Pip Wilkins advises those dissatisfied with the jobs’ market to seek salvation in the world of franchising.
Whenever I am asked ‘Is there an ideal age to start your first business?’ I always reply ‘No. It’s never too late.’ And I always add: ‘The key is to find the right opportunity that utilises your skills and experiences, along with having the right goals and objectives, as well as support.’
The state pension age for men and women is now 66, and will be rising to 67 by the year 2028. Therefore, being in your 50s, is no longer considered old in the world of work. Yet a survey conducted by TotalJobs revealed that 88% of those aged between 51 and 60 felt that, by putting their date of birth on their CV, it would harm their chances of finding employment.
And 73% believe they have been rejected by a prospective employer because of their age. With the state pension age creeping further towards 70, retirement certainly isn’t an option for many. Therefore, even if some employers do discriminate against individuals on the basis of age, those with high levels of skills and motivation may be able to find a new home in the world of franchising.
Franchising is an alternative route for those who find themselves unemployed or dissatisfied with their current role, or simply fed up with being rejected in the jobs’ market.
I recently spoke to Mark Richardson, who decided to take the plunge into franchising at the age of 62. This is what he told me: “When work is going well, you tend to put your dreams on hold and forget about them. But after three redundancies, it was now or never to follow that dream.”
Mark now runs his own Shuttercraft franchise, employing a small team, and he sings the praises of the franchising model which has enabled him to make the most of his skills.
He said to me: “Technology is definitely my weakness. But the head office team help me with this discipline, especially when it comes to digital advertising and my website. I know I am able to call upon their support, and I also benefit from the knowledge and experience I receive from other parts of the network.”
Franchising offers a route for ‘olderpreneurs’ to harness decades of expertise to the services offered by the franchisor – namely sales, marketing and general network assistance. And even for those who have had long careers in a single industry, they can always move into another sector thanks to network support which helps individuals to transition seamlessly from being an employee to a business owner.
Thanks to support and training, new skills are learned quickly and should not be an insurmountable challenge for those changing direction with their working lives. The franchise network has always been about reassurance and guidance, so why not check it out today.
