I talk with prospective franchisees a lot. Smart people. Successful professionals. Many of them are leaving corporate careers because they want more control, more upside, and a business they can call their own.

They usually start with the same belief.

Franchising is safer.
Franchising is proven.
Franchising works better than going it alone.

That belief does not come out of thin air. It is carefully marketed.

The franchise industry pitches certainty.

The pitch is familiar. You are not starting from scratch. The system is tested. The brand is established. Follow the playbook and success will follow. Compared to an independent business, the odds feel stacked in your favor.

Here is the truth I owe my franchisee clients.

Franchising is not inherently safer.
Franchising is not inherently proven.
And franchising can lock you into one of the most restrictive business relationships you will ever sign.

The idea of the “proven system”

Most franchise sales conversations revolve around the system. Training. Operations manuals. Vendor relationships. Marketing playbooks.

What rarely gets questioned is this simple point.

Proven for whom?

A franchise can point to systemwide growth and still have a large percentage of struggling franchisees. A brand can expand rapidly while individual owners barely break even. Unit openings do not always equal franchisee profitability.

The Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) will show you historical data, but it does not guarantee your outcome. It does not promise profitability. And it certainly does not adjust for your market, your costs, or your execution.

A system may be proven to scale the franchisor’s revenue. That does not mean it is proven to protect the franchisee.

What the marketing does not emphasize

Franchising is sold as business ownership. Legally, it is closer to a long-term, one-sided contract.

Once you sign, you are bound by terms that often favor the franchisor in almost every meaningful way.

Royalties are owed regardless of profitability.
Marketing fees continue even when the marketing does not perform.
Operational control often rests with the franchisor, not you.
Exit rights are limited, conditional, and expensive.

Many franchisees do not realize that they cannot simply walk away if things are not working. It is difficult to terminate if things are not working out. Cure periods are short. Defaults can pile up quickly. Selling the business usually requires franchisor approval, transfer fees, and a buyer willing to accept the same problems or restrictions you are trying to escape.

When you are with the wrong franchisor, the system becomes a trap instead of a support structure.

Why this surprises so many smart people

Most franchise buyers focus on the brand and the business model. Very few focus on the legal relationship.

That is understandable. The excitement of ownership is emotional. The sales process is polished. The risks are softened by success stories and testimonials.

The agreement, on the other hand, is long, technical, and written in a way that does not encourage you to challenge it. Plus, many franchisors will tell you it is not negotiable anyway.

But that document governs everything that happens after the honeymoon phase ends.

It controls what you pay, how you operate, how you exit, and how disputes are resolved. It determines whether you can adapt, whether you can recover from mistakes, and whether you can eventually move on.

The right way to think about franchising

Franchising is not good or bad by default. It is a tool.

With the right franchisor, realistic expectations, and a fair agreement, franchising can work well. With the wrong franchisor and the wrong contract, it can quietly drain time, capital, and confidence.

The real question is not whether the system is proven.

The real questions include:

What does the franchisor do when franchisees underperform? Are there a number of terminations and transfers within the franchise? Or, is there a business plan in place to help franchisees become successful?
Do the financial obligations make sense if revenue is slower than projected?
How hard is it to exit, sell, or pivot?

These answers are not found in the marketing. They are found in the FDD and the franchise agreement.

My advice to every prospective franchisee

Slow down before you sign.

Treat the franchise agreement like a long-term business marriage, not a starter kit. Ask hard questions early, while you still have leverage. Understand that you are buying into a legal structure, not just a brand.

Franchising can work. But only when you understand the truth about how these systems actually operate and who they are designed to protect.

My job as a franchisee lawyer is not to sell you a franchise. It is to help you avoid the wrong one.