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Do you want to do business internationally or perhaps globally?

To begin with, I must say that there are mental barriers we face when we even start to think that our concept could operate in countries all around the world.
How is it possible for a small local shop or a Croatian brand to start selling across Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and beyond? The first step is to break down all mental barriers — to truly want it and believe it’s possible.
The next step is to establish a franchise system that enables international expansion without capital investment. From my own experience, I’ll share a few typical scenarios that allow a franchise brand to enter global markets.

To start with, take advantage of tourism

Croatia has a tourist season that you can literally view as a major hub where people from all over the world come together — giving you the perfect opportunity to showcase your concept to them.
Surf’n’Fries currently has over 20 franchisees in Croatia, all of whom are located along the coast and operate during the tourist season. Because of this, we’ve received hundreds of inquiries from literally all parts of the world.
So, the concept is simple: open your business in a good coastal location, a potential franchisee comes as a tourist, sees your concept, tries it, likes it, realizes it could work well in their own country, contacts you — and voilà!
You’re potentially in international business!

The Croatian diaspora has enormous potential

Although over the years an incredible amount of capital from the diaspora has been poured into a bottomless pit — with many losing significant sums of money — the diaspora still has the desire and willingness to invest.
A huge number of inquiries for Surf’n’Fries came from Croatian expatriates who want to do business with Croatia but don’t want to get burned again. A franchise is the perfect business model for this kind of partnership. On one hand, you have a concept originating from Croatia, and on the other, a potential franchisee who understands Croatian culture but also knows the local market where they operate. These characteristics alone already create a strong foundation for a successful franchise partnership.

Franchise Brokers / Recruiters

The traditional approach involves franchise brokers who are constantly looking for new and interesting concepts for their clients — investors eager to put money into the next trendy brand.
The advantage of working with franchise brokers is that they bring in vetted, qualified potential franchisees — saving you from wasting time on undercapitalized or inexperienced candidates who often end up ruining the deal. In return, you’ll need to pay a success fee, of course, which can be substantial — but it’s still a far better option than wasting time with the wrong franchise partners.
It’s also very important to understand that high-quality franchise brokers do not want to work with poorly structured franchise concepts, as doing so would damage their own credibility with investor clients. In other words, make sure your brand is exceptionally well-prepared in terms of its business model, franchise documentation, operations manuals, and related materials.

Potential Pitfall

There is one drawback: you need to be careful about whom you work with. In the world of franchise brokers, there are many “bad actors” who will take your retainer fee and then never actually do any work for you.

Franchise Expos

Of course, there are also franchise expos in nearly all developed countries. At these events, franchise brands showcase their concepts and business models, while the visitors are usually individuals interested in purchasing a franchise.
In Europe, one of the highest-quality and largest franchise expos takes place in Paris every year in March. I would personally recommend attending it.
Besides the examples mentioned, there are many other scenarios where your franchise brand may get the opportunity to go international. The most important thing is to be prepared with a business model and have a ready answer for how to structure a franchise in a foreign country (once someone asks you). I’m sure many of you readers have already received inquiries about opening your concept in another market. The solution is, of course, through a franchise designed as a win-win for both parties.
Finally, I’ll mention one very important thing: when people ask me how we managed to get SnF into so many countries, my answer is simple — “We didn’t sell a single franchise; literally, everyone came to buy one from us.”

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