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Meet the Team | National Franchise Lawyers & Growth Counsel
Get to know the team behind The Internicola Law Firm — national franchise lawyers, compliance experts, and growth advisors helping over 300 brands build and grow winning franchise systems. Legal clarity. Strategic support. Real results.
How to Create a Franchise Territory Map
The right franchise territory structure can optimize your brand's potential. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Properly defined franchise territories are critical for the growth and success of any franchise system. Franchisors can improve their franchise territory structure and support franchisees by using mapping software and following industry best practices. By staying flexible and updating their franchise territory maps regularly, franchisors can optimize their brand’s future market potential. As a franchisor, how you define your franchise territories can make or break the growth of your business. From establishing flexible geographical boundaries and tracking demographic data to choosing the right software and keeping maps up-to-date, your approach to franchise territory management can make the difference between building a healthy, thriving franchise system or owning a brand that misses the mark. Because of that, it’s important for new and emerging franchisors to learn how to map franchise territories properly early on. To learn about best practices for franchise territory mapping, The Internicola Law Firm sat down with Tracey Matchett, former sales director of Gbbis , a mapping software company that offers territory management solutions for franchisors, to discuss strategies for optimizing franchise territories for sustainable growth. What is a franchise territory? A franchise territory is a geographically designated area within which a franchisee is authorized by a franchisor to establish and operate a franchised business under the terms of a franchise agreement and Item 12 of the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) . The scope, size and levels of protection provided to franchisees within their designated territory often vary between franchisors. Why are franchise territories important? Franchise territories define the market, scope and geographic boundaries within which a franchisee’s business is permitted to operate. For franchisors, well-defined franchise territories are critical for enhancing their brand’s growth potential and attracting qualified franchisee candidates to their offering. Common Mistakes Franchisors Make When Mapping Franchise Territories For new and emerging franchisors, it can sometimes be tempting to offer large territories to new franchisees or even make up territories as they go. However, it’s best to take a strategic approach to franchise territory mapping to avoid missteps. “When some of the franchise brands come to us, they have either not done mapping before and they want to understand the best practices, or they've done mapping and they've given away way too much territory to their initial franchisees, or they've worked with other systems that are difficult and cumbersome,” says Matchett. To position your brand for success, it’s important to avoid common mistakes when mapping your franchise territories, including the following: Not using mapping software Mapping your own franchise territories can waste valuable time, energy and resources. By choosing the right software to meet your brand’s needs, you can save time while helping franchisee candidates understand their franchise territory options during the sales process. Relying on outdated data Using incomplete or out-of-date data to map franchise territories can cause inaccurate projections of market potential. They can also prevent franchisors from getting a clear picture of who their competitors are. Instead, make sure you’re working with data that is current and specific to your brand’s needs. Giving away too much territory too soon It’s not uncommon for new franchisors to give away too much territory to their first franchisees. Still, those missteps can negatively impact franchisee success and limit future sales and growth potential, so it’s important to establish proper territories before offering your first franchises. Best Practices for Mapping Franchise Territories As a franchisor, it’s important to get clear about your goals and vision for your brand before mapping its franchise territories. For new and emerging franchisors, it can also be helpful to create a five-year success plan . “The first thing I do is really understand the client – their needs, their goals, what their expansion plans are and the data that they currently have. If they have any member data, if they have any patient data, if they have any customer data, and really what their vision is in the next year, two years, five years,” says Matchett. Next, it’s critical to follow industry best practices for mapping your franchise territories. By choosing the right software and leveraging data and analytics to boost your brand’s growth potential, you can set your franchisees up for success while scaling your business. 1. Use mapping software to create and manage franchise territories The right software is critical for creating and managing franchise territories. To make sure you have everything you need to get started, look for the following features: Ease of use. Mapping software should be easy to use and easy for franchisee candidates to follow along with. Variables. Look for software that allows you to map territories based on variables like ZIP codes, geographical boundaries and more. Flexibility. As markets expand, your software should show you where to grow next. By choosing simple, flexible mapping software to manage your franchise territories, you can save time during the sales process and streamline your brand’s marketing efforts. 2. Strive for balance and equity As a franchisor, creating fair and balanced franchise territories is important. Although it might seem like a good idea to base your territory map solely on geography, prioritizing market opportunity can create more equitable sales revenue potential across your franchise system. 3. Leverage advanced demographic analytics Because people move, grow older and experience shifts in budgets and lifestyles, consumer demographics change frequently. To keep up with those changes, it’s important to update territory maps regularly using fresh data. In addition to basic information about population, foot traffic, crime, visitors and location, consider the following data when mapping your franchise territories: Competitor data Local demographics Member, patient or client data Visitor cell phone tracking data Other data tailored to your brand or industry By regularly performing advanced data analytics and predictive modeling using up-to-date data, you can ensure that your franchise territory maps reflect recent changes in different markets. 4. Collaborate with your marketing team Before opening a new franchised location, it’s important to work with your brand’s marketing team to identify “hot spots” within its designated territory to focus marketing efforts on. By assessing heat maps and honing in on target demographics, you can ensure that your brand’s marketing initiatives will be effective in every territory. 5. Pay attention to territory size and structure Because giving away too much territory to individual franchisees can have a negative impact on franchisee performance and limit your brand’s growth potential, remember to pay close attention to the size and structure of the territories you offer to franchisees. To avoid giving away too much territory, evaluate the following data: Key demographics. Assess basic demographics for each territory, like population and household income. Sales and expenses. How are existing franchisees performing and spending in different markets? Competitors. How are your competitors positioned in the market? Visitors. Use cell phone data to track visitors and traffic within different territories. Complementary brands. Which local businesses will drive traffic to your brand? Territory type. Assess the radius of travel to other businesses, and whether the territory is an urban or suburban market. Other relevant data. Think of unique factors that might influence market performance and opportunities in specific territories. Keep in mind that territory sizes may differ depending on how many locations already exist within your franchise system. Still, by carefully mapping the size of your franchise territories, you can promote future growth and prevent territory cannibalization. Final Thoughts Franchise territory mapping is an important part of building a successful, thriving franchise system. Still, territory maps require time, effort and attention to detail. To properly map a franchise territory, it’s critical to consider size, geography, demographics, revenue potential, market opportunities and nearby businesses – including competitors and complementary brands that could drive traffic to your location. Because demographics change frequently, it’s also important for franchisors to update franchise territory maps regularly using current demographic data. By choosing flexible, easy-to-use mapping software, leveraging advanced data analytics and following industry best practices, franchisors can create franchise territory maps that are optimized for growth and support franchisees in their success. Frequently Asked Questions About Franchise Territory Mapping What are the fundamental elements of franchise The foundational elements of mapping franchise territories include easy-to-use software, current demographic data and flexible territory structures. It’s also important for franchisors to update franchise territory maps and demographic data regularly. Which basic demographics are needed to map franchise territories? Common variables used to map franchise territories include population density, household median income, spending, crime, visitors, foot traffic and more. Franchisors might also look at specific data related to their industry. Do franchise territory maps differ between industries? There is no one-size-fits-all solution for franchise territory mapping. Because a food truck company would likely need a different territory structure than a restaurant chain or wellness brand, understanding your target demographics, competitors, market, location and expansion goals can help you tailor your franchise territory map to your business. About Gbbis Gbbis is a software company that offers franchise territory mapping solutions. Learn more about Gbbis at Gbbis.com . About The Internicola Law Firm Powered by a team of experienced franchise attorneys and experts, The Internicola Law Firm is a national law firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs build winning franchise brands. From legal support and franchise development to state and federal regulatory compliance, The Internicola Law Firm is dedicated to empowering franchisors at every stage of their journey. Learn more about how our team can help you grow your franchise by calling (800) 976-4904 or by clicking the button below. Learn more
Franchise Assessment | Should You Franchise Your Business?
Wondering if you should franchise your business? Take our franchise readiness assessment and get a clear roadmap for when and how to franchise.
Should You Franchise Your Business or Wait and Open New Locations?
Thinking about franchising your business? Learn how to evaluate your brand’s readiness, avoid franchising too early, and decide whether opening new corporate locations—or franchising now—is the smarter move.
How Organic Growth Can Benefit Emerging Franchisors
Sit Still Kids co-founder Amy Leclerc shares strategies for recruiting top talent, growing organically and building a thriving brand. KEY TAKEAWAYS: When you’re growing a new franchise system, it’s critical to have the right people, systems and processes in place before scaling. For new and emerging franchisors, organic growth can offer benefits like sustainable expansion, franchisee validation and brand loyalty. By defining your purpose, managing expectations with franchisees and offering a strong value proposition, you can map a path to profitability as a franchisor. As a franchisor, the success of your brand starts and ends with your business model – especially its ability to scale. So when Amy Leclerc met her future business partner, Nhu Vo, the original founder of Sit Still Kids , in 2017, she knew the brand was ripe for growth. The buzzy independent salon in Portland, Oregon, where both of Leclerc’s children regularly received haircuts, had catered to the city’s youth for over a decade, offering stylish solutions for families in need of kid’s haircare – and attracting the attention of franchise developers with its uniquely scalable business model. “(Vo) had heard over the years from brokers, from people who wanted to invest in her concept, from people telling her, you should license this, you should franchise it, all the things. (Vo) knew that she was onto something and just needed to surround herself with people who had the wherewithal to take her vision and brand and grow it. And so, it really was just opportunity that brought us together,” Leclerc recalls. Drawing on her background as the former business development director and vice president of sales and marketing at barre3 , a boutique fitness brand, where she also co-owned a workout studio in New York City’s West Village, Leclerc partnered with Vo and two other women to franchise Sit Still Kids in 2020 – launching the kid-centric brand just before the pandemic and scaling it to 28 locations over the next five years, with 45 more territories now in development nationwide. The Fundamental Elements of a Successful Brand Despite its importance, having a great business model and offering in-demand services is only the first step for building a successful franchise system. To make sure a brand thrives, new and emerging franchisors also need to lay a strong foundation for their business early on – a concept Leclerc was deeply familiar with from her previous roles in franchise development. “I had the fortune of having a background in franchising and sort of learning the ins and outs of franchising on somebody else's watch, which was nice. It kind of gave me the training wheels,” Leclerc says. For new and emerging franchisors, the following steps can help lay the groundwork for a successful and competitive brand: Recruit top talent. In a specialized retail environment like a salon, hiring top-tier service providers can differentiate your brand from competitors. Communicate effectively. To ensure consistency across locations, keep your operations manual up-to-date and clearly communicate all systems, standards and processes to franchisees and employees. Build customer loyalty. Encourage franchisees to develop relationships with customers and to create repeat customers. Promote accountability. As a franchisor, it’s important to hold franchisees accountable to their obligations under their franchise agreement . By establishing clear systems and standards while building a healthy internal culture based on accountability and communication, new and emerging franchisors can position their brand for future growth while establishing trust and validation with franchisees. Steps for Organic Franchise Growth For new and emerging franchisors, adopting the right growth mindset is also critical for scaling a franchise system. As a self-professed “contrarian,” Leclerc says she prefers organic growth to strategies that outsource expansion and water down fees while making up the difference in volume. “I just won't ever be associated with brands that see that as the path to profitability for them. I believe there are other ways. I would rather my concepts market themselves and take a more organic approach to growth,” Leclerc says. Pointing to advantages like building franchisee validation and allowing franchisors to address pain points in their business more efficiently, Leclerc says organic growth also gives franchisors the time they need to season, scale and grow their businesses – even under challenging circumstances. For new and emerging franchisors looking to grow their brands organically, the following steps can be helpful for starting out on the right path. 1. Define your mission and purpose As a new franchisor, defining your mission, vision and values is critical for making sure your brand is heading the right direction – and that it will stay on course as it matures. When defining your mission and vision as a franchisor, consider the following: Mission and purpose. Why did you start your business? What needs are you filling in the world through your products and services? Vision and values. What are your brand’s core values? Where do you want to see your business in one, three or five years? Website and brand story. Once your mission and values are clear, build a compelling franchise brand story and sales website to attract good-fit franchisee candidates. By defining your brand’s mission and purpose, you can attract prospective franchise buyers whose values and goals align with yours. You can also keep your brand on the path to success without losing sight of why you started. 2. Map a clear path to profitability Although it’s important for new franchisors to take care of the basic steps for franchising a business , it’s also critical to make sure your brand has a clear path to profitability once it’s properly franchised. To keep your business on the right track, consider the following questions as you scale your brand: Can your business model scale? Does your franchise operations manual communicate clear systems and processes? Do you have a five-year success plan to continue growing as market conditions change? If the answer is no, take time to develop those elements of your business. By identifying a path to profitability, you can ensure that your brand stays on course even if the market shifts or unanticipated challenges arise in the future. 3. Build trust with transparency As an emerging franchisor, it’s important to develop positive relationships with franchisees as your brand grows. To build trust and validation, transparency and open communication are key. When interacting with franchisees and franchisee candidates, consider the following: Opportunity profile. Be honest about your franchise offering’s opportunity profile and the benefits your brand offers to franchisees. Franchising documents. Make sure your systems, standards and numbers are transparent and accurate in your franchise documents, including your Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) and Item 19 financial performance representations. Flexibility. Have conversations with franchisees about lessons learned, and be willing to update your systems and processes as pain points are identified. By staying open, flexible and transparent as a franchisor, you can establish trust with franchisees and gain their validation while your brand scales. 4. Offer a strong value proposition By offering life-changing opportunities and over-supporting your first several franchisees in their success as business owners, you can build franchisee validation while ensuring excellent customer service – a move that could enable franchisees to scale into new territories in the future as their businesses grow and thrive. Looking Ahead As a new or emerging franchisor, focusing on organic growth during your first few years in business can have important advantages and prevent serious missteps that can lead to missed opportunities in the future. By taking time to build franchisee validation and work through pain points before scaling more rapidly, you can lay a strong foundation for your franchise system while promoting brand loyalty – the benefits of which Leclerc has seen firsthand at Sit Still Kids. “When I look at the 28 doors open and what we have coming down the pike, quite honestly, this is just the beginning for Sit Still,” Leclerc says. Frequently Asked Questions About Organic Growth 1. What are the advantages of organic growth for new franchisors? Strategic organic growth can offer new and emerging franchisors more time to season their brand, perfect their business model, build franchisee validation and work through pain points before scaling more rapidly. 2. How can emerging franchisors map a path to profitability? To identify a clear path to profitability, franchisors should create a five-year success plan and ensure their business model is scalable. Developing a franchise operations manual can also help establish systems and processes for continued growth when the market shifts. 3. Why should new franchisors focus on hiring top talent? Hiring top talent can ensure that a franchise brand’s corporate team, franchisees and employees have the right level of skills and experience. In specialized retail settings, like salons, top talent can also build customer loyalty and differentiate the brand from competitors. About Sit Still Kids Sit Still Kids is a kid-focused salon concept that’s revolutionizing the children’s haircare space. Learn more about their franchising opportunities at https://sitstillkids.com/franchise . Are you an emerging franchisor looking to grow the right way? Our Franchise Growth Counsel program helps you align your FDD, compliance, and growth strategy so you can scale with confidence. Learn more
FDD Renewals 2026: How to Prepare, Update, and File with Confidence
Prepare for your 2026 FDD renewal with a step-by-step guide to updates, Item 19 planning, audit readiness, state filings, and avoiding dark periods.
Franchise Growth Starts with Training
Franchise growth starts with training. LearningZen’s LMS insights show how culture-driven content and consistent systems help franchisors scale smarter and reduce turnover.
Franchise Your Business the Right Way Starting With the Legal Foundation
Franchise your business the right way. Learn why a legal first foundation protects your brand, prevents costly mistakes, and sets up your franchise system for long term growth.
Five Reasons Why Your FDD Is Sabotaging Your Franchise Sales (And How to Fix Them Before 2026)
Discover the 5 FDD mistakes that quietly sabotage franchise sales. Learn how Item 19, territories, fees, and structure impact deals and how to fix them for 2026
How to Fulfill the Promises in Your FDD
Franchise growth stalls when your FDD and operations are misaligned. Learn how to fix the disconnect and build a scalable franchise system.
Franchise FDD Strategy: Why Legal-First Structure Matters Before You Franchise Your Business
Most Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) mistakes don’t appear at launch — they appear years later. Learn why a legal-first FDD strategy protects your brand, supports growth, and prevents costly franchise compliance and support failures.
How to Franchise Your Business in 2026: A Founder Guide to Readiness, Legal Steps, and Real Costs
Thinking about franchising your business? Learn how to know if you’re ready, the real costs, legal steps, timeline, and mistakes to avoid in this 2026 founder guide.
Rethinking Franchise Growth Strategy
Learn what really drives franchise growth. This guide explains leadership, validation, sales process, and legal structure factors that impact franchisor expansion success.
Virginia SB240 Franchise Law: Noncompete Ban and What Franchisors Must Do
Virginia SB240 bans franchise noncompete clauses and changes how franchise agreements are structured. Learn what franchisors must update to stay compliant.
7 Mistakes Franchisors Will Make Under Virginia’s New Franchise Law (SB240)
Virginia SB240 bans franchise noncompete clauses. Learn the 7 mistakes franchisors make and how to update agreements, FDD disclosures, and system protections.