Franchise growth begins long before a new owner steps into training. It begins with people. The strength of any franchise system comes from the alignment between the franchisor, the business model, and the individuals trusted to represent the brand. When the right people join, training programs work more effectively, operations stabilize, and customer experiences become consistent across locations. When the wrong people join, even the best franchise training or extended enterprise learning structure struggles to produce meaningful results.
A recent conversation with Jared Nassiff of Business Alliance, Inc. brought fresh clarity to this idea. His work in helping franchisors find well aligned franchisees highlights the connection between early-stage development and long term training success. It also reinforces a recurring truth in franchising. Systems grow when they prioritize people first, not transactions.
Jared Nassiff serves as the Director of Business Development for Business Alliance, Inc., widely known as BAI. His path into franchising is not traditional. After more than a decade in vocational ministry, he and his family launched a church plant in Des Moines just as the pandemic disrupted nearly every aspect of life. Looking for a way to support his family while continuing his mission work, he stumbled into the world of franchise consulting.
What began as curiosity turned into a new career. He discovered that many of the interpersonal skills he developed in ministry translated well into business development. He learned to listen, guide, and support people through major decisions. He also recognized that franchising, at its core, is a people business built on clarity, service, and partnership.
Business Alliance, Inc. operates as a national brokerage network made up of three interconnected groups. Franchise consultants guide candidates through the ownership journey. Franchisors participate as vetted brands seeking qualified owners. Supplier partners provide legal, financial, marketing, and operational support. Together these groups create a structured ecosystem that helps franchisors grow responsibly and helps future owners find opportunities that match their goals and lifestyle.
One of the strongest insights Nassiff offers is the need for franchisors to define their ideal candidate. Many founders initially believe that industry experience is the most important predictor of success. The opposite is often true. Personality traits, leadership ability, lifestyle preferences, and passion for the category matter more than prior job titles.
This distinction is critical for franchise training teams. A franchisee may arrive with restaurant experience or senior care experience yet, still struggle because the demands of the model do not align with their life or working style. A different candidate with no direct industry background but with strong alignment to the system may thrive once they enter a structured franchise training program or extended enterprise LMS environment.
This is why clarity matters. When franchisors know who they are looking for, they can communicate expectations with confidence and filter candidates more effectively. This early alignment sets the stage for smoother onboarding, stronger knowledge acquisition, and clearer operational ramp up.
Consultants play a key role in improving candidate quality. Instead of relying solely on digital advertising or organic website leads, franchisors that work with a consultant network gain access to individuals who have already been evaluated. Consultants spend time understanding each candidate’s motivations, financial readiness, lifestyle factors, and personal goals. They filter out those who do not fit and introduce franchisors only to those who have a genuine chance of thriving within the system.
This human centered approach is becoming even more important as digital channels experience increased volumes of automated or low-quality inquiries. Franchisors lose time and energy sorting through leads that will never progress. With consultants, the focus shifts from volume to quality. The result is a pipeline of candidates who take discovery seriously and who approach franchise training with readiness rather than uncertainty.
Discovery is not only a sales process. It is the earliest stage of learning. Candidates begin forming their understanding of the model, the expectations, and the culture long before they sign. If the discovery process is unclear or inconsistent, it creates doubt. If it is structured and thoughtful, it signals that the franchisor is ready to support them through onboarding, launch, and long-term operations.
The principles behind effective discovery mirror many of the principles found in extended enterprise training and customer training frameworks. Clear expectations reduce anxiety. Structured pathways improve knowledge retention. Consistent messaging creates trust. These same principles reappear later inside the learning management system, where franchisees complete role-based training pathways and operational coursework.
Training teams understand that training alone cannot fix deep alignment issues. When the wrong person enters the system, training becomes a corrective tool rather than a developmental one. Progress slows. Frustration grows. Support resources increase. Conversely, when the right person enters the system, training accelerates performance rather than compensates for misalignment.
This connection is central to the companion case study, How Business Alliance, Inc. Strengthens Franchise Growth Through Structured Candidate Alignment. The case study explores how the right candidate selection improves the effectiveness of role-based curriculum, onboarding frameworks, and performance measurement within the LatitudeLearning Training Program Roadmap. It also highlights how different learner types respond to structured content and how franchisors can create an environment where training drives long term consistency.
Nassiff encourages franchisors to adopt a multi-channel approach to growth. Relying only on organic leads limits reach. Relying only on digital advertising increases risk, especially when automated bot inquiries inflate lead volume. Consultants, portals, paid media, and in person efforts each have strengths. When used together, franchisors build a healthier and more reliable development pipeline.
This strategy mirrors how training teams design blended learning programs. No single format solves every challenge. Digital courses, live training, coaching, and microlearning work best when used in coordination. Growth demands variety. Training demands variety. Systems benefit when both development and learning are approached with balance.
Nassiff’s insights offer practical guidance for anyone responsible for growing a franchise system or supporting one through training. Systems succeed when they prioritize fit, clarity, and partnership. They strengthen when they incorporate structured processes, thoughtful evaluation, and human centered guidance. And they thrive when training programs are built on top of a foundation of aligned owners who understand the expectations of the model.
Strong training programs do not operate in isolation. They are part of a larger ecosystem that includes selection, discovery, onboarding, operations, and continuous improvement. Business Alliance, Inc. serves as an important catalyst in that ecosystem by improving the quality of franchise candidates and helping franchisors build networks that are easier to train and support.
🎧 To explore the full conversation, listen to the Training Impact Podcast episode featuring Jared Nassiff of Business Alliance, Inc.
📄 Download the companion case study: How Business Alliance, Inc. Strengthens Franchise Growth Through Structured Candidate Alignment
🌐 Learn more about Business Alliance, Inc. on their website businessallianceinc.com
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