Franchise Development FAQs

What is the Zorakle Assessment?

The Zorakle Assessment is a personality and business assessment used during the Franchise Discovery Process. It helps us better understand your natural strengths, communication style, leadership tendencies, and how you may approach business ownership. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers—it’s simply a tool to help determine fit and identify areas where you may Thrive or need additional support.

What is the Initial Investment for?

The initial investment covers the costs associated with starting and launching your Bee Organized franchise. This includes your franchise fee, training, technology setup, marketing and launch materials, insurance, business formation costs, equipment, etc. The full breakdown of estimated costs can be found in Items 5–7 of the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).

What are Items 5-7 in the FDD?

Items 5–7 outline the financial investment associated with opening a franchise:

Item 5 – Initial Fees
Covers the upfront franchise fee and any other required initial payments.

Item 6 – Other Fees
Details ongoing fees such as royalties, marketing fees, renewal fees, technology fees, and other potential charges.

Item 7 – Estimated Initial InvestmentProvides a breakdown of the estimated costs to start and operate your franchise during the early stages of the business.

What is Item 11 in the FDD?

Item 11 outlines the support, training, systems, and assistance provided by Bee Organized. This includes onboarding, technology platforms, operational guidance, marketing support, training programs, and ongoing resources available to franchise owners.

What is Item 19 in the FDD?

Item 19 contains Financial Performance Representations (FPRs), provided by the franchisor. This section includes historical financial information or performance data from existing franchise locations. Reviewing Item 19 can help you better understand potential business performance, though results will vary by market, owner involvement, and other factors.

Do I have to have an attorney?

You are not required to hire an attorney, but we strongly encourage you to have the FDD and Franchise Agreement reviewed by a franchise attorney. Purchasing a franchise is an important business decision, and having professional guidance can help ensure you fully understand the documents and obligations.

Why do I have to sign Item 23? Is that binding?

Item 23 is simply a receipt acknowledging that you received the FDD. Federal law requires franchisors to provide the FDD to prospective franchisees at least 14 days before any agreement is signed or money is exchanged. Signing Item 23 does not obligate you to purchase a franchise and is not a binding commitment to move forward. It only confirms receipt of the document.

What are business formation documents?

Business formation documents are the legal documents required to officially establish your business entity with your state. Most franchise owners choose to form an LLC or corporation. These documents help create the legal structure for your business.

Can I use the name “Bee Organized” for my business entity?

No. Your legal business entity name cannot include any form of “Bee Organized.” The Bee Organized name and branding are licensed to you through your Franchise Agreement. You can create your own name like “Smith’s Organizing Services” for your legal business name.

What does EIN stand for and what is it?

EIN stands for Employer Identification Number. An EIN is essentially a Federal Tax ID number assigned to your business by the IRS. It is used for tax reporting, banking, payroll, and other business-related purposes.

Do I have to apply for my EIN?

Yes. You will need to apply for your EIN directly through the IRS as part of your business setup process. This is typically a quick and straightforward process completed online.

What is Colony College?

Colony College is our initial training program designed to prepare you for launching and operating your franchise successfully.

When can I attend Colony College?

Your Franchise Agreement must be fully signed and your franchise fee paid before attending Colony College. We also recommend allowing yourself enough time to complete the Colony College Prep Course beforehand so you can get the most out of training.

What is the Colony College Prep Course?

The Colony College Prep Course (CCPC) includes onboarding tasks, and foundational materials to create your business to help you prepare for Colony College.

What can I expect at Colony College?

Colony College is made up of a three-day in-person training, video sessions and online learning modules where you will learn about:

The Bee Organized business model
Operations and systems
Sales and assessments
Marketing and networking
Hiring and team building
Technology platforms
Client experience standards
Financial and operational best practices

How much does Colony College cost?

The training itself is included as part of your franchise investment. However, franchise owners are responsible for travel, lodging, meals outside of scheduled events, and other personal expenses associated with attending.

Can I bring my spouse or kids to Colony College?

Spouses or business partners who are involved in the business are often encouraged to attend portions of training. However, due to the structure and pace of the program, Colony College is not designed for children to attend.

How long after Colony College can I launch?

Launch timing can vary depending on your market, preparation progress, hiring, and marketing readiness. The Main Hive team will work closely with you to build a launch timeline that sets you up for success that is typically 40-60 post Colony College.

What are the lines of service?

Our three main lines of services are:
Home and Business Organizing
Move and Life Transition
Concierge Services

Do I need organizing experience?

No, you do not need prior organizing experience. We provide training, systems, tools, and ongoing support to help you learn the Bee Organized process and methods.

Is this full-time?

Yes, you are building and scaling a business, so it does require your full-time energy and commitment. Owners should expect to be actively involved in networking, client relationships, team building, and growing brand awareness in their market.

Do I have to have employees?

Yes, building a team (Hive) of employees (Bees) is an important part of growing and scaling your business. Having a team available to serve clients is also a key differentiator for Bee Organized compared to many competitors in the industry.

As the owner, can I do the organizing?

In the beginning, many owners are hands-on with organizing projects. However, the long-term goal is to grow and scale your business, which becomes difficult if you’re spending all of your time working inside a client’s home. As the business grows, your focus will naturally shift toward networking, relationship building, assessments, team leadership, and overall business development.

Can I have a partner or co-owner?

Yes, many of our franchises are co-owned by spouses, family members, or friends. Partnerships can work well when roles and responsibilities are clearly defined from the beginning.

Do I have to have an office?

No, Bee Organized is a home-based business model, so there is no requirement for an office space. Many owners operate successfully from a home office.

Do I have to hold inventory?

No, you are not required to carry inventory. Products are typically sourced specifically for each client and project.

Do I need a work vehicle?

No special vehicle is required. Many owners use their personal vehicle to transport supplies and products as needed for projects.

Can I talk to your other franchises?

Yes, that is built into our discovery process. We believe it’s important for you to hear directly from current franchise owners (Zee Bees) about their experience, business growth, and what it’s like to be part of the Bee Organized system.

Are there any male owners or Bees?

Yes, while many of our owners and Bees are women, we absolutely have male owners and Bees within the system. Bee Organized is for anyone passionate about helping clients get and stay organized.

What is a territory?

Each Bee Organized franchisee is awarded a dedicated protected territory. Your territory gives you the exclusive rights to market and operate the Bee Organized brand within a defined geographic area.

How do you define a territory?

Bee Organized territories are typically defined by zip codes and are built using population, household demographics, and market opportunity data. We work to create territories that provide strong growth potential while also being manageable for the franchise owner.

What are neighboring territories?

Neighboring territories are adjacent Bee Organized franchise territories owned by another franchisee. As Bee Organized continues to grow, it’s common to have multiple franchise owners within the same metro area or surrounding markets.

Can I own the entire state?

Typically, no. Our goal is to award territories in a way that allows owners to effectively grow and support their business while protecting the strength of the brand system overall. Most states are divided into multiple territories based on population and market opportunity.

Can I own multiple territories?

Yes. Many owners choose to expand into multiple territories. However, we typically award a maximum of two territories initially. This helps protect your time, investment, and ability to properly launch and grow your business successfully before expanding further.

Can I work leads or projects outside my territory?

Yes. If a lead or project comes from an unowned area, you may be able to service it.

Can I market outside my territory?

Your primary marketing focus should remain within your protected territory. However, there may be opportunities for broader regional marketing, networking, or digital advertising that naturally extends beyond territory lines. We work collaboratively with franchise owners to ensure marketing efforts support the overall brand while respecting territory protections.

How are territory names determined?

Territory names are generally based on recognizable geographic areas, cities, or metro regions within your market. This helps create consistency across the brand while also making it easy for clients to identify the area you serve.

What is a Zee Bee Validation call?

A Zee Bee validation call is an opportunity for you to speak directly with current Bee Organized franchise owners (“Zee Bees”) during the discovery process. These conversations allow you to hear firsthand about their experience as an owner, the support they’ve received, challenges they’ve faced, and what day-to-day life looks like within the Bee Organized system. Validation calls are an important step in helping you determine if Bee Organized is the right fit for you.

Do I reach out to the Zee Bee or do they reach out to me?

We will provide you with a list of Zee Bees to contact, and you will initiate the outreach. This gives you flexibility to connect with owners whose markets, backgrounds, or business models align with your interests and goals.

What kind of questions should I ask?

This is your opportunity to ask questions about franchise ownership and life within the Bee Organized system. Some great topics include:

What did your first year look like?
What has surprised you most about the business?
How involved are you in day-to-day operations?
What support from Main Hive has been most valuable?
What does your team structure look like?
How long did it take to build momentum?
What marketing efforts have worked best in your market?
What would you do differently if you started again?
What qualities make someone successful in this business?

Can I ask how much they make or what their profit margins are?

No. During validation calls, we encourage you to focus on learning about their overall experience as an owner, the support they receive, operational insights, and what has contributed to their success within the business. Performance information is disclosed in Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).

How should I reach out to the Zee Bees?

We recommend keeping your outreach professional, friendly, and respectful of their time. Email is typically the best first step, followed by scheduling a call at a mutually convenient time.

Can you provide details of what I should say in my email?

Here is a drafted email you are welcome to use.

Hi [Name],

My name is [Your Name], and I’m currently going through the Discovery Process with Bee Organized.

I’d love the opportunity to connect for a brief call to learn more about your journey, what ownership has been like for you, and any advice you may have for someone considering the business.

Please let me know if there’s a time that works well for you in the next week or two. I truly appreciate your time and willingness to help.

Thank you, [Your Name]

What is FBR?

FBR stands for Franchise Business Review. It is an independent research firm that surveys franchise owners across franchise systems to measure franchisee satisfaction and overall experience.

Why is FBR important?

FBR provides unbiased feedback directly from franchise owners about their experience within the system. This includes areas such as training, support, leadership, culture, financial opportunity, and overall satisfaction.

FBR can provide valuable insight into how current franchise owners truly feel about the business and the franchisor relationship. Strong FBR results often indicate a healthy franchise culture, strong support systems, and engaged franchise owners. Here are the 2025 FBR results for Bee Organized.