1851

Finding that winning idea, running with it, and turning it into a successful business is definitely not as easy as we&rsquo;d all like it to be. What might make sense to one person, does not translate to others and cannot always be turned into a 100-unit idea. But, for those businesses that can, it&rsquo;s not always smooth sailing from the get-go.

To get a better grasp on pitfalls that happen during the franchising process, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/" target="_blank">1851 Franchise</a> connected with <a href="http://pipfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=five-things-i-wish-i-knew-when-i-decided-to-franchise-my-business-2705291" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pretty in Paint Parties</a> Founder Erica Baatz Bridges and <a href="http://ownasobol.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=five-things-i-wish-i-knew-when-i-decided-to-franchise-my-business-2705291" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SoBol</a> Founder Jason Mazzarone to understand each the journey from turning a winning idea into a successful franchise model.

1. Have the Right Policies in Place

What works for one person does not necessarily work for another. But, when establishing a consistent franchise model, it&rsquo;s important to get as close as you can to a universal model. Policies are the first place to start.

&ldquo;There are a lot of unknowns,&rdquo; said Mazzarone. &ldquo;I wish I knew what it took when growing from one to two units, even from three to four. You can have a system in place for the corporate store, but that might not necessarily work across the franchise system. Take time on those policies and test them out before finalizing the model.&rdquo;

Use the corporate store as a test center and be open to changes. Policies will change, but if they are thorough from the franchise launch, they can always act as a base and continuously be built on.&nbsp;

2. Surround Yourself with the Right People

For franchisors with a franchising background, familiarity with the sector can help with building out the model. For those who don&rsquo;t have that background, like Bridges, it&rsquo;s important to make sure the team behind the franchisor is stacked with people who will have their best interests in mind.

&ldquo;You need good people behind you. I think the best thing we did is hire a franchise lawyer and franchise advisor,&rdquo; said Bridges, who worked with <a href="https://fisherzucker.com/our-practice/our-attorneys/lane-fisher/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=five-things-i-wish-i-knew-when-i-decided-to-franchise-my-business-2705291" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lane Fisher</a> and <a href="http://www.smbfranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=five-things-i-wish-i-knew-when-i-decided-to-franchise-my-business-2705291" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">SMB Franchise Advisors*</a> in the launch of Pretty in Paint Parties. &ldquo;Both knew the type of company we were and what we were hoping to be, and we knew they would always be on our journey with us.&rdquo;

Mazzarone seconded the need for a strong support system and also utilized the expertise of SMB Franchise Advisors in the launch of SoBol franchising.

&ldquo;A franchise advisor will tell you if you are ready to launch a franchise model, and they will definitely tell you if your concept isn&rsquo;t at that point yet,&rdquo; said Mazzarone. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t want your system to grow faster than you can build it, so it&rsquo;s important to make sure all of the different pieces are in place.&rdquo;

3. What Worked for One Store, Won&rsquo;t Work for Ten

Typically, franchisors will build the model based on what was needed to successfully run a handful of corporate locations. Supplies are something that are not often considered in the sense of how the quantity and quality will change when that number turns from two to twenty.

Take Pretty in Paint Parties for example, which is a model in which the supply and demand play a large part in the concept. When operating one or two corporate locations it was easy to gauge the amount of supplies to order based on trends in business, busy season, etc. But, once that number multiplied by ten, it was clear that the ordering process had to change.

&ldquo;We tried to think of a good solution where our franchisees could order the supplies through us, since this is what we were used to and thought should stay consistent,&rdquo; said Bridges. &ldquo;We let go of this whole idea because we realized it wasn&rsquo;t financially benefiting our franchisees. You can get bigger discounts with the big box stores, and ordering was a quicker process when they didn&rsquo;t have to submit orders through us.&rdquo;

4. Staying Focused on the Franchisee

Most won&rsquo;t admit it, but a good number of franchisors get into the business with dollar signs in their eyes. What they don&rsquo;t realize is that without the success of the franchisees, those dollar signs will not turn into actual cash flow.

&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s easy to focus on what is going to make you, the franchisor, successful,&rdquo; said Bridges. &ldquo;You need to focus on the franchisees. What&rsquo;s going to make them happy and less burdened by stress? I think it&rsquo;s the most important aspect of franchising, especially in the beginning.&rdquo;

5. Teach by Example: The Corporate Store

A successful corporate store is essentially the reason any franchisor decides to franchise their concept. It worked for one location, why won&rsquo;t it work for 500 locations? Once a franchise model is put in place, this corporate store should still act as a model of success to all of the franchised locations.

&ldquo;The corporate store is a great test center to try out new processes before rolling them out to the entire system,&rdquo; said Mazzarone. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t ever want to be close minded and refuse to evolve the concept, and this is the place to try out these new ideas and see if they will work system wide. It should also act as a model to the other stores on how the well-oiled machine should run.&rdquo;

While the process of establishing a franchise model will never be completely scotch-free, franchisors like Mazzarone and Bridges have been able to learn from their mistakes and unfamiliarity with certain aspects along the way. Whether it&rsquo;s focusing on those core policies, making sure the support team is stacked and the model is scalable, putting the franchisees first and foremost, or leading by example, each and every single unexpected pitfall can turn into a teachable moment. By adapting to these changes and fine-tuning the model, the possibilities for growth are endless.

Five Things I Wish I Knew When I Decided to Franchise My Business

1851 Franchise

Pretty in Paint Parties Founder Erica Baatz Bridges and SoBol Founder Jason Mazzarone revisit the journey of turning an idea into a national concept.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

five-things-i-wish-i-knew-when-i-decided-to-franchise-my-business

Paris Baguette

Photo of array of Paris Baguette pastries

Paris Baguette Redefines Morning Routines With Fresh Breakfast and Premium Coffee Strategy

paris-baguette-breakfast-strategy-growth

TruBlue Home Service Ally

TruBlue’s Home Maintenance Plans: Peace of Mind for Homeowners

trublues-home-maintenance-plans-peace-of-mind-for-homeowners

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Targets Peoria, Illinois, for Franchise Growth

caring-transitions-targets-peoria-illinois-for-franchise-growth

Caring Transitions Celebrates a Strong Start to 2025 With 19 New Franchise Sales and Momentum-Building Training Events

caring-transitions-celebrates-a-strong-start-to-2025-with-19-new-franchise-sales-and-momentum-building-training-events

Right at Home

Right at Home 30th Anniversary in Home Care with Right at Home Logo

Celebrating 30 Years of Excellence and Future Innovations in Home Care

celebrating-30-years-of-excellence-and-future-innovations-in-home-care

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 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

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: Building Your Brand’s Growth Machine

ultimate-guide-to-selling-franchises

franchise supplier award design with Locate AI logo and 1851 Franchise badge

Franchise Real Estate Services | Locate AI — Emerging Leaders in Franchise Support

locate-ai-emerging-leaders-in-franchise-support

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Position Your Value Proposition

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Position Your Value Proposition — Point of Differentiation

how-to-position-your-value-proposition-with-a-point-of-differentiation

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How to Clarify Your Positioning – The “Why You/Why Now”

the-ultimate-guide-to-selling-franchises-how-to-clarify-your-positioning-the-why-youwhy-now

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Amy Lepke and family and Papa Murphy's logo

After 14 Years as a Stay-At-Home Mom, Amy Lepke Returned to Papa Murphy’s — This Time as an Owner

papa-murphys-franchise-amy-lepke

Franchisee Spotlight with Micki Waters and Papa Murphy's Logo

Work Mom: How Micki Waters Became a Mother Figure to Her Entire Papa Murphy’s Team

work-mom-how-micki-waters-became-a-mother-figure-to-her-entire-papa-murphys-team

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG

how-robert-trujillo-expanded-his-construction-business-with-uwrg

Five Things I Wish I Knew When I Decided to Franchise My Business

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS