Franchise System Builders

As our name implies, we do two things well:

Increase the number of franchise units in your network no matter the size

Bring your new(er) company into the franchise industry and jump start the franchise development process.

We are a group of franchise professionals each with more than 30 years in the industry. We have personal experience as senior level executives in large, international franchise companies, as area developers, unit operators, franchise development executives, suppliers to the franchise industry and private business owners. We count our franchisee recruitment successes in the hundreds and units sold in the thousands. We love what we do and want to help you enjoy the successes we know are ahead.

Jim Bender, President
Consultant
Jim has been in the franchise industry since 1977. Early in his career, Jim built, opened and operated 26 auto service franchises. He has hands-on experience as a multi-unit operator, building and managing an organization spread over seven states. Later, Jim became President, COO and major shareholder of a franchise company serving 600+ units. Mr. Bender authored and managed the corporate plan and budget including national marketing and retail services at the unit level, product distribution, franchise development, franchise owner start-up, training and all field support functions. Jim has worked with many franchise companies to overhaul their operating systems, rebuild their franchise development departments and oversee franchise sales. Jim has been a presenter and panel participant at many International Franchise Association seminars and has chaired the Association’s Education Committee. Outside the franchise industry Jim has owned multi-unit retail and auto service businesses.

Dennis Fuller Senior Vice President
Dennis has been associated with the franchise industry since 1978, representing industries such as automotive after-market, employment services, hospitality and business services. His responsibilities included franchise development, operations and training, including creating new franchising vehicles that addressed non-traditional development. He has assisted organizations on domestic and international levels, working with established and emerging franchise organizations. He has assisted franchisors in repositioning their organizations to address the changing business environments and developing new programs to attain their goals. He has also been a franchisee while outside the franchise industry he personally owned three restaurants and was partner in a 148 unit food service management company catering to the hospital, nursing home and educational sectors. Dennis is also a principal in our affiliated company Franchise Resales, LLC. and is involved in Real Estate Development.

Ken Ross
Mr. Ross has over 30 years of experience in all phases of franchising. He has spoken on franchising in the US, EU, Asia and South America. He began his tenure with Franchise Services, Inc. (the parent company of Sir Speedy Printing, Postal Instant Press, Signal Graphics, Eastnet Print & MultiCopy in the EU) in 1982 and remained with them for 16+ years. During this time, he established the initial field support organization for this system. He was also instrumental in the creation and growth of Copies Now, an alternate franchise offered by Sir Speedy at the time. The majority of his tenure was as VP of Global Development. In this position, Mr. Ross directed domestic sales, and international development and support worldwide. During his tenure, the aggregate system count increased from 300 to over 1,200 units. He was also a Board member of MultiCopy, the European subsidiary.
Mr. Ross then moved on to be VP, Domestic Sales for Mail Boxes Etc. (now UPS Stores), the world’s largest non-food franchisor with 4000+ units worldwide. At MBE, he established a field based sales force, for both traditional and non-traditional development. Utilizing both a direct and an area franchising model, he led the team that awarded 204 franchises in his final year. This was followed by Post Net Int'l, where as VP, Global Development, he was once again responsible for franchise development worldwide. During the dot.com era, he joined a start-up in Silicon Valley, where he was Director of Business Development. After the dot.com bubble burst, he decided to return to his first love - franchising.
Mr. Ross uses his broad experience in franchising and general business development to help qualified candidates determine if franchising is the right opportunity for them. His goal is to assist others to reach the level of success and independence that owning a business allows.

Frank Soccorsi
Mr. Soccorsi possesses broad expertise leading multinational franchised brands in a career spanning nearly four decades. The first 26 years of his career was spent with Ziebart International Corporation, a world leader in automotive appearance services and accessories. Being steadily promoted during his tenure with Ziebart, he served as Vice President of Worldwide Operations, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. In these various roles Mr. Soccorsi had the opportunity to master nearly every segment of the industry while learning from recognized leaders from both the Franchisor and Franchisee community. Mr. Soccorsi served as President of Driven Brands Mobile Services for eight years, Franchisor of B2B automotive service businesses, and most recently as President of My Power Solutions, a solar energy franchise based in Africa. Throughout his career as both a Franchisee and an executive with multiple Franchisors, Mr. Soccorsi has demonstrated his consistent ability to shape strategic initiatives, grow revenue and develop teams resulting in vibrant and profitable franchise systems.

Contemplating franchising or just beginning to speak with candidates?

The franchise industry is vibrant, exciting and presents wonderful opportunities. You may be contemplating bringing your new business concept to the franchise market. But not every business idea is ‘franchise-able’. A franchise company must create and master two business models – the unit level concept and the parent company as a franchisor. Your franchise model must be as carefully crafted, funded, staffed, tested and implemented as your unit model. The most frustrating position in which you can find yourself is operating a five year old franchise company with 6 six units wondering how you got there. We can help

For companies in the early stages of franchising we ask the question: ‘Starting today, is it feasible to build a franchise system here?’ Further,

Does the franchise agreement work for both parties?
Is the offering properly defined and presented throughout the franchise development discipline and legal documents?
Does the offering possess the four key components the lack of which has been the downfall of many franchisors?
How do we build a profitable franchise company?
When will that be achieved and how much investment capital do we need?
When will we need more capital, what do we invest it in and where will it come from?
Are we confident there is a viable exit strategy?

Franchise System Builders is uniquely qualified to develop and execute each of these strategies properly while bringing your vision to market. During our careers, each principal on our team has been personally responsible for the answers to these questions and the results they generate. We will create a plan with you or outline why you should pursue distribution outside the franchise industry. Let's spend a few minutes on the phone exploring your idea and current situation in more detail.

Franchise Outsourcing

You may have just begun or have over 500 units. Either way, our Franchise Outsourcing Program will streamline your sales process, reduce overhead and deliver higher quality franchise applicants ready and capable to invest. Franchise Outsourcing provides two key benefits:

First, your candidates receive the benefits of working with entrepreneurs and executives who are successful as both franchise owners and franchisors. From the very first conversation we develop a positive experience with your brand by working with candidates on a level that respects their experience and success. We know candidates make decisions based upon personal relationships not surfing web sites. We deliver committed and qualified candidates ready and able to proceed quickly to a close.

Second, every Franchise System Builders member knows from experience how costly it becomes when a franchise is sold to the wrong candidate. When we say ‘We won’t forward a candidate that we would not accept in our franchise’, we mean it. When we say discovery day is the final approval day, we mean that too.

Here is how it works:

We participate with your marketing department or supplier to create the lead generation strategy.

We work with each lead generated preparing those qualified to attend Discovery Day. We will bring you only individuals who:

We would accept in our franchise company
Are great matches to your profile
Have completed an in-depth review of your company's Journey
Have completed an in depth review of your FDD
Have validated with your franchise owners
Have presented a formal application and fully supported personal financial statement
Have decided to invest in your offering and are attending discovery day as a final 'corporate culture check'

Upon execution of a franchise agreement and payment of the franchise fee, you pay Franchise System Builders a commission. We do not accept competitive concepts and do not redirect leads away from your brand.

Let's spend a few minutes on the phone discussing how our Franchise Outsourcing Program is different from typical strategies available in the market.

What we do before you spend marketing dollars…Your Offering

When asked 'What is your offering?' most franchisors think of their Franchise Disclosure Document. They don't think about their 'offering' the same way franchise investors seek to learn about the opportunity.

Franchise System Builders believe your 'Offering' is a comprehensive process beginning at the point of introduction and lasting until the close. It must all work together like members of a symphony. The message must be Grand, Clear, Repeated and Supported.

Step One in the Franchise Outsourcing Program is a review of your offering through the eyes of a candidate, not a franchise executive. We then craft a unique sales process we use with your candidates including:

The Journey – Establishing credibility and leadership

How did we get to today?
What is our expertise in the business model?
Why should you trust us?
Why should you be excited?
Outline the Mutual Discovery Process

The FDD – Building excitement and enthusiasm

How successful are we?
What is the investment?
How do we work together?
(We also ensure the company is compliant, has approved deliverables, agreements, addendums and exhibits are complimentary and supporting documentation is properly organized and maintained).

Validation – Unveiling success and explaining failure

Managing the process for both candidate and franchise owners
Managing the story of dramatic success and failure
Managing when no validation is available

Discovery Day – Getting comfortable with your new family

Host, summarize and listen
Confirm we are on the same wavelength
Plan the relationship

Closing – Formalizing our common goals

Execution and payment
Congratulations and welcome
Beginning the launch process

Step Two of the Franchise Outsourcing Program continues with a review of company operations as viewed by a potential franchise investor to ensure your compelling story can be effectively delivered. In particular we evaluate:

Marketing – It is what franchise investors buy

How do we manage local, regional and national campaigns?
Do franchise owners respect them as productive?
What are the unit level costs?

Launch Program – Preparing to go to market

How many units have we opened?
What is our documented process?
Is the staffed skilled where needed?
What are the near term results?

Support – Real leadership and skill

There is only one topic. Everything else is a strategy.
How do we execute local marketing, on-site sales, product sourcing, staffing, troubleshooting, real estate, technology, administration?

Let's talk about your offering, our deliverables and estimated costs in more detail.

Symbiotic Growth

As we work with clients we are repeatedly reminded that a strong foundation leads to dramatic growth of the brand, the network and the franchise company. Regardless of the brand or business, every franchise owner and franchisor is more stable, powerful and stronger together than apart. It is the franchisor's job to drive and guide that growth. And you need a plan.

We help franchise executives build brands, companies and successful chains based upon performance.

Performance Tracking – Anything I can do YOU can do better

How do we evaluate unit performance?
How do we manage performance groups?
How do we translate Support into Performance?

Financial reporting – How we keep score

Corporate financials
Company owned unit financials
Franchise owner financials

Corporate Planning – How we get where we want to go

Not a budget
Everyone involved
Reviewed often

Let’s talk about ensuring that your franchise company drives results that have value.

Resales

Maybe more than anything else, franchising is about people and families and life situations. As a result even the highest performing companies experience changes among the ranks of its franchise owners. We know this through personal experience.

We also know that working with a franchise owner choosing to sell their unit requires a skill set that only comes with experience. Valuation, asking price, terms and timing are each delicate issues that must be conquered while serving the best interest of all parties.

In addition, our affiliated company Franchise Resales specializes in the marketing of existing units. Typically our commission is paid by the seller not the franchise company.

Let’s talk more about your need for an effective and efficient franchise resale program.