FOR FRANCHISORS-TO-BE

Franchise Your Business — Built to Scale

Take your proven local business to a national franchise system. We handle the trademarks, FDD and FA drafting, entity structure, registrations, and ongoing compliance — at a flat fee scoped to your situation.

Take the Readiness Assessment See what's included ↓

TRUSTED BY FRANCHISORS WE'VE LAUNCHED

Reviews from clients we've represented

BEFORE YOU APPLY

Watch this short walkthrough

An overview of what franchising your business actually involves — the legal pieces, the timeline, and what we do at each stage. Watch this before completing the readiness assessment below.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Everything you need to launch a franchise system

Every Startup Franchising engagement is tailored to your specific scope and stage. The complete package covers the full path from concept to first franchisee.

  • Trademark filings and IP protection review

    We file your trademarks (brand name, logo, taglines) and review your existing IP for protection gaps before franchising puts it under broader exposure.

  • Franchise entity and holding structure

    Set up the franchisor entity, holding company, and any operating-entity restructure needed to separate franchise risk from operating risk.

  • Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) drafting

    Full FTC-compliant FDD drafted around your operating model — financial performance representations, fee structure, territory rules, and all 23 Items.

  • Franchise Agreement drafting

    The Franchise Agreement that governs every franchisee relationship — built around your unit economics, brand standards, and risk tolerance.

  • Franchise sales cycle and compliance coaching

    We coach you through your first franchise sales — how to present the FDD, what's compliant to say, what triggers state registration requirements.

  • Direct calls and emails with your attorney

    Talk to the lawyer doing the work. No phone tree, no paralegal in the middle. Ongoing access throughout the engagement.

  • Legal review of sales and operations

    Review of your sales process, lead-handling, and operational systems to flag franchise-law exposure before it becomes a state enforcement matter.

  • Operations Manual legal review (as needed)

    Review of your operations manual for legal exposure, mandatory-system clarity, and incorporation-by-reference protections.

HOW IT WORKS

Four phases from concept to first franchisee

Startup franchising is a multi-month engagement. Most clients reach 'ready to sell franchises' within 3-6 months from kickoff, depending on existing readiness.

  1. Readiness and scope

    Complete the assessment below. We review your business, evaluate franchise readiness, and quote the exact scope and flat fee for your situation.

  2. Foundation and IP

    Trademark filings, entity formation, and structural review — the legal foundation has to be solid before the franchise documents go on top.

  3. FDD and FA drafting

    We draft your Franchise Disclosure Document and Franchise Agreement, tailored to your model. State registrations follow where applicable.

  4. Launch and ongoing counsel

    Sales-cycle coaching, compliance training, and franchisee onboarding support. Ongoing access for the questions that come up after you start selling franchises.

READINESS ASSESSMENT

Find out if you're franchise-ready

Tell us about your business and goals. We'll review your assessment and send a customized report with next steps, scope estimate, and a flat-fee quote within two business days. No commitment, no consultation fee.

1 About you and your business
2 Business performance
Has your business operated profitably in the last 2-3 years?
3 Franchise readiness
Do you have an Operations Manual or documented processes/systems?
Have you trademarked your logo or brand?
Are you still actively operating your unit(s)?
4 Project parameters

Click submit only once — it takes up to 20 seconds to process.

QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the price a range?
Startup franchising scope varies meaningfully based on where your business is when we start. A business with existing trademarks, a clean operating entity, and documented processes needs less foundation work than one starting from scratch. After your readiness assessment we send a fixed flat-fee quote — within the $21,499 to $36,899 range — so you know exactly what you’re paying before we begin.
How long does it take to franchise my business?
Most clients reach ‘ready to sell franchises’ within 3-6 months from engagement kickoff. The timeline depends on your existing readiness (trademarks, operations manual, entity structure) and whether you’re targeting state-registration jurisdictions like California, New York, or Illinois — those add 60-90 days each.
Do I need to register in every state?
No. Franchise registration is only required in 14 states (the ‘registration states’). The other 36 follow the federal FTC Franchise Rule and don’t require state-level filings. Part of our work is identifying which states you actually need to register in based on your sales plans.
What if my business isn't franchise-ready yet?
We’ll tell you honestly. The assessment’s job is identifying gaps, not selling you services you don’t need. If you have readiness gaps (no operations manual, no trademark, unproven unit economics) we’ll spell them out and recommend a sequenced approach — sometimes that means waiting 6-12 months to address the gaps before starting franchise work.
What's the difference between a franchise and a license?
Franchise law in the US is triggered by three elements: (1) you license a trademark, (2) you exert significant control or provide significant assistance, and (3) the licensee pays you a fee. If all three are present, it’s a franchise under federal law — regardless of what you call it. We help structure arrangements that meet your business goals while complying with the law (or, where appropriate, avoiding triggering franchise regulation entirely).
Will you handle ongoing FDD renewals after we launch?
Yes — that’s part of our broader franchisor practice. The Startup Franchising Package covers initial drafting and launch. Annual FDD updates and renewal work are quoted separately as ongoing-counsel engagements.
Can you help with international franchising?
Yes. International franchising — master franchise agreements, IP protection in foreign jurisdictions, cross-border compliance — is a separate engagement with its own scope. Most clients start with US-only franchising and add international when domestic operations are stable.
What happens after I submit the assessment?
We review your assessment within two business days and send a customized report covering: your franchise-readiness analysis, the scope of work tailored to your situation, an exact flat-fee quote, and recommended next steps. No commitment, no consultation fee — even if you decide not to move forward.