FranDev Players: Bobby Brennan, Vice President of Franchise Development at Franchise FastLane

Before graduating from college in 2008, Bobby Brennan had plans to begin his career in corporate America. But when the economy entered a recession, Brennan knew he had to switch gears. That’s when he turned to franchising. 

Brennan started out selling vitamins with a wellness brand called Complete Nutrition. After a few years, he became a partner and helped the brand grow to more than 200 locations. Today, Brennan is the vice president of franchise development for a firm called Franchise FastLane, helping brands with the same mission to grow. 

1851 Franchise caught up with Brennan to discuss important factors in growing a franchise and how Franchise FastLane is helping brands reach their goals by finding the right franchisees.

1851 Franchise: Tell me about Franchise FastLane.

Bobby Brennan: Franchise FastLane works with franchisors who want to outsource the prospecting process so they can focus their time on supporting existing franchisees and systems and processes that drive business and growth. 

We work mainly with emerging brands and franchisors. We want to be there to support those first few franchisees that support the franchise, and find people who are the right fit.

In 2020, we awarded over 1,000 franchise territories. It was the biggest year we’ve ever had in our four year history. It’s been a fun year — wild, but fun. 

1851: How did you get into franchising?

Brennan: My story is interesting. I got my degree from Mizzou in 2008, and we all know what was happening with the economy then. I had a great corporate job lined up, but I saw what was happening to people who’d put 20 years of their lives into corporate America and thought, was that going to be me?

That’s when I started working with a wellness brand called Complete Nutrition. If people told me, “Bobby you're going to sell expensive vitamins and supplements,” I would have said you’re crazy. At that point I had a niche and knew what it took to be successful. Eventually I became a partner within that system and helped to grow the franchise to 200 locations over a short period of time. I saw what it took to be successful as a franchisee and that was the most rewarding. It was the best learning experience I could have ever asked for. 

1851: Are there any keys to consistent franchise growth?

Brennan: Start with an end in mind, and know who is and isn’t a good fit for your brand. You’re going to have more successful franchisees if you’re not just selling to everyone who’s willing to write a check that might stunt your growth. Second, it’s good to know your unique selling proposition and communicate that clearly. Franchise development is really about storytelling. Buying a franchise is bigger than buying a home. It doesn't make sense to make a placement if it’s not a good fit. 

You want to create raving fans and raving franchisees — have incredible customer experiences and services. When you create fans, you’ll get more attention. Franchisees that feel supported want to share their success and that creates a snowball effect. Being a good storyteller is key. 

1851: What are the biggest hurdles to successful franchise growth right now?

Brennan: Prospecting — that’s the number one problem for all franchisors. Franchise FastLane, we manage that process. We specialize in finding the right franchisees and having a discovery process to put them through. 

Scale before you need it. Hire before you need that extra set of hands or eyes. Be up and running before the franchisee is ever operational. If they wait until they need to hire, it’ll create frustration with the franchisees and they won’t be as successful as they could be.

1851: How did the COVID crisis affect franchise growth opportunities?

Brennan: We’ve seen more interest in franchising now than ever before. People are realizing they don’t want to go back to work. A lot of layoffs have happened, and corporate America isn’t as safe as we thought it was. 

Now that we have a vaccine, there’s a pent up demand for brick-and-mortar business to come back. People want to get out of the house. 2020 was the year of the service brand, 2021 will be a shift to getting into brick-and-mortar stores. It’s a great opportunity for franchisees. Once we're back to “normal” people will be rushing to sign leases. We will see real estate get to where it was a year ago. 

1851: Are there any common mistakes you see franchisors making when trying to grow?

Brennan: The biggest mistake I see people making is awarding franchises to anyone who’s willing to buy. They want to drive revenue and they cast their net too wide too early. It’s best to focus on who is the right fit, and pass on someone who isn’t the right fit. We grow brands fast but vet them to know if they have the right infrastructure.