Franchising: mastering the art of never giving up

Franchising can help you take back control of your own destiny, meaning you won’t have to give up on business ownership

Not giving up is all about cultivating a mindset of determination, which helps us to get through all the difficult challenges that life throws our way. It is about motivating and inspiring ourselves and others. The idea of not giving up shouldn’t just be celebrated when we applaud those reaching their goals but should also be used to support those who are still trying to achieve their goals and have not quite got there yet. Franchising is a fantastic way for people to be supported into business ownership, with the success of franchisees far outweighing those who start a business from scratch all by themselves.

Start by pausing, not quitting
Graeme McKinnon, CEO and founder of Why Leadership has had a strong desire to help other people ever since his first career in nursing. Even when he moved into business, Graeme never lost sense of his own purpose - his WHY. He has developed his leadership style over the last 30 years from within the healthcare and business sectors, where he attributes his success to the people he has had the privilege to lead over that time.

Graeme has put together some top tips to help people wanting to start their own business master the art of never giving up:

• Start by pausing, not quitting – you don’t need to go full steam ahead all the time. Often, pausing and taking a step back can be exactly what you need. It will give you a new perspective on things and enables you to find the wisdom and strength you need for the next steps.
• Surround yourself with people who are resilient – respected entrepreneur and author Jim Rohn once said that we are the average of the five individuals we spend most of our time with. If you spend your time with five people who always give up, it is likely you will slip into that mindset too.
• Motivate yourself – losing motivation is something we can all relate to! You need to figure out what motivates you by identifying your sense of purpose - your WHY. You can also try watching, listening or reading motivational material by those who inspire you.
• Choose to be positive – it pays to be positive. This does not mean you have to try and be blindly happy all the time. However, what it does mean is that you should try and focus on the good things around you.
• Be honest with yourself – one of the main reasons people quit is because they have not been honest with themselves. Be honest about what you want, how you are feeling and who you are.

Holding out for that last chance
Paula Carman is a registered care manager for in-home care franchise, Visiting Angels, based in Woking. Paula had spent over 16 years working in the care sector and had all but made her mind up to leave it after a cacophony of negative experiences. However, when she saw Visiting Angels was launching in her area, she was delighted. Visiting Angels’ carer-centric approach sets it apart from other companies in the in-home care sector – it is because of this approach that Paula felt motivated to stay working in the sector.

“It was so disheartening to not be able to provide the quality of care that is so vital to many people in our community. Providing person-centred care is extremely important as it empowers our clients to meet their own personal goals, whether this be living independently, finding a job or learning new skills. Pairing our carers with clients who have similar interests is just one of the ways we increase job satisfaction whilst delivering high-quality care,” says Paula.

Tragedy turned to triumph
For Kate Markham, life hasn’t been simple. When her husband, Peter, was just 36 years old, he passed away suddenly. This left Kate with the almost impossible task of raising her two young daughters by herself while dealing with the grief of such a huge tragedy. This, in many ways, was the beginning of a series of life-changing knockdowns which Kate faced head-on, emerging from these events stronger and more resilient than ever. From being unable to leave the house, Kate got herself a job at ThinkSmart Software where she was privileged to meet many franchisors in the children’s activities sector, including Claire O-Connor, the founder of babyballet. The children’s dance franchise was yet another step in the right direction for Kate and her family.

“Giving up isn’t an option but, believe me, it was definitely a thought! For me, channelling my grief into work was the solution that saved me! So many little things with babyballet have transported me into a happy smiling community - it’s a lovely network to be a part of,” she says.

“Peter’s legacy will be forever mine and the girls’ driving force. I’m so much stronger for making it through these difficult times, and it’s been fantastic to witness my girls become the hardworking incredible people they are today. I know Peter would be proud of who we are.”

Buying an existing franchise and not giving up on business ownership
Robert Dean, regional partner at Business Partnership Staffordshire, Shropshire and Mid Wales, recently acquired his franchise territory from a retiring franchisee having recently retired himself. He recommends people should also consider existing franchises for sale. Not only do you have the brand’s systems and a support network behind you, but you also have an existing customer base.

“I have a background in launching, acquiring, managing and selling my own businesses. I decided to retire but was soon left unfulfilled and bored. I didn’t think I wanted to be a business owner again, but when I saw the resale opportunity to become a regional partner with Business Partnership, I was intrigued. It seemed like the perfect solution as I could be involved with the business world again, but I wouldn’t have to deal with the daily stress and strains of being a lone business owner. Buying a franchise, I knew I would have a support network around me. My aim is to now provide professional, honest and confidential guidance to clients wishing to sell, buy or value a business,” says Robert.

One of the main advantages of buying an existing franchise is that you won’t have to do everything from scratch. The business will already be up and running, so you can build on existing branding rather than having to set this up. If the business is in a good position when you buy and already has a healthy customer base, you will generate profit. This will mean you should get an income immediately to feed cash flow. The pandemic has been a huge challenge for many sectors and the continuing uncertainty could be particularly damaging for new businesses. Investing in a franchise business that has a stable income could be a better option for budding business owners at this time.

Whatever sector you work in, if you’re looking to make the move into business ownership, franchising provides you with a great, reliable framework. Alternatively, if you’re working in a business that is no longer the right fit for you, why not consider franchising? You can take back control of your own destiny meaning you won’t have to give up on business ownership.