The Process to Become an Owner
The Style Encore® Process
At Winmark®, we believe that positioning our franchisees for success occurs in the preparation before the grand opening of a new store. That is why we've created a robust, multi-phase process for evaluating franchisee candidates, familiarizing them with the Style Encore brand, and allowing them to get to know our approach to franchise success.
If you're interested in owning and operating your own Style Encore store, then our team is ready to hear from you. Fill out our qualification form today to start the process.
Getting Qualified
The first step in the franchisee application process is getting each candidate qualified. First, this will require submitting to Winmark basic information about who you are and where you're interested in opening a Style Encore store via our qualification form. After our team gets back to you, we will ensure that you are financially qualified for this franchise opportunity and we will answer any initial inquiries you may have about the brand or our franchise system.
Financial qualifications include:
- $400,000 – Net Worth
- Liquid assets (cash or stocks) of $75,000 to $105,000
If you do not meet these financial requirements—don't worry. Many of our franchisees are able to secure a loan to make the necessary investment by partnering with family or friends to help them meet the requirements. Winmark's long history of franchising success has helped many franchisees qualify for bank approval. We have also partnered with leading franchise financial institutions to help you get pre-qualified and walk you through the loan process if need be.
Have more questions about this process? Then contact us at (866) 816-6044 today to get the answers you need to start this journey with us here at Winmark.
Steps to Ownership
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1. Apply & Meet Requirements
Submit your application and we’ll review some basic information about you, including financials and the location you’re interested in. Financial requirements include $75,000 - $105,000 cash or liquid assets and $400,000 net worth.
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2. Get to Know Franchisees
Meet current retail resale franchise owners, where you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and learn about their experiences.
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3. Discovery Day
We’ll invite you to Discovery Day, where you’ll meet the team that will support you and your new franchise. You’ll get some insight into operations, training, marketing, and more.
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4. Join Style Encore
After attending the Discovery Day and receiving final approval, you will officially join Winmark as a franchisee and begin building your new retail resale business.
Getting to Know Winmark
Once you are approved financially, Winmark will want to make sure our candidates are familiar with the Style Encore brand and will help coordinate visits with existing Style Encore stores. While visiting, you'll get a sense of how our stores are laid out and operate, and you'll speak with owners about their experiences running the store and working with Winmark.
Once you've completed your visits, we'll invite you to our Discovery Day. This is your opportunity to meet our Style Encore franchise team and learn about the training and ongoing support our franchise partners receive. Discovery Day is the perfect opportunity for both Winmark and the candidate to ask each other questions and discover whether or not they are a fit for one another.
Joining the Style Encore Brand
Once final approval is granted after Discovery Day, you're ready to join the Style Encore brand and start your journey toward owning your own Style Encore franchise! We'll help you schedule your first week of training while our team gets to work helping you to select a site and prepare the location. The whole process takes several months, but in the meantime, all our new franchisees receive the instruction and resources they need to be ready for their grand opening!