Giving Back to the Community... Good Businesses that Make you Feel Good! Howard Bassuk “If I leave this job, I want to do something really worthwhile! I don’t want to just make a living, I want to make a real difference. I want to give something back to the community, and build a business that I can be secure with.” Perhaps you’ve said those very things to yourself already. Many of the prospective buyers that I have spoken with over the years have voiced some, or all, of these sentiments. For these people, simply being in business is not enough. They not only want a business that does well economically, but also one that makes them feel good. Are you surprised to learn that for many buyers, giving something back to the community is one of the most important criteria that they have when selecting a business? Have you felt that you were alone in wanting something that does more than just provide you with a living? If so, don’t be. Many of us have both the desire and the willingness to sacrifice some financial gain for a feeling of accomplishment and contribution to others around us. In fact, in very few cases, is financial success the sole and only thing that people want from a business that they own and operate. This brings us to franchising. A lot of people still think that franchising is restricted to fast food and auto services. It’s not hard to understand why. Fast food and auto services have been established for decades, and we’ve grown up with them. They are also typically found in highly visible locations, so we see them whenever we go out. Many people don’t realize how many other choices of franchised businesses there are, and consequently how many different ways they can both participate in franchising, and give something back to their communities. Some people may also feel that franchising limits their ability to succeed both financially and also to make a substantial contribution to their community. The reality, however, is that just the opposite is true. There are literally thousands of franchised opportunities that exist, and products and services that they provide are extremely broad based. Because of this enormous diversity, franchising can be the ideal way to own a business where you can succeed both financially and emotionally. In addition, franchising’s structure, which allows you to thoroughly research a business before you buy it, also allows you to explore opportunities for that just right mix of ingredients that suits you and your personal goals. You can literally “sample the menu” before you dine! And the menu choices are plentiful indeed. Many businesses that you might not expect to be franchises turn out to be. So, if you want own a business that allows you to be both personally successful, and to give back to the community that you are a part of, there are many possibilities to choose amongst. You should look carefully at franchised opportunities. I think you’ll be very pleasantly surprised at how big your list of choices turns out to be! Let’s all stop for a second and think about what we’re trying to accomplish. We have said that we want a good business, which succeeds financially, and also a business that contributes to the community, and allows us to feel good about our efforts. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that every person will define contribution and giving back to the community in the same way. The key question to answer for yourself is how do you define contribution, and giving back to the community? Where should you start to look? That’s a good question. Many people will choose to look for new or emerging opportunities when they think of businesses that are suited to making contributions to the community. Indeed for many people, this will make perfect sense. However, before we rush out and look at these “new” franchised concepts let’s look at some franchises that have been part of our lives for many years, but for some reason you may have already eliminated in your own mind. Here’s a question to ponder: Have you every thought of a fast food restaurant or a convenience store as a business that “gave something back to the community”? No? Then perhaps you should! Doesn’t a fast food restaurant that makes our life easier provide an important contribution to the community it serves? Doesn’t the local convenience store that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week provide a much needed service to all the people that need that flexibility and convenience? And what about all the jobs created by these businesses? Whether they are entry level jobs, or management opportunities, don’t they each play an important role in the community’s well being? Stop and ask yourself: “How important to the community is a business that provides young people with their first job and still be close to home?” Many people would say that this is a huge contribution to any community. Fast food and convenience stores have provided countless thousands of kids with that very opportunity! Additionally, is there anything that gives back more to the community than a business that helps that community to stay vibrant and vital, and that provides it with services, convenience and choice? Many of us have forgotten what it was like to not be able to get something when and where we wanted it. We have gotten so used to having great services that we have forgotten the days when these services didn’t exist. Do you remember how exciting it was when these franchises first opened in our neighborhood? Can you recall how nice it was to have a place to go that provided us with what we wanted, when we wanted it, and at a price we could afford? Didn’t we all feel that these businesses made our lives easier, and better? Perhaps you’ve forgotten what it was like before these businesses entered our lives. If you ever travel to a place that doesn’t have these businesses and services, you will quickly see how much you miss them, and how much they add to the quality of our lives! If you have ever had to search for a gas station, convenience store, a place to get an affordable quality meal quickly, or a clean, reliable hotel in an unfamiliar location, you know what I mean. As soon as they are not available, you realize how much the presence of these long established franchises has positively impacted our lives, and our communities. We’ve become spoiled. These businesses are now so ingrained in our lives and in our culture, that we take their beneficial offerings for granted! My point in bringing this up is to illustrate just how many options we really have in finding something that allows us to give back to the community that we are a part of. Virtually all necessary services give something back to the communities that they serve. This means that you don’t have to search far and wide to find something that will allow you to make a difference in the community that you are a part of. You certainly don’t have to restrict yourself to a food business, a dry cleaner, a convenience store, or any of the long time staples of our lives if you are looking at businesses that can help you to contribute to the community. While they can be excellent choices if they fit you and your goals, personalities and skills, they are by no means the only choices. In addition to the better known franchises that have been part of our lives for many years, there are many other choices that can allow you to make a real difference in the community that you serve. In fact, there are so many choices, that it can boggle the mind. The list can seem endless. There are companies that provide health-related products, like back care, food supplements, vitamins, exercise and fitness. In this area, there are franchises that do everything from selling fine bicycles, to others that provide state of the art fitness centers. If you hurt your back while exercising, don’t worry. There are franchised retailers who have products that can help your back to stop hurting, and help you get a good night’s sleep! If you feel nutritional supplements are the way to go, there are franchised stores that sell vitamins, and stores that offer nutritional smoothies to wash them down. There are even some franchises that sell both! And, if the fitness centers and vitamins don’t help you keep your eyesight at 20-20, and you have a vision to help make other’s vision better, there are optical franchises too. If you feel that hearing is the place to make a difference there are franchises here as well! Starting to get the picture? There are many places where you can own a business, and give back to your community. Not satisfied yet? Want some more? Perhaps you believe that education is the key to providing our children with a better and more meaningful life. Is so, then franchising is the place to be! There are franchise companies that provide all kinds and types of educational services, including pre-schools, computer training centers, and remedial education. There are even companies that combine education and entertainment to provide “edutainment” services that not only teach, but also entertain! And giving back to the community is not restricted to educating the young. If you are concerned about the elderly, franchises are available here too. There are franchises that help with virtually every home service a person could want, and there are assisted living homes franchises for those who need more care. If you feel that the ecology of the planet is where you can make the greatest contribution, and where you feel best, there are franchised businesses that you would certainly feel comfortable owning. For instance, there are franchises that re-cycle all sorts and kinds of products. These companies offer a dizzying array of choices, including previously owned sporting goods, musical instruments, children’s clothing and even computers! There are also  franchises that not only provide security by shredding documents, but also help the ecology by recycling all the bi-products!  Other franchised companies help provide for a cleaner environment, and  there are plantscapers who  not only help make offices beautiful, they also make them more oxygen rich! As you can see, the list of businesses that allow you to give back to the community is huge. I believe that you can find the level of contribution that you want in most businesses that exist.  However, for each of us, there are particular businesses that have that just right blend of practical opportunity and emotional reward. The key is to realize that this is a very personal choice. There is no single right way to give back to the community that you are a part of. There are many ways that you can achieve this goal. Whether you spend time teaching a child, or whether you provide a place for that child to have a fun lunch, you are most certainly contributing and giving back to the community around you. If you can take stock of yourself, and find a business that allows you to provide your services most effectively, and at the same time allows you to feel good about what you are doing, you will find that you have contributed significantly to both yourself, and to the community around you. Don’t forget that contribution does not need to be fancy, to be important. Recognize your own skills, and your own goals so that whatever business you choose, you will be passionately involved with it, and so you can get from it what you want and need, and give back to others, what they seek.