Franprise Advisors Research
Advisory Approach
Franprise Advisors is a specialized business brokerage and franchise consulting firm focused on helping individuals buy, sell, and franchise small and medium-sized businesses. Unlike traditional lower middle market M&A advisors who typically handle transactions valued at $25M-$250M, Franprise Advisors operates in the small business segment, working with franchise opportunities and independently-owned businesses typically valued below $5M. The firm's thesis is that buying or selling a business requires the same level of professional guidance as real estate transactions—they aim to provide the checks, balances, and expertise that business owners need to make informed decisions about significant financial transactions.
The firm operates on a unique business model: their buy-side and franchise consulting services are complimentary to prospective buyers, as they are compensated by franchisors and sellers. This aligns their incentives with helping clients find the right fit rather than maximizing transaction fees. For sell-side engagements, they provide comprehensive business brokerage services including valuation, buyer qualification, negotiation support, and deal closing assistance.
Sector Focus
Franprise Advisors focuses primarily on franchise-based businesses and service-oriented small businesses. Their core expertise spans:
- Consumer Services: Restaurants, quick-service franchises, personal services, retail franchises, and consumer-facing businesses that commonly operate under franchise models
- Business Services: B2B service businesses, including staffing, facilities management, consulting firms, and other service-based businesses
- Retail & E-commerce: Franchised retail operations, product distribution businesses, and e-commerce opportunities
The firm's industry focus is shaped by the franchising model, which is most prevalent in restaurants, personal services, retail, and business services. They work with clients to identify franchise opportunities across these established franchise categories, leveraging their network of franchisor relationships to match candidates with suitable business opportunities.
Deal Track Record
Important Note: Franprise Advisors does not have publicly documented transactions or press-released deal announcements. This is consistent with their business model as a small business broker and franchise consultant rather than a traditional investment bank. Small business transactions (typically below $5M in enterprise value) are rarely announced through press releases or covered in media. The firm focuses on private, confidential transactions where buyer and seller privacy is paramount.
While specific transaction details are not publicly available, the firm indicates they have "facilitated the successful sale of many businesses" and "helped hundreds of people make the leap from employee to entrepreneur." Their transaction history likely consists of:
- Resales of existing franchise locations
- Sales of independently-owned small businesses
- Franchise placement services (matching prospective franchisees with franchisors)
- Business valuations for sellers considering exit
Prospective clients should request specific references and transaction history directly from the firm.
Process & Fee Structure
Franprise Advisors offers a structured approach to both buy-side and sell-side engagements:
Buy-Side Process (Franchise Consulting):
- Complimentary services for prospective franchisees
- Spot-On! Assessment to match candidates with suitable franchise opportunities
- Access to franchisee satisfaction reports and SBA loan default data
- Due diligence support including validation calls with existing franchisees
- Funding assistance and analysis
- Preparation for franchisor meetings
Sell-Side Process (Business Brokerage):
- Business valuation and pricing strategy
- Preparation of business for sale (financial documentation, presentations)
- Marketing and buyer outreach through broker networks
- Buyer qualification and NDA management
- Negotiation support and deal structuring
- Closing assistance and paperwork completion
The firm emphasizes seller financing as a key success factor, noting that sellers willing to accept financing terms receive approximately 16% higher purchase prices on average compared to all-cash sales.
Fee Structure:
- Buy-side franchise consulting: Complimentary (paid by franchisors)
- Sell-side business brokerage: Traditional commission model (specific percentages not publicly disclosed)
- No retainers mentioned for sell-side work
Buyer Network
For sell-side engagements, Franprise Advisors utilizes:
- Business broker networks and listing platforms (BizBuySell, IBBA, M&A Source)
- Their database of prospective buyers accumulated through franchise consulting
- Industry-specific buyer networks tied to franchise systems
For franchise placements, they maintain relationships with "thousands of franchisors" across multiple industries, allowing them to match candidates with suitable franchise opportunities based on the candidate's skills, financial capacity, and lifestyle goals.
The firm is not positioned as having deep relationships with private equity firms or strategic acquirers in the traditional M&A sense. Their buyer network consists primarily of individual buyers, existing franchisees looking to expand, and small business investors.
Competitive Positioning
Franprise Advisors differentiates through:
- Franchise Specialization: Deep expertise in franchising model, franchisee satisfaction data, and franchisor relationships
- Complimentary Buy-Side Services: No cost to prospective franchise buyers, aligning incentives with client success
- Data-Driven Approach: Access to franchisee satisfaction reports, SBA default data, and other research tools
- Seller Financing Expertise: Strong advisory on structuring seller-financed deals to maximize sale price
- Confidentiality Focus: Emphasis on maintaining confidentiality throughout the sale process to protect business value
Not a Fit If
Franprise Advisors is not well-suited for:
- Businesses with enterprise values above $5M-$10M (these transactions typically require traditional investment banking)
- Companies seeking PE exits or strategic buyer sales
- Businesses in industries that don't commonly franchise (heavy manufacturing, capital-intensive businesses)
- Sellers seeking broad auction processes with institutional buyers
- Complex transactions requiring FINRA-registered broker-dealer representation
Team
Michael Touey – President & Founder
- Serial entrepreneur with 30+ years of experience starting and scaling businesses
- Founded Franprise Advisors to help people identify franchises that meet their personal, professional, financial, and lifestyle goals
- Background in identifying talent, building teams, and rapid business scaling
- Certified Franchise Consultant and Business Broker
Austin Touey – Business Development
- Involved in business development activities
- Supports client acquisition and relationship management
The firm maintains offices in Media, Pennsylvania and Palm Coast, Florida, allowing them to serve clients across multiple states with a focus on the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.
Geographic Coverage
- Primary: Pennsylvania (Philadelphia metro area), Florida (Palm Coast)
- Secondary: National reach through virtual franchise consulting services
- Office locations: Media, PA and Palm Coast, FL
Research Limitations
This research is based on publicly available information from the firm's website and business broker directories. Franprise Advisors does not appear to have:
- Publicly announced transactions or press releases
- FINRA broker-dealer registration (they operate as business brokers, not registered investment bankers)
- LinkedIn or other professional profiles accessible without login
- Published fee schedules or retainer information
Prospective clients should request references, specific transaction history, and detailed fee structures directly from the firm before engagement.