In this episode, Oleksij Rak talks with Joe Hetzer, a certified franchise consultant at US Business Ventures, about what makes a good franchisee, how to validate a brand before you sign, and why runway matters as much as the investment.

About Joe

Joe Hetzer is a certified franchise consultant at US Business Ventures, which works with over 630 franchises across categories. After opening a couple of businesses himself, he moved into franchising to help others become owners with a proven process behind them. He guides candidates from the first options on the table through validation calls, Discovery Day and financing, and he also has ownership in three manufacturing companies.

What we talked about

What makes a good franchisee. Why people skills and the willingness to follow a process matter more than the classic entrepreneurial instinct.

Managers, not mavericks. What it says about a franchise when you are hiring managers to run businesses the way you would.

Choosing and validating a brand. Who to call, how many people, and what to do when something feels off.

Education before everything. Why most candidates arrive unprepared, how the process unfolds step by step, and how long it really takes.

Runway and working capital. How much cushion to plan for, and why desperation shows in front of customers.

Lead generation and AI. Why finding candidates is the hardest part of the job, and where AI helps and where it doesn't.

Sharpest moments

On what franchising really is:

"You're literally hiring managers to manage businesses and then you manage the managers."

On starting without a cushion:

"The pressure to sell is so much higher that your customers will feel it. They'll feel your desperation."

On the purpose behind the work:

"I think if your purpose is helping people, you're gonna win, the money will follow."

A test for any service business:

"Think to yourself, can AI take over, and then stay away."

On taking the first step:

"If you've ever dreamt it, try it. Trust yourself. You'll find the answers."

Key takeaways

• A good franchisee has people skills and follows a proven process; the people who want to change the recipe tend to struggle.
• Franchising means hiring managers to run businesses the way you would, so a founder who can't hand over their own business shouldn't ask others to risk their savings.
• Validate a brand by calling three to five franchisees: one of the most successful, two in the middle and at least one who is falling short.
• Plan for eight months to a year of runway, because customers can tell when you need the sale.
• Out of 100 introductions, around 12 to 15 turn into deeper conversations and about 3 become franchise owners.
• Look at any service business and ask whether AI can take it over; if it can, stay away.