Investing in a franchise in the United States is equivalent to buying a business with a successful manual and, at the same time, opening a safe immigration path through the E-2 visa. However, the route is full of strategic decisions: choosing the right industry, defining the territory, calculating the necessary capital, being fluent in English and meeting the legal requirements.
In the last webinar of Interlink FBC – directed by Abril Manali and Jaime Sánchez – each phase of the process was detailed with real figures and Clara Salmoral and Alejandro Courtney, a family that already operates its apartment remodeling franchise in San Antonio (Texas), were interviewed. Below we expand on the key takeaways from that talk so you know what to expect, how much it costs, and how to speed up your own move.
1. Reasons to choose a franchise in the USA as a means of emigration
The main attraction of investing in a franchise in the United States is the balance between risk and control. Most successful projects require between $150,000 and $250,000, a figure that already includes an operating fund for the first few months. In exchange, you receive marketing manuals, management software, national agreements with suppliers and permanent support – all tested by tens or hundreds of franchisees. Thistechnical support allows you to operate with just two or three employees and break even much sooner than an independent business. In addition, the investment satisfies almost all the criteria that the consulate requires for the E-2 visa: licit funds, genuine risk, job creation, and projected profitability. Thanks to these factors, at Interlink FBC we boast of a hundred percent approval rate in the files it has submitted.
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2. The Interlink FBC method, from search to family integration
The accompaniment begins with an interview to learn about your profile, your objectives and your family reality. A base of more than a thousand franchises is then tracked and all those that do not fit due to investment range, values or territorial availability are discarded. With the help of demographic tools , two or three optimal areas are presented; in the case of Clara and Alejandro, the final choice was based on the proximity to schools and the quality of life compared between Houston and San Antonio.
When the brand is decided, Interlink drafts a 35-40 page business plan focused on immigration, sets up the LLC, opens the bank account, coordinates with lawyers and accountants, and puts you in touch with lenders, real estate agents, and insurance providers. Finally, prepare a soft-landing calendar that includes finding housing, school registration and daily procedures, so that the family can land without any surprises.
3. Tangible benefits of the franchise, narrated by its protagonists
Franchise contracts are usually granted for a period of five to ten years, renewable at a small cost. The entrance fee – the “franchise fee” – ranges between 30 and 60 thousand dollars; Clara and Alejandro paid 50 thousand in exchange for a mobile showroom, structured training and access to suppliers with nationally negotiated prices.
The training is divided into three trips. The first covers fundamentals of sales, processes and business culture; the second coincides with the official launch and obliges the franchisee to generate real calls and appointments under supervision; The third, held three months after opening, delves into upselling metrics and techniques. Between visits, the headquarters offers weekly or monthly assistance and publishes a ranking of the one hundred and fifty units that have the highest turnover, so that each owner knows where they are and what improvements the best ones apply. That transparency, which in Latin America would cause suspicion, is understood in the United States as an engine of collaboration. In fact, Clara recounts how she exchanges vendors and marketing gimmicks with colleagues she doesn’t even know in person.
Download the due diligence checklist with the points that Interlink reviews before signing. “I don’t speak perfect English.” — The document includes strategies for onboarding a bilingual operating partner. You will receive the PDF in your email five minutes after filling out this short form.
4. Profile of the ideal investor: four non-negotiable elements
To invest in a franchise in the United States, what you need first is real liquidity. Jaime Sánchez rejects projects that do not have at least 120-150 thousand dollars free, becauseearly decapitalization puts the company and immigration status at risk. Second, a functional level of English: someone on the team must read contracts, interact with inspectors, and absorb the training. Here’s how to learn English fast before investing and immigrating to the United States. Third, adaptable mindset: In the U.S., business culture requires sharing metrics, following processes to the letter, and taking direct responsibility. Fourth, a clear family plan: choosing territory involves evaluating schools, housing and environment according to the age of the children and the desired lifestyle.
5. Timeline and costs, from the initial call to the first year of operation
The first two weeks are used for the diagnosis and the signing of the advice (an advance of three thousand dollars that is then discounted). During the second month, the franchises are filtered and the “Discovery Days” are attended. Between week seven and ten, the contract is signed, the fee is paid, and the LLC is created. The immigration dossier takes two to four months, depending on the speed of the consulate; Legal fees usually start at five thousand dollars.
At the same time , they travel twice to the plant for training and buy the initial equipment. In the case of Clara and Alejandro, a thirty-five thousand dollar van that they financed thanks to a secured credit card opened six months earlier. The business opens around month eight and breaks even by month twelve. The average turnover of the fifth year, according to the reports of the chosen brand, is around 1.1 million dollars.
6. Complete History of Clara and Alejandro: From Mexico City to Texas in Twelve Months
Before investing in a franchise in the United States, both had two decades of experience in fumigation and construction in Mexico, but they wanted a better educational future for their children and a less volatile business environment. After watching dozens of videos and talking to two consultants, they hired Interlink and enrolled in the six-hour online course. That course, they say, condensed a year of self-taught research. They traveled to Texas, compared neighborhoods, and saw San Antonio’s lifestyle firsthand.
They chose a floor remodeling franchise, signed for a territory adjusted to the chosen schools and processed the E-2 visa in Mexico City without a single objection. Today they run the business with three employees, project sales of more than a million dollars in the first year , and enjoy the franchised community, where they share weekly statistics. The children study in a public school with science and sports programs that would have been inaccessible in Mexico.
Buying a franchise in the United States is not a leap of faith; It is a business project with clear metrics, deadlines, and rules. When combined with the E-2 visa and the supervision of an expert team, the risks are reduced and the dream of living in the U.S. becomes a plan with dates and figures. Clara and Alejandro proved it: in twelve months they went from researching from their living room in Mexico City to operating a profitable business in Texas and offering their children a first-class education.
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