The Franchise Academy Blog

According to The Washington Post's article  by Rachel Siegel on June 7 2018, yup, it's easier to get into Harvard than get into a Chick-Fil-A franchise. Is this a commentary on our education system or is it about the fact that the American, capitalistic dream is still alive and well in the United States?

In 1999, my heart was set on buying a new, up and coming ice cream franchise. The location near my brother’s house in San Diego, had lines every evening. To my novice business mind, that spelled success and meant it was a great concept, too. By the grace of God, before plunging into buying that franchise, I found a reputable franchise consultant who schooled me on how to perform a proper due diligence on a franchise. I did not know my consultant or her background beforehand, but thank goodness, she was proficient in franchising and had 20 years of franchise operations experience before becoming a consultant.

The first day of 4^th grade was profound for me. Sporting my new, crisp, freshly ironed Catholic school uniform, I could feel the excitement in the air as 20 boys, dressed just like me, filed into the classroom. The alphabetical seating assignments landed me in the second seat of the last row near the window. (Not great for a boy who day dreams a lot). As Brother Donald laid down the rules and regulations of his classroom, I stared wide-eyed at the class bulletin board. On that bulletin board, there was a saying that would change my life forever. It simple said, “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him to fish and he will eat for a life time.” To my 10-year old mind, that was the most philosophical thought that had ever been articulated. Little did I realize in that moment, it was my calling. 30 years later I find myself teaching people how to fish.

Happy Memorial Day

I was recently on a panel answering questions about the franchise industry and what it is like to own a franchise. I took lots of notes and highlighted the questions that came up most. I thought it would be a good use of time to share the information and insights with you, in a short interview format. 

1. Take stock of the skills you bring and goals you want to attain

I once heard a story that went something like this: Jeb and Bubba, were sitting on a porch drinking sarsaparilla on a hot summer’s day. Jeb’s hound dog was lying beside them. Every once in a while, the old hound let out a howl. Bubba asks Jeb, “What’s wrong with your dog? Jeb looks down at the old hound and says, “Oh, he’s just lying on a nail.” Bubba exclaims, “Well, why don’t he get up?!!!” Jeb shrugged and says, “I recon it don’t hurt enough yet.”

People who are looking for a franchise investment often contact me for my free 15-minute call, pick my brain and at the end of our call say, I'd love to go further with you but..."I don't want to waste your time." I have to say, I do appreciate that sentiment and concern for my time. I don't want to waste the most precious commodity known to mankind, either. No one does. However, the reason a person says that to me is because they just are not sure if they will buy a franchise at the end of the process because they just don't know what they just don't know. That is fair. However, that is the exact reason WHY someone should talk with me. I help folks get clarity.  My service provides education so that someone can make their own decisions about franchising based on facts. A recent survey conducted by the International Franchise Association found that more than 70 percent of Americans don't even know what a franchise is. That's where I come in.

This story appears in the January 2018 issue of Entrepreneur.