Successful franchisees come in all ages, shapes and sizes as The Tailored Closet group demonstrates

If you’re looking for a number…sorry! The optimum age to buy a franchise or start your own business is when you’re ready, and that involves factors that far outweigh a chronological age. Focusing on age is limiting and deceptive. We hear popular generational labels that categorize people by age or era and those labels assign assumed personality characteristics that may or may not be true. Don’t tie yourself to generalities like these descriptions from several generational studies of the three generations that make up the bulk of the work force in our culture today:

• Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) – the “me” generation, save-the-world revolutionaries, self-righteous, more positive about authority, hierarchal structure and tradition.
• Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) – individualistic, entrepreneurial, values are relative, will have average of seven career changes in lifetime, life transitioned to a digital world.
• Generation Y (Millennials, born between 1981 and 2000) – grew up with technology, world is a 24/7 place, expect entitlements, are over-confident, spend too much time on their phones.

Who would be the best candidate to become a franchise business owner? Are Boomers too old and Millennials too young?  Is one group too flighty and another too traditional? You certainly can’t tell anything about the probability of franchise business success by these labels!

Age is not a barrier to becoming a successful franchise business owner

Business goals and success are individual and supersede age

Entrepreneurs come in all ages and from diverse backgrounds. Within the Home Franchise Concepts (HFC) family of brands, we have new franchise business owners in ages ranging from the 20s to the 60s. Age is neither a help nor a hindrance–an individual’s character is what determines who they are and what they accomplish. Background, life experience, motivation and goals are more important than the age factor for determining success in owning a business.

In reality, success is a somewhat fluid concept. For some it’s an end dollar figure, for others it may be a lifestyle allowing more freedom for other pursuits. Across the age spectrum of our franchisees, we consistently hear these comments as reasons for pursuing independent business ownership, and franchising in particular. Not a single one has anything to do with age:

• Want the independence of being my own boss
• Scale back from full time and choose my own hours
• No limits on how much money I can make
• Tired of the corporate world rat race
• Having a home-based business; don’t need a brick and mortar location
• Building a team of employees who share my values
• Build something substantial to pass on to my children
• Buying into a proven business model and established brand

Michael Fineman, franchise owner of Budget Blinds serving Bryn Mawr, was 27 when he joined Budget Blinds® and when asked if his age impeded his business, he said, “I find that age only becomes a hindrance if you let it. The way you carry yourself and interact with your clients goes a long way toward proving your maturity and making them feel comfortable. I am a very honest, genuine person and I think that comes across in my interactions and people trust me.”

The husband and wife team of Budget Blinds serving Honolulu, John and Elspeth Newlands, bought their franchise in their “golden years,” pushing a second, final retirement out into the future.  “We are heading into our senior years and were looking for a brand with strong awareness. Budget Blinds has a tried and tested system with great vendor relationships, which is important to us in business. With these proven systems at work, we’ve been able to focus on sales, customer services and installations and have hit the ground running since 2011.”

Roadmap to Success

HFC is the parent company to three thriving franchise brands in the home services industry, Budget Blinds®, The Tailored Closet® featuring PremierGarage® and Concrete Craft. You get all the design, installation and business training you’ll need in order to be successful, regardless of your age.  With Home Franchise Concepts you get:

• 20 years’ experience in franchising
• Proven and reliable business models
• Home-based businesses with low overhead
• Flexible schedule, you set your work days and hours
• Protected territories
• Strong training and support systems
• Assigned Business Coaches who get to know you and your individual business
• Coordinated national and local marketing efforts for maximum brand awareness
• Strong brand recognition and excellent reputation in the marketplace
• Vendor product support and guarantees
• Discounts for veterans across all three brands

All you have to add is you–your drive, enthusiasm, values and commitment. If you would like more information about becoming an independent franchise business owner within the HFC family of brands, call 800-420-5374 today or go to http://www.homefranchiseconcepts.com. Follow the Steps to Becoming a Franchise Owner to see if a home-based franchise opportunity is the right career move for you. Don’t delay. After all, you’re not getting any younger!

Budget Blinds is the #1 window coverings franchise in the nation. You consult with homeowners and businesses to provide expert advice, quality products, and superior customer service for all types of window coverings, including blinds, shutters, shades, drapes and more.

The Tailored Closetis the largest home organization franchise in North America, offering some of today’s most highly sought-after services such as in-home organization systems and custom storage solutions, along with garage storage and custom flooring.

Concrete Craft is the world’s only decorative concrete franchise. We use proprietary products and techniques to turn ordinary concrete into works of art with stained, stamped and resurfaced concrete, for both residential and commercial, interior and exterior surfaces.