Young Ones to Watch: Barb Agostini of O2E Brands

Barb Agostini, Vice President of Partner Development for O2E Brands, grew up in business ownership. Her father owned an Italian restaurant, and despite having limited access to education, he was able to build a life for his family through entrepreneurship.

What drew Agostini to franchising was the opportunity to own and run a business with support and proven systems, without the complete sacrifice and lack of balance that comes with doing it alone.

The biggest change that Agostini sees impacting the franchise industry is the shift to the "gig economy". People are shifting from long-term commitments to a faster pace, gaining skills here and there, and moving on to the next thing. This raises questions about how people will be "wired" to work in the future and whether the appeal of committing to owning one business and growing it will remain.

Agostini got into her current role through her work with O2E Brands on consulting projects and her connection with the VP of People, who she had previously worked with at another firm. She was drawn to the organization's commitment to being "all about people".

Franchise development offers a chance to have a profound impact on many people's lives, not just those who become business owners but also their employees in the community. This role is challenging, but rewarding when matched with the right franchise opportunity.

• Benefits of franchising include:

• Support and proven systems

• Ability to own and run a business without complete sacrifice and lack of balance

• Opportunity to have a profound impact on many people's lives

• Challenges of franchising include:

• Shift to the "gig economy"

• Short-term commitments becoming the norm

• Difficulty in committing to owning one business and growing it over time