Flipping the Real Estate Search on its Head with Jake Lowell
Most franchise brands start hunting for real estate after the agreement is signed, a strategy we thinks is backward. To move site selection to the front of the process and try to get every new shop open faster, TMAD created a Franchise Development Real Estate Manager role to prequalify locations before anyone signs anything! So far in 2025, we’ve signed 50 leases, with 31 being through the first half of this year, said Jake Lowell, who has been in the role for over six months.
“By the time a candidate enters the process, we are often able to show them actual opportunities in the market rather than just discussing what may be available,” Lowell told FastCasual. “That makes the process more tangible and helps franchisees move forward with confidence.”
Once you sign on as a TMAD franchisee, real estate is the first department you’ll work with. This timing give our team a head start: while people are still moving through the Franchisee Education Process, Jake Lowell and our real estate folks are already learning about your top markets and connectin with our national brokerage partner, Bialow Real Estate.
The approach is a part of the plan to improve the time between a signed franchise agreement and opening day, which is roughly 18 months, well below the pace many brands see, according to Lowell, who said the delays at other chains typically happen before a location is even picked.
Click here to read the original article on Fast Casual to learn more about how the real estate team is changing the game at Teriyaki Madness!
