OUT OF THE RAT RACE
The franchise sector is about more than just food and fitness. New technology and digital trades are driving white-collar workers to give up corporate life in search of greener pastures.
New opportunities for career corporates.
For workers who have spent the bulk of their professional career in a corporate setting, going out on your own and starting a fast-food or handyman business may seem like a backward step.
Traditionally, the marketing, sales and business development sectors have rarely provided a clear pathway to franchise entrepreneurship. However, a new breed of franchisor is helping career corporates realise their goal of professional independence.
The rising demand for corporate advisory, business services and development models is providing new opportunities for career growth, and the trend is expected to continue.
Reports from the Australian Industry and Skills Committee suggest that advancements in technology are likely to revolutionise the business service sector.
“Though digital and technological innovation affects all industries, it is particularly relevant to the business services industry,” the report says.
“Workers must have the skills needed to take advantage of growing innovation and collaboration in this industry. Additionally, the pace of digital change means workers are expected to maintain a higher level of digital literacy than in previous years, with more roles including elements of data analysis.”
While the looming threat of digitisation may spell disaster for a number of manual labour and trade-based workers, the predicted evolution places former corporate workers in good stead moving forward.
An increased reliance on workplace agility and mobile operation is cultivating a freelancing culture, which the business services franchising sector is welcoming with open arms.
“Technology is increasing the use of remote teaming, meaning workers need collaboration and organisation skills. This suggests workers need entrepreneurial skills to promote themselves and take advantage of opportunities,” the report suggests.
VALENTA BPO
Outsourcing and professional services franchise, Valenta BPO has created an entire model based on remote team operation.
Providing an established operation platform allows franchisees to focus on their core competencies such as client acquisition and relationship building.
“This is a model where the franchisee works on the business rather than in the business,” Valenta BPO managing director Jayesh Kasim says.
“People from the corporate world will find themselves working in a familiar environment but in a different structure, wherein they have the ability to reach their goals and spend more time with family.”
Kasim explains that franchisees are encouraged to operate the business from a remote location, such as a joint workspace or home office, significantly reducing start-up costs.
The model allows corporate workers to leverage their previous work experience and contact list, rather than engage in a complete career overhaul.
“Previous corporate experience will be a great asset for success at Valenta,” Kasim says. “Firstly, having industry contacts will fast-track their business development activities. Secondly, they would know the gaps in the industry and thus they will be well equipped to provide an industry-wide solution. Lastly, their corporate experience will give them the confidence to approach businesses across any industry to provide solutions.”
Growth within the sector is something Jayesh has watched closely, and he believes a change in professional attitudes is driving the evolution of the industry.
“Personal growth always comes up as the key reason,” he says. “This works very well in the franchise space where people get into business for themselves but are then supported by the franchise system and hence are not alone in the business. This is what makes franchising very successful globally.”
The business has cultivated an extensive network of ex-corporates across a wide breadth of industries.
Melbourne-based franchisee Varsha Fleming spent over a decade working with multinational corporations Goldman Sachs and KPMG before the transition into entrepreneurship.
“Being in the corporate world, I had exposure to various business processes both locally and globally,” she says.
“Large corporates take advantage of having a global workforce and with this confidence I knew I could build a business for myself within the Valenta framework to offer SMEs the opportunity to build a global workforce with the right processes and technology.”
Fleming believes there are a number of similarities between corporate life and franchising, however the latter provides one key differential.
“Besides the autonomy, flexibility and control, working for yourself is a lot more gratifying than working in a corporate,” she says.
“Building something of your own, seeing it grow and evolve is a different feeling all together. Those who have what it takes to be successful in the corporate world will definitely have a high success rate in a franchise framework.”
INXPRESS
In 2019, global shipping and logistics franchise InXpress celebrates 20 years of operation worldwide, coinciding with the company’s tenth anniversary in Australia. The company’s proactive approach to technological advancements and sector evolution has not only made the business an industry leader, but a valuable proposition for former career corporates.
Dave Wilkinson, InXpress Asia Pacific franchise development director, believes the current economic and working environment has contributed heavily to the rising white-collar franchisee movement.
“The last 10 years in Australia have seen an increase in redundancies and layoffs, with many industries becoming less relevant with the advent of new technology,” Wilkinson says. “We’re seeing lots of interest from the corporate world, people are becoming better educated and moving their mindset from a 9–5 daily grind to that of a business owner, who wants to control his or her financial destiny.”
Wilkinson believes former corporate workers make ideal franchisees due to their ability to address the specific needs of the familiar clientele.
“The InXpress model is B2B focused, this appeals to many corporate workers