We Will Franchise Your Business
No Hidden Agendas
No Gimmicks!

Are You Ready to Franchise Your Business?

Ball and Chain

The Franchise Maker® takes business owners like you through an affordable step-by-step handholding process to franchise your business, which enables you to sell franchises throughout the United States.

You've worked hard growing your business and you are passionate about what your business has to offer. Now you are thinking about taking it to the next level. Yep, you say to yourself it's time to franchise my business. But where do I go and who can I trust to help me get it done right? The Franchise Maker is your answer! Unlike everyone else we do not simply give you a 50 plus page questionnaire expecting you to fill it out. Nope, we work directly with you giving you the individual attention that is necessary to custom build a franchise program that is unique to you and your business.

As franchise developers, we have the experience, resources and infrastructure to guide you through the franchise process, every step of the way adding value to your business. Request Information

how to franchise warning

A Warning Message

Be Careful Who You Talk to About How to Franchise Your Business

how to franchise warning

"Be careful who you talk to about how to franchise your business and who is raising their hand to help you. There are a lot of companies out there without any real track record or worse yet, run by slick sales people. There are some companies that are misleading and identify their president using fake names, middle names or will even hide behind layers of partnerships to keep you from knowing who is really running the company. You may also run across an attorney out there claiming to charge rock bottom fees. You need to ask: does that fee include all services needed to franchise; are they using templates; and how many actual one-on-one hours will you get with that person who is working on your project. Probably not many, as it is cost prohibitive for them to spend as much time with you as we do.

Keep in mind that every picture on this website is of real clients and all companies we list are businesses we have taken to franchise from start-to-finish. If the other people you talk to do not list clients, that is a warning sign; and if they do list clients ask them if the companies they list are businesses they have taken to franchise from start-to-finish. OR are they consulting with existing franchises, marketing or selling franchises for them? It is really hard to distinguish. Do your homework! The Franchise Maker® does NOT market or sell franchises, we have NO hidden agendas and most importantly we do NOT take any equity or any ongoing monies from you (in other words we do NOT make money off your future success). We do NOT resort to desperate tactics or gimmicks to bring on clients you will NEVER get a cold-call or email solicitation from us asking to franchise your business.

We are a franchise development company that does honest work for a flat fee. We are the ONLY one in the industry recognized and honored with the Better Business Bureau Torch Award. We specialize only in franchise development launching businesses like yours into franchising. The Franchise Maker® has real clients and real results."

Check out the steps to franchise, what it takes and everything you need to know to become a franchise.

What is Franchising?

If you are like other accelerated entrepreneurs, you’re asking “what’s next?”

You are eager to expand your business, you may already be searching for ways of how to do it, and saying to yourself, “I really want to franchise my business.” But what does franchising my business really mean? Even if you’re an expert at what you do, you may not have the first clue how to move your business into franchising.

So let’s start with a basic understanding as to just what franchising is about and what it will mean for you.

It all starts with your business and all the different elements that make your business work. Things such as: the services you offer, the products you sell, how you serve customers or clients, the reason why you started the business in the first place (your mission and core values), the images that represent your business, how you market your business, etc.  When you’ve created a business that customers and clients appreciate, you have the beginnings of the leverage you need for franchising your business.

Franchising involves using your existing business as a benchmark and turning your business into a franchising company (franchisor).  Making it so that someone (a franchisee), who is interested in operating your same business in their own market, can do so. The arrangement is spelled out in a set of documents that define the relationship between both you and the franchisee.  This adheres to the Federal Trade Commission's "Franchise Rule" requiring you to provide that person with all material information necessary for them to make an informed decision about whether or not to buy into your franchise.

You will make money from an initial fee (this is known as a franchise fee) that each franchisee will pay you, some type of ongoing fee for your continued support as each franchisee operates your business in their market (this is known as royalties), the different equipment, products and supplies that you might sell to the franchisee in addition to rebates, kickbacks and allowances you may receive from your vendors.

You will receive royalties for ongoing support, guidance, and access to all the resources you have in place that makes your business a success. In essence when franchising, you allow franchisees to expand your business in their market while ensuring a uniform experience for customers and clients no matter where they are located. As a result, you are helping turn someone into a business owner and in time (yep it starts to happen), you will slowly begin to create a recognizable brand, accomplishing more exposure quicker than you are able to do by yourself.

Of course, transforming your current business into a successful franchise is a bit more complicated, because you need to protect your trade secrets, processes and methods, as well as, build a franchise program that is fair for both you and your franchisees.  When franchising your business you really should have someone beside you to educate you of the potential hurdles, challenges and landmines that plague franchising. This is why you need The Franchise Maker.

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Eye Doctor Franchise
Service Installation

How Do I Franchise My Business?

Often times we hear, "I want to franchise my business, but I don't know how to franchise; how do I create a franchise program; how do I even start the process; how long will it take to franchise my business" OR "I want to franchise my business, but it seems too complicated." Guess what, franchising your business doesn't have to be complicated or cost hundreds of thousands of dollars (nope, not even close). We believe that a better use of your resources is to invest in initiatives that will further enhance, brand and market your franchise system. We are based in California, where regulations to offer franchise opportunities are much tighter than other states. We have had tremendous success not just in California, but all over the United States because we excel at making franchising a simple, painless, QUICK and EASY process for everyone.

Whether you want to franchise in California, Oregon, Texas, New York, Florida or anywhere in the United States, you will be surprised at how quickly we will make it happen. In addition, with our unique Pay As You Go Program, you pay gradually as work is completed, so the pressure is on us to perform for YOU.


What Are Franchisees?

However before you get carried away about the idea of franchising your business lets first explore what franchising really means and what are franchisees. Franchising is a means of establishing a network of independently owned businesses (all of whom operate either their own limited liability company or corporation) and are given permission by you to sell products or offer services (or both) under your name and the same way you do it. These independently owned businesses (known as “franchisees”) are responsible for: finding a site for their business (if applicable), the entire cost of opening their business, hiring and managing their employees, advertising their business and of course adhering to standards established by you (the “franchisor”) when operating their business, just to name a few (to learn more Contact Us). When you become a franchise you are responsible for teaching franchisees all your methods, processes, procedures, techniques and best practices so they can be just as successful at operating your business in their market. This entire concept is known as “business format franchising” and fosters uniformity. Besides the money you generate as a franchisor, there are many other benefits to franchising so call us and we will be happy to share them with you!

Franchising has played a major role in the American economy (and internationally) because it delivers to consumers the brand and service uniformity they desire while enabling entrepreneurs to align themselves with a system that intrinsically affords them benefits and leverage they would not otherwise have on their own. If this is something you aspire to do with the business you have created, then franchising may be an option for you. You have questio, we have answers. See a list of frequently asked questions.

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"One of my concerns with franchising was the need to convert our three current license agreement locations to franchisees. Dave’s experience in that area was key to us in rolling out our franchise and being protected all around as a business. The whole experience of working throught getting our franchise documents and program completed was smooth and…."
[ read the rest ]

"I was very skeptical at first since The Franchise Maker was thousands of miles away and since I found them via a Google search. This wasn’t my typical way of finding business contacts. Now, in hindsight, I know that working with The Franchise Maker is the best move we've ever made and now..." [ read the rest ]

"I spoke to a couple different franchise consultants and franchising companies and they didn’t qualify my query like Dave with The Franchise Maker did. Dave really made me think about the full scope of franchising and gave me honest answers. Dave really listened to what I had to say and after a few more conversations he felt I was ready enough to…." [ read the rest ]

"I researched other franchise competitors for over a year and even flew half way across the country to visit one. One day I put my info in at The Franchise Maker’s website and immediately got a call. After one talk on the phone I knew this would be the company for me...." [ read the rest ]

"When we decided to franchise our company, we looked into several professionals to help us with this process. It was very obvious that David, its President, is serious when it comes to franchising. He had the ability and comprehension to..." [ read the rest ]

"Everything about The Franchise Maker exceeded our expectations and we have not even met them in person. If you are looking to franchise your business I am confident in saying that at the end of the process working with The Franchise Maker, you will be fulfilled knowing that you had an actual voice in the design of your entire franchise system..." [ read the rest ]

"The process of developing a franchise can be very complex and you will never know the value in all development and resouces supplied by The Franchise Maker until you have reached the status I have already. I appreciated the process as it avoided potential wasted and valuable time. Once we finished, I even found value in his ongoing programs. These programs helped us create and hone our..."
[ read the rest ]

What Things Should I Consider
Before Franchising My Business?

Franchising your business may seem like the dream that carries you forward into a new era of success, but you must take the time to make sure this is the right move. While the experienced team at The Franchise Maker will start by sizing up your business to see if you’re a good fit for franchising, there are several things you need to consider before you move ahead.

First, you will need to consider whether your business is scalable. How easy or difficult will it be to replicate your systems and your success in a new market, with another business owner at the helm? If you are the shining star on which your business success hinges, that may make it a bit more difficult to duplicate. 

Also, you must think about whether or not there is a real market (demand) for your services or products outside your local area. In other words, is what service or product you are providing universal or specific to just your geographic area?

Your focus is now about to shift from pleasing your current customers or clients, to becoming the pioneer of your brand and supporting all the franchisees who have bought into your program. Is this something you’re comfortable managing? Will you be able support your franchisees when they run into operational challenges while operating your business in their market? These are just a few of the important considerations to think about before franchising your business.

Critical Factors for Success When Franchising

The Franchise Maker is adept at handling all the details of your franchise development and creating a franchise program, but when it comes to execution, you really do the heavy lifting. Your success hinges on how well you execute with your franchises. As part of our franchise development services, we will identify your deliverables that will help keep your franchisees accountable.  How well you execute, that’s up to you.

Your business must have something that is unique and sets you apart from your competitors. When franchising, you need to identify the value that you bring and will continue to bring to your franchisees. No need to worry, at The Franchise Maker, we are here to help identify such things.   After reading all this perhaps you are amped. So when you’re ready to launch into your phase of growth (the next step), we will be here to help you from start-to-finish, throughout your entire franchise development process.

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Should I franchise my business
Mobile Car Repair Franchise

Why Use a Franchise
Development Company?

You are an expert at what you do, and you’ve taken your passion, knowledge and experience to create a successful business. As a business owner, you understand the value of hiring an expert to handle aspects of your business that you don’t necessarily have a strong grasp about or fully understand. This is why you hire professional accountants, lawyers and marketing firms to manage the tasks they’re adept at doing day-after-day.

The Franchise Maker is a franchise development company and specialize in turning businesses like yours into a franchise (learn more about who we are and the types of businesses we have franchised). We’re not lawyers and we’re not in the business of marketing. We are true franchise developers helping to put together fair and attractive franchise programs, all while protecting you (and the business you created) in the process.

We do all the heavy lifting and are here to coach, guide and mentor you through the entire process of franchising your business and transform it into a successful franchise system, while also teaching you how to avoid the common pitfalls that can quickly derail an unseasoned franchisor.

When undertaking the complex task of franchising your business, you need an experienced franchise developer who has the knowledge and resources to help you formulate your franchising strategy, create value-driven propositions that appeal to potential franchisees and navigate the tricky waters of franchising. Our process involves attorneys who specialize in franchising (because for some attorneys, its hard for them to admit they cannot do it all) to make sure that what we put together affords you all the protections you need as a franchisor.

The award-winning team at The Franchise Maker proudly offers turn-key franchise development solutions that save you time, money and aggravation (we encourage you to take a few minutes to visit our About Us page and learn more). While opportunistic frauds will try to charge you hundreds of thousands of dollars for services and somehow manage to keep their hands in your pockets afterwards, The Franchise Maker charges a flat fee for all services needed when developing your franchise from start-to-finish. The Franchise Maker even offers a Pay-As-You-Go Program that ensures you see results without committing to a ton of money upfront.

We guide you through the process of franchising your business with a cooperative, hand-holding approach that includes constant communication every step of the way, so you never feel intimidated by the process. The end result will be a complete franchise program, customized for your business and once approved, can be put into effect immediately. Our simple, efficient process can be completed in as little as 90 days. The Franchise Maker provides a quick, easy and affordable way business owners, like you, can take their business to the next level.

What Does a Franchise Developer Do?

A good franchise developer is like a general contractor, taking you from start-to-finish through the entire process while having the right team of people in their toolbelt. A good franchise development company, like The Franchise Maker, works hand-in-hand with you to build a franchise structure that is specific to your business. A good franchise development company will provide you with one person to work with throughout the entire process rather than being tossed around from one person to another not getting much accomplished other than mounting frustration.

A good franchise development company will assemble all the franchise documentation and provide you with a team of attorneys to carry it all forward. A good franchise development company does not outsource the work but does it all inhouse providing you with a personal experience making you feel as if you are their only client. A good franchise development company will do the research for you to identify similar like-and-kind businesses that are already franchising all in an effort to position you attractively and affordably in the franchise marketplace. Yep, a good franchise development company can be an invaluable resource.

The end goal of this entire process should be to provide you with a customized franchise program so you have everything necessary to be self-sufficient. A good franchise development company does not build themselves into your program and does not keep their hands in your pocket moving forward. Nope a good franchise development is like a general contractor, a fee for service, so when the job is done… so is your commitment to them.

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Lingerie Shop

How Does Franchising My Business Help Me Make Money?

Easy, you get a fee for training franchisees, some type of ongoing fee for your continued support and expertise, fees for different types of services you provide; and we can talk about you making money from products and/or equipment franchisees may have to buy from you. And let’s not forget about kickbacks and rebates from vendors that we could also setup in your franchise program.

To be honest, there are so many different ways you can make money with franchising in addition accelerating the growth of your business, if your franchise program is setup right.

You can’t just search for “how to franchise a business” and go with any joker you find on the Internet (well you can but we don't recommend it). You need an expert franchise development company, that has a proven track record of setting up franchises that maximizes your avenues of revenues while building strong franchise programs to keep you protected and out of trouble and lets not forget about a long list of satisfied clients as proof. You need The Franchise Maker!

The Franchise Maker helps you attain your goals of wanting to grow and expand your brand. Unlike others may find who offer services to turn your business into a franchise, who charge exorbitant fees, deliver only a portion of the services you actually need to launch a successful franchise and (here is the best part) build themselves into your franchise program to keep their hands in your pockets afterwards (making money off your success), The Franchise Maker is way the hell different. Yep we charge only a flat rate (nothing beyond) for services to franchise your business and we do NOT build ourselves into your franchise program or make any money off your future success.

We were also the first to create a Pay-As-You-Go program that ensures you see the work being done before you pay for it. At some point, of course, the talented team at The Franchise Maker will complete your franchise program and hand over the reins to you. What’s next?

You will be in a position to offer franchises nationwide. There are no other out-of-pocket costs to you, besides minor annual maintenance costs to your franchise program. However, if you are like most of our clients, and you can’t get enough of The Franchise Maker, you could choose to take advantage of some optional programs for ongoing assistance (and yes that is all flat fee too). For further information, Contact Us.

What Are The Benefits of Franchising My Business?

The benefits of franchising a business is faster growth. Some business owners are happy growing organically and maintaining a handful of locations they manage themselves. Others want to grow faster than their resources will allow and look towards franchising because, when franchising, you are bringing on franchisees who use their own resources (money and talent) to operate your business in their area (a market you would not be able to get into yourself that quickly).

Along the way, your small local business becomes recognizable and soon the name of your business becomes associated with the services and/or products that you offer. Yep, you slowly start becoming a brand; therefore, adding more credibility to what you do in the marketplace.

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What You Can Expect from The Franchise Maker

Franchising can be scary, intimating and frustrating. And sometimes seen as an unrealistic goal for a small business. There are many legal and logistical hurdles to overcome and steps to take just to create a franchise and it is very tough to know who you can trust.

At The Franchise Maker, we provide you with the knowledge and resources you need to be self-sufficient and ready to bring on new franchisees. We make an inherently complex process simple by actually spending time with you (you know the old-fashioned way) and provide end-to-end franchise development services with personalized help.

When you hire The Franchise Maker, not only do we hold your hand every step of the way with the goal of making you feel as if you are our only client, but we actually explain everything we do with you. Yep, you are involved in every step of the process.

The best thing about working with The Franchise Maker is that we do not give you questionnaires to fill out or try to fit you or your business into a box. We don't give you an off-the-shelf solution. We put together a customized franchise program that reflects your business and your values.

Our President Dave believes that this level of personalization is the key to long-term success in the franchise world because according to him franchising is a relationship business. Generic solutions don't allow you to stand out from the crowd and don't highlight the benefits of doing business with you. Ultimately, personalization and differentiation are essential to an attractive franchise program.

Quick, Efficient and Comprehensive!

No doubt franchising is a strategy used to penetrate and dominate the marketplace. It can be a powerful way to grow your business and expand your profits while developing brand recognition. You may be asking yourself “should I franchise my business?” Well there are lots of questions we have about your business to determine if it even makes sense to franchise your business. Call us and let’s see how your business measures up to our Franchise-O-Meter. If franchising is the right vehicle for your business, The Franchise Maker® will help to get you there in as little as 90 days. We handle everything from franchise disclosure documents (which includes the franchise agreement) and support materials, to a complete team of professionals you will need to launch and strengthen your franchise system. Regardless of which state you are in, we make franchising your business Quick, Easy and Affordable!

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To make your business a franchise, most importantly you will need to have a business that currently in operation to show proof of concept. From there we will work on trademarking your name, identifying your deliverables, determining a franchisee fee and royalty structure, put together your franchise training program, develop a franchise disclosure document, provide you with a franchise attorney and get you approved to offer franchise nationwide. See more on the steps to franchise.

A business is considered franchisable if it has a proven track record, if there a demand for what you do or offer, if you have replicable processes, a unique selling proposition and if you have the passion to teach others how to operate every aspect of your business (everything from daily operations to the administrative tasks you perform). There are a few of the questions you should ask yourself. To see more read “How to Know if My Business is Franchisable”.

Franchising can be a strategic way to expand your business without you having to spend the money to open more locations, without you having to manage more employees and without you having to be involved in day to day operations. Franchising allows for quicker growth, leverages the talent of franchisees, diversifies operational risks and increases brand presence and visibility. Take a look at this article “Why Franchise Out a Business”.

There is no concrete timeline when it makes sense for you to franchise. It's ideal to franchise when your business is humming along at a pretty good pace. This means you have a proven business model, are consistently busy, you have created a name for yourself in your area (brand recognition), there is a clear demand for what you do and what you offer and you have a strong desire to teach, coach and mentor other people how to be successful.

Yes, many businesses can be turned into a franchise, provided they have a successful, replicable business model. There are many qualities of a franchisor that center around your passion, what is your widget and how you have put it all together to offer the products or services you provide. To see more detail read “Can I be a Franchisor”.

You created your LLC to protect you against liability. We will be doing the same thing when franchising by creating a different entity (limited liability company or corporation) when turning you into a franchise. So this means your current LLC becomes an affiliate of your franchise program. We will be modeling your franchise program after your affiliate (known as your company-owned location).

Franchising can be very beneficial for the growth of your business to expand into other markets faster than you can yourself. The decision to franchise should be based on your what your business has to offer, what makes your business different, your willingness to share what you have created, willingness to teach others, desire to continue to innovate and be the pioneer of your industry. These are just a few things to consider when determining if franchising is a good idea for your business.

It can be smart if you're looking for a cost-effective way to expand without the capital outlay, without having to manage another location and without being tied to more employees. It is important to understand your role as a franchisor which includes but is not limited to onboarding, training and mentoring franchisees while continuing to innovate and keep your brand relevant.

As a franchisor there are many ways you make money franchising which includes collecting an initial franchise fee, ongoing royalties and there are other sources of income that includes revenue from purchases you require franchisees to buy from you. You may even generate revenue from vendors that make a preferred supplier for your franchisees. For more detail take a look at this article “How Do I Make Money Franchising”.

You should not have to pay a whole lot. The cost of franchising your business is pretty straight forward which is $2M dollars (just kidding) it is actually way under $50K with The Franchise Maker. But be careful of gimmicks are out there and situations where you are asked to give away equity in order to franchise. Take a look at this piece on "What to Look for in a Franchise Development Company" for more guidance.

As part of the process to franchise, we need to assess your business and its franchisability, what makes your business unique, what makes your business stand out from others, can your business survive anywhere, is your business adaptable and how easy is it to duplicate what you are doing just to name a few. We also look at you and other factors about your business to determine if your business is franchisable.

Just like anything, franchising your business comes with risks. One of the main concerns is working franchisees who will follow your business model, provide the same level of service as you do and run the business just like you (read more about finding the perfect franchisee). The success of your franchise program is contingent on the success of your franchisees which boils down to your onboarding process, how well you train and support franchisees, continue to add value and innovate to just to name a few. There are some strategies that we build into your franchise program that so you can maintain control and minimize the risk of franchisees going rogue, stealing your information and using it in some other business.