How to turn your business into a successful franchise, with April Porter

What is franchising all about? And how can it work for your business?

If your business is cost-effective and easily replicated, chances are you’ll have no problems attracting franchisees. Through this strategy, you can boost profits and expand operations without substantial capital costs.

But before jumping on the franchising bandwagon, you need to do a lot of prep work and planning. You may also need to shift your perspective on how you’re running the business as well.

So what do you need to get started and how can you ensure your success as a franchisor?

In this episode of Help! My Business Is Growing; I talk to our guest April Porter about all things Franchising.

She shares her insights on how you can start turning your business into a franchise, what to expect from the whole process, what businesses are a great fit, and even the qualities you need to become a successful franchisor and more.

April Porter is a business growth strategist, advisor to hundreds of franchisees, and CEO of Ask April Porter. She helps franchise owners accelerate their growth and profits in record time. 

In this week's episode, we discuss:

02:25  Are any specific types of businesses particularly well suited for franchising?

03:45 Are any industries particularly well positioned for franchising, similar to the fitness and restaurant industries? 

05:48  If someone is thinking of turning their business into a franchise, where do they start? What is the process?

07:43  If you don't mind the cost and want to shortcut the learning curve, do you hire a coach, or is there a specific company that can help you learn all about franchising?

11:37  What are the foundations that you need to have in your business to be a successful franchise or to be able to offer to your franchisees? 

15:57  What does a successful relationship between the franchisor and the franchisee look like?

18:18 Can you compare and contrast the differences between an employee and a franchisee? 

21:08 As a franchisor, do you have any input on the day-to-day operations of the franchisees? 

22:51 What do franchisees need to be successful? What exactly is in the franchisee's playbook? Does it include processes, procedures, brand image, or all of the above?  

26:08 What have you seen people go through as they transition from being business owners of multiple units to becoming franchisors? Is it an abrupt change? How do people adjust to that type of thinking? And what are some of the specific things they struggle with?

29:17 Do you have a specific example where everything went wrong with their franchise business, but after switching their mindset, things got so much better?

34:34 What next step can business owners take this week to get them closer to turning their business into a franchise? 

Resources:

April Porter, Business Growth Strategist, and CEO
https://askaprilporter.com/

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilporterbrands/

Host of The Infinite Franchisee Show:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-infinite-franchisee-show/id1570422370

Kathy Svetina, Fractional CFO:
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/

Blog post | How to Turn Your Business Into a Successful Franchise
https://www.newcastlefinance.us/post/how-to-turn-your-business-into-a-successful-franchise