5 Lessons Every Prospective Franchise Owner Should Learn (From One Air Force Veteran’s First Year)

Franchising looks simple from the outside—buy a proven model, follow the system, and watch the money roll in. But as Joe Hopkins, an Air Force veteran turned HealthSource Chiropractic franchisee, made clear in our conversation, reality is far more nuanced.

Joe’s clinic has only been open seven months, but he’s already hit roadblocks, learned hard lessons, and gained insights that any future franchise owner should hear before they sign a franchise agreement.

Here are the five biggest takeaways from his story.

1. Define Your Non-Negotiables Before You Start

Joe had three “go/no-go” rules:

• No food industry (too much 24/7 grind).

• No working Sundays (family day).

• He had to believe in the product.

Those boundaries narrowed his options and gave him clarity when evaluating opportunities. Without them, he admits he might have been pulled into the wrong business.

Lesson: Write down the lifestyle and values you won’t compromise on. If a franchise conflicts with those, walk away.

2. The Job Is Sales—Even in Healthcare

Joe’s biggest surprise wasn’t staffing or marketing—it was sales.

“I never realized how much of this was selling. And it’s not just me. My doctors have to sell the value of living pain-free.”

Even with a medical service, patients had to be educated, convinced, and enrolled into long-term care plans. Doctors who were trained to diagnose and treat had to learn to sell—something Joe never anticipated.

Lesson: No matter the industry, franchise owners are in sales. If you or your team can’t sell, your business will struggle.

3. Expect Construction Delays and Hidden Costs

Joe thought he had his buildout budget nailed down—until the franchise architect flagged that the building only had 100 amps of power instead of the required 300. The fix doubled his construction costs and delayed opening nearly a year.

Lesson: Overestimate your buildout time and budget. Surprises are common, and utilities, city approvals, or contractor delays can quickly derail your timeline.

4. Training and Support Can Make or Break You

One of the reasons Joe chose HealthSource was its comprehensive training. He and his team went through “HealthSource University,” shadowed a working clinic, and now have weekly team training blocks built into the schedule.

“The training is absolutely fabulous. If anything, there’s too much of it. But that was a good surprise.”

Lesson: Look for franchises that don’t just offer an initial boot camp, but also ongoing training systems that become part of the culture.

5. Don’t Take Item 19 at Face Value

Joe’s biggest financial misstep came from misinterpreting the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). Item 19 showed revenue averages across all units—many of which had been open for years.

“I should have asked to see first-year clinic data. My runway assumptions were way too rosy. If I had known it takes 6–12 months to stabilize, I would have planned differently.”

Lesson: Always break down Item 19 earnings by age of unit, talk to brand-new owners (not just top performers), and double your financial runway.

Final Thought

Joe doesn’t regret his choice. He loves the mission of helping people live pain-free and sees long-term growth ahead. But he’s clear-eyed about the effort:

“This is not a mutual fund. It’s not something you buy and set aside. You have to do the work.”

For prospective franchisees, his experience is a reminder: the model matters, but your preparation matters even more. Define your boundaries, brace for sales, budget for delays, lean on training, and scrutinize the numbers.

Do that, and you’ll walk into franchising with realistic expectations—and a far better chance of long-term success.