The Demand

Before your next planning conversation about growth, answer the one question this entire decision turns on: will this business still work when you’re gone? Walk your operation and name every place where the cast defers to you, the regulars ask for you, or the standard drops when you travel. If the honest answer to the core question is no, your next move is not franchising, selling, or buying a franchise — it is building the system underneath the relationship you already have.

The Work

Which side of the question you are answering right now — considering franchising what you built, or considering buying into someone else’s system:

Will this business still work when you’re gone — yes or no, and the specific evidence:

Place where the cast defers to you instead of the standard:

Place where a regular asks for you specifically instead of trusting the room:

Place where the standard drops when you are not physically present:

If considering franchising out — is your brand strong enough to survive a franchisee’s version of it, or is it dependent on your presence and judgment:

If considering buying in — what you would give up (Guest relationship, pricing flexibility, concept flexibility) against what you would get (recognition, system, supply chain):

The one system, documentation piece, or trained manager you will build this quarter so the standard holds without you: