How Does the BELOCAL Franchise Work?

Source: 2025 FDD, Items 11, 12 and 20, pp. 30–35 and 52; Franchise Agreement §§1 and 5.E, Exhibit B pp. 2, 9–12.

The franchisee sells approved print advertising for the BELOCAL Publication, Extended Reach digital advertising, and permitted cross-sold print ads in other N2 publications. It may organize local events and, conditionally, solicit leads for or facilitate client relationships with Hyport Digital.

The paying customer is the advertiser or contracting account, not the reader. Advertising Contracts are with N2 Franchising, Inc. or The N2 Company, and payments go to the contracting N2 entity or designee. New movers are the recipient audience; BeLocal shows printed guides and area-level digital versions.

Source: 2025 FDD, Items 1, 11 and 16, pp. 1–2, 30 and 41; Franchise Agreement §§1.A, 1.D and 5.E(1), Exhibit B pp. 2–3 and 9. See also BeLocal's official Area Director responsibilities and The N2 Company's print-and-digital operating context.

The workflow is an account-management and publishing cycle: the Area Director or approved manager develops advertiser demand, enters orders, assembles compliant content and ad materials, then hands production and collections to N2-controlled functions.

Source: 2025 FDD, Item 6 pp. 20–22, Item 11 pp. 30–33 and Item 12 pp. 35–36; Franchise Agreement §§4.A, 4.E and 5.E(1)–(7), Exhibit B pp. 4–10. The official BeLocal launch page also describes design and printing as in-house functions.

The franchisee executes local work; N2 Franchising, Inc. controls the franchise system; the publishing affiliate and approved third parties supply publishing, optional services, technology or vendor inputs.

The Brand Standards Manual table of contents names staff topics including Writer, Client Coordinator, Ad Manager, Content Coordinator, Event Coordinator and Social Media Manager. Those titles identify contemplated functions, but the FDD does not prescribe headcount, staffing ratios or a requirement to employ each role.

Source: 2025 FDD, Items 1, 8, 11 and 15, pp. 2, 26–27, 30–33 and 40; Franchise Brand Standards Manual TOC, Exhibit E pp. 1–5.

Owner personal supervision is encouraged but not required. The Franchised Business must be directly supervised by an accepted, trained person who passes the required background check; if an Owner is not the full-time operator, an approved manager is required. Manager-run operation is possible, but the FDD does not support an absentee label.

The manual TOC references Portal, Pub Manager, Compass, N2 Email and Canva. Only Portal is expressly identified in the Franchise Agreement as the designated accounting system for contract entry; the FDD does not establish that every named tool is mandatory. The N2 Company also offers optional services under an N2 Franchisee Services Agreement.

Source: 2025 FDD, Items 8, 11 and 15, pp. 26–27, 32–33 and 40; Franchise Agreement §§5.C, 5.E(2), 5.H and 5.V, Exhibit B pp. 8–12 and 17; Exhibit F. See The N2 Company's official Hyport Digital background.

The Territory is non-exclusive and primarily governs where the franchisee may distribute its BELOCAL Publication. The franchisee may solicit print and authorized digital advertising inside or outside the Territory only under current cross-selling and digital-advertising policies; other franchisees and authorized N2 parties may sell to accounts inside that Territory.

The franchisor can change Territory size, shape, boundaries and population on 90 days' notice, and the FDD grants no minimum Territory. The franchisee cannot distribute the Publication outside the assigned area or use another channel unless authorized; an event more than 25 miles from the Territory needs consent. Online Presences remain subject to franchisor policies and administrative-access rights.

Source: 2025 FDD, Items 11, 12 and 16, pp. 31–32, 35–36 and 41; Franchise Agreement §1, Exhibit B pp. 2–3.

Yes. A Test Publication is available only if N2 agrees. The FDD rules generally apply, but the Test Publication Amendment has different discontinuation terms, and Item 19 excludes Test Publication Commissions.

Item 20 separately reported 13 franchised Test Publications and one company-owned Test Publication at June 30, 2025. STROLL, GREET and REAL PRODUCERS use separate disclosure documents, although cross-selling can connect advertising activity across N2 publications.

Source: 2025 FDD, Item 1 pp. 1–2; Item 20 pp. 60–62; Test Publication Amendment, Franchise Agreement Attachment H.

At June 30, 2025, BELOCAL remained predominantly franchised. The chart compares both ownership categories across three fiscal years.

The franchisee may use a home Office, but absent a variance it must be within 50 miles of the Territory perimeter. It hires staff, can propose alternative suppliers, and may elect optional The N2 Company or Hyport Digital services. The franchisor still controls brand standards, product authorization, Franchised Business Data, Technology and publication procedures.

• Territory and Mailing List: verify Attachment B boundaries, recipient population and any planned changes, because the area is non-exclusive and can be revised on 90 days' notice.
• Current pricing authority: confirm the applicable price-setting policy, Extended Reach range and any state-specific pricing disclosure before assuming local pricing discretion.
• Required technology: obtain the list of mandatory Technology, versions, AI restrictions, credentials the franchisor can access and franchisee-maintained tools that are not centrally supported.
• Staffing plan: identify who will be the accepted full-time operator and which functions will be employees or vendors; the FDD does not provide a required headcount.
• Production calendar: verify current deadlines, article mix, page minimums, Qualified Sale definition, revision rules and the handoff to The N2 Company production team.
• Cross-selling and Strategic Partners: confirm which accounts may be sold locally, which are reserved or governed by national arrangements, and how account-management responsibility is assigned.