Franchise · Prospective franchisee · Before signing
Before you sign a franchise, check what nobody will calculate for you.
After you receive the pre-contractual information document, you have at least 20 days before signing. That is a window for deciding: here is how to use it.
What if you put a number on this project before committing?
Real cost over five years, entry clauses, cross-checks: a grid to decide with full knowledge of the facts.
The questions that trade shows and brochures avoid.
- What does it really cost? Entry fee, royalties, advertising, imposed purchases: the full cost over five years can be calculated, it cannot be guessed.
- What should you read in the file? The information document is a file to read critically, not a brochure. Some answers are found elsewhere.
- Which clauses should you negotiate? Some entry clauses can be discussed now and cannot be touched after signing.
- And if it doesn’t work? A theoretical way out, non-compete, personal guarantee: better to look at them before than after.
Three moments when the cards are still open.
Each stage calls for a precise check. None of them requires you to be an expert: they require a method.
- Read it as a file A critical reading grid and the list of questions to have the franchisor answer in writing.
- Set the promise against the data Compare what is said with what can be verified: current franchisees, former franchisees, public registers.
- Decide on a costed basis A score out of 100, an indicative decision and the list of major risks that remain.
Forty questions, six pillars, blocking alerts.
We don’t sell any brand. We receive no referral commission and have no commercial link with franchisors. This tool does not tell you whether to sign: it tells you on what basis to decide.
- Describe your project Target brand, personal contribution, entry fee, royalties, length of the contract.
- Score each criterion From 0 to 5, with a level of evidence: in the file, stated by the franchisor or verified by an external source.
- Check outside the file Survey current and former franchisees, public registers, the view of an independent accountant.
- Decide with full knowledge Sign, negotiate, postpone or walk away: the tool gives an indication, the decision is yours.
The prospective franchisee scorecard.
40 weighted criteria, a score out of 100 and questions ready to send to the franchisor. Allow about an hour.
What we do, and what we do not do.
- Independent No commission from a brand or for referrals. We work for you.
- Confidential Your project is never quoted or passed on without your written agreement.
- Cautious A score is an indication. It replaces neither your judgement nor your lawyer.
- In the right place The legal reading of the contract and of the file is a matter for a qualified lawyer, not for H-Box.
Before you book.
Can H-Box tell me whether I should sign?
No. The tool and the call give you reference points and priorities to check. The decision and the legal analysis of the contract belong to you and your lawyer.
Does the scoping call commit me to anything?
No. It is there to review your situation, tell you whether H-Box is the right contact and suggest the next useful step. It is free and carries no commitment.
Do I have to share my file with you?
Not for the first call. If you wish to afterwards, the conditions for handling the documents are agreed with you.
I am already a franchisee, is this page for me?
No, your path is different: see the page dedicated to franchisees in business.
45 minutes to review your project with an outside view.
Choose a slot in the calendar, preferably before the end of your reflection period.
