Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Steven Inglefield, COO of Angela Cote Inc. located in Victoria, BC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Helping franchisors scale strategically and support their owners for success - that's our mission at Angela Cote Inc. (also known as AC Inc.), where I'm the COO and systems specialist. If you're not in the franchise world, you may be wondering what the heck any of that means! I'll break it down...

Franchising is a way to scale a business that involves a franchisor (the person who starts the business, registers the trademark, and creates the operating procedures for the business) awarding franchise locations to franchisees (people who invest and pay specific fees to open and run their own locations in their local communities).

What we do at AC Inc. is a partner with franchisors to support their franchise growth. We do this through executive coaching, field coach training, speaking at their company conferences, and more. Franchisors become a member at AC Inc and get access to all of our services in a flexible monthly subscription.

Tell us about yourself

I'm a serial entrepreneur (no, really, it's a problem!), and back in 2019, I was looking at franchising one of my businesses. I connected with a local franchise expert (Angela Cote), and as we discussed the franchise space and her vision for AC Inc., I got super excited about the opportunity to disrupt the industry. Angela and I hit it off, and we've been building the company together ever since!

My motivation? Hmmm. I think I've always been driven by the process of growing companies and making a genuine impact in the world. I get so excited every time we hit a new milestone or see a new opportunity, and the franchise space is a place where we can make a very real difference in people's lives. Seeing franchise owners succeed in their communities is seriously motivating.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My proudest accomplishment in growing AC Inc... Definitely creating the methods for scaling the company to support more franchisors. When we started AC Inc., we were just doing custom advising - an amazing offering but tough to scale because there are so many franchisors who could benefit, and we could only reach so many with 1:1 advising.

A few ways we've made the company scalable include:

  • Created a membership that allows franchisors to adjust their support levels each month to best support their business.
  • Created a training course for field coaches that can be utilized when systems need that support.
  • Growing our team to serve our growing clientele and community better.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

You have to make hard decisions and have tough conversations as a business owner. It can feel heavy when so many people's livelihood is based on your company's success. It's a lot of pressure and can cause some major stress (starting a business ages you - my gray hairs prove it!)

My best advice for handling this challenge is always to remain human. Talk to people like genuine human beings - even when the conversations are tough. Build trust with your team and clients, and always be as transparent as you can. At the end of the day, some things are out of everyone's control (global pandemic anyone?). If you speak honestly and openly, that's as much as you can do in certain circumstances.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. I know this feels obvious, but get your financials in order! Without a solid foundation (P/L statements, budgets, projections, etc.), you'll make your journey SO much more difficult. Take the time to get these in order, and if you need external support in this task - get it! It'll pay back in spades as you grow and scale.
  2. Launch fast; adjust later. One of the core values here on our team is that action equals growth. I see wayyyy too many entrepreneurs waiting until a concept/service/product is perfect before launching. Spoiler - there's no such thing as perfect. You'll learn (and grow) so much faster if you launch and then adjust and evolve with the feedback and lessons you learn through the process.
  3. As you grow a team, always look for how to support your team members. Again, it may sound obvious, but it's crucial for success as a business owner. As a leader, it's not your job to micromanage or know the answer to everything. Hire people smarter than you, and then look for any way you can to help them thrive and succeed. If your team succeeds, your mission/business succeeds.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

If you're a franchisor (or considering franchising your business), come to join our free roundtables for franchisors (angelacote.com/roundtables). Franchising is a complex process, and there is a way to do it that makes the whole thing faster, easier, and more fun. Join the AC Community - I promise we're a fun bunch!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://angelacote.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angelacoteinc/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelacoteinc/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/angelacoteinc/
Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3PaPfs7

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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