Father-Son Duo Find Success and Fulfillment in Franchise Consulting With FranNet

In the world of franchising, having a trusted partner can make all the difference. For Jack Armstrong and his son John, this has proven true and helped carve a path to success for the father-son duo. 

Jack is a seasoned entrepreneur with a keen eye for opportunity. His winding career eventually led him to his current position as the founder and president of FranNet of Northern New Jersey, a leading franchise consulting firm.

Fresh out of Bemidji State University with an accounting degree, Jack took control of a publication called New Jersey Monthly and helped raise its circulation to 100,000. At 27, he raised capital to buy Americana Magazine, which he managed for 14 years. After earning a master’s degree in finance from Pace University and writing a thesis on franchising, Jack foresaw the internet's impact on publishing and sold his company in 1994. It was around this time he caught wind of FranNet’s beginnings and decided to get involved.

Some time later, John decided to follow in his dad’s footsteps. After getting his economics degree from Colgate, he had initially pursued a career in investment banking with Morgan Stanley. However, he soon found himself yearning for more autonomy and fulfillment. Reconsidering his career path, John reached out to his dad and proposed the idea of joining forces.

Jack, knowing his son had an excellent work ethic, was immediately interested in the proposition. However, he realized that working with family can sometimes pose challenges, so he thoughtfully laid a foundation for success. 

“I didn't want us stepping on each other's toes,” Jack said. “No one had New York City, so we purchased that as a second territory. John was living in New York City, so he ran that territory, and I continued in New Jersey to begin with. We established lead flow clients coming to see him, to get them off to a good start. I think that helped a lot. But yet, we collaborated. We talked and we did a lot of work around marketing and we worked together, but we each had our own list of clients we work with.”

For John, working alongside his father has offered a unique opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a complex industry fairly quickly.

“There's a lot of institutional knowledge that was passed on to me,” he said. “I imagine that’s very unique to a father-son combo.”

Also unique to working with family is the challenge of keeping the professional and personal lives separate. Fortunately, this has not been an issue for the Armstrongs.

“Early on, the rule was, ‘No business on Christmas,’” John said.

However, the pair found that the best way to support each other was to be receptive to quick phone calls or questions from one another at any time of day. They found they had a lot to learn from each other and could offer one another a great deal of support. In addition to forming an efficient partnership, the pair have also achieved the lifestyle they desire through their careers. 

“FranNet offers us ??flexibility and freedom,” said Jack. “We can travel and we are able to cover for each other.”

Moreover, the pair have found fulfillment in working side by side with a brand whose values echo their own. 

“With FranNet, it is always about doing what's right for the client and helping people to make sure it’s the right fit,” said Jack. “We'd rather say no and pass on a commission than have someone fail at the business. We try to always find the right thing for each person.”

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/frannet/info.