You might be thinking, “Let’s open a franchise my restaurant.” People are lining up outside your restaurant to get a taste of your food. But putting your logo on someone else’s building? That’s a whole other pot of gumbo. Let’s get to the point.

First things first, is your restaurant really ready? What makes your business run? You can’t put every meal, secret sauce, or song in a bottle so that someone else can copy it. You need foolproof processes for everything, from recipes and instructions to guidelines for uniforms and even how to answer the phone. If you lose one thread, your tapestry could come apart very quickly. Imagine how crazy it would be if someone put cinnamon in your clam chowder.

Now let’s talk about money. Hey, buddy, franchising isn’t cheap. There are lawyers, accountants, and consultants, and each one has a hand out. A franchise disclosure document is so long that it almost needs its own zip code. And you’ll have to pay for a new website, new marketing materials, and some nice packaging. I hope you like paperwork.

Let’s talk about power. You give up some control over your baby if you join the franchise circus. Your franchisees might not care as much as you do about how to fold napkins or how to create the ideal sear on a steak. Being patient and having a sense of humor can assist, especially if your franchisee decides to dress up like a pirate on the first day.

Choose your franchisees carefully. A neighbor of a cousin’s closest friend who “just loves eating out” won’t work. You want people that work hard. People who will wake up worrying about the lunch rush tomorrow. The procedure of applying should be more like an X Factor show than an open mic night.

Support is the most important thing. Getting ready. Taste testing. Visits that you didn’t expect, maybe with a little mystery shopping. Listen carefully. The DNA of your network of franchisees is the same. If one site coughs, others might sneeze. Take care of problems right away, otherwise that little flame could ruin your reputation.

Branding is also a jungle. Do you think your clients in another city will like your cheesy bread or themed decor the same way? Or does it all get lost in translation? You will succeed or fail based on how consistent you are. Keep in mind that one poor apple can ruin the whole bushel. Keep your name safe like a guard dog keeps a steak safe.

Don’t let social media catch you off guard. If one franchisee’s TikTok video goes viral for the wrong reasons, it could hurt your brand. The digital grapevine moves quickly. Keep an eye on it.

Think about what you want to do. Do you want to be famous all around the world or only in your state? If you go too big too quickly, you can fall. Grandma always told me to crawl before I walk and walk before I run. She was right most of the time.

Get support if you’re still ready to go. For real. Someone who has gone around the block at least once. They’ve noticed the holes in the road. They flaunt their scars like badges. So get ready to work. The path to franchising is crazy and a little dirty, but that’s okay—if it were easy, everyone would do it.