Choosing a franchise consultant
The Franchise Consultant vs Infinity Business Growth Network
Both firms will help you franchise your business. But how your brand is protected, who your recruitment really serves, and whether your consultant is held to an independent standard are very different. Here is an honest, like-for-like comparison so you can decide with your eyes open.
Why the accreditation behind your consultant matters
Franchising your business is one of the biggest commitments you will make. The documents you sign, the franchisees you recruit, and the reputation you build all outlast the launch. The single clearest difference between the two firms is who holds them accountable. The Franchise Consultant is a bfa (British Franchise Association) Advisor Member. Infinity Business Growth Network is accredited by, and a founding sponsor of, the Quality Franchise Association (QFA).
Side by side
Every point below is taken from each firm’s own published information.
| The Franchise Consultant | Infinity Business Growth Network | |
|---|---|---|
| Industry accreditation | bfa Advisor Member — the British Franchise Association, established 1977, the UK’s long-standing franchise body, working to the internationally recognised European Code of Ethics. | QFA accredited. The QFA was founded in 2018 and operates its own code of conduct. Infinity is a founding sponsor of the QFA. |
| Independence of that accreditation | Independent. The bfa is a separate body that assesses and can hold its members to account. | Infinity is a founding sponsor of the association that accredits it. Worth asking how independent that oversight is. |
| Where recruitment is advertised | Across most major UK franchise portals, multiple independent channels working for your brand. | Primarily through Franchise UK, the directory Infinity owns. Ask whether recruitment serves your brand or the firm’s own portal. |
| Service model | Three packages (Foundation, Rapid Launch Pro, White Glove) matched to your business and its readiness. | A single fixed-fee package of £9,995 offered to businesses regardless of stage or sector. |
| Is every business taken on? | No. We only take on businesses we genuinely believe are ready, after a free, honest assessment against five readiness markers. | Promotes a low-cost, rapid franchising route open to small businesses seeking fast growth. |
| Legal documentation | Franchise agreement drafted by a specialist franchise solicitor, alongside a bespoke operations manual. | Legal documentation included within the fixed-fee package. |
| Fee structure | Transparent packages built around the work your brand actually needs. | Fixed fee plus reliance on franchisee-recruitment success fees, by their own description: “we expect the majority of our fees coming from recruitment success fees.” |
| Team & experience | Regional consultants across York, Manchester, London, Surrey, Reading, Plymouth and Edinburgh; 100+ years combined experience; 500+ franchisees placed across 40+ brands. | Team of consultants, lawyers and accountants; states 20+ years’ experience via ownership of Franchise UK (est. 2004). |
What those differences mean for you
An independent standard, not a self-built one
The bfa wrote the UK rulebook for ethical franchising and assesses its members against the European Code of Ethics. Because we are held to a standard we did not create, our accreditation is external assurance for you, your franchisees and their funders. It is a different position from being accredited by an association you helped found.
Recruitment that works for your brand
We advertise your opportunity across the major independent UK franchise portals, so candidate reach is driven by what is best for your network. When a consultancy recruits mainly through a directory it owns, it is fair to ask whose interests that channel is built to serve.
Bespoke, not one-size-fits-all
A £2m services business and a single-site retailer should not be franchised from the same template. We match one of three packages to your model and stage, and your franchise agreement is drafted by a specialist franchise solicitor rather than adapted from a standard form.
An honest answer before you spend a penny
Not every business is ready to franchise, and we will tell you if yours is not. Our free assessment measures your business against five markers of franchise readiness, so you invest only when the model genuinely supports it.
Questions to ask any franchise consultant
Before you sign with anyone, including us, ask these. The answers tell you a great deal.
- Are you a member of the British Franchise Association, and if not, which body holds you to account and did you help create it?
- Where will my franchise opportunity be advertised, and do you own any of those channels?
- Will my franchise agreement be drafted by a qualified, specialist franchise solicitor?
- Is my package tailored to my business, or is it the same package you offer everyone?
- Will you tell me honestly if my business is not ready to franchise?
- What ongoing support continues after my first franchisees are recruited?
Get an honest view of your franchise potential
Book a free, no-obligation assessment with our bfa-accredited team. We will give you a straight answer on whether your business is ready, and exactly what working with The Franchise Consultant would involve. No pressure to proceed.
Infinity Business Growth Network is accredited by the Quality Franchise Association, which it helped found. It is not a member of the British Franchise Association. The Franchise Consultant is a bfa Advisor Member.
The bfa was set up in 1977 and holds members to the recognised European Code of Ethics. The QFA was set up in 2018 with its own code, and Infinity is a founding sponsor of it.
Yes. The Franchise Consultant is a bfa Advisor Member, with agreements drafted by a specialist franchise lawyer and recruitment run across independent UK franchise portals.
It depends on your business and how much you outsource. We offer three packages and a free, no-obligation assessment.
Steve Lee is Managing Director of The Franchise Consultant, a bfa Advisor Member franchise consultancy. He is the author of Bought In, a guide to buying and building a franchise business.