What Franchise - Issue 21.2

“Preparing people for that emotional dip is a key part of our support. Otherwise it’s easy for someone to think, ‘It’s just me – maybe I’m not cut out for this’, when in fact it’s completely normal” While Matt Strutt’s story is a vivid example of what the early months feel like from the inside, Joe Hinton, founder and MD of UK Business Mentoring, has a very different vantage point from which to view those first 100 days in franchising. As a franchisor running a business mentoring operation, he works with new franchisees constantly – and through his wider mentoring work, also advises other franchisors on how their networks perform in practice. This dual perspective means Joe is tuned in on what matters from the outset, and skilled at picking up on the early signs, be they positive or negative. “I set up UKBM after a 35-year career in banking,” explains Joe. “When things got a bit toxic in 2008, I decided I wanted to start my own business, which had always been an ambition. After weighing up what I enjoyed and where my strengths lay, I decided on retraining as a headteacher, or business mentoring. Obviously, I went for the latter. I set up on my own, and after a few successful years, had more clients than I could deal with. I tried bringing on associates, but that didn’t work for me – so, in 2017, I started franchising. The first pilot went very well, and now there are a dozen of us. I won’t take somebody on if I’m not confident that they’ll make a success of it, because I like to put my head on the pillow at night knowing I’ve done right by people. Those first 100 days are critical, and so I need to be sure we’ve found a good fit before they even start.” The qualities Joe looks for in a franchisee include self-motivation and a can-do energy – as a franchisor he wants to support and inspire, not ‘push’ – but that’s not all. “You have to follow the model,” he says, “especially in those early days. You wouldn’t buy a McDonald’s and start selling hot dogs, so don’t try to reinvent the system in search of that silver bullet, because it doesn’t exist. Most franchisees underestimate how much of the first three months is desk-based, unglamorous work.With us, for example, you aren’t going to be mentoring straight away – there’s set-up, marketing, emails and systems to get right first. You have to have the discipline to do all of that, and to do it according to the process you’ve bought into, even if it’s outside your comfort zone.” Of course, this need for discipline doesn’t mean there’s no place for creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit – just that timing matters. “We’re not rigid,” confirms Joe. “As long as it enhances the brand, we’re open to new ideas. Some will work, some won’t, and that’s fine. But don’t forget the core activities that we are giving you, because it’s making sure you do those, diligently, that will bring in business in your early days.” For UKMB franchisees, who tend to work from home, those core activities at the outset are largely to do with marketing, rather than setting up an office or recruitment. “We stress that it’s important to get a marketing rhythm going,” says Joe. “You don’t try one thing, see if it works for a few weeks, then try something else. You commit to the seven or eight things we’ve trained you to do, and you do them consistently.We help franchisees plan out what a model week looks like, with time allocated for each activity – and crucially, time for themselves built in.” This last point is especially significant in the first 100 days, when new franchisees can be particularly vulnerable to overwork, and sustainable habits are still being formed. One issue Joe is particularly keen for new franchisees to understand is the so-called ‘change BUSINESS MENTORING: FRANCHISOR Joe Hinton, MD, UK Business Mentoring ukbusinessmentoring.co.uk 1. Follow the roadmap Your franchisor has the advice and strategies you need to succeed. Follow the model, with discipline and energy. 2. Forget shortcuts Don’t assume you are so super- entrepreneurial that you can magically leap over the tough bit at the start. The franchisor has been doing this for years; if there are shortcuts, they’re already in the system. 3. Find a rhythm Plan out what your week needs to look like, including all the franchisor’s recommended tasks. Build in time for yourself – then stick to the schedule. E A R LY W I N S : J O E ’ S T O P T I P S F O R A F LY I N G S T A R T 62 WHAT FRANCHISE Issue 21.2