Talking directly to current and former franchisees, often called validation calls, is one of the most valuable steps in evaluating a franchise opportunity. The Franchise Disclosure Document gives you the franchisor’s side of the story, but validation calls give you a candid look at what day-to-day ownership actually feels like.
Why Validation Calls Matter So Much
Franchisors are required to disclose a list of current and sometimes former franchisees in the FDD, and reaching out to a handful of them can surface details you won’t find anywhere else. These conversations can confirm or challenge assumptions you’ve made based on marketing materials and discovery day presentations.
Questions About the Business Reality
Ask what a typical day actually looks like, how long it took to become profitable, and whether the numbers they’ve achieved match what they expected going in. It’s also worth asking what has surprised them most, both positively and negatively, since owner-operators often have insights that don’t come up in more formal conversations.
Questions About Franchisor Support
Ask how responsive the franchisor’s support team is, how helpful the initial training was in preparing them for daily operations, and whether marketing and lead generation support has lived up to expectations. Understanding how a franchisor performs when problems arise is often more revealing than how they present during the sales process.
Questions About Regrets and Advice
Directly asking whether they would make the same decision again, and what they wish they’d known before signing, can surface honest feedback that’s hard to get elsewhere. If you can, try to speak with a range of franchisees, including newer owners and those who have been in the system for several years, since their perspectives may differ.
Ready to Talk It Through?
Knowing which questions to ask, and how to interpret the answers, can make validation calls far more useful. Preparing for these conversations with a franchise consultant is free. You can schedule a free call with Gabriel to talk through how to approach validation calls for a concept you’re considering.
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