Why These Multi-Concept Franchisees Wish They'd Started Their Carpet Cleaning Business Earlier Jesse and Charles Keyser own franchises for haircuts and pizza, but they hit paydirt with carpet cleaning.
By Carly Okyle
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Franchise Players is Entrepreneur's Q&A interview column that puts the spotlight on franchisees. If you're a franchisee with advice and tips to share, email franchiseplayers@entrepreneur.com.
Jesse and Charles Keyser are no strangers to franchising. They own several Little Caesars pizza and Sports Clips haircuts in multiple states. Still, Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning might be the duo's favorite. "If we could have changed the order of the brands we invested in, we would have gone with Oxi Fresh first," Jesse says. Find out why in the interview below.
Name: Jesse Keyser & Charles Keyser
Franchise Owned: Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning (One territory in St. Louis, MO); Little Caesars (Five locations in Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky); Sports Clips (12 locations throughout Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky and Michigan).
Why Franchising:
When you buy a franchise you are buying a proven system the franchise company has created and perfected over time. You benefit from their support system, solid business plan, branding, training, and marketing. You do not have to figure things out on your own and you do not need to be an expert in the industry to succeed. The franchisor will train you on everything you need to know. If you can follow a proven system, then you can be a fantastic franchise business owner.
Related: Why This Couple Jumped at the Chance to Own a Franchise
What were you doing before you became a franchise owner?
I (Jesse) worked for a technology start-up from the start of the dot-com bubble in 1997 until about 2005. I was also a Valpack franchisee from 2008 until 2011. Charles was a college student studying Hotel and Restaurant Management at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
Why did you choose this particular franchise?
Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning presented a perfect opportunity to diversify our franchise portfolio with a home-based, environmentally-conscious brand. I continue to tell people that if we could have changed the order of the brands we invested in, we would have gone with Oxi Fresh first. The cost to grow the Oxi Fresh concept is less resource intensive than our retail concepts
How much would you estimate you spent before you were officially open for business?
Our investment range was under $35,000, since we purchased an existing Oxi Fresh territory. The $35,000 was used largely for new equipment.
Where did you get most of your advice/do most of your research?
Careful due diligence is an absolute must before becoming a franchisee – after all, you will be in business together if you decide to become part of the system. We've made it a point to ask both the franchisor and the franchisees a lot of questions.
If you're looking to become a franchise owner, there are several ways for you to increase your chances of success. One way is to arrange some time to talk with the folks at corporate. Some well thought out questions can have a huge impact on your decision to become a franchisee. A franchise system's existing franchisees are just as valuable of a source of information. These are the people who are living the life of a franchisee every day, and they can tell you the reality of what that life will be like for you if you decide to join up yourself.
Related: How One Man's Air Force Experience Led to Life as a Hydraulic Hose Franchisee
What were the most unexpected challenges of opening your franchise?
With Oxi Fresh, it was the human resource side. We have years of experience handling employees, but not where they are left to be so independent in their work environment. We quickly adapted and evolved our management and leadership tactics to coincide with our other concepts.
What advice do you have for individuals who want to own their own franchise?
Becoming a franchisee is not a hobby or something you do part time, make it's your job! Save enough cash to live on for one year without paying yourself. It will take longer to open your first business, but it will take the pressure off yourself and allow you to make less emotional decisions about your business.
What is next for you and your business?
The eventual plan calls for more locations of all our existing concepts, as well as acquiring an additional concept. We plan to further develop Oxi Fresh in St. Louis and move into other markets. We also own the rights to 14 additional Sports Clips and are interested in further store acquisitions with Little Caesars.
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