When people consider buying into a franchise, many give considerable thought about the business model more than anything else. After that, they are likely to focus on the franchise fee or study the company’s history and how its future looks.

That’s all important, of course, but arguably, people should be doing a lot of thinking about the company’s culture. Is it positive, or toxic? You don’t have to look all that hard on the internet for complaints from miserable franchise owners who feel that the corporation they work for is less than honest or competent.

At Moran Family of Brands, we think we have a very positive company culture. Every company says that their company culture is the best thing ever, so that’s probably not shocking.

But hear us out. We realize that we are far from the only company that cares about its franchise owners and employees. Many franchises and corporations are wonderful to work for. But we all know that some companies haven’t seemed to have gotten the memo, or to go with an even older cliché, they talk the talk but don’t walk the walk – and so we’re just saying that if you’re looking into buying a franchise, talk to some franchise owners first and ask them, “If you could do it all over again, would you buy into this franchise?” And be sure to ask something along the lines: “Do you think the company culture is a positive, nurturing one?”

Because if it isn’t, you’ll either get an earful – or maybe silence, which can speak volumes, too.

We really do believe in a strong company culture, and we’ve tried to show that to our franchisees through a variety of ways. For instance:

• We get advice from our franchise owners. Each year, eight owners are elected by their fellow owners to Moran’s Franchisee Advisory Board. They meet on a quarterly basis at our corporate office in Midlothian, Illinois. We don’t pretend that we always have all of the answers, and we know our franchise owners see the business from a different angle, and sometimes it’s an angle with a better view than we have. The advisory board serves all of us, corporate, franchise owners and their employees, and it makes us a stronger company for it.
• We try to make it clear how much we appreciate our franchise owners. Every year, Moran Family of Brands offers the Franchisee of the Year Award to each of Moran’s franchise brands. The voting is done by Moran franchisees, and franchise owners win by demonstrating Moran’s core values of D.R.I.V.E. (Dedication, Respect, Integrity, Vision, Enthusiasm). They also exhibit outstanding service to their customers and provide support for fellow franchisees and the entire system. The winners receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to attend the International Franchise Association Franchisee of the Year Award Dinner. It is a tremendous recognition for our franchise owners around the country, and we always have a ton of fun during the awards.
• We strive to make our group of franchise owners inclusive. Moran Family of Brand encourages women to buy into the franchise. Working in car-related businesses may seem like a man’s game, but that’s a 20^th century way of thinking. Our CEO and co-founder is Barbara Moran, and we have several successful female franchise owners in our system. We are also members of VetFran and DiversityFran and offer a one-time discount of $5,000 off the franchise fee.

Moran Family of Brands has an excellent business model, feel that our franchise fees are competitive, and our proud of our history and excited about our future. But don’t forget to look at a company’s culture when you consider buying any franchise and try to determine if it’s a corporation that’s going to build you up or tear you down. It’s great if the franchise you’re buying is going to make you a lot of money, but there’s something to be said for happiness, too, and no reason you can’t have both.