Privacy Policy — The Franchise Shortlist™

Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 22, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how The Franchise Shortlist ("The Franchise Shortlist," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and shares your information when you visit our website or use our franchise-matching service (the "Service"). Please read it carefully. By using the Service, you agree to the practices described here.

What we do, in plain terms. The Franchise Shortlist is a free matching and lead-generation service. We help people exploring franchise ownership get matched with an independent franchise advisor. To do that, we share the information you give us with the franchise advisor we match you to so that advisor can contact you and help you build a shortlist. We are not a franchisor or franchise broker, and we do not sell franchises.

1. Information we collect

Information you give us. When you complete our quiz or contact us, we collect the information you provide, which may include your name, email address, phone number, and your responses about your goals, budget and available capital, timeline, preferred level of involvement, industry interests, home ownership and financing plans, location, and similar details used to build your shortlist.

Information collected automatically. When you use the Service, we and our providers may automatically collect technical and usage information such as your IP address, device and browser type, pages viewed, referring URLs, and the marketing parameters (for example, UTM tags) associated with how you reached us. We collect this through cookies and similar technologies, including analytics and advertising tools such as the Meta (Facebook) Pixel and Google Analytics.

2. How we use your information

  • To build your shortlist and match you with an appropriate independent franchise advisor.
  • To contact you — by phone, text message, and email — about franchise opportunities, your shortlist, and your inquiry, consistent with the consent you provide.
  • To operate, secure, analyze, and improve the Service.
  • To measure and improve our advertising, including conversion tracking with advertising partners.
  • To comply with law and enforce our terms.

3. How we share your information

With franchise advisors. This is the core of our Service: when you submit your information, we share it with one or more independent franchise advisors or consulting networks so they can contact you and assist you. Once an advisor receives your information, their use of it is governed by their own privacy practices, not ours.

With service providers. We share information with vendors who perform services for us — for example, website hosting, customer-relationship and automation tools, email and text-messaging providers, and analytics providers — who are permitted to use it only to provide those services to us.

With advertising and analytics partners. We use cookies and pixels (such as the Meta Pixel and Google Analytics) that allow these partners to receive information about your interactions with our site for measurement and advertising purposes.

For legal reasons and business transfers. We may disclose information to comply with law or legal process, to protect our rights and the safety of others, or in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets.

A note on "selling" and "sharing." We do not sell your information for money. However, because we share information with franchise advisors and use advertising cookies, some of these activities may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of personal information under certain state privacy laws. See "Your privacy rights" below for your choices.

4. Your consent to be contacted

When you submit your information and check the consent box, you agree that The Franchise Shortlist and the franchise advisor we match you with may contact you at the phone number and email you provide — including by automated dialing technology, prerecorded messages, and text messages — about franchise opportunities. This consent is not a condition of receiving information or any purchase. Message and data rates may apply.

You can opt out at any time: reply STOP to any text message to stop texts, use the unsubscribe link in any email, or email us at info@thefranchiseshortlist.com to be removed from our communications. Note that opting out of our messages does not automatically opt you out of communications from an advisor you have already been matched with; you may need to contact them directly.

5. Cookies, analytics, and advertising

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the site, remember your preferences, understand site usage, and support advertising and measurement. You can usually control cookies through your browser settings, though some features may not work properly if you disable them.

You can learn about and opt out of certain interest-based advertising through the Google Ads Settings page, the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page, and the Digital Advertising Alliance's opt-out tools. To control Meta's advertising, see the ad preferences in your Meta account settings.

Do Not Track. Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" signal. There is no industry-standard response to these signals, and our practices regarding them are described in this policy.

6. Your privacy rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights regarding your personal information, including the right to know or access the information we hold about you, to request its correction or deletion, and to opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of your personal information and of targeted advertising.

California residents (CCPA/CPRA) have the right to know, delete, and correct personal information, to opt out of its sale or sharing, and not to be discriminated against for exercising these rights. Residents of other states with comprehensive privacy laws (such as Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and others) may have similar rights.

To exercise any of these rights — including to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information — email us at info@thefranchiseshortlist.com with the details of your request. We will verify and respond to your request as required by applicable law.

7. Data retention

We retain your information for as long as needed to provide the Service, to comply with our legal obligations (including retaining records of your communication consent), to resolve disputes, and to enforce our agreements.

8. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, however, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a data breach affecting your personal information occurs, we will notify you as required by applicable law.

9. Children's privacy

The Service is intended for adults exploring business ownership and is not directed to children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has provided us information, please contact us and we will delete it.

10. Third-party links

Our site may link to third-party websites, including those of franchise advisors and franchisors. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites, and we encourage you to review their policies.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date above and post the new version on this page. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect means you accept the updated policy.

12. Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your information, contact us at: info@thefranchiseshortlist.com