After the long process of researching, meeting franchisors and franchisees, and looking through agreements you have reached one of the final steps, Discovery Day. This is the day that franchisors will invite serious potential franchise owners to come to the franchise headquarters to meet with the franchisor and their team. This day is where you meet one on one with key staff members and get to know the company. The day will most likely involve meetings, presentations, and a tour of the office.
Discovery day is where you get a true feeling about who you will be working for and within your franchise. The staff and corporate executives can give you insight into how they run the business and what roles they may have at your franchise. Not everyone gets invited to Discovery Day, so it is in your best interest to have any questions or concerns prepared beforehand. The team is just as interested in you as you are in them. Get to know the members of the team and what their roles are at the company, and how they might be working with you in the future. Making a good impression with the team members will be beneficial in the long run. Find out what responsibilities they hold in their positions.
Take notice of the atmosphere in the office and how the employees interact with each other. You want to feel comfortable with the team members. They will likely talk about the image, marketing, technology, logistics, and the mission of the brand. During this, they will be looking to see if you are the right fit for the company and what you will bring as a franchise owner. This is also the time where you can get a sense of the culture and values of the company.
As a potential franchise owner, you want a few good questions to ask the franchisor and team members. These questions could be about the growth and expansion of the company in the future or information about system upgrades the company has recently performed. The questions you ask this day will be what the franchisor and team members remember about you when you leave the office. You should be engaged with the company and want to learn as much as possible before the day is over. Ask about the company mission and how they implement it in day-to-day operations. Do your due diligence and research the company again before attending discovery day. The more you know about the company the better your questions will, and you will present yourself as the best possible candidate.
Being asked to attend discovery day means that the franchisor is serious about you owning a franchise. This means you should be just as serious when you attend. After discovery day, think to yourself about everything you learned. Did you get a good feeling about the staff and team members? Were most of your questions answered? Do you think you will fit in with this company? These reflective questions to yourself once you leave are just as important as the questions you ask while you are in the office. You should feel confident in your decision about owning a franchise after this day. The interactions and information that you get from different people should put you at ease and make you feel comfortable.
Discovery day can be a lot to take in, but in the end, it should provide you with the confidence to make your final decision about a franchise. Think about your entire process and the feedback you received. There should be no pressure about your decision, and ultimately you should feel secure with the best choice for yourself.
