Franchise ownership is often sold as a shortcut to entrepreneurship: a proven model, a recognizable brand and built-in support. But even in strong franchise systems, things go sideways. Staffing headaches, cash flow hiccups, local marketing that doesn’t hit and plain old burnout can pile up fast.
Within the Strategic Franchising Systems portfolio, those challenges are met head-on through coaching, peer support and a relentless focus on business fundamentals. According to Tim Brausch, a business coach with Pet Wants, success starts with reframing what franchise ownership actually is.
“Understanding it’s a business is the key,” Brausch said. “A lot of people get into franchising because they have a passion for the type of business they’ve chosen. In our case, it’s pet nutrition and wellness. But you also have to have a passion for business as well, margins, sales and understanding how everything fits together.”
For many first-time owners, the early challenge is more about business acumen than motivation.
“We spend a lot of time on KPIs and digging into P&Ls,” Brausch said. “Those numbers tell the story of the business. Once owners understand them, they gain clarity instead of stress.”
That clarity is critical in the early years. Pam Brascetta, a Pet Wants franchisee in New Jersey, knows that firsthand. Now in her third year of operation, she describes the first year as both overwhelming and formative.
“The biggest challenge in the first year was really getting a grip on purchasing and inventory,” Brascetta said. “What sells, what doesn’t sell — that’s a learning process. You’re figuring out events, figuring out what’s worth your time and making judgment calls every single day.”
For Brascetta, franchising wasn’t new. She previously owned a travel franchise but ultimately sold it due to a lack of support.
“I didn’t get the support that I really needed,” she said. “That experience taught me how important it is to have a system and people behind you.”
One of the most common mistakes new franchisees make, Brausch says, is underutilizing the franchisor’s systems early on.
“Many challenges come from not fully understanding the franchisor’s systems in the beginning,” he said. “Sometimes owners buy a business and think they’re on their own. But that’s not how franchising works. We are really the silent business partner here to assist you.”
From onboarding and training to ongoing coaching, Strategic Franchising Systems is designed to reduce isolation, but only if franchisees engage.
“Fully engage in onboarding, attend ongoing training and lean on the support team,” Brausch said. “That’s what it’s there for.”
Brascetta echoes that sentiment, noting that access to knowledge and education has been one of the most rewarding parts of ownership. “Corporate enables you to learn as much as you want,” she said. “We’re very comprehensive in how we work with customers, and that comes from the training and support behind the brand.”
Labor is another challenge that consistently tests franchise owners. “One of the big problems when starting a business is thinking you have to do everything, from janitor to CEO,” Brausch said. “At some point, you have to learn how to scale by hiring the right people and giving up some of the day-to-day work.”
In Pet Wants, Brausch says the best hires often come from the customer base itself.
“They already have a passion for pets and pet nutrition,” he said. “But even then, training is critical. Your employees need to understand what success looks like and how they fit into it.”
Brascetta agrees, noting: “There are so many moving parts. You need people you can delegate responsibilities to. This isn’t something you do completely on your own.”
Beyond operational challenges, franchise ownership can be taxing if owners feel isolated in the business. “It is a challenge,” Brausch said. “That’s why we focus on peer-to-peer sessions and connecting franchisees with others who are in the same position. You’re not in this alone.”
Those connections can prevent burnout and accelerate problem-solving. “If there are issues you need answers to, that’s what the franchise community is here for,” he said. “Not just me, but the entire network.”
For Brascetta, that sense of community is key. “It’s better to do this when you have support behind you,” she said. “You’re going to need help. It takes time financially, and you have to push through.”
Perhaps the most overlooked challenge in franchising is maintaining a long-term perspective.
“Having a plan in place when you purchase a franchise is incredibly important,” Brausch said. “Where do you want to be in one year, five years, 10 years? Are you building to sell? To pass it on to your children? This is long-term. You can’t just look at the next month.”
That mindset shift can be difficult, especially for owners who are involved in daily operations. But for those who embrace it, franchising becomes more than a job.
“You also really have to have that passion,” Brascetta said. “I wake up every day because of the pets. That’s what keeps me going. If you don’t truly care, it’s going to be very hard to push through the tough parts.”
At its core, overcoming franchise challenges comes down to humility and coachability.
“Franchisees sometimes have a difficult time admitting they need help,” Brausch said. “But that’s what we’re here for. They are not in this alone.”
Within Strategic Franchising Systems, that philosophy is embedded into the model. Challenges aren’t signs of failure, they’re expected milestones on the path to sustainable ownership.
For franchisees willing to learn, ask questions and lean into the system, those challenges become the foundation for long-term success.
For more information about Strategic Franchising Systems and its portfolio of necessity-based brands, visit: https://1851franchise.com/strategicfranchising/info.
Strategic Franchising
SPONSORED
With the right mindset, proven systems and ongoing support from Strategic Franchising Systems, common franchise ownership challenges can become long-term growth opportunities.
Franchise ownership is often sold as a shortcut to entrepreneurship: a proven model, a recognizable brand and built-in support. But even in strong franchise systems, things go sideways. Staffing headaches, cash flow hiccups, local marketing that doesn’t hit and plain old burnout can pile up fast.
Within the Strategic Franchising Systems portfolio, those challenges are met head-on through coaching, peer support and a relentless focus on business fundamentals. According to Tim Brausch, a business coach with Pet Wants, success starts with reframing what franchise ownership actually is.
“Understanding it’s a business is the key,” Brausch said. “A lot of people get into franchising because they have a passion for the type of business they’ve chosen. In our case, it’s pet nutrition and wellness. But you also have to have a passion for business as well, margins, sales and understanding how everything fits together.”
For many first-time owners, the early challenge is more about business acumen than motivation.
“We spend a lot of time on KPIs and digging into P&Ls,” Brausch said. “Those numbers tell the story of the business. Once owners understand them, they gain clarity instead of stress.”
That clarity is critical in the early years. Pam Brascetta, a Pet Wants franchisee in New Jersey, knows that firsthand. Now in her third year of operation, she describes the first year as both overwhelming and formative.
“The biggest challenge in the first year was really getting a grip on purchasing and inventory,” Brascetta said. “What sells, what doesn’t sell — that’s a learning process. You’re figuring out events, figuring out what’s worth your time and making judgment calls every single day.”
For Brascetta, franchising wasn’t new. She previously owned a travel franchise but ultimately sold it due to a lack of support.
“I didn’t get the support that I really needed,” she said. “That experience taught me how important it is to have a system and people behind you.”
One of the most common mistakes new franchisees make, Brausch says, is underutilizing the franchisor’s systems early on.
“Many challenges come from not fully understanding the franchisor’s systems in the beginning,” he said. “Sometimes owners buy a business and think they’re on their own. But that’s not how franchising works. We are really the silent business partner here to assist you.”
From onboarding and training to ongoing coaching, Strategic Franchising Systems is designed to reduce isolation, but only if franchisees engage.
“Fully engage in onboarding, attend ongoing training and lean on the support team,” Brausch said. “That’s what it’s there for.”
Brascetta echoes that sentiment, noting that access to knowledge and education has been one of the most rewarding parts of ownership. “Corporate enables you to learn as much as you want,” she said. “We’re very comprehensive in how we work with customers, and that comes from the training and support behind the brand.”
Labor is another challenge that consistently tests franchise owners. “One of the big problems when starting a business is thinking you have to do everything, from janitor to CEO,” Brausch said. “At some point, you have to learn how to scale by hiring the right people and giving up some of the day-to-day work.”
In Pet Wants, Brausch says the best hires often come from the customer base itself.
“They already have a passion for pets and pet nutrition,” he said. “But even then, training is critical. Your employees need to understand what success looks like and how they fit into it.”
Brascetta agrees, noting: “There are so many moving parts. You need people you can delegate responsibilities to. This isn’t something you do completely on your own.”
Beyond operational challenges, franchise ownership can be taxing if owners feel isolated in the business. “It is a challenge,” Brausch said. “That’s why we focus on peer-to-peer sessions and connecting franchisees with others who are in the same position. You’re not in this alone.”
Those connections can prevent burnout and accelerate problem-solving. “If there are issues you need answers to, that’s what the franchise community is here for,” he said. “Not just me, but the entire network.”
For Brascetta, that sense of community is key. “It’s better to do this when you have support behind you,” she said. “You’re going to need help. It takes time financially, and you have to push through.”
Perhaps the most overlooked challenge in franchising is maintaining a long-term perspective.
“Having a plan in place when you purchase a franchise is incredibly important,” Brausch said. “Where do you want to be in one year, five years, 10 years? Are you building to sell? To pass it on to your children? This is long-term. You can’t just look at the next month.”
That mindset shift can be difficult, especially for owners who are involved in daily operations. But for those who embrace it, franchising becomes more than a job.
“You also really have to have that passion,” Brascetta said. “I wake up every day because of the pets. That’s what keeps me going. If you don’t truly care, it’s going to be very hard to push through the tough parts.”
At its core, overcoming franchise challenges comes down to humility and coachability.
“Franchisees sometimes have a difficult time admitting they need help,” Brausch said. “But that’s what we’re here for. They are not in this alone.”
Within Strategic Franchising Systems, that philosophy is embedded into the model. Challenges aren’t signs of failure, they’re expected milestones on the path to sustainable ownership.
For franchisees willing to learn, ask questions and lean into the system, those challenges become the foundation for long-term success.
For more information about Strategic Franchising Systems and its portfolio of necessity-based brands, visit: https://1851franchise.com/strategicfranchising/info.
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