What is the relationship between the qualified CFOs and Focus Cfo?
Focus_Cfo Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Business
Franchisees are independent contractors of Focus CFO. As a Franchisee of Focus CFO, you will operate your franchised business as an Area President, working to generate new clients for Focus CFO utilizing our client development system. Area Presidents' franchised businesses will focus on operating as business development leaders and serve as strategic relationship managers, matching Focus CFO clients with licensees of Focus CFO, referred to as CFOs. Note that some of the CFOs who you will work with are operating as franchisees of Focus CFO who signed franchise agreements with Focus CFO prior to 2023. As our system has evolved, we no longer offer franchise opportunities to individuals wishing to operate as a CFO. Rather, those individuals are independent contractors who have a license to use the Focus CFO Marks and other resources provided by Focus CFO.
Products and Services
Franchisees will market and offer CFO Services primarily to small and medium-sized businesses on a fractional or part-time basis. This includes offering businesses onsite or remote financial and operational support in the area of finance and operations, controller-level accounting and support services, business consulting or coaching, business value growth or exit planning services. The CFO Services that Franchisees will offer will be performed by qualified CFOs who have obtained a non-exclusive license (or prior to 2023, purchased a franchise) from Focus CFO to provide such services.
Market and Competition
The target market for your franchised business are small-to-medium-sized businesses who do not employ a full-time CFO. We believe it is a well-developed market as the competition for the franchised services will come from individuals and other businesses performing the same or similar financial consulting services. This may include other fractional CFO firms (which may include other franchise systems) and business consulting firms.
Clients
Franchisees service a group of clients that are developed by the efforts of Focus CFO, the Focus CFO System, Area Presidents, CFOs, and the use of the Focus CFO Marks. While we provide access to training and various other programs to support our Franchisees, the development of an area is contingent on the ability of each Franchisee to successfully implement the Focus CFO System, the needs of the Focus CFO clients in the area, the ability of the Franchisee to develop Focus CFO clients, and the ability of the Franchisee to work with CFOs and clients in their area.
Franchisees are paid as independent contractors based on the fees generated from the CFO Services performed by Franchisees and licensees for the Focus CFO client base. Franchisees are encouraged to use the marketing programs, tools and training they gain from the Focus CFO System to
jumpstart the Franchisee's marketing and development of their franchise and add potential clients to the Focus CFO client base. Focus CFO must approve all clients to ensure that the clients' business practices and reputation are consistent with Focus CFO's quality standards and the reputation of the Focus CFO Marks; however, Focus CFO is not involved in the day-to-day operations of our Franchisees.
Industry
Generally, we are not aware of any industry-specific laws or regulations with which you must comply. However, you should consult with your attorney concerning any federal, state or other local laws and ordinances that may apply.
No Use of CPA License, Designation or Certification
If a Franchisee of Focus CFO is a Certified Public Accountant ("CPA") or has been a licensed CPA in the past, Franchisee agrees not to represent themselves as a CPA in any way in connection with any marketing or offering of CFO Services under the Focus CFO brand.
Source: Item 1 — The Franchisor and any Parents, Predecessors, and Affiliates (FDD pages 6–8)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Focus Cfo Franchise Disclosure Document, qualified CFOs have a licensing agreement with Focus Cfo to provide CFO services. These CFOs are not franchisees, but rather independent contractors who have a license to use the Focus Cfo Marks and other resources provided by Focus Cfo. However, prior to 2023, some CFOs did operate as franchisees of Focus Cfo, but the company no longer offers franchise opportunities to individuals wishing to operate as a CFO.
Area Presidents (the franchisees) work to generate new clients for Focus Cfo and match them with these licensed CFOs. Franchisees are paid as independent contractors based on the fees generated from the CFO Services performed by Franchisees and licensees for the Focus CFO client base. The development of an area is contingent on the ability of each Franchisee to successfully implement the Focus CFO System, the needs of the Focus CFO clients in the area, the ability of the Franchisee to develop Focus CFO clients, and the ability of the Franchisee to work with CFOs and clients in their area.
Focus Cfo must approve all clients to ensure that their business practices and reputation align with Focus Cfo's quality standards and reputation. However, Focus Cfo is not involved in the day-to-day operations of its franchisees. Furthermore, Focus Cfo franchisees who are Certified Public Accountants (CPA) or have been licensed CPAs in the past, agree not to represent themselves as a CPA in any way in connection with any marketing or offering of CFO Services under the Focus CFO brand. They also agree not to use other forms of professional accounting certifications, or certifications common to public accounting firms, including, but not limited to, Chartered Accountant (CA) or similar designations, in conjunction with their association with Focus CFO.