Growing a Franchise
To create a strong franchise onboarding process that sets franchise owners up for success, franchise brands need to clearly outline expectations and explain how the business works.
A well-structured onboarding process does more than just teach systems and procedures. It sets the tone for the relationship between franchisor and franchisee, builds trust early and gives new owners a clear path forward. When done right, onboarding becomes the foundation for long-term performance and overall system growth.
From the beginning, a franchise onboarding process should have clear expectations and a real sense of what the partnership will be like. Franchisors should also take the time to get to know their franchise owners as people, not just operators.
“Onboarding is the beginning of a long-term relationship, and when it’s done well, it helps franchisees feel prepared, supported and confident in what’s ahead,” said Taryn Watson, head of the new store team at BaseCamp Franchising.
Beyond initial training, onboarding should include consistent communication, access to key team members and a structured roadmap that outlines each step of the journey. Giving franchisees visibility into timelines, milestones and responsibilities helps reduce uncertainty and keeps them engaged throughout the process.
There is no one-size-fits-all timeline for onboarding, but it should be long enough to fully prepare franchisees for both the operational and strategic sides of the business. Effective onboarding is an ongoing process that evolves as franchisees move closer to opening and into their early months of operation.
Onboarding can be tied closely with the opening process, including site selection, lease negotiation and buildout. This is especially true for franchise brands with physical locations.
“For our franchise concepts, that entire process takes close to a year and we work closely with the franchisee for the duration and beyond,” Watson said. “This yearlong process includes many different phases of training, including pre-made videos, in-person training and an in-store internship.”
Every part of the training should be designed to build a clear understanding of how the business works. In turn, franchisees will be able to effectively train employees and manage their own location.
One of the goals of onboarding is to set franchise owners up for success. Franchisees are more likely to feel supported and confident when the franchisor’s leadership values and priorities are made clear.
“When a franchisor understands that its success is directly tied to the success of each individual franchisee, its goals should be centered on fully training and equipping franchisees to be as successful as possible,” Watson said.
Franchise onboarding is not just about checking boxes before opening day. It is about building a system that prepares franchisees to operate independently while still feeling connected to the brand.
When franchisors invest time and resources into a thoughtful onboarding experience, they create more consistent operators, stronger unit performance and a more collaborative franchise network. Over time, that foundation becomes one of the biggest drivers of long-term growth.
Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisors grow their franchises with confidence? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and see what we can do for you.
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