I recently met with a candidate who’d been relying on AI for his franchise selection process. He told me he’d barely slept in three days. Why? Because AI couldn’t replace the reassurance and wisdom of working with someone who’s actually been there.
Planning To Be a C Player
I’ll call this candidate Andrew. He had every reason to think he’d excel at franchising. Over the course of his 22-year career as a corporate executive, he’d never missed a KPI. Every project he’d been given, every strategic initiative he’d led, every department he’d been assigned – they’d all succeeded.
So why was he so anxious? Because every night when he went to bed, worst-case scenarios would take over his brain. What if he chose a bad fit and couldn’t meet his revenue targets? If he borrowed some of his startup costs, or flamed out in the first year, would he lose his family’s nest egg (or their home)? What if the responsibility of owning his own business just made him stressed out all the time?
So I asked him a question he wouldn’t get from any AI. “Why are you planning to be a C player?”
It brought him up short. In fact, he looked like I’d slapped him. Then he regrouped and asked what in the world I was talking about.
Every franchisor has A, B, and C players, I explained. They all have the same playbook and support, but their outcomes are completely different. Think of the C players as the ones who barely scrape by or flame out after just a year or two. The B players stay in it and recoup their investment, but their business doesn’t take off. They never quite achieve the full wealth-building or freedom potential of business ownership.
How To Be an A Player
Then there are the A players. The ones who build an empire, not just a business. They hit their wealth goals and take full advantage of the flexibility and empowerment of business ownership. Within a few years, they’re pulling in a full-time income with part-time work and feeling fulfilled by what they’ve achieved.
So what separates A from C? The C players aren’t dumb. They don’t lack experience or resources. They just spend months paralyzed by worst-case scenarios instead of deciding how to move forward. A players, on the other hand, are decisive and not afraid to fail.
Contrary to a misconception I often encounter, A players are not fearless. They just understand that, when you’re an employee, fear is something that happens to you. It comes from things your boss says, or the board does. You can’t really solve it because you don’t have the freedom or control to redirect the ship.
A players understand that, when you’re a franchise owner, fear is something you can counter and control. You are empowered to make your own decisions, to solve problems when they arise. They also understand that this difference starts with how they approach the franchise selection process.
The Franchise Selection Process That Actually Helps You Sleep
I have more than 20 years of experience as a corporate executive, and I have more than a decade of experience as a successful franchise owner. I’ve worked both sides of the fence, so to speak. I understand not just where my candidates are coming from but also where they want to go, and how to get there.
An AI can work with the data you feed it. It can analyze your intake form, the Franchise Disclosure Documents from the companies you’re considering, and your financial data. Then it can generate a list of “best fits” based on those data points.
But it won’t challenge you on anything. It won’t probe, or tell you what it thinks you don’t want to hear. And it can’t read your facial expressions, your body language, or your tone of voice to understand that you’re exhausted or anxious. So it won’t ask the questions that cut through the fear spiral – questions like the one I asked Andrew. “You’ve spent 22 years succeeding. Why would you assume you’d suddenly start failing now?”
As a franchise candidate, you don’t need a recommendation engine or algorithm. You need a human being who’s actually walked the path, understands your worries, and can help you see the solutions clearly. Instead of a set of electric circuits that does things for you, you need a person who does things with you.
The first option gives you a list. The second gives you clarity. Which one do you think will help you sleep at night?
Ready to get some clarity? We can get started with just a 20-minute call. Book some time on my calendar today to take your first step toward freedom.
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