This paper contributes to existing franchising thought in three major ways. Firstly, synergy between the franchisee and the franchisor is achievable. Synergy occurs when the output of a group is greater than the sum of the individual effort. Secondly, the research reveals initial insight into how synergy can be achieved; synergy requires the essential elements of trust and good faith. Finally, the construct of good faith is compared with the construct of bad faith, compounded by the franchise culture. At one polar extreme, trust and good faith produce synergy. However, at the polar opposite, distrust and actions of bad faith result in dysfunction. Many authors have researched problems such as trust and distrust through the lens of agency theory (Jensen and Meckling, 1976) with the findings of this research building on existing thought. Qualitative data in the form of in-depth interviews with franchising experts. The overarching goal of this research is to gain further understanding of how the constructs fit together as well as provide managerial insight that can preempt franchising relationship failure and increase franchise synergy.