I love reading articles that talk about what it takes to be an entrepreneur. It must be the fact that I have always been, and always will be, an entrepreneur.  A recent article in the Globe and Mail “10 Lessons For Entrepreneurial Survival” by Glain Roberts-McCabe, is a good read, and, pretty accurate. Although I feel that she is missing one thing, which is probably #1 in my experience.  And my experience comes from a few sources:  being an entrepreneur for almost my entire life, meeting  a lot of really successful entrepreneur when I speak around North America to Entrepreneurs (mostly through the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO)),and of course, building my own fast growth company and franchise system, Nurse Next Door. 

 So what do I think is the # 1 lesson for survival of any business and any franchise business?

The ability to work hard.  Really hard. Sure, some entrepreneurs become successful and no longer work quite as hard. But in the early stages, I guarantee you that the most successful entrepreneurs you know were also the hardest workers. They know what it takes to build a business. I still get asked the question “How come you and Ken were so successful at the home care business?” My answer has never changed. “We worked harder then everyone else. It really was as simple as that.

 And the entrepreneurs that fail? They often don’t have the meddle to do it. In franchising, there are people who actually think it will be easier to franchise then work in their current job! In our own system, spanning 40 + franchise partners across Canada (and soon into Washington, where we were just cleared to expand our franchise system to Washington State), we have franchise partners who work really hard, and we have a few franchise partners who don’t work that hard. Guess who are the most successful Franchise Partners?

 If you think that 40 hours per week constitutes a work week when you are building a  business, think again. Perhaps you are not meant to be an entrepreneur.

 P.S We are now launching our franchise system in Washington State and looking for 3 founding franchise partners. If you know of any entrepreneur or want to become entrepreneur who may be interested in helping us build an awesome culture in home care in the Seattle area,  please let them know! Thanks!

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Posted in Entrepreneurship Franchise by admin 2 Comments