One of the most common questions I get asked is: Gary, how much time does it take to run a franchise? And that’s a tough one to answer, because, honestly, it depends. There are so many different types of businesses out there. Some require 40 to 60 hours per week or more, while others can be managed more passively at 10 to 20 hours per week. So instead of trying to find one universal answer, let’s reframe the question: How much time do you have to put into a business?
Are you looking for a business that fits into a Monday-to-Friday schedule, or one that runs 24/7, like a traditional storefront or service business? Do you want to protect specific times for family, evenings or weekends, maybe? Or are you craving flexibility, where you’re happy to work a range of hours, as long as you’re the one designing your week?
That’s where we start. Not with the demands of the business, but with your available time and lifestyle needs.
Time Needs Vary by Business Model
When thinking about business ownership, you’ll want to look closely at two things:
- What is the business going to require from you, especially in the early days?
- What can be delegated to staff or automated over time?
Some franchise models need an owner/operator, someone present day in and day out. Others are more managerial, where your role is oversight, not operations. But even in those situations, your involvement depends on the stage of the business and the team you build.
The real trick is to evaluate what the business needs now and what it will need once it’s established. That’s why I often guide clients to consider this key question: What kind of weekly schedule do I want to maintain throughout the life of this business?
Work Backwards From the Life You Want
If you begin with that end in mind, your ideal work week, your ideal lifestyle, then you can reverse engineer your path to get there. That includes identifying franchise models where current franchisees are already living that lifestyle. Because if they’re doing it, it’s likely possible for you too.
My job is to help you find those models, and make sure they align not just with your time commitment, but with a whole list of other factors that matter just as much.
If you’re curious about exploring self-employment, let’s start the conversation. Book now, and I’d be happy to talk through your goals and see what might be the right fit.
Let’s find a business that works for your time, your life, and your future.
