Starting a franchise can be one of the smartest ways to grow your business — but only if you do it right. For every smooth-sailing success story, there’s a would-be franchisor who jumped in too fast, skipped the groundwork, or tried to do it all themselves.
Here are the top 5 mistakes we see time and time again — and how to dodge them.
1️⃣ Skipping the business model fine-tuning
Before franchising, your business model should be watertight. A strong franchise is replicable — meaning another person can run it and succeed just like you. Too many entrepreneurs rush into franchising before they’ve nailed the processes, manuals, and margins.
Avoid it: Run your current business as if it were already a franchise. Document everything. Refine your systems until they’re foolproof.
2️⃣ Underestimating the cost
Franchising isn’t cheap. Legal documents, recruitment, marketing — it all adds up. The mistake isn’t the cost itself, it’s the lack of planning for it.
Avoid it: Budget properly and think long-term. Franchising should pay for itself, but you need a strategy for getting there.
3️⃣ Choosing the wrong franchisees
The wrong franchisee can cost you time, money, and your brand’s reputation. Sometimes people get excited by enthusiasm and overlook fit.
Avoid it: Build a clear franchisee profile — skills, attitude, investment level, and personality. Then stick to it, even if it means saying no.
4️⃣ Not marketing the franchise properly
“If you build it, they will come” doesn’t apply here. Many new franchisors forget they’re now selling a business opportunity, not just a product or service.
Avoid it: Treat your franchise marketing like a campaign. Think digital first — from your website to social ads to PR.
5️⃣ Going it alone
Franchising without expert help is like navigating London without Google Maps. You might get there eventually, but it’ll take ten times longer and cost a lot more.
Avoid it: Partner with experts who know the process inside out (cough like us). From documentation to strategy, we’ll help you avoid the costly pitfalls and get your franchise right the first time.
✨ Ready to do it properly?
Take our free quiz to find out if your business is ready to franchise → how2franchiseltd.com/take-the-quiz