Franchise consulting FAQ
A franchise consultant matches you with franchises that fit your goals, skills, budget, and location, and at FranNet that service is free to you.
Franchise Consult Answers gathered the questions first-time buyers ask most about franchise consultants, FranNet’s free consultation, franchise costs, and how the process works. Each answer leads with the direct reply, then the supporting facts. Where a detail depends on a specific brand or your situation, we say how to confirm it.
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A franchise consultant helps you find franchises that fit your interests, goals, skills, budget, and preferred location, then gives you a structured way to research them. At FranNet, consultants present options that align with your profile, and you decide whether to move forward. The franchisor, not the consultant, handles any sale.
The two terms are often used interchangeably. FranNet operates through over 70 individual broker consultancies, and its consultants focus on matching candidates with suitable franchises rather than selling them. Ask any consultant you speak with how they work and how they are paid, so you understand the relationship before you begin.
FranNet consultants do not sell franchises. They introduce you to franchise opportunities that match your profile and guide your research. The franchisor manages the sales process, and you alone decide whether to buy. That separation means the consultant’s job is fit and preparation, not closing a deal.
A franchise consultant does not make the purchase decision for you, does not run the franchisor’s sales process, and does not replace your own legal or financial advisors. Many buyers review franchise documents with a franchise attorney and an accountant. FranNet’s role is matching you with options and giving you a structured way to research them.
Franchisors receive prequalified prospects who fit their franchisee criteria. That saves them time, and it means the candidates they meet have already thought through goals, skills, and investment range. For you, it means introductions to brands that are actually looking for someone with your profile.
FranNet was established in 1987 by Howard Bassuk’s company, Hobassco. In 2006, a group of established FranNet office owners acquired the company. Jania Bailey, who joined FranNet in 2006, has led it as CEO since 2015. That is nearly four decades of franchise consulting.
Yes. FranNet’s services are free to clients. The model is similar to how real estate agents operate: the candidate does not pay the consultant for matching, guidance, or research support. You can speak with a FranNet consultant and review the options they present without paying a consulting fee.
FranNet describes its model as similar to how real estate agents operate, which means candidates do not pay for the service. Across the franchise consulting industry, consultants are generally compensated by franchisors when a placement happens. Ask your consultant directly how compensation works so the arrangement is clear from the first call.
Generally, no. Franchise fees are set by the franchisor and disclosed in its Franchise Disclosure Document, and they typically apply to every new franchisee whether or not a consultant was involved. To confirm for a specific brand, check the fees in that brand’s disclosure document and ask the franchisor directly.
A first consultation usually covers your goals, work experience, skills, investment range, preferred location, and the lifestyle you want from business ownership. FranNet uses that profile to match you with franchise options. It is a conversation to understand fit, not a sales presentation for a single brand.
No. FranNet consultants do not sell franchises, and candidates decide whether to proceed with any purchase. You can speak with a consultant, review the options presented, and decide that franchise ownership is not right for you. Stepping back is a valid outcome of a good consultation.
That depends entirely on the brand. Total investment includes the initial franchise fee, build-out or equipment, opening inventory, and working capital, and every franchisor lists its estimated range in Item 7 of its Franchise Disclosure Document. Share your investment range with your consultant so the options you see fit your budget from the start.
After understanding your profile, a FranNet consultant presents franchise options that align with your interests, goals, and skills. You then follow a structured approach to researching those opportunities, so each brand is checked the same way. When your research is complete, you decide whether to move forward with a franchisor.
Matching starts with you, not a brand list. FranNet consultants look at your interests, goals, and skills, plus practical limits like investment range and location, and present franchises that fit that profile. Franchisors, in turn, set criteria for the owners they want, so the match is checked from both sides.
Typical franchise research includes reviewing the Franchise Disclosure Document, speaking with the franchisor’s team, calling current and former franchise owners, and checking the local market. FranNet provides a structured approach to researching each opportunity, which helps you compare brands consistently instead of reacting to whichever sales pitch is most polished.
It varies with your pace and the brands involved. U.S. federal rules require franchisors to give you the Franchise Disclosure Document at least 14 calendar days before you sign a binding agreement or pay any money, so the process has at least that pause built in. Ask your consultant for a realistic timeline for your situation.
You sign with the franchisor. FranNet consultants do not sell franchises, so the franchisor manages the sales process, the agreement, and the fees. Your consultant’s role centers on matching and research guidance, while your own attorney and accountant help you review the agreement itself before you commit.
Yes. Candidates decide whether to proceed, and FranNet consultants do not sell franchises. If none of the options feel right, tell your consultant what was missing. That feedback can sharpen the next round of matches, or it can confirm that now is not the right time for you to buy.
First-time buyers who are actively comparing franchises and want help choosing one that fits their goals, experience, investment range, and location get the most from a consultant. Professionals considering a move from employment into business ownership are a natural fit, especially if they have not yet chosen an industry.
No. Franchising is built around a proven system, training, and ongoing franchisor support, which is a big part of its appeal to first-time owners. A consultant helps you identify which of your existing skills, such as managing people, selling, or running operations, carry over to particular franchise models.
Yes, as long as you are seriously exploring it. A consultation helps you test whether your goals, finances, and lifestyle line up with ownership before you spend money. Because FranNet’s services are free to you and you decide whether to proceed, you can explore without committing to anything.
Yes. A consultant can help you research that brand with the same structured approach used for any opportunity, and may show you comparable options you had not considered. If you are certain about one brand and only need its sales process, contacting that franchisor directly is also a reasonable choice.
Yes. Your investment range is one of the main filters in matching. Sharing a realistic number up front, including how much cash you can commit and how you might finance the rest, keeps the options you see within reach and saves time for you and for the franchisor.
FranNet works through broker consultancies across all 50 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces. If you live in Canada, ask whether a FranNet consultant serves your province. If you live elsewhere, check FranNet’s website for current coverage before booking a call, since coverage outside those areas is not something we can confirm.
Researching alone is possible but slower, and you mostly see the brands you already know about. A free FranNet consultant starts from your profile, presents matched options, and gives you a structured research method. You still do the research and make the decision, with guidance that costs you nothing.
A franchisor’s sales team represents one brand, and its job is to award that brand’s franchises. A FranNet consultant presents several options that match your profile and helps you research them, while each franchisor manages its own sales process. Working in that order gives you comparison first and a sales conversation second.
They serve different purposes. Expos let you meet many brands quickly, but the brands you meet are the ones that chose to exhibit, and you do all the screening yourself. A consultant starts from your goals, skills, and investment range and narrows the field before you meet any franchisor.
Directories are useful for browsing, but listings are typically paid placements, and submitting interest on several can lead to many sales calls from brands that may not fit. A consultant filters first by your profile, so the conversations you have are with franchisors that are looking for someone like you.
FranNet has operated since 1987, works through over 70 broker consultancies in all 50 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces, and has nearly 120 consultants. Inc. magazine named it one of the fastest-growing private companies in America for six consecutive years. Its services are free to candidates, and its consultants do not sell franchises.
You can, but it often creates duplicate introductions and mixed advice. It is usually simpler to choose one consultant you trust and share your full profile openly. If you have already spoken with brands directly, tell your consultant so introductions are not repeated and franchisors see a clear, consistent candidate.
FranNet is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Its consultants work locally through over 70 individual broker consultancies across all 50 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces, which lets them bring knowledge of your local market and territory availability into the conversation about which franchises fit you.
If you live in the United States, very likely. FranNet operates through broker consultancies in all 50 states and has nearly 120 consultants. It also serves five Canadian provinces. Visit frannet.com to connect with a consultant who covers your area and can factor your preferred location into matching.
Territory availability, local competition, real estate costs, and labor markets vary widely from one area to the next. A consultant working in your region can factor your preferred location into matching, so you are not spending weeks researching a brand that has no open territory near you.
Jania Bailey has served as FranNet’s CEO since 2015. She joined the company in 2006 and has been instrumental in establishing FranNet as a respected voice in the franchise consulting industry. Under her leadership, FranNet has grown to nearly 120 consultants across the United States and Canada.
Yes. Inc. magazine recognized FranNet as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America for six consecutive years. FranNet has operated since 1987 and today works through over 70 individual broker consultancies across all 50 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces.
Yes. FranNet provides resources, support, and guidance to help people make informed decisions about business ownership, and it emphasizes informed decision making throughout the process. Visit frannet.com to see the resources currently available, whether you are just starting to explore or preparing for your first conversation.
Write down your goals for income and lifestyle, the skills you use most at work, your realistic investment range, and the areas where you would want to operate. Note any industries you would rule out. Clear answers help a FranNet consultant match you faster and more accurately.
Ask how they are compensated, how they choose which franchises to present, how many options you can expect to see, what their research process includes, and what happens if none of the options fit. A good consultant answers each of these plainly on the very first call.
Say so directly and restate your investment range, including your liquid cash and any financing limits. Investment range is a core matching filter, so an adjustment usually changes the options quickly. Do not stretch beyond what you can comfortably afford just to make one particular brand work.
Common mistakes include falling for the first polished pitch, skipping calls with current owners, underestimating working capital, and not having a franchise attorney review the agreement. A structured research approach, like the one FranNet provides, is designed to surface these issues before you sign anything.
Slow down. FranNet consultants do not sell franchises, and you decide whether to proceed. U.S. federal rules also give you at least 14 calendar days with the Franchise Disclosure Document before you sign or pay. A franchisor worth joining will respect the time you need to finish your research.
Visit frannet.com and use the site to connect with a FranNet consultant. Because FranNet works through consultancies in all 50 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces, you can be matched with a consultant who knows your area. The consultation is free to you, with no obligation to buy.
FranNet’s consultation is free to you. Share your goals, experience, investment range, and preferred location, and a local consultant will present franchise options that fit. You decide whether to move forward.
Book a free consultation at FranNet.com(opens in a new tab)