Franchise Consulting
That Builds Real Franchise Systems
A proven business is not automatically a franchise-ready business. AIG's franchise consultants build the operations, economics, training, and recruitment systems that turn a successful operator into a scalable franchisor — without the legal surprises that derail most franchise launches.
Franchise Development Services
Six practice areas that cover everything from initial feasibility through your first signed franchisee. We build the system, not just the document.
Franchise Feasibility and Readiness
A scored assessment of your business against the requirements for franchising: replicability, unit economics, brand portability, support capacity, and capital. You get a written verdict and a prioritized list of what to fix before you franchise.
- Concept replicability scoring
- Unit economics viability analysis
- Capital and support capacity review
- Go/no-go recommendation with conditions
Unit Economics and Fee Modeling
Design the franchise fee, royalty, and advertising fund structure that works for both the franchisor and the franchisee. Model cash flow across 5, 10, and 50 units. Stress-test the numbers against realistic ramp-up scenarios.
- Franchise fee and royalty design
- Item 19 financial performance representation
- 5/10/50 unit cash flow models
- Break-even and ramp-up analysis
Operations Manual and Training
The operations manual is the heart of a franchise system. AIG builds a complete manual covering brand standards, daily operations, customer experience, marketing execution, quality control, and emergency procedures. Paired with a training program that new franchisees can complete in 2-4 weeks.
- Complete operations manual (200+ pages)
- Brand standards and visual identity guide
- 2-4 week new franchisee training program
- Field support playbook and checklists
FDD Coordination and Compliance
We prepare the operational, financial, and strategic inputs your franchise attorney needs to draft a clean FDD. AIG does not draft legal language — that is the practice of law and we coordinate with qualified franchise counsel. Our job is to make the legal process faster and cleaner.
- FDD Item preparation (Items 1-23)
- Coordination with franchise counsel
- State registration support
- Annual update process design
Franchise Marketing and Recruitment
Build the marketing system that fills your franchise sales pipeline. Franchise website, lead generation, qualification process, e-brochure, and franchisee recruitment playbook. Paired with AIG's full marketing team for execution.
- Franchise marketing website and SEO
- Franchisee lead generation campaigns
- Discovery day process and materials
- Recruitment CRM and pipeline tracking
Franchise Sales Process
The recruitment and qualification process that converts franchise candidates into signed operators. Includes the sales script, qualification criteria, financial verification, reference check process, and territory matching logic.
- Franchise sales process design
- Qualification and verification framework
- Territory mapping and matching logic
- Sales training and certification program
How an AIG Franchise Engagement Works
Five phases. Each one produces a tangible deliverable you can show a lender, a lawyer, or a prospective franchisee.
Feasibility
2-3 week diagnostic. We score your business across 8 dimensions and give you a written verdict on franchise viability plus a list of conditions to address.
Design
Unit economics, fee structure, territory strategy, and brand standards. The blueprint for the entire system. 4-6 weeks.
Document
Operations manual, training program, sales process, marketing system. The artifacts that make the franchise real. 6-8 weeks.
Launch
FDD coordination, franchise marketing site, recruitment campaigns, first discovery day. 4-8 weeks to first signed agreement.
The AIG Difference in Franchise Consulting
We are not a franchise law firm. We are the operational, marketing, and systems team that builds the business your franchise attorney will document.
We build the system, not just the document
Most franchise consultants hand you a manual and walk away. AIG builds the operations, training, marketing, and sales system that actually runs the network. The FDD describes the system — the system is the work.
In-house marketing and software teams
Your franchise site, recruitment campaigns, sales CRM, and operations software are built by AIG's full team. No subcontracting, no handoffs, no waiting on vendors.
Realistic about what franchising requires
If your business is not ready to franchise, we tell you. Some engagements start with operations consulting to fix the gaps before the franchise work begins. We are not paid to push a yes.
Coordinate with qualified franchise counsel
We work with experienced franchise attorneys for the legal work and coordinate the process to keep your timeline and budget on track. We are not lawyers and we do not pretend to be.
Related Services
Franchise consulting connects to other AIG services your franchise system will need. Here are the most common pairings.
Franchise Marketing
AIG's existing franchise marketing service helps established franchise systems recruit franchisees and support the network. Pair it with franchise consulting for a full development-to-recruitment pipeline.
See franchise marketingBranding
Brand standards, visual identity, and franchise marketing collateral that travels across markets. AIG's branding team builds the system your franchisees will execute against.
See branding servicesSocial Media Marketing
Local social media execution for franchisees, brand-level campaigns, and reputation management across the network. A critical part of multi-unit franchise marketing.
See social media servicesReady to Franchise Your Business?
Book a 30-minute franchise feasibility call. We will review your business model, give you an honest read on whether you are ready, and outline what a development engagement would look like. No pressure, no obligation.
Book a Franchise Feasibility CallFrequently Asked Questions About Franchise Consulting
The questions business owners ask most often when they start thinking about franchising.
What does a franchise consultant do?
A franchise consultant prepares the business behind the legal paperwork so it can be replicated and sold. The work covers franchise feasibility analysis, unit economics modeling, franchise fee and royalty design, territory strategy, the operations manual, the training program, marketing and recruitment systems, and sales process design. The consultant hands clean inputs to a franchise attorney, who drafts the FDD. AIG is a franchise development firm — we work with business owners who want to franchise their existing operation.
How much does franchise consulting cost?
Full done-for-you franchise development packages typically run $30,000 to $75,000, covering strategy, FDD coordination, operations manual, training program, and marketing foundations. Broader engagements that bundle feasibility, branding, a website, and franchisee recruitment can run into six figures. AIG scopes every engagement to your growth targets, not a fixed menu. We will give you a fixed-fee proposal after the feasibility call so you can decide with full information.
How long does it take to franchise a business?
A focused franchise development engagement typically takes 4 to 9 months from kickoff to first signed franchise agreement. The first 60 days are operations and documentation, the next 60 days are FDD drafting and operations manual completion, and the final stretch is sales infrastructure and the first cohort of franchise candidates. Speed depends on how well your current operations are documented and how quickly decisions are made internally.
Can a consultant draft my FDD?
No. Drafting the Franchise Disclosure Document is the practice of law and must be done by a licensed franchise attorney. AIG prepares the operational, financial, and strategic inputs your FDD requires, then coordinates with your franchise counsel to draft and file the document. We do not draft legal language and we do not represent ourselves as a law firm. Anyone offering to draft your FDD directly is either an attorney or operating outside the rules.
How do I know if my business is franchiseable?
A business is franchise-ready when it has: documented operations that a new owner can run, unit economics that survive when someone else runs the business, a brand that travels, a customer acquisition system that can be replicated in new markets, and capital to support new franchisees during ramp-up. AIG's franchise feasibility assessment scores your business across these dimensions and tells you what to fix before franchising. About 40% of the businesses we assess are not yet ready — and that is a useful answer because it tells you what to work on first.
What is the difference between franchise consulting and franchise brokerage?
Franchise consulting helps a business become a franchisor. Franchise brokerage helps an individual buyer find a franchise to purchase. AIG does the consulting side: we work with business owners who want to franchise their existing business. If you are looking to buy a franchise as a franchisee, we can refer you to a brokerage partner. The two are different businesses and it matters which side of the table you are on.
What makes a franchise system scale?
Three things: documented and trainable operations, unit economics that work for the franchisee, and a support infrastructure that grows with the network. AIG's franchise development program builds all three, with the operations manual, training curriculum, and field support structure that successful franchise systems require. The 5-unit franchise and the 500-unit franchise need the same foundation; the difference is execution capacity, not documentation.