At FBA, we’re big on “Creating an Interconnected Community” - a core value you can explore further here. So when FBA Franchise Broker, Vicki Hamp, called and said she was coming to visit, we were so excited to set up a desk at our HQ and continue strengthening the foundation of our relationship.
Vicki’s journey since graduating from our Broker training in June 2023 is a story of swift adaptation and commitment to excellence. She is entrepreneurial in the truest sense of the word!
During her time with us in Orlando, Vicki fully immersed herself in our dynamic environment - actively engaging with the team and absorbing FBA ethos. By eagerly diving into the operational aspects and seeking deeper insights into our processes, she has shown herself to be a Broker who is ready to be the GOOD in franchising - and we’re glad she chose our team to leverage.
Naturally, we interviewed her! Here’s how that conversation went.
“It's been phenomenal. More than I had anticipated. When I entered into this business, coming from the corporate world, I didn't realize what being a solo entrepreneur was like. I definitely work better in a collaborative team environment, and FBA has given me that environment while still being in business for myself. I guess that’s what the franchises say - you’re in business for yourself, not by yourself. FBA has definitely created that environment for me,” she shared.
It’s true. We deeply value and understand the significance of consistent support - therefore that’s what we give our Members.
Yes, franchise professionals often say, “you’re in business for yourself, not by yourself,” and when you invest in a franchise, you become part of a network that supports both your strengths and areas of improvement. Take tech for example, not everyone knows how to utilize it - but we’ll get to that next!
At FBA, we mimic the franchise model. By leveraging our resources, our Brokers can tailor the support we offer to their unique business needs. It’s a personalized recipe of tools, teams, and strategies.
Sounds enticing.
Have you ever had a bad CRM or system that wasn’t built to solve problems? Because your CRM either creates problems or solves them - and lets be honest, with your valuable time on the line, nobody wants to eat the cost of getting it wrong.
With that, here’s Vicki’s food for thought regarding our system, “There’s so many tools that you need to be successful, and FBA gives us so many of those - it’s hard to name them all. But HubSpot is certainly one for me. My best time is spent on the phone, talking with people, and creating relationships. So having a solid CRM that has been so carefully designed for this business, and has already been thought out for me is invaluable. FBA’s CRM tracks my leads, keeps me in sync for what I have to do and when I have to do it… ”
HubSpot is globally recognized as one of the most trusted CRMs, and it plays a pivotal role in our BOS program. As an FBA Broker leveraging BOS, you not only have our team - you’re trusting HubSpot’s capabilities as well. It’s fully customizable. An “I-do-it-all” virtual assistant - because we’ve programmed it that way after years of understanding what Brokers need to be successful.
Do you know how much a CRM like this costs when you go rogue and do it on your own? You’re looking at more than 2x on a monthly basis compared to what we charge - and you get ZERO customizations. These are crucial customizations designed for this industry and your business as a Broker.
Vicki said it herself, “...I mean I can’t imagine doing business without it.”
“The other thing I have noticed about FBA is that you are constantly growing your resources - in just the few months I’ve been here, the amount of growth I’ve seen… I know I’ve picked the right place.”
The Franchise Broker business has not always been like this - but our mission was to pioneer that change.
Do you celebrate the small wins in life? They’re crucial to the journey. In fact, often the big wins don't come until you’ve taken pause to enjoy the small ones along the way.
Vicki goes on to share her “small wins” since training, which to us feel pretty big!
“I am feeling much more comfortable as a Franchise Broker. From presenting brands, to the conversations I’m having with candidates, learning the space, and the lingo! I would encourage anyone to attend FBA’s mentoring sessions - I get so much from FBA employees but also from other brokers. I’ve been amazed how they all collaborate, it’s an environment where you feel everyone wants to help you succeed. Our Brokers come from many diverse backgrounds - so when you get on those mentoring calls, you get a different perspective on things because everyone brings their own unique expertise to the table.”
Confidence comes through reps and volume. If you’re not training consistently and attending mentoring sessions, you’re not surrounding yourself with people doing those reps - also, you’re not doing your own reps! The difference we see in Brokers who do and those who don’t are crystal clear.
Small wins (on seemingly small webinars) can change everything. However, they’re not talked about enough. It takes one moment, one comment from your peer, one piece of advice–that you would otherwise miss–to lead to something bigger.
So, why miss out?
Here’s a powerful phrase - you don’t know what you don’t know.
“Just ask the question! You’re going to be surprised at the wealth of knowledge and expertise from FBA’s team. Even if you think you know the answer, ask anyway,” Vicki concluded.
And she did just that, putting her advice to action. She was in the office, listening to our calls and feedback, watching the inner workings of various departments. We were also excited to hear how far she’s come on her own calls with candidates!
One of the things we encourage in training (and beyond) is curiosity. If you want to know what it’s like to lead, it’s helpful to put yourself in the shoes of your candidates. Learning their reserves and skepticism offers you an opportunity to grow in this industry so you can help them to do the same.
This is what we do at FBA - we talk to these people all day. And we are doing real volume, which brings us back to community and surrounding yourself with the people doing the reps.
You don’t know what you don’t know - but you do know that there are more people out there that know different things. We are raising and elevating together as a community and looking for professionals with this learning mentality to join us.
From the entire team at FBA, we want to thank Vicki Hamp for truly embodying who and what we stand for as an Association. Her power and potential is so obvious to us.
We encourage those looking for franchise guidance to give her a call, and for anyone interested in the opportunity to become a Franchise Broker to take her growing success as a sign for you too.
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