Traits of a Successful Entrepreneur: Lessons from our Junk Removal Franchisees
Becoming a business owner is the American Dream for many, and represents the pinnacle of success, along with the ability to say “I made it.” It means being your own boss, calling the shots, and channeling your passion to create a lucrative legacy that lasts long after you’ve retired. Still, as much as the concept appeals to us, it’s clear that entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. Over the years, we’ve learned there are a few key traits that are essential to becoming a successful Junkluggers business owner — and none of them are about hauling junk.
Our most successful business owners. . .
Are Tenacious
Perhaps one of the most important traits of a successful business owner of a Junkluggers franchise is tenacity; having the grit and determination it takes to build a business and make it successful are mission critical. Having grit means you must be prepared to fail, and fail again, then fail some more, without throwing in the towel and thinking it’s time to head back to your corporate desk job and stable paycheck.
Junkluggers CEO Josh Cohen started his company in the basement of his parent’s house with a rusty truck and a bucket of green paint. He faced opposition from naysayers who encouraged him to return to his career in finance and many more obstacles that threatened his success, but his grit and tenacity helped turn The Junkluggers into one of the most recognizable and successful brands in the industry. Junkluggers franchisees should be prepared to persevere just like Josh, but the great news is franchisees will have something Josh didn’t: guidance and a business plan from seasoned industry experts, along with a network of peers just as dedicated and tenacious as themselves.
Champion a Cause
Any discussion of business ownership usually includes the topic of “passion.” Passion is a curious thing; an aspiring business owner absolutely must have it in order to be successful, but passion alone isn’t enough to get the job done. At The Junkluggers, we love what we do, but our passion and enthusiasm doesn’t just come from the work itself (believe it or not, junk removal isn’t the most glamorous work in the world). It comes from the reason we do what we do — our guiding cause and our purpose. We’re passionate about making a difference in the world by keeping over 60 tons of material out of landfills; filling more than 50 homes with donated furniture; and helping people do jobs they can’t (or don’t have time to) do on their own with respect and impeccable customer service.
Are Comfortable with Ambiguity and Risk – and they Adapt
When starting your own business without the support of a franchise, there’s no rule book or instruction manual. Going it alone is difficult, and no matter how well you plan, it’s inevitable you’ll meet challenges and roadblocks along the way. When faced with unexpected expenses or critical decisions with no clear outcome, successful entrepreneurs accept that they must take a leap of faith and adapt gracefully if their plans don’t work out. As a Junkluggers franchise owner, you will make decisions about your business that may include a certain degree of uncertainty. While you’ll have a phenomenal network of peers and advisors to help guide you, nobody can know the outcome of every situation. Fortunately, our team of seasoned business advisors will be there to help you learn and adapt to just about every situation you can imagine.
Believe in Themselves
It’s corny, but it’s true: if you believe in yourself, you can do anything. Successful business owners understand that they can accomplish their goals by calling upon their own strengths and experiences and the guidance of those around them. Self-doubt and indifference have no place in a successful entrepreneur’s emotional vocabulary. This isn’t to say there won’t be moments of confusion or conflict (see above), but when those times come around, the most successful business owners know that they have the skills and resources that they need to find a viable solution. The Junkluggers know that they can leverage their support network to meet the toughest challenges they face, and they know that they will be successful even if they experience setbacks.
Collaborate
Owning a business is hard work. As Franchisees, it’s hard work mentally and sometimes physically. In short, it’s not something you can do alone. Business owners must collaborate with their peers and team in order to be successful, and that means finding and hiring people you can trust, then allowing them the space and resources to do their job. Additionally, you’ll collaborate with your fellow Junkluggers franchisees to share business tips, best practices, success stories when things go well, and lessons learned when they don’t.
Believe in the Brand
Anyone can go out and find a desk job in an air-conditioned office. Some of these cushy jobs sound great, but it’s not difficult to find someone in every office who despises their job. Usually, professionals experience dissatisfaction on the job because they dislike their manager or don’t believe in the company itself. Owning a business means believing that the product or service you’re offering, and the name attached to it, is essential, valuable, and makes a difference in the world. If you’re buying a franchise or starting a business just to have a job, you’re unlikely to succeed. The Junkluggers brand is at the center of everything we do, and it’s more than a name and a green truck. We believe — and nobody can convince us otherwise — that we’re providing a necessary service that leaves a positive mark on the world, and we work to keep the brand alive every day.
These traits constitute the foundation not only of a strong, successful Junkluggers franchisee, but a successful business owner in any industry. Without them, achieving one’s goals and building a lasting legacy would be insurmountably difficult. While nobody can guarantee success in any endeavor, these simple characteristics are critical for aspiring business owners and franchisees to achieve their dreams.
Do these traits remind you or yourself? If you have what it takes to become a Junkluggers franchise owner, contact us to join The Junkluggers family today.