Earlier this month Jasper’s were presenting to the board of the British Franchise Association after being nominated as a best franchisee support finalist. On the panel was Sir Bernard Ingham, now the president of the BFA, who is probably best known for his role in Margaret Thatcher’s government where he was Press Secretary championing the Thatcherite cause - not an easy Job!
As part of the pitch I stated that as franchisors our main concern is to be respected over and above being liked. Don’t get me wrong, it is indeed possible be liked and respected, but ultimately it’s only important to earn respect by being ethical, honest, straightforward and doing what you say you are going to do.
That means that when we, or any franchisors, sit a franchisee down and state our single aim is to make sure you achieve and exceed your targets, we will sometimes have to nudge you back on track and be very blunt about what you need to do. You might not like this BUT it is all for the good.
Some people see these necessary areas of ‘confrontation’ as stressful or unpleasant, but avoiding them or not addressing them when necessary is weak, unethical and could end up with a franchisee not achieving their business goals.
Sir Bernard Ingham commented to me after our presentation that he once “wrote a speech for Margaret Thatcher where she stated it was more important to be respected than liked and that if more of our politicians took this position we might not be in the mess we are in". Whether you are Thatcherite or not, it doesn’t matter, but if you are going to join a franchise, yes it is important to like the franchisor and their team but ask yourself this more important question - will you respect them at the end of year one?!
Monday, 28 May 2012
Monday, 16 April 2012
What oath should business owners take?
Who is the Hippocrates of the business world and what oath should business owners take?
The classical Hippocratic Oath that medical professionals take is the foundations of the ethical code. The oath is summarized as:
A solemn promise:
A solemn promise:
The classical Hippocratic Oath that medical professionals take is the foundations of the ethical code. The oath is summarized as:
A solemn promise:
- Of solidarity with teachers and other physicians
- Of beneficence (to do good or avoid evil) and non-maleficence (from the Latin 'primum non nocere' or 'do no harm') towards patients
- Not to assist suicide or abortion
- To leave surgery to surgeons
- Not to harm, especially not to seduce patients
- To maintain confidentiality and never to gossip.'
I believe that every business owner should be required to take a similar oath as with business comes great responsibility. Business owners can heal many of societies wounds. Perhaps all business owners should sign something like the below:
A solemn promise:
- Of solidarity with business owners and business apprentices
- To use my business for the good of my community, family and friends
- Not to assist in fraud, false commitments or non payments
- To leave business to business people
- Not to harm. Especially not to seduce customers falsely
- To dedicate myself to learning the craft of business and to compete legally and fairly
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
The new heroes of the modern world
Last week British Prime Minister, David Cameron, described business as the "most powerful force for social progress the world has ever known" as he championed the role that firms play in their communities.
I echo that, but what was missing from Cameron's speech was ‘potentially’. The reason I say this is because a large proportion of business owners don’t seem to recognize this and if they do, their behavior doesn’t demonstrate it.
The wealth creating sector providing money for the voluntary, 'first' / 'third' sector is NOT what I am talking about. The real power that comes from owning a business is the magnetic influence that the business and its owner has over their employees, peers, family, friends and the next generation.
History has taught us that trying to ‘force’ social progress normally ends in disaster - governments legislating for social progress is slow at best, businesses trying to construct social progress for profit again falls short and normally is followed by the largest crashes. The real way to look at social progress is to inspire and liberate, to build confidence, belief and self reliance. Encouraging and inspiring people to provide for themselves and their family - 'teaching them how to fish' - is one of the greatest gifts you can give.
Business can give society dreams to follow, demonstrate that anything can be achieved with self reliance. Let children, friends, families and communities see that when you have a dream - when you put your mind and body to it - you can become anything you focus on through creating your own business.
Take heed those business owners that don’t achieve what you should, those that are always on the negative, the nihilistic. You are taking part in malpractice, you are damaging the dreams of future generations, you are stealing their light by taking your business into dark corners where big spiders live, you are acting unbelievably selfishly. STOP and start accepting responsibility and start DOING what you should do which is to become successful through you business.
Liberate a generation from feeling that unless they work for someone else, there is no life. You can stop people condemning themselves in many cases to a life focused on retirement with day after day in a job they despise.
If you own a business, if you own a franchise, you have a duty to the community around you, to your peers, to your friends and family and to future generations to demonstrate gratitude for the opportunity you have at your finger tips. Take charge of it and ride it headfirst at pace into a position of success.
Business owners, franchise owners and the self employed, you are the new heroes of the modern world, pick up your arms and succeed!
I echo that, but what was missing from Cameron's speech was ‘potentially’. The reason I say this is because a large proportion of business owners don’t seem to recognize this and if they do, their behavior doesn’t demonstrate it.
The wealth creating sector providing money for the voluntary, 'first' / 'third' sector is NOT what I am talking about. The real power that comes from owning a business is the magnetic influence that the business and its owner has over their employees, peers, family, friends and the next generation.
History has taught us that trying to ‘force’ social progress normally ends in disaster - governments legislating for social progress is slow at best, businesses trying to construct social progress for profit again falls short and normally is followed by the largest crashes. The real way to look at social progress is to inspire and liberate, to build confidence, belief and self reliance. Encouraging and inspiring people to provide for themselves and their family - 'teaching them how to fish' - is one of the greatest gifts you can give.
Business can give society dreams to follow, demonstrate that anything can be achieved with self reliance. Let children, friends, families and communities see that when you have a dream - when you put your mind and body to it - you can become anything you focus on through creating your own business.
Take heed those business owners that don’t achieve what you should, those that are always on the negative, the nihilistic. You are taking part in malpractice, you are damaging the dreams of future generations, you are stealing their light by taking your business into dark corners where big spiders live, you are acting unbelievably selfishly. STOP and start accepting responsibility and start DOING what you should do which is to become successful through you business.
Liberate a generation from feeling that unless they work for someone else, there is no life. You can stop people condemning themselves in many cases to a life focused on retirement with day after day in a job they despise.
If you own a business, if you own a franchise, you have a duty to the community around you, to your peers, to your friends and family and to future generations to demonstrate gratitude for the opportunity you have at your finger tips. Take charge of it and ride it headfirst at pace into a position of success.
Business owners, franchise owners and the self employed, you are the new heroes of the modern world, pick up your arms and succeed!
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Top 5 regrets of the dying
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/01/top-five-regrets-of-the-dying
The above article was forwarded to me by Mark Blunt, Jasper’s franchisee for Manchester, and it is a thought provoking read.
If only we could bottle the feelings and thoughts of the dying to inspire us to live with less fear.
For now though, I want to comment on the ‘I wish I had not worked so hard’ regret. I wish I could have asked all these people ‘What do you mean?’ when they said this. I am going to assume that they really meant they wish they hadn't done so much ‘stuff’ that felt like work. The reality is that what you do in exchange for money is only ‘work’, in the negative sense, if you don’t wake up wanting to do it every day.
I have met so many entrepreneurs and business owners that feel stressed, start early and finish late yet simply don’t see what they do as ‘work’. They are on a mission, they are fuelled with a desire to do more, and the truth be told they literally love what they do.
The late and great Jimmy Saville, when asked where he finds the time to do so much charity work, replied ‘Well now that I don’t work, I have a lot more time’ – he said this when he still presented a Radio One show, hosted Jim’ll Fix it and Top of the Pops!
We should all take note that before we die, we need to appreciate what we do, what we have, and love it - if we don't, we should change it. After all, there are millions of people just down the road from you (in a cemetery) that given the chance would love to work harder than they ever did – at something they love!
Do what you want to do, do more of it, do it well and the chance to earn a living from it will follow.
Nathan Siekierski
Director, Jasper's Catering Franchise Ltd
http://www.jaspers-franchise.co.uk/
The above article was forwarded to me by Mark Blunt, Jasper’s franchisee for Manchester, and it is a thought provoking read.
If only we could bottle the feelings and thoughts of the dying to inspire us to live with less fear.
For now though, I want to comment on the ‘I wish I had not worked so hard’ regret. I wish I could have asked all these people ‘What do you mean?’ when they said this. I am going to assume that they really meant they wish they hadn't done so much ‘stuff’ that felt like work. The reality is that what you do in exchange for money is only ‘work’, in the negative sense, if you don’t wake up wanting to do it every day.
I have met so many entrepreneurs and business owners that feel stressed, start early and finish late yet simply don’t see what they do as ‘work’. They are on a mission, they are fuelled with a desire to do more, and the truth be told they literally love what they do.
The late and great Jimmy Saville, when asked where he finds the time to do so much charity work, replied ‘Well now that I don’t work, I have a lot more time’ – he said this when he still presented a Radio One show, hosted Jim’ll Fix it and Top of the Pops!
We should all take note that before we die, we need to appreciate what we do, what we have, and love it - if we don't, we should change it. After all, there are millions of people just down the road from you (in a cemetery) that given the chance would love to work harder than they ever did – at something they love!
Do what you want to do, do more of it, do it well and the chance to earn a living from it will follow.
Nathan Siekierski
Director, Jasper's Catering Franchise Ltd
http://www.jaspers-franchise.co.uk/
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
From Nietzsche to Noah (and the Whale)
A philosophical start to 2012's blog! Brace yourself.
“What if a demon were to creep after you one night, in your loneliest loneliness, and say, 'This life which you live must be lived by you once again and innumerable times more'" - Friedrich Nietzsche
Profound stuff from the German philosopher. Ok so hopefully you don’t believe in demons as such, but Nietzsche raises an important point: what if you did have to live this life over again and again, repeating every single act time after time? Could you honestly say you would be happy, more importantly that you had made the most of it?
I know I, like everyone else, have wasted many a day forgetting or not appreciating the great things I have in my life. But as I get older (and hopefully wiser) I am doing my best to do the opposite more and more.
The point is, as far as we know, we only get one shot at this life. If you don’t want that common regret on your last day on this planet, of ‘I wish I’d done more of the things I wanted to do’ then there is no time like the present! Crack on with the things you want to do as opposed to things you are expected to do or think you should do to meet the expectations of others or of society!
We should all look in a mirror and say to ourselves ‘One day I will be dead'. Don’t treat it as a morbid thought, treat it as a statement to inspire you to do great things with your life, to chase and fulfill your dreams, make a difference, build a legacy, do something different...to say to Nietzsche's demon: "Bring it on!'
The lyrics of Noah and the Whale's LIFEGOESON song sum it up perfectly:
"On my last night on earth,
I'll pay a high price,
To have no regrets, and be done with my life"
Nathan Siekierski
Director
Jasper's Catering Franchise Ltd
http://www.jaspers-franchise.co.uk/
“What if a demon were to creep after you one night, in your loneliest loneliness, and say, 'This life which you live must be lived by you once again and innumerable times more'" - Friedrich Nietzsche
Profound stuff from the German philosopher. Ok so hopefully you don’t believe in demons as such, but Nietzsche raises an important point: what if you did have to live this life over again and again, repeating every single act time after time? Could you honestly say you would be happy, more importantly that you had made the most of it?
I know I, like everyone else, have wasted many a day forgetting or not appreciating the great things I have in my life. But as I get older (and hopefully wiser) I am doing my best to do the opposite more and more.
The point is, as far as we know, we only get one shot at this life. If you don’t want that common regret on your last day on this planet, of ‘I wish I’d done more of the things I wanted to do’ then there is no time like the present! Crack on with the things you want to do as opposed to things you are expected to do or think you should do to meet the expectations of others or of society!
We should all look in a mirror and say to ourselves ‘One day I will be dead'. Don’t treat it as a morbid thought, treat it as a statement to inspire you to do great things with your life, to chase and fulfill your dreams, make a difference, build a legacy, do something different...to say to Nietzsche's demon: "Bring it on!'
The lyrics of Noah and the Whale's LIFEGOESON song sum it up perfectly:
"On my last night on earth,
I'll pay a high price,
To have no regrets, and be done with my life"
Nathan Siekierski
Director
Jasper's Catering Franchise Ltd
http://www.jaspers-franchise.co.uk/
Monday, 12 December 2011
What do 500 BC and 2012 have in common?
The outlook for the UK - and the world - economy is pretty dire and you can guarantee that lots of businesses will be taken under next year due to the environmental economics. You can also guarantee that there will be some businesses out there that flourish, increase their market share and profits, and go on to generate a fortune.
So what is the big differentiator between the two groups? One will have people with negative, dull, non-creative, non-passionate, reactive, non-marketing and non-sales attitudes ‘leading’ the business and the other will have the complete opposite.
One thing I have learnt in my 10 years in business is if you sit and wait you will be taken under. Sitting still in business is NOT an option, even in the best economic times, but in 2012 it will likely be fatal. The philosopher Heraclitus said: "You cannot step into the same river twice, for fresh waters are ever flowing in upon you." This was taken from his theory of flux published around 500 BC. He claimed that everything that exists is in a state of flux, change, movement or momentum.
Would a philosopher from 500 BC be able to walk into your business and be sure of its existence as a dynamic moving force?
Think about stagnant things – whether waters, minds, people or businesses – they are almost all dead or at best snoozing and like the infamous 1980’s slogan says: ‘you snooze, you lose’
The reality is that in 2012 you need to ramp up your sales and marketing activity and underpin it with product and service innovations that demonstrate you are moving, progressive, dynamic and that you have the strategy to ensure you are going to exist in the future. If you don’t do this, your business will likely end up just like Heraclitus – DEAD.
Nathan Siekierski
Director
Jasper's Catering Franchise Ltd
http://www.jaspersfranchise.co.uk/
So what is the big differentiator between the two groups? One will have people with negative, dull, non-creative, non-passionate, reactive, non-marketing and non-sales attitudes ‘leading’ the business and the other will have the complete opposite.
One thing I have learnt in my 10 years in business is if you sit and wait you will be taken under. Sitting still in business is NOT an option, even in the best economic times, but in 2012 it will likely be fatal. The philosopher Heraclitus said: "You cannot step into the same river twice, for fresh waters are ever flowing in upon you." This was taken from his theory of flux published around 500 BC. He claimed that everything that exists is in a state of flux, change, movement or momentum.
Would a philosopher from 500 BC be able to walk into your business and be sure of its existence as a dynamic moving force?
Think about stagnant things – whether waters, minds, people or businesses – they are almost all dead or at best snoozing and like the infamous 1980’s slogan says: ‘you snooze, you lose’
The reality is that in 2012 you need to ramp up your sales and marketing activity and underpin it with product and service innovations that demonstrate you are moving, progressive, dynamic and that you have the strategy to ensure you are going to exist in the future. If you don’t do this, your business will likely end up just like Heraclitus – DEAD.
Nathan Siekierski
Director
Jasper's Catering Franchise Ltd
http://www.jaspersfranchise.co.uk/
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Is it best to keep franchising in the family?
I am often asked what the ideal candidate is for running one of our catering franchises. In terms of personality, it’s someone who is self motivated, disciplined, positive, cares about delivering to high standards and is passionate about customer service.
But increasingly the evidence suggests the ideal ‘candidate’ is not one person but two. Our most successful food franchises so far are those run by married couples and business partnerships, and we are increasingly finding that prospective franchisees are couples rather than individuals.
Franchise owners – rather than business managers – have a vested interest in the success of their business. They are more likely to pour their heart, sweat and tears into it because it is their livelihood: their investment and their family’s future. That dedication and focus increases when you have a franchise partnership. One of our food franchises has worked so well as a family business that they are looking to open a second, run by their enterprising 21 year old daughter! Another had a 30% increase in sales after bringing a partner on board.
According to the annual NatWest/British Franchise Association survey, no fewer than one-in-four franchises in this country are owned by couples. There are many benefits: couples and partnerships often find that there is a natural split in workload, with one person gravitating towards sales and growth, and the other focusing on operations. Being able to bounce ideas and keep each others’ ‘emotions’ in check also really helps. As does knowing each others’ strengths and challenges – and not being ashamed to admit the challenges! There is also the implicit trust between couples and partnerships, with the ability to rely on each other, even if things become tough.
The downside? Well all married couples or partnerships have stresses and strains on their relationship! But ‘bringing work home’ takes on a whole different meaning as challenges are solved, ideas shared and future plans built together.
That’s not to say that dedicated, talented individuals can’t make a great success of a franchise – but we’ve found with our catering franchise, that partnerships are an advantage.
Nathan Siekierski
Director
Jasper’s Catering Franchise Ltd
http://www.jaspers-franchise.co.uk/
But increasingly the evidence suggests the ideal ‘candidate’ is not one person but two. Our most successful food franchises so far are those run by married couples and business partnerships, and we are increasingly finding that prospective franchisees are couples rather than individuals.
Franchise owners – rather than business managers – have a vested interest in the success of their business. They are more likely to pour their heart, sweat and tears into it because it is their livelihood: their investment and their family’s future. That dedication and focus increases when you have a franchise partnership. One of our food franchises has worked so well as a family business that they are looking to open a second, run by their enterprising 21 year old daughter! Another had a 30% increase in sales after bringing a partner on board.
According to the annual NatWest/British Franchise Association survey, no fewer than one-in-four franchises in this country are owned by couples. There are many benefits: couples and partnerships often find that there is a natural split in workload, with one person gravitating towards sales and growth, and the other focusing on operations. Being able to bounce ideas and keep each others’ ‘emotions’ in check also really helps. As does knowing each others’ strengths and challenges – and not being ashamed to admit the challenges! There is also the implicit trust between couples and partnerships, with the ability to rely on each other, even if things become tough.
The downside? Well all married couples or partnerships have stresses and strains on their relationship! But ‘bringing work home’ takes on a whole different meaning as challenges are solved, ideas shared and future plans built together.
That’s not to say that dedicated, talented individuals can’t make a great success of a franchise – but we’ve found with our catering franchise, that partnerships are an advantage.
Nathan Siekierski
Director
Jasper’s Catering Franchise Ltd
http://www.jaspers-franchise.co.uk/
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