Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Harris Gubin, Founder of Franchise Coach, located in Philadelphia, PA, USA.

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

I am a franchise coach, and I've been a "guest" on many a career journey, guiding clients through franchise exploration as a possible next chapter in their story. Even though my clients come from a range of backgrounds and have vastly unique interests, I've learned that we all share the same human desires when it comes to our careers. To feel valued and useful. To have clarity on the path ahead. To have time outside of work for the people, places, and experiences that bring us joy.

Most of my clients are at a crossroads in their journey – a place where those important needs aren't being met. With a listening ear and deep knowledge of the franchising world, I help professionals explore and navigate opportunities that are the best fit for their life and desires.

Tell us about yourself

I started my career in a family business owned by my mother, and when the stock market crashed in 2008, I ate popcorn three meals a day while I figured out my next step. This, in turn, caused me to grab onto the first role that came along in the corporate world – where I felt completely lost at sea. (When you don't have a specific course set, any port will do…but only for a short while!)

Fortunately, I learned a lot about partnership, entrepreneurship, and career coaching along the way. And I also learned a lot about what I wanted for my own life. So, when a mentor in my network opened the door for an opportunity for me to help coach others at a crossroads in their journey, I realized that the life I was looking for was looking for me too!

My motivation comes from my client relationships. Clients come to me when they're at a crossroads and don't know which way to turn. Guiding them through franchise exploration and providing them with a proven methodical exploration process to help them assess whether or not franchising is right for them is what inspires me every day.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Franchising is an overwhelming space. There are about 3,800 franchise brands out there, more than 400M results on Google, and everyone's an award winner. In other words, it's challenging to find the right concept to explore and invest in. Being a sounding board, guide, and advocate for my clients to help them get enough information and the right information to make a well-informed decision is my biggest accomplishment.

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

As a Coach, someone who's a sole practitioner, I sometimes feel like I am working in a bubble. It's helpful to create an advisory board or find a group of colleagues that you trust and can turn to for peer collaboration.

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

Through the lens of a franchise coach:

  1. Find a franchise coach to help guide you through an overwhelming space.
  2. Speak to as many franchisees in the specific brand that you're exploring so you can understand what it's really like to be an owner.
  3. Look at franchise exploration as a big exercise in learning about different models in order to find the right fit.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I have two final thoughts:

  1. Through my experience, I've learned that the most successful people have the same thing in common, they've all written down their goals! Thoughts are things, but once written, they become tangible.
  2. The following quote by Albert Einstein is on my wall, and I read it every day "Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value."

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://franchisecoachonline.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franchise-coach-harris-gubin/

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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