How to Perform a Hotel Brand Search & Negotiate the Franchise Agreement

"The Course That Walks You Through All 136 Negotiable Provisions in a Hotel Franchise Agreement." 

Make smarter brand decisions and negotiate franchise agreements that protect your investment. This course covers the complete franchise lifecycle -- from defining your goals and analyzing competitive markets, to underwriting the real economics of brand affiliation, to negotiating the terms that matter most. 

 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• How to define ownership goals and match them to the right brand
• Competitive analysis and brand shortlisting methodology
• Underwriting real economics -- RevPAR lift vs. fee stack vs. PIP capital
• Negotiating business terms, transfer rights, and exit provisions
• Data, technology, and cyber risk provisions in modern franchise agreements

CERTIFICATION

Upon completion, earn the Certified Hotel Franchise Negotiator (CHFN) designation.

 WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE

This course is designed for both hotel professionals and newcomers to the industry who want to advance their careers in hotel consulting, appraisal, asset management, revenue management, operations, brokerage, lending, and ownership.

Whether you're developing a new hotel, evaluating a potential acquisition, underwriting a hotel loan, preparing for negotiations, or building a career in hotel consulting, The Rushmore Method gives you the methodology and certifications used by professionals worldwide.

Price: $995  |  Monthly Payment Plan Available| Full Money Back Guarantee if not 100% Satisfied| Let's talk: steve@steverushmore.com

LEARN DIRECTLY FROM STEVE RUSHMORE: 

Steve will take you step-by-step through the process of selecting a hotel brand and negotiating the franchise agreement, revealing his thought process for making all the necessary decisions to properly perform a brand search and prepare for intense franchise negotiations.

What is unique about this online course?  Steve will personally assist you throughout the course via email and Zoom calls.  You will interact and learn directly from the Founder of HVS and creator of The Rushmore Method: Franchise Negotiations and Brand Selection.  Many of Steve’s students go on to become his mentees, gaining the benefit of his 40+ years of career guidance along with access to his extensive industry network.

WHAT STUDENTS SAY ABOUT STEVE RUSHMORE'S COURSES

"I recently started your franchise negotiation course and have been thoroughly enjoying it—not only the content itself, but also the way it is structured. The fundamentals of how to select a brand are very easy to follow, and each module connects seamlessly as I progress through the course.

I strongly agree with your point that brand selection should not be driven solely by the owner’s preference but should also be supported by market data and performance metrics and aligned with the owner’s long-term goals. I believe this principle applies equally to both franchise and direct management contracts."

-- Wenxin Li, Marriott Hotels & Resorts- China

"I credit my career progression and continued success in large part to Steve Rushmore and the knowledge I have gained."

-- Sebastian Villa, hotelAVE

"Very insightful and practical, providing valuable knowledge that I can apply directly in my role. The relevance of the material to real-life applications, the detail of the content, and access to Steve Rushmore's experience were exceptional."

-- Mustafa Rahmatono, Colliers

"It was a rewarding experience to learn from Steve Rushmore, founder of a global hotel consulting organization."

-- Marjorie D.

MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE RUSHMORE METHOD: HOTEL FRANCHISE NEGOTIATIONS & BRAND SELECTION

This course gives you a major advantage because franchise decisions often appear simple on the surface but have deep, long-term consequences. Many hotel owners choose a brand based on name recognition and the promise of demand, only to discover later that the franchise agreement imposes layers of costs, mandates, and restrictions that reduce NOI and constrain strategic options. This course teaches you how to avoid that outcome by learning to evaluate brands as a sophisticated owner or advisor would.  

Some of the valuable lessons you will learn include:

• How to choose the right flag by analyzing market fit, segment alignment, and the way brand strength varies by location and customer type. 
• How to evaluate the real role of distribution systems and loyalty programs, to distinguish between perceived brand contribution and actual economic benefit, and to understand how brand standards and mandatory programs affect both the guest experience and the cost structure.
• The negotiation section of the course teaches you how to approach the franchise agreement as a business negotiation that can improve profitability and preserve flexibility. 
• How to evaluate the full cost of affiliation, including the combined impact of royalties, marketing charges, reservation and loyalty costs, technology participation requirements, and ongoing compliance fees that can quietly accumulate into a meaningful reduction in NOI. 
• How to negotiate improvement obligations and reduce exposure to surprise property improvement requirements by insisting on clarity, realistic timing, and flexibility that matches the asset’s physical condition and investment plan. 
• How territory and brand growth decisions can affect your hotel’s demand, and how to seek meaningful safeguards and disclosure to reduce cannibalization risk. 
• How operating mandates, vendor rules, purchasing constraints, required programs, staffing and service expectations, and technology systems, can raise operating costs, and how to negotiate for practical, fair requirements that do not undermine the owner’s economics. 
• How inspections and enforcement really work, how to negotiate objective standards and reasonable cure processes, and how to protect the owner from shifting requirements that create unpredictable risk. 
• How transfer, change-of-control, renewal, and termination provisions can either preserve or restrict liquidity, and how to negotiate terms that support the owner’s ability to sell, refinance, reposition, or change strategy as the market evolves.

Completing the course earns the Certified Hotel Franchise Negotiator (CHFN) designation, signaling that you can evaluate brands and negotiate franchise agreements with an owner-first mindset that employers and clients immediately recognize as valuable.

Ideal not only for hotel owners, but also for hotel consultants, appraisers, attorneys, and students pursuing careers in hospitality ownership or advisory roles, this course demystifies one of the least understood and most complex agreements in the hotel industry.   While franchise agreements are essential to aligning the interests of owners and brands, they often tilt in favor of the hotel company, especially when negotiated without a thorough understanding of the risks, nuances, and leverage points available to owners.

Through engaging online video lessons, real-world examples, and analysis of actual franchise provisions, you’ll learn how to:

• Identify and negotiate the key contract provisions that most affect owners’ rights and financial returns, and learn how to make them part of your contract.
• Understand the implications of the franchise fee stack that includes hidden fees that are imposed during the contract term.
• Protect against long-term inflexible commitments and one-sided termination clauses.
• Use brand leverage, market data, and ownership structure to improve your negotiating position.
• Ensure quiet enjoyment, owner flexibility, and clear exit strategies under a variety of scenarios.
• Structure the brand search process to find the most appropriate affiliation that meets the owner's investment requirements.

This is the most in-depth course on hotel brand selection and franchises available anywhere. It contains a thorough discussion of hundreds of franchise provisions, negotiating strategies, risk analyses, and franchisor search procedures. 

The cost for The Rushmore Method: Hotel Franchise Negotiations & Brand Selection course is $995, which includes the following: 

Access to the course

• Start at any time and proceed at your own pace.
• Unlimited downloads of sample franchise agreements, franchise disclosure documents (FDD), articles, and publications.
• One-on-one Zoom calls with Steve Rushmore.
• Upon completion of the course and a passing final exam, you will receive the Certified Hotel Franchise Negotiator certificate (via e-mail) suitable for framing.
• Your name will appear in the Directory of Certified Hotel Franchise Negotiators.

The course includes over 30 hours of content, featuring instructional videos, readings, case studies, and franchise agreements. The curriculum is vast, covering over 400 key topics, along with clear recommendations on how to structure and negotiate each franchise provision to protect the owner’s interests.