Many entrepreneurs start with a spark and a hope that, after launching their franchise, their business will become so contagious that investors just can’t resist it. But for founders looking to become franchisors, sheer passion isn’t nearly enough. Without the right systems and checks and balances in place, that enthusiasm can actually become a liability.
Kristen Christian, co-founder of Bee Organized, has found that setting proper expectations and being willing to slow down can actually drive some of the best success.
“It’s a little counterintuitive … It feels wrong to pause,” Christian said in a recent conversation with GoodSpark Franchise Growth Accelerator CEO Charles Internicola. “But I will tell you, in the times that we have paused, [it was] the best thing we could have done.”
In many cases, it’s this type of “counterintuitive” or otherwise hard-to-make decision that builds a franchise system that will truly last. Here’s a blueprint for founders looking to establish a brand with real staying power:
In the early days, it is easy for a founder to get caught up in the emotion of the dream. You want entrepreneurs to join you, and you naturally focus on the excitement of building a business. However, a crucial maturity point for a franchisor is shifting from selling the dream to "level setting" the reality.
Early-stage franchisees are pioneers. They are "building the plane" with you. You need partners who understand that building a business is hard work, not just a passion project.
If a prospect comes in with the wrong expectations, they won't be happy, and they may not succeed. Franchisors must realize that their franchisees’ businesses are very different from the business the now-franchisor developed as the founder.
As you mature, your sales conversations should become less about selling and more about ensuring the candidates truly understand what they’re getting into. Candidates must have a clear understanding of what it will take to scale, and they must be committed to sticking to the model, even through slow or otherwise challenging times.
Sometimes, this can feel to the candidate like an “anti-sales” pitch. But if a prospective franchisee is presented with all the reasons why they may not want to invest, and they’re still committed to the model, they’re coming into the business with a strong foundation.
Hitting the brakes can be hard for franchisors. While many businesses fail because they refuse to adapt or take a step back to look at the bigger picture, successful systems are often willing to pause to recalibrate. Bee Organized did just this, and while some measures of success appeared to slow as a result, the business itself was stronger (and more successful) because of it.
“We took 2019 off to get our foundation in place,” Christian said. “It allowed us to have more time to really fine-tune those systems and processes and how we were going to support and how we were going to protect the brand.”
You may need to pause if:
Systems are everything in franchising, and systems lead to successful owners and happy customers. They also protect quality control.
Especially for service-based franchises, quality control is difficult. You don't have a rigid assembly line; you have variable client scenarios. This makes documenting your systems non-negotiable.
Christian suggests using the "Hit by a Bus" test: If the founder disappeared tomorrow, is every step — from the minute the phone rings or the guest walks in to the moment the bill is paid — written down clearly enough for someone else to execute?
As the franchise system grows, the founder’s role will eventually shift from operator to facilitator. The goal is to build an ecosystem where franchisees lean on one another, validating that they are part of something bigger than themselves.
“Nobody knows what it's like to run your business but your fellow franchisees,” Christian said.
While the founder and franchisor plays an important role in growth, the real magic happens when owners connect and start solving each other's problems.
Founders-turned-franchisors are never truly done building a franchise system. Whether you have two units or fifty, the job requires constant recalibration. The shift from founder to franchisor isn't a one-time event, it’s an ongoing commitment to putting the health of the system ahead of the ego of the sale.
Watch the full podcast above or on YouTube.
Learn more at goodsparkfranchise.com.
GoodSpark
SPONSORED
While hitting the brakes in franchise development may feel counterintuitive, sometimes taking a moment to recalibrate and focus on the metrics that really matter is the healthiest decision.
Many entrepreneurs start with a spark and a hope that, after launching their franchise, their business will become so contagious that investors just can’t resist it. But for founders looking to become franchisors, sheer passion isn’t nearly enough. Without the right systems and checks and balances in place, that enthusiasm can actually become a liability.
Kristen Christian, co-founder of Bee Organized, has found that setting proper expectations and being willing to slow down can actually drive some of the best success.
“It’s a little counterintuitive … It feels wrong to pause,” Christian said in a recent conversation with GoodSpark Franchise Growth Accelerator CEO Charles Internicola. “But I will tell you, in the times that we have paused, [it was] the best thing we could have done.”
In many cases, it’s this type of “counterintuitive” or otherwise hard-to-make decision that builds a franchise system that will truly last. Here’s a blueprint for founders looking to establish a brand with real staying power:
In the early days, it is easy for a founder to get caught up in the emotion of the dream. You want entrepreneurs to join you, and you naturally focus on the excitement of building a business. However, a crucial maturity point for a franchisor is shifting from selling the dream to "level setting" the reality.
Early-stage franchisees are pioneers. They are "building the plane" with you. You need partners who understand that building a business is hard work, not just a passion project.
If a prospect comes in with the wrong expectations, they won't be happy, and they may not succeed. Franchisors must realize that their franchisees’ businesses are very different from the business the now-franchisor developed as the founder.
As you mature, your sales conversations should become less about selling and more about ensuring the candidates truly understand what they’re getting into. Candidates must have a clear understanding of what it will take to scale, and they must be committed to sticking to the model, even through slow or otherwise challenging times.
Sometimes, this can feel to the candidate like an “anti-sales” pitch. But if a prospective franchisee is presented with all the reasons why they may not want to invest, and they’re still committed to the model, they’re coming into the business with a strong foundation.
Hitting the brakes can be hard for franchisors. While many businesses fail because they refuse to adapt or take a step back to look at the bigger picture, successful systems are often willing to pause to recalibrate. Bee Organized did just this, and while some measures of success appeared to slow as a result, the business itself was stronger (and more successful) because of it.
“We took 2019 off to get our foundation in place,” Christian said. “It allowed us to have more time to really fine-tune those systems and processes and how we were going to support and how we were going to protect the brand.”
You may need to pause if:
Systems are everything in franchising, and systems lead to successful owners and happy customers. They also protect quality control.
Especially for service-based franchises, quality control is difficult. You don't have a rigid assembly line; you have variable client scenarios. This makes documenting your systems non-negotiable.
Christian suggests using the "Hit by a Bus" test: If the founder disappeared tomorrow, is every step — from the minute the phone rings or the guest walks in to the moment the bill is paid — written down clearly enough for someone else to execute?
As the franchise system grows, the founder’s role will eventually shift from operator to facilitator. The goal is to build an ecosystem where franchisees lean on one another, validating that they are part of something bigger than themselves.
“Nobody knows what it's like to run your business but your fellow franchisees,” Christian said.
While the founder and franchisor plays an important role in growth, the real magic happens when owners connect and start solving each other's problems.
Founders-turned-franchisors are never truly done building a franchise system. Whether you have two units or fifty, the job requires constant recalibration. The shift from founder to franchisor isn't a one-time event, it’s an ongoing commitment to putting the health of the system ahead of the ego of the sale.
Watch the full podcast above or on YouTube.
Learn more at goodsparkfranchise.com.
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