What do today’s franchise buyers really want?

The Best Damn Franchise Report: What 73,000 buyers reveal about franchising today

What if franchising wasn’t driven by hype, opinions and paid rankings … but by real buyer behavior?

In this episode of “The Sidekick Life,” Ryan sits down with Sidekick COO Michael Judkins to unpack something the franchise industry hasn’t seen before: The Best Damn Franchise Report. It’s a first-of-its-kind look at franchising built on real buyer data.

Instead of “top franchise lists” that often feel like marketing, this report pulls insights from 73,000+ prospective franchisees and 3,500 in-depth Franchise Fit Surveys to answer the questions that actually matter:

• What do today’s franchise buyers really want?
• What are they avoiding?
• And where are the smartest opportunities hiding in plain sight?

As Michael puts it, this wasn’t just a cool internal project—it became something bigger.

“We had hundreds of thousands of data points … and we’d never macro-analyzed it. Once we got into it, there was some pretty compelling information.”

Why Franchise Sidekick built the report

Ryan frames Franchise Sidekick’s mission like this. “We’re the ‘real estate agent’ for franchise ownership helping people narrow thousands of options down to the right fit, with less risk and more clarity.”

And the report exists for one big reason, to make the entire franchise buying process better – for buyers, advisors and franchise brands alike.

“We’re big believers in sharing is caring … this information helps clients reduce their risk because they’ll inherently know more.”

The impact is already getting attention. Franchise Sidekick partnered with the International Franchise Association on a well-attended webinar and Entrepreneur Magazine ran part of the data in an editorial.

The funnel wake-up call: Interest is huge, follow-through is rare

Ryan breaks down the actual franchise “buyer funnel” based on their data.

• 73,500 people raised their hand and said, “I’m interested.”
• Only 8,000 ever got on the phone.
• Only 4,125 spent significant time researching brands.
• And just 464 ultimately bought a franchise.

That gap matters, and not because people are flaky. Ryan points to the real blockers.

“There’s over 70% of Americans who want to own a business and less than 20% do … the primary reasons are financing and fear.”

For many people, the barrier isn’t curiosity, it’s vulnerability.

“There’s a big difference between ‘I clicked an interesting ad’ and ‘I have to talk to a real person about my fears … my dreams … my wishes,’” Michael said.

What the data says about today’s franchise buyer

This episode is packed with buyer profile stats that franchise shoppers (and franchise sellers) should pay attention to:

• 85% are married
• 72% are currently W2 employees
• 92% own a home
• Average household income is $217,000
• Average age is 43
• 51% have a net worth of $1M+ (but Sidekick emphasizes franchise ownership can still be possible below that)

Risk tolerance: The superhero test

Because franchising is never “risk-free,” Sidekick asks clients to choose a risk profile, Sidekick-style.

• Daredevil = high risk tolerance
• Wonder Woman = balanced risk tolerance
• Black Panther = risk-averse
  
  

68% prefer balanced risk. They’ll take risk when it makes sense, but want to avoid unnecessary risk.

Work style and the semi-absentee myth

Most people expect to work in the business.

• 55% expect to operate their business
• 37% want a manager to run it
• Average expected time commitment is 31 hours/week

Ryan says he loves the owner-operator energy … but also notes a hard truth. Returns don’t magically happen with “sort of full-time” effort unless the model supports it.

Funding reality: Most buyers finance their franchise

There’s a common franchise misconception: “I don’t have enough cash, so this isn’t for me.”

But the data says otherwise.

• 75% plan to borrow money
• 36% plan to use retirement funds
• 25% plan to buy in cash

And one of the benefits of working with Sidekick is they help buyers get lenders to compete, which drives down rates, fees and improves loan terms.

ROI expectations: Buyers want payback in 3-4 years

When asked how quickly they expect to recoup their investment:

• 78% expect ROI in 3-4 years
• 22% are okay with 5+ years

And for income timing:

• 43% need to pull money out within 1-2 years
• 57% can wait longer (which Sidekick sees as a sign of healthy capitalization)

What people think they want vs. what they actually buy

This part is why working with an advisor changes everything.

Multi-unit reality

• 25% think they want multiple units
• 75% end up buying multiple units

Why? Because buyers start thinking like business owners about scale, territory protection and eventual exit value.

The “seed-to-sale” gap

Another big insight is 85% of buyers purchase a different brand than what they originally inquired about.

That’s what education does. People discover options they didn’t know existed and often find a better fit with lower risk, better economics or a better lifestyle match.

The top fears holding franchise buyers back

When asked about top concerns, the most common answers weren’t surprising.

Failure. Profitability. Cash flow.

Ryan calls fear “the biggest enemy.” A wall that keeps people from taking the shot.

“The way to overcome fear is to be empowered with the data,” Ryan said.

One metric that predicts purchase: Confirmation Day

One key finding Michael highlights is that once a buyer commits to Confirmation Day (meeting the franchise leadership team, seeing the business in action), the odds shift dramatically.

• 7 out of 10 buyers who reach Confirmation Day move forward and buy

This is credited to Sidekick’s due diligence “momentum process,” including 72 checkpoints spanning legal, financing, territory, operations and leadership.

Final takeaway: The smartest buyers don’t do this alone

This episode isn’t just about reporting numbers, it’s about what the numbers reveal: today’s franchise buyer is lifestyle-focused, risk-aware and data-driven.

Want the full report?

Download the full report on our website.

“Entrepreneurship is the greatest unfair wealth creator in the world … the first thing you need to do is overcome fear,” Ryan said.

If you’re exploring franchise ownership, this episode is your reminder that confidence doesn’t come from hype, it comes from the right process, the right advisor and the right information.

If you’re ready to take the next step, schedule a free 10-minute call with an advisor today. We’re here to help you overcome fear and live life on your terms.