May 12, 2026 · Ron Taylor
What nine stores taught me about owning a franchise
Lessons from growing an Edible Arrangements group from one store in Youngstown to nine stores in three states.
Lori and I opened our first Edible Arrangements in Youngstown, Ohio in 2006. By the time we sold, we had nine stores in three states. People ask what the secret was. There was not one. There were a few habits.
The system is a floor, not a ceiling
The franchisor gives you a way to run the store. The owners who do well follow it and then outwork it on the things the system cannot do for you: hiring, local relationships, and showing up.
Your first store is your training
We made most of our mistakes in store one. That is normal. Do not buy three units on day one because the multi-unit discount looks good. Learn the business, then grow it.
Cash is a real constraint
Plan for opening costs at the top of the Item 7 range, and keep six months of personal expenses outside the business. Most failures I have seen were cash failures before they were anything else.
People run the business
Every store we had was exactly as good as its manager. Pay for good ones. Keep them.