Meet the Team Day

Meet the Team Day

Meet the Team Day — also sometimes known as Discovery Day, possibly even Confirmation Day — is typically the last step in the Discovery Process. This is where you will meet the team of the franchisor you are vetting.

What the Day Looks Like

The majority of the time these are in person at the franchisor headquarters, though there are times these are still virtual.

• Virtual: usually several hours long.
• In person: a dinner, usually the first night, followed by all-day meetings at the home office the following day.

The importance of Meet the Team Day cannot be overstated. This is your last chance to vet the franchise — but don’t forget, they’re vetting you as well, and this is their last chance to do so.

You Actually Meet the Team

During the event you will have a chance to, well, meet their team.

For example: during the process you’ve heard about the marketing plan the franchisor has the development person you’ve been talking to, and you’ve probably heard it from owners as well. Now at Meet the Team Day, you get to hear it directly from their marketing team, and get to ask them questions. This will be the same for every department within the franchise system.

It is important to remember that they are not training you at Meet the Team Day. But you will go much more in depth in each vertical of the brand.

Focus on the People

What everyone is saying obviously matters. But I want you to also focus on the people.

• How do you connect with them?
• Does it feel like they know what the heck they’re doing?
• Does it feel like they’re going to have your back and genuinely care about your success?
• Are these the people that you want to be in business with?

You Will Not Make a Decision

We tell people even before they begin the Discovery Process, and they never really believe us: at the end of the journey, you will not make a decision.

Now, how can that be possible? Well, at the end of Meet the Team Day, it is going to be so crystal clear to you that you’ve found your best franchise, due to all the work you’ve put in vetting these brands.

When you are headed back to the airport at the conclusion of Meet the Team Day, you’re either going to be running there screaming — “get me away from these crazy people” — or you’re going to head there hoping they award you the franchise, because you are so excited to get started.

It really and truly will be that clear.

How to Prepare

First, work with your coach and go through the Meet the Team Day checklist that is in the client portal.

Two Ways People Hurt Their Chances

At the event, there are really two simple yet silly ways in which to hurt your chances of being awarded.

1. The dinner

The first night, there’s usually a dinner. This dinner may involve drinks as well. As obvious as it seems: don’t treat this like a college party and see how many shots you can do and how many people at dinner you can hit on. As ridiculous as it sounds, this has happened. I’ve heard countless stories over the years of such incidents, and I promise you, you will not get awarded the franchise this way.

2. How you show up during the day

This is the one that comes up more often. Are you actually engaged in the process? Are you being negative toward everything? Are you being rude or disrespectful?

Asking questions is not only acceptable, but expected. But…are you asking questions, or are you questioning everything? There’s a big difference.

Being the person always talking and interrupting — no one likes the kid in class who always has their hand up trying to answer every question, or worse, just shouts it out. Being inquisitive and seeking to understand is welcome. Questioning the franchisor, or even worse, offering suggestions on how the franchise could do better, is not how you’re going to get awarded the franchise.

How You Do Get Awarded

Obviously, the opposite. Be engaged. Be positive. Literally just have fun.

If so, you will learn a ton. You will feel confident you are in the right room. You will create new relationships with both the team who is going to train and support you, and also with other candidates who are there who will potentially soon be new franchise owners just like you.

If you do these things, you will end Meet the Team Day knowing you have found the best franchise for you. And just as important, you will leave the franchisor knowing they have just met their next franchise owner.

From there, it’s usually just the semantics of signing the agreement, paying the fee, and launching your new franchise.