Does the FDD indicate if Empower Brands imposes any obligations on Bumble Roofing franchisees?
Bumble_Roofing Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
There are specific regulations pertaining to this industry and you must comply with all local, state and federal codes and regulations and all Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") and other environmental regulations pertaining to the Roofing Business. You may be required by local and state authorities to obtain certain permits, registrations, certifications or licenses to operate a Roofing Business. You should consult with local agencies and/or your attorney. You must obtain any required licenses and permits, and ensure that your employees and others providing services associated with the Roofing Business to customers have all required licenses and permits, relating to the operation of your Roofing Business. In the event we are required to sit on your board in order for you to obtain the requisite permits, registrations or licenses due to state laws that require an entity to have a certain amount of related experience to obtain the applicable permits, registrations, or licenses, we will not acquire any ownership or voting rights on the board. However, as a condition to sitting on your board, we will require you to use a third-party professional services organization that will be responsible for handling your payroll and to assist you with your obligations to comply with various state employment law. Once you obtain your own permits, registrations, and licenses, we will resign from your board.
Source: Item 1 — THE FRANCHISOR, AND ANY PARENT, PREDECESSORS AND AFFILIATES (FDD pages 8–13)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Bumble Roofing FDD, Empower Brands, as the parent company, can impose certain obligations on franchisees under specific circumstances. The FDD states that if Bumble Roofing is required to have a representative from Empower Brands sit on a franchisee's board to help the franchisee obtain necessary permits, registrations, or licenses due to state laws, then the franchisee will be required to use a third-party professional services organization for payroll and compliance with state employment laws. This condition is in place until the franchisee can independently obtain the required permits, registrations, and licenses, at which point the Empower Brands representative will resign from the board.
This arrangement ensures that franchisees lacking initial experience or qualifications can still operate legally by leveraging the expertise of Empower Brands. However, it also means that the franchisee will incur the additional cost of using a third-party professional services organization during this period. This requirement is a condition of Empower Brands' representative sitting on the board and is directly tied to the franchisee's ability to meet regulatory requirements.
It is important for prospective Bumble Roofing franchisees to understand these conditions and factor in the potential costs associated with using a third-party professional services organization if they anticipate needing assistance from Empower Brands to obtain the necessary permits and licenses. This obligation is a specific instance where Empower Brands directly influences the franchisee's operations, particularly in the early stages of the business.