The Best Part of Owning an Ice Cream Franchise
Owning an ice cream business or franchise isn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination. The hours can be long and working with teenagers can be frustrating at times. So why do so many people join the ranks every year?
In this article we will discuss the most common reasons people love owning an ice cream franchise.
Working with People
By far the most popular answer we received from ice cream franchisees about why they liked the business so much was working with people. Unlike accounting, working in a kitchen, or computer programming, owners of an ice cream franchise work for and with people on a daily basis.
“It’s a lot of fun. I really enjoyed dealing with the public day to day and getting to know the regulars.” Said Paul a 10-year veteran from the Carvel ice cream chain.
It’s important to know this before you get into the business. You need to be able to smile and stay upbeat while things might seem chaotic at times. It’s part of your responsibility to your customers and to your employees.
Wearing Many Hats
As the owner of an ice cream franchise or independent ice cream business you will find that you wear many hats. One moment you’ll be talking to the a local newspaper representative discussing an advertising opportunity, the next moment you’re waiting on a customer and a few moments after that you might be reviewing the books. In a nutshell your responsibilities and job functions will be diverse.
Jim Whiler, who runs an ice cream shop just outside Atlanta tells us,”I get to run every aspect of the business. I sell, I market, I set up the wholesaling relationships. I like working all the different aspects of the business and wearing the different hats. This element kept things from getting mundane.”
To be successful with many responsibilities you need to be flexible and have a wide range of interests. Neglecting any one area of your business can create big problems, but the constant shifting gears for many keeps things fun and exciting.
Freedom!!!
Freedom comes in many forms when you own an ice cream business. You have freedom from a boss, freedom to enjoy the profits from your labor, freedom to pursue your dreams… and once you are established, freedom to manage your schedule around your family.
Paul Johnson, really enjoyed the freedom to watch his daughter grow up. “After the business was established it provided me a large element of freedom. I could work the schedule as a I pleased and take time off to go see my daughter in her school plays.” He said. “This is something so many parents miss out on.”
The freedom you have might not be clear in the early days as you are building your business, but, once established, the freedom of freedom of being your own supervisor is priceless.
Pride
Most successful business owners enjoy a great sense of pride and accomplishment as they watch their customers walking out the door with smiles on their faces. Keeping a beautiful shop that is clean and friendly gives you a strong sense of connection with the community. Running a business and being part of the community is a very rewarding feeling. You also get the opportunity to meet other business owners and lots of other interesting people.
A Small Price to Pay
The price you pay to get your business up and running is usually small in comparison to the rewards of running an ice cream shop.
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