Many people assume that owning a franchise is not for them because it involves making a huge financial investment – when they think of franchising, their minds naturally turn large food franchises like Subway and McDonalds. This was the case with Crystal Anderson.
Crystal’s journey into the world of franchising began after her management job of nine years working for Victoria’s Secret Catalog offices was eliminated due to corporate restructuring. Fortunately for Crystal, her severance package not only included 3 months’ pay but it also plugged her into a transition agency that helped Crystal decide what to do with this new phase in her life.
While Crystal didn’t necessarily think that owning a franchise was right for her, she took advantage of all the learning opportunities, webinars and seminars she could including one hosted by FranNet of New York with franchising consultant, John Armstrong.
It was during this time that Crystal learned just how many types of franchises outside of the food service industry there really are and about a number of affordable franchise options. Crystal also learned about funding options including how a new business owner can roll over some of their 401k funds to help them get started.
Still however, she was hesitant. Crystal had been used to getting a regular paycheck and wasn’t comfortable giving that up. She spoke to John about semi-absentee opportunities that would allow her to run a franchise while working at another job.
While she was exploring franchise options, Crystal was offered a job so business ownership got put on the back burner. But after this second position was also eliminated, Crystal realized that the so-called security of a paycheck can be quite illusive.
Ready to commit to a full time business, Crystal reconnected with John and FranNet and set out to find a company that would be a good match.
Once of the companies that John proposed to her was DentalFix RX – a company that provides on-site repair services of dental equipment and tools. Coming from the fashion industry, Crystal thought a first that this was a strange suggestion. But the more she learned about the company model and how it worked, the more attractive the opportunity became to her. In September of 2015, Crystal began her training with the company and is now on her way to building her business.
While it is possible for prospective franchisees to do their own research online and connect with franchisors directly, Crystal admits that she probably would have never done so without the help of FranNet. “Throughout this entire process, not only did (John) help find companies that were a good match for me, but he’s been my sounding board throughout the process,” notes Crystal.
Stories like Crystal’s are more common than you might think. Losing your corporate job is always tough, and if you’ve never considered business ownership or franchising, it might seem like it’s not an option for you. But if you’re even remotely curious about the types of opportunities that might be awaiting you in the franchise world, then you owe it to yourself to investigate. Contact FranNet today and learn about the possibilities.