Career Change: Start a Fresh Career with a Franchise

Are you stuck in a job that you hate? Are you ready for a career change but have no idea what you should do or where to start? You’re not alone.

A study by human resource firm, Robert Half UK, found that one in six workers over the age of 35 are unhappy in their job. And it gets worse. Nearly a third of workers over the age of 55 no longer feel appreciated in their job. But if you’re willing to challenge the status quo, you could drastically increase your chances of finding a career that you love.

Career change ideas

If you’re feeling brave enough to make a career change then perhaps you should jump into the deep end and start your own business. It's an excellent opportunity to benefit from more freedom and flexibility to achieve a healthy work/life balance, rather than just opting to start another 9 – 5 job.

There are many benefits to starting your own business. Here are just a few:

• You’re in control – When you become the boss, you're no longer answerable to anyone else. You get to call the shots and take complete control over your career.

• Increased flexibility – Running your own business can be tough and working long hours is often necessary, particularly in the early days. But as the boss, you can decide the hours you work. If you’ve got other commitments outside of your business, you can choose to work at the times that are best for you.

• You can choose who you work with – At times it feels like we spend more time with colleagues than with our loved ones, and very often we do. This is why it's vital that we enjoy the company of those around us. This is difficult to control when you work for someone else, but as a business owner, you get to choose the people who bring out the best in you and your business.

• You can challenge yourself – If you’ve been stuck in a dead end job for years, then the challenge of starting your own business may be the ideal career change for you. You'll get to learn something new every day, and when you take on risks, you'll get to reap the rewards too.

• Find your passion – Perhaps the biggest reason to make a life-changing career change by setting up a new venture is the chance to do something that you love. If you genuinely love what you do, it will never feel like work.

If you like the idea of starting your own business but have reservations about going it alone, then becoming a franchisee may be the answer.

By investing in a franchise, you’ll get all the benefits of being your own boss but with the backing of a tried and tested business model.

Career change at 40

But what if you’re over 40? Well, you’re never too old to consider a career change. The average age of a franchisee is 49, and with over 900 franchised brands in the UK, there's bound to be an opportunity that's perfect for you.

As a slightly older entrepreneur, you’ll have acquired many skills and experiences that may even make you a more attractive candidate than a younger prospective franchisee. You benefit from work, as well as life, experience and will have picked up many softer skills that the younger generation may not have acquired.

As we age, our ability to empathise, communicate and build effective relationships, actually improves. These are often skills that can't be learnt, so you have a considerable advantage when meeting with franchisors and lenders.

Career change jobs

Once you’ve decided that buying a franchise is right for you, you get to choose what job you’d love as your new career. To help you get started, here are some less traditional franchises that could offer a fantastic career change opportunity.

Dog walking

If you love dogs and would like a job that combines your favourite pet, exercise and the great outdoors, then look no further than Dogknows.

For just £7,500 plus VAT, you could start your very own dog walking business. You’ll receive all the necessary training to run a successful and profitable business as well as support to market your franchise effectively.

Cooking

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a chef, then what better way to earn a living than starting your own cookery classes? Cook Stars is a flexible franchise opportunity that gives you the chance to work full or part-time for a low-cost investment of just £6,995 plus VAT.

As a franchisee, you’d get to deliver fun and engaging cookery classes to children making this both a lucrative and rewarding career choice.

Photography

There's something special about capturing special moments on camera and as a Photography for Little People franchisee, you'd be doing just this. Visiting people's homes to take pictures where they feel most comfortable ensures that you get the best out of every photo shoot.

With no expensive studio to rent, you could start your own franchise for £15,000. The franchise fee covers the cost of all the camera and lighting equipment you need to get started as well as a comprehensive training course to teach you how to take the perfect photo.

Driving

If you love being behind the wheel of a car, then the Driving Miss Daisy franchise offers you a driving job with a difference. As a franchisee, you won't just drive clients from one destination to another, but you'll provide an invaluable companion service too.

If you’re friendly, reliable and trustworthy, then you can become part of the Driving Miss Daisy franchise family for an investment of just £15,000 plus VAT.

Conclusion

If you fancy trying something new or want more of a challenge than your current job is giving you, then there are a whole host of franchise opportunities that could be right for you. So, if you’re getting older and feel like your chances of becoming your own boss are slipping away, think again. Now might be the right time to make your move.