Our Step-by-Step Franchise Process

Get ready to fly with Wild Birds Unlimited

You’re ready to get started and on the countdown to ownership. Here, you’ll learn about each stage of the WBU franchise system process and how long it will take to have your new business up and running smoothly.

Timeline to Open

To complete the discovery process for becoming a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise store owner, you should estimate spending about 45-60 days with our development team. If we determine that Wild Birds Unlimited is the right fit for you, you will be invited to sign a Franchise Agreement. From there, we will begin the site selection process to identify your retail location.

WBU Decision Making Checklist

This detailed guide is a step-by-step map that will help you navigate through the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise system process.

Contact Us

Please contact us to set up your introductory call with a member of our Franchise Development team. We will direct you to our online module for a comprehensive introduction to our business. At the end of the module, you will complete our short online qualification form.

Introductory Call

During our first call, we’ll spend some time getting acquainted, learning about you and your interests and goals for owning a Wild Birds Unlimited franchise. We will answer your questions regarding the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise opportunity and verify your initial qualifications for franchise ownership. Once we’ve confirmed that you meet the qualifications, you will be given access to the next online module.

Get to Know our Franchise Store Owners

This is the “validation” step. At this stage, you can visit our stores and reach out to existing store owners to learn more about the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise experience from an owner’s perspective. Once you have completed your validation process, you can move on to the third online module.

Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD)

Required of all franchises, the FDD is the legal representation of the Wild Birds Unlimited franchise opportunity and will be sent to you either electronically or by mail for you to review. In the FDD, you will find a summary of financial performance for our franchise stores as well as in-depth information about our processes and operations. We will schedule a phone call to discuss each element in the FDD, typically within 10 days of your receipt of the document.

Business Planning

Our business planning process includes an in-depth look at our comprehensive support services for all elements of franchise operation. We will provide you with access to a sample business plan along with financial projection worksheets and detailed information about third-party financing options via our fourth online module. As you are working on your business plan, you will be invited to attend scheduled webinars with our team to learn more about the ongoing support services that we provide to our franchise store owners. You will have lots of opportunities to ask even more detailed questions about our ongoing support services.

Meet the Flock

Once you’ve submitted your business plan, we will schedule a webinar with members of our operations team.

You will be invited to virtually attend our “Meet the Flock” day. There, you will meet additional staff who will provide you with continued support as you run your business. In the past, we did this final meeting in person, but have migrated (get it?) to a fully virtual Meet the Flock day since the pandemic. Mutually, we will make the decision to move forward on signing a Franchise Reservation Agreement or a Franchise Agreement.

This is an exciting day!