Who do you talk to when you need business advice? You likely have a few go-to sources, such as a mentor, older family members, or friends who are in a similar industry. These are your trusted individuals who help you when you need a sounding board. This is an invaluable circle, and one that you should hold onto throughout your entire career. They will help you some of the most difficult times as a business owner, team manager, bookkeeper, and more. Whatever challenges you might face in your career, those who are closest to you and know your business skills can help you best.
As a franchisee, you can consider them one of your first lines of defense. When something arises, run it past your A team. Ask them for advice, let them offer comfort, and if you need it, a break. Get away from the situation to gain clarity and come back with a clear head. These opinions are great for personal matters as it affects your work, or for anything else that might relate to you as a person. Because these connections know you personally, they can offer up custom tips that can help you deal with a situation with your best traits shining through.
However, there are other sources to find solid business advice as a franchisee.
Additional Resources From Franchising Brands
Talk to your contacts at your franchising brand. Whether you need advice that’s related to the specific brand or not, they can help. They’ve been there, and in most cases, it’s their job to help you through a hardship. They are more than equipped to help you through the storm. Don’t overlook this powerful resource and allow them to lend advice (or a hand) when it’s needed most.
Besides, not only do they have years of experience, their data comes from the exact same business model you’re working within. Their advice just might be the most helpful of it all. Keep an open line of communication with these folks, whether it be through email, text, or even in person. You never know when you’ll need some quick insight, and the faster you can reach them, the quicker your issue can be resolved.
In your initial stages of franchising, it’s likely that you’ll be assigned to contacts or those to help you as a franchisee. Meet and keep in contact with as many folks as possible. You never know who might be an expert in what and when you’ll need to call upon their help.
Check With the Masses for Business Tips
Finally, you can go to outside resources for answers to your biggest problems. Talk to others in your field. In your networking efforts, it’s likely that you’ll have come in contact with many other business owners. Reach out to them and pick their brain. You never know who might have a unique idea, or who might have gone through the exact same situation and have an answer you hadn’t yet thought of.
In the meantime, you can read or listen to experts within your industry. Subscribe to podcasts or rent books on tape that talk about leadership within your field. Even before you have an issue you might learn how to deal with a specific issue. If you’re constantly learning and immersing yourself in how to grow as a franchisee, you can take that information and put it to work. You might even prevent issues from ever having taken place with what you were able to learn and implement into your own business.
As you grow as a business owner, there will be many times where you need the advice of others in order to overcome or dissolve an issue at hand. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from others. Thrive in your element by knowing who to go to (and where) to get the best insight for whatever might be causing problems at the time. This is a smart problem solving method that can allow you and your franchise to thrive.