Buy a Franchise
A practical breakdown of how franchisors should support new owners through training, opening and the critical first 90 days of operation in 2026.
One of the most overlooked and most important factors in long-term success in franchising is how a franchisor supports owners through the most vulnerable stages of ownership: training, opening and the first 90 days in business.
The strongest franchise systems don’t assume owners will “figure it out.” They design structured field support that carries franchisees from onboarding through stabilization, helping them move from new operator to confident business owner.
Initial training is where franchisees either gain clarity or start with gaps. In 2026, strong franchisors are expected to deliver more than surface-level instruction.
“A new franchisee will receive a three-day training at our headquarters where we cover everything from soup to nuts,” Tracey Walsh, chief administrative officer at SweatHouz. “How do we use the point-of-sale system? How do we generate leads with marketing? How do we handle emergencies? How do I fix a sauna? A cold plunge?"
The takeaway for buyers isn’t the length of training alone, but the depth. Training should reflect real operational realities, including technology, marketing, customer issues, equipment and problem-solving — not just theory.
Prospective franchisees should ask who conducts the training, how much hands-on exposure is included, and whether the curriculum reflects day-to-day operations, not just ideal scenarios.
Even the best training can’t replace real-world experience. That’s where field support becomes essential.
“Our franchises have their own dedicated franchise business consultant that will be working with them probably bi-monthly on calls talking about their key performance indicators, staffing — perhaps their next location,” Walsh said.
Field support teams help owners make sense of their numbers, work through staffing issues and decide what to focus on next. That guidance matters most early on, when even small mistakes can quickly turn into bigger problems.
The most effective systems provide consistent touchpoints rather than reactive check-ins.
The first three months after opening often determine whether a franchise builds momentum or struggles to recover. Strong franchisors treat this period as a defined ramp, not an afterthought.
Support during this phase often expands beyond a single contact and involves multiple departments working in tandem.
“Our marketing department is completely diversified,” Walsh said. “We have someone that’s going to help them with influencers; someone that’s going to help them with presales in the grassroots marketing prior to opening and someone to help them keep up with grassroots marketing after they open. We have people that are helping with SEO and with lead generation.”
In the early stages of ownership, issues will arise. What matters is how quickly and clearly they’re addressed.
“Their first line of defense is to go back to their franchise business consultant,” Walsh said. “That person … has the opportunity to pull in whomever they need to help the franchisee with whatever situation might have happened.”
Franchise systems work best when owners know exactly who to call. When that structure is already in place, franchisees spend less time chasing answers and more time running the business.
Franchise candidates should look beyond promises and begin asking how the system is structured.
“They should look for a variety of people to be helping them because there’s not just one person who knows everything; it takes a whole team to make sure that franchisee is successful,” Walsh said. “If I were looking for a franchise, I would want to know who’s doing my training, what their background is and that there is a team to support as we grow and scale throughout the country.”
Buyers should ask how many departments they’ll interact with, how often field support engages and what support looks like after the initial excitement of opening fades.
In 2026, franchise ownership is as much about partnership as it is about branding.
“You know you’re purchasing a franchise based on the support that you get,” Walsh said. “So you want to make sure that you’re looking at the overall support … What support am I going to get for marketing? What support can I get for ongoing sales and lead generation? So again, it’s a team effort, and that’s what franchises should be looking for — a solid team to help them grow and scale.”
For prospective owners, understanding how a franchisor supports training, opening and the first 90 days can be the difference between confidence and costly surprises.
For more info on franchise support, check out these related stories on 1851 Franchise:
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