Before I ventured into franchising, my last corporate job interview was set for 11 AM on 9/11/2001 in New York City directly across the street from the World Trade Center. The night before, I got a call. The man set to interview me rescheduled the appointment because his daughter was sick.
The next morning I saw the towers on the news. My knees buckled and I said to my wife Denise, “If not now, when?” in reference to our ongoing discussion on switching up our careers and getting into franchising. This was the turning point when we began seriously researching franchise ownership.
After years of working in corporate America, I was intrigued by the idea of running my own business. After all, if you don’t change your own path, you’ll just continue down the same dusty road.
How Do You Know It’s Time to Be Your Own Boss?
You know it’s time to restart your career if your current job is making you feel used up. Maybe your professional skills aren’t fully utilized or you want a more rewarding career. Whatever the reason, you need to have a passion to go out on your own in business to succeed in franchising.
A lot of people hold good jobs in an industry for 20 years and realize they just don’t have the passion for their career anymore. They may feel like the industry has changed, it’s not what they signed up for, or want to do something different. Some people have a hidden desire to mentor and lead once they’ve gained a set of skills. These are all great reasons to switch up your career.
If you’re ready to be your own boss but don’t see the opportunity in your future, franchising may be for you. If you’re experiencing industry groundswells or a lack of opportunity to move forward, it may also be good timing to consider a career change. These types of industry trends are telling factors for when to consider moving on.
Choose Your Own Career Adventure
Whether your current job keeps you up at night or puts you to sleep during the day, it’s important to keep in mind that you’re in charge of your own destiny and career.
If you’re worried about being able to make it on your own, that’s a valid concern. Half of new American businesses fail within their first five years. This statistic alone is reason to consider options like franchising. If you’re used to following rules of a corporate job, you would certainly be able to follow rules in franchising or succeed on your own as a business leader.
Franchising allows you to become an entrepreneur while also having the support of a corporate team. In franchising, one of the greatest sources of satisfaction is not only knowing what you can achieve from a financial standpoint, but that the buck stops with you. You can be the one making decisions that affect your company and family’s future while you hold the reigns of the business.
Gain Control of Your Career and Future with Franchising
The majority of people I talk to who’ve transitioned to franchising from corporate careers worked for large companies where they developed great skill sets. Many worked their entire corporate careers underneath a supervisor while wishing they could lead.
The most common reasons people change careers to franchising are that people want to:
- Commit to a sound investment that will allow them to meet their long and short-term goals.
- Lead teams and mentor people like they’ve been mentored throughout their own careers.
- Be able to control what happens to them in the future.
If you’ve had a successful career but are interested in being your own boss, consider franchising. As your own boss you’ll be able to work toward your own personal success instead of toward a corporation’s goal or someone else’s vision.
Bob McQuillan got into franchising at age 35. Seventeen years later, Bob brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to the franchise industry. He’s not only the VP of Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Franchise Development, but also an owner of three Hand & Stone locations. Bob is committed to working with franchise owners to ensure their financial success in the growing health and wellness industry with Hand & Stone’s recurring revenue business model.