Many executives today are finding themselves being laid off by the same companies to whom they have dedicated a significant part of their lives. The prospect of having to start all over again from the ground up can feel devastating.
However, getting back to work may not mean dusting off your resume and starting the hunt for a new job.
This was exactly the situation that Walt from Colorado Springs found himself in when he was laid off from his long-time IT position. Walt didn’t know where to start, so he joined a local networking group for executives in transition. The group met mostly online through LinkedIn, but also held meetings once a month to network and share opportunities. Walt became more and more involved in the group and eventually found that he really enjoyed working with people and helping them network to find new beginnings.
It was during one of these in-person meetings that Walt heard Chris Johnson from Liberty Franchise Solutions speak about franchising. Purchasing a franchise wasn’t something that Walt had considered, but felt it was something he needed to explore.
A Path to Franchise Ownership through Local Networking
Liberty Franchise Solutions is a father and son owned Franchise Brokerage located in Colorado Springs. They serve their clients in much the same that a Real Estate Agent helps their clients find a new home. They get to know their situation and personal goals, then use their experience to help guide clients through the steps of this process. If the client and the franchisor are a good match, and want to do business with one another, the client is awarded the franchise.
Mr. Johnson is very active in his community, is a member of several groups around town, and even sits on the board of a few of them.
“I attend at least one event every day. My business is all about getting to know people. So being able to sit down with someone over a cup of coffee and have a real face to face conversation makes a big difference. When I met with Walt in person, I was able to see his reactions to franchise concepts I presented. This affected my decision on where to take him in the process next.
Networking has become a major part of how I run my business. One of the things I found about networking is once you start – it begins to balloon. The top five candidates I am working with all come from local networking.
Highlighting the fact that you can be your own boss is something people need to hear. Franchising is more accessible than people may realize. Also, I want to help people avoid going out to get a job only to lose it a few years down the road and repeat the cycle.”
The At Work Group Staffing Franchise
One of the concepts that Chris introduced Walt to was a staffing franchise called At Work Group. As a franchise concept, At Work Group is unique in that it staffs in multiple industries. It has also been awarded one of the Top 50 in Franchisee Satisfaction by Franchise Business Review 2014, 2015, 2016.
“I presented ten concepts in four industries. Walt and his wife picked one concept from each category, but they liked the executive search piece.
Ultimately, they really liked At Work Group right off the bat! Staffing was already something he was contemplating doing on his own as a private consultant. When I showed them all the advantages he could get from the franchise, and all the positive reviews, he wanted to know more. This is a strong concept with a low investment, compared to that of other staffing franchises.
At Work Group is excellent to work with. They are very professional and courteous at every step. Around the time that I introduced Walt to them, they were having their annual conference. They invited Walt out and flew him down to meet with their franchisees to see that they are serious about their franchisees success. In the end, they gave an incredibly powerful Discovery Day and Walt ended up purchasing the territory.”
The whole process took 5 months from start to finish, including the time Chris and Liberty Franchise Solutions took to help them secure additional funding.
At Work Group Offers Four Lines of Staff Revenue:
- Part-time & Full-time staffing
- Medical employees such as Nursing and healthcare
- Non-medical homecare and Daily living Assistance
- Direct hire for sought after positions such as engineering, accounting, HR, etc
