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Franchise FAQ's

Q: What do I get as a Dough & Arrows franchisee?
Dough and Arrows offers delicious, edible cookie dough as well as ice cream, ice cream pies, cheesecakes, toppings, and other baked goods in a motivational and friendly environment. You will be selling our wide range products. We offer franchises for the right to operate a single Dough & Arrows retail location.  You will provide products to customers under the “Dough & Arrows” Marks, using our distinctive operating procedures and standards in a limited protected territory and from a single location.  The distinguishing characteristics of a Dough & Arrows Franchised Business include, but are not limited to, the Dough & Arrows distinctive trade dress, proprietary designs and techniques, operations methods, inventory, procedures for management, training, advertising, and promotional programs, all of which may be changed, improved or further developed by us at any time (together referred to as the “System”).

Q:  What do you look for in a franchisee?
To be part of our elite team, you need to have experience working with staff and a passion for working with people and delivering outstanding service.   We will help you out with sales aids and marketing materials, but knowledge and confidence in the areas of sales and customer service  is essential. You must also be self-motivated, focused, and organised, with excellent interpersonal skills to build a loyal base of clients.

Ideal Franchisees:
- Have a powerful desire to succeed.
- Are dynamic, self-starters with great ambition to operate their own business.
- Able to work independently without direct supervision.
- Have a strong sense of community and in giving back to others.
- Have a strong entrepreneurial nature proven by an established track record.
- Thrive on sales, prospecting and promotion and excel at it.
- Will work the franchised business full-time in conjunction with a manager(s) who must be approved by us.
- Have sufficient financial resources to support themselves and their business for 6-8 months.
- Have financial resources to advertise and promote the location locally.
- Want to be part of a national powerhouse in the industry.
- Believe in charity and in giving back to the community.

Our success is not just about the number of franchises we award and value of the services we provide. It's also about the quality of the franchisee partnerships we form and number of franchisees who are successful. Because of this, it is critical from the start that we make sure that we are a great match for your goals, as well as making sure that you are a great match for ours. The D&A franchise model and system is one of partnership with our franchise owners; working together to achieve success.

Q: What is the Initial Investment Required?
The Initial Franchise fee is $35,000 and is payable upon signature of the Franchise Agreement. All fees are plus taxes. For the construction and equipping of your store you should have a minimum amount of capital for investment in the range of $140,000-$200,000 USD (approximately 50% of which can be borrowed).
Setting up any new business always involves upfront expenses such as the incorporation of a company, legal and financial professional advice.  It is your responsibility to see if a business permit or other documentation is required to operate a franchise in your area. Additionally, there is the printing of business cards and other marketing materials. We provide you with the templates for all of these materials.
The Initial Fee includes the cost of the training program but does not cover the cost of travel, lodging and meal expenses for yourself and (one other team member if you wish) for the Initial Training period. You should also have some working capital and 6-8 months of living expenses if this is your sole source of income.  

Q:  Does Dough & Arrows provide financial assistance?
No, we do not finance franchisees however we do provide assistance to franchisees in arranging financing through one of the many accredited lending institutions. You will be required to prepare a Business Plan to present to your bank to support your financing request and we will assist you in the preparation of the Business Plan and in dealing with your banker.

Q:  What is included in the Initial Fee?
- The right and licence to use Dough & Arrows (APK) intellectual property, System and Manuals.
- A Comprehensive Training Program for you and 1 other member of your management team.
    - A business advisor to assist in the opening of your AKP franchise.
    - The use of all AKP manuals, marketing materials, and all other resources.
    - The right to use the Trademarks and Trade names for the term of the Franchise Agreement; and
    - Start up and ongoing support from the Corporate Office personnel in areas of operations, marketing, administration and technology.

Q: What are the ongoing fees?
The ongoing fees include a Royalty Payment of 8% of Gross Sales, A Brand Marketing Fund of 2% of Gross Sales and a Local Marketing Fee of 1.5% of Gross Sales. This latter fee is intended to be used in your trade area and is not remitted to the Franchisor. There is also a Technology Fee of $150 per month.

Q: What kind of training will I receive?
D&A Corporate Office provides a comprehensive initial training program for all our franchisees followed by regular workshops, seminars, online training sessions and business coaching that cover the full spectrum, including:
- Recipes
- Human Resources
- Sales & Marketing
- Customer Relationships Management
- Products and Services
- And everything else you need to know to run a successful Dough & Arrows location.

The Training Program consists of two weeks of on-site training at our corporate location in Carlisle, PA and then a week at your location just prior to and after opening.  

Q:  What is the Term of the Agreement and do I get to Renew?
The Initial Term of the Agreement is Ten (10) years and there is One (1) option to renew for another Ten (10) years each, all providing that the you meet certain conditions, which can include not being in default of the Franchise Agreement and paying a renewal fee.

Q: What kind of staffing requirements are there?
A typical location will have one permanent employee other than the franchisee; the rest are all part-time. There is a need for approximately 6 part-time employees depending on the season and the level of sales.

Q: Do I have to operate the business, or can I simply invest?
Given the demands of the business it is our policy to seek applicants that are committed to providing their full time and attention to the business. The nature of the operation requires a personal commitment to the business.  We seek franchisees that can make a long-term commitment to operating the franchise, without becoming absentee owners once established. We do accept investors or silent partners, providing that there is at least one operator who is the majority shareholder.

Q: What ongoing support do I receive?
The main function of the franchisor is to assist the franchisee by supporting their efforts in all key functions ranging from sales and operations, to training, accounting, human resources, information technology, and marketing. This is provided for via ongoing training, updates to the Operations Manual, local visits and consultations.

Q: Do I have to do any of my own marketing?
Dough & Arrows provides a comprehensive consumer website.  We provide the website, as well as print and online advertising. We also have a Facebook page and each franchisee may have their own Facebook page subject to a small initial and monthly maintenance fee.  Most importantly however, individual franchisees are required to invest 1.5% of Gross Sales on local marketing to generate brand awareness for the business in their area. We will provide you with materials and templates for this requirement. obligation.

Q: How long does it take before I start making money?
As with any business, it will take time and effort to increase revenue to a level where you can be self-sufficient. How fast you generate income from your location will largely depend on your efforts, strategies and abilities

Q: What is the process of becoming a D&A franchisee?
1. Carefully read the information already provided to you on our website.
2. If you meet the criteria and your interest is piqued, send us an email or use our online contact form and a member of our franchise team will reach out to you.
3. After Stage 2, you then submit a Confidential Application Form that we will send you with the marketing package.
4. Once we receive your Application, we will evaluate it and get back to you with a positive or negative response within 72 hours.
5. If you are approved, you will then come to our Corporate Office and meet the management and executive team and to spend some Discovery hours in one of our locations. During this time of pandemic, all meetings will be held on Zoom.
6. At that meeting you will be provided with the legal documents you will be required to sign, and we strongly recommend hiring an attorney who is a franchise specialist.
7. If you have a successful Discovery Day, then we proceed to the execution of the franchise documents.
8. We will then look for a location for you in your territory and negotiate the lease on your behalf.
9. You can then go to any financial institution and make an application for financing. We will help with all the necessary materials that a bank would want to see.

Once the franchise documents and the lease are signed and you have received your financing, you will receive all the training and support you need to get your business up and running and making a profit!