7 Franchisees on How They Chose Their Segments

Deciding what you want out of a franchise is as simple as deciding what you want out of life. OK, maybe neither of those things are simple, but they are important. Successful franchisees dive into their businesses headfirst, so before a franchisee candidate signs on the dotted line, they should have a good idea of the lifestyle that comes with a brand. 

Candidates should consider their investment level, personal interests and expertise, core values, the time they’re willing to commit and an eventual exit strategy. With thousands of options to choose from within franchising, it’s likely candidates can find a close match that allows them to not only be their own boss but feel like it too. 

1851 Franchise has conducted extensive research on how happy franchisees picked their segments and picked seven examples to illustrate the right way to pick a segment. 

Matthew Brandal, GYMGUYZ, Phoenix, Arizona

It’s great to hustle, but work isn’t everything. What draws many of the most creative and energetic entrepreneurs to franchising is the potential for them to set their own schedule and make time for what’s important to them.

“I’ve always wanted to own my own business. I wanted to open my own restaurant but it was too much time and too many weekends, which meant I wouldn’t have time to be with my family. I looked around at other positions first but wasn’t finding much that I was interested in, or had the background for. All this prompted me to reach out to a franchise consultant; I was actually working with two at the time. They came back with some work from home options and GYMGUYZ fell into place,” he said.

Bruce Brady, 360° Painting, Atlanta, Georgia

Many feel most comfortable getting into an industry where they have some expertise already. For this real estate professional, getting into home renovations with a painting franchise made sense. 

“Since I knew the real estate industry and home renovations, 360° Painting felt like a natural fit in my life. The people from the corporate team whom I’ve interacted with have been great, and they showed how they would properly support me which really stood out to me.”

Matthew Horist, Footprints Floors*, Western Michigan

Some entrepreneurs want to get in on a segment with momentum. During the pandemic, interest in home improvement has skyrocketed, and smart entrepreneurs took notice. 

“I started looking at franchises about two to three years ago and looked at everything under the sun from ice cream to fitness to fast food. I wanted to go into home improvement because it’s showing huge growth right now. I worked with a broker to find the right brand for me, and when he introduced me to Footprints Floors I knew it was a perfect fit.”

Ronak and Poonam Manek, 810 Billiards & Bowling*, Chandler, Arizona

Some franchisees never choose a segment. Instead, they choose a partner. For these accomplished entrepreneurs, they knew it was time to sign when they met the founder. 

“I had already made up my mind that we were going to go for the other franchise, a preschool. Then when I spoke to [Michael Siniscalchi, 810’s CEO and founder], I took a deep breath, I knew this was the one,’” he said.

Bhautik Patel, Lightbridge Academy*, Somerset, New Jersey

When we live in pursuit of our core values, we most often find success and happiness. This entrepreneur picked his segment based on his family background and passion for supporting children. 

“I looked at restaurants, barbershops and all sorts of different brands. However, with my wife being a pediatrician and our desire to help kids, it was a no-brainer selecting Lightbridge,” he said. 

Harold Wallace, Slim Chickens, Nashville, Tennessee

Sometimes, a franchisee’s eyes light up when they find out about a better mousetrap. This entrepreneur saw the fried chicken segment blowing up and jumped on the best chicken product he could find.

“Chicken is a hot segment, and we do it better than our competition. Our product and offerings are better. It's a fun concept and we have a great story to tell. The southern feel of Slim Chickens really resonates well with people in the area,” said Wallace. 

Erica Ames, Burn Boot Camp, Oceanside, California

Some franchisees don’t choose a segment as much as they fall in love with a brand. For this entrepreneur, she felt such a connection to service that she couldn’t wait to share it with her local community.

“[My co-owner] and I became friends through Burn Boot Camp. It provided us another community to be part of in Charlotte. When I go back to Charlotte, many of the friends I see are people from Burn Boot Camp*. Since we know what it is like to be part of the Burn Boot Camp* community, we are looking forward to providing that experience to our future members in Oceanside and the surrounding communities,” she said.