WSI - Dave Rank

We've all heard about diversifying our investments, and not to put all our eggs in one basket. But, what about our careers? Isn't having a job as our sole source of income putting all our eggs in one basket? Our entrepreneur this month reinvented himself after a downsizing and decided that diversifying his career would provide more options and more security over the long haul. Congratulations Dave and welcome to the world of entrepreneurship!

Dave Rank

I met Dave Rank when I spoke on business ownership and franchising at Right Management, an outplacement agency for downsized workers. Dave was accustomed to living in the fast lane, but not the way you might think.  He had been Platform Director for the Harley Davidson Softail for numerous years.  His job required numerous test drives and this was his vehicle of choice going to work each day. But the recent recession had caused Harley to cut back and Dave was now riding solo. Dave has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters in New Product Management. He's a highly visual, innovative, artistic individual and very methodical in nature. He also uses technology and exploits computer technology for efficiency gains. When I met Dave, he had already formed a consulting company, Root Cause Consortium, to exploit his product development skills. But the franchise story made sense to him and he thought that perhaps we could find a franchise business for him that would compliment his consulting business. The other option was to find a business for his wife, Louisa, where he could help her on the side.  So suddenly, I had two clients, Dave and Louisa. We ran two parallel paths. I treated Dave and his wife as separate clients. Louisa was working as an office manager at a church. Although she seemed rather quiet on the outside, she enjoyed being Dave's riding partner. But Louisa wasn't content to ride on the back of Dave's Softail. She rode a Harley V-Rod. That's Harley's high powered muscle bike. She was a focused lady. Working with both clients, I learned about their strengths, likes, dislikes and goals. We built possibility profiles together, from the ground up, using their criteria for their hypothetical businesses. As we progressed, Louisa gravitated toward the health care industry and Dave toward Internet consulting. But they weren't going to buy two franchises; a decision had to be made. The potential of Dave's choice plus his previous management experience and consulting business, made Dave the logical choice. Louisa would keep her job, bring in income for the family and assist Dave with the back office part of his new business. Here's what Dave had to say about our journey of exploration: "I knew I didn't want to get a job with another company.  I wanted to make a job.  I wanted to build a company that created jobs for others.  In the due diligence, I considered buying or running some other business or starting from scratch.  At a jobs event, I heard Marty Barnes talk about franchising.  The idea of working from an established model held a lot of merit for me.  Marty listened to what I was interested in and came back with a number of good alternatives.  He helped me through the decision process replete with benchmark information.  I never felt like Marty was trying to force me into something.  He really was a good coach". WSI is all about using web and mobile technologies to make businesses more visible to their customers.  It is the largest Internet marketing organization of its kind and operates in more than 87 countries around the world.  Because of their broad experience in just about any sector of business, they bring the latest best-practices to bear for their clients.  So how is Dave doing in his business and is he enjoying being a business owner?  Here's what he had to say: "Next April (2012) will be my 2nd anniversary with my WSI franchise.  Looking back and asking myself would I do it again, my answer is "yes".  Now it took me a while to find my "voice" as being a salesman was really a new role for me even though I had a great deal of experience creating and presenting proposals at all levels inside organizations.  Being discerning regarding what makes a qualified prospect was also a skill I needed to learn. Those contemplating buying a franchise need to take a critical look at themselves so they are prepared to deal with these types of learning curves. But as a franchise choice, WSI has been a good decision.  The potential for business just continues to grow every day.  While the investment is not small, it is competitive when compared to other franchise opportunities.  In return, building a client base of recurring revenue is a primary goal.  As a franchisee, WSI provides me with a wealth of training that is continuously updated as fast as the technology itself changes.  The WSI network of service providers and other Internet Consultants is large and willing to help newbie's with advice, stories and even professional coaching for the really tough questions. "Would I do it again?  Yes.  The limits on my business are my own and not that of the WSI model."   Recently Dave has branched out in one more area. He is now an adjunct professor in the school of business at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. He's teaching a graduate course in Web Application Development and an undergrad course in Entrepreneurship.   If you have a business and you'd like the Internet and digital marketing to work for you, please give Dave a call so he can help you understand your possibilities and implement solutions. Dave can be reached at 262-617-6170 or dave.rank@wsimarketreach.com. With Dave's help, you and your business may soon be riding in the fast lane. Dave now has three careers with synergy between them. He has his development consulting business, the franchise WSI and his new teaching career. His students might be future customers, and his consulting business could result in WSI business and visa versa. Dave has positioned himself so that his "paycheck" is no longer reliant on the whims of an employer and diversified his revenue for a more secure future.