Do you own a successful business operating with one or a few locations, and would like to franchise for growth? If you are posing the question ‘can I franchise my business?’ you are in the right place.
Why consider franchising your business? Franchising offers an effective route into building a national network without requiring the management infrastructure, time and capital investment of company-owned expansion. We are here to work with you to prepare everything you need to franchise your business successfully and achieve national and/or international expansion.
Franchise My Business With Ashtons Franchise Consulting
Developing a franchise is not simple, and you need all the advice and experience you can gather to maximise your potential and minimise the risk of costly excess and wasted time.
Ashtons Franchise Consulting (AFC) has all the skills, expertise and knowledge to effectively guide you on your journey to franchise your business.
We’re a team of talented specialists with over 40 years of experience in assisting hundreds of businesses to expand and grow, including the likes of CEX, Plan Burrito, Leak Detective, Tax Assist and Eggfree Cake Box. We offer nationwide coverage and work with companies of all sizes and from all sectors.
Just Ask! We can work with you in any way you wish, focusing on your best interests. All of our consultancy is tailor made and not prescriptive – find out more about our supported franchising.
Perhaps you need a little guidance to steer your business in the right direction (rather than a full franchise package). We offer half or full day mentoring sessions which are highly regarded by our clients. Learn more about mentoring with AFC.
If you want to know how to franchise your business, choose us as your consultants.
Franchise my business with Ashtons Franchise Consulting – contact us to grow your brand.
Contact our team to find out how we can help you to expand through franchising
With offices in Norwich, London, Guildford, Bristol and Edinburgh our consultants work across the whole of the UK and internationally. Our managing consultant, Phil Mowat, offers free initial advice and guidance via phone or email.
- Give us a call on 0330 016 0028; or
- Fill in our simple online enquiry form and we will be in touch shortly.
Can I franchise my business? Take the test
Unsure if your business is ready to franchise? Why not take our test and share your results with us? By answering a series of 8 questions you will be in a good position to determine if you should start looking at franchising as a means of expanding your business.
How we will help you to franchise your business
Taking the first steps into franchising can be daunting, we are here to help you as much (or as little) as required. Our consultancy is tailored to meet your requirements, so you do not end up paying for ‘extras’ that you do not need.
For new franchisors we offer:
- Franchise assessments and feasibility planning
- Full model set up – the Franchise Development Programme
- Manual writing
- One day franchise brainstorming
- Training and mentoring
- Franchisee recruitment
- Legal agreements
- Signposting and introduction to all key and relevant ancillary services for franchising successfully
As a start point for anyone considering franchising their business we recommend the initial assessment:
Franchise My Business – Franchise Feasibility Study
Are you asking yourself, “How can I grow my business through franchising?” or even, “Is my business franchisable?” The AFC Franchise Feasibility Study is the most important first investment in your franchising journey. It provides a clear, objective assessment of your business and its market, identifying any changes needed to make it franchise-ready. Crucially, it also includes a detailed 5-year financial plan and a vision of what your franchise could look like – helping you understand not just if your business can be franchised, but what its growth potential truly is.
Following on from the initial assessment, you are then ready to move onto one of our development programmes. At AFC we understand that some businesses have a limited budget available to them – therefore we have a number of service options.
How do I franchise my business? Start with a Franchise Feasibility Study to gain a clear roadmap, financial projections, and expert insight into your franchise potential.
Franchise My Business – Franchise Development Programme
Our franchise consultants assist in developing all the elements within a Business Format Franchise, for example, the Franchise Prospectus and Franchise Information Memorandum (the detailed offer document), the Franchise Agreement and the Franchise Operations Manual. We offer a full range of quality services including strategic partnerships with franchise lawyers, accountants, bankers, territory mapping specialists and intellectual property lawyers, to name but a few.
Franchise Operations Manual
A high-quality Operations Manual is a vital element of any franchise business. Without one, a franchise cannot readily get off the ground, let alone flourish. AFC franchise consultants can help you create detailed operating and training manuals that will significantly enhance your franchise.
Case Studies
AFC has helped many companies franchise their business nationally and internationally. Discover a selection of case studies and reviews that demonstrate the solutions that AFC franchise consultants have provided to our clients.
Recent reviews
- “We spoke with several franchise consultants but feel we really made the right choice with Charlie Dickson from Ashtons. He has helped guide us step by step through what initially seemed like a rather daunting process. Charlie has that rare ability of being able to communicate the most complex of topics in a clear and understandable manner. Excellent documentation and well-planned meeting agendas to walk through the steps. Charlie always made himself available to lend support and took a genuine interest in our business and its future plans. We always felt well supported.” Chris Callan, Chief Operating Officer, Just Clear.
- “Ashtons Franchise Consulting helped us to devise and launch our franchise. They were meticulous in producing all the documentation and manual and Richard has been invaluable in advising and guiding us.” Richard Chambers, C.E.O, Get A Drip.
- “We worked with Phil over a period of six months to set up and launch our new pest control franchise business and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to others in the same position. Phil is knowledgeable, capable, professional and reliable. He’s gone above and beyond to get us up and running and we’re thrilled with the progress we’ve made since”. Caroline Szeremeta, Franchise Business Development Lead at PGH Beegone Franchising Limited.
- “A great experience to really develop my business and was an absolute pleasure to work with Paul. Ashtons were a pleasure to work with and I feel very confident going forward that I will be able to grow my business substantially. Paul really took his time to understand my business and gave me really detailed meetings so that I could plan and prepare for each stage of the franchise development plan. I hope to continue to work with Ashtons in the foreseeable future as we meet company targets.” Amandeep Gill, Founder, Boost Education.
Attend a FREE ‘How to Franchise’ Seminar
We hold regular franchising masterclasses. These are held online throughout the year and also in person at the franchise exhibitions.
They are the perfect introduction to franchising a business. Head on over to our events section for the dates and to book a place.
Advice and Guidance
Using over 35 years of experience in the franchise industry, AFC provides franchise consultancy and produces definitive advice and guidance for businesses that are considering how to franchise.
Read these articles for key advice and guidance:
Watch our consultant Rob Hall reveal The Twelve Golden Rules of Franchising a Business in this video.
Why Should You Use A Franchise Consultant?
By not using a franchise consultant you risk making costly mistakes and damaging the business’ reputation.
There are a number of ‘consultancy’ companies out there who offer a whole franchise package for not very much – if it sounds too good to be true then it is!
Learn more about DIY Franchising.
British Franchise Association
If you’re asking yourself, “How do I franchise my business?”, the British Franchise Association (bfa) can help. Whether you’re considering franchising for the first time, are an established franchisor, or are a franchisee, the bfa can add value to your operation and thinking.
Having promoted ethical franchising since 1977, you can guarantee quality advice and services. We are proud affiliate members.
Learn more about the British Franchise Association.
Approved Providers to the Franchise Industry
AFC is very well connected within the franchise community – whether it is finance, accounting, insurance, territory mapping, trademarks, recruitment or banking – we work with, and highly recommend these providers.
Meet Our Team of Franchise Consultants
Our team boasts a highly experienced set of individuals with decades of practical experience in franchising. The team consists of:
Phil Mowat
Phil is managing consultant and leads the team at Ashtons Franchise Consulting (AFC). Phil’s franchising journey began in 2009 when he helped his sister to franchise her business, gaining a total of 40 franchisees within 5 years. Subsequently, he held a number of managerial roles in global franchised businesses and also qualified as a business coach, before joining Ashtons as a consultant in 2019. He is an affiliate and QFP member of the bfa.
Charlie Dickson
Charlie has a wealth of experience in being both a franchisee (for Esso Petroleum) and working for a variety of franchisors in a senior management capacity. He joined Ashtons in 2017, is an affiliate member of the bfa has assisted AFC clients throughout the UK and internationally.
Paul Hague
Paul became a franchise consultant in 1993 and as a result, is extremely knowledgeable and committed to franchising best practice. He has worked with brands from all over the world and across a wide variety of business sectors.
Rob Hall
Rob has broad experience in supporting business growth, change management, leadership training and sales management skills. He uses this to help clients to develop their franchising plans, from the early stages of building the franchise model, to implementation and right through to ensuring the franchisees recruited get off to a strong start.
Rebecca Newenham
Rebecca founded outsourcing agency Get Ahead in 2010 and has built a thriving, award-winning global VA franchise business. She loves nothing more than supporting business leaders to grow and scale their businesses through franchising and joined the Ashtons team in a consulting capacity in November 2022.
Franchise FAQS
How long will it take to franchise my business?
Franchising a business takes time and depends on how complex your model is and the resources you can dedicate. Typically, the preparation and feasibility phase – assessing franchisability, creating a franchise plan, and producing the Franchise Information Memorandum – can take 2 to 3 months or longer. Legal documents, such as the Franchise Agreement, usually take around 2 to 3 months for drafting and review. Creating an operations manual and preparing marketing materials can add another few months, with the first franchise openings often taking 3 to 6 months from launch. Overall, the process can range from about 3-4 months to over a year, and the exact timeline depends on your business and the support you bring in. Learn more about franchising time frames.
How much will it cost to franchise my business?
Franchising your business can be a complex but rewarding process, and the cost varies depending on how quickly you want to grow, how much professional support you need, and how much work you can do in-house. Initial costs typically include franchise model development, where a consultant assesses feasibility and creates a detailed plan, costing around £3,000 with Ashtons Franchise Consulting. The next stage involves creating key franchise documentation, operating manuals, marketing strategy, recruitment processes, and training frameworks, which can range from £5,000 to £16,500. You should also budget for marketing to attract franchisees (industry average around £1,000 per franchisee), legal fees for franchise agreements (£6,000 for a full package or £2,500 for a pilot agreement), and trademark registration from about £500. In addition, ongoing costs include training, support, marketing, recruiting, and systems to manage the network, so it’s wise to consult specialists to ensure the process is planned and executed correctly. Find out more about the costs of franchising a business.
Contact our team to find out how we can help you franchise your business
- Give us a call on 0330 016 0028; or
- Fill in our simple online enquiry form and we will be in touch shortly.
Join our Mailing List
If you would like to be kept up to date with seminars, exhibitions, offers and news relevant to franchising a business you can subscribe to our mailing list. We only email when we feel there is something interesting to share, and certainly no more than once a month.