Imagine this: You own a busy restaurant, coffee shop, or gym. People come in droves, your daily work becomes a routine, and people start to ask, “how to franchise a business?” That’s when the voice in your head says, “It’s time to start a franchise!” But before you get carried away with thoughts of developing an empire, let’s break open this coconut and get the actual steps out.

First of all, you can’t franchise anarchy. Your business needs to be stable. You need to write down every step of the process, from how you brew a cappuccino to how you greet guests. Make a plan. Employees should know how to accomplish your tasks so effectively that they could do them with their eyes closed (figuratively, of course—no one wants coffee all over the place). Every new branch should have the same level of service, style, and outcomes as your first one.

Next, make an amazing franchise package. You are not only selling a trademark. You’re proposing a plan that will help you succeed. Make a franchise agreement, which is a legal document that lists duties, royalties, territory, and other things. It’s not small talk, but it will help you avoid problems later. Always hire a lawyer that knows everything there is to know about franchising legislation. They’ll see things that your late-night Googling won’t.

Your secret sauce is training. Do your franchisees know how to hire people? Do you run promotions? Do you use your checklists and point-of-sale quirks? You will need to help them out for their launch and provide them a lifeline when things go wrong. Some franchisors have “university-style” boot camps where prospective owners spend days or weeks following around at the main office. Some people take crash courses from far away. The message is: Don’t toss them in the deep end without teaching them how to swim.

It is important to not forget about marketing support. Are you putting ads in all around the country? Grand openings of stores in the area? Give out your marketing skills and tools. A united front makes things happen more. Franchisees prefer marketing kits that are easy to use. Also, continuous branding makes sure that your reputation is always good.

Choose your first franchisees carefully. It’s fantastic to be excited, but you also need skills and money. When you interview them, act like you’re employing important people. It’s not enough to have a cousin’s friend who “always wanted to try.” Find partners who are tough, willing to learn, and have good finances. It’s kind of like matchmaking: you want people who will remain for a long time.

Next, we need to make decisions on territory. No one loves to step on other people’s toes. Make sure your agreement includes fair, protected areas so that franchisees don’t have to worry about another shop opening up right next to them. It keeps everyone happy and stops fights over land.

Ongoing support makes the deal. You need to check in on new places often. Visits, mystery shoppers, and refresher training all help keep standards high. The weakest link in a franchise is what makes it strong. If you help your franchisees do well, your brand will develop roots all throughout the country, and maybe even beyond.

Finally, be open to change. Changes in trends. Competitors come out of nowhere. Keep up with the problems your franchisees are having. Come up with new ideas together. Sometimes, the best ideas come from the field.

People are just as important as paperwork when it comes to franchising a firm. Your bread and butter are systems, support, justice, and flexibility. If you get those right, you might see your brand on every street corner before you realize it.