IFPG’s Membership Model Brings Ethics, Integrity and Culture to Franchise Consulting

Sponsored Content by IFPG.

Ethics are everything in business, and particularly in franchising. Anyone who is part of this industry knows the impact it has on people’s lives. Franchising has helped countless entrepreneurs achieve their dreams of business ownership. Franchise consultants come in at the beginning of the process and play a pivotal role. These professionals work to make an appropriate match between franchisor and franchisee based on a candidate’s background, desires and investment level. Serving a candidate’s best interests with ethical business practices is essential to the success of both parties. From the early days at IFPG, virtue and integrity have driven us. By design, our membership model has set the tone for the ethical and collaborative culture we have today.

When people ask me what sets IFPG apart, our membership-based structure is always my first answer. Our consultants keep 100 percent of their commissions. With this model, every franchise brand in our portfolio is on an even playing field. There is no incentive to favor one brand over another. In our eyes, all of our members are equal. This structure has served us well and has contributed to our reputation for professionalism.

To ensure a candidate’s best interests are always served, we brought together a group of our most highly-regarded, experienced members to serve as the IFPG Ethics Committee. Each member truly represents the high level of professionalism we strive for. Together, we created the IFPG Code of Ethics, which is a condition of IFPG membership. The IFPG Code of Ethics provides the fundamental principles of ethical conduct that all members will adhere to as they serve their candidates, franchisors and business opportunity companies they represent.

Culture and values

When connecting people is the core of your business, your culture needs to be inclusive and friendly. Ours is, and it always baffles me when people seem surprised by it. I’ve heard so many times, “wow, everyone is so nice and welcoming.” To me, that’s the only way to do business.

Even though we have grown to more than 1,000 members, we’re like family. They say, “a family that plays together, stays together,” and that motto certainly applies to IFPG. Our members are active and collaborative. We seize every opportunity to get together. We do this through in-person and virtual events, along with webinars and other educational opportunities. We engage members with team-building activities and give them an opportunity to learn about each other in a relaxed and fun setting. The more our Franchise Consultants know about our Franchisor Members, the more successful everyone is—especially the candidate.

Reputation is everything

For us, reputation is everything. By self-regulating, we ensure ours is pristine. We are rewarded when our members are successful. We are humbled when the industry gives us a nod. Our recognition as Entrepreneur Magazine’s number-one broker network was more than just a pat on the back. It was an acknowledgement from the entire franchise community and a validation that our efforts to continually do the right thing and bring value really works.

Our Consultants love their jobs because they feel fulfilled. They are rewarded by much more than commissions. The real reward comes with the gratification they feel from helping people change their lives. By guiding a candidate through the entire process, consultants see the fruits of their labors. Our consultants don’t stop the process when they introduce a candidate to a franchisor. It continues as all three parties (consultant, candidate, franchisor) work in conjunction to make sure the match is a good fit. Our consultants thrive on referrals and have long-lasting relationships with their candidates and with our franchisor members.

Our IFA membership is proof of our belief in how membership-based organizations can serve all of franchising. Just like the IFA, we have an idealistic vision and work towards the success of the franchise owner and the growth of the industry. Like IFA, we have found that doing the right thing, and always working toward the greater good is the key to long-term success and growth.

To learn more about IFPG visit IFPG.org