How to Cook a Frog

by Joey St. John

There is an old anecdote that talks about how to cook a frog. Maybe you have heard it. Just as you would expect, if you throw a frog in to a pan of boiling water, it will immediately jump out of the pan to avoid the negative consequences it suddenly encounters. Interestingly enough, however, that same frog placed into a comfortable pan of water will sit there without sensing the danger if the temperature is increased gradually enough, even to the point of death.

So how does that relate to being a JumpBunch owner, or owner of any small business? Heck, I don’t know, but I’m going to try to tie it in somehow!

The message is simply to pay attention. None of us came into this to fail, but sometimes it’s easy to get so caught up looking at the “bubbles” that are boiling around us daily, that we don’t realize quickly enough when we should be acting on something important. There are a couple of key things that must be in place to help you avoid the potential danger of a “slow death”.

The first is proper and realistic planning. Buying into a franchise will certainly put you on a path that is well defined and traveled by many ahead of you, but the journey is still yours as an individual. A business plan may seem like a tremendously tedious task, but it is a blue print for how you are going to do things. If you are anything like me, building something without following directions is fun at first but inevitably you leave out a step that could have prevented a lot of frustration. A three year financial plan that outlines your revenue and expense goals can help you temper your expectations and ensure you are adjusting your activity to match according to reality. Finally, a solid and specific marketing plan is essential. Without proper thought here you fly by the seat of your pants and are truly nothing more than a pin ball hoping you accidently bump into something worth a lot of points. Start by writing down every potential avenue of business in your territory and then spell out specific steps as to how and how often you are going to pursue it. Then stick to it for as long as it takes to succeed. At JumpBunch, we encourage owners that “no” simply means “not now”, and the proper plan will build tolerance to the process of succeeding over time.

The other thing to remember is to stay plugged in. The easiest way to find yourself on an island is to place yourself there. Most organizations provide a mechanism for internal communication and access to collective knowledge. For JumpBunch owners, that system is called “The Zone”. Owners are encouraged to check in and contribute weekly to avoid ever feeling like they are isolated. Use the corporate resources at your disposal. Make attending your annual owner’s conference a non-negotiable event. In a nutshell, pay attention to what is going on so that you can act instead of being acted upon.

Joey St. John
VP of Operations
JumpBunch

No frogs were harmed in the composition of this document.

Learn more about JumpBunch at topfranchises.franchisebusinessreview.com.

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