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11th Mar 2010
When creating a new business an entrepreneur needs to work hard to get the business established, and franchising is no different.
Franchising may provide procedures for the day-to-day running of the business, established distribution and supply chains, as well as support from the franchisor, but the work still needs to be done.
If you conduct your due diligence correctly you’re likely to discover that many franchisees work as much as 70 or 80 hour weeks in the early days (depending on the franchise).
Once the franchise unit becomes established franchisees may continue to work above and beyond the standard working week because running your own small business generally is hard work.
If franchisees aren’t prepared to put the hours in from the start their business is more likely to fail, and if they don’t have a realistic understanding of the time commitment involved they’re likely to experience higher levels of stress.
Talking to franchisees already in the franchise business network will allow you to find out what kind of work-life balance you can expect as a franchisee.
Franchisors of the past often promoted their franchise as a better way to achieve work-life balance, but as they became more experienced (i.e. recruiting a number of incompatible franchisees) some changed their franchisee recruitment practices.
John O’Brien from PoolWerx provides the perfect example.
He says the franchise used to have a message along the lines of ‘spend the day by the pool’ to help recruit franchisees, but found this perception tended to recruit franchisees that weren’t willing to put the effort in.
Needless to say PoolWerx no longer takes that franchisee recruitment approach. They now promote an integrated business career pathway that attracts people who are more business like in their outlook.
Franchisee work-life balance will also depend on individual characteristics such as personality, work ethic and life priorities.
Some franchisees work 70 hours a week and love it, while it may lead to depression or exhaustion in others – it really depends on what’s important to you, at that particular time.
The other thing to be aware of is that your priorities may and can change at different times in your life.
Before you select your franchise network consider the time commitment you’re willing to make in order to make your franchise business a success and then speak with current and previous franchisees to see if it’s realistic.
As with anything, you generally get out what you put in.
Although franchising provides a proven concept with systems and procedures in place, somebody still needs to do the work and usually it’s the franchisee (unless you can afford a manager to replace you, again depending on the franchise).
When you sign-up to a franchise make sure you’re ready for the commitment.
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