One of the most common hesitations we hear about franchising with American Family Care is that potential franchisees are unsure if they’re cut out to own a business in the medical care industry.
And while we understand the hesitation, our response is typically the same: you don’t have to have experience in a medical field to be successful running an American Family Care franchise.
Why? Because while having knowledge of, or a background in, medical fields certainly can be helpful, as a franchisee with AFC, you’ll still be primarily running a business. So those with a savvy, business-oriented mind are those who we look for to invest in our new franchises.
Of course, that doesn’t mean experienced medical professionals should shy away from the opportunity. As long as you have the characteristics to be a successful franchise owner, we think you have the right foundation for this investment.
We’ve listed several characteristics of the ideal potential franchisee candidate on our website, but thought we’d explore them a bit deeper here.
Here’s the breakdown.
A Motivated, Self-Starter in the Medical Care Industry
This one goes without saying, but the never-satisfied go-getters are the types of people that thrive when running a business. Anything short of excellence won’t cut it, and you’re always a step or three ahead looking at the next move while making sure – or entrusting to valued staff – that the task at hand is done well and efficiently.
Focused and 100% Committed to the Business
Some potential franchisees prefer to be hands-off owners, even keeping other jobs while trying to simultaneously running their business. While that might work for some models, we like our owners to be fully committed to running their American Family Care franchise. We need owners with a can-do attitude that like to face the daily challenges of running a business head on.
A People Person
Understanding people is as important a skill as anything else in the business world, and utilizing it properly makes you a better leader, owner, boss, manager, and employee. In every phase of your relationship with coworkers, employees, customers, and those senior to you, people skills will benefit you greatly.
Communicative
It’s critical to keep open lines of communication regarding tasks and responsibilities, especially in the workplace. Whether working with someone above you, at the same level, or a direct report or lower, communication is key. This includes having the humility to ask for help, admit you don’t know or can’t do something, and finding the right people – internally or through a hiring process – to support you.
Understands and Executes Marketing
You need to be able to think like a marketer. How are you going to reach your target demographic? From gaining new patients, retaining existing ones, or recruiting the right individuals to join your team, executing marketing strategies is a pivotal task of any business. As part of the support you’ll receive as an AFC franchisee, we assist and offer guidance to our franchisees both in terms of creating marketing strategies, and best practices used to execute them.
Passion for Helping Others
That probably seems like a given as well, but having a passion for helping others and making a difference in their lives is a critical part of working in the medical care industry. At American Family Care, we pride ourselves on putting the patient first. It’s that compassionate approach to patient care and services that has propelled us to industry leader status, and a favorite among patients nationwide.
Have Family and Friends That Support Your Business
We understand that your business is still work – it’s your job. And part of the appeal of starting your own business and becoming your own boss is having the ability to maintain flexible hours – which sometimes means longer, others shorter, and often irregular, if you so choose. But you’ll still have to dive in head first and dedicate a lot of time and thought to this venture. Having like-minded, supportive family and friends who not only understand but also support the investment – both financially and temporally – will be critical to your happiness, well-being, and success as an AFC franchisee.
For more information on franchising with American Family Care, contact us today.