Most People Are Waiting for the Economy to Improve Before Buying a Franchise. They Shouldn’t.

Interest rates at 4.1%.

Inflation heading toward 5.4%.

Consumer confidence down.

Every headline tells you the same thing: now is not the time.

So most people wait.

They save. They hold off. They tell themselves they’ll move when things settle down.

And quietly — without realising it — they let one of the best windows in a decade close right in front of them.

This post is for anyone researching a children’s sports franchise who wants to understand why a tough economy might actually be working in your favour right now.

It’s based on a recent Courtside Conversations episode by Little Boomers Basketball founder, Emile Koorey.

Watch the Full Episode

Two Types of People

Emile opens with a simple idea.

In tough economic times, you’re going to be one of two people.

The first sits tight. Saves money. Waits for certainty.

The second looks at the same landscape and thinks differently.

“Everybody’s holding on to their chips right now. There’s going to be bargains left, right, and centre coming up. I’m going to take this opportunity to expand and grow — because when people are holding back, there are opportunities of a lifetime.”

Which one are you?

1. We’ve Been Here Before

This isn’t a new movie.

COVID looked exactly like this. Headlines everywhere. Fear everywhere. Most business owners shut down and waited it out.

Emile didn’t.

“When COVID hit and they said all stadiums are closed, I said: I’m going all in on online. I started online coaching every Saturday. We did Zooming and Booming. I increased the social media presence of Little Boomers Basketball every single day.”

While others paused, he built reach, built community, and built momentum.

The people who treated the crisis as an opening came out ahead.

The same window is open right now.

2. Genuine Franchise Bargains Exist Right Now

When confidence dips, some owners want out.

They’ve made their money. The risk feels too high. They just want to exit.

That creates something rare: motivated sellers in a quiet market.

“You might be able to pick up a franchise that normally costs $100,000 to $200,000 for $50,000 to $80,000 — with an existing, established client base already in place.”

That’s not a hypothetical.

That’s what happens when fear makes people sell and discipline makes others buy.

3. Great Staff Are Suddenly Available — and More Affordable

Ask any franchise owner what keeps them up at night.

It’s not revenue. It’s not marketing.

It’s finding good people.

“Man, where are all the A+ employees?” is a phrase Emile has heard — and said — more times than he can count.

In a boom market, great staff are hard to find and expensive to keep.

In a downturn, that flips.

Companies pull back on hiring. Talented people who commanded top salaries six months ago are suddenly open to conversations.

“You might be able to pick up A+ talent for half the price or three-quarters of the price.”

For a first-time franchise owner building a team from scratch, that’s a real structural advantage.

4. You Have Negotiating Power on the Franchise Fee

Fewer deals are being made across the franchise industry right now.

Emile knows because he speaks to other brands. He sees it clearly.

That slowdown gives buyers leverage they simply don’t have in a boom.

“There might be brands where you can negotiate — waiving the setup fee, cheaper equipment, a reduced royalty. Maybe they cut $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 off the fee because they haven’t done many deals.”

Emile is upfront that Little Boomers Basketball doesn’t negotiate on price — the system’s value is too well-documented to discount.

But if you’re comparing multiple brands, read Franchise vs Starting From Scratch (Most People Get This Wrong).

5. Strong Programs Hold Their Ground. Weak Ones Get Exposed.

A franchisee said to Emile recently: “I’m worried parents will cut back on kids’ programs.”

His answer was direct.

“It’s not that they’re going to cut spending completely — it’s that they’re going to be more cautious about where they spend it.”

Parents with two or three extracurriculars might trim to one or two.

So who gets cut?

The program where their child is having a blast and can’t wait to come back next week.

Or the one with a new coach every week and no structure.

The answer is obvious.

A genuinely good program doesn’t just survive a tough economy. It stands out more clearly — because the average ones disappear around it.

6. An Established Brand Is Worth More Right Now Than in a Boom

Building trust in a community from scratch takes years.

In a downturn, when families are watching every dollar, it takes even longer.

“When consumer confidence is down, customers go to brands they trust. And if they don’t trust you, they won’t buy from you.”

Joining an established franchise means you’re not starting from zero.

The brand recognition, the parent community, the reputation — it’s already there when you open your doors.

That’s an advantage a brand-new business simply can’t replicate quickly, read 5 Franchise Myths That Trap First-Time Buyers.

The Line That Should Make You Think

Emile ends the episode with something he says keeps him up at night.

He takes hundreds of discovery calls. He talks to people with real dreams — who are unhappy in their corporate roles, who want to build something meaningful, who want more time with their family.

But fear holds them back.

It’s not the right timing. It’s a lot of money. Maybe next year.

“On your deathbed, you’re not going to say: I wish I spent more time responding to emails. What you’re going to say is: I wish I took that opportunity. I wish I gambled the chips. I wish I went all in. I wish I followed my dreams. Who cares if you failed — at least you tried.”

He’s not pushing anyone to rush.

He’s asking a quieter question.

Is waiting actually the safe option — or does it just feel like one?

Common Mistakes People Make

• Assuming “wait for a better economy” is the safe choice — it’s often just delayed regret
• Thinking parents will cut kids’ sports programs wholesale — they cut the ones that don’t deliver
• Treating the franchise fee as fixed when right now it often isn’t
• Skipping conversations with existing franchisees — real insight lives there, not in the brochure
• Choosing a franchise in a downturn on price alone, not system quality
• Underestimating brand trust — a known name sells in a cautious market, an unknown one doesn’t
• Going in without a savings buffer — have at least six months before you launch

Key Takeaways

• Downturns create buying opportunities that simply don’t exist in a boom
• Great staff are more accessible and more affordable right now
• Franchise fee negotiation power is real — especially with brands that haven’t closed many deals
• Strong programs hold their clients in a tough economy; weak ones get quietly dropped
• Established brand trust is a structural advantage you can’t build overnight
• The regret of not trying tends to outlast the fear of trying

FAQ: Common Questions People Ask

Is now really a smart time to invest with costs so high?

It depends on your position — and that’s worth thinking through carefully, not ruling out based on headlines. The conditions a downturn creates for buyers are genuinely rare. The question isn’t whether the economy is hard. It’s whether the right opportunity, in the right system, at the right entry point makes sense for your family. That’s exactly what a Discovery Call is for.

Do we need a sports or basketball background?

No.

Many of the network’s strongest franchisees came from finance, corporate, education, and early childhood. The system and training are built to support you regardless. What matters far more is your commitment to the program and the community you serve.

What if the economy keeps getting worse after we sign?

A legitimate question — and an honest one.

Businesses built on genuine value, where kids love the program and parents see the results, tend to hold their ground even in extended downturns. The risk of a brand-new, unknown business weathering a tough market is far greater than the risk of an established franchise with a proven model behind it.

Can we manage this with young kids and both of us still working?

Many franchisees start while still in their current roles, transitioning out as the business grows.

The Little Boomers Basketball model runs around weekends and after-school sessions — not a retail shopfront with daily hours. It’s real work. But it’s designed around life, not instead of it.

How long before the franchise is self-sustaining?

Based on real franchisee data across the network, return on investment typically falls between six months and one and a half years.

Grand openings have brought in between 48 and 80 enrolments in a single day. These are real figures. Speak to existing franchisees directly — they’ll give you the most honest picture of what to expect.

Keen to Learn More?

If you want to understand how the Little Boomers Basketball franchise actually works — the model, the support, the real numbers — the franchise page is a good place to start.

Emile also covers topics like this every week on his YouTube channel. No hype. No polish. Just real conversation about what franchise ownership actually looks like.

If something in this post landed for you — or if you and your partner have been quietly circling this decision for a while — the next step is simple.

Book a free Discovery Call with Emile.

It’s a conversation, not a pitch. He’ll ask about your situation, answer your questions honestly, and between you work out whether this fits your life.

Free. No pressure. Just clarity.