Compared to traditional entrepreneurship, franchise ownership has a big advantage: the franchise owner network. I see the network as a benefit on two fronts. First, when you’re a new owner, the network provides mentoring to help you succeed in an unfamiliar situation. Second, once you’ve gained some experience, the network allows you to become a franchise mentor yourself.
This is one of the reasons I love franchising, and why I became a franchise consultant. I love mentoring. There’s nothing like seeing potential in someone and helping them reach it. If you’re the same, the owner network will probably be one of your favorite parts of franchising, too. But how do you take full advantage of this opportunity to help others? Try these options.
Be Responsive
Responsiveness is probably one of the most important parts of being a franchise mentor. You can’t help someone if you don’t connect. Generally speaking, people will expect to have their phone calls or emails returned within 1-2 days. Texts or direct messages (e.g., sent through a social media platform) should get a same-day reply.
This doesn’t mean that you have to give a thorough response within that timeframe. If you’re too busy to help out right away, send a short reply to acknowledge the contact and suggest a timeline for making a deeper connection. For instance, if a new owner in the network sends you an email to ask for advice about launch plans, you can reply, “Good to hear from you. That’s a great question. I’m booked up with meetings this week but want to give this proper attention. Why don’t we grab coffee next week to discuss?”
Share Your Secrets
It’s difficult to be a good mentor if you’re worried that the person you’re mentoring will end up stealing your customers. So if you want to be an active franchise mentor, look for a franchisor who arranges territories to limit direct competition between franchisees. This will give you confidence that the support you provide to other owners won’t be used against you.
When you have this kind of confidence, you can freely share your secrets: the tricks and techniques that have made your franchise successful. In a good franchise network, you’ll benefit from this kind of advice as an up-and-coming owner. These inside tips, along with a solid franchise business system, will save you the kind of trial-and-error that costs traditional entrepreneurs so much time and money. Being a good mentor is about helping others succeed, so share this kind of information freely when you become successful.
Host a Tour
For brick-and-mortar franchises, setup and the flow of a space are really important. Franchisors typically provide guidelines on these elements of the business, but the physical space itself also influences setup. Also, for new franchise owners who are still in the pre-launch stage, the finished arrangement can be hard to envision.
If you have a successful brick-and-mortar business, you can be a good franchise mentor by opening up your space for tours. Be willing to show other owners around and answer their questions about foot traffic, workflow, and other real estate considerations. You can always do this outside normal business owners, but keep in mind that new owners might benefit from seeing things in action.
Work Your Connections
Many of the franchise owners I work with are successful former executives with impressive professional networks of their own. One way to be a good franchise mentor: if you have that kind of network, be willing to work your connections to help others. If someone you’re mentoring needs help outside your area of expertise, can you arrange coffee with a knowledgeable colleague? Or if you know that several new owners in the network need help understanding some element of business, do you know an expert who’d be willing to host a webinar?
Help Owners in Need
Even the most successful people face challenges. None of us has a perfect life, and tragedies or downturns can strike at any time. Especially over the last couple of years, many businesses have hit bumps in the road. One of the best ways to be a good franchise mentor is to assist your fellow owners when they’re in need. If you hear of a colleague who’s struggling, try to find out how you can help. Can you send them referrals? Contribute to financial relief? Take them for coffee and just listen for an hour? And always keep in mind: when you help others in their time of need, you create goodwill that can come back to you if you hit a rough patch.
Show Up
Finally, good mentoring is often just about showing up. Be willing to give thirty minutes of your time when someone calls. If a new owner you’re mentoring hosts an event at their business, make an appearance (and bring a friend). Take them out to coffee or lunch on their birthday. If you know they have an important meeting one day, check in afterwards to see how it went. Like many other things in life, mentoring is better if you follow the Golden Rule: whatever you would want someone to do for you, do it for them.
Curious about other benefits of the franchise owner network? Read my previous blog post on the topic, or book a 15-minute call with me! I’ll be happy to answer your questions about networking and help you figure out whether franchising might be a good fit for your goals and resources. My services are always free.
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