Franchise consultants and brokers
Free to ask. One consultant suggests brands for your cash and area.
Your details
A franchise consultant or broker looks at the money you have available and suggests brands that might fit you, the FTC explains. Fill in the short form at the top of this page and we'll pass your details to one franchise consultant, who will reach out.
Who pays a franchise broker?
Brokers frequently work on behalf of franchisors, the companies selling the franchises, and many only earn money when a sale happens, according to the FTC. Consultants typically receive a fee from the brand once a buyer signs.
Because the brand usually pays when a buyer signs, that payment can shape which brands you hear about. That's why every brand page here shows the brand's own figures from its filing, so you can check what you're told and the choice stays yours.
Other names for the same job
People doing this work may call themselves business coaches, advisors, referral sources or sales consultants, the FTC notes, so a title by itself won't reveal how a person gets paid. The fastest way to learn is to ask them directly.
How many brands might a broker offer?
The FTC recommends asking how many franchisors a broker works with. When that number is small, the brands you're shown come from that narrow list instead of from everything that could match you.
Looking over the brands you're shown
All brand figures here come from the brand's latest FDD (the Franchise Disclosure Document). A brand must give you these papers at least 14 calendar days ahead of signing or paying. We take the figures straight from the filing posted on the Minnesota Department of Commerce registry.
On each brand page you'll find the opening cost (Item 7), the initial franchise fee (Item 5) and the ongoing royalty (Item 6). That royalty is the cut of sales, or a fixed amount, that you pay the brand, usually weekly or monthly. Each page also tells you if the brand shares sales or earnings figures (Item 19), plus the count of its locations (Item 20). Every figure shows its FDD year and includes a source link.
Figures under Item 19 tend to be sales rather than profit, so keep that in mind as you read them. If a consultant puts forward a couple of brands, our cost comparison tool sets them next to each other and highlights the one that costs least to open.
Your cash and how far it can go
The SBA, the U.S. Small Business Administration, stands behind bank loans. It requires the owners of a new business to contribute at least 10% of the project. Your cash helps set the range of brands to consider, but it does not guarantee a loan.
For example, $50,000 of your own cash means the rule allows a project of up to $500,000, with a $450,000 loan. That's a ceiling, not a promise of a loan.
You can work out your own number on the financing page. Tell the consultant how much cash you have and where you'd like to open so they can suggest brands that fit.
Sending the form
The form asks for your name and email, which lets the consultant contact you. A phone number is optional, in case you'd prefer a call. It also asks which state you plan to open in, a rough cash range, any brands already on your mind and an optional note.
The form involves no payment. Your details go to just one consultant.
Before you commit
When you've found brands you like, spend your 14 days with the FDD reading it carefully. Line up the opening cost, the fees and the outlet list for each brand, instead of trusting the pitch on its own. Start with brands that fit your cash and your area: send the form at the top of this page, and one franchise consultant will contact you.