"Hello, Nick? I want to become a franchisor."

Remember "The Odd Couple?" Felix blew a gasket when his dinner party entree was ruined by late arrivals, and thereupon, Oscar's approach to life was crystallized by his lack of culinary knowledge and even more so, by his lack of concern. "Gee, I thought the meat just came, kind of like gravy." Well, meat doesn't just come, and neither does gravy. For them to turn out right, both require thought, proper ingredients, knowledge and time. The world we live in demands order and process for things to turn out right, be it the world of cooking or the world of franchising. And you thought I couldn't get you from The Odd Couple to franchising.

“…just because any business can be franchised it doesn’t mean every business should be franchised”

Actually, the world of franchising is often made up of odd couples, or more accurately "odd couplings." Odd in the sense that very unlikely people, concepts, and strategies are often thrown together in unusual combinations with eyes closed shut, hands wrapped tight around the steering

wheel, and a wish and a prayer that everything will turn out OK. Franchising is not a natural phenomenon, it doesn't just happen, but many successful entrepreneurs view it as an easy step. Frankly, my guess is that one who decides to become a franchisor is taking on one of the toughest business assignments, so take good help with you when you jump. And you always thought food was the toughest business.

Those who have asked me about franchising their business know one thing, first and foremost. I fervently believe that just because any business can be franchised it doesn’t mean every business should be franchised; yes, even the successful ones. A travesty you say! Nick, don't you know that franchising is the king of small business development? No, I don't know that at all. Franchising is the king of "formatted" businesses, but not the king of business start-ups. In fact, it seems to me that if we have several hundred thousand new businesses opening every year in North America, but only 30,000, or less, of those start-ups are under the franchise umbrella, then I think that's proof enough that the king has left the building. I love my franchise industry, but more importantly, I love to see things done right. And the simple truth is that not everyone should become a franchisor.

When people ask me about the "next step," they are usually operating a moderate to highly successful venture and feel that franchising the business is a natural expansion vehicle. Also, they have been thinking about franchising for a surprisingly long time. On average, I would say at least two to three years.

Here's something else that may or may not surprise you. Prospective franchisors are probably the easiest sell in the world, and unfortunately, a lot of people have figured that out, and as a result, lots of checks have been endorsed in the name of UFOC, document prep, franchise agreement, and franchise consulting. When a business owner makes the decision to become a franchisor, he also becomes an easy target because they have already sold themselves on the idea of franchising and just need a little nudge, a little encouragement from a "pro" who says, "come on, you have a great concept, I'll show you how to franchise it and make a lot of money." Ya, right.

Most prospective franchisors do not accept upfront that franchising a business demands the same critical thinking, expertise, testicular fortitude, fit, and hard work that any other successful venture requires. In other words, it is a LEARNED BUSINESS. OK, OK, successful entrepreneurs are generally a focused lot. I agree. And they work hard. Yes, they do. But, they have not franchised before and they need help. That is the breaking point – trying to become a franchisor without the benefit, the long-term benefit of help and staff that has already “been there and done that”.

Of course, there is help and there is help. Very often the helper is doing what they know to do, and that's fine, but manuals, documents, and an ad in the newspaper do not a successful franchise program make. It’s true that many "franchise professionals" can turn a business into a legal franchise organization, but that doesn’t mean that they are able or willing to help grow the franchise business. Growing a franchise company and growing the legs of a franchisor take time. Get involved with long-term help that has seen the hurdles and knows whether to jump or go around them.

By using the correct elements, a person who decides to become a franchisor can have the thrill of a lifetime. And it’s not just about the financial rewards. It’s about helping people realize their own entrepreneurial dream as well. So, bottom line, find out if franchising is a good fit for you and your concept. Then, go slow, do it one time and do it right.

Copyright Nicholas A. Bibby, all rights reserved.