The Perfect Fit: Women & Franchising

An interesting combination of factors at this time in history may be the reason so many women are turning to franchising to fulfill their entrepreneurial desires. Women's increased financial power, better education, and corporate experience, combined with their desire for more autonomy and desire to connect with others who share their values make franchising a great fit for many women.

Women are better educated now than ever. They have accumulated considerable corporate experience. After years in the corporate world they are tired of being locked into super-human schedules which often include brutal hours and travel obligations. They have grown weary of corporate politics, the corporate craziness of power struggles and meaningless competitive games. They are bored with unchallenging positions. They long for greater autonomy, flexibility and control of their schedules. They begin to hear that entrepreneurial voice, saying "You're smarter and more capable than 90% of the management team ? why not use your talents to run your own show?" or, "I've paid my dues and now it's time to do work that I love, work that feeds my soul." or, "Why am I working myself to a frazzle to build equity in someone else's business? Why not build equity in my own?"

But women can also feel a note of caution about business ownership. They might begin to wonder if starting their own business will be even more demanding than working for someone else. They may have heard horror stories of entrepreneurs that worked day and night with little financial reward. Or they wonder if they would miss the companionship of working with colleagues; they want to be in business for themselves, but not by themselves. They want to be business owners, and at the same time they want to be faithful to family relationships and responsibilities. Whether single or married, they don't want to take an unreasonable risk that could negatively effect their family or their security. Franchising can often be the perfect fit.

Several characteristics unique to franchising make it tremendously appealing to women. By nature women are relational, they generally enjoy, in fact crave, opportunities to work with others toward a shared goal. Women like to connect at a deeper level, to feel that bond of shared experience. Experiencing something in common with others is rewarding at a deep level. Becoming a part of a franchise system meets this need. It offers women a way to be connected with like-minded souls ? you have a built in team of franchise owners with whom you can connect. You're not alone. Once you sign the franchise agreement, you become a part of a community.

Starting any business is a risk, but buying a franchise mitigates that risk for many women. Buying a franchise means you are purchasing a proven model, along with training and operations systems that have been tested and validated. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. Because it's a proven model it often accelerates the start-up phase, when a business can tax even the most energetic entrepreneur. You don't spend months or years wondering if you'll "make it." You have the confidence that if you follow the plan, the training, the systems, you are highly likely to succeed.

Franchising may help you be move more quickly to becoming profitable. There are two primary functions in any business ? the developmental function and the implementation function. With a franchise, the entire business concept development cycle has been completed (not to mention paid for) by the franchisor. Once you purchase a franchise, you start right in with the implementation cycle. The majority of your time can be spent on obtaining and keeping customers, not on determining what customers really want and how to provide it. Imagine how many months or years it would take you to come up with your own viable concept -- the product, the services, the pricing, the financial targets, the staffing plan, the entire marketing package, the materials, the website, the sales plan, the sales scripts, and everything else involved in creating a business ? perfecting everything as you go along, at the same time you're trying to generate business to pay for the development cycle. Franchising launches you quickly into generating income. You have completely developed and tested products and services to sell. You have branding systems, marketing materials, and operational processes completely developed for your immediate implementation. Very likely, you'll have access to a website. Yes, you have to get your own customers; yes you have to work hard; yes, you have to be networked in your own community. But you can begin making the business work immediately and move more quickly to being profitable.

Which brings us back to not being alone ? your franchisor wants to see you succeed. Franchising gives you access to people who know what it's like to walk in your shoes who are invested in your success. Most franchisors provide initial training and ongoing mentoring through a variety of means. When you aren't sure how to handle a certain situation, you can pick up the phone and call someone who has been there and done that. When you have an exciting success, you can pick up the phone and call someone who will be celebrating with you.

For many women, franchising is a perfect fit and the most congruent way to listen to that entrepreneurial voice.

© 2005 Darcie Harris

Darcie Harris is co-founder of EWF International®, an Oklahoma based firm providing peer advisory groups for women business owners and executives. EWF International® franchises are available throughout the Southwest. View this article and others at http://www.ewfinternational.com. darcie@ewfinternational.com

---

Hiring the OverQualified Employee or Mining for Gold

I am having a hard time understanding why a valuable... Read More

Creating Your Own Luck

Losing my job in the last recession of... Read More

No Degree, No Problem

According to a recent survey, 52% of job candidates polled... Read More

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone in the Job Search

Most everyone these days knows what a comfort zone is.... Read More

How to Track Your Right Career

Are you lost in the wilderness when it comes to... Read More

Your Value Proposition: A Critical Component To Having A Successful Job Search

Your value proposition is a series of statements defining your... Read More

The Perils Of Employment: Are You About To Be Let Go?

From the moment you are born and you take your... Read More

What To Do

Ever had that perfect life when everything seems perfect yet... Read More

What You Need To Know Before Committing To Vocational Retraining

You've thought a lot about the kind of work you... Read More

Ten Great Careers That Don?t Require A Four Year Degree

One of the great myths associated with the "American Dream"... Read More

Resume 101

Whether you've been downsized, are looking for a career change... Read More

Continuing Professional Development

Continuing professional development (CPD) is promoted by the CIPD to... Read More

During Midlife Change: Are You a Jumper or a Clinger?

Over the years, I have identified two kinds of midlife... Read More

Writing A Resume That Gets You Noticed

As the old saying goes, "you never get a second... Read More

Telecommuting Website (Part Two)

Last article I discussed why a telecommuter would benefit from... Read More

Your Salary: What Are You Worth?

Why is it a good idea to determine your worth?... Read More

Revitalize Your Recruiting for 2005

Happy New Year! The forecasts are in agreement: Hiring is... Read More

Seeking A New Job While Currently Employed : Tiptoeing Through the Minefield

So, you currently have a job but you are looking... Read More

Death By Workers Compensation

Excerpt of Death By Workers' Compensation"The Bleeding Rose"In this Excerpt... Read More

10 Major Signs of Job Dissatisfaction

The New Year is a great time to analyze your... Read More

Dynamic Interviewing Practices

The pre-hiring process can be a challenge. If you're reading... Read More

Fun At Work Leads to More Success

Common sense at work: Such qualities as loyalty, energy, intelligence... Read More

Career Change Success Is Yours If you Follow The Formula

Recent surveys suggest that, given the chance, about four out... Read More

Work Is A Four-Letter Word

I can hear the jokes already and most of them... Read More

Making Yourself More Relevant To The New Workplace

Being a current job seeker can be quite a challenging... Read More

Four Important Questions to Ask Your Interviewer; Do You Really Want to Work for This Person?

Many job seekers miss a golden opportunity when they are... Read More

An RX For Your Résumé

Whether you are an accountant, virtual assistant, or a corporate... Read More

How to Prepare for A Performance Appraisal

Performance appraisal should be treated as an ongoing developmental process... Read More

18 Career Enhancement Caveats

Core value investing in your careerMany people walk through their... Read More

Minding Your Own Business

Think you have gone as far as you can in... Read More

Take the Personal Out of the Workplace: Leave Your Troubles at the Door!

Bringing your emotional baggage into the work place is inappropriate... Read More

The 5 Ps Of A Job Search

Step One - Plan:Most people spend more time planning a... Read More

Dont Get Caught In The Security Trap

The day you begin to think of your job in... Read More