Whether you dream of opening a portrait studio or operating a home-based photography or video business, the world of franchising offers a variety of different opportunities. At the Goldstein Law Firm, we bring over 30 years of franchise law experience to helping clients make smart franchise investment decisions and protect their legal rights.
What are the steps involved in buying a photography or video franchise?
One of the first steps in buying a photography or video franchise is choosing the specific opportunities you want to consider. Do you want to open a retail location? Or, do you want to operate from home? Do you have a specific initial investment in mind? Which franchisors are offering new franchises in your geographic area? These are just some of the questions to be thinking about as you research different franchise opportunities online.
Once you choose one or more specific franchises, you then need to make contact with the franchisor. The franchisor will likely ask you to fill out an application, and then the buying process will move forward from there. In the meantime, you should evaluate your options for financing both the initial investment and your first several months of operations.
Sooner or later, you will receive copies of the franchisor’s Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) and franchise agreement. These are complex legal documents that you will want to have reviewed by an experienced attorney. Your attorney may also advise negotiating certain provisions of the franchise agreement before you sign on the dotted line.
What are some of the key legal issues involved in buying a photography or video franchise?
While each franchisor’s franchise agreement will be unique, most franchise opportunities present the same major legal issues. These include:
- Financial obligations during (and potentially after) the franchise term
- The franchisor’s obligations (or lack thereof) to franchisees
- Territorial rights and exclusivity
- Renewal and transfer rights
- Termination rights and obligations upon termination (such as non-competes)
For more examples, we encourage you to read:
- Top 10 Worst Provisions in a Franchise Agreement
- Pitfalls of Signing a Franchise Agreement Without Legal Representation
What are some of the most popular photography and video franchises?
While we cannot recommend or endorse any particular franchise opportunity, industry periodicals, including some online “best franchise” types of lists, identify the following leading mobile franchise opportunities available as of 2017:
- Glamour Shots – A studio portrait photography franchise.
- Home Video Studio – A home-based video production and post-production franchise.
- Images 4 Kids – A photography franchise that specializes in daycare, preschool and private school portraiture.
- TSS Photography – An on-site sports, school and event photography franchise.
- Venture Studios – A studio portrait photography franchise with locations in the United States and abroad.
What if I am ready to speak with a franchise lawyer?
If you have received an FDD and franchise agreement, or if you simply have questions about the franchise buying process, we encourage you to contact us for a free initial consultation. To speak with national franchise lawyer Jeffrey M. Goldstein in confidence, call (202) 293-3947 or submit a consultation request online today.
Disclaimer: The identification of any franchise or company on this website is not an endorsement of any aspect of that entity in any regard, nor should it be taken as one. In this regard, our inclusion of a franchise or company on our site is merely a note of the existence of that franchise or company in a particular industry, not an opinion or recommendation as to the past, current or future legal or financial viability or of that franchise company, franchisor, or its franchisees.