Owning a franchise can be an exciting journey, but following your franchisor's system doesn't guarantee financial success. Many franchisees encounter unexpected financial challenges that seriously affect their profitability and the question is if their franchisor have all the answers.

That's why I, Steven Wolfson, created this practical "Guide for the FRANCHISEE"—to help you recognize and overcome these common financial hurdles.

With over 40 years in franchising, I've been a franchisee myself and worked with major brands in multiple roles. This guide provides financial guidance specifically designed for franchisees who need to understand whether their business finances are on track and what critical questions to ask.

Table of Contents

1. Why I Wrote This Guide

2. Critical Questions You Should Ask Yourself…

3. Don't Know the Answers? That's Perfectly Normal

4. The Financial Guidance Works for Every Tpe of Franchise

5. Ready to Take Control of Your Franchise Finances?

Why I Wrote This Guide

Thirty years ago, I bought a franchise thinking that all I need to do is to follow the guidance of the franchisor and success will automatically follow. I was wrong.

When my business eventually started enjoying revenues and turnover, it wasn't profitable. I then hired an experienced manager, paid him more than myself, but did he help me make more money? No.

While my franchisor taught me a lot about how to prepare the food and even how to train my staff, he did not teach me anything about finances and what I needed to do to convert my revenue to profit.

One critical mistake which I made for example was signing my lease without knowing how many customers I needed daily to break even, so in reality, I worked hard paying everyone else, including the landlord, but my pockets remained empty. Sounds familiar?

Today, there are more than 7,000 franchise brands around the world, but how many actually teach their franchisees about business management?

If you're working hard but not seeing expected profits, the guide I wrote is for you.

Critical Questions You Should Ask Yourself…

• Have you recovered your initial investment yet?
• Do you clearly know your actual Break-Even Point?
• Can you calculate your Profit and Loss report independently?
• Do you fully understand working capital?
• Do you regularly track your Cost of Goods?

These are just 5 of the 13 critical financial questions covered in the complete guide. Each question is designed to reveal whether you truly understand your business finances or if you're operating blindly.

Don't Know the Answers? That's Perfectly Normal

If you're reading these questions and thinking "I have no idea," don't worry - you're not alone. Most franchisees were never taught these fundamentals. It's not your fault. The vast majority of successful business owners had to learn this the hard way, just like I did.

The good news is that your situation is completely fixable. But before you can fix something, you need to know exactly what needs fixing. That's what these questions reveal.

The Financial Guidance Works for Every Tpe of Franchise

The financial guidance I offer actually works for every type of franchise.

Whether you run a restaurant, retail store, service business, or any other franchise concept, these financial principles apply universally. Every business needs to understand their break-even point, track their P&L, and manage cash flow effectively.

Ready to Take Control of Your Franchise Finances?

This guide empowers you with essential questions and insights, helping you understand what to focus on financially. Whether your franchisor provides comprehensive financial training or not, you need to take control of your business and finances.

Download the complete "Guide for the FRANCHISEE" for FREE and discover:

• 13 essential financial questions that could reveal gaps in your knowledge
• P&L benchmarks from European fast-food franchises
• Financial concepts every franchisee should understand
• Self-assessment tools to identify your weak spots

Ask yourself the right questions to understand exactly where your business stands financially and what needs your immediate attention.

Download Your FREE 20-Page Guide Now 

Remember: Knowledge is power. You have everything it takes to turn this around—you just need to know what questions to ask first.