What is the franchisee's obligation regarding staffing levels for a Bigfoot Forestry Business?

According to the 2025 Bigfoot Forestry FDD, franchisees are responsible for determining appropriate staffing levels to ensure compliance with the Franchise Agreement and Bigfoot Forestry's system standards. This means franchisees have the autonomy to decide how many employees they need to effectively operate their business and meet the brand's requirements.

Bigfoot Forestry also outlines specific staffing roles and requirements. A franchisee must designate a Managing Owner who has primary responsibility for the business. While Bigfoot Forestry recommends an owner-operator model where the Managing Owner is actively involved full-time, franchisees can hire a Project Manager to handle these responsibilities. If a Project Manager is hired, the Managing Owner must monitor them to ensure compliance. The Managing Owner or Project Manager must be present at each job site to supervise Service Technicians.

Franchisees must hire a Project Manager if they do not adhere to the owner-operator model or if they own and operate more than three Bigfoot Forestry Businesses. Each Project Manager can manage a maximum of three territories, requiring an additional Project Manager for every three additional territories. All Service Technicians must complete required training programs and sign a Confidentiality Agreement. The Project Manager, if hired, must also serve as a Service Technician and complete additional training programs.

These staffing requirements ensure that each Bigfoot Forestry location is properly managed and operated according to the brand's standards. Franchisees need to carefully consider these requirements when planning their business operations and hiring staff.