1851

Once your signature is on the dotted line of the franchise agreement, the congratulations have been given and the champagne has been served, what’s next? There is a waiting period between the contract execution and when a new franchisee officially has their first day of business, and a lot takes place during this time.&nbsp;The post-signing, pre-opening process and timeline look different from industry and industry and specific to each brand. But this phase is typically spent doing a deep dive to learn about the brand and its products/services, training, finances, insurance and permitting, and handling real estate and hiring (if needed).<h4>Follow A Checklist</h4>A good brand will be there to answer questions when you’re confused about the next step; a great brand will provide a playbook of exactly what you should be doing and when. Once the agreement is signed and the money is wired, most franchisors will provide a welcome package with detailed steps to onboard new owners and inform them of the interim process before operations start.&nbsp;“Onboarding is this process of gaining access to all of the proprietary software systems and documents that are necessary to begin learning as an owner and to understand the timeline from agreement signing all the way to the door opening,” explains&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuakovacs?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=youve-officially-signed-on-the-dotted-line-now-what-2721864" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Joshua Kovacs</a>, a multi-unit franchisee with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.petwellfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=youve-officially-signed-on-the-dotted-line-now-what-2721864" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">PetWellClinic</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.xpressodelightfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=youve-officially-signed-on-the-dotted-line-now-what-2721864" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Xpresso Delight USA</a>, and CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oakscale.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=youve-officially-signed-on-the-dotted-line-now-what-2721864" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Oakscale Franchise Development</a>. “A great franchise will be very organized on what happens immediately after the agreement is signed.”<h4>Franchise Training&nbsp;</h4><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/seikenb?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=youve-officially-signed-on-the-dotted-line-now-what-2721864" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Shawna Eikenberry</a>, a&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/footprintsfloors/info">Footprints Floors</a> franchisee in Raleigh, North Carolina, said that the comprehensive training offered by the brand set her up to feel “well-prepared” once business began.&nbsp;“Aside from a ton of encouragement, cheerleading and emotional support,&nbsp;<a href="https://footprintsfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=youve-officially-signed-on-the-dotted-line-now-what-2721864" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Footprints Floors</a>&nbsp;provided us with three full weeks of training and orientation. It was hugely instrumental in helping me understand our business model, and the flooring trade in general, and how to be successful,” she said. “We were also given access to virtual training modules from the National Wood Flooring Association, another immensely valuable resource.”<h4>Real Estate Decisions</h4>For retail-based franchises, the pre-opening process takes longer and has more steps involved because there is a real estate piece that has to be handled. Most retail businesses will open within six to nine months of the franchise agreement being executed, but timelines are all dependent on the market, construction, permitting and more.“Franchisors are usually pretty accelerated in giving the information necessary to immediately start in real estate. Because there's all these things that have to be done in order: you can't sign a lease until you find real estate; you can't start building until you've signed a lease; you can't start hiring until you have a business for them to work in,” Kovacs explained.Brands will connect the new franchisee with a broker, urge them to start looking at appropriate sites and offer guidance on details like square footage, ideal location, design specifications, floorplans and more. They will also set them up with the company’s vendors for construction, equipment and signage so the process is streamlined and set up for them as much as possible.<h4>Hiring for Operations</h4>Eikenberry uses subcontractors rather than employees for her Footprints Floors operations, so she hit the ground running to find the right crew. She said that the hiring field is tough right now, but with the brand recognition of a known and trusted franchise behind her, it gave her confidence in recruiting.&nbsp;“I did a lot of pounding the pavement, virtually and in real life, trying to build relationships and present us as a company they want to partner with,” she said. “I tried to make it really clear to potential crews that they would be treated well, paid on time and kept busy with lots of jobs on the schedule.”Kovacs agrees, saying the employment climate can be tough, especially depending on the type of business, but that having a franchise system behind you makes the process much easier.&nbsp;“They've helped us identify the people that we need to hire, and that’s remarkably helpful because your business is an extension of you and your team, so there's a lot of pressure to find the right employees,” he said. “It’s a decision that impacts the franchise greatly, and having a great team you trust is incredibly valuable.”

You’ve Officially Signed on the Dotted Line — Now What?

1851 Franchise

Experts in franchising explain what happens in the interim before operations start. 

youve-officially-signed-on-the-dotted-line-now-what

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Hometown News: Like Father, Like Son — Family-Run Inspection Business Blends Generations of Expertise and a Keen Eye for Detail

father-son-home-inspection-franchise-florida

KLA Schools

KLA Schools of Beachwalk Hosts Admissions Kick-Off Celebration

kla-schools-of-beachwalk-hosts-admissions-kick-off-celebration

Good Day Columbus: Home Insurance Expert Reveals Why Central Ohio Premiums Are Rising and How to Combat Costs

rising-home-insurance-costs-ohio

CapitalSpring

Primetime Fitness Expands Crunch Portfolio With CapitalSpring’s Backing

primetime-fitness-expands-crunch-portfolio-with-capitalsprings-backing

Children's Lighthouse

How Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees Scale to Multiple Locations

how-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees-scale-to-multiple-locations

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Potbelly to be Acquired by RaceTrac in $566 Million Deal 

racetrac-acquires-potbelly-in-566-million-deal

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

Caribou Coffee Names Scott Kennedy CEO, Eyes Continued Growth

caribou-coffee-names-scott-kennedy-ceo-eyes-continued-growth

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

Power Eats: Smoothie King Rolls Out Food Nationwide To Fuel Franchise Growth

smoothie-king-food-menu-power-eats

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

DevHub - Meet the Supplier - 1851 Franchise

DevHub: Scalable Digital Marketing for Franchises and Multi-Location Brands

devhub-meet-the-supplier

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

Design with school-aged child standing on pencil with text "Education Franchises" and "<$500K"

Top Education Franchises Under $500K To Explore in 2025

top-education-franchises-under-500k

1851 Franchise Deep Dive graphic with Sparkle Squad logo

Sparkle Squad Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-sparkle-squad-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

You’ve Officially Signed on the Dotted Line — Now What?

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS