AmCham Ghana holds workshop on franchising

Nicole Chulick, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S Embassy speaking at the training

A two-day franchisee training which offers a unique opportunity for businesses and new entrepreneurs in Ghana to tested international business practices and managerial skills has been held in Accra.

The training aimed to address the challenges to expanding U.S – Ghanaian business in the franchising sector and help develop more qualified local partners (franchisees) at the start of a multistage process to match companies with U.S franchisors.

It also allows participants to work closely with a U.S partner with extensive marketing, product development, logistics, financing and other expertise.

Held under the theme: “How to launch a successful international business franchise”, it was organised by the United States (U.S) Embassy in partnership with the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Ghana, the U.S Commerce Department’s Global Franchising team and MSA Worldwide.

Speaking at the opening of training on October 12, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S Embassy, Nicole Chulick, said U.S franchises were succeeding in Ghana such that the sector looked promising for partnerships between both countries.

She said last year, an AmCham Franchising Committee was launched to facilitate the promotion of U.S franchise brands into Ghana and improve the business enabling environment for franchise businesses.

“Of course, you – the Ghanaian partner – is key to these franchising partnerships. You provide insight into the local market and essential know-how for on-the-ground operations,” Ms Chulick said.

Areas

The training focused on the flexibility of the business model in offering goods and services and the sizes of the franchise enterprise.

It also covered aspects of business models like contract considerations, intellectual property protections, and building a long-term and sustainable long-distance partnership.

Other areas included aspects of running a franchise including taxes and regulations in both countries, managing international supply chains and financing.

Rationale

The Chairman for the American Chamber of Commerce Franchising Committee, Ashok Mohinani, said “the realisation that the primary challenge to expanding the U.S-Ghanaian business in the franchising sector is the need to develop a pipeline of qualified, local entrepreneurs and companies who do not only understand the business model but can conclude and execute the highly complex and long term partnership franchise contract as well as successfully identify financing to initially buy into the franchise.”

That, he said was at the heart of the AmCham committee because it drives ongoing work on the enabling environment for franchising.

“Beyond the identification of qualified, trained local partners, who could become franchisees, the AmCham committee seeks to raise awareness, address finance and policy issues, as well as advice on potential bottlenecks including supply chain issues,” he said.