Make sure your spouse is on board with the franchise!

by Michelle Rowan

My father bought a franchise 2 years ago, and my mother was along for the ride- ready or not. Running the business is a family affair, my mother helps with the books and accounting (among countless other things I haven't seen, I am sure). When I asked her to write something that she would want to share with people looking at getting into a franchise, she responded:

"Both husband and wife must be completely committed to buying a franchise. Ours is home-based so we have books, supplies, computer, copy machine, answering machine, etc. all placed in one room and instantly, I became "Office Manager". My husband's cell phone is operational 24/7, which can be very annoying. Obtaining health insurance is also difficult because insurance companies don't care to deal with only 2-3 people. And finally, the turnover rate of employees we hire is greater than we expected so we're continually dealing with hiring and training."

When you decide to invest in a business, you are pouring all of your time and money into something. Remember to include your partner in the sales process so they feel connected to the decision and also have the chance to voice their concerns and questions from the beginning. Even if they are not going to be involved in the day-to-day business operations, their lives will be greatly affected once you running the franchise. Setting expectations up-front is a way to help minimize angst during the sales process and tension once you are diving into your new venture to make it a success!