Is attendance at the initial training program mandatory for Canopy Lawn Care franchisees?
Canopy_Lawn_Care Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
subject to applicable law.
Training
Before the opening of your Lawn Care Business, we provide an initial training program. You must attend and successfully complete the training program to our satisfaction.
Under the Franchise Agreement, before you begin operating your Lawn Care Business and within 90 days of the mutual execution of your Franchise Agreement, you or, if you are not an individual, a "Designated Business Manager" must attend and successfully complete to our satisfaction our initial training program The initial training program will include approximately 5 days of training held at our headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina, or such other location as we designate. You may have up to 2 additional persons attend the initial training program at no additional training fee. If the Designated Business Manager's employment with you is terminated, you must designate a new Designated Business Manager who must successfully complete our initial training program within 90 days after the termination of the initial Designated Business Manager, unless we do not hold an initial training program during that 90-day period in which case the replacement Designated Business Manager must attend and successfully
complete the first available initial training program held by us. The costs for airfare, ground transportation, lodging, meals, personal expenses, and the Designated Business Manager's salary and benefits must be paid by you.
There is no tuition or fee for the initial training program for you or your Designated Business Manager or additional staff members as we mutually agree. We do not pay any travel expenses, lodging, meals, ground transportation or other personal expenses.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 32–38)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Canopy Lawn Care's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, attendance at the initial training program is mandatory. Before opening a Lawn Care Business, the franchisee, or a Designated Business Manager if the franchisee is not an individual, must attend and successfully complete the initial training program to Canopy Lawn Care's satisfaction. This training must be completed within 90 days of signing the Franchise Agreement.
The initial training program lasts approximately 5 days and is held at Canopy Lawn Care's headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina, or another designated location. Franchisees can have up to two additional people attend the initial training program without incurring additional fees. If a Designated Business Manager leaves their position, a replacement must complete the training program within 90 days of the departure, provided that Canopy Lawn Care is holding a training program within that timeframe.
Franchisees are responsible for covering the costs of airfare, ground transportation, lodging, meals, personal expenses, and the salary and benefits for the Designated Business Manager during training. There is no tuition fee for the initial training program for the franchisee, their Designated Business Manager, or any additional staff members that Canopy Lawn Care mutually agrees to include. Canopy Lawn Care also reserves the right to require franchisees or their Designated Business Manager to attend supplemental and refresher training programs, for which they may charge a reasonable fee, in addition to travel and living expenses.