The Finchs: From Unknown Path to Clear Vision!

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it!”  -Yogi Berra

Ron and Rebecca Finch were at a fork in the road, but the directional choices to take were ill-defined.  Ron retired from a 20+ year career as a U.S. Navy helicopter pilot, and the answer to “what’s next” for his career was illusive. 

Possibilities included working for a defense contractor, a mid-career corporate sales role, or some position in aviation.  However, those career paths would put some personal goals on the back burner.  Ron promised his family that they’d stop with the relocations, changing schools (with 4 teenagers!), and other unknowns that were typical during his career as a Naval Officer.  Staying local (in Mobile, AL) was a strong desire, but also a limiting factor – and when some interviews didn’t pan out, Ron was really frustrated.  Rebecca was employed in her 20 year nursing career, but she was also less-than-thrilled about continuing indefinitely in that profession.  

But then …

The Finchs’ story then begins to change:

Ron was approached by yours truly – Career Ownership Coach Julian Reid, who introduced the idea of franchise business ownership.  Ron had not previously considered being a business owner because of fear:  Fear of the cost, fear of the responsibility, and fear of failing.

Today?  The Finchs own and operate Enviro-Master of Mobile, AL , and have grown the business substantially since acquiring it in 2018.  But let’s not forget their “fork in the road” experience!  Here’s a few details about their journey of progressing from an unknown path to a clear vision:

Julian:  Given your previous Military and other work experiences, why did you decide to give it a shot; to engage with me as your coach, to learn more, and to explore franchising?

Ron:  I felt like the Military had given me the requisite skills to be successful in franchising.  I had plenty of experience in leadership, financial responsibility, resourcefulness and just getting things done.  As a Navy pilot, I was familiar with having a manual to learn proven systems, tactics, etc. When I discovered that buying a franchise came with an Operations Manual for proven success in that business, I figured I could do it and would enjoy being my own boss.  Then I received an email from you (Julian), and that gave me a place to start.

Julian: How did you approach your franchise ownership discovery?  

Ron:  Fortunately, working with you and utilizing the TES (The Entrepreneur’s Source) methods, I was coached every step of the way.  The investment piece of franchising kept me limited to a certain tier of possibilities, but I did my due diligence to find out every thing I could.  During this process, the corporate office of my current franchise called me about buying the resale based here in Mobile.  The business model was great, I loved the structure of the franchise, but the investment was more than anticipated.  I got cold feet and told everyone I had been communicating with that I was no longer considering franchising.

Julian:  Let’s talk more about your “cold feet”;  What were your challenges and concerns, both during your discovery steps of exploring franchises, and immediately after you launched your new franchise business?

Ron:  As I mentioned, I had given up until I got another call from the Enviro-Master corporate office.  The franchise here was in a unique situation, so with some flexibility from the franchisor headquarters and the then-owner, and some acceptance of risk and investment on my part, I decided to do a discovery day at the Charlotte headquarters.  After learning more there and meeting the leadership, I knew I had found a good fit for me.  Feeding my family and living indoors while starting a business was a major concern, but again, I was in a unique situation.  I was retired military (with pension), my wife worked full time, so that allowed me to leave the operating capital alone and concentrate on growing the business.

Julian:  Speaking of challenges, how did your business adapt to serve your business client needs during the chaos of COVID-19?

Ron:  Combatting disease-causing virus and bacteria is the primary mission of Enviro-Master (E-M).  This business was tailor-made for Covid-19.  At first, we were as dumbfounded and nervous as anyone else.  Restaurants were shutting down and they were about 45% of my customer base.  Utilizing one the business principles of E-M – any business is a potential customer – we shifted to providing service to essential businesses that had to keep operating.  We adapted one of our services that was primarily done in restrooms and took it into the office buildings, trucking depots, first responder vehicles, medical facilities, etc.  We were busier than ever in 2020.

Julian:  What were the determining factors behind your choice of Enviro-Master over other franchise options you were considering?

Ron:  Simply, it had all the business components I was looking for.  Most important, E-M has sound business principles: recurring revenue, almost zero competition, recession proof, all business is a prospective customer.  I like the structure of the business as well, having an Operations Manager, technicians, Sales Reps.  I enjoy being able to employ people and help make a positive difference in their lives.  I also think our mission is important.  We are actually helping make our communities safer and healthier with our services and products.  The other three (3) opportunities I considered did not have all of those elements.

Business Success … as defined by the Customers!

Julian:  You have over 100 business reviews on Google, with a perfect 5.0  score from your local business clients!  I have NEVER seen that, and your business is only in its 3rd year in operation!  Nearly every comment cites one of your staff members as a vital reason for their high rating.  So, obviously, your staff has been an important part of your growth; What are some other key(s) to your success?

Ron:  Part of our values are honesty, kindness, working hard and taking ownership of our routes/customers.  We do our best to instill these values into our employees, so the customer always feels a connection and that they are taken care of.  We place a lot of emphasis on building relationships because we want trust to develop.  Because of this, I do extraordinarily few long-term contracts. Staying performance-based keeps us doing what we are supposed to be doing and keeps the customer happy long term – no contract needed.

Julian:  What advice would you give to other prospective business owners exploring franchising as a path to business ownership?

Ron:  I always thought it would be great to own a business, but I could never think of a consumer need that hadn’t already been thought of.  I figured that was the way to huge success.  With franchising, one is given a model of a business that has already shown success.  If a prospective entrepreneur has similar concerns, franchising is a great way to take some of that risk of failure out of the process.  If you know the franchise can be successful, then one’s success only depends upon his level of determination, effort, and coachability.  

Fast-forward to the Fall of 2021:

Enviro-Master of Mobile continues to grow.  The sales volume and importance to the local business community prompted Rebecca to reevaluate her career.  She joined the team full time in the Fall of 2020.  Now, the staff has now doubled; with 6 technicians, a sales person, and an operations person.  The business moved to a much better facility, in a location closer to home, practical for efficient operations, and with room to grow!  Plans are set for additional sales growth to the eastern portion of their territory (toward Panama City, FL).  Also, marketing to new vertical industries has expanded (one example: assisted living facilities).  

The Finch’s now has a clear vision for their future.  There is a family pride in their business ownership.  Their satisfaction of having a positive impact on their kids, employees, customers, and the community-at-large is obvious in their demeanor.  Best of all:  Ron and Rebecca are thrilled to be building a legacy … together!  

So, … if you’re at a career “fork in the road”, try Ron and Rebecca’s approach!  Yogi Berra would be proud.  

To your success,