What actions by an Exit franchisee would constitute 'Opened for Business'?

According to Exit's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee is considered 'Opened for Business' when they are operating the franchised business by using any of the Exit marks in any media, on business cards, by telephone, transacting business under their Exit trademark, or maintaining an office within the protected territory. This definition is important as it sets a clear standard for when the franchisee is expected to be fully operational.

This definition has implications for the timeline within which a franchisee must begin operations. The FDD states that failure to open the Exit office and commence business operations within 120 days of the franchise agreement date is grounds for termination of the agreement, without any opportunity to correct the failure. Therefore, prospective franchisees should understand these requirements and ensure they can meet them.

In essence, 'Opened for Business' is triggered by any public-facing activity that utilizes the Exit brand or by having a physical office. This is a fairly standard definition in franchising, as it ties the commencement of business operations to tangible actions that demonstrate the franchisee's active participation in the Exit system. Franchisees should be aware of these triggers to avoid any potential default situations.