• Franchising is a method of distributing products or services. Each franchise system typically includes the franchisor, who lends the brand and business system, and the franchisee, who pays a royalty and often an initial franchise fee for the right to do business under the franchisor’s name and system.

• Foreign franchises can be quite successful in the U.S. but generally after several adjustments to their business model. We prefer to work with foreign franchisor brands that have at least three units operating in the U.S. and a track record of success.

Industries in franchising that are expected to continue to experience rapid growth for the coming years are largely in the service-related fields such as:

• Fitness
• Healthcare/Senior Care
• Education
• Pet Care
• Cleaning Services

There are many opportunities across specific sub-segments of industries, such as quick-service restaurants. Industry growth is a key part to understand before investing in a franchise; however, it is key to also analyze an individual franchise company’s track record. Consult with Visa Franchise to learn more.

Among the points that the International Franchise Association (IFA) recommends for investigation:

• The type of experience required in the franchised business;
• A complete understanding of the business;
• The hours and personal commitment necessary to run the business;
• Who the franchisor is, what its track record has been, and the business experience of its officers and directors;
• How other franchisees in the same system are doing;
• How much it’s going to cost to get into the franchise;
• How much you’re going to pay for the continuing right to operate the business;
• If there are any products or services you must buy from the franchisor and how and by whom they are supplied;
• The terms and conditions under which the franchise relationship can be terminated or renewed, and how many franchisees have left the system during the past few years;
• The financial condition of the franchisor and its system.

• Investment requirements range greatly depending on the franchise, location, and industry. Total start-up costs can range from $20,000 to over $1,000,000, depending on the franchise selected. Please note that for the E-2 visa, we recommend a minimum investment amount of $100,000.

• For 99% of franchises, the franchise fee, ad-fund, and royalties are non-negotiable. Even for investments in multiple units there are usually prearranged discounts on the franchise fee. Other minor terms might be negotiated with the help of a qualified franchise attorney.

• Engaging Visa Franchise's services offers a distinct advantage over relying solely on free information found on the internet. Our comprehensive due diligence process goes above and beyond to ensure complete transparency and alignment with your interests. We meticulously evaluate each franchise option, considering factors such as success rates, territory availability, and industry trends. This thorough analysis provides you with a tailored selection of franchises that best match your goals and expertise, saving you valuable time and effort in the decision-making process.
  
  Furthermore, Visa Franchise's expertise and experience in the industry provide access to exclusive opportunities that may not be readily available through online research. With a portfolio spanning various industries and territories throughout the United States, we offer personalized recommendations and ongoing support to help you navigate the complexities of franchise investment. From initial evaluation to final decision-making and beyond, our dedicated team is committed to assisting you every step of the way, ensuring that you have the information and resources needed to make informed decisions and achieve your investment objectives.

• Starting your own business involves various risks. Without proper planning and support, these risks can be daunting. However, with the right guidance and assistance, it's possible to navigate these challenges successfully. At Visa Franchise, we understand the complexities and risks associated with entrepreneurship, which is why we offer comprehensive support to entrepreneurs and investors.
  
  Whether you're investing in your own business or exploring franchise opportunities, we offer support in developing a tailored business plan, establishing the optimal business structure, and navigating the process of opening a corporate bank account. Our expertise is dedicated to ensuring that entrepreneurs and investors have the support they need to successfully establish and manage their U.S.-based businesses, minimizing risks and maximizing opportunities for success.

• The cost associated with franchising enables the franchisee to receive all the support and benefits of the franchise. These benefits include: site selections, development support, training, marketing, and ongoing operational support. Additionally, the cost allows the franchisee the right to use a brand with a well-established business model and name.

• We do have relations with a number of global franchise brands. However, the bigger and more established brands typically require a minimum development of three or more units, which raises the investment value to well over $1,000,000. Also, brands like Dunkin’ Donuts do not accept investors that do not already have a green card or citizenship. As for Starbucks, it is not a franchisor within the United States.

• That’s a great question that we receive all the time. That answer depends on a variety of factors; e.g., location, industry, how many hours you are willing to work, and if your spouse works with you. The variability of factors is too high for us to give a concrete answer. We generally don’t recommend franchises that would have net profits of less than $5,000 per month for an owner operator.

• The ad-fund is a fee on franchisees that adds to a company advertising fund. This fee is a payment on the advertising and marketing that the corporate company provides to all of the franchises.
• Royalties are a percentage or fixed payments paid to the corporate company on a regular basis. This fee is the ongoing payment for the right to use a company’s brand name.
• The FDD, Franchise Disclosure Document, is the legal document given to potential franchise buyers in order to promise their disclosure of private corporate information.

• According to our process, from the moment you engage with us until you receive approval, the entire journey typically spans between 4 and 6 months. Throughout this time, we are dedicated to assisting you every step of the way, ensuring that you can confidently select the optimal franchise opportunity with our unwavering support and guidance by your side.

• It is advised to start small if this is your first investment in a real business (non-financial market investment) in the U.S. After operating the first unit, you can always open up more franchises in the same brand. That being said, there are many U.S. franchises that require a commitment of at least 3 franchises over a certain time frame (generally 2-3 years).

• Unfortunately, roughly 30% of franchises do not accept franchisees who are not already Americans or green card holders. Typically, the franchises with these restrictions are the more established and well-known companies, such as Subway, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Baskin-Robbins. However, Visa Franchise specializes in working with franchises that are more than willing to accept franchisees that are foreign nationals pursuing an investor visa. Visa Franchise has completed research and analysis on over 7,000 franchises on behalf of our clients.

• The franchisor will support you with training and depending on the franchise, they help with recruiting employees as well.

• Some franchises are much more stringent than other franchises, and will vet your previous work experience, net worth, liquid cash, as well as other criteria. In general, the franchises want someone who is entrepreneurial and willing to “roll up their sleeves” to get the job done!

• At Visa Franchise, we have advised clients who are opening up multiple franchises given their experience in the U.S. or their past jobs in management that surmount to well over $1 million.

Visa Franchise collaborates with numerous franchises across a diverse range of industries. We continuously expand our portfolio by incorporating franchises from new industries, informed by the research and analysis we conduct for our clients.

Some of these industries include:

• Fitness
• Healthcare/Senior Care
• Education
• Pet Care
• Cleaning Services
• Property Management
• Healthy Fast Food
• Better Burger
• Frozen Desserts

• Visa Franchise works with franchises with territory availability throughout the U.S. Many of our clients choose to reside in Florida, Texas, and California but we’ve worked with clients throughout the U.S. and regularly travel on-site.

• Many franchisors do require that the franchisee speaks professional-level English. We have some clients who will have another partner as a franchisee who will facilitate the English requirement. Also, Visa Franchise has franchisors who speak many different languages, including: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Turkish, Chinese, and many other languages.

If you have any questions regarding these terms or franchising in general, please feel free to call (+1 (786) 247-8021) or email us (info@visafranchise.com) at Visa Franchise anytime!