1851

Jan Hatch didn&rsquo;t know she wanted to be a franchisee. She didn&rsquo;t set out to review a plethora of brands by searching through portals and researching different investment levels. What she did know, however, was that she loved <a href="https://franchise.wbu.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-a-love-for-a-brand-can-spur-a-passionate-franchisee-12221" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wild Birds Unlimited.</a>

Having a strong familiarity with the brand, and having grown up in Carmel, Indiana, <a href="https://wildbirdsunlimited.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-a-love-for-a-brand-can-spur-a-passionate-franchisee-12221" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wild Birds Unlimited&rsquo;s</a> headquarters, she already had a strong knowledge and love for the product. That was all she needed to inspire her to invest.

&ldquo;I really didn&rsquo;t walk into franchising with any perceptions. I worked backwards,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I knew I liked Wild Birds Unlimited, I knew I liked the brand, and I knew I liked the product.&rdquo;

Hatch then learned it was a franchise. She initially thought about working for the franchisor, but when she did her homework, she decided that she wanted to be a store owner instead.

&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t set out to get into the franchise industry,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;What I knew for certain was that I liked Wild Birds Unlimited, and that I wanted to figure out a way to be a part of it.&rdquo;

But just because Hatch didn&rsquo;t set out to become a franchisee it doesn&rsquo;t mean that all the benefits of franchising have been taken for granted or overlooked.

&ldquo;I appreciate and value the help and the structure that the corporate team provides,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I think sometimes people struggle with entrepreneurship versus franchising. I appreciate the legwork that&rsquo;s already been done, and I appreciate the structure that has been put into place. I appreciate the formula they give me to find my own success. At the end of the day, I have the autonomy to do what I want, but I think that I wouldn&rsquo;t do as well without the structure. I can pick and choose what I want to do, and it opened my eyes to take different initiatives in a direction that I feel comfortable with.&rdquo;

She notes her one-year anniversary as an amazing milestone. And then her second year anniversary was an even bigger celebration.

&ldquo;We had so much more success in year two. We set and exceeded goals, so that was very rewarding. I&rsquo;ve also loved the process of becoming a part of the community,&rdquo; Hatch said. &ldquo;In that first year, I had to prove to people that they could trust me and I&rsquo;d be there for the long haul. Going into year two, people really believed it. And going into year three, people figured out that I&rsquo;m staying here for good. I have more that 2,000 customers and I feel like I know 80 percent of them on a personal level. I yell &lsquo;hi&rsquo; to them when I hear their voice without even turning around.&rdquo;

Another exciting and special part of being successful is that Hatch is now at the point where people come to her location in search of donations for their fundraising events, and she&rsquo;s able to support them. She comments that she loves helping people in the community and is happy that her business is at a place where giving back is possible.

But being an important anchor in her community isn&rsquo;t the only benefit that&rsquo;s come with franchising. Hatch also recognizes that being established allows her to have a reliable routine.

&ldquo;There are certain days that I order, certain days that I receive and certain days that I work on local marketing, and I try to write my team&rsquo;s schedule so that it is pretty much set,&rdquo; Hatch said. &ldquo;My goal is to continue to establish these set routines to help me be successful.&rdquo;

How a Love for a Brand Can Spur a Passionate Franchisee

1851 Franchise

Brand familiarity and franchisor guidance can make for a successful partnership

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

how-a-love-for-a-brand-can-spur-a-passionate-franchisee

Children's Lighthouse

How Children’s Lighthouse Stands Out Among Other Children’s Education, Childcare, and Daycare Franchises

how-childrens-lighthouse-stands-out-among-other-childrens-education-childcare-and-daycare-franchises

The Growth Coach

The Growth Coach Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

the-growth-coach-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-for-2025

One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning

Why One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning Sees People as the Power Behind Franchise Growth

one-hour-heating-air-conditioning-franchise-growth

Lawn Doctor

Design with photo of John Perry and Lawn Doctor logo

How a 20-Year Industry Veteran Tripled His Sales With a Lawn Doctor Franchise

lawn-doctor-franchise-success-story-john-perry

Fitness Premier

The Secret to Fitness Franchise Success? It's Not Just the Workouts

fitness-premier-franchise-marketing-support

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Design with American and Federal Reserve flags against light blue background

Federal Reserve Expected To Cut Rates by Quarter Point, a Move That Could Boost Franchise Growth

fed-rate-cut-boosts-franchise-growth

Potbelly to be Acquired by RaceTrac in $566 Million Deal 

racetrac-acquires-potbelly-in-566-million-deal

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

Caribou Coffee Names Scott Kennedy CEO, Eyes Continued Growth

caribou-coffee-names-scott-kennedy-ceo-eyes-continued-growth

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

DevHub - Meet the Supplier - 1851 Franchise

DevHub: Scalable Digital Marketing for Franchises and Multi-Location Brands

devhub-meet-the-supplier

Mike Revak - Chief Business Officer - Sky Zone - Franchise Marketing Leaders - 1851 Franchise

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Mike Revak — President and Chief Business Officer, Sky Zone

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-mike-revak-chief-business-officer-sky-zone

BooXkeeping: Making Bookkeeping Cool for Franchisors, Franchisees, and Small Business Owners

booxkeeping-making-bookkeeping-cool-for-franchisors-franchisees-and-small-business-owners

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Brittany Knollmiller — Head of Marketing, Yogurtland

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-brittany-knollmiller-head-of-marketing-yogurtland

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

How a Love for a Brand Can Spur a Passionate Franchisee

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS