BizSmart

Assess score 13 out of 20.

BizSmart has a clear service for SME owners and a track record of delivering it. It combines one-to-one coaching, peer boards and structured quarterly planning. The ScaleUp Institute’s 2026 profile confirms that these programmes continue to operate and identifies how the tools are used with business owners. The two historic launches show that BizSmart has also taken the model beyond its founder-led territory.

The evidence is stronger for outcomes from the client programmes than for the finances of a typical franchise owner. A client that grows after working with BizSmart demonstrates potential value in the service. The owner’s economics depend on a separate set of factors, including how quickly they build a local client base, how much advisory time each client requires and how long the relationship lasts.

• Proven and profitable core model, 2.5 out of 5. The trading history, paid service formats and independent programme profile support the operating model. Representative operating profits were unavailable.
• Founder independence, 2.5 out of 5. Local owners historically delivered the model, and BizSmart has other advisers. The current main offer still prominently features Kevin Brent, and sustained founder-independent central operation was unverified.
• Ideal franchisee, 3 out of 3. The published criteria identify senior leadership and commercial experience, credibility with SME owners and the ability to build relationships.
• Franchisee commercial viability, 2 out of 4. Recurring advisory services, peer groups and a home-based format provide a plausible model. The published earnings projections lack independently verified, representative owner results.
• Market positioning, 3 out of 3. The combination of the Entrepreneurial ScaleUp System, SmartBoards and Smart90 gives candidates a defined service to take to market.

Build score 18 out of 20.

BizSmart has translated much of its advisory work into a format another practitioner can learn and deliver. The franchise package explicitly includes business manuals, the Flight Academy manual, video tutorials, software and training. Its published launch process also gives a new owner a Getting Started Guide, timescales and support with setting up their systems.

The strength of that package is that it covers both sides of the job. Franchisees need to develop an advisory practice and deliver a consistent service once a client signs. CRM and marketing materials support the first task. Structured coaching resources and Smart90 support the second. Granger Forson’s historical account describes putting BizSmart’s meeting routines into practice in Gloucestershire, showing how the methods were used outside the founding business.

• Operational playbook, 5 out of 5. The published package explicitly identifies business manuals, a delivery manual and a guide for setting up the franchise.
• Onboarding and training, 4 out of 4. BizSmart describes initial training, launch preparation, sign-off to begin trading, weekly support initially and monthly franchisee sessions.
• Documented brand experience, 4 out of 4. Flight Academy, SmartBoards and the Smart90 cycle give owners a repeatable way to structure delivery under the brand.
• Central tools and resources, 3 out of 3. The package brings together CRM, software, online resources, templates, marketing materials and a BizSmart website listing.
• Founder-independent launch, 2 out of 4. Documented guides and a franchise management team reduce the need for constant founder input. Recent launches led independently of Brent could not be verified.

Launch score 18.5 out of 20.

BizSmart gives prospective owners a clear route from reading about the franchise to testing whether it fits. Its website explains the type of work, the funding required, the exclusive territory and the support available. The prospectus request and the published selection stages give a candidate practical next steps.

The discovery process covers a management-team meeting, references, territory discussions, due diligence and agreement review. BizSmart has also demonstrated how it has marketed the franchise through exhibitions and work with specialist partners. The company records make one distinction important for applicants. The published process remains accessible, while the legal entity that would now enter into a new agreement remains unverified.

• Franchise proposition, 5 out of 5. The opportunity explains the advisory practice, the target SME client, the principal tools and the model for building recurring work.
• Recruitment messaging, 4 out of 4. It speaks directly to experienced executives, consultants and former business owners who can advise SME leaders.
• Enquiry journey, 4 out of 4. A live prospectus form, dedicated contact and detailed joining steps give candidates a clear route into discussion.
• Discovery process, 4 out of 4. BizSmart publishes a discovery day, selection criteria, references, territory discussions and legal review before signing.
• Go-to-market plan, 1.5 out of 3. National Franchise Exhibition activity and the Chantry recruitment work show how the franchise was taken to market. A current campaign plan and recent results were unavailable.

Grow score 3.5 out of 20.

BizSmart’s first two launches establish that it recruited operators beyond the founding territory. In 2024 it also described work with Chantry to attract another franchisee and refine its messaging. The current website still invites enquiries. These are credible signs of recruitment activity at different points in time, although the current agreement count and any subsequent signing could not be verified.

BizSmart’s more recent programme evidence describes another route to wider reach through accountants, coaches and business networks using its tools. That is relevant to the growth of BizSmart’s services, but it does not establish the growth of its franchise estate. The latest evidence of customer programme activity is considerably stronger than the evidence of a repeatable franchise recruitment pipeline.

• Consistent monthly franchise enquiries, 0 out of 5. BizSmart has public enquiry routes, but no evidence showing that it receives suitable franchise enquiries consistently each month.
• Enquiry source and quality tracking, 0 out of 4. The recruitment partnership and marketing channels are identifiable. I found no public evidence that BizSmart measures which sources produce the strongest candidates.
• Enquiry-to-franchisee conversion, 0 out of 4. The named historical launches provide outcomes. The enquiry denominator, current pipeline and conversion rate are unavailable.
• Geographic expansion plan, 1.5 out of 3. The opportunity offers exclusive UK territories and a process for discussing them. A current list of priority markets and a rollout timetable were unverified.
• Founder-independent recruitment, 2 out of 4. A franchise management team and external recruitment support give the process some capacity beyond the founder. Ongoing performance without his involvement could not be established.

Amplify score 14.5 out of 20.

BizSmart gives a franchisee more than a coaching programme to deliver. Its package includes launch PR, local promotion, marketing materials, case studies and a listing on the main website. The peer-board model, workshops and ScaleUp Radio also give prospective clients ways to encounter the brand and understand its approach before paying for advice.

Gloucestershire provides an example of a local site that explains the services and invites business owners to enquire. The original Worcester operation also demonstrates how a board, workshop or case study can give prospects a first step into an advisory relationship. The public footprint is less clear for Birmingham & Solihull today, and the material on CRM and reporting gives limited visibility into how enquiries and client wins are tracked across franchise territories.

• Local customer acquisition support, 5 out of 5. The package includes launch marketing, local advertising, PR, search activity, case studies and territory visibility.
• Local online presence, 2 out of 4. A dedicated Gloucestershire site is identifiable, and territory listings are part of the package. I could not verify a current local presence across every historical franchise territory.
• Ongoing local marketing plan, 2 out of 4. The brand offers continuing support, monthly sessions and reusable materials. A current post-launch marketing plan used by each franchisee was unavailable.
• Location-level tracking, 1.5 out of 3. Franchisees are offered CRM tools, which provide a basis for managing enquiries and clients. Consistent reporting by owner, source and commercial outcome was unverified.
• Customer acquisition beyond personal contacts, 4 out of 4. Public events, local search, PR, peer groups and central content give an owner routes to SME prospects beyond their existing contacts.