Sure, the ‘business’ life cycle is important in any franchise or a non-franchised environment, as growth cycles come and go. We can talk about timing in relation to the overall market and value of a business, but ultimately the life cycle that counts is that of the owner of the franchise.

The most successful owner is one who is fresh, keen, engaged and driven to get the result, and can continue to maintain this attitude and momentum in line with their plans they made before buying the business – right up to their exit strategy.This life cycle is determined by how long you personally can maintain this momentum. Or, are they (or you) tired and ‘over it’ by this time, and just taking things day by day? If in this stage of your ‘owner’ life -cycle you are missing opportunities to grow and the value and returns of your business are steadily declining. In short, if you are not moving forward, you are going backwards – there is no such thing as standing still in business.

Why Would This Differ Compared To A Non-Franchised Business?
The reason why this differs compared to a non-franchised business is because one of the main reasons most people buy a franchise is in the particular brand’s consistency and longevity in the marketplace. Many franchises (but not all) are long-standing, relatively unchanged brands and systems that have stood the test of time. This gives the overall business a stability that is sought after – and this is at the heart of the owner life cycle being more important than the business life cycle.

Owners come and go, and strong, reliable, consistent brands with a strong competitive offer do remain profitable for long periods of time. As a result, any number of owners can grab the same business over a number of years and draw a significant ROI from it. This is exactly what you see in so many strong franchise business systems and brands. The biggest determining factor is most often the owner’s life cycle to continue to drive that business forward year after year.

So The Message Here Is…
That your attention must primarily be on maintaining your focus, drive, and determination to keep your business moving forward and growing. The key to success is primarily all about you and not the life cycle of your business. Go in with a firm plan that has firm goals and a firm outcome in mind – exit when you hit your goal or if your still up for it, recalibrate and create even bigger goals.