What Is Franchising—and Why It Matters
Part 1 of a 30-Part Series
Before we dive into the past, let’s start with a clear definition.
Franchising is a business model that allows individuals (franchisees) to own and operate a location of an established brand (the franchisor). In exchange for a fee and ongoing royalties, the franchisee gets access to the brand’s systems, trademarks, training, and support.
Sounds simple, right? But what makes this model so revolutionary is how it minimizes risk while maximizing potential. You're not starting from scratch—you’re plugging into a proven, profitable engine.
Franchising isn’t just about burgers or gym memberships.
Today, it spans more than 300 industries, from early childhood education to plumbing services, pet grooming to tax preparation. But the seeds of this empire were planted long ago—and the growth story is one of America’s greatest entrepreneurial achievements.
In this 30-part series, we’ll walk through the birth, evolution, and triumph of franchising in the U.S.—showing you why it remains the most reliable path to business ownership, decade after decade.
Stay tuned as we rewind to where it all began.
Beginning with the next article, we’ll look at how franchising began in the United States, all the way back in the 1800’s. In following posts we’ll give you a “highlight reel” of franchising through the decades, telling the stories of franchise brands we all know and love, as well as some that may be new to you.
Our goal with this series is to help you see how, with the right company, franchising is the safest and most predictable path to business ownership. At the end of each article we’ll present you with an outstanding franchise system that every aspiring entrepreneur should consider.
