When you become a franchisee, you can choose one of two paths. You can work in the business, or you can work on it. Owner-operators work in the business. They treat it as their full-time job, manage day-to-day operations, and serve customers themselves. Semi-absentee or executive owners work on the business. They focus on strategy and growth and leave the day-to-day work to the franchise manager.
Your franchise manager can make or break your business. A good one can keep employees productive, customers happy, and operations running smoothly so that you can focus on the big picture. A bad one can drive away both employees and customers and leave you bogged down in the weeds, scrambling to keep the business afloat. If you want to be a successful executive owner, then, you need to hire a good franchise manager. But how do you do it?
When to Hire a Franchise Manager
First, let’s talk about when to do it. Generally speaking, there are four scenarios to consider.
- If you plan to be an executive owner from the start, hire your franchise manager before you open your business. This will give you time to train them so that they can help you with the launch and manage day-to-day operations right away.
- If you plan to be an owner-operator for a year or less, then transition to executive ownership, hire your franchise manager soon after you open your business. This will ensure that you have time to shift operational responsibilities to them so the business doesn’t suffer from a rocky transition. You can either hire them as a manager or as your first general employee, with the intention to promote them quickly. Just make sure you start their transition to manager at least six months before you plan to step back from day-to-day operations.
- If you plan to spend more than a year as an owner-operator, you can move more slowly. First launch your business and get things running smoothly. About six months before you’re ready to transition to executive ownership, promote one of your existing employees or make an outside hire.
Where to Find a Good Franchise Manager
If you’re hiring a franchise manager for an established business, start by considering your existing employees for promotion. Internal promotion is good for your business in several ways. First, it can help you retain valuable employees by providing in-house growth opportunities. Second, it reduces the time required for on-boarding because the person already knows your business. And third, it eliminates the risk that comes with hiring an unknown.
Just starting out, or don’t feel like any of your current employees are management material? Ask your franchisor or other franchisees in the network for assistance. Your franchisor might have internal resources, such as a job board or hiring team, that can help you find the right person. Your fellow franchisees should be able to share tactics or candidate sources that have helped them find good applicants. And both might be able to recommend a specific person for the job–for example, a manager who is already in the network but wants to relocate to your city.
If you can’t promote someone from within, and your franchisor or fellow franchisees aren’t able to help, you’ll have to find someone on your own. In this situation, keep in mind that some hiring sources are better than others. Franchise manager is a professional-level position, so post the job in places that attract professional applicants. Say no to Craigslist and yes to sites like Indeed or LinkedIn. Also look for industry-specific job boards or career sites. For instance, if you own a tax-preparation franchise, post on sites targeted to people who work in the finance industry.
Resist the temptation to fill your posting with jargon, and don’t withhold key information. A clear and detailed job description helps applicants accurately self-screen for the position. You may end up with a smaller pool of people, but you’ll be more likely to find someone who is the right fit for the job. Also make sure to ask for a cover letter in addition to a resume, so you can evaluate both qualitative and quantitative information about each applicant.
How to Choose the Right Candidate for the Job
Once you have your candidate pool, eliminate anyone with a sloppy cover letter and resume. If someone doesn’t care enough to provide a clean, mistake-free application, they won’t care enough to manage the details of your business. And if their resume and cover letter are poorly written, their business communications (such as emails or marketing copy) won’t be any better.
As you evaluate the remaining candidates, prioritize work experience and skills. A college degree may be useful for a franchise manager, but it’s not necessary. Ideally, the person you hire should be familiar with your industry and/or franchising. They should also be able to do the jobs of the people they manage–both because they may have to, and because that will give them credibility with and compassion for their employees. Also look for evidence that the person can:
- work well independently and take initiative to solve problems
- manage multiple projects at once
- lead a team
- stay level-headed under pressure
- deliver results and meet revenue targets.
Narrow your pool to a handful of candidates, then interview them. Keep in mind that your new manager doesn’t need to look or act like you, or have a similar background or skillset. They need to have the right personality and skills for the job they’re going to do, which is very different from yours. When you speak with them, look for someone who presents themselves professionally, speaks authoritatively and decisively, has a friendly and welcoming demeanor, and is eager to learn and grow. If possible, have someone else (such as a trusted colleague or another franchisee from your network) conduct the interview with you. It will be helpful to have someone to compare notes with.
If you’ve never hired people before, don’t worry–I’m here to help! I’ve hired (and fired) many people in both the corporate and franchise worlds. As your franchise consultant, I can draw on my experience to make the process easier for you. It all starts with just a 15-minute conversation, and my services are always free. Schedule an introductory call with me today!
No responses yet