The Anti-Franchise Movement

We help professionals escape the corporate trap and build real businesses they actually own — no franchise fees, no royalties, no permission required.

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THE ORIGIN STORY

How Azgari Started

In 2023, I watched a friend lose $180,000.

He was a 52-year-old operations manager — 25 years at the same company, solid savings, ready for a change. He did everything "right." Talked to franchise consultants. Attended discovery days. Signed the agreements.

Eighteen months later, his territory was bleeding cash. The royalties never stopped. The "protected territory" had three other franchisees within 20 miles. The "proven system" required him to buy overpriced supplies from approved vendors. And when he wanted out? The franchisor had first right of refusal on the sale.

He wasn't stupid. He wasn't lazy. He just trusted a system designed to extract wealth, not create it.

I started asking questions. Why do franchises charge 6-10% royalties forever? Why do they restrict territories when customers don't care about invisible lines on a map? Why does someone need permission to sell a business they "own"?

The more I dug, the more I realized: the franchise model is designed to make franchisors wealthy, not franchisees.

So I built the opposite.

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WHAT AZGARI IS

The Anti-Franchise Model

Azgari Foundation helps professionals launch service-based businesses with one fundamental difference:

You own 100%. Forever.

No royalties. No territory restrictions. No franchisor approval to sell. No mandatory vendors. No ongoing fees to a corporate parent.

We provide everything a franchise promises — business model selection, training, systems, support, branding, marketing — without the lifetime extraction.

What Franchises Do

  • Charge $50K-$100K franchise fees
  • Take 5-10% royalties forever
  • Restrict your territory
  • Require approval to sell
  • Mandate their vendors
  • Control your business

What Azgari Does

  • One-time program investment
  • $0 royalties, ever
  • Operate anywhere you want
  • Sell to anyone, anytime
  • Choose your own suppliers
  • You make every decision

The math is simple: Over 10 years, a franchise owner paying 8% royalties on $500K annual revenue sends $400,000 to the franchisor. With Azgari, that money stays in your pocket.

WHO WE HELP

Built for People Like You

Pre-Retirees (50-65)

You've spent decades building someone else's company. You have savings, experience, and maybe a severance package. You're not ready to stop working — you're ready to work for yourself.

You don't need another boss. You need a business that builds equity for the next chapter.

Military Veterans

You've led teams under pressure. You understand systems, discipline, and execution. What you don't have is the civilian business playbook — the licensing, the marketing, the local relationships.

We help veterans translate military leadership into business ownership, often using SBA loans designed specifically for veteran entrepreneurs.

Corporate Professionals

You're good at your job. Maybe too good — which is why you're stuck managing other people's priorities instead of building your own future. The golden handcuffs are real, and every year they get tighter.

You don't need a "side hustle." You need a transition plan to something you own.

Franchise Refugees

You've already been burned. You signed the FDD, paid the fees, and learned the hard way that "proven system" means "proven way to extract your money."

We help former franchisees rebuild — this time with full ownership and zero royalties.

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THE MISSION

Why We're a Nonprofit

Azgari Foundation is a registered nonprofit organization. That might seem strange for a business consulting company. Here's why we chose this path:

Our mission is economic mobility, not maximum extraction.

The franchise industry is built on taking as much as possible from owners — fees, royalties, required purchases, transfer fees. We built Azgari on a different premise: what if we actually tried to make business owners wealthy?

How it works:

Revenue from our paid programs funds:

  • Free educational content (our blog, guides, and resources)
  • Scholarships for underserved entrepreneurs who can't afford full program costs
  • Programs for aging-out foster youth transitioning to adulthood
  • Community entrepreneurship initiatives in underserved areas

When you invest in an Azgari program, you're not just building your business — you're funding opportunity for someone who needs a hand up.

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Meet Azgari Lipshy

Founder & Executive Director

I didn't start in business consulting. I started by asking a simple question: Why do hardworking people keep losing money on businesses that should work?

The answer wasn't that they picked wrong businesses. It wasn't that they didn't work hard enough.

It was that the system — franchises, business brokers, "passive income" gurus — is designed to profit whether the entrepreneur succeeds or fails.

I built Azgari to be the opposite: we only win when you win.

My background:

  • Helped launch 160+ service businesses across the US
  • Deep expertise in SBA financing and business acquisition
  • Former corporate strategy background
  • Based in Austin, Texas
  • Building the largest anti-franchise resource on the internet (azgari.blog)

My philosophy:

The businesses that create millionaires aren't sexy. They're HVAC companies, cleaning services, restoration businesses, lawn care operations.

They solve real problems for real people, generate real cash flow, and build real equity.

Wall Street is a casino. Main Street is where wealth is quietly built.

Connect on LinkedIn →

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What We Believe

Our Principles

1. Ownership > Income

A job gives you income. A franchise gives you income minus royalties. A business you own 100% gives you income, equity, and freedom. We optimize for ownership.

2. Transparency Builds Trust

The franchise industry thrives on information asymmetry — complicated FDDs, hidden fees, misleading earnings claims. We tell you exactly what things cost, exactly what you're getting, and exactly what results depend on.

3. Main Street Beats Wall Street

The S&P 500 returned ~10% annually over the last century. A well-run local service business can return 30-50% on invested capital. The math favors Main Street.

4. Simple Beats Complex

You don't need a revolutionary business model. You need a proven service that people pay for, systems to deliver it consistently, and the discipline to execute. We focus on what works.

5. You Don't Need Permission

Not from franchisors. Not from gatekeepers. Not from anyone. If you have the capital, the drive, and the willingness to learn, you can build something great.

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HOW WE'RE DIFFERENT

The Azgari Approach

We're not franchise consultants.

Franchise consultants get paid by franchisors to place you into franchise systems. Their incentive is to sell you a franchise, not to find you the best path. We don't take franchise referral fees. Ever.

We're not business brokers.

Brokers get paid when deals close, which means they're incentivized to close deals — not to find you the right deal. We help you evaluate opportunities objectively.

We're not coaches selling courses.

We don't sell $997 info products with upsells. We provide hands-on, done-with-you business launch support with real deliverables — entity formation, branding, websites, systems, and ongoing coaching.

We're not a franchise.

You won't find Azgari in the Franchise 500. We don't want to be there. Franchising is a business model that benefits franchisors. We built something that benefits owners.

What Clients Say

"I was stuck between buying a franchise or doing nothing. Azgari gave me a third option — and it was better than both."

"The support I got in 30 days was more than I got in a year with other programs."

"I went from corporate burnout to business owner in 90 days. No franchise fees, no regrets."

Read Reviews on Trustpilot →

THE NUMBERS

By the Data

Metric

  • Service businesses launched
  • States served
  • Average launch timeline
  • Client ownership stake
  • Ongoing royalties charged
  • Franchise fees charged

Number

  • 160+
  • 40+
  • 45-90 days
  • 100%
  • $0
  • $0

LOCATION

Based in Austin, Serving Nationwide

Azgari Foundation

We work with clients across all 50 states. Programs are delivered virtually with:

  • Weekly video coaching calls
  • Slack/text access for questions
  • Done-for-you deliverables
  • Local market research for your area

You don't need to be in Austin. You just need to be ready.

WHAT'S NEXT

Ready to Explore?

If you're considering starting or buying a service business, we'd like to help you think through it — whether or not you work with us.

Book a free strategy call. No pitch, no pressure. Just a conversation about your goals, your situation, and what path might make sense.

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RESOURCES

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