Running a Franchise in Belarus: Can You Hire a Manager?

Franchise buyers often plan to hire a manager so they can focus on growing the business. But established operating standards do not mean an outlet can run without the owner’s daily involvement. Management models vary across franchise networks: some brands want the owner behind the counter, while others accept a hired manager. Before buying, check which model the agreement allows and what delegation will actually cost.

1. Find out what work the brand expects the owner to do

Start with a list of tasks rather than asking, ‘Can I hire a manager?’ Ask the franchisor to describe a typical working week for the owner: who draws up rotas, interviews candidates, monitors stock write-offs, handles complaints and attends network meetings? Clarify separately what the owner must do during the set-up period and after opening.

A promise that ‘a few hours a week is enough’ only means something if it comes with an explanation of who does the rest of the work. If the franchise presentation assumes the owner will work full-time, a single supervisor may not be enough to replace them.

Before signing, request:

• the outlet’s staffing structure, with responsibilities allocated to each role;
• qualification requirements for the manager;
• a list of events and activities the owner must attend;
• the approval process for the manager and their deputy;
• a sample management report with personal and confidential information removed.

Compare the answers with your own availability. If you can only visit at weekends but the brand requires a daily presence, that is not a minor inconvenience: the operating model does not fit your circumstances. Do not expect a verbal agreement with the franchise salesperson to resolve it.

It is useful to ask the franchisor to work through a specific scenario: the manager is ill, a delivery is delayed or a senior employee resigns. Who makes the decisions, and what must the owner do personally? This will reveal more about the workload than a general description of a ‘turnkey business’.

2. Put the right to delegate in writing

In Belarus, franchising is specifically regulated by Chapter 53¹ of the Civil Code, ‘Comprehensive Business Licence (Franchising)’. Article 910 provides for a package of licensed rights to be granted to the licensee for a fee. Under Article 910-1, the agreement must be in writing and registered with the patent authority, the National Centre of Intellectual Property.

However, registration does not determine how many hours the owner must spend at the outlet. Requirements for personal involvement should be checked in the agreement itself, its annexes and any documents it incorporates by reference.

Hiring a manager does not, in itself, change the party to the franchise agreement. The licensee remains the commercial organisation or individual entrepreneur that signed the agreement. Allocating responsibilities internally does not release the licensee from its obligations to the rights holder.

Check the documents for requirements to manage the business personally, training restricted to the owner, or restrictions on giving employees access to operating systems. If management through a hired manager is permitted, propose setting out explicitly:

• which functions may be delegated;
• whether the franchisor must approve the candidate;
• which documents are required for approval;
• how long the approval process takes;
• who runs the outlet while a replacement manager is being appointed.

The employment relationship must be formalised in line with Belarusian labour law. Authority to represent the licensee in dealings with third parties must be set out in the appropriate documents, including a power of attorney where necessary. A job title alone does not confer authority to sign any contract. If agreed terms are added later, bear in mind that Council of Ministers Resolution No. 346 provides for the registration of amendments to franchise agreements.

3. Calculate the cost of replacing your own work

To assess the management model, create a separate cost breakdown. It should show not just the manager’s salary, but the full cost of carrying out the functions the owner would otherwise perform.

Include the manager’s pay, mandatory employer payroll contributions, recruitment, training and cover during absences. Check whether you must pay for retraining when a new employee takes over, travel to a training centre or accommodation. Do not assume these costs are included in the franchise package without confirmation.

Compare two scenarios using the same sales assumptions:

• The owner manages the business: record their tasks and the estimated time commitment.
• A hired manager runs the business: add the manager’s costs and identify the owner’s remaining responsibilities.

Do not describe the difference between revenue and expenses as passive income if the owner covers shifts without pay, handles purchasing and recruits staff. That is a business result achieved through the owner’s own labour.

Assess the month in which a manager is replaced separately: there may be recruitment costs, training costs for the new employee and temporary overlap between roles. If the model only works when one person is continuously available, its resilience needs closer examination.

4. Agree oversight arrangements and a replacement procedure

Delegation needs clear oversight. Before buying, find out whether the owner can independently view sales, returns, discounts, stock levels and amounts owed to suppliers. The manager’s report should not be the only way to find out how the business is doing.

Separate responsibilities: who orders stock, who authorises payments and who carries out stocktakes? Set limits on the decisions the manager can make independently, and list the situations in which the owner must be notified immediately. Give each person their own system access so it can be promptly revoked when they leave.

Ask the franchisor to agree a backup management procedure: who is temporarily responsible for maintaining standards, whether a deputy is permitted and how they receive the necessary training. This is particularly important if the rights holder must approve the manager.

Practical takeaway: buy a franchise that matches the level of involvement you can realistically provide. Before signing, you need three things: written clarity on delegation, a calculation of the manager’s full cost, and a workable procedure for overseeing and replacing them.