Franchisee resource center

Heart Monitor:

If you’re a seasoned franchisee, we’d love to hear what you’ve learned about marketing a new location! What has worked best for your business?

Fearing the debate would never end (and with our coffee running out), the staff finally settled on the following (admittedly unscientific) criteria: size and longevity of operation, visibility of brand, and -- quite honestly -- how compelling we found the founder's success story. If our internal discussion about this list serves as any indication, many readers will feel we snubbed their favorite franchise founder (and someone on our staff will probably agree). So, if you think we missed someone, leave a comment below, and let the debate begin!

There are a number of reasons why a franchise can fail. Some of the reasons are based upon a lack of capital and/or particular skills necessary for a particular franchise to be successful. On the other hand, there may be factors that are out of the franchisee's control: a franchise program that has a lack of customer demand or a poor product, for example, can lead to failure despite the franchisee’s best efforts (another example of why the franchisee should have done their research before investing).

[Gary Heavin, Curves]: Thanks, Matt. I'm glad to be here with you today and with your listeners.

To begin my new weekly column for FranchiseHelp.com I will be writing a series of articles covering some basics and need-to-know information for each of the twenty-three Items of the Franchise Disclosure Document (“FDD”). I will try to be as non-technical as possible, and will try to provide insight and information that is useful for both franchisors and prospective franchisees. Nine weeks from now, you may have a slightly better understanding of the core elements of the FDD.

In order to decide which alternative (franchise vs. standalone startup) is the wisest choice for you, you need to understand the advantages and challenges of both options.

The Potbelly’s train is firing on all cylinders and has successfully penetrated the uber-competitive fast casual sandwich sector. Potbelly sells a basic sub (PBJ, Pizza, etc) with relevant options (health, supremes) and offers an awesome dining experience. Their main target demographic is the lunch market, and their lunch lines are often out the door. Their menu includes soups, shakes and salads in addition to subs and the old-wood decor and live music make for a warm, neighborhood feel. Atmosphere is only the beginning though. Their products are well-crafted and satisfying. The quality of their ingredients is a cut above, yet price remains similar to that of their competition.

You are correct - it is very difficult to use the words, "flexible" and "franchise" in the same sentence! The flexibility comes with allowing our franchisees to cater their product mix to their local demographic. Florida fashion is different than North Dakota, Louisiana or California. The sophistication comes with the build-out, marketing, point of sale - inventory management system, intranet communications, buying resources and most importantly, the networking of franchisees across the country sharing fashion trends and what's working.