Opening up your own business is an exciting and daunting time, new business owners often feel  overwhelmed at the thought of navigating their way through the countless paperwork, legal documents and contracts. Opening up a new franchise should be an exciting and enjoyable time, to make sure your experience goes smoothly, we’ve compiled a few tips for first time franchisee owners to help you get up and running:

Do your homework

The very first and most important thing you can do before venturing into a new business, is research! You need to do your due diligence to ensure you are making informed decisions before entering into any business contracts. Start by researching how owning and operating a franchise works, and all that is involved with it. You may or may not already have a franchise in mind, either way you should research and find brands that align with your personal values and goals. It is essential you thoroughly research and ask key questions of franchisors. Questions should include:

• Criteria for accepting new franchisees
• Initial funds required to open
• Ongoing fees
• Companies financial history and current situation
• Level of initial and ongoing support and resources
• Expectations of franchise owners

Learn from the ground up

To make a great leader you must have a deep understanding and empathy for your staff experience. Spend a day walking in the shoes of your employees, get involved early and learn how your franchise works from the ground up. You will need to understand the inner workings and processes of your business, so you can run the day to day operation. By working on the ‘front line’ it will give you valuable insights into how your business actually operates, and allows you to test if your systems are working properly.

Seek Guidance & Consult the Experts

Ask the experts, and talk to the people who have experience in the industry. Many people are happy to talk about their experiences and offer advice. This is one of the greatest tools you can utilise before opening your franchise. Start by speaking to people and asking about their experiences and they will offload some valuable insights and knowledge. As well as speaking to experienced franchisees, you will need to seek professional advice. Find yourself a good team of professionals (tax experts, lawyers, advertising agencies etc) to help create a foundation for your business.

Follow your Franchisors Systems

You have chosen to open a franchise, a tried and tested formula with proven success, so it makes sense for you to follow the systems your franchise has in place. Take advantage of all the resources and materials the franchisor provides, making it easier for you to become established and grow your business.

Learn the Basics of Running a Business

For many people who are new to owning businesses, or feel a little nervous they will often opt for a franchise because it is already a proven model, with most things already set up ready to go, minimising their need for business management. If new franchisees rely on this, they will not succeed in their business. It is vital that you learn and understand the basics of running a business. Take the time to learn how the franchise operates, but also take the time to research how businesses work so you can reach the full potential of your new franchise.