Buying a franchise is an emotional experience

Becoming a business owner will open a person up to a host of experiences and accompanying emotions. While these emotions are totally normal, they are often unexpected and therefore can prove to be an additional challenge at a critical time in the new business cycle. However, if you are made aware of these challenges in advance, then you can prepare yourself accordingly and ensure that you buying a franchise with the appropriate support network.

Fear: Prior to starting a business it is natural to be apprehensive: of responsibility, of change, and ultimately, of failure. When you start a franchise business such as MOLLY MAID, the franchisor's support team will hold your hand all the way through pre-launch, day one, breaking even, charting growth and further expansion. As well as the support operations required in the running of the business the franchisor is on hand to provide business advice to guide you through the challenges of business ownership. Often we feel like counsellors!

Loneliness: It can be very lonely out there in the land of small business ownership. People often don't understand just what they are giving up when they leave employment. Often, small businesses fail as a result of the owner experiencing a lack of day-to-day contact with people giving help and guidance. With a franchise, the business owner has not only a franchisor to lean on, but an entire network of franchise owners who all want to see them prosper because their success reflects back on the network and adds to the value of everybody's business. At MOLLY MAID, we encourage our franchise owners to mix through conventions and other social events and as a result there is a great deal of camaraderie between them - we even have franchise owners that go on holiday together!

Pride: Selecting a business opportunity to invest in is a commitment to a demanding, full-time occupation. To sustain this level of commitment it is important that the business is the right fit to the individual's talents, ambitions and interests. They need to identify themselves with the business they own and operate. Our top franchise owners really feel that MOLLY MAID is in their blood.

By MOLLY MAID UK CEO Pam Bader