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How does one know what type of business or business model would be the right
fit? We often are attracted to a business because we have enjoyed this business
as a patron or perhaps we have a passion for that particular industry or
service. Unfortunately, this logic doesn't usually work to your benefit. You may
love the basic business, but you may later find out that you are not happy with
what you have to do in the business on a daily basis.
Our entrepreneur this month
almost made that mistake. He thought that income potential or customer demand
should be his deciding factor. Fortunately, he was able to regroup and find a
business that was a better fit for him before it was too late.
Congratulations Rick, and welcome
to the world of entrepreneurship!
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Rick Grimord
Express Employment Professionals
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Rick Grimord was in sales and
marketing most of his career and has a degree in Business and Psychology. He had
recently been downsized from the material handling division of Warn Industries
where he was director of sales and decided that he wanted to do something on his
own. He had been investigating franchising on his own and was initially
attracted to a senior care franchise because of all the aging baby boomers that
would need this service. He did his validation of that particular franchise and
even attended a Discovery Day where he met the management and was officially
approved as a future franchisee. His last step was to take the franchise's
disclosure document and franchise agreement to a franchise attorney for
review.
During the consultation with his
attorney, Rick started to question his decision and began to realize that maybe
the senior care franchise wasn't really a good fit for him. Rick liked the
business model, but he wasn't sure if he had the calling and patience to deal
with seniors on a daily basis. He also thought that this business model would
have constant turnover of staff and clients and it might be difficult to have a
consistent income. His attorney was a good listener and sensed Rick's lack of
commitment. He suggested that Rick give me a call so that we could discuss other
business models that would be a better fit for him.
Rick and I met at a coffee shop
where we initially got to know each other and started our discussions about his
strengths, goals and income and lifestyle needs. Rick told me that he was a wine
and food enthusiast and wondered if there might be a franchise that would match
these interests. But at the age of 60, he also wanted to have a life and
restaurants and food related franchises are often open long hours 7 days a week.
So we decided to explore options that were business related with more normal
working hours. Rick also expressed a desire to be involved with the business on
a daily basis and wanted to put his management experience to work, thus managing
a team of employees.
I asked Rick why he no longer
wanted a job and why he had a strong interest in franchising. Here is what he
had to say. "I got tired of making money for other people and I don't want
to do this anymore. I'm smart enough to do something on my own. At one time in
my career I worked for McDonalds corporate in marketing and regional
advertising, supporting 307 stores in Florida. I was very impressed with the
support that McDonalds offered their franchisees and this left a very positive
impression concerning franchising."
We looked at a variety of
franchise options and decided on a few to learn about in more detail. Often
clients are attracted to a particular type of franchise, perhaps one where they
had a positive experience themselves. But more important is for the client to
understand what their life would be as an owner and what they would be doing on
a daily basis.
As Rick validated the various
opportunities, he was most impressed with Express Employment Professionals, a
full-service staffing agency. Rick was impressed with the history and success of
the company. He liked that it was a 9-5 type of business working in a
professional business environment. He also liked that he could utilized his
sales and people skills as he built relationships with local businesses to
provide their staffing needs. In addition, he liked that he would be an
influencer in helping to put people back to work. The employees that he would
hire out to local businesses within his territory would have the opportunity to
earn benefits such as holiday pay, vacation pay and referral bonuses. He would
be making a difference in the lives of many.
Express Employment Professionals
is currently celebrating their 30th year in business. The have a network of over
600 independently owned franchise locations in the United States, Canada and
South Africa. Express provides employment services and Human Resource solutions
to help employers' needs and production goals. Their staffing solutions include
evaluation and direct hire, temporary and contract staffing, professional search
and contract, flexible staffing and onsite services.
In May of 2012, Rick signed his
lease for his office space and went to training in June. He hired his sister
Laurie and son Braden as his initial office staff. Rick concentrates on business
development. Since Rick opened his doors last year, he has worked with 75
different companies and has put 225 people to work. His staffing focus is
administrative and professional positions as well as light industrial
staffing.
Rick chose Express Employment
Professionals over the other franchises he considered because of the support
they provided. In his own words: "I was impressed with the amount of support
Express provided. They were head and shoulder above any other franchise I
validated. Most franchisors tell you that you're in business for yourself but
not by yourself. For some franchises that's just lip service. Express lives by
that motto. I would recommend to anyone considering a particular franchise to
check out the support they offer after you sign the check. Franchisors that
support their franchisees tend to be the most successful."
Rick is very busy in his new
business getting job orders from local businesses that need help and matching
that request to suitable job seekers. Rick told me, "I really like finding
jobs for people and find that very rewarding."
But it hasn't always been smooth
sailing. Rick went on to explain. "Anytime you start a new venture there is
going to be things you did not anticipate. You just have to learn to deal with
it and move forward. That's why I find the support of the franchise so
valuable."
If you or a friend or relative
have a business in the western Milwaukee area and suburbs and are in the need of
staffing help, please give Rick a call at 262-754-1350 so that you can discuss
your needs. Or if you prefer, stop by his office at 17550 W. Bluemound Rd ,
Brookfield, WI. Suite 200. Whether your staffing needs are short term or long
term, Rick can help find the right individual to solve your staffing needs and
be a productive contributor to your organization.
If you have been considering
business ownership as a potential career but don't know what you want to do or
are afraid of making a mistake, than I can help you. Rick was fortunate that the
attorney he hired was a good listener and sensed that Rick wasn't committed to
the senior care business and referred Rick to me for further investigation.
Let me assist you in finding the
right business fit the first time. Success doesn't happen over night. It's
a process taken one step at a time. Whether you are a corporate executive,
manager, office clerk, mechanic or working mom and if you have a vision or
desire of being your own boss and being self-sufficient, reply back or give me a
call and we'll discuss your life goals and aspirations. Are you
ready?
Your comments and feedback are
always appreciated. Wishing you success in the future and have a joyous holiday
season.
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