Franchise investment advisory
A franchise sells you a proven model, a brand and a rulebook in exchange for fees and control. For the right person and the right system, that trade works. For many, it does not, and the franchisor's sales process is not designed to tell you which you are. We are independent, and we model the real unit economics before you sign.
What you leave with
You decide to buy a specific franchise, a different one, a resale or an independent business, based on numbers and your own fit rather than a sales pitch.
Who it is for
- First-time business owners and newcomers to BC attracted to a recognised brand
- Existing franchisees considering a second territory or a resale
- Owners thinking of franchising their own business who want a realistic view
What we deliver
- Franchise system evaluation: brand strength, support, franchisee turnover, disputes and economics
- Review of the disclosure document and agreement with your franchise lawyer
- A unit economics model: revenue, royalties, fees, rent, labour, debt service and what is left
- Territory assessment and comparison with resales and independent businesses at the same price
- Financing readiness for the lender, including the business plan
How it runs
01Fit
A Business Acquisition consultation covers your capital, skills, hours and what you can actually run.
02Evaluate
We assess the systems you are considering, discuss what franchisees report and model each one.
03Review
We work through the disclosure document and agreement with your lawyer, flagging business terms to negotiate.
04Decide and finance
You choose, and we prepare the business plan and lender package or help you walk away.
Engagement and fees
Starts with a 60-minute Business Acquisition consultation at $399. Evaluation, modelling and lender preparation are quoted as a fixed fee per system or resale under review. Valuation of a franchise resale is $3,500 flat. Every engagement is scoped after a call and confirmed in writing. See consultations and fees.
What a franchise really costs
The initial fee is the smallest part. Add the build-out, equipment and inventory the franchisor requires, working capital until the location pays its own way, royalties on every dollar of revenue, a marketing fund contribution, mandatory suppliers who may cost more than the open market and renewal and transfer fees later. Then subtract what you must pay yourself and your loan payments. What remains is your return. We build that model from the disclosure document and from what franchisees report, not from the brochure.
Reading the disclosure document properly
Franchisors provide disclosure material before you sign, and most buyers skim it. Your lawyer reads it for legal risk. We read it for business risk: how many locations closed or changed hands, what the franchisor earns from you beyond royalties, what you can and cannot do with the territory, who controls pricing and suppliers, what happens at renewal and how you are allowed to sell. The answers tell you whether you are buying a business or a job with a landlord who sets your menu.
Resale franchise or new territory
A resale gives you an operating location with real financials, staff and customers, and a franchisor who already approved the site. It also gives you a seller with reasons to leave. A new territory gives you a fresh start and the franchisor's current model, with no track record and a ramp-up period you fund. We value resales the way we value any business, with normalised earnings and comparable transactions, and compare both against buying an independent business of the same size.
Industries where we run this most
Questions about this service
Is a franchise safer than an independent business?
Sometimes. A strong system with good support and a protected territory lowers some risks. A weak system adds fees and rules without adding value. The disclosure document and the unit economics tell you which you are looking at.
Will the franchisor negotiate the agreement?
Large systems rarely change the core terms, but there is often room on territory, development schedules, build-out requirements and transfer provisions. Your franchise lawyer handles the legal negotiation and we flag which terms matter.
Can newcomers to Canada buy a franchise?
Yes, and many do because the brand and system reduce uncertainty. Lenders still want to see your own equity and relevant experience. Anything connected to immigration status belongs with a regulated immigration consultant or lawyer.
Do you receive fees from franchisors?
No. We are paid by you and only by you, so our advice is independent. If a system is a poor fit or its economics do not work, we tell you and help you find something better.
Start with a confidential conversation.
Tell Ali where the business is and what you want to happen next. You leave with a straight read on value, timing and the two or three moves that matter, whether or not we work together.