The Mindset of Franchise Success
How “Wealthy Franchisees” Grow Their Business and Increase Profits
Running my multi-unit franchise operation was a real education, not just in business, but in people. As a motivational speaker, I was attracted to franchising. It’s a setting where lots of people do the same work but get different results. I knew this dynamic took place when I made the initial investment and figured it’d make for a great environment to learn business. I could observe my fellow franchisees and see what worked and what didn’t. I was especially interested in our system’s top performers. What enabled them to thrive? If I could answer that question, not only could I apply their tactics to my own stores, but I could also share these strategies with my audiences.
My focus on learning (rather than just earning) proved profitable. Through my own trial and error, and learning from the best of the brand, my first Edible Arrangements store became one of the top-performing locations in California, often ranking number one out of 110 franchises in the state. When I acquired a second struggling location, we used the same strategies from our first store to make it profitable within a year. Our operation won the Edible Arrangements “Best Customer Service” and “Manager of the Year” awards out of more than 1000 locations worldwide.
Our business success got the attention of other franchise systems, who liked that I was both a seasoned motivational speaker and a franchise business owner. I started getting invitations to speak to other brands, allowing me to spend time with their top franchisees. (My book, The Wealthy Franchisee, is about their strategies for franchise success.)
I’ve learned that whether the industry is restaurants and hospitality, retail, home services, personal services, education, or other sectors, franchise success comes down to three things:
Circumstantial Factors:
These include the economy, competition, and other factors we can’t control. Struggling franchisees love to blame these factors, even when others in the same circumstances find ways to thrive.
Operational Factors:
These are your sales, marketing, policies, procedures, and the entire franchise system. These are vital, but they’re not enough. Many franchisees stick to the system, work hard, but have little to show for it. It turns out that systems and sweat are not the secret to success; they’re just the prerequisites.
Human Factors:
These are the personal traits franchisees themselves bring to their own businesses. It’s all those psychological, emotional, and social skills that directly impact how operations are executed. These include qualities such as resilience, adaptability to change, drive, and curiosity. It’s their trust and willingness to stick to the proven franchise system. These things matter, because marketing isn’t just about advertising; it’s also about patience and faith. Managing employees isn’t just about directing them; it’s about understanding what drives individual performance so workers can thrive collectively as a team. And great customer experiences can’t just be about a transaction. They must also be about building connections and elevating emotions to bring those customers back.
Over the years, I’ve worked with countless franchise brands in a variety of industries. Their “wealthy franchisees,” in addition to running tight operations, are masters of managing human factors. The good news is, those human factors can be replicated, and so can the results that go along with them.
I help franchisees improve their operations and grow their business by becoming masters of the human factors. My presentations, my books, and my courses are all about giving franchise operators both the skill set and the mindset needed to thrive in business ownership.
If you’re a franchise business owner or a franchisor looking to level up your owners, I’d love to help!
What Makes Scott an Expert in Franchise Success?
- More than ten years operating a multi-unit franchise business
- Scott’s locations were top-ranked for sales and awarded “Best Customer Service” and “Manager of the Year” out of more than 1000 locations worldwide
- Authored The Wealthy Franchisee: Game-Changing Steps to Becoming a Thriving Franchise Superstar, and Stop The Shift Show: Turn Your Struggling Hourly Workers Into a Top-Performing Team
- Leadership Network VIP for Entrepreneur and a frequent contributor to Global Franchise Magazine, Nation’s Restaurant News, Franchise Wire, and other business publications
