Akolawole Shoremi
“It is much easier to put existing resources to better use than to develop resources where they do not exist.” – George Soros
Dear Readers!
When I launched my meat snack business, The Kilishi Place, in 2014, I kicked it with an idea that originated from America. I wasn’t available to operate as the sales person due to other engagements. I also didn’t fancy the idea of starting with an employee since I couldn’t even afford the cost to set up a sales shop. My alarming option was to process and sell the usual way the Abokis sells kilishi – spread the meat snacks on another, place on a table, and position at a sales point where demand is expected to begin meet with supply. That was all that was initially obtainable until the idea of franchising dawned on me.
According to Wikipedia, “franchising is based on a marketing concept which can be adopted by an organization as a strategy for business expansion.” Franchise, on its own, is the authorization granted by a company (Franchisor) to a person or group of persons (Franchisee) to use the Franchisor’s system of doing business and sell its products and services.
Applying the franchise mode to kick start the sales of my product, it was not surprising that I never had a sales point for ‘The Kilishi Place’ months after. I launched the model using an Eatery, Iwe-Iroyin Food Canteen in Abeokuta, as a pilot. About two months into the business, I was able to secure franchise for three other Restaurateurs. This means that my business did not only expand in sales point, the business’ profit profile also got a boost. At this landmark, I neither had a staff employed under me nor did I have to pay for rent or use of land space. The Restaurateurs were in charge of the marketing and the sales. All that majorly concerns me was negotiating my franchise terms.
Sometimes ago, during a discussion with a business colleague who wondered how I am often able to secure engagement with certain organizations, I shared a truth with him; I made it known that no sane CEO will ever let go a prospect that can improve the fortune of his organization. My task is to make myself available on how to boost the income of any company. It then becomes such company’s task to find a way to engage me for their own good.
Franchising is a business model that offers unlimited opportunities for survival in the business world. It is as good as a model that millions of individuals, across the world, leverage on franchise to run a business of their own. The great news is that you necessarily not be a business owner to leverage on franchising; you can simply be a franchisee (one who acquires permission) if you will not be a Franchisor.
I recently made a contact to the Chairman of a well-established energy company requesting to be engaged as a consultant. In my six sentence proposal made via WhatsApp, explaining my interest in the company and why I should be urgently considered to enable me utilize the needed network in my capacity, the Chairman responded positively, within an hour, giving directive on the next line of action. Since our common interest is that everyone wins, that mirrors the concept behind franchising too. So be you a franchisee or a franchisor, there is a winning for each side. The model becomes more interesting as opportunities are created to offer solutions to poverty and unemployment. Hence, the task of every potential entrepreneur or youth is to find the right organization worth engaging with, having made her products or services undergone the SWOT analysis.
Isn’t it challenging that while millions of youths are out there merely lamenting unemployment on social media platforms, a few of us are winning engagements from Chairmen of organizations via these same platforms? Isn’t it amazing that a few of us are gaining attention via unofficial proposals on WhatsApp? Regardless of whom you are, what you have, and where you are, it is just the right time to think of an organization worth going into franchise with. And the fact that some companies are even ready to help you through the process of owning a chain of their command further makes it work.
Tom Peters once stated that “if a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shade.” I am available to continue this discussion…
We Can. We Will. We Must
Akolawole is a Social Media and Customer Service Executive, a Columnist with Stockswatch newspaper. He is available for consultation on business development, media, and entrepreneurship. He can be reached via akolshoremi@gmail.com and/or +2348085366022 (SMS only).