In franchise ownership, having access to a tested system is only part of the equation. Two owners can join the same brand, receive the same resources from the franchisor and ultimately have very different experiences. After spending 26 years in retail leadership with Macy’s, owning and selling her own franchise and leading two different franchise brands, Fresh Coat Painters brand president Lisa Hudson has a clear understanding of another factor in franchisee success: proper support and coaching.

“One thing that I think is important, having been a franchisee and now a franchisor, is that when people pull back from the system, the system needs to lean forward,” Hudson said on “The Franchise Woman” podcast. “It’s really important to know that you’re going to make mistakes, just like in your other careers and in life. You will make a decision as a business owner, and it may [or may not be] part of the process. You just have to own it and know that an integral part of what we provide is the coaching. Everyone needs a mentor or a confidant — someone [who’s] going to challenge them and their thinking or help them when [they’re] stuck.”

As the franchisor, Hudson emphasizes a balanced approach. The coaching is crucial, but there’s also a reason the systems and processes exist. If things don’t seem to be going to plan for a franchisee, there are clear-cut best practices that they’re guided back to. Hudson notes that “the scoreboard never lies,” and tracking KPIs proactively allows the franchisor to step in with additional support when necessary.

“Sometimes, there can be a point of no return, and it can be a harder hill to climb,” she said. “If we can identify [a challenge] quickly to have a conversation, ask the right questions and help the owner identify that gap, then we can help them improve that KPI, improving their results more quickly.”

For franchisees, success is often driven by a willingness to follow the core processes of the franchise system they’ve invested in while remaining open to the support and guidance of the franchisor.

Franchisors’ role in this success requires a thoughtful, balanced approach to coaching that pairs strong relationships and genuine care with realistic goals and motivation.

“It’s about the overall relationship. You have to know that you’ve built a strong enough relationship with [the franchisee],” Hudson said. “You’ve been cheering them on and giving them positive reinforcement, so they’ll continue to do the things that are working. … Again, it’s about their goal. If this is something that they’ve committed to and really, really want, I have learned that it feels worse to not say anything than to provide tough love coaching, because I do care about that person. I want them to have the business that they want to have, the team that they want to have, and the legacy that they want to have.”

Watch the full conversation here.

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