From Food to Franchising

I won’t forget January 12th. Days like that stick around in your memory forever. In my 25 years of corporate work, I had never heard “your role has been eliminated”, but I guess if you work long enough, it’s bound to happen. So, with little to say, the call ended, and I began informing people in my network that I would be seeking the next career opportunity.

My emotions were all over the place. Although I felt disappointed, uneasy, anxious, fearful, and scared, the most overwhelming feeling I experienced was inadequacy. Yet, over those next several days and weeks I kept reminding myself that I’ve accomplished a lot and I’m good. I became my own professional coach but with each automated email response that read, “We?have?reviewed?your?resume?and are unfortunately pursuing other candidates whose experience and skill set more closely match those outlined in the job description”, I continued to feel less and less desired.

...And how is it that I submit my resume, and 15 minutes later I get that email!? How was it “reviewed” that fast? Ridiculous! Anyway…

Finally, there were a couple of solid leads, but something in my conscience was telling me to breathe. I hadn’t taken a moment to breathe and take inventory. I simply fell back into what I had always known, which was finding a job, assimilating into that company’s culture, working to make a difference, and hopefully proving myself early and often enough to get the coveted “3” on my performance review.

With several sleepless nights and a consistent unnerving feeling during the day, I told my fiancée that I didn’t know if I wanted to go back to working a traditional CPG job right now. Of course, the look that I got was of pure perplexity. Having a generous salary, and great benefits, I can’t blame her for thinking I’ve lost my mind. But then it happened. In one of our conversations, I said the word “franchise”. It kicked off several conversations where the word franchise would be used multiple times. So, I began to explore the idea on my own and did so with a well-known restaurant brand that was expanding their presence in the Minneapolis market. By now, those promising leads hadn’t panned out and I was gaining mental clarity towards franchising.

Because the word “franchise” was used so heavily, my fiancée’s phone started to play match maker. After one of our talks, she picked up her phone and said an old college friend is a franchise consultant. She continued to say that if I were serious, I should probably gather all the information I could. She sent Corey Stender a message and we connected that same day.

He was great and reassured me that I wasn’t losing my mind by exploring this opportunity. But I also thought, he’s supposed to reassure of that. It’s his job! I informed him where I was in the process with the restaurant brand and he said, “awesome, keep moving forward but I’ll present four to five additional brands for your review”. I was still applying for positions that matched my corporate skill set but my hustle instincts kicked in and I was exploring six franchises to purchase. Corey’s only ask was for me to trust the process. I was glad he did because we focused on my interests, what I excelled at and what I wanted MY company to be. I wanted a true people-first brand and partnership group that was unwavering to their commitment to people – it had to be their “why”! I wanted a brand that owned a widget that I could elevate and support with zero hesitation but with more ferocity than any brand I’ve managed before. Simply put, I wanted a brand that was… well, dope! Much to my surprise that brand was Bloomin Blinds.

When I delved into Bloomin Blinds I realized the brand has a strong identity. However, Bloomin Blinds, more than anything, wants owners to understand the brand proposition, which is focused on creating a family-first culture. The process of selling, installing, and repairing blinds or shutters only amplifies the brand. Said more concisely, the introduction of the services to customers is how customers are introduced to the brand and conversely the culture.??

Because Bloomin' Blinds nailed the "why", I was able to dive in and explore the "what".?

From the first meeting, it was clear that they are invested in the success?of their franchise owners. They've demonstrated this by building an internal team that's committed to excellence while also dedicated to learning. The?Stuart brothers (Kelsey, Kristopher, and Kevin) aren't thinking about where the business is today but rather focused on what’s ahead and on the horizon. What’s more, Bloomin Blinds is selective in choosing who represents the brand and doesn’t award territories to individuals who don't fit. From the people, to technology, product knowledge, leader accessibility, to simply having fun, there was no doubt in the brand I wanted to?own. So, I did and couldn’t be happier.

Yep! I’m the owner of a window coverings business. I know it’s crazy, right? Well… not really! I’ve managed high profile brands in my career, and I’ve come to the realization that it’s not about widget - it’s about cultivating relationships and creating an unparalleled experience for people who you do business with. My enthusiasm lies with the sales process, learning new skills, and closing the deal. But my PASSION is getting to know and working with amazing people. That’s going to continue with Bloomin Blinds.

That said, here’s what’s coming.

I intend to be different and completely disrupt the market. However, disruption for the sake of making noise is silly. I’m going to inspire, help and show up for others in ways that are genuine. We’re not going to be transactional. We’ll create experiences and stories with our customers. And yes, we’ll make money, but we won’t bastardize our journey to get it. We’ll stay away from heavy corporate jargon and be clear on our “what” and never compromise our “why”. We’ll think creatively and unconventionally. We’ll embrace the early failures and see our successes as confirmation that we’re on the right track. ?

I was intentional on creating a bonified company entity because I wanted to embody the culture that I’ve always envisioned. I’m not thinking small. My goal is to capture a disproportionate share of the market by creating authentic and unique experiences with the people in the territories that I own.

Is all this possible with a window coverings franchise? Yep, it is.

Yes, I know. It’s completely insane to think this big but I’m here now. So, why not go all out?

I often saw or read about people who left corporate America and bet on themselves. I was in awe of them.

Now, I?hope to be in awe of myself.?

Thank you Kelly Macht for your expertise and guidance.