Chief Change Officer - James Hilovsky: Guiding Athletes from Sports Stars to Franchise Czars

Episode Date: August 6, 2024

What happens when sports stars hang up their jerseys and dive into the business world? James Hilovsky believes franchising is the perfect play for athletes’ second acts. A former baseball player, James has 35 years in the franchise game, especially in the restaurant world. Now, he’s a franchise matchmaker, pairing retired NFL and NBA athletes with their ideal franchise ventures. James sees athletes and franchisees as kindred spirits: both thrive on rules, take calculated risks, and turn failures into lessons. In this episode, he shares his playbook for helping athletes and everyday folks make successful business transitions. Plus, he dishes out advice for anyone eyeing the franchise field. Episode Breakdown: 00:32—Introduction: Rundown of today’s episode 02:47—From Baseball Dreams to Business Teams “When I was growing up, I was a baseball player. I was actually in the minor leagues for the Philadelphia Phillies. And unfortunately, my career was very quick—I got hurt and then was done.” 10:02—Playing by the Playbook: Franchising and Sports Parallels “The franchisor is going to give you the playbook. Here’s the playbook. Here’s how to set up the business. Here’s the equipment you need. Athletes are especially good at following the playbook.” 15:53—From Super Bowl Glory to Mental Health Advocacy “I had a former NFL player, a Super Bowl winner, who transitioned from his own wine business to a mental health franchise, aiming to help those with addiction issues and concussions. His goal was to put one in every NFL city.” 22:11—Winning Traits: Risk-Taking, Coachability, and Leadership in Athletes “They are able to take that risk, take that coaching, and then they’re also able to lead their team or their employees into the franchise system.” 27:25—Ego Check: Navigating Passion and Pride in Franchising “Ego is definitely one that has to be held in check. The great thing about a franchisor is they’re looking out just for the business.” 32:36—Failing Forward: Athletes’ Tolerance for Failure in Business “Athletes are used to failure. Not every athlete succeeds at every game. In baseball, if you’re a 300 hitter, that’s outstanding. That means you failed 7 times out of 10.” 37:20—Key Advice for Non-Athletes: The Importance of a Good Franchise Broker “Always look for a franchise broker. Talk with them, see if they’re a fit for you, and check their website and LinkedIn posts to understand the type of person they are.” 43:21—The Joy of Matchmaking: Guiding Clients to Their Perfect Franchise “Knowing that they’re on this new journey and I just feel so good knowing that I’ve helped them in a small bit of finding that right match.” Connect with Us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: James Hilovsky Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Modernist Community for Growth Progressives World's Number One Career Podcast Top 1: US, CA, MX, IE, HU, AT, CH, FI Top 10: GB, FR, SE, DE, TR, IT, ES Top 10: IN, JP, SG, AU  1.3 Million+ Streams 50+ Countries

Hi, everyone. Welcome to our show, Chief Change Officer. We are a modernist community for humility for progressive minds around the world. I'm Vince Chan, your ambitious human host. Today at our studio, we welcome James Kielowski from Riverside in Southern California. James runs a unique franchise consulting business, primarily serving retired athletes from the NBA and NFL who are starting new chapters in their lives as franchisees. He also helps regular people with their franchise businesses. James believes that using his expertise in franchising to change lives and livelihoods of families and future generations is a dream come true endeavor. I haven't been a franchisee or franchisor myself, but I do have experience with the franchise business. Many years ago, when my parents immigrated to Canada with zero local experience and connections, they ventured into franchising to a means to fulfill the dream of becoming immersed and settled in the community was life-changing. So I have great respect for franchising as a business model that can positively transform lives.

Let's discover how James has used franchising for the greater good for both athletes and everyday people. Good morning, James. How are you doing today? Good morning. I'm doing great. Thank you so much for having me on. James joins us in a very timely moment. As we speak, this is the second week of the Olympic Games. Today, we are talking about sports, especially the lives of athletes. Before we dive into that, I'll let James introduce himself, share his background, his history, and his career path. Then, we'll jump right into our discussion on athletes, on business, on franchises, and how all these things link together.

Absolutely. Yeah. Thank you so much. So my career history is when I was growing up, I was a baseball player. I actually was in the minor leagues for the Philadelphia Phillies. And unfortunately, my career was very quick, got hurt and then was done. And I came back and had to do something. So I immediately transitioned into the restaurant business because I had worked in a fine dining restaurant before I'd left as well. And I've got to work to work my way up into the restaurant business of using my just have my athletic kind of background really fit in the restaurant business because I really felt like I came back and I had a team in the restaurant. So it was like the employees around me, everybody around me were one big team and we ran it

basically like a team when I got into management would run systems as we're all teammates and that we're all working together to achieve the end goal. So from there, I went into a fast food company and worked for Del Taco for about 25 years. Then a company called Pyology called me and said, hey, we really want to grow our system. And would you come over and help run our franchise side, which would be supporting new franchisees and helping them in their restaurants, helping new store openings. And I said, absolutely. So we grew that chain from one store,

started there and grew it up over to 100 franchise restaurants. And we had some corporate stores as well. So I supported the franchise restaurants. And then one of the largest franchisees of Pyology called me and said, hey, come work for us. And that was owned by two NFL football players. That was immediately, and they were right really close to where I live. They were in Corona. So it made a lot of sense to come partner with them and work with them. So we did our Pyologies, and then we did a franchise called The Baked Bear,

which is an ice cream franchise. Did our own coffee shop and our own cookie dough concept. And everything was going good. And then one of the brothers, he retired from the NFL. And then the other brother, he got hurt, couldn't fulfill the end of his contract. They went into some of them producing movies, and then their big thing was like,

hey, we're going to go start this tequila company. And, you know, nothing against tequila. I just was not my area of expertise and something that I really didn't feel passionate about. So I then said, OK, I will be joined on this venture. And then I decided to start my own business and help individuals look at different franchise options that are out there. So I don't really sell anything. What I do is I match people and athletes and professionals to franchise business. I show them what's out there in the franchise world, show many of the different industries that are out there, show them really good franchises and just basically help them make that decision all

the way through, introduce them to the franchisor. And then we just talk about if it's a good system, how to read an FDD and funding and basically just stay with them during the whole time to make sure it's a good fit. And I really got into that because I really wanted to make athletes part of my focus because with the two athletes that I was with, I did see all the people that would come up to them and offer them some crazy investments that I was like, wow, that is just crazy. And just the people that are always out there just trying to take advantage in some way. So I really wanted to make my niche.

And so that's what I've been doing and just thoroughly enjoy helping athletes and people find their dreams. So when exactly did you start this franchise consulting business? Yeah, so I've been doing this for about a little over four years. I've been doing it and that's when we started and haven't looked back since and it's been great. So around the time COVID started, what was the situation for you in terms of building your business, it sounds like you had gained trust from some athlete and entered their circle, building confidence. But then we faced this lifetime crisis, so much uncertainty. As an entrepreneur, how did you navigate the landscape? And eventually, how did you get through it and return to normal? So that was very scary being out there in Kobachar because it was the unknown of what's going to happen. So it was really, no one knew what to do.

And it was rather uncertainly, uncertain times out there. But what really happened in the franchise world was home services took off. And those franchises did really well. And there were people looking to get into them. So the home service market, fixing up bathroom remodels or window cleaning, anything that had to do with servicing the homes, those were just extremely good franchises to have out there. And then the other thing was really a lot of people had some idle time and it was a time to where you think, should I go back to the office and commute? This is nice not having this commute.

Or do I make this leap of faith and bet on myself of going into a franchise? So it really turned out, being that people were stuck at home and were on Zoom and doing that type of thing, that a lot of people had a lot of time to look at different options that were out there to help them as well as a lot of people got laid off and were looking for things to do and again why not bet on yourself with COVID and so it really really was it was challenging but a very interesting time for sure. Yeah, we'll definitely touch upon the idea of regular people getting involved in the franchise business, especially with all the changes in the job market. But before we get into that, let's go back to the sports world and the athletes. I remember you've mentioned before, both in our

conversations and on social media, that there are many parallels between the sports business and franchising in terms of generating revenue streams. Could you explain how that works? How do sports franchises compare to regular franchising? Yeah, definitely. So the parallels are really in the sports franchising and the regular franchising. So when you think of sports franchising and you think of sports as a NBA franchise, you're the Los Angeles Lakers. That's really, it's a sports franchise.

That's a franchise part of the NBA. So they do have bylaws that they have to follow. The NBA sets rules and guidelines of they can only spend so much money. If you spend more money on your players, you're going to get taxed. And so there's definitely rules, regulations, and they have to follow the system that's laid out there. Same way if we came in and an athlete started a pest control business, there's going to be rules, regulations, and they're obviously going to get given a playbook

to follow that system. But there's many systems just like in owning a sports franchise that a regular franchise has too, where they're going to say, here's everything that you need to do, and here's how you need to do it, and we're going to help you achieve success. So very much so very parallels to being sports owners, but then the sports players, the athletes can see that and go, yeah, okay, I'm part of this. And then they can, when they start their own franchise, if they look to get into the franchise business, it's much the same of it's we're following these guidelines that the franchise lays out. The franchise has been through all the potholes and the bad things. So they know how to tell us to do the business and they've developed the system so that we can be successful.

So it sounds like you are saying that the way franchising is set up and run is similar to the environment in which athletes are trained. Following rules, knowing the rules, and so on. But what about the cost and revenue structure? And all those other business aspects? When you invest in or get involved in a business, you always consider the business model, revenue, costs, hiring, marketing, etc. Do you see similarities or parallels in the business world that apply to the sports world. In other words, does the environment athletes are trained in make it easier for them to transition into the business world? Yeah, let's talk a little bit about that because in an athlete, in my opinion, are perfect people to go into business for themselves.

And in particular, in a franchise business. Why is that? They've been used to following a playbook all their lives. They've been given by a coach a playbook. Here's the playbook. Here's the plays. Here's the system. And the parallel of that, much like in the franchise to become a franchise owner, the franchisor is going to give you the playbook.

Here's the playbook. Here's how to set up the business. Here's the equipment you need to have. Here's the way you're going to set up the equipment. Here's the way you're going to do the build-out. Everything for an athlete is laid out there as a playbook. And they're especially good at following the playbook so much like the franchisor sets that playbook they follow it and in that playbook are

going to be the guidelines of here's how many people you're going to need to hire here are the type of people that you need to hire so the franchisor is basically going to the athlete and being that coach, the head coach or the manager that's going to be the franchisor is now that manager, that coach to the athlete. So they get it and saying, okay, I need to hire people. Oh, here's the attributes that I need to look for. And I need to do that. And then I need to follow the system they're putting into place to achieve X, Y, and Z on the revenues. And the franchisor also, during every step of this process,

they obviously take a look at how the franchisee, which in this case would be the athlete, how are they doing as far as their regular day-to-day operations? They'll give you that ongoing support. And if they're not hitting numbers or marks or systems out there, they're going to tell the franchisee athlete, hey, this is an area we're falling on and we need to improve in this area.

And that's great too, because athletes used to criticism. A lot of athletes, they're criticized about their play or take that coaching and take it in the right way and to want to improve. And knowing that a franchisor is basically just trying to help you run your business. Just like a coach in sports is just trying to coach you and sometimes coaching you hard to help you perform better. So very similar parallels between the two. And like I said, I think athletes are really perfect fit for a franchise model.

Can you share some successful examples of clients you've worked with? You can name names if it's okay, or just tell us about the factors and elements that help these athletes transition well into their businesses. How did the process unfold and what was the eventual outcome? yeah so i had a a former nfl player super bowl winner so he was a very prominent athlete he after his playing days he had his own wine business and he was doing very good with that he just called me up it's james i just I'm not really that passionate about what I'm doing. I like it, but I want to find something that's passionate. So show me what's out in the franchise world. So we looked at different car franchises.

We looked at one that did window tinning. And he was like, yeah, I like it, but I'm not sure. We looked at a couple gym models that were out there. That still wasn't really a great fit. We went into and we looked at some different junk removal franchises and just didn't do it. He was like, I think I'm just going to just stick with my wine business and I'm good. I said, OK, get it. Well, if something comes up, let me know and we'll figure out another fit. Then two days later, he calls and says, hey, I got it. I really want a franchise

that focuses on mental health of helping people that have addiction issues, concussion, suffering from the effects of concussion, a franchise that could help with that. I searched and we found one and we went out and we talked with the franchisor. We came out for a discovery day after he had to talk with different franchisees in the system. And he just really loved it. And he wound up going with that. And he said, my whole goal is to put one of these in every NFL city just to help different former players and people that have issues. And this is his passion. And that was something that he found. And it's been great. He's already got his one going in Florida and building his empire for sure.

I have another one to where there was a former professional athlete baseball player. He was a number one draft pick. And he actually, after his playing career, he got into corporate America. And he was like, corporate America is great, but I'm a little bit just not satisfied. And I want to find something that I can transition back into. I have a business of my own and my whole goal is I want it to be a family business. So let's look at things to where I could do a family business. I'd like my family to start the first territory or first unit, no matter what we pick. And then I want to transition to it when we're ready to open up store number two. So we looked

at different options. We talked with different franchisors and the best fit was dog grooming business. He loved the dog grooming business, thought there was a great need of it. And he signed a three-store deal in Atlanta. And his wife and kids are going to run the first one. He's going to transition out in store number two. So it's all about every individual and every athlete is going to have a different story behind why they want to transition out. A lot of athletes are, hey, the cheering stopped. I'm really struggling right now. I probably should have done a little bit better in college or some didn't go to college if it's in baseball. And they're like, my skill is I just have my athletic background, which is a great

skill, but it doesn't really translate to going to Wall Street. But I do have that passion. So help me figure out what that is. And so when we talk about that, we look at different things that the athletes would be interested in. A lot of them are in the fitness area. Health and wellness is a great area to be in and look in a franchise of different mental health issues or just muscle recovery studios and chiropractic. Therapy, all those are different franchises that a lot of them gravitate to.

So what we do with the athlete is we just show them what's out there in the industries and then they can pick and choose what industries they're interested in. And then we figure out what's behind that. What is the end game and end goal? I know that's a long answer. I'll share another real quick story too. There's a NFL football player right now that's looking at

franchising and his whole goal is, I've had a really good career in the league. I've been in the league for six years. I feel like I had three more years left, pretty established player. When I get done with playing, I want to walk into a business that's netting me half a million dollars a year. That's the revenue that I'm looking at. So I want to find a business that I can build up in those three years. And with half a million dollars of revenue, it's probably going to be a multi-unit play. And he had a really great passion for this fitness brand that not only was a gym, but they did a six-week weight

loss challenge to where they're transforming people's lives. And he was really very interested in that. And so he is looking at doing a three-unit deal and doing one unit every year. So that'll give him three in three years. And then when he's done playing, he's going to really have the potential to meet his goal of having a million dollars of revenue profit of when he's done playing. When you look back at these examples where you acted as the advisor and matchmaker, helping them figure out their plans and goals. What are the three qualities that stand out in these successful individuals? These qualities could be skill, mindsets, psychological traits, or something related to the sports they play. Can you name some key qualities that are common and contribute to success in franchising for these athletes?

I would say the one and most important quality that athletes bring to the table when it comes to franchising is they are able to take a risk. And what I mean by that, when you get into business for yourself, you're taking a risk and you're betting on yourself. A lot of people have a problem with, hey, I'm going to step out of the box, do something different, and it's going to be risky. And the athletes are very good at being able to take that risk because at the end of the day, their whole lives, they bet on themselves. They've used their training and all the skills that they've done ever since they were a child. And it's all been about, hey, I'm good. I can do this. I'm going to bet on myself. Much like jumping into business, it's betting on yourself and taking that risk. And most every athlete has the ability

to go out and say, yeah, I have the confidence and I'm going to bet on myself. So I would say that is the number one out there. Number two, the other one that is really good for a franchise system is an athlete is usually really receptive to coaching. So in business, when you're going to heart and they will try a hundred percent to implement, implicate, implement what the, what the franchisor has told the athlete to do. Much like when they were playing, like the coach says, you need to run a five-round out and turn and they work on that. So it's being able to take that, to take that risk, take that coaching and apply it. And then really another thing that athletes are really good at, and not just business, but they're really able to go out and be leaders.

So some athletes lead by example and naturally in the field and other athletes are vocal leaders, but they all have some sort of leadership kind of quality, even though they're a part of a team, they have that leadership quality. And so they are able to, they're able to take that risk. They're able to take that coaching, but then they're also able to lead their team or their employees or whatever the case may be into the franchise system that they're able to facilitate and go, okay, it's all on my shoulders. I've got the coaching. I know how to set up the business. And now I'm going to be able to lead and I'm going to be able to put my right players in the position they need to be in

to be successful in the business. So those are just really just three that really just come off the top of my mind that athletes are exceptional about. Sure, leadership quality, of course, being a strong team player and having a risk-taking mindset. In fact, leadership has many elements, but basically, it's about being a team player, a risk-taker, and being coachable. In sports, they always have coaches. When you talk about coaching, it reminds me of the scenario in venture and entrepreneurship, especially in tech ventures. In the past, when I talked to investors or venture capitalists, I asked them what kind of entrepreneurs or founders you'd like to invest in or admire.

One quality they mentioned was being coachable. They explained that some founders might be very smart and passionate, but if they are not receptive to coaching, it's a problem. These founders may resist advice, fail to learn from mistakes, and ignore experienced voices. This is what investors mean by being coachable. I can totally relate to that when you mentioned the coachability of athletes. Yes, absolutely. They're very good now. The flip side of that, it sometimes could be athletes are very coachable. They're very passionate like we were talking about. Now, sometimes in a franchise system, if they're very, yes, they may be coachable, but they may be passionate.

So maybe they, and remember, they're used to taking risks. So the flip side could be is, okay, they've been showing how to do the business. They're in the business. They're passionate about it. But now maybe they're going to go a little bit off the tracks because they think that in my speed in this play, I can make it better. Like on the field, sometimes they might improvise on that. So they might take it a little bit. OK, I get it.

I know. And they just will have this sometimes be invincible. And I could go off the rails and take my business this way. And that's where the franchise system is really great because the franchisor will go, you're going off the rails here. Let's turn it back in and take it back to get, let's get back on the road there. We put the guardrails up for a reason and let's get back on the road. So sometimes that passion could lead to maybe slipping out of the system a little bit. And much like a manager on a team,

the franchisor will take it and take them back to center. Sometimes an athlete's so good at those, they go a little bit too far, but the franchisor will always put them back on track. Would you say ego could be a risk for athletes? What other qualities should athletes watch out for? Looking at the flip side, what traits could counteract success in franchising and leadership? Really, basically, what we said, it also could be if they go a little bit too far but

the ego is definitely that's a great way to put it the ego could get them into trouble and especially the more famous athletes or the ones that have had more success on the field they have typically much bigger egos and there's not a lot of people in once you're dealing with the athlete that's dealt with a lot of success. You got to understand, too, in their circle, there's not a lot of people that will be no. It's always going to be, yeah, you're right. You did you did the greatest thing and you're good at this. And so there's not going to be many people that will say no to him in their circle, him or her. And the greatest thing and you're good at this. And so there's not going to be many people that will say no to him in their circle, him or her. And the great thing about a franchise or they're looking

out just for the business. They don't care who this, what he's done on the field or her. And it's a, let's get back to center. So ego is definitely one that has to be held in check. And then there are athletes that even when they played, that they sometimes had some problems with coaching. And there'd be times when I can talk with an athlete and if I felt that they really had really great egos or they were not going to be coachable, maybe franchising's not for them. Maybe entrepreneurship is,

but maybe a franchise is not a good fit if I hear the words, why don't I just do this franchise on my own? Why can't I just take that business model and just do it on my own? I don't need their help. And because I would want to do it this way, and I could do it much better,

and I could do it cheaper, and why pay those royalties? Then it's okay, let's have this conversation and let's talk about that. Let's talk about why a franchise is successful because they've hit all the potholes. They've set up the business. They've done this from day one. So if you start out on your own, you're going to make those mistakes. And maybe some of the mistakes you make are not going to be recoverable and you'll lose your whole investment. You get in a franchise because they know they have a proven system. They've been through and made mistakes that you would make into

your business and it would save you thousands of dollars or even save your business than if you went off on your own. And that the response is be, I still think I could do it better on my own and I don't need to pay these fees and just think I could do it. And that's a person that probably athlete or not does not fit into the business world, whether as franchisees or then-alone entrepreneurs, ego can be a risk. But beyond ego, it's also about figuring out what kind of risks they want to take and what costs they are willing to incur. By costs, I don't just mean money, but also learning curves and other challenges.

To me, franchising is a more controllable type of business venture because, like you said, the system is established, risks are calculatable, and there is a track record. In contrast, starting a new business from scratch is riskier. If you are a creative type of athlete,

you might want to start something on your own from the ground up. In that case, are you ready to take that kind of risk? Are you ready to step up and make the best use of your leadership skills? Different personalities and risk tolerance levels come into play during this transition. Let me play devil's advocate for a moment. While you argue that the transition from sportsmanship to franchise leadership has many similarities and seems like a perfect fit there are hidden areas to consider in sports world everything is clear-cut and measurable for example in swimming one of my favorite sports you know who wins the gold medal because it's the person who finishes the fastest.

The timing technology is sophisticated and precise, leaving no ambiguity. In the business world, however, while we have financial goals and key performance indicators, there are many hidden risks and controlled business environments, even within franchising, they face uncertainties. How do you help athletes make this transition? Does it involve mindset shifts, education, or more coaching? What do you think? Yeah, very education. You look at an athlete and you think of business and everything that we've talked about. But one thing really we haven't really hit on is in business, when you're going to go through a struggle period, like you're saying, maybe there's so many moving parts where, you know, that you're struggling with maybe finding the right employees or you're struggling with the day-to-day operations. And you do know that you can turn to the franchisor for help and all that.

But one thing that athletes are another really good trait that they have that it's really great in business is they're used to failure. Not every athlete succeeds at every game. Not every game's played great and not, they're going to go through ups and downs in baseball. If you're a 300 hitter, that's outstanding. That means you failed seven times out of 10. So the athletes are used to failure. So it's one of those where if your business is in a slump, it's okay. I'm, I've been used to this before. I've had a slump. I've had a shooting slump. I've had a hitting slump. I know that this will pass.

It's how did I get myself in my athletic career? How did I get myself out of this slump? Or what did I do? I draw back to that. I went back to my coach helped me out. I just had to go to get laser focused and put maybe some extra time in to get myself out of the slump. So that mindset for a failure of the athlete, I think, is super important in business when all, like you're saying, all those moving parts might be going awry. The athlete is used to failure and

has a really great history of being able to pull him or herself out of that. Yeah, I think this tolerance for failure is very important. It's not something non-athletes, a typical trained fool. Speaking of non-athletes, this might be a good point for us to step back and look at the bigger picture. Earlier, you mentioned starting your business around the COVID period, when everyone was stuck at home and started developing different perspectives on their careers and lives. Now, we are back to normal, but the world has changed. And it's still changing with technology and other moving factors. A lot of uncertainties with layoffs, corporate downsizing, inflation, etc. In this kind of environment,

you probably get a lot of inquiries from regular people about whether franchising could be the next chapter of their lives. So, I have two related questions for you. First, for non-athletes listening who may not have the athletic background, what advice would you give them for making this decision? What factors should they consider? Second, given the uncertainties in the economy and other factors, when people want to start a new chapter in their lives, they feel the urge, the pressure to do so quickly,

which comes with risks. James, you are a nice, incredible person, but there could be others in your business who are not as trustworthy as you. So once these regular people decide to move into this new world of franchising, how can they be smarter about figuring out who to work with and what kind of business to get into? Yeah, that's a great question. And I do work with a lot of non-athletes, just great people that have been in corporate America and corporate America has turned their back on them and laid them off

or they're just always just will go. I've worked all this time and I really want to have something on my own. So those are the big thing. Remember I said the best thing about the athletes are they don't really, that fear of being able to step out, they don't have that. The non-athlete, sometimes that fear can be overwhelming. And it is a, just look at what you want to take that shot that that's out there to bet on yourself and to get into a business of your own. And time is short. And I would say,

I wish I would have done this many years prior. And I would say, I think most of my clients, when they come from corporate America and they get into their business, they see the freedom that they have. They see the potential for generational wealth of building their business that they just, they say the same thing. I should have done this a lot sooner for sure. So being able to take that leap of faith and take the shot and bet on yourself, I think is one for the non-athlete too. That's the biggest part that we'd be out there to make that decision. And it just is, I would just advise anyone, if you're thinking about that too, really take that shot and bet on yourself. And then the other part of the question is who to work with. I would always say, don't really go on your own looking at websites and putting inquiries into a franchise.

Because you don't really know much about that franchise. And if you're not used to looking at franchises, you need to know the steps. Hey, we're going to look at a franchise. We also have to look at FDD. That's a franchise disclosure document that the franchise sends out to you. So you need to know how to read that. And then how do you, if you're on your own, how do you make sure this is a good franchise? You ask the franchisor, hey, let me talk to franchisees in the system because they're going to be the ones that are going to validate the system and verify it. And really, I would say to pick someone up, I would always look for working with a franchise broker. And you just would have to talk with them

and just see if they're going to be a fit for you. I would also look, if you're looking at a franchise broker, go, Hey, what's your website? And maybe looked at some of their LinkedIn posts and get a feel of kind of what type of person they are. My particular self, I work with my clients and I do what's right for my client of what industry they want to be into. I'm going to give you my advice and give you my, all my knowledge. But at the end of the day I'm going to give you my advice and give you all my knowledge. But at the end of the day, we got to find you the fit. And what I try to do is show you the options that are out there. And what I also would say when you're looking at a franchise or look for one that's going to give you the best support.

Because again, a lot of people think in a franchised world, I just have to put my money in and I'm good. No, it's your business. It's your asset. You have to run your business to make it successful. A franchisor with all their systems, if you don't follow it, you're not going to be successful. At the end of the day, it's up to you to make the business grow. And really what you want to look for in a franchisor is one, they're going to be your business partner. Make sure they're a great business partner. And two, do you feel like you're going to get great support? And then the rest really is up

to you taking those systems and putting them into place. That would be my advice. So a lot of due diligence is needed, really hands-on due diligence, before jumping into investing a chunk of money. It's not just the financial investment, also the time and hope you are putting into potentially creating something that could be generationally relevant for your children and yourself in the future, whether you are in your pre-retirement or retirement life. So much stick on hand. To wrap up our interview, I was wondering, James, when you look back at helping both athletes and non-athletes, what's the most fulfilling impact you found yourself making in this business?

Of course, building a successful business is important, but I'm curious about the impact you're most proud of in these four years? I really would just say the opportunity for every client that I come across that we figure out a path of business ownership and a path of giving a shot to generational wealth in there. So for me, the fulfillment is of helping non-athletes and athletes find the right fit and find the right match. And the best thing is I didn't even know a franchise like this existed. And I would have never have thought to even look at a franchise with this, but it's a perfect franchise for me. That to me, that's the most rewarding thing is when a client signs a deal with the franchise, just that excitement that they have knowing that they're on this new journey. And I just, I get the, I just feel so good knowing that I've helped

them in a small bit of finding that right match and that, that success is just giving them that entrepreneur spirit. Because once you're entrepreneur, you probably will stay an entrepreneur. So it's very fulfilling. Great. Thank you so much, James. Thanks for your time and all the insights. Like any other major change in life, career changes, including franchising, can be incredibly fulfilling. It is a rewarding journey, not just for you as the facilitator, but for both sides of the business equation. I hope that every listen to this show feels inspired.

If you're considering franchising, talk to James or other credible experts and do thorough due diligence about the business and about yourself. It's a big decision, but it can be a worthwhile one. Absolutely, yes. Totally worthwhile

and life-changing. Thank you so much for joining us today. If you like what you heard, don't forget, subscribe to our show, leave us top-rated reviews, check out our website,

and follow me on social media. I'm Vince Chen, your ambitious human host. Until next time, take care.