What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

Most of us have heard the old saying, “What you don’t know can’t hurt you.” But the real danger isn’t always what we don’t know. Sometimes it’s what we’re sure we know that turns out to be wrong. To that end, I have a personal story to share.

A friend and I were recently reminiscing about our past and strategizing about our futures. I said to him that if I could do it all over again, I would have opened a franchise business, stating that if I had owned and operated a franchise or franchises for thirty years instead of being an employee all those years, my current financial situation would likely be very different.

He commented how coincidental my admission was as he was considering starting a franchise business. Furthermore, why wasn’t I considering a franchise now? Why did I have to travel back in time to do it? My answer was easy; while I was looking for more purpose and challenge in my life, a full-time job wasn’t the path I wanted to take to achieve it. Then, he said something profound and life-changing: a franchise doesn’t have to be a full-time job.

What I thought I knew about franchises was that it was a ‘full-time job.’ I have since learned that there are approximately three thousand franchise brands in the U.S. today. They span many industries, investment levels, and the level of involvement required by the owner. Once I realized I could own and operate a franchise business, working at it part-time, that knowledge opened up a new path previously closed to me because what I thought I knew just wasn’t so.

Seven months after that conversation, my business partner and I opened our first franchise business. I work at it part-time and thoroughly enjoy the challenge, focus, and continual learning it requires of me.