Buying a Franchise in Belarus: What to Ask Existing Franchisees

Before buying a franchise, it is worth speaking not only to the seller but also to business owners already operating under the brand. These conversations can help you decide whether the day-to-day reality of working within the franchise network suits you. But one satisfied franchisee’s recommendation is no substitute for due diligence. You need a consistent set of questions, a range of people to speak to and a clear way to check their answers against the documents.

1. Speak to franchisees with different experiences

Ask the franchisor to introduce you to existing franchisees, with their consent. Find out why these particular people have been suggested: have they recently opened, do they operate in a similar town or city, or are they considered the most successful? A selection of the best examples is useful, but it does not show the full range of experiences.

For a meaningful comparison, try to speak to several types of business owner:

• those who have recently opened — they will remember the decision-making process and the initial organisational challenges;
• those who have been operating for longer — they can describe an established working routine;
• single-outlet owners — their workload is likely to be closer to that of a first-time buyer;
• franchisees in comparable towns and cities — this will give you a clearer picture of local demand and recruitment conditions.

Also look for publicly available contact details for outlets and politely ask to speak to the owner. Do not pretend to be a customer or an inspector. Explain why you would like to speak to them and suggest a convenient time: business owners are under no obligation to help with your due diligence.

Conversations with franchisees in Belarus are particularly valuable. An overseas outlet’s experience may differ because of payment arrangements, supply chains and local requirements. If the network is only just entering Belarus, explicitly acknowledge this limitation: overseas testimonials do not establish that the model is ready for local conditions.

2. Ask about actions, not general impressions

The question ‘Are you happy with the franchise?’ usually tells you little. Instead, ask franchisees to describe a typical working week and specific recent situations. The aim is to establish what role the owner actually plays and how closely it matches your expectations.

Use the same list of questions for everyone:

1. What do you do personally? Which decisions cannot be delegated to a manager, and how much attention do staff and day-to-day operations require?
2. What experience proved necessary? What did you have to learn after buying, and what would have been worth learning beforehand?
3. Which decisions can you make independently? Ask for an example of a local initiative and how approval was obtained.
4. How are disagreements handled? Who was involved in the most recent disputed issue, how was the agreement recorded and what was the outcome?
5. How do franchisees interact with one another? Can they share practical experience directly, rather than only through head office?
6. What would you check before buying if you were doing it today? This question often reveals less obvious demands placed on the business owner.

After each significant answer, ask when it happened, whether the rule applied across the network or only to that outlet, and whether it was set out in writing. Do not ask people to disclose recipes, internal instructions or other people’s personal data. An anonymised account is usually enough to assess the process.

Do not record the conversation secretly. Agree on recording in advance, or take notes and ask the franchisee to confirm a brief summary. This reduces the risk of misrepresenting what they said.

3. Distinguish a franchisee’s experience from legal obligations

Belarus has no standalone franchising law, but Chapter 53 of its Civil Code, ‘Comprehensive Business Licence (Franchising)’, contains specific provisions. Article 910 describes the granting of a package of licensed rights to a user in return for payment. Under Article 910-1, the agreement must be in writing and registered with the patent authority — the National Centre of Intellectual Property.

This creates an important practical distinction: an existing franchisee’s account does not determine the terms of your future agreement. They may have a different version of the contract, individually negotiated terms or supplementary agreements. Even an honest recommendation does not guarantee that the same arrangements will apply to you.

Create a table with four columns: ‘statement’, ‘who said it and when’, ‘what my documents provide for’ and ‘what needs clarification’. For example, check the statement ‘the owner does not need to be involved in day-to-day operations’ against requirements for personal involvement, the manager’s qualifications and approval of their appointment.

If an important term exists only as a verbal promise, ask for it to be put in writing before you buy. A lawyer should check the wording and any necessary registration steps: amendments and additions to a franchise agreement must also be registered. Registration alone does not establish that the business model is right for you.

4. Base your decision on consistent evidence

Assess recurring observations, rather than the number of positive reviews. If different owners independently describe the same workload and decision-making arrangements, that is a more reliable guide than one franchisee’s enthusiastic recommendation.

Clarify contradictions first. Differences may be explained by the outlet format, the owner’s experience or the period in which they operated. Give the franchisor an anonymised list of discrepancies and ask which arrangements will apply to you. Do not turn other people’s comments into accusations.

A significant question that remains unanswered in a verifiable way is a reason to pause the purchase. For example, you may be told verbally that you can run the business through a manager, while the draft agreement requires your constant personal involvement. An individual franchisee’s refusal to speak to you does not, in itself, prove that there is a problem.

Practical takeaway: before paying, hold several conversations using a consistent set of questions, identify what will be required of you personally and check those requirements against the agreement. Do not buy someone else’s success story: buy into a clearly understood role within a particular franchise network.