Why Franchise Buyers Should Use a FranNet Consultant

With over 3,800 franchise concepts in the marketplace, it can be difficult for a prospective franchisee to know where to even begin. For more than 35 years, FranNet’s experienced, local franchise consultants have helped guide clients through this process, identifying the franchise opportunities that best fit their business and lifestyle goals.

“We usually try to bring three to four concepts that we feel are in alignment with the individual's goals, their budgets, their skill sets and their motivators,” said Jania Bailey, FranNet’s Chief Executive Officer. “We make the introduction, then we guide the client through the process. We give them tools every step of the way to find the franchise opportunity that’s right for them.”

With 75 consultants throughout the U.S. and Canada, FranNet franchise consultants have helped thousands of entrepreneurs across North America start their own businesses through franchise ownership.

Here are a few reasons why using a FranNet consultant is the best way for franchise buyers to find the business that’s right for them.

A Personalized Approach That Puts Prospective Franchisees First

Many people, when they decide to explore franchise ownership, begin their research the same way they’d research anything: Google. They’ll search franchise opportunities for sale, or best franchises to own, and they’ll be inundated with a bevy of results that can be overwhelming and confusing.

FranNet turns this process on its head.

“We reverse-engineer,” said Bailey. “We start with you. We get inside your head, inside your heart. Find out your skill sets, your goals, your budget, and we start matching from there. Because if you’re only going off what you know instead of digging deeper to find the concept that best fits your goals, that’s really not a good business-decision-making thought process.”

Mark Eddy, owner and operator of Fastest Labs, a drug, alcohol and DNA testing service in Louisville, Kentucky, said the franchisee-first process helped him avoid making a mistake that prospective franchisees often make.

When he first met with his FranNet Consultant, Thom Crimans, Eddy asked what he thought was a “hot” industry to get into. According to Eddy, Crimans redirected him, stating that it’s not about which industry is hot right now, but about which industry best fits Eddy’s personality. 

“He said that just because an industry is hot now doesn’t mean it will be hot a year from now,” said Eddy. “So there's a matching of personalities to jobs rather than matching people to the next hot thing.”

After going through the FranNet process, Crimans eventually presented Eddy with two franchise options that best fit his criteria. He chose Fastest Labs — a brand and concept he was previously unaware of — and hasn’t looked back.

“It was a good match in terms of money, personality and what I want in a business,” said Eddy. “I'm just a big fan of the process, and I’m really happy with the results.”

With over 3,800 franchise concepts in the marketplace, FranNet offers a personalized approach that focuses on the kind of business the client wants to have — and the lifestyle they want to live — that has led to them being called the Match.com of the franchise industry.

They Do the Work So You Don’t Have To

Buying a franchise is a complex decision. FranNet helps facilitate the thorough research a prospective franchisee must undertake to properly vet a franchise. They help identify franchise attorneys and other advisors who can help them gain more information before they buy. FranNet believes that knowledge is power, and the more a client knows, the better the odds that the choice they make will be the right one.

FranNet also uses its own proprietary tool — the Entrepreneur Readiness Profile — to build franchisee profiles and begin the matchmaking process. Developed over the last 30 years, this electronic assessment is a fact-finding and discovery process that digs deep into the prospective franchisee’s needs and goals, from the kind of business they want to run to how many employees they want (if any) and the kind of lifestyle they want to live outside of their business.

Once the franchisee profile is complete, FranNet leverages its portfolio of over 250 franchisors to find the opportunity that will work for both the prospective franchisee and the brand. Then they make the introduction and give the client the support they need to properly vet franchise opportunities so they make the right choice.

FranNet is with the prospective franchisee every step of the way.

They Educate the Prospective Franchisee

By working with a FranNet consultant, clients don’t just learn about the different franchise options available and about the franchising industry as a whole. They also learn about themselves.

When Ramona Butler first connected with a FranNet consultant, she didn’t know what kind of business she wanted to run, or even if franchising was right for her. All she knew was that after a long career in engineering, she wanted to be her own boss and enjoy the flexibility of running her own business.

“I really had no idea what to expect,” said Butler. “But I filled out the FranNet assessment, and through that assessment, they were able to narrow down some choices for me. I got a list of all the possible franchises, not just like the typical ones like fast food and coffee shops. The process was smooth and seamless. Every step of the way, I learned something different about myself and about the different franchises that are available. And in the end, I made a choice that I haven't regretted.”

Butler ended up purchasing a mobile fitness franchise called GYMGUYZ — a brand and concept she hadn’t known existed — and she credits FranNet with leading her to what turned out to be the opportunity fo a lifetime.

“Let's be honest,” said Butler, “being in business is difficult. Now, if you're in the wrong business? Oh, man … that's like being in a bad marriage. So it was really great to make sure that this first step I made was in the right direction versus me just blindly going out and picking something that’s not in line with my values or skill set. So FranNet has been pretty wonderful.”

It’s Free for Prospective Franchisees

FranNet’s services are 100% free for clients. Similar to real estate agents that receive a commission from the seller, FranNet receives its consultant fee directly from the franchisor, and this only happens after a client signs a contract.

Working with a FranNet consultant, clients receive a personalized approach to matchmaking, a partner who gives them all the tools they need to find the best fit for them, the education they need to make the right decision, and so much more. And it all comes at no cost to the client.

“I would advise everyone to go through the consultation process,” said Butler. “You'll get a clear indication of what it is that you want from your business and what you want your everyday life to look like, and they’ll narrow down the choices that best fit you. You literally have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”