Category: Business and Franchise Advice

Planning for the future often focuses on growth, innovation, and staying ahead of the competition. However, one critical aspect of long-term success is often overlooked: succession planning. Many business owners and leaders may dismiss it as something to worry about later, or believe that it only matters after they’re gone. Yet, succession planning is far more than a posthumous concern—it’s a strategic tool that adds immense value to your franchise business. From ensuring continuity and safeguarding company culture to boosting employee confidence and attracting investors, succession planning is a key element in securing your business’s future. Here’s why it deserves …

Everyone dreams of owning their own business, writing their own salary cheque and being successful! But in reality, only a small proportion of people realise that dream as the barriers to setting up a business are often quite daunting, the costs often prohibitive and the expertise needed to make the business work often lacking. The general trend in a person’s working life is one of becoming qualified and then looking for a suitable job that, in these trying times, will suffice only to keep head above water and life ticking by. FASA Franchise Association South AfricaTo protect, lobby, promote and …

“In the dynamic landscape of business expansion, a universal truth prevails: there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The key to success lies in the artful ability to tailor strategies to the unique needs and challenges of each business.”  That is the view of franchise guru Eric Parker of Franchising Plus who will be the guest speaker at FASA’s online networking event on the 30th of May. Amidst the myriad options for expansion, astute entrepreneurs recognise the strategic importance of adopting a mixed owner-operator distribution strategy. This entails the careful deployment of company-owned branches, joint venture/partnership arrangements, and franchised units across distinct geographic …

A number of franchise scams have recently been aired on investigative TV programmes like Carte Blanche and The Devi Show that have exposed franchisors that are defrauding people out of their hard-earned cash. In almost all of these cases, the so-called ‘franchisors’ do not adhere to the Consumer Protection Act nor are members of FASA and sadly, the ‘franchisees’ that buy into these systems do not do due diligence or even have the basic understanding of how franchising works. We hope with our series of articles we can elaborate and educate the public at large. Franchising is, without doubt, the …

As we head into the third month of the year, having survived the slow start of the year weighed down by the budget speech and economic predictions from all and sundry, it’s time to put those fears behind us and tackle the year with energy, determination and positivity. These simple commitments can really transform the way your business works. FASA Franchise Association South AfricaTo protect, lobby, promote and develop ethical franchising across all sectors in South Africa with specific focus on transformation. www.fasa.co.za …

In business and in life you are faced with the risk/reward alternatives i.e., the higher the risk the greater the reward! However, the more you minimise the risk the lower the reward. In life we have choices – you could remain risk-averse but then your rewards will be limited. On the other hand, we could take big uncalculated risks resulting in failure.  So, we are all faced with these big decisions both in our personal lives and in our business environment. In your personal life, some of the big risk decisions would include what you study, who you marry, purchasing …

Buying or selling a franchise usually involve unknown parties and can comprise sizable amounts, which poses transaction risk. There is a risk that buyers may lose the transaction value to a bogus seller who is misrepresenting what they are selling. Conversely, sellers may not receive the funds owing to them after the successful transfer of the business. This is where escrow comes in. FASA Franchise Association South AfricaTo protect, lobby, promote and develop ethical franchising across all sectors in South Africa with specific focus on transformation. www.fasa.co.za …

It is imperative that franchisors have a look at themselves to honestly assess whether they have the business model and support structure in place to give each franchisee the best chance of making a success of their business. This would include reviewing whether a franchisor has: FASA Franchise Association South AfricaTo protect, lobby, promote and develop ethical franchising across all sectors in South Africa with specific focus on transformation. www.fasa.co.za …

Franchising is a great mechanism to expand with third-party capital and to benefit from having dedicated owner-operators who care about customer service in all your outlets. However, franchising can become a struggle when all parties – the franchisor and franchisees – do not have their needs met and become frustrated with the relationship. Anita du ToitAnita du Toit is the Founder and Franchise Development Consultant at Franchise Fundi. She has more than 20 years franchise consulting experience across the telecommunications, automotive, restaurant and retail industries amongst others. She is an international authority on social franchising with extensive experience and papers …

Mike Said of MikeSaidWhat Brand Strategy – a brand strategist with experience in the food sector and in franchising, has his finger on the pulse of what makes a good brand, with the focus on marketing, multi-media and service excellence. Mike Said equates running a business to riding a wave – there are always highs and lows that make for a wild ride. Understanding the process of building a business and being prepared for the curveballs will go a long way to keeping your sanity and managing a successful business. Mike Said’s business wave goes something like this: FASA Franchise …

In franchising there are always unscrupulous entrepreneurs who, under the guise of franchising, will make empty promises and sell unethical businesses to unsuspecting business operators. One of the first questions you need to ask is… “Is the franchise I am considering joining accredited by the Franchise Association of South Africa? And if not – why not?” FASA members voluntarily align themselves and their brands to an internationally recognized body that adheres not only to international best practices but to sound business ethics established through the Consumer Protection Act and FASA’s government approved Franchise Industry Code and possible Ombudsman for the …

Potential and existing Franchisors are often searching for the correct combination of elements to ensure their success.  In this article, Franchising Plus illustrates a “Wheel of Success” with descriptions to guide you in your franchise journey. The wheel has 7 segments, and the size of each segment relates to its importance. FASA Franchise Association South AfricaTo protect, lobby, promote and develop ethical franchising across all sectors in South Africa with specific focus on transformation. www.fasa.co.za …

We often talk about the life cycle of franchisees, starting from the franchisee being in the stage where they are the euphoric first time to becoming a rebellious teen, to finally maturing into an established, and stable franchisee. We have been told how to optimally manage the franchisees through these changes and that it all begins with managing the expectations of the fledgling incoming franchisee. However, the lifecycle of a franchisors has, for the most part, been ignored- leaving franchisors exposed to unanticipated challenges. Lindy BarbourGraduated from the University of Natal with B.Comm in Management & Marketing. She joined the …

Because franchising can be adapted to almost any business sector, the range of franchise opportunities is extensive. A lot depends on whether the offer is a turn-key operation with retail outlets or a man-in-a-van service franchise or a franchise that can be run from home. The return on investment is often linked to the cost of the franchise; a hot-dog trailer may be affordable but the returns are not as high as a high-end restaurant which will cost in the millions to set up and has the potential for high turnovers – so prospective franchisees must always bear this in …

Reflecting on the world in 2022, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby had this to say in his 2021 Christmas sermon: “We all face uncertainty, uncontrollability and unpredictability, from huge companies to those sleeping rough.” That is one of the principal themes of the book Thinking the Future, by renowned scenario planner Clem Sunter, co-authored by Mitch Ilbury and myself and published by Penguin Random House in July last year. Clem SunterClem Sunter is one of the world’s most admired scenario planners and futurologists. Chairman and CEO of Anglo American’s Gold and Uranium Division when it was at its zenith, …

According to Roz Sandham of franchise consultancy Franchising Plus, “with the unpredictability of the future and the undeniable change in the way we work, counter intuitively planning becomes even more important for the survival of businesses.” “Previously we had historical trends on which to base our future plans, for most businesses these trends have been turned on their heads. Leadership needs to be brave and reasonable when setting goals and objectives for the next period of trade. Make sure that you are reading as much as possible about what the future may hold. Also, engage with all the stakeholders in …

Everyone dreams of owning their own business, writing their own salary cheque and being successful. But in reality, only a small proportion of people realise that dream as the barriers to setting up a business are often quite daunting, the costs often prohibitive and the expertise needed to make the business work often lacking. Where franchising comes into its own is in the fact that it gives all the advantages of operating your own business, but without many of the headaches that go with setting up a new business, researching it, finding the suppliers, marketing it and managing it. In …