You’re there. You have made the decision. You’re committed. You have timelines now. We’re talking about your franchise finance decision and the next challenge you have in the franchise process – financing a franchise. How many ways to finance a franchise are there? Only one… the right way! And we’ll show you how.
The ability to finance your franchise properly and satisfy the requirements of the franchisor without putting you overly in debt is what it’s all about of course. And if you do it right then you of course have the potential to grow a business, profit from it, and build owner equity for either long term resale of personal financial gain. That’s simply what it’s all about, and boy does it help if you like what you are doing, at the same time taking on the entrepreneurship role in Canadian business.
The good news is that your are lucky, because franchising couldn’t be any hotter or more popular. Franchises move goods and services in the billions in Canada, and you’re now part of that movement.
But let’s be realistic, whether it’s a franchise investment of any other business start up the same critical needs apply relative to planning and financing.
Homework. Did you hate it in school? Well here it is again because we strongly suggest to clients that you are now in homework mode when determining how financing a franchise works. It’s all about planning, which includes ensuring you have a profitable potential business on your hands, as well as understanding ways to finance a franchise in Canada.
Business plans are critical to your franchise investment. It’s a case of demonstrating your business has both profit potential plus, and this is what interests the lender, that you have the ability to repay your debt and loans. The franchisor naturally is interested in long term success of the chain, and your ability to pay royalties as they become due, usually monthly.
When you address the franchise finance decision you must consider a number of items – they are as follows – what is the total all in cost, what methods are available to finance each part of the cost breakdown, and finally, and perhaps most importantly, how is the actual financing done.
The costs to assess in a franchise finance investment are as follows – the initial franchise fee, the cost of fixed assets or leaseholds to your business – i.e. equipment, signage, vehicles if required, etc. And finally, if you did all that and didn’t address working capital for ongoing operations and growth then you are setting yourself up for failure.
Clients are always looking to us for a magic solution and a one stop finance strategy for their franchise investment. The closest we can come to that is the government BIL/CSBF loan, under which the majority of franchises are financing in Canada. You can successfully augment this strategy by equipment financing for a variety of assets as well as a small working capital loan, usually unsecured. Don’t forget also that your own owner equity investment becomes the final piece of the puzzle.
And getting back to our business plan, ensure that you have covered off all the debt you need and that if reflects your ability to pay it back.
Financing a franchise. Challenging? Yes, we guess so. Possible? Of course. Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor with franchise experience who will help you navigate, successfully, the only way to finance your new business – the right way!
