Franchises for Couples and Families

How common is it for couples and families to own a business together?

Family ownership is a large part of small business in the United States. About one in four employer firms (26.1 percent) were family-owned in 2022, according to the SBA Office of Advocacy, 2026, and those family-owned firms employed 15 employees per firm, compared with 11 per firm for firms that were not family-owned. In 2021, 57.9% of family-owned firms had been in business more than 10 years, compared with 50.2% of firms that were not family-owned, according to the SBA Office of Advocacy, 2024.

Census survey data also tracks businesses run by spouses, and in 2021, 10% of small businesses in the U.S. were jointly owned and operated equally by spouses, while another 11% were jointly owned by spouses but separately operated, according to Pew Research Center, 2024.

Should you and your spouse buy a franchise together?

The answer depends mostly on how the two of you work together when money, deadlines and disagreements are on the table, since a shared business puts your income, your savings and much of your time in one place. Flexibility is a common motivation for owning a business, and 52% of women and 38% of men who want to start a business list flexible scheduling as a main reason, according to Gallup, 2024. Each of you will have your own reasons, so name them to each other first, and then talk through a few questions as a couple, at home and well before any franchisor joins the conversation.

• Do you both want to work in the business, or will one of you keep a current job?
• How much of your savings are you both comfortable committing to one business?
• How do you make big financial decisions now, and how do you settle disagreements about money?
• What skills does each of you bring, and how much schedule flexibility does each of you need?

You might also each take the franchise ownership assessment on your own and compare answers, then try the funding options calculator together as you talk about how much to commit.

How do couples split roles in a franchise?

The Pew categories above describe two broad arrangements, a business that spouses own and run as equals and one they own together but operate separately, so it helps to decide early which one you are building. One practical approach is to divide the work by strength and by function, with one partner leading daily operations and the team while the other handles finances and marketing. In a consumer-facing business, for example, one of you might be the person customers see every day while the other keeps the books. Put the split in writing, agree which decisions need both of you, and decide in advance what happens if one of you wants to step back.

Can both spouses be on the franchise agreement?

The answer depends on the franchisor, so raise the question early with every company you talk to. Ask who will sign the franchise agreement, who must complete the initial training, who the franchisor expects to be the main operator, and what happens if ownership between the two of you changes later. Have an attorney who works with franchise agreements review the documents with both of you, and ask an accountant how the two of you should hold the business.

Should one spouse keep a job while the other runs the business?

Keeping one paycheck can appeal to a couple, because a steady salary and any workplace benefits give the household some stability while the business gets established, although the partner running it will carry most of the daily load. If one of you will run the business full time, look closely at owner-operator models in categories such as home services, and ask each franchisor what a typical week looks like for an owner. If neither of you is ready to leave a job, ask about semi-absentee franchises, how each franchisor expects an owner to work with a manager, and how many hours a week it expects from owners in the first year.

Can your kids work in a family franchise?

Federal rules generally let children of any age work in a business entirely owned by their parents, outside mining, manufacturing and hazardous occupations, according to Fact Sheet 43 from the U.S. Department of Labor, 2016, which still reflects the current federal rule. Our page for teens covers the details, including how state rules can be stricter and what to check if anyone outside the family owns part of the business.

How do you keep your marriage healthy while running a business together?

When you work together, the business can easily follow you home, so give it some structure from the start. A standing weekly meeting gives business decisions a set time and place, keeps disagreements away from staff and children, and leaves more of your evenings for the rest of your life together. An outside view helps as well, and SCORE offers free business mentoring that can give the two of you a neutral sounding board. During your research, you can also ask franchisors whether they can connect you with owners in their system who run a business with a spouse or family member.

How do you plan to pass a franchise down to your children?

If you hope a son or daughter will take over one day, start planning before you sign, because the franchise agreement will shape how a transfer to a family member can happen. When you meet each franchisor, ask how it handles that kind of transfer and what approval it requires, whether a child taking over would complete the same training as any new owner, and how long the initial term runs and on what conditions it can be renewed. Bring an estate planning attorney and an accountant into these conversations, and include your children once they are old enough to say what they want from the business.

How can a FranNet consultant help the two of you compare options?

A FranNet franchise consultant is a local franchise expert who advises you on franchise and business opportunities, at no cost to you and with no obligation, because FranNet receives its fee from the franchisor of the franchise you may buy, much as a real estate agent is paid by the seller. Your consultant can introduce the two of you to many different franchisors, so you can learn about several options in one place instead of going from company to company, and can tell you which franchises are currently available in your area.

Your consultant can also help you both learn about franchising, research businesses, identify the right structure and mix of businesses for the two of you, and meet franchisors that fit your model, guiding you from the first research to signing the franchise agreement while the decision to sign stays with you. As our client bill of rights says, consultants will not pressure you or talk you into an opportunity that does not fit your goals, budget or skill set.

If you tell us a bit about your goals, a local consultant will reach out to talk through your options, and we suggest setting that first call for a time when both of you can join so neither of you hears the details secondhand.