One foot in front of the other...

You’ve probably all heard a version of this, “just put one foot in front of the other, and you’ll get there.” What does that really mean when it comes to life choices? If you are like most people, you want to know where we are going, and why. Some of us even want to know ‘when’ we will get there. Yet, while pondering significant life choices, it is not uncommon for us to feel unable to make the right choice. So, we do nothing.

Over the past two years, circumstances beyond our control caused major changes in our work and personal lives. For some people, those forced changes may have made them more open to reordering and changing their lives. Millions of people quit their jobs, sometimes to pursue an opportunity in the same field, some switched careers and still others quit to start their own businesses. How did they do it? In reality, by tackling the change one step at a time.

Fortunately, if you are ready to explore franchise opportunities, you can discover a wealth of information prior to taking that big step of making an investment in business ownership. My job, as a franchise consultant is to walk you through the process, one step at a time. The first step is understanding the concept of franchising and where there is room for growth in various franchise industries.

Step two is to ask yourself, ‘Do you have what it takes?’ That question encompasses a lot. Capital, the ability to create connections, communicate effectively and follow a system are just a start. Add to that, these qualities - you’ll need to be able to ask for help when you need it, have a ‘do whatever it takes’ attitude and be willing to avoid risks. Just starting any business is a risk, but franchises are designed to minimize risk.

Step three, know yourself. This is a step you don’t want to skip. As I work with candidates, we explore everything from what skills, experience and interests they have, to how comfortable they’d be managing others or if they’d prefer to work alone, to how they feel about selling and the sales process.

By starting with your goals, dreams, skills, interests and investment level, we can create a strategy and model for your research. I’ll introduce you to several franchise companies and you’ll learn about each concept’s offering: their training and support, their tech stack, their investment requirements, their vision for the future, etc. It’s quite fascinating.

Sometimes the company a person knew nothing about becomes the franchise they select because it meets all the business characteristics they’re looking for. Keep that open mind and explore!

One of the most fun parts about this journey is talking with franchise owners as part of ‘Validation.’ It is so helpful.

The last step is meeting the whole team as part of Confirmation Day, also called Discovery Day. ?This is an awarding process, and just like you’re scrutinizing them, they’re also making sure you would be a good fit. It’s a two-way street.

You may have last-minute jitters, everyone does, but if you’ve stayed focused and done a good evaluation, you can confidently move forward and proudly say, I’m a new franchise business owner!

For more details on these steps, contact me at dpleuss at franchoice.com. My job is to help you explore whether a franchise is a good fit for you and if it is, to match you with your best-fit franchise options.?