Running a Household is a lot Like Running a Business. Here’s Why.

With Mother’s Day 2023 right around the corner, moms might be hoping for a day at the spa or a special dinner with their kids, but let’s color outside the box a tad this year and think bigger. How about giving your Mom (or yourself) a gift ideally suited for mothers? How about the gift of franchise ownership?

Moms are ideal candidates for franchise ownership. Many who left the corporate world behind to raise a family often have years of Business experience combined with the valuable skills gained from running a household. Even as their young ones grow and enter school full-time, moms still need flexibility. That does not always come with a corporate gig. Gaps on a resume can make moms feel inadequate or irrelevant to the working world.

The time you took off to raise your family is irrelevant to what you need for successful franchise ownership; all that matters is what you bring — and moms bring a lot! Franchising provides a level playing field with plenty of support and resources. Whether you want to run a small business or build an empire, franchising offers endless options. Many mothers have found enormous success in franchising and have significantly contributed to the industry with concepts born from the needs of stay-at-home moms.

Moms and Franchising: A Perfect Match

Many skills needed to run a household are also essential for business ownership. As leaders of households, mothers are multitaskers, negotiators, and decision-makers. They know how to get things done and juggle many moving parts. Through franchise ownership, moms can enter a proven business and leverage those skills. Here are a few examples of why moms make great franchise owners.

1. Moms are Sales Pros

Business development is a critical component for franchise success. Sales skills come in all different shapes and sizes. Moms have a top-notch ability to cajole, persuade, wheedle, coax and maneuver in a variety of situations. 

2. Running a Household Requires Strong Project Management Skills

Multi-tasking is just the beginning of what moms do day in and day out. Think about school spirit week, for example. This themed event is like the Olympics for moms who manage craft items, color-coordinated outfits, wacky hair, and other frivolities. This is truly a manage-the-team operation not for the faint of heart. On any given day, moms must coordinate the family’s schedules, oversee homework assignments, supervise differing personalities, and tackle endless logistics. These are the same skills that help franchises run smoothly. Whether hosting a special event to promote the business or prioritizing customer orders, project management is a must-have in franchise ownership.

3. They Show Grace Under Pressure 

A day in the life of a mom can be head-spinning. The constant demands of motherhood sometimes lead to mistakes. But a mother always knows how to handle any situation. Once when my daughter was small, I brought her to her friend’s party just as it was wrapping up. Yes, I got the time wrong! I had to immediately put on a brave face as my kid realized at that moment that I was not infallible and that I most definitely ruined her social life. Even though I was dying inside, I kept my cool, smiled with my head held high, and politely apologized.

Staying calm under pressure is a great way to show your kids you are in control. The same goes for customers and employees. Retail and hospitality franchisees fight battles, both big and small on a daily basis. Keeping your wits about you in front of your customers and staff are critical business tenets. 

4. Financial Savvy Comes With the Territory

Women today account for or influence 70-80 percent of all buying decisions. We manage our household budgets and overall finances. An article published on Yahoo.com cited a survey of more than 1,000 women. It said that 90% either assume control or share financial responsibilities in the household. According to the article, many women have taken on more responsibility for managing finances during the pandemic to ensure their family’s financial stability and security during uncertain times. Those skills translate directly into business ownership. Business owners must be on top of their finances, from getting start-up capital to managing overhead and understanding profit and loss.

5. Moms are Resourceful and Collaborative

Ask any mom about anything, and she will get you an answer. Moms know where to go and how to get the answers they need. I lived among some of the most impressive and resourceful moms when I was raising my kids. Our strong mom community could move mountains. We held fundraisers that brought in tens of thousands of dollars with minimal resources. There are endless PTA events, silent auctions, and sports fundraisers in communities nationwide. In large part, moms are the ones who run them and work together to make them successful. Running these events encompasses the many superpowers moms use daily to run their households. Those talents are essential in business.  

We see you, moms! Come out of the shadows and claim what is rightly yours. Know that you have the mindset, skills, and resilience to handle the exhilarating highs and gut-punching lows of franchise business ownership. Franchising is a judgment-free zone, and you will quickly be welcomed into another brood…the franchising family. 

“Motherhood is the biggest gamble in the world. It is the glorious life force. It’s huge and scary – it’s an act of infinite optimism.” —Gilda Radner