You know what they say, the first year is always the hardest. Of course, that’s not entirely true, but the challenges you face in the first year of doing anything will always be unique. No matter what new adversities arrive, nothing will ever feel as hard as when you start. We could be talking about anything, and this would ring true.
Starting a new venture is always daunting, even more so when it comes to business. In your first few months alone, you will have to control your excitement and manage expectations because the general public can be fickle. They’ll love you one day and not care the next. That means you can’t rely too much on just one thing. You need to have strategies and plans in mind to attract customers and keep them coming back.
You might think that a franchise is different; since the brand is already established, you might think its following will be easy to find. It should be easy, right? What could go wrong? It’s not what could go wrong, but it’s what you need to expect. A franchise, while granting you certain advantages that a fresh new business doesn’t, is still a business. You should prepare to face some tough challenges, but once you get through, you can do well.
Here is all you need to know about your first year as a franchise:
Roll with the Punches
The thing with running a business is that just because you’re now a business owner doesn’t mean the rest of your life will have to adjust to that. You could focus all your attention and energy on the business, but you will still need to juggle that with your life.
Unexpected things can happen—accidents, disasters, and so on. Of course, the unexpected isn’t always negative, but you don’t need to learn how to handle the good. You need to know how to handle the bad. From the get-go, make sure that you have contingency plans. If those fail or no longer apply, just deal with the problem to the best of your ability.
Being able to open a business is the first great step. From then on, you just need to hold on and keep going.
Trust in Your Hard Work
Anxiety and overthinking are a business owner’s worst enemy. Unfortunately, at the same time, they can help push you forward. The trick is all about balance. There’s nothing wrong with making plans A, B, C, D, all the way through the whole alphabet—that’s a good thing as long as these plans are executed. Worrying is also natural. The problem lies in the excess.
If you’re too busy making plans and worrying about whether or not it will work, it can become a distraction from all your other duties and responsibilities. You need to trust that you are good enough and intelligent enough that what you’ve set in motion will work out.
It’s also about being patient. You might be too busy worrying about failure that you miss the moment of your success. Don’t sell yourself short on what you can accomplish.
The Bottom Line
Surviving your first year as a franchise shows tremendous resilience and intelligence. You should trust that you have what it takes because you do by virtue of making it that far. Running a business is a lot like getting your life in order, just on a larger scale. Expect to be tired, frustrated, excited, and successful. Claim your success early on and work hard to make it real.
Pictou County Pizza has been serving Canadians with the best pizza for decades. Our business has grown so much over the years. If you’re interested in becoming a part of legacy and family, contact us for opportunities to open a franchise pizza store of your own!
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