Is Absentee Franchise Ownership a Myth? (The Brutal Truth Nobody Is Talking About)

Jan 7, 2025

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What does absentee ownership actually mean in franchising? Is it really possible, or is it just another myth in the industry?

In this replay, Erik talks to his business partners, Luke Jacobson and Terry Rackley from StretchLab, who share their raw and honest journey from hopeful semi-absentee franchisees to successful business partners.

After experiencing the reality of burning through 6 managers in 8 months and watching their "10-hour work week" transform into something completely different, they reveal what actually makes absentee ownership possible. Their partnership story shows how the right structure can change everything, leading to profitability increases of up to 200% in some locations.

The conversation pulls back the curtain on franchise success: the truth about support systems, the power of systematic organization, the critical role of employee retention, and most importantly - what it really takes to be a successful absentee owner in franchising.

“We're not a franchisee that does something totally different than what the franchise is asking. We actually stay pretty close. We're not trying to reinvent the wheel, but on the people side, we try to go above and beyond. They'll take care of customers, which in turn will get us good results.” ~ Terry Rackley

In This Episode:

- Luke's background and how he got into franchising

- Terry's background and how he met Luke and Erik

- How Luke and Terry became business partners

- The importance of speed in opening new locations

- Erik's role in the partnership

- Why leadership and organizational skills matter in business

- Critical factors in running a successful business

- Is absentee ownership a myth?

- What comes to mind when you hear the term top franchisees?

- What does a healthy franchisee-franchisor relationship look like?

- Why is aggressive organization necessary when managing a business?