A new franchise? Make the most of the first three months

Domini Stuart

Lenka Markova shares her personal experience of starting a swimming franchise in Victoria and tips to help new franchisees navigate their first three months in business.

Clear your schedule

Your new business will demand your full attention. Starting a franchise takes time and energy, and unexpected issues often crop up both during and outside work hours. 

It is important to clear as many other commitments from your schedule as possible. I found  it really helped to pre-cook or buy pre-prepared meals and make sleep and rest a priority.  If you have children, book in some extra care and/or ask friends and family to help out for a few weeks. I now enjoy a good balance between work and family – which is what I was hoping to achieve – but this won’t happen right away.

Communicate, communicate

Make sure your staff and colleagues are heard, and that communication flows even when the days are long and it isn’t on top of your list. Schedule a daily or weekly debrief and don’t skip them. Even if these meetings are short, they’re worth it. 

Put up a white board or have a space where staff can write on a sticky note when they have a thought, an issue or an idea so that they won’t forget – and you can discuss it later.

Don’t take things personally

If you haven’t worked in a customer service environment before, it can take a bit of getting used to. You need to accept that it’s impossible to please everybody all of the time. Do your best, stick to your beliefs and morals, be honest, be transparent and leave it at that. Don’t  agonise over particular comments or feel guilty that you haven’t managed to please every single customer in every way. Learn from each interaction and move on.

Get ready for surprises

We experienced many surprises in the first three months – some less than ideal, some very positive. One pleasant surprise was that, although I was spending a lot of time on the business, it felt very different from when I was employed by someone else. When you’re working for yourself it’s much easier to find the energy because you know you’re building your own future.

Lean on the franchisor

We had lots of questions during set-up – questions about operating the equipment, processes, IT systems and more. We were lucky to have a super supportive franchisor – though that’s why we chose them in the first place – and it certainly made things easier than they could have been. Ask for help and guidance whenever you need it.

What was the hardest thing in the first three months?

Having no time for anything but the business. But it was worth it!

What would you do differently?

Stress less about negative comments from customers. 

What should others expect?

A steep learning curve but plenty of feel-good, high-five moments.

Lenka Markova is the co-owner of JUMP! Swim School Armstrong Creek, located near Geelong in Victoria.