Discussing his new routine and March performance, we hear from Kris, “Whilst I like to take (calculated) risks and I’m all for change and innovation, I’m also fairly routine driven, so the last few weeks have been somewhat of a change for me! As a new family of four it’s been busy busy, with all systems go and I’m learning how to juggle a new family dynamic along with running my own business (again!).
Being able to plan for my absence meant March performance is where I expected and as the main driver of leads into the business it was undoubtedly a quieter month, however with our new team member Justin fully embedded in the business we’ve now got cover in all areas going forwards. This will allow Justin to chase down business whilst I focus on strategising for the next few years.”
Now fully immersed in the business and confident in his abilities, strategising and business growth is at the forefront of Kris’ mind, “With a new financial year approaching for many businesses I’m optimistic of a positive second quarter. The stress of the unknown is just about gone and I’m feeling confident and comfortable in my abilities. As we’re on the road to summer, my aim is to continue to build relationships and drive the business forwards and looking to expand my territory opportunities in the not-so-distant future.”
After speaking to Kris many months ago, compared to where we are now, it felt like the right time to ask whether the reality of running your own Signs Express centre is what he thought it was going to be. Giving Kris the greenlight to become a Signs Express franchisee was a unanimous ‘yes’ for us at the Franchise Support Centre as his drive, ambition and overall business sense was a great fit, however when asking the question, I was slightly nervous to hear the answer as we’re constantly aiming to exceed our franchisees expectations!
“I can honestly say that I enjoy going to work. Every day is completely different but I’m enjoying the stress levels and the challenges each day brings. Some challenges are beyond our control such as economic issues, but I try and plan as best as possible and deal with the issues that I can control. It’s not completely what I thought it was going to be, mainly as I’ve moved from a larger business to running a smaller team, so this aspect is new to me, however I’m very much enjoying navigating my way through a different dynamic and different challenges. It’s hard to stop yourself from doing the day job to avert any short-term pain during busy periods, however long-term, I know that taking the time to build capacity across the business, utilise skills to the max and building relationships externally is the right thing to do. I’m having to make a lot of decisions on the spot which doesn’t always sit comfortably with me, however I’m learning to adapt and embrace it and move with the fast pace of the business. Overall, I’m excited to see how far I can take the business and I’m optimistic for the future!”
With a sigh of relief(!), we look forward to catching up with Kris next month to see how his April shaped up and to see how his strategic plans are coming along.
