How SMB Franchise Advisors Prepares Brands for Success Beyond the Initial Launch of Their Franchise Systems

Building a franchise brand from the ground up takes a lot of work. From creating a Franchise Disclosure Document to establishing operations manuals that local owners can reference to replicate the business in their own market, franchisors have to jump through a lot of hoops to ensure that their business is ready to welcome franchisees into its system. That’s why brands often turn to the experts for help. And when it comes to experts in the franchising industry, SMB Franchise Advisors stands out.

SMB Franchise Advisors has a long history of helping emerging brands get their concepts off the ground. But once a franchise is up and running and a founder becomes a franchisor, what comes next? SMB’s team has the tools and resources to help position a brand for long-term success.

“Once the franchise documentation is done and the concept is good to go from a legal standpoint, there’s this looming question of ‘what comes next?’ That’s where we can continue to help—our services are designed to help guide brands throughout the entire franchising process,” said Steve Beagelman, president and CEO of SMB Franchise Advisors. “From walking our clients through their first trade show to creating a presentation for them to show their franchise candidates, the entire SMB team goes above and beyond to ensure that our clients are positioned for long-term success. Our goal is to get our clients to a place where they really know what they’re doing and feel confident that their brand is going to thrive as a franchise.”

To get clients to that desired point, SMB Franchise Advisors offers a wide variety of services to help brands succeed beyond their initial launch. In addition to trade show expertise and presentations designed to educate candidates on a brand’s franchise opportunity, SMB also helps concepts create their discovery days and start conversations with candidates. Opening up that line of communication with candidates—and eventually franchisees—is critical for a brand’s continued success in the industry.

“One of the most important things that we do to help set our clients up for success is coach them through the franchisee selection process. We recommend that they treat it as an interview—franchisee selection is a two-way street. Not only do candidates have to like your brand, you also have to like them back and firmly believe that they’re a good fit for your system,” said Dawn Abbamondi, director of marketing and brand development for SMB Franchise Advisors. “The first franchisee that a brand brings on board is so important. That local owner has the potential to set the tone for the entire franchise system down the line, so it has to be somebody that you think has the best chance of success. It’s better to say no to someone than bring in a franchisee who isn’t going to be your biggest fan. They will be your best ambassador for the brand and attracting other new owners.”

When SMB Franchise Advisors brings on a new client, they make a commitment to become a part of that brand’s internal team. The company has created a unique family that’s hard to come by the industry, which is why brands continue coming back for support and guidance throughout all stages of franchise development.

“Franchising isn’t an easy industry to break into. There are a lot of rules and regulations, and it takes a sizeable investment—both in time and money—for franchisors to turn their concepts into a system that can be replicated by other local business owners. That’s why we don’t take our responsibilities as consultants, coaches and friends lightly—we understand that there’s a lot of work that goes into creating a brand, and we want to make the most of it,” said Beagelman. “Whether you’re getting your first franchise open for business or are structuring your fourth and fifth locations at the same time, the SMB team will be on hand to help as much as we can.”