Whilst flexible employment has come a long way, juggling work and children can feel like a guilt-ridden battle. You can’t be in two places at once, keeping your boss and your kids happy. Buying a franchise could provide the answer, empowering you to set your own working hours to meet your family’s needs.
Franchising: a flexible work solution
As a franchise owner, you are in control. You decide when and where you work. Yes, you will need to respect and follow the Franchisor’s guidelines and consider what impact working school hours might have on your franchise. But you no longer need to consider flexible working requests, hybrid working, office days or holiday cover. What you do is up to you.
Choosing the right franchise is critical
Not all franchises are equal or suited to school-hour work. Spend time investigating the options. Visiting a Franchise Expo can help you research several different franchise options in one place.
Some franchises naturally lend themselves to part-time or school-hour work, like toddler swimming lessons or baby sensory classes. Also, think about growing sectors like Senior Care and Home Services. Most people want their houses cleaned or gardens looked after during the day when they are at work themselves, not evenings or weekends. By contrast, many food and beverage or retail franchises will be less suitable as you may need to work evenings and weekends to maximise demand.
The style of the franchise you choose can make a big difference, as well as the sector. For example, you could select a management-style business outsourcing franchise. As the manager, you are not actually delivering any of the services – you’re simply employing others to do so. This puts you in control of your own diary and working pattern.
Examine your skills and experience
This is a vital step before you commit to buying any franchise. Your previous career experience might lend itself to a particular type of franchise, like if you are a trained accountant or HR consultant. But think about your transferable skills, too. A management franchise might be a great option if you are good at leading teams and managing people. If the thought of having others rely on you fills you with dread, consider franchises with services you can deliver yourself 9-3, Monday to Friday.
Set realistic goals
Working school hours as opposed to full-time is going to impact your business. There will be a huge positive benefit, enabling you to spend precious time with your children before and after school without relying on family, friends or breakfast and after-school clubs. But it is likely to limit your earning potential in some way. Managing boundaries between work and family can be difficult when you run a franchise. Particularly if you work from home, you will need to be super disciplined not to be distracted by work during those after-school hours you once craved.
Communication is the key. Be clear on your boundaries – both with family and clients. Don’t be afraid to add your working hours to your emails, your voicemail, etc, and be open and upfront about when you are available. It is better to manage expectations from the start and then deal with problems down the line.
I highly recommend Mel Robbins’ podcast if you feel boundaries are starting to slip and you need to get back on track. For example, her episode on setting your day up right by following a suitable evening routine covers five basic steps which really work. I love the concept of tucking your phone in for the night! Many of us feel the need to have our phones close by, but it is a distracting habit.
Plan for school holidays. Working school hours during term time is great, but most children get 13 weeks of holiday a year. As a franchisee, the days of paid holiday and annual leave will be long gone. You might choose a franchise that only works term time, but if not, you will need to think about backup plans or outsourcing to cover times when you are away. Talk to potential franchisors about this and ask to speak to some of their existing franchisees who might be managing that juggle. They could have some valuable advice to help you plan ahead and ensure you still get quality family time during the holidays.
Running a franchise isn’t easy. Like any job, there are good days and bad days. Having a clear vision is the best way to keep yourself positive when the going gets tough. Write your vision down or even create a vision board for your workspace. Remember why you started your franchise in the beginning. If it was to work around your children and then embrace that time by the swimming pool or netball pitch, and don’t feel guilty about what else you could be doing. Embrace the flexible career you have built on your terms.
