pre sales and marketing campaign, get open on a timeline, doing so on time, on budget, and hopefully with some immediate customers! You’ll have legal and HR concerns, on-boarding and staffing needs, and strategic conundrums galore, not to mention a commitment to your Franchisor to run operations by the book! If you purchased a resale in Game 1, you’ll have remodel concerns, reinvestment commitments, staffing and change-management issues early on. Don't let me scare you off. Game 2 is long, has a strong ebb-and-flow, and requires patience and strategy and is a major danger zone for wasted time, effort, and capital. Game 2 is one of the leading reasons franchisees do not scale - it's scary, dangerous, and emotionally draining.

Game 3

You’ve emerged from the fog of 6-12 months (or more!) of franchise development during Game 2 and now you’re ready to open! Whether a startup or resale, you will be haunted by a question that seemingly has no firm answer - how do I do improve everyday? For a new location, you are growth-oriented. For a resale you have instant cash flow you want to maintain or grow. This is where it gets fun and following my model you will achieve profitable results.  An experienced advisor like me will coach, mentor, and advise you at every step to help you win Game 3 with a sustainable system for the long haul.

All 3 Games are equally important. But in my 8 years in franchising, I have made enough mistakes in each Game to cost me tens of thousands of dollars, hours and hours of time, and more than a few hairs on my head. I’ve had hours of conversations with franchise brands, financing institutions, real estate brokers, architects, contractors, marketing firms, PR firms, equipment/service vendors, accountants, and attorneys. I have hired hundreds of employees and managed up to 100 at a single time. I’ve made the mistakes so you don't have to. One of the best decisions I made was to engage a coach to help me improve. I'm glad I did and you will be too. 

Invest in a business coach to shortcut your path to success. You’ll be investing in your own education and eventual success. You’ll gain confidence and make better decisions at key moments. And as a result, you will be on the winning Path.

Click here to book a coaching call to discuss your needs.