In the business world, the phrase “fail to win” is often used to put newbies at ease when they make mistakes. While getting things wrong makes for valuable learning experiences, it’s understandable to want to get it right the first time when purchasing your own pet care franchise. Considering the time commitment and costs associated with starting up your very own franchise, learning the most commonly encountered mistakes that new franchisees make is an excellent way to avoid unnecessary stress and headaches. As an experienced franchisor with several pet care facility locations across the country, here are the most common mistakes new franchisees make:
They Underestimate the Time Commitment
While we wouldn’t accuse franchisees of not knowing how tough a job it can be to own and operate your own business, new franchisees often underestimate just how much time goes into it. While your franchisor will supply you with the tools that you need to get started successfully, there still remains a learning curve when it comes to learning the business. Before owning a franchise, it would help you tremendously to spend a day with an established franchisee to observe the business and truly experience the time commitment involved. Understanding what goes into the regular day-to-day as well as overall management of a new business can be a great source of preparation for your new business venture.
They Stray Away From the System
While there will come a time for franchisees to make their own calls when it comes to business decisions, straying away from the procedures and policies of your franchisor’s system is a mistake that many franchisees make. Franchisors come up with their system after spending tons of time and money building their business. Franchisors know what works and what doesn’t, so do yourself a favor and trust that they may know best. Part of the appeal of working with a franchisor is the experience and knowledge that they’ll be able to bestow upon you as you grow the business. More often than not, a franchisor will likely advise you against a decision because they made the same decision in the past with less than perfect results!
They Expect That Success Will Be Guaranteed
The biggest misconception in the franchise world is that franchises are guaranteed to be successful no matter what. Sure, the pet care market is still growing, and other franchisees are having great success with their facilities, but this doesn’t mean that your franchise’s success is assured. Franchisees are successful when they work hard, follow the system in place, and think before they act. Just because you paid your fees and followed some directions, that doesn’t guarantee success will fall into your lap. An average franchisee will follow the plan, while a great franchisee works hard to implement the plan as well as possible.
– Remember, making mistakes is a great way to learn – but so is learning from other people’s mistakes! Business is all about risks and hard work, so don’t get discouraged when something doesn’t exactly go as planned. Take whatever lessons you can and put them back into your business to make it better!
If you’re ready to learn how to develop your own business in a growing market, visit our website to find out how you can join the All American Pet Resorts brand!
