I’m passionate about encouraging more Australians, especially women, to opt for franchising over regular employment for more stability and support, flexibility and a better work-life balance. Supporting women to thrive as franchisees is imperative to the success of our businesses, our communities, and society at large.
Fantastic Services Group recently conducted research into the attitudes women have towards employment and becoming their own boss. I was shocked to discover that more than two-thirds of Australian women weren’t happy being an employee for somebody else. In addition to this, over a quarter of Australian women miss out on family time because of their job and wish they had more flexible working hours.
Franchising is an excellent way to have better work-life balance and being your own boss gives you the freedom to plan your schedule to suit your lifestyle. You’ll never have to compete for the latest after-work doctor’s appointment or miss important moments like your child’s school assembly ever again. There are so many benefits for women wanting to make a big change in their career by going into franchising.
The good news is that anybody can start a franchise, you don’t need any previous experience as most people do their learning on the job. Our research discovered that one in five Australian women don’t think they possess the skills to run and set up their own company. However, we have had many women begin their franchising journey with us and have developed their entrepreneurial skills significantly.
According to our research, a fifth of Australian women believe they could not afford to run their business. But the reality is, you also don’t have to spend your entire life savings on buying a franchise as there are plenty of very affordable options out there. Franchising with Fantastic Services Group can begin from as little as $1,950 for a cleaning franchise. After some time and revenue earned, you are able to add more services to your original packages and build your franchise up.
In fact, the lower start-up costs actually mean that buying a franchise carries less risk than starting a business from scratch. For example, all costs associated with initial set up have been taken care of as the infrastructure and company processes are already in place.
When looking to be a franchisee, it’s important to find out what ongoing support the franchise will offer no matter whether you’re at the beginning of your journey or have been operating for years. At Fantastic Services Group, we make sure franchisees have access to support when they need it – we are available to support them at every step of the way. We offer investment plans, full-service training and upskilling, guaranteed weekly turnover and assistance with personalising the franchise and bookings. We educate about brand awareness, and we encourage ongoing client engagement. One way we do this is with our bonus system where franchisees that repeatedly upsell and cross-sell our services or receive positive reviews will enjoy lower commissions and earn bonuses.
Many people have misconceptions about owning a franchise especially about the cost, whether they have the skills or not, or whether they have the time. It can seem daunting but being a franchisee can be a liberating, rewarding way of life and an excellent way to have a better work-life balance. Family life is already very busy so franchises are especially great for mums who want to be able to spend more time at home. With a young family myself, I know how important it is to balance work and family time. Opening a franchise is a rewarding career path and I encourage Australian women to consider making a change and be their own boss.