
Questions To Ask Before Buying A Franchise – Franchising is a great way for first-time entrepreneurs to get started with an effective business model. With recent tax reform, deregulation, and steady economic growth, the industry is set to continue its momentum and grow for an eighth consecutive year. But with thousands of franchises to choose from, finding the one that’s right for you requires research and due diligence.
Thankfully, it’s not hard to find the information you need. Franchisors reveal a lot about their business through Disclosure Documents (FDDs), but there’s another part of the research puzzle that’s just as important for you to dig into: the existing and previous es themselves. After all, these are the people who run the business day in and day out.
Questions To Ask Before Buying A Franchise
Talking to current and former managers is a great way to get a more personal perspective on your business.
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Once you’ve narrowed your choices down to a handful of potential businesses, make a list of people to contact and the questions you’ll ask them. This guide will show you how to review your FDD (which you will receive from the franchisor) to find the name of your current es, as well as 10 important questions you must ask.
The FDD is a long booklet that provides you with important information about the system and the protocols included. FDD is divided into 23 “projects,” which are like chapters in a book. FDD Item 20 provides a list of current and previous es for any particular company. This is an important resource that you should use to reach out to current or former employees.
While picking up the phone is the best way to connect, you may want to schedule a time to sit down and discuss your issues in more depth. In these cases, it may be more useful to introduce yourself via email or the professional networking platform LinkedIn and arrange a more formal time to discuss the business.
No matter how you get in touch, there are some key questions that can help you get a fuller understanding of what it’s like to be an e-commerce professional. Specifically, you need to know:
Questions To Ask Before Buying A Franchise (and Before Selling One)
To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of 10 core questions you should ask. Depending on your business and your interests as a business owner, feel free to ask these questions and add as many questions to the list as needed. The most important thing is to know how satisfied they are as a franchisee with this particular franchisor. Ask them to describe their overall satisfaction and what specific parts of the business they feel strongly about.
1. What is their personal business background? What education, experience, and skills did they have before buying, and what specifically helped them become better people? Generally speaking, it’s a very good sign if people from different backgrounds can succeed in the same way. Most buyers have no direct experience in their new field. This question helps confirm how easy it is to succeed no matter where you come from. 2. Was the franchisor honest when initially estimating the amount of capital needed to operate the business? You will be assessed start-up costs when discussing the opportunity with the franchisor. Asking whether these costs are more or less accurate compared to what other es actually cost can help determine how much you should trust the estimates given and how much money you should expect to spend building your business.
3. Approximately how long will it take for them to see a return on their investment? Find out how quickly es can achieve a return on initial investment and achieve positive cash flow. While there are many factors that will affect this, such as whether you decide to hire employees right away, this can give you a rough idea of how long it will take to recoup your initial costs and be ready to turn a profit.
4. Does the franchisor provide sufficient training and support to get them started immediately? The answer to this question will give you an idea of how well a franchisor’s training might prepare you for your own business. Take note of anything they mention they wish they had known or learned ahead of time, and be prepared to discuss these items during the training.
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5. How competitive is their business in the local market? While franchisors ensure that they do not allow multiple es to compete for business in the same territory, it is important to understand whether and to what extent other similar businesses are impacting the current es.
6. Are there any unexpected costs that will weigh on growth week by week or month by month? Current es can help you anticipate things you might not have expected, so it’s always good to ask them about any surprises you’ve encountered, whether good or bad. This particular question can help you identify any potential problems you may not be aware of and prepare accordingly.
7. Are they satisfied with the size of their territory? This question can help you compare your field to other people’s fields to understand whether you should consider bigger, smaller, or where you need to be.
8. How much time do they need to devote to day-to-day operations rather than growing the business through marketing, advertising, and training new employees? This is a specific question that can help you understand a more general problem: time management. Find out how they break down their time at work and in their business, and how much time each core task typically takes. This is another area where you might find surprises, and after getting a first-hand perspective on e, you’ll be better prepared. 9. If they could do it over again, would they buy again or choose a different opportunity? Hopefully most es will answer this question by saying they wish they had started sooner. This is obviously an important question for anyone considering a particular issue. Make sure es not only answer it but also try to explain why.
Franchise Questions Prospects Should Ask Before Buying
10. If they had been established long enough to start making profits, were their revenues what they expected? (Please note that some people may not feel comfortable discussing this issue.) This question is best for those who have been through it for a while. If they’re willing to talk about their finances, find out their timeline from starting a business to recouping costs to turning a profit. This can help you chart your path and set overall expectations.
Think of this as a list of getting started questions to build up, and don’t be afraid to reach out. Most people have these conversations regularly and have probably done the same thing themselves. Often they have been in your shoes as a buyer before and they will be happy to help.
At The Groutsmith, we make sure everyone has all the information they need to make the best franchise decision. From our homes to our corporate offices, we provide a caring support system that can answer questions immediately when they arise. Click here to learn more about our unique franchise opportunities and contact us today to start a conversation.

Want to know what it’s like to own a Groutsmith? Get a first-hand account of eight ES in our free Q&A guide. Click below to download.
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Very professional from start to finish. Groutsmith is the best service company my family has ever encountered.
It’s unbelievable – the loose tile floors in my living room are solid again. Thanks again Groutsmith. Now is the best time to buy a franchise. Franchise profits have steadily improved over the past eight years.
This apparent opportunity prompts exciting headlines such as “ 24 Top-Ranked, Affordable Franchises You Can Buy for $25,000 or Less – These Low-Cost Franchises Are Worth Your Spending Time, effort and investment.”
But are they really worth your time, effort, and money? Yes they are. But only to those who can analyze transactions and their own financial situation. Entrepreneurs looking to open a franchise this year should ask themselves the following questions before considering any deal.
Monetary Questions To Ask When Buying A Franchise
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