In more than one occasion I have been called a Franchisee Advocate; and although this may not have been said as a compliment, I have taken it as such. I fought for their rights and what I thought franchisors owed to them, and this got me in trouble more than once. Today my approach is much more balanced but my strong feelings for franchisees remain the same.
I was first exposed to franchisees in 1986 and since then I have trained and supported thousands of them. I have always dealt with franchisees who are owner-operators, running their own businesses. And, I have found these franchisees to be very special people, totally different from employees and from true entrepreneurs, or investors. Of course, franchisees are unique individuals but, in my experience, they share many characteristics with each other. I can’t say that all my interactions with them have been 100 percent pleasant, but from the very beginning I simply loved them and here is why:
- Franchisees are courageous. They leave the known for the promise of a better future, yet they do it with care and choose a less risky road.
- Franchisees have taught me much of what I know today about franchising, and a lot about life and human relations. My toughest interactions with franchisees always left me with more skills, more knowledge and more understanding.
- Franchisees are compassionate. Franchisees have shown me unique compassion when I have needed it the most. I treasure those memories.
- Franchisees can connect in deep ways. Perhaps it is the fact that franchisees have to go through personal transformation which places them at an emotional state that gives them a unique ability for deep personal connections. Whatever the cause, franchisees can connect deeply with and care about their clients, their franchisor and other franchisees.
- Franchisees are humble enough to know they need help. This is not always the case nor does it sustain, but at least when they first join the franchise system they know they need to learn a new way. They are not always able to do it, but most of them try.
I guess most people are capable of showing the above characteristics but as a group, franchisees are uniquely strong in all them. So, from the very beginning, they made their way into my heart.
What do you love about franchisees?
One of the things I like most about franchisees is that they never rest on their laurels. They are always on the look out for new and innovative ways to grow their business. They stay hungry!