Winning at Franchising: First-Time Franchisees Give Advice

When investing in a franchise for the first time, the initial year can be a major eye-opener, and many entrepreneurs may find they weren’t prepared for some of the challenges that can come with owning a business.

• David Houck, a Home Clean Heroes franchisee, originally joined the residential cleaning brand in June 2021 after a decade in the banking industry.
• His entry into franchising might not have been the traditional way — he actually got laid off for the fourth time in 10 years last February.
• Houck says his approach to finding the right concept was very analytical, and he recommends first-time candidates create a list of what qualities they need in the business before diving into their research.
• He created an Excel spreadsheet and divided all attributes into three categories: must-have, important, and not-so-important.
• Houck says his biggest advice for first-time franchisees is to come into the experience with mental fortitude and a commitment to the system.

In the first year, you’re not going to make money — no business is going to be successful overnight, Houck said.

• He started last June and will hopefully break even in May or June of this year.
• It is mentally taxing, and stress can wear on you, so you need to ensure you will have the confidence and fortitude to keep your head down and follow the system.
• Houck says with the right attitude (and the right concept), all that hard work will certainly be worth it in the end.

Chad Zaniewski, a 1-800-JUNKPRO franchisee, spent 18 years working in the corporate world for a Fortune 500 company before diving into business management.

• He had experience running someone else’s business, and that drove him to franchising as a way to start his own business.

• Zaniewski says everyone’s entry point into a franchise is going to be different, but the key is understanding that it requires a lot of thought and due diligence.

• He recommends that first-time franchisee candidates considering a brand have an open mind.

• A lot of people may want to go with an established brand, but they shouldn’t be afraid of a smaller system, Zaniewski said.

Zaniewski shares similar insights to Houck, noting that a franchise isn’t going to make money immediately, and first-time owners need to be prepared financially to deal with that.

• His advice is to start preparing yourself for the franchise system prior to getting involved in it.

• With every business, you will need some level of management experience, sales knowledge, and negotiation skills.

• Develop those skills early — you don’t need to be in a leadership position to start learning about running a business.

• If you start preparing today, you can be better prepared to start franchising in the future.