MOMpreneur: n. defined as a female business owner who is actively balancing the role of mom and the role of entrepreneur.
Welcome to our latest installment of MOMpreneur Monday, highlighting businesses and brands that were founded by female entrepreneurs and fellow mommas!
Today’s featured Modern Boca MOMpreneur is Jill Johnson, Co-owner of The Franchise Insiders & FranchiseMom.co, the top franchise consultants in South Florida.
Tell us a little about your background and how you started The Franchise Insiders…
My name is Jill Johnson and I am married to my husband Jack (yes, Jack & Jill!) and we have a young son named Trey. We relocated to Boca Raton from San Diego a few years ago. My background is in Marketing; specifically online Marketing. I started my career in Las Vegas where I created and launched the first ever (and still standing) email marketing program for the Wynn Las Vegas. From there, when Jack and I relocated to San Diego, I continued to focus on online marketing for two national start-up companies, eventually moving to the agency side where I was able to create and work on email marketing programs for large corporations such as 24 Hour Fitness, Sony Pictures, US Airways, Moen, Hyatt and many others.
I was fortunate to work from home. However, between meetings, calls and client trips, I realized I was missing out on my son’s early life. I slowly started resenting being tied to someone else’s schedule, having limited days off and also working extremely hard and not reaping the benefits.
“You only get one chance to be with your kids when they are young. Something had to change…”
In 2017, Jack and I started our own business called The Franchise Insiders. We are a team of Franchise Consultants who help people who are looking for franchise business opportunities find their perfect match. The Franchising world can be overwhelming in that there are so many industries and verticals to look at and consider. We make it easier for our clients to start or even narrow down their search, finding them an opportunity that fits their lifestyle, goals and dreams. Think of us like Realtors but instead of helping you find your dream home or next house flip, we help you find your dream business and/or investment opportunity.
We recently opened a section of our business called “The Franchise Mom” where we specifically focus on moms who are looking to start a business on their own or want to find something to fill their time while continuing to do all the mom duties. Our business is home-based and our clients live all over the country. We are fortunate to work from anywhere which allowed us to move across the country and relocate to Florida.
What challenges did you face as you started your business?
Our two biggest challenges as we started our business were financials and the uncertainty of starting your own business. How could we survive the first few years assuming we didn’t make enough money? We had very comfortable salaries and benefits at our previous jobs so giving that up was terrifying – especially with a then 2-year-old at home. Also, we didn’t have enough income to start our business, so we took a huge chance (we do not recommend this to our clients) and both quit our six-figure jobs, sold our house to fund our business and invested every penny we owned into ourselves. It was a risk, but as we move into our 4th consecutive year of building a million-dollar business, it was worth the hard work and uncertainty.
Going through this process ourselves really helps us work with our clients in the sense that we have “been in their shoes” and know how scary it can be to start your own business. We also like to remind them that however scary it may be, with hard work and dedication, the risk is 100% worth the reward. We believe that just about everyone can be business owner. We just need to help some find their perfect fit and guide them in the right direction. And that is why our business exists; to help our clients live their dreams of business ownership.
What’s unique about The Franchise Insiders?
You’d be surprised how many people start their franchise search blindly. They either have a particular chicken, sub sandwich or cookie brand in mind, or have no idea what opportunities are available to them. We have the background, tools and expertise to work with each client to understand what they are looking for in a business opportunity and introduce them to companies that are a perfect match. We open their eyes to Franchises they don’t even know exist!
We franchise consultants show them absentee opportunities that allow them to invest in a business while keeping their full-time jobs. We work with each client independently to really find the right solution for their particular needs. Sometimes our clients just want a single unit they can work in like a job. Others want to own multiple locations and be more of a CEO/Manager to their employees. And, others want to be completely out of the business and use it a place to simply invest their money as part of their financial portfolio.
And the best part is, it never costs our clients a dime. Working with us is 100% free! In fact, we PAY our clients if they close on a business that we recommend to them. This is unique to The Franchise Insiders and goes a long way when our clients are putting all of their money into a business. These are the reasons that we are in the top 1% of Franchise Consultants in the US and have collectively helped over 700 clients find franchise opportunities.
Why should my readers become your clients?
Becoming a business owner can be scary. There are many unknowns and even more risks. We are here to help anyone with the desire to become a business owner do exactly that. We work with each client individually to listen to what they hope to accomplish, their 5-10 year plan, their dreams, their fears, their current financial situation in addition to where they want to be and then we match them with the right opportunity.
One thing I particularly love as franchise consultants is that we have numerous opportunities for moms–moms who want to bring in some extra income while still staying “at home”. Moms who want to find a full time opportunity where they are finally “the boss”. Moms who want more flexibility and a great work/life balance. Moms who want to build an asset for their families. Moms who want to build a successful business to flip in few years for a profit! We have opportunities for every type of person and love being able to help moms from all walks of life. Being a mom is definitely one of the most important jobs we will ever do, but that doesn’t need to be it. We can be parents and bad ass business owners at the same time. We CAN have it all. And The Franchise Insiders can help you do that!
What exciting things are coming up for you as franchise consultants?
The Franchising world is every changing and always exciting! Right now, we are seeing a rise in the investor model or absentee franchise business as people want to put their money into businesses rather than the unstable real estate or Stock Market. We are also seeing an uptick in health and wellness franchises such as med spas, beauty services (think facials and Botox), fitness and kids sports such as dance, basketball and soccer.
What do you love about working and living in South Florida?
Since our clients are located all over the US, we luckily get to choose where to work. That is exactly why we decided to move to Boca Raton. We love the sun, the beach and are pleasantly surprised by the welcoming community we’ve seen here. We finally feel like we are “home” here in South Florida and cannot wait to continue growing our roots.
Connect with The Franchise Insiders | Top Franchise Consultants:
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Instagram: @thefranchiseinsiders
Franchise Mom: www.franchisemom.co
Facebook: The Franchise Insiders
