American Prosperity Group was established by Mark E. Charnet in 2003 after 25 years experience and phenomenal success in the Retirement and Financial Estate Planning industry. Mr. Charnet believes that “everyone can benefit from the financial planning process.”
Mr Charnet, Founder/CEO of APG, has a proven track record of replicating that success and has created the APG franchise opportunity for people who are interested in joining this multi billion dollar industry. The company is currently offering affordable franchise opportunities across the USA to selected individuals who meet the company’s criteria.
As an APG Franchise Owner, not only will you participate in one of America’s most crucial and fastest growing industries, you will also have access to a very exceptional, proprietary and time-tested business system. According to the company, American Prosperity Group (APG) prefers franchisee candidates who aren’t experienced in the financial industry.
They prefer candidates who are honest, have integrity, and are involved as leaders in their communities, but not people with a background in finance. The company wants franchisees that haven’t spent any time working in finance, especially avoiding people who have worked in retirement and estate planning—which is exactly what APG specializes in.
This is because APG has a different and unique way of doing business. They don’t charge clients for their time, they don’t use asset-based fees like brokerage firms, and they don’t use the same types of wealth management tactics as most conventional financial firms do.
According to reports, the benefits of franchisees without a history in the financial industry is that APG can train them and show them how to use their methods and think the way the APG method does about retirement and estate planning.
The company believes that by working with inexperienced financial planning professionals, they can break a lot of habits before the franchisees would be ready to use the APG methods—so that the partnership would be worth it for the franchisor and the franchisee.
Once you sign up to be a franchisee, you’re also signing on to a unique way of doing things. At APG, they have more or less realized through experience that financial advisors have strong views about wealth management and the financial industry that make it hard for them to subscribe to someone else’s perspective and operational rules.
As a franchisee with APG, you will be expected to fit into the franchise system as the franchisor wants and that can be very daunting for some people. For others, it’s a welcome path towards success. Also have it in mind that APG franchisees work directly with customers to help protect, preserve and perpetuate wealth through customers’ lives and to benefit their families after their deaths.
Franchisees are expected to be passionate about helping people and have great people skills as well as always proving to customers that they are trustworthy and their advice is worthwhile. Have it in mind that becoming an APG franchisee is more about personality than anything, and since APG can’t train that sort of skill, they don’t focus on experience in the financial industry.
Financial Requirements of Opening an American Prosperity Group Franchise in the United States
- Net Worth Required: $270,000
- Liquid Capital Required: $100,000
- Total Investment: $95,800 – $127,300
- Franchise Fee: $50,000 – $58,000
- Royalty Fees: Unknown
- Advertising Fees: 1.00%
How to Open an American Prosperity Group Franchise in the United States
Franchisees with APG are expected to have the desire to be their own bosses and be ready to take on challenges. There is a great amount of flexibility to the franchise system, however, and because franchisees don’t need a physical location or employees, the costs for starting are lower than many other types of financial franchises. Here are steps to consider;
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Submit your information
The first step with acquiring an American Prosperity Group Franchise is to visit the company’s website and submit your request and information. Then you will get a call from one of the company’s representatives and have an opportunity to speak with one of the current American Prosperity Group Franchise owners. The company will also give you details on their free one-hour webinar presentation.
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Hire a Franchise Consultant
Irrespective of the amount of information available online, the company believes is a good idea to enlist the help of a franchise consultant to help guide you through the process. Just like a real estate agent is a good ally when acquiring a home, a franchise consultant has industry-specific knowledge and can relate possibly complicated topics (including aspects of franchise agreements and disclosure documents) to you in a more understandable way. A franchise consultant could also potentially keep you from experiencing pitfalls that may happen without their expertise.
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Attend a discovery day
A discovery day is an in-depth meeting between the company and one or more potential franchisees. It can take place at a local outlet of the franchise, but will most likely happen at the company’s corporate office. However, the franchisees in attendance will enjoy presentations about what American Prosperity Group can offer in terms of support, and can ask questions. If done at the corporate office, a tour of the different departments and introductions to franchisee training and support personnel are common.
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Speak to other franchisees
Also, within the FDD provided by the company is a listing of all current franchisees in their system. Take your time to find a few that are close to you and pay them a visit. Are they satisfied with the American Prosperity Group support? Is the reality of running a financial planning business in line with prior expectations (financially and otherwise)? There’s no better teacher than someone in the middle of franchise ownership.
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If necessary, find a suitable location
American Prosperity Group delineates certain parameters for your territory in the FDD and franchise agreement. In addition, the company also helps with site selection. In fact, APG will have to approve your location before you can move forward.
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Sign the agreement
Unlike most franchisors, American Prosperity Group may not offer you a chance to negotiate terms in the agreement. However, just like it was stated above, it is a good idea to seek counsel from a lawyer or a franchise consultant to find the best solutions for your particular situation. But just keep it in mind that American Prosperity Group success in the industry is based upon a proven system and consistency of the brand.
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Obtain all necessary permits and insurance
Regulations tend to vary by state, city, county, etc. Nonetheless, American Prosperity Group will offer you background knowledge on the permits and insurance needed to operate their business. However, it’s a good idea to check with local authorities to ensure compliance.
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Hire staff and attend training
One of the most enticing aspects of franchising is the training component. American Prosperity Group offers training adequately, in a combination of classroom and practical experiences, to at least the franchisee and another manager. A copy of the franchise operations manual is also typically presented at this time.
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Open your franchise business
Before opening, you will need to alert potential customers to their new marketplace option. American Prosperity Group defines a strategic process for signage, ads, and other initiatives to be performed. Estimates for these initiatives will usually be a part of the start-up costs quoted in the FDD.
Conclusion
According to experts, $18 Trillion is expected to transfer between generations in the USA over the next few decades and APG is well-positioned to assist and capitalize on that historic opportunity. As the Baby Boom Generation ages, American Prosperity Group offers you an exciting career opportunity. If you’re ready to get started in the financial business, consider APG and read more about their unique investment and retirement management strategies to see if they are a good fit for you.