Michael Silverman

The test is whether the buyer is set up to win, not whether the fee gets collected.

• A franchisee who cannot give the business the attention the system requires is a bad fit the franchisor should refuse: protecting the brand and the buyer matters more than short-term revenue.
• This is their clearest statement of the principle they call Mission Over Commission.

A client spent months on due diligence, then decided to keep a 9-to-5 job and hire a manager to run the franchise.

• The founder, whose system had 296 locations open, turned down the deal and restarted the search for a partner rather than take $109,800 in franchise fees.
• Michael Silverman closes by asking readers for the largest amount of money they have walked away from to do the right thing.

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A vitamin business requires three sells: convince people the problem exists, convince them a solution exists, then convince them yours is best.

• An aspirin business starts with someone already in pain who knows the problem and the solution, and wants only the fastest, most trusted fix.
• The practical test is how long it takes to explain what you do: more than ten seconds suggests you are selling a vitamin, so the business has to pay for market education before it can sell anything.

A roofing business passes the test in two lines: asked what you do, the answer is "I fix roofs," and the customer already understands. Michael Silverman notes that a client on a call coined the aspirin phrasing, and ties the metaphor to personal history: selling vitamins was their first franchise, an 11-year run.

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Three things matter: show that franchisees are supported after the deal closes, not just before it; define who thrives in the system and who does not, so advisors think of the brand at the right moment for the right client; and name the business's difficult parts early, because advisors and candidates will find them anyway.

• Discovering them after signing is unethical.
• Fit clarity and transparency are lead-generation tools, not soft values.

The fit definition spells out who to send and who not to: corporate-to-owner candidates who will work full time, like sales, and want a lean team, rather than people who dislike selling, intend to keep a day job, or need cash flow on day one.

• Early proof can be as small as one or two supported franchisees.
• Michael Silverman credits another creator's post as the spur for writing and names several advisors in the network for their own experience.

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Specific experience in the field, including personal franchise ownership, should be stated up front rather than left to surface in an interview.

• Formatting should let a reader quickly understand someone's experience, and a generic cover letter or a resume listing responsibilities instead of outcomes is a fast way out of the pile.
• The advice comes from the hiring manager's side of the table: the screen rewards proof of what someone has done.

They report rejecting over 310 resumes to fill one team role, then list what works and offer a sample follow-up message that restates interest and relevant background, compared with a bare "any update?"

• They also name the quick disqualifiers, including a resume that looks AI-written.
• A line from Donald Miller, "If you confuse, you lose," is quoted as the reason for keeping language simple.

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Their case rests on the idea that people with operating experience have knowledge worth passing on, and that staying silent means only those who already raise a hand get help.

• They acknowledge fear and imposter syndrome about posting, alongside the confident, checklist-style advice in their other posts.
• Their resolution: partial knowledge is still useful, so direct experience—not complete expertise—is enough to speak up.

Brooke Budke, a speaker at a Franchise Sidekick Summit, is quoted observing that only about 1% of people on LinkedIn post while the other 99% consume. Michael Silverman then lists the ownership events behind their view: owning franchises and independent businesses, starting a location from scratch, buying an existing one, and moving, closing, and selling a store—a record they describe as 13-plus years of business ownership.

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Silverman turns the distinction into a test anyone can apply in a few seconds.

Silverman relays a client’s line—“I want to sell an aspirin, not a vitamin”—and turns it into a comparison.

• A vitamin business needs three sells: convince people the problem exists, that a solution exists, and that yours is best.
• An aspirin business starts with someone already in pain who knows the problem and solution and needs only the fastest trusted fix.
• They add a practical threshold: if it takes more than ten seconds to explain what you do, you are probably selling a vitamin.
• The piece also notes that selling vitamins was the author’s first franchise, grounding the metaphor in lived experience rather than theory.

For brands planning a campaign

Useful for candidate-facing content aimed at people still deciding what to buy. A brand in an established category—roof repair, restoration, home services—can be framed as the aspirin; one in an unfamiliar category has to budget for education and say so honestly in recruitment material.

A general reader learns how a franchise sale can fall apart for the candidate’s benefit.

Silverman tells the story of a client who spent months on due diligence and then decided to keep a day job and hire a manager to run the franchise.

• The franchisor — described as running a system with 296 open locations — refused the deal, restarting the search for a partner rather than collect $109,800 in fees.
• Silverman uses the episode to name a principle, "Mission Over Commission," and closes by asking readers for the largest amount they have walked away from to do the right thing.
• The post is narrating a single deal from the advisor's seat; it does not present broader closing or failure-rate data.

For brands planning a campaign

A strong hook for content about candidate fit and franchisor selectivity. It also signals the kind of brand Silverman is likely to promote—one willing to be shown publicly turning down revenue—which matters when judging whether a partnership message will feel credible to candidates.

The post explains what makes a franchisor worth recommending from the advisor’s side.

Silverman answers a question franchisors ask: how do you get consultants to bring you candidates?

• Three points carry the argument.
• Share early wins so advisors can show that franchisees receive support after signing, not just a sales pitch.
• Define fit narrowly, with an example of whom to send—and not to send: full-time owner-operators who like sales and want a lean team, not people keeping a day job or needing cash flow on day one.
• Tell the hard truths; advisors and candidates will find the weak points anyway.
• Silverman credits another post as the spur for writing this and tags several named people for their own experience.

For brands planning a campaign

A direct brief for franchisor-side content: it lists the messages that make an advisor comfortable recommending a brand. Recruitment campaigns can build on the three points, and the definition of fit offers a ready-made tool for segmenting candidates.

Readers considering a role in franchise advising get a clear picture of what the hiring screen rewards.

Silverman says more than 310 resumes were rejected for one team role and lists four ways candidates can stand out: relevant experience—specifically in franchising, investing, sales, or ownership, with personal franchise ownership a strong plus; plain language instead of inflated wording; clean formatting that scans in ten seconds; and a genuine follow-up note with a sample script.

• They also name three fast disqualifiers: an obvious AI-written resume, a cover letter that could be sent anywhere, and responsibilities listed instead of results.
• The advice is immediately actionable, and the closing question invites readers to add their own screen-out rule.

For brands planning a campaign

Shows Silverman writing direct, tool-like content for professionals, not just franchise-opportunity persuasion. A partnership could cover hiring and team-building for franchise brands, reaching a different audience from candidate-acquisition content.

It offers the quickest route to understanding the authority behind the other posts.

Silverman quotes a remark from a Franchise Sidekick Summit talk that only about 1% of people on LinkedIn post while the rest consume, then admits to holding back out of fear and imposter syndrome.

• They list what they say they know from experience: personally owning franchises and independent businesses, starting a location from scratch, buying an existing location, and moving, closing, and selling a store—over 13-plus years of business ownership.
• The post ends with their current role helping lead an organization that guides people through buying a franchise and their intention to publish more.

For brands planning a campaign

Sets expectations for voice and volume: first-person, experience-led, and candid about being new to consistent publishing. Consider that before committing to a content cadence; it also offers a reference point for a co-written “why I started sharing” piece.

One post lists what they know from direct experience: owning franchises and independent businesses, starting a location from scratch, buying an existing location, moving a store, closing a store, and selling a store—the battle scars of 13+ years in business ownership.

• The post connects that experience to helping lead an organization that guides people through buying a franchise, and admits fear and imposter syndrome about posting publicly.
• Specific ownership events show why their franchise guidance should be taken seriously.

Personal operating history as evidence, followed by a public commitment to share more.

For brands planning a campaign

A brand can evaluate Michael Silverman for credibility-led franchise ownership content. The strongest angle is operator detail—first-unit ownership, buying an existing location, or exit decisions—paired with the brand’s franchisee-support story.

Examples: Source 1

Drawing on 11 years selling vitamins in a first franchise, the post offers a simple test: if explaining what you do takes more than 10 seconds, you may be selling a vitamin. The approach turns a client conversation into a practical filter for evaluating a franchise or independent business.

Analogy and a short diagnostic question.

For brands planning a campaign

This is useful for franchise brands that need to show whether they solve an immediate, understood need or require market education. A content partnership could use the test to help candidates self-select and explain what demand creation the brand actually provides.

Examples: Source 1

The post presents fit clarity and transparency as practical lead-generation tools, not soft values.

Three-point list with a concrete candidate-profile example.

For brands planning a campaign

A franchise development brand can evaluate Michael Silverman as a bridge to advisor and consultant networks. Useful content would address post-close support, ideal-candidate definitions, and the trade-offs that keep advisors from sending the wrong prospects.

Examples: Source 1

With 296 locations open, the founder restarted the search rather than take money from a candidate who did not fit. The story frames the decision as Mission Over Commission: the right deal sets someone up to win, not simply closes.

Client story with a named principle and a question to the audience.

For brands planning a campaign

This positions Michael Silverman for content about qualification, franchisee fit, and long-term brand protection. A campaign could ask for candidate-facing material on why some franchise systems require full-time ownership.

Examples: Source 1

The post also names quick deletions: a resume that looks AI-written, a generic cover letter, and responsibilities listed instead of results. The advice comes from the hiring manager’s side and focuses on relevance, clarity, and evidence of outcomes.

Two-sided checklist, with examples of a strong follow-up message and weak alternatives.

For brands planning a campaign

A brand hiring franchise development or support staff can evaluate Michael Silverman for practical recruitment content. The angle is what franchise employers actually screen for, especially firsthand franchise ownership as a differentiator.

Examples: Source 1

Hashtags such as #franchising, #investing, and #business signal the topics.

• The approach favors plain language, concrete examples, and one clear idea per post.
• One post is mostly a personal announcement about starting to post publicly; another responds to and credits another creator’s post before adding the advisor-side view.

Story-led list post with a comment prompt.

Not all posts are how-to lists: one is a personal commitment to publish, and another responds directly to a fellow creator’s framing.

For brands planning a campaign

A brand should expect a partner who works in concise, feed-ready posts rather than long-form articles. The natural campaign format is a series of question-driven LinkedIn posts that give franchise candidates a practical test, checklist, or decision rule.

Examples: Source 1 · Source 2 · Source 3 · Source 4 · Source 5

They say they help lead one of the most trusted organizations advising people on franchise purchases, refer to “our Franchise Sidekick Summit,” and describe the firm's principle: “At Sidekick, we call this Mission Over Commission.” They also describe a client deal and a founder who turned down franchise fees, writing as the advisor on the transaction.

View example

They have started locations from scratch, bought an existing location, moved a store, closed a store, and sold a store. Ask for the business names to identify the franchise brands.

View example

Both publish LinkedIn posts tagged with the subject and argue a position rather than report news.

John Henning's posts are long, structured essays for franchisors and development teams, covering network profitability, operational alignment and disciplined growth.

• They include no client stories or first-person operating history.
• Michael Silverman writes short, story-led notes from the advisor's seat, drawing on personally owned stores and one narrated deal.

Read original · Original 2

Both stress that the franchisee, not the brand, has to run the business day to day.

Careyann Golliver focuses on general reader education, offering prospective franchisees checklists of questions to ask and guidance on balancing following the system with owning the execution. Michael Silverman writes more often from the franchisor and advisor side of a live deal, using specific money figures, a narrow fit definition and a named principle about turning business away.

Read original · Original 2

Both write for an audience beyond their own clients.

John W.

• Francis reaches readers through conference keynotes and a co-authored article on the Franchise Disclosure Document, with detailed coverage of document mechanics such as an empty Item 19 earnings section.
• Michael Silverman's posts are short LinkedIn notes and do not cover document-level diligence.

Read original · Original 2

The two posts reviewed walk prospects through questions to answer before signing — skills and experience, available capital, preferred industry, time commitment, leadership style, and long-term goals — and frame the franchisee mindset as a balance: follow the system, own the execution, and be ready to operate the business every day. For partner content a brand can republish or adapt as general 'is franchising right for me?' education, Golliver's framing is a cleaner template than Silverman's advisor-seat posts, which assume a specific system and type of buyer.

The tradeoff is precision.

• Golliver's posts stay general: no named experience running, buying, or selling locations, no system-specific exclusion list, no deal-level story with a real number, and no first-person operating detail a brand can use in a sales conversation.
• Silverman's edge for a campaign that needs a full-time-ownership rule defended with a concrete story is in the specifics: the ten-second aspirin test, the instruction to send full-time owner-operators rather than people keeping a day job, and the franchisor who turned down $109,800 in fees.
• A brand that needs its own rule defended with a concrete story will get a less targeted filter from Golliver's approach.

Examples: Source 1 · Source 2

The two posts make franchisor-side arguments: measure success by franchisee profitability instead of units sold; prioritize candidate quality over lead volume, screening for financial capability, leadership, cultural alignment, and operational mindset; align development with operations; and give first-time franchisees the financial literacy — P&L, cash flow, KPIs — to think like owners. For internal development content, a franchisee-education series, or a position piece on sustainable growth, Henning is the closer voice.

The tradeoff is audience direction.

• Both posts address franchisors and developers, not candidates deciding whether to apply to a particular system.
• Neither offers a candidate self-selection device comparable to the ten-second test or a named 'do not send me' list.
• For a candidate-facing partnership, Henning's development-side framework would need to be translated into prospect language.

Examples: Source 1 · Source 2

Francis's content includes a keynote recap from DeerCon for franchise leaders, operators, and a solution center team, and an EIX article co-authored with Peter Birkeland at the University of St.

• Thomas on making sense of the FDD, which Francis says has been read more than 25,000 times.
• Francis is a better fit than Silverman for a campaign focused on diligence education or an event-linked activation rather than a steady social post series.

The tradeoff is format and focus.

• The posts are a conference recap and a publication announcement, not a run of candidate self-selection posts.
• The FDD message points prospects to current franchisees for real numbers rather than defining who should apply to a given system, so it does not do the qualification job Silverman's advisor-seat posts do.
• Before commissioning a body of candidate-facing social copy, ask Francis for examples of recurring posts in that format.

Examples: Source 1 · Source 2