FriendChise

The Problem

New franchisees often start without the operational knowledge that successful stores already have. That leads to inconsistent execution, slower onboarding, and avoidable mistakes.

I worked at a donut franchise that started as a top 5 location out of 30 and dropped to bottom 2 within two years. The issue was lack of structure, training, and knowledge transfer.

FriendChise is the tool I wish existed.

The Solution

FriendChise captures operational knowledge from successful stores and makes it reusable across the network. Managers can apply a weekly template, track work through the day, and keep the basics consistent without manual overhead.

Workers see schedules on any device and leave tips in task comments, so knowledge stops living in one person's head.

Currently deployed at a real Walker's Doughnuts franchise location.

What's Live

A live product built to help franchise teams share knowledge, keep work organized, and run with less paper and less guesswork.

Shared Knowledge & Task Workflow

Task sharing and comments — publish tasks across the network and use threaded comments to share ideas, improve recipes, and capture better ways of working
Task library — searchable recipes and tasks that keep everything organized and reduce reliance on scattered paper instructions
RBAC filters — flexible permissions that decide which roles can see which tasks, timetables, and tools

Planning & Scheduling

Timetable management — weekly and daily planning tools that help teams stay on track
Roster list — track who works when, then apply that schedule back into the timetable
Franchise system — expand into new stores while keeping shared processes and knowledge connected

Operational Tools

Tool hub — a set of practical tools for day-to-day operations
Item list — a visual training aid for new staff, showing items like donut trays, decoration steps, filling, and placement
Conversion tool — flexible measuring that helps teams make the right amount of product and reduce waste
Roster list — a simple way to see who is working and plan coverage across the week

Access & Structure

Role-based access control — permission gates that stay flexible for different roles and filter what each user can see and do
Member and org management — invite people, organize teams, and keep ownership structured as the business grows

Full feature list and architecture decisions →

Screenshots

Timetable — weekly calendar with colour-coded task blocks

Timetable — simple list view with assignees and status

Task Library — list view with tags, roles, and status

Task detail — description, comments, and voting

Create Task — task form with color, image, and role options

Conversion Tool — scale ingredient quantities by batch

Roster — multi-week staff shift scheduling

Task comments — threaded discussion with votes and pinned notes

Tech Stack

Frontend

Next.js 16, React 19, TypeScript, Tailwind v4, shadcn/ui, Radix UI

Backend & APIs

Node.js, services/actions, REST routes, Zod v4

Data & Auth

PostgreSQL on Supabase, Prisma v7, Auth.js v5, RBAC, org-scoped data

Testing & QA

Vitest, Playwright, 582 automated tests, validation coverage

DevOps & Reliability

Vercel, GitHub Actions, Sentry, Upstash Redis rate limiting

Product & Structure

Figma wireframes, roadmap planning, multi-tenant architecture, reusable UI systems

By the Numbers

Prisma Models

582

Automated Tests

Personas

Features

Real Pilot

What This Demonstrates

Real-World Validation

Used in production at a Walker's Doughnuts franchise location, built from real feedback and actual operational problems rather than a mock scenario.

Collaboration & Adaptability

Shows I can work in an existing codebase, adapt to established structure, and keep improving the product through stakeholder feedback and iteration.

Documentation & Communication

Has dedicated docs at friendchise.app/doc/overview and architecture docs, making the project easier for others to understand and contribute to.

Product Engineering

The product was designed first: Figma wireframes, UI flow planning, and database research came before implementation, with the roadmap keeping the work focused as it grew.

Architecture & Structure

Built as a structured full-stack system with Next.js, Node.js, Prisma, multi-tenant behavior, and RBAC so the app stays predictable as it scales.

Testing & Reliability

582 automated tests, GitHub Actions CI, Sentry monitoring, and Redis-backed rate limiting support a production setup shipped with confidence.

Dedicated Docs

The detailed design and engineering write-up now lives in the docs site. Use it when you want the deeper breakdown of the product intent, UI decisions, architecture, and implementation notes.

Engineer intent — why the system was built and the problems it solves for franchise teams
Design decisions — layout, navigation, and usability choices made for day-to-day use
Architecture — multi-tenant structure, RBAC, and shared franchise data flow
Implementation notes — the practical details that support the live product

Open the dedicated docs site →