15 Reads for Franchising Professionals

I am an avid reader, I love getting recommendations and giving them. Full disclosure—I love novels the most, but I do make time to continue working on myself personally and professionally. I thought I would share some of the must-read business books I recommend:

New to Franchising 

• A Crash Course in Franchising by Franchise Business Review
  We created this resource for newcomers to help them get up to speed with the world of franchising. We cover key roles in organizations, tips, and resources to help shorten your learning curve. Download this free resource here. 

• Franchise Bible: How to Buy a Franchise or Franchise Your Own Business by Rick Grossmann
  Comprehensive advice on the operational, legal, and strategic aspects of franchising. It includes tips on using digital tools to improve franchise operations.

• Franchising For Dummies by Michael H. Seid and Dave Thomas
  This has been around for over twenty years and is still a great starter book that provides a broad overview of franchising, covering everything from legal issues to successful franchise management.

In It to Win It 

• Grow Smart, Risk Less by Shelly Sun
  The CEO and co-founder of Brightstar shares her journey in establishing and growing a franchise system. She covers critical topics like scaling operations, building a strong team, and how to achieve long-term success.

• The Wealthy Franchisee: Game-Changing Steps to Becoming a Thriving Franchise Superstar by Scott Greenberg
  Actionable advice for franchisees aiming to excel, featuring real-life examples to illustrate how franchisees can build profitable and lasting businesses. A must-read for franchisees and franchisors that offers practical tips for achieving exceptional performance within franchising.

• Profitable Partnerships by Greg Nathan
  Essential elements for creating strong relationships between franchisees and their support staff. The insights here will bring satisfaction and success for all parties involved. 

• Ideal Team Player by Patrick Leocini
  An outline of the key qualities that make someone a collaborative and effective team member. Learn how to recognize foundational virtues—humility, hunger, and people smart—in others to build high performing teams.

• The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, Jim Huling
  A practical guide for how to get out of the day-to-day whirlwind and focus on what’s the most important to move the needle in the business. Learn the strategies to drive results in your own business.

1. The CEO’s Guide to Creating and Maintaining a Positive Culture by Franchise Business Review
   Essential strategies for building and sustaining a positive culture within franchise systems. Best practices and tips from the work we have done with clients for 20 years around core values, mission, and vision to align your corporate teams and franchisees. Download the free guide here. 

• The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz
  Strategies and advice for leaders facing tumultuous times.  This book offers diverse perspectives on the harsh challenge running a business can be. It will equip you with the knowledge and tools needed for success in the competitive world of business.

Leaders Looking to Level Up

• What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
  The subtle changes leaders need to make in their professional behavior to achieve even greater success. This book is crucial for anyone looking to elevate their leadership skills in a franchising environment.

• Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott
  A management philosophy that focuses on balancing personal care with direct communication. This book is instrumental for franchise managers aiming to foster a transparent and motivated workplace.

• The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything by Stephen M.R. Covey
  Explore the transformative power of trust in this seminal book, which explains how its presence—or absence—affects an organization’s dynamics, profitability, and speed in achieving results. This is particularly relevant in franchising, where trust between franchisors and franchisees is crucial.

• Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown
  This is all about embracing vulnerability in work and personal relationships. Instead of thinking of vulnerability as a weakness, it is the key to cultivating courage, connection, and creativity, which leads to a greater potential for growth and authenticity for leaders. 

• Leadership That Gets Results by Daniel Goleman
  This article, published by Harvard Business Review in 2000, dives into how different leadership styles impact organizational performance. Goleman, known for his work on emotional intelligence, argues that effective leaders don’t rely on just one leadership style but rather a combination of several, adapted to the situation and the needs of their team. He outlines six style: Coercive, Authoritative, Affiliative, Democratic, Pacesetting, and Coaching. Requires HBR subscription.  

I hope this gives you some ideas for your next read. I would love to hear which of these have you read, and what are you reading that I should know about? Get in touch.

Related Resource: The 10 Biggest Roadblocks to Franchise Performance

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