Information on Iowa Business and Franchise Law
Information on Iowa Business and Franchise Law
Recently I had a conversation with a very successful small business owner I have known for a long time that really shook me. I learned his sales are now down 80% during the latest surge of the pandemic . He said,
The virus is killing us. People are scared.
Meanwhile, Amazon’s sales increased 40 percent…
The Complete Introduction to Franchising and Franchise Ownership [With Updates] – Joel Libava, The Franchise King
Because if you’re going to invest in a franchise, it’s crucial for you to get a complete understanding of the business of franchising. You need to understand how
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You have built a successful business and perhaps even have multiple business locations that are thriving. Out of the blue someone says, “You should franchise!” And the wheels start turning from there. You learn about the expected investment, hire a franchise attorney and complete your Franchise Disclosure Document (an over simplification for the purposes of…
2020 has been tough. And with the pandemic continuing, unfortunately it does not appear the challenges will end for franchise businesses any time soon. Governors around the country, including Iowa, are issuing new shutdown orders. What are key considerations for franchises as 2020 closes and we head into the new year:
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Multiple unit franchising has the most risk but offers the most reward. In my experience, owning multiple franchise units allows you to harness the true power of franchising. The franchisees I see who are the most successful are all multi-unit owners. Substantial investment is required in order to purchase multiple units and should not be…
This past week I had the opportunity to participate in the 43rd Annual Franchise Forum. As only one of two Iowa lawyers participating in this year’s Forum, it was an all virtual event for the first time in its history. The Forum is essentially the franchise lawyer bar association meeting. Every time I participate I…
There are no little things.
Corporations and limited liability companies in the State of Iowa are required to appoint a registered agent and office within Iowa to receive service of process. We are able serve as your business entity’s Iowa designee to accept official documents on your behalf such as original notices for lawsuits and…
Recently I reviewed a franchise offering for a prospective franchisee. This particular franchise made financial performance representations in Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). The financial performance representations revealed some impressive numbers at first glance. After all, the highest performing franchisee was earning in excess of million dollars per year. And the “average”…
As a lawyer representing both franchisors and franchisees I have somewhat of an unique perspective on franchisor / franchisee relationships. Most franchise lawyers tend to represent one side or the other. But it is somewhat rare for a franchise lawyer to represent both sides. I have spent over two decades now reviewing franchise agreements. I…
I recently formed a corporation and within a short time I received a flyer in the mail from a company operating as IA Certificate Service. The flyer (see a similar one from a Mississippi article) explained that the next step for me after filing my Articles of Incorporation was to obtain my…