Pros Provide Tips for Sidestepping the "Silent Void"

Pros Provide Tips for Sidestepping the "Silent Void"

Franchise development doesn’t end when a prospect signs an agreement. Getting that new franchisee from signature to opening requires franchisors to maintain momentum through site selection, financing, construction, training, and other potential trouble spots.

A panel at the 2026 Franchise Leadership & Development Conference explored those challenges during “Franchisee Lifecycle: What Happens After the Sale.” Steve Dunn, partner at BDP Strategies, moderated the session with Matt Kelton, vice president of franchise development at Children’s Lighthouse; Michael Piermarini, chief operating officer at Bodybar Pilates; and Michael Rodriguez, director of franchise development at Christian Brothers Automotive.

“The bottom line for your brand is as fast as you get these open is as fast as your brands start to make money,” Dunn said. “If you can improve your process, that will absolutely be a bottom-line driver in the organization.”

Kelton said maintaining communication is especially important for Children’s Lighthouse, where opening a school can take two to three years and finding a site alone can take six months to a year or longer.

“We’...