Franchisee Spotlight

Who is Jim?

Prior to working with Liz, I spent 27 years in the Semiconductor industry as an engineer and engineering manager in fabrication and research facilities.

What inspired Jim to make a career change?

I had always had an interest in starting my own business, but had become very accustomed to my life in a big corporation. However in recent years I had become more confident in my financial position, and in my own ability to be successful in whatever venture I decided to pursue. Like many who were inspired to re-evaluate their career path during the COVID pandemic, I took a look at where I was headed and decided that a change was in order.

Why will Jim make a great franchise owner?

When I am given a framework and asked to execute a series of tasks on a timeline, I have always excelled. I can work within a system and not try to fight it or go my own way. I also have 12 years of people management experience, so I know what it takes to successfully lead a team to accomplish great things.

What were Jim’s search criteria for finding the right franchise company?

First, I wanted a quality product that I could get excited about. Then, I wanted a quality team of people on the franchisor side who would help me be successful. I wanted ease of scalability so that I could grow the business without many more employees (minimal hassle). Then I wanted the ability to run the business while keeping my current job for as long as I wished. I found all these things in the franchise that I chose.

Any tips on choosing the right time to take the leap into business ownership and leave the corporate world?

This is a very personal decision. I am making this change at the age of 50, after 27 years of working for large corporations. I was mostly happy during these times, so I have no regrets about the timing. However, I know that others may have a stronger desire for change or tolerance for the risk of starting a new business. I would say it's good to periodically evaluate where you are and where you're going in your career, and see if you might accomplish your goals more quickly by trying entrepreneurship.

Is there any additional information you'd like to share?

If you have ever wondered whether you had what it takes to start your own business, I recommend you give Liz a call and have her help you evaluate your options. You may end up like me- taking a new direction in life and really excited about the future!!

In his words, here's what Jim had to say about working with Liz: 

“Liz has been wonderful to work with. She took me from a vague interest in starting my own business "someday", to a practical plan for getting it done now. If Liz had not contacted me I honestly don't think I would have ever made the small business dream a reality.

Liz took the time to get to know me personally, including my strengths and weaknesses and my financial situation, and she researched all the franchise opportunities in my area that were a fit for me. She then walked me through each of them until we found a fit.

Liz is very personable, fun, and easy to work with. Her own experience with starting businesses helped me gain perspective on what was needed to open one myself and gave me the confidence to take the plunge. I would recommend working with Liz to anyone who is considering the entrepreneurship route.”