Joining a franchise is a great business decision. By undertaking this commitment, franchisees have access to benefits that are not available for independent entrepreneurs. However, some franchisees may find themselves ill-prepared for the depth of this commitment in their first year of operation, something that could make for a difficult time.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. To be successful, new franchisees need to find the strength that gets them through the growing pains of opening a new franchise location. There’s one word that aptly describes this quality: resilience—the ability to recover quickly from a setback. And, you’ll need to be resilient when first opening your food franchise restaurant; that’s when you can expect to encounter setbacks and challenges on a daily basis.
The good news is that as a new franchisee, you’re already nearly there. You’ve done your homework about franchise agreements, shown yourself to be resourceful in acquiring capital, and demonstrated your passion for food service as a people person. Now, with a little help, you need to put it all together.
Find your resilience by following these simple steps:
1. Get Ready for a Learning Experience
To survive your first year as a new franchisee, it is essential to have the proper attitude. Your ability to be resilient hinges upon your ability to have an open mindset in which nothing is taken for granted. You need to accept that becoming a new franchisee is going to be a learning experience. Or, to put it bluntly, you will be humbled.
This may be difficult for some people. Many franchisees have previous restaurant experience, and may be accustomed to doing things a certain way. As much as that may have worked for you before, it may not work now. That’s because running a franchise restaurant requires special conditions to be successful.
By joining a franchise, you’ve become a part of a larger system that has its own rules. And lest you forget, the system only works when everyone follows the rules—you included.
It will be difficult at first. But, as you tough it out and make it to the second year, your hard work will prevail. By then, everything will become easier as your franchise location falls into a familiar rhythm, bringing in the rewards that you’ve worked so hard for.
2. A Plan for Success
Perhaps the biggest advantage to joining a franchise is the established plan provided for all new employees. Any strong franchisor offers detailed strategies on how to run their franchises. More than that, they should have a corporate mechanism that provides internal support for franchisees.
This is nothing less than a miracle for a small- or medium-sized business. By joining a franchise, you won’t have to make your own mistakes. Instead, franchisees can learn from others that have already gone through the same exact process. By drawing upon the collective knowledge and experience of the franchise, you can expedite your journey to success.
By joining a franchise, you’ll receive a plan for success. It’s a partnership that has definite advantages. New franchise businesses have a one-year survival rate that is 6.3% higher than independent businesses, a rate that rises to 8% when lengthening the time to two years.
3. Demonstrate Leadership
As a new franchisee, you’re not in charge just because you sign the checks. Rather, being in charge of a new franchise location requires you to demonstrate leadership at a time when it is needed the most.
Being the boss of your franchise location requires you to provide clear direction on what you want done, and how to accomplish it. You need to motivate your new employees to provide great customer service, and you also need to lead by example. It’s your responsibility to be proactive and solve problems whenever they arise, and provide guidance to show what you expect to have done in your franchise location.
It’s up to you to be the voice of reason and authority. And because the responsibility falls upon you to make sure franchise rules are properly implemented at your location, you also need to fully embody the brand values of your franchise.
Be the leader that your franchisor, employees, and customers need you to be. Leadership is one of the top qualities shared by successful franchise owners, and is a trait that will definitely help you survive your first year.
4. Stay Positive
Nothing is going right; your best laid plans have fallen apart; one disaster follows another. At a time like this, there’s only one thing left to do: stay positive.
We get it. It’s impossible to be perfect when you’re still learning the ropes on a job that has high expectations for you. In order to find winning strategies and combinations, mistakes will have to be made. And, to ensure you quickly recover from setbacks, be sure to focus on all the good that you’ve done; keep building on your successes to continue your winning ways.
Project confidence in the face of disaster by staying cool as a cucumber. Don’t panic. Stay positive, and eventually things will get back on track.
5. Build a Strong Support System
Your franchise is always there for you, but it’s important to build your own support network for yourself.
Make sure you’re not getting burned out at work by engaging in healthy relationships with friends and family. Find knowledgeable peers with whom you can have important discussions with. Build a life outside of work that is meaningful and fulfilling to you. Ensure that you have a strong support system that can help you when you need it the most.
Not only that, as the new franchisee, you need to staff your franchise location with great employees that are passionate about customer service. Most importantly, you need to find a general manager you can trust. This vital role requires someone who can solve problems, take responsibility, and believes in your franchise as much as you do.
With all these tips in mind, you can find the resilience required to get you through a difficult first year. Persevere, and you can become a successful franchise owner with many years of rewards ahead of you!
Interested in joining St. Louis Bar & Grill? We’re a successful food restaurant brand with over 18 years of franchise experience. We’ve opened over 70 locations across Canada, and we need someone to help us with the next one. Is it you?
Please see our Franchising webpage for more information.
