Brian works in corporate technology. He had always been interested in entrepreneurship, but he assumed it meant a startup, with his own idea and his own website. Meeting Lisa showed him another path.

Keeping his job was his one non-negotiable. He says Lisa helped him see what was possible and narrowed his search to businesses where keeping his job and launching would both work. Lisa points out that he kept his corporate position through the whole search, and the business he chose is semi-involved.

Early on, Brian says he got distracted by other options. When he looked at one franchise, he told Lisa he saw no way to launch it properly without quitting his job. Her answer was to move on right away, so he would not compromise his goal.

That helped him settle on what to focus on. He admits he sometimes wants to keep a maybe in the mix. His takeaway is that you need people around you to stay focused on the ultimate goal.

“Our time is finite. There’s only so much of it.” Brian

Brian had never seen an FDD before. He learned it is a standard form that lets you compare businesses. The initial investment can feel like a turn-off, but he found there are funding options, and you do not necessarily have to put your own assets on the line right away.

He took it one step at a time, asking at each stage if it still made sense. About a week after signing, he still wondered if he had made a big mistake, because the lead groomer posting drew few applicants at first. Once the right lead groomer was found, he says the switch flipped to go time.

This is for people with a steady job who want to own a business and would rather not quit to do it. It is also for anyone worried about second thoughts after a big decision. It is not for someone who expects a franchise to run itself, or for someone who wants a business that takes no time at all.