Longtime economic development expert Roy Holleman has opened FranOwner, a franchise consulting and advisory business based out of New Iberia.
Holleman has the only FranOwner consulting business in the Acadiana market (it’s one of only two in the state), offering consulting services that include researching and identifying available franchises that will give his clients the best opportunity for success.
The new gig seems a perfect fit for Holleman, who for 15 years was director of UL Lafayette’s small business incubator, the Enterprise Center of Louisiana. He’s been in the field of economic development for more than 30 years, having served as head of economic development for Iberia Parish, CEO of the Iberia Chamber of Commerce and interim Port of Iberia director.
“The move over to specialize in franchise business consulting was a natural fit and allows me to continue to help people get into a new business,” Holleman tells ABiz. “I work with people all over the world helping them with becoming franchise business owners. I currently have projects in four foreign countries and deals in almost every state in the U.S.”
Franchise consultants like Holleman represent a plethora of franchise business opportunities across a wide range of investments — from business-to-business, to specialty retail, specialty food, automotive, technology and in-home services.
“As a consultant we pre-screen each franchise company before they are presented to a client, which can greatly reduce the time the client spends trying to find the perfect fit,” Holleman adds.
More than 3,000 franchise concepts are available in the U.S., so finding the right fit can be a daunting task.
“The high success rate of franchising is due to the fact that you are buying a proven system, have great franchisor support and the matching process in the beginning. My role is to find the right one for both the person looking to become a franchise business owner and for the franchise company,” Holleman notes. “From beginning to end it is a multi-month process where your consultant works with you each step of the way. In the end you are able to make an informed decision based on the investigation, and at the same time the franchisor gets to know you and your qualifications to ensure that good match.”
Holleman points out that one of the major benefits of using a franchise consultant is that the services are free and don't increase the cost of the franchisee fee or franchise ownership. “I am paid by the franchise companies [the franchisors] on completion of a closed deal,” Holleman says. “The price of the franchise is the same if you go directly to the franchise company or work through me.”