Doing It Your Way: Finding Your Personal Franchise Style

Forbes

01-07-2025

Doing It Your Way: Finding Your Franchise Style
Recently at a networking event here in the UK, I got chatting to an entrepreneur in the fitness industry. That person had launched and grown a brilliant small business, had started to expand geographically and was teaching others to do the same. As we spoke further it became clear that their business model was morphing into a franchise in all but name, but when I pointed this out to them, the reaction was one almost of horror.
Why? Because their understanding of franchising was the same misconception shared by so many others still - that a franchise is very prescriptive and restrictive, that it is primarily for fast-food and retail, and that the franchisor sits and waits at arms-length for the money to roll in whilst the franchisees do all of the hard work.
The reality of franchising can be - and in the vast majority of cases, is - very different indeed. The modern concept of a franchise has been around since the mid 1850s, with the first franchisor believed to have been Isaac Singer, the founder of the Singer Sewing Machine Company and the inventor of the sewing machine. As demand for his product went through the roof, Singer granted licences to entrepreneurs across the US to sell and teach others to use his machines. It is a great shame therefore that, 175 years later, some entrepreneurs with brilliant businesses which are very well suited to franchising are deterred from considering it as a model for growth as they believe it won't suit them or their business, and that they won't be able to 'do it their way'.
As the franchisor of a creative brand myself, as I embarked on my own franchising journey I had very clear ideas about how I wanted the franchise to look and feel, and about the franchisees that I wanted to attract and build a long term relationship with. And for any would-be franchisor considering franchising their business, there are many ways in which they can develop their model in a way that is unique to them and truly representative of their own personal values, their strengths and skills, and the values of their brand.
At the heart of any successful franchise is nailed-on recruitment processes, a robust and fair franchise agreement, a comprehensive operations manual, tried and tested processes and procedures, great support systems and of course the financials. But when it comes to matters such as territory selection and business set up, training and onboarding, ongoing support systems, franchisee communication, network structure and how the franchise operates on a day to day basis, the franchisor can mould the model to suit their leadership style, the likely wants and needs of their industry and their ideal franchisee and their company ethos. Some franchisors will want to remain hands-on in all aspects of the business, whilst others may prefer to take a step back from ground level operations and focus on brand development and growth. In some brands and industries, giving franchisees a higher than usual degree of autonomy and flexibility may work well, whilst in others the franchisor may wish to retain a significant level of control over many aspects of the business. Franchising does not need to stifle creativity, or be faceless and lacking in personality - in fact a strong and collaborative franchise network can be a fantastic melting pot of ideas to fuel innovation and growth which benefits both franchisor and franchisee.
Embarking on the journey of franchising a business can be a very daunting step, but taking time to identify a franchising style that works for you and your business and to build a model that is authentic to you should make that journey a much easier one. As a franchisor it gives you a clear identity, enabling you to foster a strong franchise culture from the outset and attract and retain franchisees with shared values. And whatever your unique franchise style is, communication is key. Be clear from the outset about how your model works, the key features and how you stand apart from the crowd, and embed this in your operations manual and in all touchpoints with your team. It will become your USP, franchisees will know and understand what to expect and what is expected of them, and your franchise style can become the key to your franchise success.