The 4 Biggest Challenges You’ll Face When Becoming a Franchisee—And How to Overcome Them

Make sure the franchise is a good fit for your values.

Diane and her husband Rick share a passion for serving people who need help, and that was behind their decision to choose Right at Home over the other franchises that they considered. She advises taking the time to get to know the people behind the business and learn what they stand for. 

“It’s just as important to give the company an opportunity to get to know you because this is going to be a long-term partnership. Don’t give in to pressure to decide within a certain timeline,” she says.

Name your worst fears.

When you name the worst-case scenario, it’s much easier to plan for it. When the Carsons started building their Right at Home business, they scraped together every penny to get it off the ground and worried that even that wouldn’t be enough. But as a result, quitting wasn’t an option when things got complicated. The only option was to forge ahead. 

Diane recalls, “It was a while until we took a paycheck. But we made a commitment, and we felt like this was something that we were supposed to be doing.”

Hold your staff accountable.

Diane has a big heart, and as a result, it’s sometimes difficult for her to be a boss. She says if she could give one piece of advice to her past self, it would be to make expectations clear and hold her people accountable. “I trust people easily, and when you trust people, and they don’t have accountability, sometimes people let you down,” she muses. 

To help prevent disappointment, agree on the expectations with each employee, give them enough freedom so that they feel valued and trusted, and hold them accountable for results.

Keep going.

The Carsons started their business during the lowest point of the Great Recession. At the time, their biggest competitors were individuals who had also lost their jobs and were caring for their aging loved ones themselves—meaning they didn’t need the help of an in-home care provider. 

There was a time when they didn’t know if their business was going to work, but they got through by consistently showing up every day. “We took it one day at a time,” says Diane. And then one day, the hardest part was behind them. Today, the Carsons run a business that’s more rewarding than they ever imagined.