“Do what you love” might sound like an old adage, but those four words ring just as true now as they did when your parents were saying them.
The problem is that “doing what you love” does not always pan out exactly as expected – and as anyone in the corporate world knows, that is a huge understatement.
It probably started out rather innocently: you performed well in a high school biology class, so you started to enjoy science. You went to college and got a degree in biology, and now you work in that field as an adult. Do you love it as much as you thought you would?
Or better yet, let’s take a look at an example that is a little less clear cut – and a little bit more similar to what many of us have experienced. You went to college and got a degree in some sort of obscure, business-adjacent field. You know what fields we are talking about: marketing, communications, finance, economics, etc. And don’t forget the history majors!
These days, you are probably working a 9-to-5 office job somewhere along the corporate ladder. Maybe you are just starting out, and you are the brand-new office hotshot. Maybe you are even thinking you could climb up that ladder to be the CEO one day. News flash: That is decades away.
Or maybe you are sitting in a director role, a VP-level role, or even a C-level role. You are making good money, but you are stagnant. There may not be much room for growth, there is probably lots of pressure and stress, and your job could vanish in a second at the whim of company leadership.
Doing what you love is not quite as easy as everybody makes it sound.
So what is the solution? In this article, we will aim to explore a different path that could actually lead to you doing what you love: franchise ownership. Plus, we will share some tips and tricks on how to get there. Read on to discover a new era of your career.
Did Somebody Say “Franchising”?
That’s right: Franchising. Maybe you have thought about franchise ownership before, or maybe you have not – either way, franchising presents a unique opportunity to take control of your professional life.
As a franchise owner, you will have the chance to build your own business without the risks associated with traditional startups. You will be able to benefit from proven systems and tried-and-true methods while still reaping significant financial rewards.
But – believe it or not – money is typically not the #1 reason people turn to franchising. Above all else, franchise owners are looking for CONTROL.
Control over what? Virtually everything, from your schedule to your family time to your vacations, compensation, business model, coworkers, values, job security, growth, and more. As a franchise owner, your career is in your hands.
Still, let’s be honest: The process of becoming a franchise owner might seem overwhelming. After all, there are over 4,00 franchise concepts in the U.S. alone. Sure, owning your own business and working according to your own terms might seem attractive – but how do you get started?
2 Top Tips for a Fulfilling Franchise Career
In short, success in the world of franchising is all about finding the perfect match for YOU. With that in mind, let’s dive into our two top tips to find the franchise that is just right for your goals, needs, and expectations.
#1: Do What You Love…
As you begin looking at franchise opportunities, you will want to think about what you enjoy doing on a day-to-day basis. This might seem like an easy question. After all, if you are into soccer, maybe you should choose a sports-related franchise. Or if you are a dog lover, a pet franchise might be what you love… right?
WRONG.
When it comes to franchise ownership, it is not quite that simple. There is a lot more to consider than just the surface-level subject matter of a certain brand. So it is crucial that you break down what you actually enjoy and are good at.
What do we mean? Well, choosing the best franchise for you often looks something like this.
#2: … But Remember, What You Love Might Not Be What You Think
The phrase “do what you love” can be a little bit deceiving, and that is because your role as a franchise owner will look very different depending on the brand you choose.
An example we often use is Super Cuts versus Great Clips. These franchises look basically the same on the surface, right? They are both trusted places to get a cheap haircut.
You might think that, but you would be incorrect. In reality, the business models and structures behind these businesses are very different. So while the brands appear similar at first glance, a deeper dive reveals that they are best suited for very different kinds of franchise owners.
So instead of thinking about the industry you want to franchise in, think about what you enjoy doing and what you are good at. For instance, you might ask yourself a series of questions:
What have I been successful at in the past?
What parts of my current job do I enjoy most?
What parts of my current job do I dislike?
How would I describe my skill set?
What do I want to spend my time doing each and every day?
Ultimately, this is YOUR business. You are the one who is going to have to get out of bed every day and run it. So you want to choose a business that will allow your unique skill set to shine and allow you to prioritize what’s really important.
For instance, if you are not super social and do not want to be out in the community shaking hands, you will want to look for a business in which the owner’s role is less sales-oriented. And that business might be in ANY industry.
On the flip side, if you are an extroverted social butterfly and you know that connecting with others energizes you, you will want to look for a franchise that wants owners who will be recognizable faces in their local areas.
The examples here could go on and on, but you get the gist. Being a successful franchise owner has nothing to do with the industry you choose and everything to do with finding the right match.
In other words, doing what you love is not limited to the industry you are operating in. It has so much more to do with your everyday life, your skill set, and your individual success.
Your Franchise Matchmakers
So how do you know which brand lines up with your skills and desired day-to-day life? Well, that’s where FranCoach comes in. As a team of certified franchise consultants, we have access to proprietary information and have built strong relationships with our 600+ franchisor partners, spanning over 70 different industries.
We work with our clients to help them find the absolute best franchise for them. Our number one goal is education. We want to help you determine if franchise ownership is the right path for you – and if so, we will guide and support you through the process of finding your perfect match.
And the best part? Our services are 100% free, 100% of the time – seriously. Reach out to us today to learn more about becoming a franchise owner. You have read this far… so why not take the first step today toward your better tomorrow?