Is Trading One Job For Another The Only Option?
Many people have many reasons to be considering a shift away from their existing employment. A mid-life career change in particular is no longer an oddity, in fact it’s pretty much become the norm. The days of giving 30 years to the same company, then leaving with a gold watch and a defined pension are gone.
You may feel a strong prompting to make a change, but suspect that your experience and maturity is not as valued across the board as it probably should be. If you’ve started exploring your career change options at all, you’ve probably felt at least a little discouraged by the widespread preference for ‘entry level’ candidates. Chances are, you’ve thought about striking out on your own and starting a business.
Or maybe you imagine diversifying your investments to include something more tangible, closer to home, something YOU control.
No matter what your reasons, if you’ve reached a point in your life that you want to make a change – one that leads to true career independence, one that allows you to start investing in your OWN financial future – franchise ownership could be the answer.
There are many entirely different pros, cons, benefits, and risks associated with working for others, vs. opening a business as an entrepreneur, vs. buying a Franchise. Franchise ownership is not for everyone, but it’s a perfect fit for someone who wants the independence of owning their own company — without having to go it totally alone.
Starting out with advantages like a solid, pre-organized business plan; turn-key management system; ready-to-deploy, branded marketing materials; and a price-negotiated supply line already in place is a huge help. It brings small business ownership into reach for many who would otherwise not feel comfortable taking the leap. Plus, since cost and sales projections are more simply and accurately defined, SBA loans are sometimes easier to secure for franchises.
Career Change: Is Franchise Ownership For You? It could be, if:
1. You want to work for yourself.
Being a franchise owner is a great way to never have to face a career change in a tough job market ever again. Maturity and experience are not only welcomed by, but are generally required by franchisors. You’ll need to be willing to work within the franchise framework – franchise ownership can be problematic for someone who is overly headstrong and unable to adapt. You’ll be the boss, of course, and can (and will) do things like hire, manage, and dismiss employees; you just can’t decide to install purple shag carpeting in the lobby unless the franchise brand specifies it. This a good thing, and not just on account of preventing questionable carpeting choices. You don’t buy a franchise because you want to change it. You buy it because it’s a tried-and-tested business model that maximizes your likelihood of success.
2. You get excited about hard work (for a cause, anyway).
A franchise is not an instant business-in-a-box that you pop the top and customers come a-running. You’ll have to be motivated and willing to put in the time and energy to build your business in order for the investment to pay off. This is where the personal satisfaction comes from. The pride of knowing: “I did this! This is MY baby” Many people get an adrenaline rush from running a business, and if you’re one of them, you can be a very successful switching from ‘career’ to franchise ownership.
3. You don’t want to take too much of a risk.
The main advantage of a franchise is that you have the experience and resources of the franchisor, plus a network of other franchisees who can guide and support you. You’ll begin with the training, mentors, brand recognition, and support materials you need to hit the ground running; instead of heading out alone and spending perhaps years learning the hard way what works and what doesn’t. And the only person who can force you to take early retirement is you!
Many people determine that the advantages offered by franchising more than compensate for the fees and royalties that come with any franchise operation. A quick look around on your next drive to see how many franchise businesses are out there is all it takes to see that this is the case. If you’ve decided franchising is a good fit for you, the next step is picking an industry and a franchise that makes sense for you. Every Franchisor has different fee structures and levels of flexibility. You’ll also find a wide range of criteria used to screen potential franchisees regarding experience, required investment, and net worth. Once you’ve narrowed the field down you can request that information and see how it fits.
In the process of narrowing options down, one thing that should be carefully considered is what kind of work/life balance is offered by any particular franchise. Some are going to require that your business be open long hours, and/or weekends and holidays, particularly in the restaurant & retail industries. Therefore it’s important to also ask yourself what sort of schedule you’re willing to keep, should you decide to make the switch from ‘employee’ to ‘business owner’. Some people aren’t keen to completely give up weekends and holidays, and should therefore consider opportunities with more conventional weekday schedules.
We’d love to help you sort our your options.
No matter what career path you ultimately decide to follow, it certainly can’t hurt to explore the franchise ownership option. It could be a viable way to break free to the next level of your professional journey. Brickyard is helping people just like you make this exciting ‘career change’ right now. If you’d like to speak directly to one of our franchise development leads for quick, straight answers, email either fpadovano@byt.email or sseymour@byt.email with your questions, or leave your contact info if you prefer a call.
We look forward to hearing from you!