Despite Alesia Visconti Denial, Franserve Brokers Promote Davidovich NYC Bagel Scam

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• I was recently exploring being a franchise broker and saw this site on Reddit. It gave some good insight into how and why these franchise broker groups operate. [redacted] . It doesn’t bash any of them but sort of pulls back the curtain.

  Alex:
  By "sort of pulls back the curtain" I guess you mean promotes one sleazy, misleading opportunity as being cheaper than the other sleazy, misleading opportunities.

  I do admire the chutzpah required to deceptively promote a broker group on a website that catalogues the devastation caused by franchise brokers who will sell their grandmother a vaping franchise if it'll pay a commission.

  I'd recommend being more straightforward. how about: Why pay more to get ripped off by a broker franchise when we'll rip you off for less?

  Thanks for the heads-up about the new group. They (You) are now on our radar!

  Unhappy Franchisee

• I was recently exploring being a franchise broker and saw this site on Reddit. It gave some good insight into how and why these franchise broker groups operate. It doesn’t bash any of them but sort of pulls back the curtain.

  Alex:
  By “sort of pulls back the curtain” I guess you mean promotes one sleazy, misleading opportunity as being cheaper than the other sleazy, misleading opportunities.

  I do admire the chutzpah required to deceptively promote a broker group on a website that catalogues the devastation caused by franchise brokers who will sell their grandmother a vaping franchise if it’ll pay a commission.

  I’d recommend being more straightforward. how about: Why pay more to get ripped off by a broker franchise when we’ll rip you off for less?

  Thanks for the heads-up about the new group. They (You) are now on our radar!

  Unhappy Franchisee

• Which new group, Sean?
  Curious in Cleveland

• Not criticizing all Broker Groups is the better choice. It would certainly be the wiser thing to do than to disparage all of them. It doesn't make much sense, and casting aspersions on an entire segment of "Franchiseville" is inappropriate. Every group, just as with every Security Trader, Real Estate Agency, Business Brokerages, Acquisition Intermediaries, all have their good and bad "apples." If going after a single franchise "Broker, Guru, Coach, Advisor, Expert or whatever," that would be far more productive and informative than to lump them all into the same bucket.

  Many who comment here have had bad experiences with "certain" of these salespeople yet find it necessary to "indict" an entire group. This is hardly productive UNLESS you find that a single group has indeed violated, time and time again, the trust placed into them by prospective Franchisees. Some here have been brokers themselves at one time and have been affiliated with the very groups they disparage. In the interest of complete transparency, I will tell you that I am one of the founders of a "Broker" group. While my status with that group is now "Emeritus," I rarely, if ever, work with individuals on a specific franchise. But, again, as with all of these groups, there are the good and the bad.

  This is a decision that potential Franchisees who engage the services of a "consultant" must make before doing so. Clarence rightfully says do your homework, and he's right. But, as with any due diligence, whether you're choosing a franchise or a franchise broker, you must do the required research.

  Now, anyone that knows me knows that I have been entirely forthright in explaining my background, my experience, and why these days I choose Franchisee Advocacy rather than pursue franchise brokerage. Oh, I still have the site up, and yes, I still get inquiries, but I hardly entertain them, if at all in large part due to my discomfort in representing many of the franchising brands. Most do not meet my personal criteria for being represented. It doesn't make them all "bad"; they fail to meet my standard as my proclivity for the business has undergone a full-scale change.

  I volunteer with an organization that mentors individuals in nearly every business area, and we do it for free. Given my particular expertise in franchising, I mentor many seeking to invest in a franchise. I am honest, open, and never engage in attempting to convince them to move forward. This is purely a decision they have to make. The best I can do is direct them accordingly and provide them with the necessary resources to do their homework and due diligence. In this capacity, I couldn't cross the line by using the position to turn it into a representation of a particular franchise, nor would I be interested in doing so.

  Speaking of my advocacy work, all one needs to do is visit my LinkedIn pages to see the progressive work I attempt to accomplish in the total transformational change necessary in the franchising space. From lead generation to disclosure to sale, I am advocating complete change, licensing, and significantly enhanced legislation that would favor prospective and existing Franchisees. Frankly, I'm not making many friends, but that isn't a concern. Instead, my concern is righting the wrongs that have existed since 1979 with the "Franchise Rule," whose tired words need an injection of truth and change.

  I routinely, without hesitation, call out the International Franchise Association for their comments, culture, and puffery that does little to assist Franchisees who have been cheated, defrauded and made victims of scrupulous franchisors who cared nothing about them and literally changed the lives of people who have invested life savings, homes, 401k's, and provided personal guarantees only to have bankruptcy staring them in the face.

  Long post and my apologies in advance, but remember this if nothing else. YOU are ultimately responsible for the choices you make relative to franchising. YOU control the outcome, whether bad, good, or better. Therefore, YOU live with these decisions before, during, and after. Ultimately, it comes down to this. "Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread" - Learn to know what you're doing and with whom. Get the advice you need and if you sense a single red flag, warning shot, or something that doesn't feel right to you, walk away, or rather, run away. Never allow yourself to be pushed, cajoled, or influenced by some fast-talking sales rep who may have hung out a broker "shingle" yesterday.

  Be well, and thanks for reading.