What You Inherit When You Buy An Existing Franchise

Taylor Abbott’s family bought an existing San Antonio print shop in 2009 without knowing a thing about printing, and four years later revenue had slid from $1 million to $600,000. Franchising was their last-ditch move, and it turned the business around. In this episode of From A to Franchisee, Taylor talks about converting a respected independent shop, what he inherited when he later bought an existing franchise location, and why he replaced the entire staff within a year. He also explains how documented systems, leaders promoted from within, and a parent-and-son split between sales and operations took the business from one location to three, with a fourth planned for 2027. If you’re weighing a resale, a ground-up location, or going into business with family, he’s candid about what worked and what he’d choose again. Show notes Guest: Taylor Abbott, multi-unit AlphaGraphics franchisee in San Antonio, Texas, who owns and operates three locations with his parents. What you’ll learn Why Taylor’s family chose printing (no weekend work) and how they found the business through a broker What went wrong in the years after the purchase, and why they turned to a franchise The trade-offs of joining a system: royalties, monthly reporting, and brand standards, against new products and equipment buying power What you get on day one from an existing business, and what you inherit with it, including the team and culture How Taylor grew by acquiring a location, opening one from scratch, and planning a fourth His advice for first-time owners and for families going into business together Key takeaways An existing business brings customers and cash flow, but also the previous owner’s habits and processes. Taylor replaced all eight employees at the acquired location within a year because the culture didn’t match. Scaling came from process: a documented plan from opening the doors to closing, with KPIs. The fourth location’s manager is an employee trained in the company’s system for about three years, not an outside hire. Taylor’s advice: if you can buy something already running, it’s far easier than opening from zero. *While this episode features AlphaGraphics, this is not a sponsored episode. We encourage you to check out this brand and see how their Franchisee Satisfaction Data stacks up!