There are so many reasons that people elect to leave their corporate jobs behind to enter the world of franchising.
Personally, I was ready to be my own boss. I had tried my hand at the corporate world and discovered that simply wasn’t for me. I did find a bit more freedom working for a smaller company, but even that left me feeling unfulfilled. I meticulously planned my entrance into the world of franchising. This waiting-and-planning period ultimately delayed the start of my journey as a franchise owner. By the time I purchased my first franchise, I was more than ready to say goodbye to the corporate world.
One of the things that I often ask of franchising candidates is why they are interested in investing in a franchise. The answers are vast and varied, but they often boil down to a similar version of the same answer: Candidates say that they just didn’t find the career satisfaction they were seeking in the corporate world.
I recently spoke with Rhonda Skallan, who owns her own franchise to discover what inspired her to invest in a franchise when she did. Here’s what she had to share.
Leaving a Corporate Rut for Independence
Rhonda worked in the corporate world for nearly 17 years. She was pretty good at it. She worked for Children’s Hospital Colorado, managing projects like new construction, strategic endeavors, strategic planning, and more. She was a trusted advisor to the hospital’s executives, but she was eager to try something new.
At the time, Rhonda was unsure what path should be next for her. She considered starting her own business, but ultimately she chose the world of franchising.
Why is this? Rhonda found the independence of stepping out on her own to be undeniably appealing and loved the freedom that franchising would offer. But she also loved that she would still have colleagues and still feel like part of a team. She considered a range of sectors for her new franchise, but ultimately, she chose a business consulting franchise brand because it aligned with her strengths and gave her the power to use her years of experience she accumulated working in the corporate world.
Now, as an owner of a coaching franchise, she gets to help business leaders, to guide them as they move their strategic plans forward as part of a built-in team – something she would have had to create from scratch had she started her coaching practice without the structure provided by the franchise.
Today, Rhonda loves what she does. She loves the flexibility her franchise offers and enjoys meeting and working with new people. She’s fueled by her passion to help others take their business endeavors to the next level.
For Rhonda, franchising feels like the best of both worlds: The freedom of business ownership with the sense of belonging a community offers. She suggests that anyone interested in making the shift consider franchising.
The Undeniable Appeal of Franchising
Many people considering franchising are just like Rhonda; she had a successful career in the corporate world but was looking for something more. In the process of discovering “what’s next?”, she considered many options: starting a business on her own, finding another corporate job that would take her to retirement, and becoming a franchise owner.
But it was franchising that delivered both freedom and community.
Why is franchising the best of both worlds of corporate America and business ownership? As a franchisee, you get the structure for how to run your business as well as the camaraderie of a strong peer network—just like some can find in corporate America. And as a business owner, you still get the flexibility to run the business as you see fit. You can work around your life instead of living around your job.
So should you invest in a franchising business? In short, yes. Franchising gives you control, which is truly the best of both worlds—no matter the time and no matter the economy.
While evaluating one’s options is advantageous to consider several opportunities and evaluate how this business is going to fit your life is important, take these considerations to heart:
- Think about how you are going to interact with the business and what your daily routine is going to be like.
- Think about what gets you excited about running a business.
- Think about the things that you enjoy doing, what you want to do, and what you can hire someone else to manage for you.
Identify the business model characteristics you want in a business first. Then, like Rhonda, you can use these characteristics to select the franchise that fits your dream and gives you the freedom you’re seeking.
It’s your turn. Schedule a consultation today and let’s discuss what the best of both worlds looks like for you. The freedom and flexibility you’ve been seeking are yours for the taking.
David Weaver is the Founder of Franchise Your Freedom and a senior consultant with FranChoice, the premier national network of franchise consultants. David helps people all over the country find the right franchise fit by sharing his personal experience and philosophy on how to select the right brand. He shares proven strategies and over a decade of experience growing franchise companies for himself with those that are doing it for the first time. You can learn more about David at FranchiseYourFreedom.
