Learn All You Need to Know about Business Ownership

Worried that you don’t have experience owning a business or running a boutique? Apricot Lane provides all the training you need to open and operate your fashion franchise with confidence!

Our training program has been crafted and perfected over the past 25 years of teaching and preparing all our franchisees—those with and without retail backgrounds—all aspects of operating a successful retail store franchise. Training is designed to be comprehensive, empowering you to build strong and effective habits as a business owner.

Once you have signed your Franchise Agreement, we will help you prepare to operate your own fashion boutique. Apricot Lane conducts a unique and comprehensive training program broken into five areas that cover all facets of the business operations.

Home Training (80+ hours)

In the privacy of your home and on your schedule, you will go through your onboarding program. Typically starting 3 months prior to opening, our training curriculum is paced and sequenced to build your knowledge of boutique retail week over week. Using a variety of instructional methods, our program is designed to prepare you for operating a successful boutique.

While most of the training is designed to be completed on your own schedule, instructor-led virtual training sessions are scheduled to review knowledge checks and practical-application exercises, as well as train you on the software you will use in-store, such as the inventory management and point of sale software on an Apple® computer.

In-Store Experience (3 days)

We stay on top of marketplace changes, trends, and styles so you can focus on your staff, customers and merchandise. We provide you with resources, programs and tools to help you run your business, beginning with help opening your store.

Continuing Support

Once your Home Training is complete, we will work with your schedule to allow you the opportunity to visit and work in an existing Apricot Lane Franchise location around 5-6 weeks prior to your store opening. You will be able to put the knowledge you have learned into action!

On Location Training (3-5 days)

This is where you and your staff learn the art of visual merchandising from our merchandiser and store opener. In addition to setting displays, understanding sales systems, and training staff on customer service and product knowledge, you will be assured all the details are handled for a smooth and successful store opening.

Post-Opening Support

Our goal is to establish a strong foundation of good habits from the very beginning. After you open, we will track your operations closely by reviewing reports during scheduled conference calls. During these check-ins, we will provide assistance with reordering, marketing implementation, and stat reviews. Support is always just a phone call away.

Continuing Education

We have been supporting franchisees for over 25 years and we will never stop learning and neither will you! Being part of a strong franchise brings learning opportunities not available on your own. We take learning seriously and provide an annual learning conference, ongoing recorded and archived webinars, and communication systems for everyone to share.