What are the responsibilities of the 'Managing Owner' of a Bigfoot Forestry franchise, and where are these responsibilities detailed?
Bigfoot_Forestry Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 42–162)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bigfoot Forestry's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Managing Owner has primary responsibility for the management and operation of the Bigfoot Forestry business. This is detailed in Section 8.1 of the agreement. While Bigfoot Forestry recommends an owner-operator model where the Managing Owner is actively involved full-time, they allow for the hiring of a Project Manager to assume some of these responsibilities.
The Managing Owner's specific duties include being approved by Bigfoot Forestry, completing required training programs, and dedicating either full-time or commercially reasonable efforts to the business, depending on whether a Project Manager is hired. The Managing Owner must also own at least 20% of the equity interests in the business, unless this requirement is waived by Bigfoot Forestry, and have binding decision-making authority.
Even if a Project Manager is hired, 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 is also responsible for monitoring and supervising the Project Manager to ensure the business operates in compliance with the Franchise Agreement and the Brand Standards Manual. Other owners in the Bigfoot Forestry franchise can be passive investors, but the Managing Owner has specific operational and managerial responsibilities.