Entrepreneur® | Books
Built for Franchising
A new book by Kendall Ware
The future of franchising is built on partnership. The relationship between franchisor and franchisee can determine whether a brand simply grows or grows stronger. In Built for Franchising, Kendall Ware introduces FranShip®, a people-first approach to strengthening that relationship through alignment, trust, and shared ownership. Drawing on more than two decades of franchise leadership, Ware shows how stronger relationships create stronger franchise systems—and a lasting competitive advantage.
Pre-Order Available Now
Ships November 17, 2026
About the Book
Franchising Is Built on Relationships.
Every franchise system depends on the relationship between franchisor and franchisee. Franchisors are building brands, systems, and long-term value. Franchisees are investing their capital, time, and livelihoods into bringing those brands to life. When both sides are aligned, franchise systems become stronger, more resilient, and better positioned to grow.
Built for Franchising looks closely at that relationship — how alignment, leadership, communication, and genuine partnership shape whether a franchise system grows healthy or grows strained.
It also introduces FranShip®, Kendall Ware's philosophy and body of work focused on strengthening the franchisor-franchisee relationship.
Readership
Who the Book Is For
Franchisors
Building stronger, more aligned franchise systems
Franchisees
Building stronger partnerships with the brands they represent
Founders
Turning a growing concept into a sustainable franchise system
Franchise executives
Leading growth, operations, support, and franchisee relationships
Operators
Turning strategy into consistent unit-level execution
Emerging franchise brands
Building the right foundation before growth accelerates
The Author
About Kendall Ware
Kendall Ware is a seven-time C-suite franchise executive, operator, author, and keynote speaker, and the founder and CEO of FranShip Brands.
Over more than two decades in franchising, he has led franchise organizations through growth, transformation, and operational complexity—giving him a firsthand perspective on what makes franchise systems work and the relationships that hold them together.
Foreword by Don Yaeger
What I appreciate most about Kendall's approach is that it's grounded in experience, not theory. He doesn't write from the grandstand. He writes from the field—having made decisions, faced challenges, and built systems that had to perform in the real world.
This book reflects that.
It challenges leaders to think differently about how they build. It pushes beyond surface-level strategies and into the foundation of what makes a franchise system actually work. And it offers a clear, practical lens for anyone serious about doing this the right way.
If you're a franchisor, this book will challenge how you design and support your system.
If you're a franchisee, it will challenge how you show up within it.
And if you're building something meant to scale, it will challenge whether what you're creating is truly built to last.
The best organizations I've studied don't leave success to chance. They are intentional about how they build, how they lead, and how they work together.
That's what Kendall Ware is advocating for.
And that's why this book matters.
Don Yaeger
13× New York Times bestselling author
Praise
What Franchise Leaders Are Saying
As a large multi-brand franchisee, we recognize that sustainable growth and operational excellence depend on more than just systems—they require genuine partnership and cultural alignment. Built for Franchising: The Advantage Is FranShip® offers a proven framework for building strong, collaborative relationships between franchisors and franchisees, grounded in mutual respect, open communication, and a shared commitment to brand success. Drawing on real-world examples from leading operators, this book delivers actionable strategies for aligning people, optimizing operations, and driving financial performance across diverse brands and markets.
Kendall Ware's FranShip® philosophy resonates with those managing complex portfolios: it's about transforming transactional arrangements into enduring alliances. From selecting culturally aligned teams to empowering local marketing and amplifying brand value, this book is an essential guide for franchisees and franchisors who want to scale with integrity, protect their investments, and create a legacy of excellence across every brand they operate.
Built for Franchising gets to the heart of what actually determines franchise success — the relationship between the franchisor and the franchisee. Kendall Ware calls it FranShip, and once you read this book, you'll wonder how the industry ever operated without that word.
Kendall Ware doesn't just write about franchising—he cranks the amp to eleven on what authentic partnership, culture, and operational excellence should really sound like. Built for Franchising is packed with real-world wisdom, practical strategies, and people-first leadership lessons that prove sustainable growth happens when franchisors and franchisees stop acting transactional and start acting like bandmates playing the same setlist...a philosophy Kendall calls, FranShip. If you care about building a brand with consistency, soul, and long-term impact, this book deserves a front-row spot in your business library.
As a former franchisee and current franchisor executive, Built for Franchising offers a uniquely grounded and practical perspective on franchising. It goes beyond theory to deliver a commonsense, experience-driven approach—addressing not only tactical execution, but also the real-world, day-to-day scenarios that ultimately determine brand success.
The more I watch operators navigate the incredible technology transformation we're in, the clearer it becomes that technology doesn't run restaurants. People do. Built for Franchising is a reminder that the franchisor-franchisee relationship is the actual infrastructure that either amplifies or undermines everything else, including your tech stack. In a world moving this fast, this book is an anchor.
Kendall Ware just handed every franchisor, operator, and investor the road map. Bring a pencil. You'll want to highlight every lesson on relationships, alignment, and the unit-level execution that actually separates the systems that compound from the ones that quietly fall apart.
Built for Franchising puts into practice what IFA has long advocated: that the franchisor-franchisee relationship is not a transaction but a true partnership—one where mutual respect, shared standards, and open communication are the foundations of lasting success. Kendall Ware's FranShip framework is exactly the kind of practical, field-tested thinking that strengthens the franchise community from the unit level up.
Built for Franchising
By Kendall Ware
Published by Entrepreneur® | Books
Pre-Order Available Now
Ships November 17, 2026