Can the Operations Manager for a Burneys Sweets More franchise be the franchisee?
Burneys_Sweets_More Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The business must be directly supervised and managed by a person, identified to us and accepted by us, who has successfully completed our training program and passed a background check or for whom, based on his or her experience, we have waived these requirements
("Operations Manager"). The Operations Manager maybe you, if you are an individual, or a principal, if you are a legal entity. We do not require that your Operating Managers have any equity in the franchisee entity or receive any percentage of your revenues or profits. Your Operations Manager must be accepted by us and must execute a confidentiality and non-competition agreement similar to the one you will execute if you purchase a franchise from us.
Source: Item 15 — OBLIGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE FRANCHISE BUSINESS (FDD pages 39–40)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Burneys Sweets More's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Operations Manager for a franchise can indeed be the franchisee, especially if the franchisee is an individual. The document specifies that the business operations must be directly supervised and managed by an Operations Manager. This individual needs to be identified and accepted by Burneys Sweets More, complete the training program, and pass a background check, or have these requirements waived based on their experience.
For individual franchisees, this means they can fulfill the role of Operations Manager themselves, provided they meet the necessary qualifications and are approved by Burneys Sweets More. If the franchisee is a legal entity, such as a corporation, a designated principal can serve as the Operations Manager.
Burneys Sweets More does not require the Operations Manager to have equity in the franchisee entity or receive a percentage of revenues or profits. However, the Operations Manager must sign a confidentiality and non-competition agreement, similar to the one the franchisee signs. This policy allows flexibility in the management structure, enabling the franchisee to either manage the operations directly or appoint a qualified individual while ensuring compliance with Burneys Sweets More's standards and protection of its business interests.