What are the Bigfoot Forestry franchisee's obligations regarding owner's participation, management, and staffing, and where is this detailed?
Bigfoot_Forestry Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
[Item 15: OBLIGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE FRANCHISE BUSINESS]
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. If you hire a Project Manager, the Managing Owner must monitor and supervise the Project Manager to ensure your Business is operated in compliance with the Franchise Agreement and the Manual. The Managing Owner or Project Manager can manage a maximum of 3 territories. If you open and operate more than 3 territories, you must hire a Project Manager upon the opening of your 4th territory. You must hire an additional Project Manager for every 3 additional territories you open and operate.
Service Technicians
Bigfoot Forestry Services may only be performed by Service Technicians. Any person you hire as a Service Technician must successfully complete all training programs we require for Service Technicians and 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.
We do not require that your Project Managers or Service Technicians own an equity interest in the franchise.
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
- 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.
Source: Item 9 — FRANCHISEE'S OBLIGATIONS (FDD pages 20–21)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bigfoot Forestry's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Item 15 and section 8 of Item 23 outline the franchisee's obligations regarding owner participation, management, and staffing. A franchisee must designate a Managing Owner who has primary responsibility for the business's management and operations. Bigfoot Forestry strongly recommends that the Managing Owner be actively and personally involved in the business on a full-time basis, including traveling to job sites to provide services, manage projects, and supervise Service Technicians. However, franchisees have the option to hire a Project Manager to assume these responsibilities.
Whether the franchisee chooses to operate under the owner-operator model or hires a Project Manager, either the Managing Owner or the Project Manager must be present at each job site to provide Bigfoot Forestry Services, manage the project, and supervise Service Technicians. The Managing Owner must be approved by Bigfoot Forestry, complete all required training programs, dedicate either full-time efforts (if adhering to the owner-operator model) or commercially reasonable efforts (if hiring a Project Manager) to the business, own at least 20% of the equity interests in the business (unless waived by Bigfoot Forestry), and have binding decision-making authority. Other owners can be passive investors.
If a Project Manager is hired, the Managing Owner must monitor and supervise the Project Manager to ensure compliance with the Franchise Agreement and the Manual. The Managing Owner or Project Manager can manage a maximum of 3 territories. For franchisees operating more than 3 territories, they must hire a Project Manager upon opening their 4th territory and an additional Project Manager for every 3 additional territories. Bigfoot Forestry Services must be performed by Service Technicians who complete required training and sign a Confidentiality Agreement. The Managing Owner may serve as a Service Technician, and if a Project Manager is hired, they must also serve as a Service Technician. Bigfoot Forestry does not require Project Managers or Service Technicians to own equity in the franchise. Franchisees are responsible for determining appropriate staffing levels to ensure compliance with the Franchise Agreement and system standards.