Confirm which activities require licensed legal, brokerage, lending, securities, valuation, tax, design, engineering, or regulatory professionals.
Franchise
U.S.-based · Global reach
Franchise Negotiations
Franchise decisions create long-term obligations affecting territory, development schedules, fees, purchasing, technology, design, marketing, operating standards, transfer rights, remedies, and exit value. Cole evaluates the commercial and operating implications, tests the support model and unit economics, and helps ownership frame negotiation priorities with experienced franchise counsel.
What this work is designed to deliverA clearer view of franchise economics, obligations, operating constraints, and negotiable business risks.
Discuss this capability How we help
Senior expertise.
Practical execution.
We convert franchise documents and disclosure assumptions into a unit-level operating model, obligation calendar, and risk list. Brand support, required capital, purchasing restrictions, technology, development commitments, remedies, and transfer economics are tested against the operator’s capabilities before negotiation positions are finalized with counsel.
Our operating approachNo seagull management. We can enter at the diagnostic, planning, implementation, stabilization, or ongoing-advisory stage—and remain accountable through execution, adoption, and a sustainable handoff.
Test unit economics, required capital, fees, rebates, purchasing, labor, technology, marketing, remodels, support, and realistic ramp-up assumptions.
Review territory, sites, development schedule, opening deadlines, exclusivity, encroachment, transfers, renewals, succession, and exit value.
Translate operating standards, inspections, reporting, data access, pricing, hours, suppliers, menus, staffing, training, and technology into daily impact.
Identify defaults, cure rights, termination, liquidated damages, guarantees, cross-defaults, step-in rights, dispute processes, and post-term restrictions.
Validate disclosure, registration, cooling-off, licensing, lease, financing, employment, privacy, and supply-chain requirements with qualified counsel.
Build negotiation priorities, fallback positions, obligation calendars, opening plans, compliance ownership, and franchise relationship governance.
Details that protect the work
What clients cannot afford to discover too late.
Requirements vary by jurisdiction and operating model. We identify the dependencies early, assign ownership, maintain the evidence, and coordinate licensed specialists wherever professional authority is required.
Verify assignment and transfer rules for leases, contracts, employees, licenses, permits, data, intellectual property, warranties, and customer obligations.
Control confidentiality, records, representations, approvals, conditions, third-party consents, diligence evidence, and decision authority.
Plan the operational handoff so people, vendors, systems, inventory, cash, safety, customers, and compliance do not fall between parties.
When to bring us in
Before a decision.
During a transition.
When performance slips.
Build or launch
Get the structure, economics, people, systems, and controls right before opening or expansion.
Fix or stabilize
Step into an urgent gap, stop leakage, restore accountability, and protect the business.
Improve or grow
Strengthen the operating platform before scaling, transacting, refinancing, or adding leadership.
Flexible engagement
Focused project
A defined issue, deliverable, timeline, and implementation plan.
Fractional leadership
Hands-on senior ownership without adding a permanent full-time executive.
Ongoing advisory
Regular operating review, decision support, accountability, and governance.
Cole provides hospitality operating, transaction-preparation, and coordination support. Legal, real-estate brokerage, lending, securities, tax, and other regulated services are performed by appropriately licensed professionals where required.
Step in where it matters