The Importance of Training and Support in a Franchise System

In this podcast episode, Michelle Rowan speaks with representatives from two distinct franchise systems about the importance of training and support. First up is Scott Koepf from Cruise Planners, a home-based travel franchise. Secondly, Steven Schenck shares his perspective from 360clean, a commercial cleaning franchise.

They discuss the initial training brands may offer, and the ongoing support franchisees can receive from corporate. These experts offer tips for what training and support to look for if you're investing in a franchise. The better training and support a franchise system offers its franchisees, the more successful those franchisees will become. 

Resources

• Watch the Webinar: Extensive Training for Franchisees Leads to Success
• Profile of a Franchisee: How Hands-On Training Helped Launch a Top Recruiting Franchise
• What Is Discovery Day and How to Prepare for It
• Listen: How Different Brands Do Discovery Day

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Transcript

Michelle Rowan (00:03)
Thank you for joining us today. This episode is gonna be tackling the role of training and support. And today I'm joined by Scott Koepf who's the Chief Strategy Officer at Cruise Planners. He leads the company's training and events teams and helps drive the overall growth of the franchise network. Cruise Planners is one of our clients. They ⁓ repeatedly show up on our awards.

lists, which is why we have them here, to talk about what they do for training and support for their franchise owners. They are on our best lists all the time. And what makes Scott especially unique for this conversation is he started his career as a travel franchise owner himself. He eventually rose to become president of the franchise system. So he understands firsthand what franchisees really need to be successful in their business. With more than 30 years in the travel industry.

Scott has become a respected advocate for travel advisors and a familiar voice on industry stages. He serves on multiple advisory boards and is known for his deep expertise in sales, leadership, and business operations. Today's focus is all about helping franchise owners reach their full potential through having very strong training, support, and strategic guidance. So Scott.

We are thrilled to have you here today. Thanks for joining us for this conversation.

Scott Koepf (01:28)
I promise I'm even more thrilled to be with you. This is great.

Michelle Rowan (01:32)
Awesome. So from your perspective, especially because you started as a franchisee, why is training and support not just nice to have, but something that should really be at the top of anyone's list that is evaluating a franchise opportunity?

Scott Koepf (01:46)
That's a great question. And I think there's, really two elements to training in particular. One is just to teach the actual business, right? The operations of the business, which of course, with every, every franchise, for the most part, that encompasses many different things. So it's not just the operations per se, but it's marketing, it's sales, it's customer service, it's all of those elements. So you do have the.

operational elements and obviously that is extraordinarily important for any business even one that's like ours which I would say is relatively simple in that it is a home-based business there is no inventory to keep in your garage typically it is run by the owner-operator

So you don't have a lot of employee payroll, those kinds of scenarios. But probably the second thing, which I think is so important in the franchise world

particular is that it sets the tone for that relationship moving forward. We in particular at Cruise Planners, start and we are the only in the travel space, the only franchise that requires an in-person six-day training program.

Michelle Rowan (02:55)
Can you tell us a little bit about what that six days looks like? How are you spending your time with the franchisees to try and tackle all those things on your list with them?

Scott Koepf (03:04)
That's a great question. we probably could spend literally 30 days in class with all of the things that we have, there's a lot to learn in terms of destinations and products and cruise lines and all-inclusive resorts and tour companies. And we do certainly spend time and have various vendors and suppliers come to that Star University, do presentations. We have a trade show.

in which we have over 50 different vendors there that they can meet, talk to, learn about. So that's certainly a big chunk of it. But a lot of it is the operational ends of how to run the franchise. And we start that from, I'll say that kind of 50,000 foot view, right? Of really, why are you in this business? What is your goal?

So it, again, is just a very inclusive full package that we offer to a new franchisee.

Michelle Rowan (03:53)
Awesome. Do you teach the franchisees sales training? Do you teach them how to sell?

Scott Koepf (04:00)
Absolutely. know, sales is a funny thing. A lot of people are either they've been in sales and they're very comfortable with sales and they're ready to go And then there's a lot of people in particular in our industry who don't think of travel as sales. They think of it as ooh travel, you know, this is fun and wow, what a great thing. And it certainly is. We have an incredible product which we sell because at the end of the day, unless you sell something, you can't earn any income. So sales is extraordinarily important. Really,

Our business in particular, while obviously there's an operational element, comes down to two primary elements, marketing and sales. So we spend a lot of our time training about how to reach people, how to get your word out, how to get involved in the community, social media programs, all kinds of things to get the word out

robust. then...

Michelle Rowan (04:48)
Yeah, I

one thing that we always hear is that franchisees kind of expect the franchisor to hand them all the business and they don't have the comfort level to get involved in their communities, to do that networking, to build their business that way. So I do think it's important to help them feel comfortable doing it. And no matter if they have employees or not, they're always going to be selling the business in some way. So that's great. That's great.

And what about business acumen? So I think that's the other side too. I've been in this for 20 years. And so I think the franchisee that was joining systems 20 years ago didn't even understand a P &L, didn't really understand how to set those financial goals. How much do you vet them when they're learning about your brand or in that initial training that you're doing with them to understand how to actually run a business?

Scott Koepf (05:38)
So one of the things that we really emphasize is the what we call the four hats and the four hats of running a business. And when you think about running a business, then this, by the way, goes across every kind of business and every industry is on the one is product knowledge. What do you know about what it is that you are offering to the public? You got to have that product knowledge. You got to learn it again. Our is pretty fun to learn about travel and cruises and all inclusive resorts. So that's, that's great.

Second is marketing. You've got to put on that marketing hat, get out the door, get comfortable in your community, do social media, do other things to get, again, people to raise their hand and give you a chance to talk with them. And then you're selling hat. And that's the point at which you start having a conversation with customers and again, advising them as to the right product, the right destination, all those kinds of things. And so you've got the sales hat. And then the fourth one is the operational hat or what we'll call the entrepreneur hat. And for some, that's very new.

Right. As you mentioned, I mean, the reality is, there's some people that have never owned a business before. They've never really been ⁓ responsible to their own P and L to their own numbers. And that's the number side of the business. And so we teach all four of those. And what's so interesting is people that come into our franchise may have one of those four really comfortable with, but not all four.

Michelle Rowan (06:55)
Well, so let's pause. I'm gonna ask a different question. you focused on what you do with the franchisee before they open. How about once they're operating? What does support look like for them or what kind of training are they receiving once they're up and running in their business?

Scott Koepf (07:12)
That's a great question. And as I mentioned, our star university is six days and it can be a little overwhelming, right? So we'll get a huge amount of information. And so then they go home and go, now what? Well, even before our star university, we have a very unique system that we developed called our coaching system. And that coaching system basically starts with what we call a foundation coach.

Michelle Rowan (07:16)
Yeah.

Scott Koepf (07:34)
So the minute someone buys a franchise with us, they are assigned to a foundation coach and it's well named and that it really is to go over kind of the setup of the business, the how are you going to operate, know, what are the, just getting the paperwork set up and any other kind of, you know, formatting and then making sure they're comfortable with the technology system, et cetera. And then we have, course, an orientation system that is all built in online. They do this at their own.

timeframe, their own leisure, and then they come to our program.

But our coaching program is designed again to elevate along with the franchisee and always be available. So they do it at the minimum.

quarterly coaching just to go over how's your business? What else can we do for you? How can we help you with your marketing, your sales, your whatever it might be?

Michelle Rowan (08:22)
Yeah. So Scott, in your opinion, how much does ⁓ strong training and support really have an impact on the franchisees performance or profitability over time? How essential is that to them?

Scott Koepf (08:35)
Well, I think it's key. I really do. mean, you know, again, we have a business that some people can look at and say, ⁓ that's pretty simple. There's not a lot to that. I mean, yeah, I know about cruises. I've been on cruises. love them. And now, you know, people are going to hand me their credit card and take a cruise. Well, it didn't quite work that way. Right. It's is work. It is a business and you've got to learn the nuances of it. And so, again, to learn that. And then again, as you start to go through the program and start to again, reach out to people and start to work with people.

having that support network is incredibly important from our home office.

And again, it is really important to have that kind of support

Michelle Rowan (09:12)
Yeah. So have you seen cases where the franchisees have really struggled in their business because they aren't utilizing the training and support or the team that they have access to?

Scott Koepf (09:23)
And once again, that's a really good question because I will say training is a two-way street, right? It always has been, it always will be. ⁓ And yes, there is no doubt. you know, certainly there are those that come and they, and again, absorb at different levels, right? But it's then what do you put into practice and what do you just?

learn on your own and whatever style learning you might have. you're putting in that effort to learn the system, to learn what it takes to market, to get out the door and talk to people about what business you're in. All of those things, again, is what the franchisee needs to do. So, you know, at the end of the day, and I would say this is probably a true statement across all franchising, is our goal as a franchisor is to provide the best and most inclusive resources we possibly can.

But at the end, it is up to the individual owner to put those resources into practice and to get out the door and make it happen.

Michelle Rowan (10:18)
So if you were evaluating a franchise brand yourself today, what specific questions would you ask the franchisor about their training and support to try and assess what you get from them by joining the brand?

Scott Koepf (10:30)
So I think first and foremost is, know, what type of training is available, right? What is the training and what does it cover? And again, I'll come back and save it for us. It's really important that you cover kind of those four major elements, the four hats that I say that a franchisee needs to wear, right?

But as I mentioned earlier, it's a two-way street. You've got to do them. You've got to learn them. You've got to put it into practice and make it happen. So if I'm looking, I want to make sure all those resources are available to me that I can take advantage of and to make sure that it's ongoing beyond just whatever the upfront is.

Michelle Rowan (11:04)
Yeah, I think that we see that a lot that franchisees are overwhelmed at the point that they're coming into that initial training. having a good process of where they need to find the things they need when they need them is really important for franchisees. Looking at our overall data, 82 % of franchisees do rate their training and support above average. So I think this is a major reason that people choose a franchise versus buying an independent business or starting an independent businesses.

they understand this is really, really important for them. And like you said, they're learning how to be a franchisee, they're learning whatever your product and service is, and they're learning how to run a business in most cases. So there's a lot to it. ⁓ So with that said, if you could give one piece of advice to someone that is looking to join a franchise system or considering becoming a franchisee, what would you give them for advice?

Scott Koepf (11:55)
my first would be to really make sure that they self-evaluate what exactly they want in terms of this business, right? And again, there's significant differences in the franchise world. again, obviously I'm a huge believer in the franchise concept and the franchise ⁓ benefits that it provides someone.

But they're, they're a huge differentiation within that franchise world. And I mean that in a few different ways. One is the industry itself. Right. not, you know, franchising in itself is not an industry. is a business model that exists. The industry is restaurant business, your janitorial service or travel in our case. Right. So each of those are different. the first question is you have to say, well, what business do I really want to be in? Right. What, what is appealing to me? What do I feel comfortable?

talking to people about getting excited about knowing there's a good upside financially, all those kinds of things within that industry. And then once I choose that industry, then okay, then what's the lifestyle that I'm after? What is, am I after building a multi, know, a million dollar business? There are, you know, there's one of the approaches in franchises. I eventually want to own 12 franchises of a particular franchise.

What are you looking to develop? And then does that particular franchise allow the amount of flexibility that you want to.

get to that lifestyle. Because again, as we know, there are certain franchises, rightfully so, that are extraordinarily structured, right? From what you wear every day to exactly the way that you set up the location and et cetera,

So I'm going to start with, and that primary recommendation is know what you want first, right? And then make sure the franchise allows you to develop that lifestyle within that franchise system.

Michelle Rowan (13:42)
Well, I appreciate you sharing this with us. I think it's good. You know, there's all types of models. so understanding that you are a home-based business and what that training and support looks like from the home office and the six days in person and the follow-up, I think this has given us good perspective. but appreciate you just kind of laying out what it looks like for a franchise owner that's coming into your system and how you're tackling teaching them all the different ways to be a successful franchisee in their system.

Well, thank you so much for joining us today, Scott. We appreciate you and all the work you do in supporting your franchisees. And again, if you are looking at investing in a franchise, please hit up our site to see the resources that we have for you. We are on a mission to help you choose the right brand for you or decide that franchising is not right for you before you make that large investment. So thanks for joining us.

Scott Koepf (14:30)
Well, we love our relationship with you. And again, we wish you the best and the best to all of you that might be listening. Michelle. Always great to chat with you.

Michelle Rowan (14:38)
To continue our conversation, I'm speaking now with Stephen Schenck, who is the Director of Business Development at 360 Clean. 360 Clean is a commercial cleaning and janitorial services franchise. So a very different franchise system than cruise planners. Stephen works closely with new and existing franchise owners to implement proven growth strategies, leveraging his experience and insights to turn opportunities into lasting partnerships with customers.

Stephen, thank you for joining us today to continue our conversation around training and support.

Steven Schenck (15:14)
Thanks, Michelle. It's a pleasure. Thank you for having me.

Michelle Rowan (15:16)
Yeah, we're excited. from your perspective, why do you think training and support is not just a nice to have, but it's really a make or break factor when people are looking at which franchise opportunity might be the right fit for them?

Steven Schenck (15:30)
Yeah, honestly, I'm a big proponent of training. mean, I think training and support are the make or break factors because, you know, they determine whether a franchisee can actually perform the model with consistency. especially in our space, we have a ton of brands, a ton of companies out there in the commercial cleaning sector. And what differentiates those brands is how strong their training is.

I always say the system is only as strong as the support behind it. So when a brand invests, know, deep in the operational guidance like we do with the owner driven system, it does change the trajectory.

Michelle Rowan (16:07)
let's talk about what you see as your difference between the initial training that someone goes through when they come on board and then the ongoing training or support that you offer.

Steven Schenck (16:17)
Yeah. So the initial training is kind of the orientation, how the business works, how to deliver the service, how to price, how to sell, cetera. and we really get to know the candidate during that initial training. ⁓ did a podcast on discovery days and ours is remote. A lot of it is. And so that initial training is where we really get to not only meet that candidate face to face.

But we really give them the basis and then the ongoing training provides those real-time coaching experiences. I think the ongoing training is where our franchisees get the most benefit.

Michelle Rowan (16:58)
Okay, so initial training, the franchisees are coming to you or you're going to them in their market.

Steven Schenck (17:04)
We're actually going to them and their market and it's proven to work out really well for both us and the franchisee to see what they're experiencing real time in their market.

Michelle Rowan (17:06)
Okay.

Okay, and so then as far as the ongoing training and support, what does that look like for your franchisees? Is there something that's happening again in person with them? Is this all virtual? How are you tackling just that kind of ongoing support that they need once they're in the business and up and running?

Steven Schenck (17:33)
Sure, yeah, good question. So a lot of it is remote, although if we have a big situation or instance where it is deemed necessary that we go and visit the franchisee at their location, we'll always take that route. But a lot of it is when they get their first appointment, our operations team is having a conversation via Zoom, via phone, how things go, what was your experience, what do you need help with?

based on their initial walkthrough forms, we might go over that with them. Here's what our recommendations would be. What's your thoughts on pricing, ⁓ overall outlook on the opportunity?

Michelle Rowan (18:19)
I think everyone buying into a franchise system expects some level of franchise support. That's kind of a given of why you're buying into the model. So when we talk about what average training and support looks like that bar, what do you think distinguishes really great support from a franchise or where they're really leveling up and supporting that franchise owner? What should people be looking for?

Steven Schenck (18:42)
Absolutely. So I think great support is more proactive and not reactive. ⁓ So average or poor support waits for the franchisee to call with a problem. And by that time, they've already sat there and pondered and have become frustrated. Great support is always watching the metrics, checking quality scores, coaching on things that will prevent or protect revenue before it becomes an issue.

Michelle Rowan (18:46)
Yep.

Okay, so you have really clear KPIs for them to understand how their business is tracking and your team can step in if they're seeing those goals not being met or ⁓ figuring out how to tackle why they're not meeting those kind of ⁓ KPIs that you put out their averages or performance that they want to see in their business.

Steven Schenck (19:32)
Yeah. And then, you know, we reinforce what great looks like in the sales and operations and staffing and client retention. ⁓ You know, I feel like poor support just simply tells you what to do and then disappears. We try to stay invested in the outcome. But we always want to make them feel empowered.

It's their business. We're only here to support them. And so we're not telling them what to do. We're basically giving them a guideline and ensuring that they stick to that guideline, which has been proven successful.

Michelle Rowan (20:06)
Okay, so let's put your hat on that you're a candidate, you're looking at multiple brands. What kinds of questions should they be asking or what kind of ⁓ initial or ongoing support, things that they should be looking for when they talk to those teams about getting a better understanding of what they can expect from that team.

Steven Schenck (20:26)
Yes, I would say first look at the depth and structure of the program, not just the length. We've gone back and forth on how long the training should be. Should we break it up? ⁓ Should we do it all in one week? And we've gone back and forth. And we've done that based on ⁓ franchisee satisfaction regarding the training. So we always send out a survey after the initial training asking

What was your satisfaction here? What was your satisfaction here? And we take that feedback and we kind of mold our system or revamp our system to ensure that we're getting those consistently better satisfaction scores. I would say, it actually teaching you how to run the business day to day or is it more surface level? ⁓ You should see real modules on

Michelle Rowan (21:11)
Yeah.

Steven Schenck (21:23)
pricing, technology, customer communication. The candidate can kind of get a feel and that's something I would ask as a candidate is, how in depth is that training? ⁓ And then I would say, what happens after the training? Do you guys come to my market again? ⁓ How long will you be working with me one on one after? How many?

you know, support team members do you guys have to be able to support the entire franchise base?

Michelle Rowan (21:57)
Those are great questions. I really like that you're getting feedback after that initial training, because I think that it can be overwhelming. ⁓ You're getting a lot of information in a short period of time. understanding, hey, we're giving it to you all now, but also how easy is it to reach people or find the information you need when you're actually operating the business and kind of ⁓ need the help that you need. So that was really great. And then I also think another thing that I would add is

instead of just asking those questions of the corporate team, I think it's great to ask those same questions of the franchisees as far as like how overwhelmed did you feel with that initial training or how was the team supporting you through your grand opening, that initial kind of onboarding versus how accessible are they? I think that's also a great way to just kind of level set what to expect because I do think

that initial, it's a lot of information. They're learning your business model, they're learning how to run the business, they're probably learning franchising in some way as well. So that was great. Great questions. So let's talk about how have you seen in your system having a high level of training and support? How does that play out in franchise performance or profitability for your franchise owners over time?

Steven Schenck (22:57)
100%. Good feedback.

I think it'd probably be the same for most brands out there. I mean, the folks that are really engaged in that training want that additional support. We always see those folks perform better. I always say, you know, I want to hear from you. I feel and being in franchising now for 12 years, I feel a lot of them are afraid to ask for support. In some instances, they feel like, well, I should know this. I should be doing this already.

I say, pick up the phone, send me an email, send our operations team an email. ⁓ I'd rather hear from you more often than not at all. That concerns me when I don't hear from a franchisee.

Michelle Rowan (23:51)
you

I feel like I've talked to franchisors that do talk about franchisees that don't utilize the support available. Either they're struggling, which I think is more common. They're struggling and you're figuring out ways to help level them up in their business. But there's also a lot of times that I hear franchisees might get a little complacent. They're fine with the money they're making. They're they've been in the system a long time, so they're not necessarily

tuned in to the things the corporate team is offering to help them in their business. How do you get them to think about the importance of that and making time for that?

when their business owners and their hair is on fire with 20 other things they need to do.

Steven Schenck (24:34)
Yeah. So I would say it's just a mind shift. So once you're operating, the training does shift. It now becomes about coaching, you know, how to grow, how to retain accounts, how to handle service issues, how to hire and manage team members, you know, and how to adapt as the market changes. feel like that hiring piece and how to grow and how to scale, you get to a point where, you know, your mindset does have to change and it becomes less about

Michelle Rowan (24:41)
Yeah.

That's a good one.

Steven Schenck (25:03)
that one or two man operation and now you're having to hire and hiring can be challenging, especially in today's day and age.

Michelle Rowan (25:11)
All right, so now let's talk about how have you guys within your system, how has technology and virtual tools changed the way that you deliver support to your franchisees?

Steven Schenck (25:23)
I think it's made a huge difference. ⁓ I will say though, I'm still about that face-to-face good old interaction, ⁓ one-on-one, in person, but it's helped us be more efficient, get information over to the franchisees a lot quicker. And also, and I could be getting ahead of myself, but it allows them to be able to contact other franchisees in the system in just a minute's notice.

So we've given them that technology. It's also improved the way their performance when it comes to proposals, customer interaction. So I think it's helped in that instance, but I still don't want us to get too technology driven where it takes the personalization out of the process.

Michelle Rowan (26:12)
So when you're a candidate and you're going through the process and talking to the franchisor and they can tell you what this training and support looks like, can you think of any red flags that the prospective ⁓ franchisee should be listening for from that team or should follow up with franchisees on to make sure that what they're saying is actually what's happening?

Steven Schenck (26:36)
100%. ⁓ I was in franchise development before business development just last year. And a big part of my process was really, did you reach out to any of the other franchisees? ⁓ We certainly don't tell them who to reach out to, but we say, what are you looking for in terms of feedback? Are you looking for people in your own region? Are you looking for people your age that have been in

corporate sector, held blue collar, whatever it may be, and then we can guide those folks to some individuals that fit that criteria. But I'm a firm believer that I can sit and tell them, we do X, we do Y, but until they speak with a franchisee that's done it, that's the most valuable feedback. I also point them over to the FBR surveys.

I've got that as part of a template within, or I did as part of a template within my process. And I said, this is real feedback. This is real unaltered, unbiased feedback from our franchisee base. And ⁓ I think the results speak for themselves.

Michelle Rowan (27:52)
Yeah, that's a great, I mean, that's a great way to think about it. I would also say too, something to think about is we touched upon it a little bit in that the franchisees that maybe went through your initial training five, 10 years ago might not be the best ones to talk about what's happening for initial training and support now. So having them talk to some of your newer franchisees that can kind of recall that or know.

how your model has changed. You franchisors also change the way that they train and support as they get feedback from franchisees or as they grow, they learn different things. So I think making sure you talk to some newer franchisees to understand what that looks like or how that's really impacted their business could be really important too.

Steven Schenck (28:35)
100%. And I would tell and say to other brands too, you know, don't be afraid of a candidate reaching out to somebody that may be struggling a little bit. You know, that's, you want that mix of feedback. You know, if it's too great, too positive, too upbeat, and you're only talking to the performers that have just knocked it out of the park, to me as a candidate, that'd be a red flag. You mean this brand is so great that there's not a single downside.

Michelle Rowan (28:48)
Absolutely.

Yeah.

Steven Schenck (29:05)
⁓ That to me would be a red flag. So don't be afraid to have them reach out to a ⁓ mix of different owners.

Michelle Rowan (29:13)
Yeah. Yeah. And I always will tell people too. I love that you have your development past experience to kind of put that hat on, but I always say, you know, have them talk to underperforming franchisees because you want them to understand is that person putting enough time into the, to the business? Are they following the structure? So understanding, like, how do I not let that, how, do I let my business not be in that bottom quartile or run through that? So, ⁓ that's good. Yeah. So.

Steven Schenck (29:38)
100%.

Michelle Rowan (29:41)
This is kind of a little bit of a shift, but I'm curious what you think the role of Mindset plays in a franchise owner. Understanding that we've said, you said earlier, they might be afraid to ask for help or embarrassed that they're not getting the results that they thought they would. Even with the best support, what qualities do you think a franchisee should have for Mindset to really leverage all the tools, the people that you're giving them access to in your system?

Steven Schenck (30:09)
Well, that's a good question. I don't know that anybody's figured out the exact type of candidate just yet, but we're working on it.

But I think especially in this business, the service business, it's all about grit and your willingness to overcome obstacles. And we see certain things during that discovery process that kind of give us some inclination of whether or not we're dealing with somebody like this. We ask them to do some things aside from just listen to us on some Zoom calls. You know, we give them, I wouldn't say homework, but it's,

hey, fill out this questionnaire. And there's just some prerequisites, I would call them. And if we're seeing that those things aren't done, it takes some weeks to get back. typically see those are the folks that are going to struggle down the road when it comes to reaching out for support, executing on the support that they were given. ⁓ So those are some things that we've kind of

noticed in our years of franchising, we'll set the candidate up for success or failure.

Michelle Rowan (31:22)
Yeah. So I don't know if you do you utilize existing franchisees to do anything as far as training and support with other franchisees either that are coming on or struggling? Do you have programs in place where it's not just the corporate team?

Steven Schenck (31:35)
Yeah, good question. So we do have a mentorship program, we connect a franchisee that's new to the system with somebody that's been in the system for quite some time and usually within the same market area so that they can visit with that franchisee and see their operation firsthand. we set up monthly calls.

where they can all brainstorm talk about issues talk about successes and then we even have a slack channel that they can communicate either one on one or as a group and we really believe in. All the franchisee's have one goal in mind and that's to run a successful operation let's make sure they have easy ways to communicate with each other and be of support to each other.

Michelle Rowan (32:27)
Okay, so in our wrap up, I'm gonna ask you, if you could give advice to anyone that's looking at becoming a franchise owner today, especially when it comes to the training and support structure of the brand they're looking at, what would you offer to them to consider?

Steven Schenck (32:44)
Good question. I would say don't let, whether it's our brand or other brands that you may be interested in, don't let them tell you that this is a completely hands off operation and that all you have to do is invest, sit back and collect because that's certainly not the case. ⁓ If they're not asking you questions like how much time do you have to invest?

What does your wife or husband think about this endeavor? You know, it's a, you have to have everybody on board if you're going to succeed. This is in a lot of times it's a 10 year commitment with the franchise agreement. And so this is a marriage. It's a partnership. It's a long-term endeavor. And so you want to ensure that the franchisor is asking you questions to determine whether or not you'd be a good fit.

If they are accepting anybody and anybody that has that initial investment, that's an issue because not everybody's going to fit the mold and that's okay. There's other brands out there that maybe a better fit. ⁓ I would also say look at their training program after the initial training. How in depth is it? Are they willing to come back out to your market?

Are they willing to provide support without any additional major financial contributions? Those are all key questions that could hinder your ability to scale or be a successful business owner.

Michelle Rowan (34:24)
That's great. Yeah. And sometimes there are additional fees for training and support if you need more than is included in the agreement. So I think understanding what is provided in those initial fees that you're paying and that ongoing any fees that you're paying and then what's outside of that. know some franchisors will cover that cost if a franchisee commits to a certain amount of time they're putting into it and others will charge for that additional help. But having that understanding is really, really important. And I also love that

Steven Schenck (34:35)
Hmm.

Michelle Rowan (34:54)
You specifically have had development experience and now operations experience, but I always say that's a great question for them to understand how aligned is your development team with your operations team because you want to make sure what you're being sold or told in that education process is actually what's happening. So understanding how connected that corporate team is or asking the franchisees when you talk to them was what you were told in that process with the team, what you were delivered.

Stephen, thank you so much for joining us for the conversation today. We really appreciate your experience and your questions and tips that you're giving our audience. They're going to be better prepared before they say yes or no. Thanks for joining us. Yeah.

Steven Schenck (35:31)
Thanks, it's been a pleasure.