I’m a FranChoice-affiliated franchise consultant, which means if you searched “FranChoice reviews” or “is FranChoice legit,” you’ve landed on about as direct an answer as you’ll find. Here’s what the network actually is, how the matching process works, and how to work with me inside it.
FranChoice is a franchise consulting network founded by Jeff Elgin in 2000 and headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. It trains and certifies independent franchise consultants across the U.S. — myself included — and connects them to a curated portfolio of pre-vetted franchise opportunities spanning industries like automotive care, children’s education, business services, and food and beverage.
Instead of you trying to research all 4000+ franchise concepts on the market yourself, a FranChoice consultant takes your goals, budget, and lifestyle preferences and narrows that list down to the handful of opportunities that actually fit.
Portfolio industries include
Yes — and the incentive structure is worth understanding, because it’s what makes the service free to you. FranChoice only earns a commission from the franchisor, and only if you actually move forward and are awarded a franchise. Nothing is charged to candidates at any point in the process.
The network is also selective on the franchisor side: companies are vetted for a track record of successful, validated franchisees before they’re added to the portfolio. Consultants go through a structured, multi-week training program before working with candidates, and the business has grown largely through referrals from people who’ve been through the process — which tends to happen when a service performs.
We start with a conversation about what you actually want — industry interest, investment range, how hands-on you want to be, and where you want to operate.
I match you against FranChoice's vetted portfolio and bring you a short list of opportunities that fit, not a generic directory.
You do your own due diligence from there — talking to existing franchisees, reviewing the FDD, and visiting the franchisor for a discovery day if there's mutual interest.
There's no cost to you at any step. I'm only paid if a placement happens.
I’ve spent over 20 years building and running businesses, including founding three companies across two continents, and I hold an MBA in entrepreneurship from UC Berkeley.
Being part of the FranChoice network gives me access to a vetted portfolio that most people researching franchises on their own never see, plus hands-on guidance through the parts of the process (financing, FDD review, franchisor conversations) that are easy to get wrong the first time.
Yes. FranChoice only earns a commission from the franchisor, and only if you move forward and are awarded a franchise. You never pay anything, at any point in the process. That includes the first conversation, the matching, and the support through due diligence and beyond.
There are more than 1,600 franchise concepts on the market, and most of the information online is marketing. As a FranChoice consultant, I start with your goals, budget and lifestyle, and match you against a portfolio of pre-vetted franchisors. You get a short list of opportunities that actually fit, not a directory to sort through. I also guide you through the steps that are easy to get wrong the first time: FDD review, financing, and conversations with franchisors.
That’s completely fine, and there’s no obligation. If nothing on the list feels right, we talk about what didn’t fit and I bring you new options based on that. If the right fit isn’t available yet, I’ll tell you honestly, even if that means waiting or continuing to look. My goal is the right match, not a fast one.
It depends on your pace, your financing, and how much due diligence you want to do. Many candidates move from the first conversation to a decision in about two to three months. That time covers talking with existing franchisees, reviewing the FDD, and attending a discovery day. You set the pace, and you’re never rushed.
