An Entreprenuer In The Making

Recently a friend of mine was talking to me about how I always seem so happy when I talk about what I do as a franchise consultant. She asked me how I ended up as a business owner via FranNet. So here’s my story.??

To start the story, I want to take you back more than 20 years ago, when the seed first was planted. During that time, I was in the advancing stage of my professional career when I experienced a layoff that shook me to the core because I had always been a top performer. I now realize that it was purely a business decision, but at the time I took it personally. As a way to determine my next step, I worked with a life coach at a time when not many people even knew that life coaching existed. As a result of my work with the coach,? I developed goals in various categories - career, spiritual, family, health/fitness, financial and more. One of the main goals that I set was in the “giving back” category to help people who were laid off or otherwise interested in exploring new career options. It provided a way for me to turn my pain into purpose.

That goal of helping those going through a career transition, didn’t get immediate attention as my life got in the way. A few weeks into my unemployment, I ended up getting three job offers and took the best one. Not much time passed before my husband and I adopted another child. Time was in short supply, so that goal of helping others with their careers would have to wait.?

After several years, we moved to Florida where I focused on being a full-time stay-at-home mom and helped friends with their businesses. I even went into a partnership with an interior design consultant who I worked with at the company where I was laid off. We developed a home interior direct to consumer accessory company that occupied what very little free time I had. I learned just how much entrepreneurs can do themselves versus hiring expensive vendors as I had done in the corporate world.

?Later, a move to the Houston area led me to a part-time public relations director job at an executive compensation and corporate governance firm. That led to me starting my own public relations consulting firm that allowed me the flexibility to take care of my kids while filing my need to achieve in business. I worked with a number of different firms on some awesome projects including those for Massage Envy and Northwestern Mutual Financial Company.??

In 2011, we moved from The Woodlands, Texas (Houston metro area)? to Louisville, Kentucky? where I learned that my business didn’t translate as well to a smaller market. So I continued working for clients in Houston until 2013, when? realized, it was time to revamp my business or get a job. I was sitting on my front porch knowing that I needed another source of income fast!???

I was on the porch praying to God, looking at the beautiful horse country surrounding me and all of a sudden a post popped up on LinkedIn for a position at FranNet working with prospective franchise owners. When I closed my eyes, it was like in the movies when you see that soothing light and mood music that tells you this is divine intervention.? I checked it out and it was for a part-time job, so I could see that it would give me the opportunity to get my public relations business going as well.?

But during the interview process, FranNet wanted me to work full-time. I somewhat reluctantly took the full-time job. After working there a few weeks, I realized I was working with clients who were looking for their next career step and were considering franchise ownership as an option.? I realized that a lot of the people had that same kind of career pain that I had.? These were people who were being laid off, early retired, women trying to get back into the workforce after caring for a child and more. I could totally relate! There were people who were setting their goals for the future knowing that they wanted to own a business by the time they were 30, 40 or 50. So when I looked deeper at the job, I realized “Boom there it is.” I was able to begin fulfilling the goal I had set 20 years before. If that’s not God’s hand, I don’t know what is.

When we moved to Michigan, I knew that I needed to be a part of FranNet working directly with clients. So I looked up Mark Cory, who had been the FranNet? franchise owner in Michigan and has been for 20 years. So I set up my S corporation that I run through him and work with people to help them get a franchise. Now I’m able to market in territories outside Michigan and work with anyone, anywhere by your referrals.

I encourage you as you're looking at what you're doing next, to set those goals.? Also, if you have a higher power, use that higher power and some divine intervention and together you can get to that next step.?

If you're interested in looking at a franchise business or any kind of business for that matter, I'm glad to help you. Please this QR Code with your camera or go to https://integration.frannetsecure.com/workshop/ccward to sign up for updates from me: