Growing a Franchise
A franchise system lives and dies by process, not paperwork. Successful franchising hinges on robust, actionable systems rather than perfectly documented, static manuals.
In the early stages of franchising your business, few tools are more essential, or more misunderstood, than the operations manual.
This document serves as the backbone of your franchise system, detailing every procedure, standard and guideline necessary for franchisees to consistently operate the business according to your proven model.
It covers everything from daily operations, customer service protocols, marketing guidelines and financial management to brand standards and training procedures. Its purpose is to ensure uniformity and quality across all franchise locations, providing a clear roadmap for franchisees to replicate the franchisor's success.
Some founders obsess over making it perfect. Others barely write one at all. But according to Robert Bruski, CEO and co-founder of Ctrl V, the operations manual isn’t just about documentation. It’s about building a scalable system that enables success, both for the franchisor and franchisee.
“One of the reasons our concept was successful was because we had systems, operations and best practices already taken care of,” Bruski said. “It wasn’t fully documented, but it was always set through — it just had to be put down on paper.”
Ctrl V, a virtual reality arcade concept, began franchising early. “Franchising was always an option,” Bruski said. “But in month five we got our first inquiry and we decided to go down that path. We had on the table two methods: either corporate expansion or franchising. The reason we chose franchising is because we were in a brand new industry and were pioneering something. There was a high potential that people would copy us and do it poorly, so we thought: if we grow with corporate locations and get into markets where people have started and failed, we would have to go through a re-education. Franchising felt like a good fit because you can expand quicker because you are bringing more people on.”
Within three years, Ctrl V grew to nearly 30 locations before the pandemic hit and forced a reset. As the brand continues to rebuild, Bruski credits their systems and structure for helping them get back on track.
“That is how we did our operations manual — we sat down and used [Gino Wickman’s] ‘Traction’ book,” he said. “In one section, they talk about processes — we decided to drill down into the most trivial level. We listed every potential process that could have existed, wrote it out as if we were explaining it to someone brand new who didn’t know anything.”
Too many new franchisors get stuck thinking the operations manual has to be perfect before they can grow. Bruski warns against that mindset. “If you are a brand new franchisor, don’t get hung up on the manual,” he said. “Presumably your business works, or you wouldn’t be franchising. And therefore you already have processes and procedures, so getting it documented down really ends up being a clerical busy-work task.”
Franchisees are going to go through training anyway, Bruski explains, and in practice, they often rely more on direct support than a written manual.
“Eventually you are going to upload it to some LMS system where franchisees can look at it,” Bruski said. “But the vast majority of franchisees, if there is something they have to get done, they want to get it done ASAP. They will probably just message you for help anyway. Eventually, they will be able to look it up on their own, but when you are starting a business, these aren’t the things that are top of mind. What you really care about is having successful franchisees.”
While the format and delivery of an operations manual matter less than people think, the content matters a great deal. A good manual helps ensure consistency across locations, enables franchisees to solve problems independently, and provides a baseline for support and accountability.
“Setting best practices and systems in place are very important, and you will exponentially feel the pain of it up to 30 locations,” Bruski said. “If you haven’t already sorted it out by then, it will continue to be a nightmare for you. You need to build these, ensure they are up to date and are also easily accessible.”
In today’s digital world, static manuals aren’t always the most useful tool. Bruski believes the role of the operations manual is evolving. “These days, AI has almost negated the need for LMS,” he said. “You are not elevated to the level of your goals — you are reduced to your level of policies and procedures.”
The takeaway? If you’re just starting to franchise, don’t let the operations manual delay your momentum. Focus on building clear, actionable systems that reflect what’s already working in your business. Write things down simply and clearly. Don’t worry about design or formatting in the early stages. Just make sure the process is documented and usable.
Franchising is about replicating success. The operations manual is a tool to help others do that. But as Bruski reminds us, it’s not the manual that makes a franchise — it’s the systems behind it.
Growing and selling franchises is difficult. No great franchise did it alone. 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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