1851

Starting a franchise is a very exciting venture for a new franchisee. It could mean a new work-life balance, an escape from the mundane, and a chance to earn more money - all common reasons that explain why a gainfully employed person might abandon their day-to-day existence in favor of franchising. 

But when a franchisee doesn&rsquo;t follow the playbook they are given - and they are all definitely given some form of a playbook that tells them exactly how to run the business - things may start to go south and sour that happiness and optimism. Extenuating factors are a risk for anyone in any business, of course, but either way, when a franchisee is unhappy, it can very quickly affect the rest of the brand.

Franchise pros point to several different reasons as to why a franchisee might find themselves unsatisfied.

&ldquo;The number one reason why franchisees can become unhappy typically comes from not making the type of money they thought they would,&rdquo; 1851 Franchise Chief Brand Strategist Sean Fitzgerald said. &ldquo;That seems to be the number one driver. <a href="https://1851franchise.com/franchisors-should-create-channels-for-two-way-communication-to-avoid-unhappy-franchisees-2707511" target="_blank">This is where communication with a franchisor or franchisee is critical </a>but equally critical is setting proper expectations in the sales process.&rdquo;

Bob Wagner, president of Wagner Franchising, a franchise consulting company, echoes this sentiment.

&ldquo;I&rsquo;d think the biggest reason the <a href="https://1851franchise.com/to-avoid-unhappy-franchisees-stop-selling-and-start-recruiting-2707512" target="_blank">franchisee</a><a href="https://1851franchise.com/to-avoid-unhappy-franchisees-stop-selling-and-start-recruiting-2707512" target="_blank"> is unhappy is that the franchisee&rsquo;s expectations are not set up from the beginning</a>,&rdquo; he said. A franchisor, he noted, needs to set expectations upfront and be honest with the franchisee when talking about how long it might take to break even. 

Franchisees go into a franchise venture with a picture in their head about how the franchise is going to go, Fransmart founder and CEO Dan Rowe said in an email. 

&ldquo;No one buys a franchise for a stack of contracts,&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;They want what they think they are going to get from buying the franchise like revenue, profit, financial freedom, support, predictability. They want what the franchisor promised, and when they don&rsquo;t get this they can become unhappy. The more expectations that aren&rsquo;t being met the angrier and more frustrated they become.&rdquo; 

An unhappy franchisee can have short and long-term effects on a business. Franchise experts agree that an unhappy franchisee might start to try doing things their own way - to detrimental results. 

&ldquo;When things aren&rsquo;t going the way they were told it was going to go they start to lose faith in the entire business system,&rdquo; Wagner said. &ldquo;So then they start to do things outside the franchise system if they can. They don&rsquo;t follow the business system that the franchisor has in place and other things can start to go south.&rdquo;

An unhappy franchisee might also spread the word about their experience - and in a very bad way. 

&ldquo;Existing franchisees make or break brands,&rdquo; Rowe said in an email, adding that unhappy franchisees give bad references and warn others not to join. &ldquo;Now more than ever, with social media it is easy for an unhappy franchisee to make their points known.&rdquo; 

When an unhappy franchisee vents their frustration to other franchisees, it can cause &ldquo;a cancerous effect,&rdquo; 1851 Franchise publisher Nick Powills said. 

&ldquo;An unhappy franchisee will do far more damage to an organization than people realize,&rdquo; Powills said. &ldquo;Once they start becoming negative they are negative on everything. They will fight the system despite the fact that it&rsquo;s proven to work. They almost fight it to a point where they refuse to follow the system and it gets in this very dangerous negative spiral for a franchisee.&rdquo;

Ultimately, one of the major traits of a happy franchisee is someone who is willing to follow the tested and proven program. This will help prevent having an unhappy franchisee down the road. 

&ldquo;A good franchisor has already done proof of concept,&rdquo; <a href="https://www.megschmitz.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=1851-when-the-going-gets-tough-how-unhappy-franchisees-can-slow-a-brands-growth-2707490" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration-line:none" target="_blank">independent franchise consultant Meg Schmitz</a> said. &ldquo;They know that it works. The challenge in the beginning is finding the right people who really want to wave that banner and go for it.&rdquo; 

To find the right people, franchisors need to be very careful in their recruitment process. 

&ldquo;There are certain personality types that do really well in franchising,&rdquo; Schmitz said, citing former athletes in particular. People with corporate backgrounds also do well in franchising, she said, because they appreciate a good mission statement. 

Fitzgerald compared the franchisee recruitment process to the college recruitment process, and stressed the importance of investing time in finding the right partner. &nbsp;

&ldquo;If your franchise team is looking for the top candidates that&rsquo;s where it starts,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It should be like college recruiting. The top colleges want the top students. Franchisors should look at it the same way and bring in people who are going to be not only good recruited candidates but also the right fit for the system.&rdquo;

1851 When the Going Gets Tough: How Unhappy Franchisees Can Slow a Brand’s Growth

1851 Franchise

Franchise experts Bob Wagner, Nick Powills, Dan Rowe, Meg Schmitz, & Sean Fitzgerald weigh in on why a franchisee may not be thrilled with their new venture - and how to prevent unhappy franchisees

1851-when-the-going-gets-tough-how-unhappy-franchisees-can-slow-a-brands-growth

United Water Restoration Group

United Water Restoration Group - UWRG - Midyear Momentum 2025 - 1851 Franchise

United Water Restoration Group Sees Strong Growth, Innovation in First Half of 2025

united-water-restoration-group-uwrg-franchise-midyear-2025

Senior Care Authority

Senior Care Authority Midyear Momentum 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Senior Care Authority Accelerates Franchise Support and National Growth in First Half of 2025

senior-care-authority-franchise-midyear-2025

Children's Lighthouse

How This IT Architect Became a Successful Children’s Lighthouse Franchisee

childrens-lighthouse-franchise-san-antonio-justin-leggett

Busy Bee Jumpers

Busy Bee Jumpers Buzzes into Franchising: Three New Franchisees Signed in First 30 Days

busy-bee-jumpers-buzzes-into-franchising-three-new-franchisees-signed-in-first-30-days

Fitness Premier

Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs Reports Strong Midyear Momentum 

Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs Reports Strong Midyear Momentum with Revenue Gains, Record Membership, and Strategic Expansion

fitness-premier-mid-year-growth-2025

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Mega Franchisee Sizzling Platter Acquired by Bain Capital

mega-franchisee-sizzling-platter-acquired-by-bain-capital

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down Amid Challenges, Leaving Franchisees Facing Uncertainty

wendys-ceo-transition-kirk-tanner-franchisee-uncertainty

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

Image of Donald Trump pointing with red stripes in the background

August 1 Tariff Deadline Is Said to Have ‘No Extensions’: What This Could Mean for Franchises

august-1-tariff-deadline-franchise-impact

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

what-junes-jobs-report-means-for-the-franchise-industry

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

Blending Tech, Hospitality and Health Care: How Three Women From Different Worlds Came Together to Build a Paris Baguette Franchise

1851 When the Going Gets Tough: How Unhappy Franchisees Can Slow a Brand’s Growth

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS