A Good Franchisee Is Hard To Find

It seems a mock version of the Flannery O'Conner title is appropriate given the fact that Good Franchisees Are Hard to Find, these days and in general.  As the story begins innocently enough, the family ventures out on vacation, led by a cantakerous grandmother.  They eventually come across the Misfit character, an escaped murderer who seems harmless enough ... maybe even a good man until he ultimately kills the entire family at the close of the story, only to be revealed as the son of the grandmother.  Isn't that what makes the search for a good franchisee so hard.  So many can look good on paper, but once they get in the system, it's difficult to know who is going to be a team player ... who is going to be active in their local store marketing ... who is going to be a role model vs who is going to be absent, litigious, a violator of the brand.  Multi-unit and multi-concept operators do take the guess work out of it because they have a track record of compliance, of engagement of management and ultimately of success.  So that may be the best starting point.  And the fact is, those "men" are easier to find at industry shows, in the press, on LinkedIn, etc.  At the end of the day, I do believe, if you are a good franchisor, "A Good Franchisee Isn't So Hard to Find."