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One of the questions I get most often is how we balanced family, community involvement, and running the businesses for over 15 years. The honest answer is that it was never perfectly balanced. Some seasons the businesses took more. Other seasons family did. What worked for us was treating community and family as part of how the businesses stayed healthy, not as things that competed with them. Local community involvement was never something we squeezed in around the busine

For just over 15 years, my wife and I owned two franchises. Earlier this year, we sold them. Looking back, a few things made all the difference: ✅ A proven system. We didnt have to invent anything. The playbook was already there, and our job was to run it well and keep improving. ✅ The right people. The business grew because of a team we trusted. Hiring well and letting good people lead was the best decision we made, again and again. ✅ Building something worth buying.

There is one question I tell every candidate to ask on every validation call. “Knowing what you know now, would you invest in this franchise again?” Then stay quiet. Current owners have every reason to talk their investment up. Former owners have no incentive to protect the brand. If more than a couple of people in a decent sample say no, that is not a personality clash. That is data. Validation is important because it is the only part of due diligence the franchisor

This photo showed up on my phone today. It was taken four years ago in my driveway as I was leaving for my routes that day. I snapped it, declared myself the future employee of the month, and sent it to all my technicians. We were short-staffed, so I ended up helping with routes for a few weeks, just to keep us caught up. Nobody asked me to. Nobody was watching. You do whatever it takes to be successful, even when no one's looking. Business ownership has a lot of advantag

For 15+ years my wife and I owned and operated our franchise businesses together. The question we heard most: “How often do you fight? How hard is it to be in business with your spouse?” We didn’t fight. We got along better. We had different skill sets and almost no overlap. She was great with customers, payroll, and keeping employees and customers happy, including the angry ones. I handled marketing, operations management, and the numbers. We believed in the same

Most people think the biggest risk in business ownership is losing money. It’s not. The bigger risk is spending another 5–10 years in a job that looks stable… until it isn’t. I’ve watched high performers stay too long because the paycheck felt safe, the title felt earned, and the timing never felt perfect. Then the decision got made for them. The people who end up in the best situations usually aren’t the ones who waited until everything felt certain. They’re the ones

In 2009, I received my 5-year trophy from the company I was working for. I had a guaranteed raise and bonus every year, excellent benefits, and was having a record year. My team hit its revenue goal by Labor Day. Life felt solid. That same day, my coworker and I won the company-wide corn hole tournament. A few hours later, I was told I needed to transition my team and clients away by the end of the year. That moment changed everything for me. I had already seriously

One of the things I miss most about owning our two franchises isn’t the routes or the equipment—it’s the people. Our fellow franchisees weren’t just business owners in the same system. They became family. We celebrated wins together, shared hard lessons, and leaned on each other when things got tough. That support was critical to our success over 16 years. I was especially fortunate to form a tight brotherhood with four other franchisees. For years we talked every Wednesd

When corporate candidates reach out, I usually walk them through the same five filters before we look at a single brand: Lifestyle – What does a good week actually look like for you and your family Capital – How much can you comfortably invest without putting the household at risk? Skills – What are you genuinely good at (and what do you dislike doing)? Risk tolerance – How do you handle uncertainty and slower months? Timeline – Are you looking to transition in 6 mo

A lot of corporate professionals I talk with assume franchise ownership is basically “buying a job with better upside.” It’s not. In a corporate role, you get a paycheck, benefits, and a relatively clear set of expectations. In franchise ownership, you own the results — good and bad. You also own the schedule, the culture, the decisions, and the risk. That shift is bigger than most people expect. The ones who do well usually aren’t looking for an escape from work. The

What an incredible week at the FranChoice Summer Conference in West Palm Beach ☀️🏝️ It was energizing to connect with so many world-class franchise consultants and spend time with innovative, high-integrity brands. A real highlight was sitting down for dinner with Jeff Elgin, the founder of FranChoice. Hearing his stories, experiences, and the history of franchising was incredible. After 16 years operating my own multi-unit franchises through every stage from launch to a

Looking forward to heading to Palm Beach Gardens next week for the FranChoice Summer Conference! I'm really looking forward to connecting with driven founders, networking with fellow consultants, and staying on top of the latest in franchising. It all helps me serve my clients better as they explore business ownership. If you’ll be there next week, I’d love to connect — see you in Florida! #FranChoice Originally posted on LinkedIn

Thinking about leaving the security of a steady paycheck for franchise ownership? You're not alone. Many prospective franchisees hesitate over common fears: - Will it replace my salary quickly enough? - What if it doesn’t work for me and my family? - Am I risking everything without the right skills? After 16 years running multi-unit franchises and a successful exit, I’ve seen these concerns are valid—but manageable. The difference comes from proper due diligence and

The ideal franchise candidate often never takes the leap. The people who usually make the best franchise owners are often the ones who stay on the sidelines the longest. They’re experienced professionals who value proven systems, have clear goals around lifestyle and income, and are coachable with realistic expectations. So why don’t they take the leap? Common reasons I hear: • “I have a good job with benefits. What if this doesn’t work?” • “There are thousands of o

Buying a franchise gives you a proven playbook. Success comes down to how well you run it. A lot of people romanticize franchising as “business ownership without all the risk” or a “turnkey operation.” The reality is more powerful—and more straightforward. Franchise systems work because the franchisor has already done the hard work: refining the model through trial and error, building brand recognition, creating operational systems, training programs, marketing frameworks,

After selling Mosquito Authority earlier this year following a 15-year run, I’m excited to share my next venture: I’ve joined FranChoice as a Franchise Consultant! My goal is simple: Help aspiring entrepreneurs find the right franchise fit without the guesswork. Having owned and operated a successful franchise for over 15 years, I understand the challenges and the rewards firsthand. If you or someone you know has been thinking about business ownership but don't know where