In this episode, Erik is joined by Sherri Sieber, president of FranFund, to dive deep into the pitfalls and must-knows for emerging franchisors—and the critical importance of funding, accurate FDDs, and realistic projections.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
🚩 Red flags when franchisees are only allowed to call 3 out of 20 franchisees.
💰 Why underfunded franchisees are a risk to your brand’s survival.
📊 The importance of Item 7 in the FDD—and how lowballing can backfire.
🧠 What lenders really look at when evaluating a franchise brand.
🧾 Item 20 explained: why losing franchise units hurts more than you think.
🏛️ The return of the SBA Franchise Directory (and why it matters).
📉 The Coleman Report: the “credit report” for franchise loan history.
🏗️ Real estate delays and overspending on flagship locations = long-term pain.
🙅♂️ Why saying “no” to an unqualified candidate is a gift, not a failure.
📣 Resources Mentioned:
✅ Join the free Franchise Secrets Facebook Group → https://FranchiseSecrets.com/facebook
✅ Learn about the Franchisor Mastermind → https://ScalableFranchise.com
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 – Red flag: Only allowing 3 franchisee references
02:00 – The danger of poorly capitalized emerging brands
06:00 – Underqualified buyers & the franchise fee trap
10:00 – Visualizing burn rate and the path to break even
13:00 – Why an inaccurate Item 7 can ruin lender trust
20:00 – The power of Item 20 and why lost units matter
23:30 – The Coleman Report: Franchise credit score explained
28:00 – SBA lending changes coming June 1st
37:00 – Costly buildout mistakes by franchisees
45:00 – Real estate scarcity cripples scaling
50:00 – When FranFund says “no,” it’s for your brand’s good
💬 Final Thoughts:
If you’re an emerging franchisor—or thinking about becoming one—this episode is a must-listen. Your first 10–20 franchisees define your brand’s story, reputation, and lender viability. Don’t build a brand on hype. Build it on solid systems, funding, and trust.
👍 Like, Subscribe & Share if you found value.
🎧 Follow the Franchise Secrets Podcast for more expert conversations!
Connect with Sherri and FranFund here:
Website: https://www.franfund.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherriseiber/
Connect with Erik Van Horn:
🌐 Website - https://franchisesecrets.com/
📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/erikvanhorn/
👍 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/erik.v.horn/
💼 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanhorn/
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https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMle5_OUXiuLbc_UPBtz1vTE&si=uCOgDya1VnnCarDf
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