Jerry yes this kind of messaging is being pushed hard by franchise sales teams, outsourced sales groups, brokers, and agencies focused on lead generation, not long-term success. It directly contradicts the International Franchise Association's commitment to Responsible Franchising. Too often, we see “semi-absentee” sold as a path to passive income without giving people the full picture. That’s not just misleading, it’s reckless. Here’s the reality: • Hiring a GM early in a new franchise usually puts you deeper in the red, adding months before you reach breakeven or see any return. • Semi-absentee doesn’t mean hands-off. Owners still need to put in meaningful time each week supporting the team, solving problems, and guiding the business and means more time, than spare time. • For most this means having a Designated Operating Partner and extra capital to support the business (and this is often the recipe to get multi-units). If we want to do this right, we need to talk honestly about what it takes: √ Start with one strong unit. √ Train your GM to lead effectively and stay connected to your culture. √ Gradually scale once the business can support true leverage. This isn’t about scaring people away. It’s about helping them succeed. Selling a franchise as a part-time gig from day one is how people lose money and lose faith in the model. Responsible Franchising means honestly telling the whole story upfront. Chainformation Selling Franchises Boot Camp Franchise Pipeline Franchise Development Outsource Strategy Views Joe Caruso Ned Lyerly Michael (Mike) Webster PhD
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News break! I just saw another of the endless stream of Franchise “experts” claiming you can keep your current job and buy a “semi absentee” franchise by hiring a GM, but not giving context! Things like: 1. The cost of the GM for a new Franchise will cause you to be in a cash negative position for an additional X months before you ever see a dime of profit! 2. Semi Absentee does not mean Semi Engaged or you will struggle for years in trying to build a team and get your unit profitable 3. Semi Absentee doesn’t mean checking with the GM once a week for an hour, but more likely 10+ hour per week working on AND in the business to get it at or near your FDD Item 19 “dream”! Come on people! Let’s continue to be clear and open about what it will take to be semi absentee! Building a great organization and scaling to a level where you can afford a GM and keep your involvment time manageable. Creating a great culture, training your GM to lead to great results, staying engaged enough to show you care about your employees and Clients, and gradually building to a number of units where you reach your financial goals and they become steady and consistent with only high level involvment.