5 New Year’s Resolutions Every Franchisor Should Make

For many of us, New Year’s resolutions revolve around getting—or staying— healthy. But regardless of personal resolutions, for franchisors it also means building a healthier brand in 2026. Never has that been more true as we continue to confront both new and ongoing challenges—from labor shortages and tariffs to accelerated technology adoption and elevated franchisee expectations.   

As we head into a new year, the fundamentals of healthy franchise systems remain important, but the playbook has evolved. With that in mind, here are five resolutions every franchisor should adopt to build a stronger, more resilient brand this year.

1. Build your development muscles

After a strong run of franchise growth forecast for 2025, franchisors entering 2026 need to be even more intentional about where and how they expand. Continued franchise growth is expected, but capital access and competition for quality candidates require sharper strategies.

On the franchise development side, we’ll see a fundamental shift, says Madeleine Zook, Franchisor & Supplier with Catalyst, in Franchising Predictions for 2026.“Candidates will arrive more informed than ever, understanding comp metrics, asking smarter questions, and leveraging data and direct connections to validate what brands say versus what they actually deliver. This heightened sophistication may create a slight dip in territory sales as more candidates recognize and scrutinize the “sold-not-open” gap. But the upside is powerful: stronger ramp times, better system fit, and far healthier pipelines as candidates choose the right brand for them, not just a brand.”

Now’s the time to double down and position your brand to take advantage of increased interest from candidates. Use franchisee satisfaction, candidate experience, and market performance data to qualify leads and get your development strategy in tip top shape. Brands with high franchisee satisfaction attract higher quality leads and validate better with candidates. 

FASTSIGNS, a top-scoring franchise for the past 20 years, has it dialed in when it comes to using their satisfaction scores to close deals. Find out how they do it.

2. Cut out added “fat”

Look at where your ops team is spending time and money. Are there places you could “slim down” to become more efficient? How can you work smarter, not harder, to achieve the results you want? In 2026 that means streamlining operations with technology, automation, and clear processes. 

Evaluate where manual processes slow down franchisees or corporate teams. Invest in AI-enabled tools (CRM, scheduling, knowledge management). Use benchmarking data to understand what’s working and what’s not so you can better focus your efforts.

3. Add in some personal training

Effective coaching is a crucial tool for motivating franchisees to boost performance. If you want franchisees to take their business to the next level, help them identify the goals and give them the guidance they need to stay on track. By creating a culture of learning and support within your system—one that blends coaching, career pathways, peer learning, and digital resources—both you and your team are positioned for a win. This guide, How to Assess Franchise Business Coach Effectiveness, is a good place to start. Take it to the next level at the FBR Summit, a three-day in-person event for operations teams to get together for some heavy lifting around refining support tactics.

4. Take preventative measures

Annual franchisee satisfaction surveys and employee engagement surveys enable you to measure the overall health of your system and identify potential risks before they become an issue. Employee recruitment and retention is more important than ever, both at the corporate level and at the unit level. The most recent Franchising at WORK research hows that employees are seeking more support around well-being and work-life balance, as well as clear career paths and opportunities for professional development. Gathering feedback from employees is arguably one of the best ways to keep your system functioning smoothly. Engaged employees will lead to engaged franchisees, and ultimately to more loyal, satisfied customers.

5. Get regular check-ups

Make sure you’re staying on track to meet goals with regular pulse surveys. Pulse checks on franchisee satisfaction, employee engagement, customer sentiment, and operational execution provide both early warnings and growth signals. Short, frequent surveys are a strategic advantage when interpreted holistically.

Build a Healthier Franchise Brand in 2026

2026 is a year that rewards prepared and agile franchisors—those who not only set ambitious goals but align them with data, technology, compliance, and people development. By turning these resolutions into measurable strategies, you can position your brand not just to survive the year ahead but to thrive long term.

Whatever your resolutions for 2026, we wish you a very happy and healthy new year.

If you’re ready to make the health and wealth of your franchise system a priority this year, contact us for a 10-minute demo to see how partnering with FBR can help you align your goals with measurable milestones.

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This guide lays out 12 best practices, broken down into digestible steps that can be implemented over the course of a year, to help you achieve  a healthier, more profitable franchise system.

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