How to Start a Seniors Helping Seniors Franchise in 7 Steps: Checklist

The disclosed operating qualification is management experience, not a published wealth threshold. The Franchised Business must remain under full-time, direct, on-site supervision by the franchisee or an approved Designated Manager, and that person must have at least five years of business experience. Initial Training must be completed to Seniors Helping Seniors, LLC’s satisfaction before opening.

• Manager approval: SHS evaluates the designee against its educational, managerial, professional, and business requirements.
• Entity guaranties: owners of a franchisee entity and their spouses must sign the Guaranty and Assumption of Obligations.
• No disclosed numerical financial gate: the 2026 FDD does not state a minimum net worth, liquid-capital amount, credit score, or application fee.
• No franchisor financing: Item 10 says SHS offers no direct or indirect financing and does not guarantee a note, lease, or other obligation.

Source: 2026 FDD, Items 10 and 15, pp. 21 and 30; Franchise Agreement §§ V.C and V.F. Meeting the disclosed minimums does not require SHS to approve an application.

A one-unit buyer signs the Franchise Agreement. A multi-unit developer signs the Development Agreement and the initial Franchise Agreement at the same time, then signs SHS’s then-current Franchise Agreement for each additional unit early enough to meet the executed Development Schedule.

The blank form Data Sheet literally lists the first development period as “simultaneously with this Agreement,” although the initial Franchise Agreement separately allows up to 120 days after execution to commence operations. Those provisions do not align on their face, so the executed Data Sheet and written clarification must control planning. The template then shows a second unit at nine months and a third at 15 months; fourth and fifth dates are left “as discussed.” A missed development period has a 30-day cure after notice, after which remaining development rights may be terminated.

Source: 2026 FDD, Items 1, 5 and 22, pp. 1–2, 5–6 and 52–53; Development Agreement §§ 1–6 and Exhibit A.

The FDD does not publish a detailed sales funnel, so inquiry, application, approval, award, and signing must remain separate. The sequence below combines the federal pre-sale rule with the contractual dependencies disclosed by SHS.

Federal rule source: 16 CFR § 436.2 and the FTC’s Buying a Franchise guidance. The 14-day period uses calendar days and is not the total application or opening timeline. If the franchisor unilaterally makes a material change to the agreement attached to the FDD, the federal rule generally requires the final agreement at least seven calendar days before signing; prospect-initiated negotiated changes are treated differently.

They are different approvals. SHS grants a Territory of approximately 250,000 people, but the franchisee remains responsible for locating and obtaining the Approved Location. The office may be home-based if SHS approves it, or located in a commercial facility; the disclosed minimum is 350 square feet for office and storage space.

Item 11 says SHS will approve or disapprove a proposed site within 30 days after receiving all requested information. It also says SHS may terminate if the parties cannot agree on a suitable site within 60 days, but it does not clearly define the start event for that 60-day period. The buyer should require the deal-specific trigger to be confirmed in writing.

Licensing depends on the services selected. Companion and personal-care requirements vary by state; medical and home-health services require appropriate licenses and licensed personnel. Use the SBA licenses and permits overview and the official state-government directory to identify the controlling authority, then verify the exact service scope with qualified local professionals.

Source: 2026 FDD, Items 1, 11 and 12, pp. 1–2 and 24–27; Franchise Agreement §§ I.B–I.C, V.B and V.S.

Initial Training is approximately seven days and must be completed within the first 90 days after signing. The 2026 FDD describes current training as virtual, while reserving the right to change location. The curriculum totals 32–64 classroom hours plus 10–20 on-the-job hours across office procedures, sales, administration, marketing, public relations, and operations.

An alternate supplier request must include a reviewable sample. SHS states it will approve or disapprove within 10 days after receipt; no response counts as denial. The FDD does not identify a standalone opening certificate, but Exhibit H states that required training must be satisfactorily completed before SHS will allow the business to open.

Source: 2026 FDD, Items 8 and 11, pp. 17–18 and 24–26; Franchise Agreement §§ III.A, V.B–V.C, V.H, V.L, V.O–V.T and XI; Exhibit H.

These periods use different triggers and must not be added together. The 120-day opening deadline is the outer contractual clock from signing; the other periods sit inside or alongside it.

The applicant controls preparation and execution; SHS controls contractual approval and system standards; government authorities, landlords, insurers, vendors, and labor markets control outside dependencies. Franchisor assistance does not transfer those third-party risks to SHS.

Use Item 20 and Exhibit F to ask current and former franchisees how long state licensing, manager approval, vendor activation, caregiver recruitment, and SHS review took in comparable markets. Some former franchisees may be subject to confidentiality provisions, so contact multiple operators and distinguish their experience from contractual requirements.

Source: 2026 FDD, Special Risks, Items 6, 11, 17 and 20; Franchise Agreement §§ V.T and XIII; Development Agreement § 6.2. This article reports disclosed requirements and uncertainties, not legal, licensing, lending, construction, tax, or real-estate advice.