Understand Before You Franchise
Franchising is a powerful way to scale a business — but not every business is ready, and not every business should. Our Franchise Assessment is a focused 2-hour session that puts you in the driver’s seat. We’ll walk you through what it really means to franchise your business, the legal and structural obligations involved, and how those obligations connect to your long-term goals.
This is more than a checklist. It’s a chance to evaluate:
- Should you franchise your business?
- If so, is now the right time?
- What steps and investments come next?
Why a Franchise Assessment Matters
Many entrepreneurs rush into franchising by hiring developers or buying “packages” without fully understanding their obligations. That’s where costly mistakes happen.
With our assessment, you’ll:
ℹ️ Learn what franchising really means (from FDD development through franchise sales and compliance)
ℹ️ Understand the legal disclosures required of you as a franchisor
ℹ️ Evaluate how your business model holds up under franchise laws and economics
ℹ️ Identify positive indicators — and red flags — before spending thousands
Key Indicators We Assess
During your assessment, we review both legal foundations and business performance indicators that affect readiness:
📈 Business Performance – Profitability, margins, and operational consistency
🛡️ Brand Protection – Trademark availability, USPTO registration strategy, and risks of rebranding if marks can’t be protected
⚙️ Systems & Processes – Ability to document and replicate training, operations, and support
🚚 Supply Chain & Vendor Support – Stability and scalability of sourcing and unit economics
📊 Track Record – Proof of concept, number of locations, cultural alignment
⚖️ Legal Obligations of Franchising – Disclosure of owners and officers, franchisee relationships, and sales compliance requirements
📑 Financial Performance Representations (Item 19) – What they mean legally, and whether you are in a position to make them
→ Schedule your assessment today — most clients get clarity in just one 2-hour session.
Why Trademarks Are Critical
Your trademark is the asset every franchisee will license. Without USPTO registration, your brand — and your entire franchise system — is at risk. As part of your assessment, we:
- Review existing trademarks
- Assess likelihood of USPTO registration
- Advise on filing strategy (including potential back-up marks if needed)
- Explain timing (typically 8–9 months before USPTO review) and risks
When the Answer Is “Not Yet”
Sometimes the best outcome is waiting. Many businesses align with franchising but need more time to:
- Strengthen profitability and margins
- Improve supply chain reliability
- Build a longer performance track record
- Register or protect trademarks
- Enhance replicability of operations
Our assessment gives you a roadmap of what to focus on so that when you do franchise, you launch from a position of strength.
How the Franchise Assessment Works
- Initial Consultation – We discuss your goals and business model.
- Assessment Session (2 Hours) – We guide you through what franchising means, your legal obligations, and how they apply to your business. We also include a detailed assessment of your trademark, trademark registrations, and trademark registration recommendations.
- Findings & Roadmap – You receive clarity on whether franchising is right for you, if the timing is right, and what comes next.
Should You Franchise Your Business?
Our Franchise Assessment complements two of our cornerstone resources:
- 📘 The Ultimate Guide to Franchising Your Business – A self-learning resource for understanding the franchising process.
- 🚀 Franchise Launch Program – Our fixed-fee program that builds your FDD, franchise agreement, and legal infrastructure.
The assessment bridges the gap between “learning” and “launching” — giving you personalized insight into whether your business is truly ready to franchise.
Franchise Readiness Checklist: Green Lights vs. Red Flags
Every business has strengths and risks. Before you commit to franchising, here’s how to weigh the green lights against the signals that may mean “not yet.”
✅ Green Lights – Signs you may be ready to franchise:
- Strong financial performance and profitability
- Business model that can be replicated across locations
- Well-defined brand and intellectual property
- Industry with strong demand and scalability
- Systems in place to support consistency across franchisees
❌ Red Flags – Signals you may need to address first:
- Thin margins or inconsistent profitability
- Reliance on your personal involvement in day-to-day operations
- Lack of documented systems and processes
- Weak brand recognition or unclear positioning
- Limited capital or resources to support growth
Why Choose The Internicola Law Firm
As a national franchise law firm ranked #1 by Entrepreneur Magazine, we’ve guided more than 300 brands through franchising. Unlike consultants, we help you understand the legal, structural, and strategic realities — so you can make the right decision before spending heavily on development.
→ Schedule your assessment today — most clients get clarity in just one 2-hour session.
Franchise Assessment FAQ's
We offer assessments on a fixed-fee basis. The investment is small compared to the costly mistakes avoided by launching at the wrong time or without the right structure.
No. The assessment is designed to baseline and assess where you are at now. Whether you’re just exploring or already considering development, you’ll get clarity.
Yes. Before scheduling your assessment, you’ll complete a business information questionnaire (about one hour to finish). It covers basics like your business history, founder background, current locations, products or services, general profitability, trademarks, and long-term goals. This ensures our team comes prepared with meaningful insights.
Then we’ll tell you. More importantly, we’ll outline a strategy and roadmap to help you get there. In many cases, the question isn’t whether you can franchise, but whether you should — and if franchising aligns with your goals, timing, and resources.
No. Some businesses are better suited for franchising than others. The assessment will help determine if your model is scalable, replicable, and profitable enough to succeed as a franchise system.
That’s fine. Consultants may provide helpful input, but only a franchise lawyer can legally prepare your FDD and agreements. Our assessment ensures legal and strategic alignment before you commit resources.
There’s no single “perfect” time, but readiness indicators include strong unit-level profitability, proven operations, a transferable model, and a clear brand identity. The assessment helps you evaluate timing.
You’ll leave with clarity — either a recommendation to move forward with franchising, a roadmap of what to fix before launching, or alternatives if franchising isn’t the best fit.
The assessment is a two-hour video session with both a franchise attorney and a franchise growth advisor from our team. During the session, we review a detailed presentation covering legal, operational, and growth factors. You’ll receive a copy of the presentation and our findings after the call. To prepare, we’ll ask you to complete a short information questionnaire so we can tailor the assessment to your business.
Get the Inside Track Before You Franchise
Don’t franchise blind. Schedule your Franchise Assessment today to understand if franchising is right for your business — and if now is the right time.