Franchising your Business

McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King. They’re some of the biggest franchises out there. They are also among the most recognisable global brands.

And that’s no coincidence. Franchising, done well, is a surefire way of growing a business. It makes household names of car rental companies, hotels, and doughnut shops. It sees outlets springing up in far-flung places, courtesy of committed franchisees. And what business owners wouldn’t want to explore those options for themselves?

But franchising isn’t for everyone or everything. That’s why it’s so important to get good legal advice, from the moment you start thinking about opening up your business in this way. You need to know that it is commercially viable and that you can make it work. And that’s where experienced franchising lawyers like us can really help. Early advice on the short and long-term risks and benefits, and on exactly what will be involved, will mean that you’re well-placed to make the right decisions for you and your business.   

Franchising is a game changer and it’s a new type of arrangement in which you are likely to take on a role that involves overseeing and managing a collection of offshoots. That loosening of hold can in itself be a challenge, particularly if you have nurtured your business from conception to its current stage of maturity. And perhaps the biggest concern for business owners – and quite rightly so – is the chance of that hard work being undone by their brand being placed in the hands of franchisees.

The key word here is control. Successful franchisors run a tight ship. They have a well-conceived franchise structure. They protect their intellectual property to the hilt. They have a large-scale strategy for growing their business with the right franchisees on board. They set firm rules for franchises to comply with, ensuring consistency of operations and brand. And, crucially, this is all underpinned by a legal framework; one that has at its core contractual documents that maximise the franchising opportunities while offering all the protections that are needed.

Interested? Contact us to find out more about how we could help you make a success of franchising.

Our Business Team can be reached on 01264 353411, email: business@bsandi.co.uk or via our no-obligation, online enquiry form. Contact us today and see how we can help to get you started.