Must Bigfoot Forestry approve all persons who own an equity interest in the Bigfoot Forestry business or franchisee entity?
Bigfoot_Forestry Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
(a) at all times own
at least 20% of the Equity Interests in the Business or Franchisee Entity unless we waive this requirement; and (e) have binding decision-making authority on matters involving your Business.
Your other Owners may be passive investors.
- **8.2.
Project Manager.** If you do not adhere to an owner-operator model, you must hire a Person (a "Project Manager") to manage and supervise your Business.
The Project Manager must: (a) remain actively and personally involved with the operation of your Business on a full-time basis; and (b) travel to job sites for purposes of providing Bigfoot Forestry Services, managing projects and supervising Service Technicians (if any).
The Managing Owner must monitor and supervise the Project Manager to ensure your Business is operated in compliance with this Agreement and the Manual.
Any Person you hire as a Project Manager must: (a) be approved by us; (b) satisfy all requirements in §8.3 for Service Technicians; (c) successfully complete all additional training programs we require for a Project Manager; (d) dedicate full-time efforts to your Business; and (e) sign a Confidentiality Agreement.
If you own and operate more than three (3) Bigfoot Forestry Businesses, you must hire a Project Manager.
The Managing Owner or Project Manager can manage a maximum of three (3) territories.
You must hire an additional Project Manager for every three (3) additional territories you open and operate.
- **8.3.
Service Technicians.** Bigfoot Forestry Services may only be performed by your Service Technicians.
Any Person you appoint as a Service Technician must successfully complete all training programs we require for Service Technicians and sign a Confidentiality Agreement (the Managing Owner does not sign a Confidentiality Agreement).
The Managing Owner may (but need not) serve as a Service Technician.
If you hire a Project Manager, the Project Manager must also serve as a Service Technician.
- **8.4.
Employees.** You must determine appropriate staffing levels for the Business to ensure compliance with this Agreement and our system standards.
8. MANAGEMENT AND STAFFING.
8.1. Owner Participation. You must designate an Owner with primary responsibility for the management and operation of your Business (the "Managing Owner"). We strongly recommend, but do not require, that you adhere to an owner-operator model whereby the Managing Owner: (a) remains actively and personally involved with the operation of your Business on a full-time basis; and (b) travels to job sites for purposes of providing Bigfoot Forestry Services, managing projects and supervising Service Technicians (if any). However, we do permit you to hire a Project Manager in accordance with §8.2 to assume these responsibilities from the Managing Owner. Either the Managing Owner or a Project Manager be present at each job site for purposes of providing Bigfoot Forestry Services, managing the project and supervising Service Technicians. The Managing Owner must: (a) be approved by us; (b) successfully complete all training programs we require; (c) dedicate either (i) full-time efforts to the Business (if you adhere to an owner-operator model) or (ii) commercially reasonable efforts to the Business (if you hire a Project Manager); (d) at all times own
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 42–162)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bigfoot Forestry's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisor must approve the Managing Owner of the business. The Managing Owner is the owner with primary responsibility for managing and operating the Bigfoot Forestry business. Bigfoot Forestry recommends, but does not require, that the Managing Owner remain actively and personally involved with the business on a full-time basis and travel to job sites. However, the franchisee can hire a Project Manager to assume these responsibilities from the Managing Owner.
The Managing Owner must be approved by Bigfoot Forestry, successfully complete all required training programs, dedicate either full-time or commercially reasonable efforts to the business, own at least 20% of the equity interests in the business or franchisee entity (unless this requirement is waived), and have binding decision-making authority. Other owners may be passive investors.
If a franchisee opens and operates more than three Bigfoot Forestry businesses, they must hire a Project Manager to manage at least one but not more than three of their businesses. The Managing Owner, and each Project Manager, can manage a maximum of three Bigfoot Forestry Businesses. Each Project Manager hired must meet all criteria and conditions set forth in the most recent Franchise Agreement executed by the franchisee.