What is the role of the 'Owner' in the transfer process of a C3 Wellness Spa franchise?
C3_Wellness_Spa Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
y Agreements, to a person, an entity, Corporate Entity, or other third party, this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, shall survive, remain in full force and effect, and inure to the benefit of the purchaser, transferee, conveyee, and/or assignee of this Agreement and/or the Ancillary
Agreements and/or Franchisor's rights and obligations under this Agreement and/or the Ancillary Agreements.
14.B. FRANCHISEE MAY NOT TRANSFER WITHOUT FRANCHISOR APPROVAL
Franchisee agrees, and Franchisee represents and warrants that Franchisee's Owners understand and agree, that the rights and duties set forth in this Agreement are personal to Franchisee and each Owner. Therefore, Franchisee agrees that:
- (1) No ownership interest of any Owner in Franchisee may be Transferred without the prior written consent of Franchisor;
- (2) No obligations, rights or interest of Franchisee in (a) this Agreement, (b) the lease or ownership interests in Franchisee's Spa Location and Franchisee's Spa Facility, (c) the Franchised Business, or (d) all or substantially all of the assets of the Franchised Business may be Transferred without the prior written consent of Franchisor. This restriction shall not prohibit Franchisee from granting a mortgage, charge, lien, or security interest in the assets of the Franchised Business or this Agreement for the exclusive purpose of securing financing for the initial development (occurring prior to the Actual Business Commencement Date) of the Franchised Business;
- (3) Without limitation to the foregoing, any Transfer by Franchisee respecting and/or relating to this Agreement and/or the Franchised Business and/or assets associated with the Franchised Business will require the prior written consent of Franchisor where such Transfer occurs by virtue of: (a) divorce or legal dissolution of marriage; (b) insolvency; (c) dissolution of a Corporate Entity; (d) last will and testament; (e) intestate succession; or (f) declaration of, or transfer in trust;
- (4) Any purported Transfer without the written consent of Franchisor, or otherwise in violation of this Agreement including, but not limited to this Article 14.B. shall constitute a breach of this Agreement and shall convey to the transferee no rights or interests in this Agreement; and
- (5) In the event of a Transfer of this Agreement that is approved by Franchisor, Franchisee shall not be relieved of Franchisee's obligations under this Agreement whether said obligations accrued and/or arose prior to and/or after the date of Transfer.
14.C. CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL OF TRANSFER
Provided Franchisee and each Owner and Spouse, respectively, are in substantial compliance with this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, and Franchisor does not elect to exercise Franchisor's right of first refusal as set forth in Article 14.F below, Franchisor shall not unreasonably withhold its approval of a Transfer by Franchisee or an Owner. The proposed transferee (including such assignee's owner(s) and spouse(s) if the proposed transferee is a Corporate Entity) must be of good moral character, have sufficient business experience, aptitude and financial resources to own and operate a Spa Location Franchise, and otherwise meet Franchisor's then applicable standards for franchisees as determined by Franchisor in its sole, but reasonable discretion. Furthermore, the proposed transferee and the proposed transferee's owners and spouses may not own or operate, or intend to own or operate, a Competitive Business. Franchisee agrees that Franchisor may condition approval of a Transfer upon Franchisee's satisfaction (either before, or contemporaneously with, the effective date of the Transfer) of the following:
- (1) Franchisee must provide written notice to Franchisor of the proposed Transfer of this Agreement at least 30 days prior to the Transfer, and Franchisee must have also satisfied the obligations set forth in Article 14.F below;
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 59–293)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to the 2024 C3 Wellness Spa Franchise Disclosure Document, the "Owner" of a franchise plays a significant role in the transfer process. Specifically, no ownership interest of any Owner in Franchisee may be Transferred without the prior written consent of Franchisor. The rights and duties set forth in the franchise agreement are personal to each Owner, and the franchisee must ensure that the Owners understand and agree to these terms.
Furthermore, any transfer by the franchisee relating to the agreement or the franchised business requires prior written consent from C3 Wellness Spa if it involves a transfer of an Owner's interests and/or voting rights in the franchisee. This includes transfers occurring due to divorce, insolvency, dissolution of a corporate entity, or through a will or trust.
To gain approval for a transfer, C3 Wellness Spa requires that each Owner be in substantial compliance with the franchise agreement and any ancillary agreements. The franchisor may also assess the proposed transferee's owners to ensure they are of good moral character, possess sufficient business experience and financial resources, and do not own or operate a competitive business. Additionally, each owner of the transferee, along with their spouses, must personally execute the Franchise Owner and Spouse Agreement and Guaranty.