Must-Have Calls Before You Buy a Franchise: Validation

Before you buy a franchise, you will go through a process of exploring different franchise opportunities. First, we will work together to narrow down which franchise opportunities are best for your needs and goals as a business owner. Then, we will embark on a detailed exploration of a select few franchise opportunities. During this more concentrated stage of the process, you are going to have what is called Validation Calls. So, what are Validation Calls and why are they important?

Validation Calls give you the opportunity to talk to existing franchise owners within a brand’s system before you buy a franchise. You will speak with a variety of different owners to learn more about the experience of owning a given franchise.

What should these Validation Calls cover? Here are some key Validation Calls you should have when it is almost time to buy a franchise.

The “Day-in-the-Life” Conversation

Your first priority is understanding the reality of the role – not the brochure version. You’re not just going to buy a franchise. You’re going to buy a job description for yourself for the next three to ten years. This is the time to understand what is required of the owner to be successful. In particular, does this brand truly FIT your expectations of day-to-day involvement?

Sample Questions to Ask:

• “What does a typical day look like for you from start to finish?”
• “How much of your time is spent on sales, operations, people management, and admin?”
• “What are 2–3 tasks you personally can’t delegate right now?”
• “If someone shadowed you for a week, what would surprise them the most?”

What you’re listening for:

• Does their day align with how you actually want to spend your time?
• Are they mostly in the field? In the office? Networking? Hiring and coaching?
• Are they doing work that plays to your strengths or your weaknesses?

If their day sounds like a life you would dread, that is a sign that the model might be fine, but the fit is wrong.

The Ramp-Up & Learning Curve Conversation

The second conversation is about how hard it really is to get from zero to functioning after you buy a franchise.

Sample Questions to Ask:

• “How did your first 6–12 months go compared to what you expected?”
• “What were the hardest parts of getting started—licenses, hiring, learning the systems, something else?”
• “How long did it take before you felt confident and not constantly in ‘figure it out’ mode?”
• “If you were starting again, what would you do differently in your first 90 days?”

What you’re listening for:

• Are owners consistently saying, “It took longer than I expected”?
• Were there surprises the franchisor should have prepared them for?
• Does the learning curve match your tolerance for discomfort and chaos during that first year?
  

You want honest stories, not just timelines. That’s where the truth lives.

The Financial Reality (Without Being Awkward) Conversation

Money questions feel delicate, but you can absolutely have them without asking for someone’s P&L. How you ask questions is important, too. Remember, everyone comes from VERY different backgrounds and has different levels of comfort with money questions. Keep the questions simple.

Sample Questions to Ask:

• “Did your actual numbers roughly match what you saw in the FDD or were you above/below?”
• “What is your average job ticket price?”
• “What are your big monthly expense items to run the business” 
• “Knowing what you know now, would you have come in with more capital?”
• “Have you been able to pay yourself? If not yet, when do you think you will?

What you’re listening for:

• Are owners consistently under- or over-performing what’s represented?
• Is there a theme around underestimating working capital?
• Are they proud and confident talking about the financial trajectory, or hesitant and vague?

You’re not looking for exact dollar amounts for these franchise opportunities. You’re looking for patterns and ranges – and whether this opportunity fits your reality and risk tolerance. Remember, you are in control of making financial decisions for YOUR business. Get the back of the napkin numbers: job revenue, expenses… Boom, you have some margin, and then you know your debt.  

The Franchise Support and Relationship Conversation

A strong brand isn’t just a logo. It is also the support system behind you. When you are looking for the best franchise to buy, it is not only about money. It is also about the support you will receive and the relationship with the company behind the franchise opportunities.

Sample Questions to Ask:

• “How would you describe your relationship with the franchisor?”
• “When you run into an issue, how responsive is the support team?”
• “What kind of help do you realistically get with marketing, operations, and training?”
• “Have you ever felt like the franchisor wasn’t listening? How did they respond?”
• “How much do you engage with other owners?”  “Are they supportive?”

What you’re listening for:

• Is there a culture of partnership or policing?
• Do owners feel heard or brushed off?
• Are they excited about where the brand is going, or worried?

If multiple owners use words like ignored, slow, frustrating, pay attention. Support doesn’t magically get better after you sign.

The Customers and Lead Generation Conversation

No leads = no revenue, no matter how great the brand looks on paper. How is this brand going to support you after you buy a franchise in gaining customers for your business?

Sample Questions to Ask:

• “Where do most of your customers really come from: corporate marketing, your own networking, referrals, something else?”
• “How effective has the franchisor’s marketing been in your market?”
• “What marketing activities do YOU do that move the needle the most?”
• “Have there been any big shifts in demand or competition since you started?”

What you’re listening for:

• Is the brand marketing engine actually helping—or is it mostly on the owner?
• Are there specific tactics that consistently work across owners?
• Is demand stable, growing, or shrinking in different markets?

This is where you separate hype from what actually drives business.  Please note, YOU are responsible for your local marketing.  All owners will complain about lead flow – what are they doing about it from all angles is important to understand. 

The Challenges, Regrets, and “Real Talk” Conversation

This might be the most valuable conversation you’ll have if you ask the right questions… and then stop talking. Listening to owners talk about the realities of franchise opportunities is absolutely priceless.

Sample Questions to Ask:

• “What’s the hardest part of this business that no one prepared you for?”
• “Have you ever seriously considered selling or walking away? What triggered that feeling?”
• “What do you like least about being part of this franchise system?”
• “If someone you loved was considering this brand, what warning would you give them?”
  

What you’re listening for:

• Common pain points: hiring, margins, burnout, competition, support gaps.
• Signs of misalignment between what was sold and what was experienced.
• Whether the challenges are things you can live with… or not.
  

No franchise is perfect. You’re not looking for a brand with no problems. You’re looking at whether the problems are acceptable trade-offs for the opportunity.

The “Would You Do It Again?” Conversation

This is the ultimate gut-check question. Before you buy a franchise, this one is the absolute MUST-ASK.

Sample Questions to Ask:

• “If you could go back in time, would you buy this franchise again?”
• “Would you choose the same brand, or a different industry/model?”
• “Would you pick the same territory or market?”
• “What kind of person do you think truly thrives in this system?”

What you’re listening for:

• Their first reaction—a quick “Yes, 100%” sounds very different from a long pause.
• Subtle hesitations like, “Yes, but…” or “Probably, if…” — those “buts” matter.
• Their description of who thrives—does that sound like you?
  

This is where you often get the most honest, distilled perspective: regrets, gratitude, pride, and frustration all in one.

How Many Owners Should You Talk To?

This is a question so many clients ask when looking for the best franchise to buy. As a rule of thumb:

• Average: 3–5 owners
  
• Ideally: A mix of…
  
  • High performers
  • Average performers
  • Newer owners (in first 1–2 years)
  • More mature owners (3+ years in)
    

You want to see the whole spectrum, not just the “highlight reel” you’re introduced to. Remember to have a purpose for each call. If you are trying to talk to everyone to build a case NOT to do it – you are taking the wrong approach. Get your concerns alleviated or proven.  

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Bringing It All Together

Talking to existing franchise owners is not about getting one perfect answer that tells you “yes” or “no.”

It’s about:

• Spotting patterns across multiple conversations
• Checking those patterns against who you are and what you want
• Confirming whether this franchise is the right fit, not just a recognizable logo
  

The Franchise Fit Company is here to help you navigate, explore, and ask the right questions. Want to learn more about franchise opportunities? Book time on my Calendar here!

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Schedule a free meeting right here. I can’t wait to chat with you and discuss franchise opportunities, building your business, and starting a new chapter in your career. Working with me is always 100% free, 100% of the time. Talk to you soon!