Why You Don't Need an Emotional Connection to Your Product or Service How to stay on track during your franchise search.
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When you decide to take the entrepreneurial route in life, you've made a profound decision. You've chosen to put your destiny in your own hands, come what may. Whether your reason for doing so is simple or complicated, one thing is clear – you desired a meaningful change in your career and lifestyle. So, when you do begin your investigation of franchise concepts, keep this one factor in mind – you don't need an emotional connection to the product or service you'll be selling. Think of business ownership as a means to an end. That's when you'll really be involved, at an enterprise level, in the "business of business."
Related: 6 Tips to Consider When Searching for a Franchise for the First Time
The type of business you choose to own and operate should be of less importance than the franchise's ability to get you where you want to be in life. What's important is that your choice in a franchise concept be something that aligns with your own stated goals for choosing the entrepreneurial path. Those goals can be quite different from one person to the next. Some of the most common reasons for deciding to become your own boss involve flexibility. Or the opportunity to transition to a new career path and try something different. Or perhaps it's the chance to generate even more income than your previous salary (bonus: that you get to keep instead of earning on someone else's behalf). Whatever the reason, it's very important to stick to your guns as you begin the investigative process of choosing the right franchise concept for you.
All franchises operate on the principle of following a proven business model, meant to replicate success in one franchise owner to the next. Which – in almost every case – means you don't necessarily need expertise or experience within a specific industry or business sector to become a successful owner. If you can find a business model that appeals to you and suits your operating style, you're halfway to the show, as they say. It's not all about tastes or preferences with franchising. Whatever you decide for a particular concept should match up with what you claimed to want in a business that belongs to you alone.
Related: Considering franchise ownership? Get started now and take this quiz to find your personalized list of franchises that match your lifestyle, interests and budget.
At first glance, reviewing franchise concepts that don't seem all that appealing to you on a personal level takes discipline. But it's a quality that will serve you well as you investigate the business models for their suitability to align with your ownership goals. If you choose to work with a franchise consultant or broker, you're going to hear the same advice. Most consultants have their clients take some form of a personal test or assessment. It's a way for candidates to plainly state exactly what they want out of business ownership. And – if you maintain your commitment to keep an open mind – you'll likely be rewarded in the end.
One of the greatest appeals of choosing an entrepreneurial path is the ability to create a future that's all your own. Taking charge of your destiny sounds amazing, but to do it right requires patience and careful consideration. No, you don't have to have an emotional connection to a product or service you sell as a franchise owner. But in a perfect world, you can still capitalize on it. And that's a large part of what franchising is all about. Choosing a business that aligns with your preferences as it relates to your time, effort, and income-generating potential. Do your best not to sell yourself short. Or else you'll wind up like that 30-year veteran of the accounting industry who hated his job. One day he quit, then went out and bought an H&R Block franchise.
You get the joke, right?
