In this edition of FranNet’s blog, we’re going to do a bit of a deep dive into your work week. As we all know, the standard for a full-time employee is 40 hours, but that wasn’t always the case. In fact, did you know that in 1890, the average manufacturing employee worked 100 hours per week? Talk about the Dark Ages. It wasn’t until October of 1940 when the 40-hour work week became standard fare. And it took a major battle between workers and the U.S. government to secure this right.
We delve into the history of hours because many of our future clients are currently toiling away this 40-hour work week for someone else’s benefit. Perhaps you work for Microsoft. Or maybe it’s Joe’s Pizza Kitchen. Either way, Microsoft and Joe are the ones profiting from your labor in the end. It’s this type of thinking that gnaws at the mind of many a budding entrepreneur. In an entrepreneur’s mindset, that 40 hours isn’t just wasted on someone else, it’s 40 hours that could be benefitting themselves.
It’s reminiscent of a scene in the 1995 movie, Casino, starring Robert DeNiro. DeNiro’s character is the general manager of a casino who hosts a powerful gambler that won a lot of money one night. The gambler is ready to fly home on the casino’s plane, but the pilots faked a mechanical issue so that the bettor would return to the casino. And he did. But when he returned to the tables, he bet small. This turned out to be difficult for the big better because even when he won, he didn’t see it as winning a hand. He saw the winnings as a loss from what he usually bet. In the end, he gambled all of his money back to the casino.
We’d also like to take this moment to point out that a 40-hour workweek typically covers the time you spend behind the desk, counter or wheel (depending on what you actually do for a living). 40 hours out of a possible 168 (7 days) on the surface seems like a pretty good trade-off, doesn’t it? Only, it isn’t. What about the time spent getting ready for work? What about the time you spend commuting? The average commute to work in the U.S. is 25 minutes. But tell that to someone that lives in a big city, where that average can double. Before it’s all said and done, you’re likely spending about 60-70 hours working for Corporate America.
And that’s 60-70 hours you could be putting into your own hustle. If you only had an outlet.
Franchising is that outlet. It’s an excellent avenue for budding entrepreneurs who desire to become their own boss. It’s a process for sure and there are many steps involved. But what we at FranNet do is guide you through the journey to the finish line. Waiting for you on the podium will be an opportunity of your own and the hours you spend running the business will drive any profits in your direction—not others.
We have exercise for you. Chose a day in the week to track your time. If you have a smartphone (and who doesn’t at this point?) you can download a free stopwatch app to do the job. When you begin your workday (before heading into the office), use the start and stop function to track every second that you spend concerning your employment. This includes getting ready, your morning commute, your time in the office and your evening commute. And if you’re one of those types who checks your work email right before you go to bed, add that time in as well.
Take the result and multiply it by five (days). How many hours a week do you spend working for someone else? Want to change that so that these hours work in your favor? Come see us.
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Let’s chat! There’s a local FranNet consultant right in your market who knows that market inside and out – knows the personality of the market – knows the competitive landscape. FranNet has a great track record of assisting individuals on their path to entrepreneurship, and one of our franchise experts would love to provide you with guidance free of charge. Sound like something you might be interested in? Get started here and find your local consultant right now!