University offering online Franchise Certification

The University of Tennessee's Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Haslam College of Business will host its online Franchise Certification program from March 4 to May 7.

The course is open to anyone seeking more independence in their careers, veterans transitioning from the military, members of groups underrepresented in traditional business, and self-starters looking to channel their energies into a new enterprise. In eight weeks, students will learn the basic components of the franchising business:

• How franchising differs from other businesses
• How to write a business plan and obtain funding
• How to build a franchise by recruiting, hiring, and retaining employees
• How to lead by modeling the qualities of a successful franchise leader
• How to manage and measure operational components of franchising
• How to implement successful practices to ensure continued growth

Participants will be immersed in franchising, so they can decide if the business model is right for them. Students will learn best practices for operating a franchise business and get insider perspectives from industry professionals while networking with fellow entrepreneurs.

"Franchising is such a great way for someone who might be thinking about starting a business to do so with a little bit more of a safety net," says Shelly Sun, a 1992 Haslam College of Business alumna and a program donor.

Sun is the founder and CEO of BrightStar Care, a home healthcare franchise dedicated to providing both medical and non-medical assistance for families and individuals. Since Sun founded the company in 2002, BrightStar Care has grown to 380 locations represented by 200 small businesses and reached $639 million in revenue in 2021. It is consistently included in Forbes' Top Ten Franchises under $150,000 initial investment.

Sun says she helped launch Haslam's Franchise Certification program because of her regard for her alma mater and because she believes introducing aspiring entrepreneurs to the advantages of franchising can help them build economic prosperity.

"Marketing, developing a website, creating a brand and collateral materials and a sales process—all of those things take time, and they take money," Sun says. "Being able to hitch your wagon to a successful brand is what franchising has been for me. I feel that franchising is a safer journey for being an entrepreneur than going about it all on your own. Enabling more entrepreneurs across our country is how we'll continue to create wealth and chop away at economic disparity."

Sun says most people think of McDonald's and similar establishments whenever franchising is mentioned, but the business model encompasses much more.

"There are so many sectors of the economy that franchising touches," she explains. "How great would it be to see more individuals become entrepreneurs and make an impact on their own local economies?"

Cordell Riley, a franchising expert with nearly 30 years of experience, teaches the Franchise Certification program. His goal is to help create entrepreneurs who will leverage the American entrepreneurial spirit to make a difference in their communities.

"We want to show the next generation of entrepreneurs how they can be in business for themselves but not by themselves," he said.

The course costs $1,500. Click here to enroll. To learn more about the program, click here.