Why You Should Decide on an Industry Before You Pursue a Particular Franchise Brand

For many entrepreneurs, the decision to pursue business ownership through franchising comes from a sort of staleness they’re experiencing in their current careers. It’s the desire to be their own boss and re-engage their interests that makes the franchise industry appealing, but with thousands of potential opportunities available to them, knowing where to begin the search can be challenging.

In a recent Forbes column exploring the steps every entrepreneur should take as they begin their franchise search, franchising expert Steve Beagelman wrote, “The most logical place for an entrepreneur to start is with themselves. Opening a business is not only a significant monetary investment, it’s also a significant time investment, too. As such, it’s important to go into an industry that engages your interests and passions. Start with what you like, then explore businesses that fit into that.”

1851 talked to two franchisors in different industry sectors to learn the degree to which passion breeds franchisee success with their brands: Emerging fitness concept Retro Fitness and waste removal service franchise The Junkluggers. Each shared their perspective on what prospects should be paying attention to as they evaluate franchise brands and some of the qualities of their most successful franchisees.

“If you are an investor, you first need to determine a field you feel good about investing in,” Retro Fitness CEO Andrew Alfano said. “Then, you can decide which brand to hitch your financial wagon to. Your wallet is attached to your heart, so having an interest in and a passion for the industry in which you are opening a business is something to consider. That being said, we are in the ‘for-profit’ business, so strong unit-level economics should always be the focus. … The decision should be a confluence of factors to ensure economic and personal success.”

Expanding on Alfano’s point about a prospect’s decision being a multifaceted one, The Junkluggers CEO Josh Cohen said, “I find that it’s important for prospects to have a general idea of the field of work they are interested in. However, I also believe that it’s important to keep an open mind during the exploration process so they can find the business and franchise that is the right fit for them.”

This caveat makes sense coming from Cohen’s perspective, especially when considering that many wouldn’t necessarily think of waste removal as a field in which one may be particularly passionate. Instead, Cohen explained, The Junkluggers places its commitment to recycling and sustainability front-and-center in an effort to appeal to prospects who are passionate about making a difference in this regard in their own communities.

“When I started The Junkluggers as a college student just over 15 years ago, I saw the opportunity to not only lug junk to make money, but I also recognized that many of the items I was lugging had a lot of sentimental value and deserved a second home,” Cohen said. “Keeping these valuable, reusable items out of landfills and recycling as much as possible makes a positive impact on the world, which has been my goal from the start. I see the same level of passion in prospective business owners who are enthusiastic about being a part of a company focused on sustainability and giving back to their local communities.”

Similarly, Retro Fitness prides itself on being the hometown gym in every community it enters, making a passion for fitness and personal betterment a “critically important” quality for its franchisees to possess. “They are the consumer-facing, boots-on-the-ground leaders of their gyms, and we would hope they love what they do,” Alfano said. He noted that while the brand does allow absentee owners into its system, the requirement to install leaders who possess this same passion remains.

“We are first and foremost in the people business, so successful franchisees need to be able to build and develop a high-performing team—specifically, our club-level employees who are consumer-facing and tasked with creating a world-class experience for our members,” Alfano said. “If employees are happy, energetic and well-trained, it makes all the difference for our members—and the success of the franchisee.”

While those who are hardworking, collaborative, able to take direction and in-tune with their local markets have the propensity to succeed as an owner of virtually any brand, the evidence for passion being the key ingredient to franchisee success is compelling. So, before beginning your search, take inventory of what moves you and seek out industries that fit the bill. From there, the differentiators of specific concepts will be more easily detectable, allowing the right opportunity to rise to the top.

“I believe it’s important to wake up each day excited about what you do,” Cohen said. “Sure, there are days that are tougher than others, however, if you are part of something bigger than just you, it will motivate you to be successful. To me, this starts with being part of a franchise system that you believe in, championing a brand that you are passionate about, and being supported by a team that is committed to your success.”