Canadian Franchise Finance - Got a Strategy?
Information on financing a franchise business in Canada . Do’s .. and Don’ts ! of Canadian franchise finance
Financing a franchise business in Canada requires in our opinion a certain measure of ' good behavior ‘when it comes to dealing with franchising lenders.
What do we mean by that? Well ' behavior ' in the sense that it’s important to understand where your lender / lenders are coming from vis a vis their expectations on your transaction and what they expect. In our opinion once you have a certain measure of respect and understand the requirements and some of the lender psychology behind the transaction you'll be better off. And by ' better off' we of course man your chances of final approval increase substantially.
Most franchisees in Canada quickly realize that after they have made the decision to purchase a business within the Canadian franchise environment that they don't have all the capital to complete a transaction themselves. They require financing of some sort. That's when they typically start talking to financial sources and often seem overwhelmed around the requirements they might be asked to fulfill to complete a transaction.
Even the personal guarantee can often become an issue with the franchisee applicant. And that leads to thoughts about whether in fact a personal guarantee is in fact always required on a franchise transaction /
Although you might assume that the franchisor and lender might be working hand in hand on your transaction this is rarely the case, certainly in any direct manner.
What your franchisor can do however is to provide some measure of guidance on how other franchisees have in fact completed transaction within their chain. So whether you go to a bank, a private commercial financial institution, or one of a myriad of independent finance firms who can assist you we can categorically say it's up to you to do your homework on the requirements for financing.
So, where are those franchise lenders coming from when they are looking for a bit of respect and good behavior around their requirements .? A good start is simply to understand that no franchise in Canada is financing on the 100% OPM principal. OPM is of course ' other people’s money '. So you need to understand the lender had an immediately expectation that you are bring a down payment / equity scenario to the table.
Unless you are getting direct financing under the government small business loan you should be totally prepared to provide good disclosure on your personal net worth and credit history. While the majority of franchises, in our opinion, are financed under the Government SBL loan program the reality is that also requires a decent personal credit history and solid evidence of net worth commensurate of course with the size of the franchise you're purchasing g.
Credit and character go hand in hand so the expectation from franchising genders is that you got some solid business or industry experience and that you present yourself properly during your submission process. This includes having a crisp, solid business plan for your new business, as well as other standard supporting documentation required when you're financing a franchise business in Canada.
So, is there a bottom line? If there is one it’s pretty common sense oriented... namely understand where lenders are coming from in their requirements to franchise your business and your ability to professionally supply that info, and understand why they require that information will go a long way towards franchise financing success.
Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business franchising advisor for assistance with your franchise proposal, with a focus on success!
Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 7 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/financing_a_franchise_business_franchising_lenders.html
When you say the word 'Franchise', most people immediately think of business-based franchises like those that are top listed in popular business magazines every year. But, it is important to remember that there are hundreds and thousands of franchises out there, some that are spectacularly successful, others that are total failures. Obviously, you want to avoid the latter.
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