Why did you become interested in owning your own business?
While deployed to the Horn of Africa, I chose to take advantage of the early retirement the Air Force was offering at the time. I knew I wanted to be in the business of travel, but hadn’t considered owning my own business. When researching jobs in the travel industry, I came across the vet-friendly franchise CruiseOne.
What about it appealed to you?
The flexibility of being a home-based franchise owner is what really got me interested. Having my own schedule and being my own boss was definitely something that appealed to me.
Why CruiseOne?
CruiseOne had amazing reviews, received many awards and offered discounts for veterans. Naturally, I am a skeptic and this sounded too good to be true. Of course I started digging for the cons and I dug deep! I randomly contacted about 15 different CruiseOne franchise owners on social media. Based on my research and the testimonials of other franchise owners, I decided to go for it.
How did you finance your franchise?
My father always taught me to never buy something unless you can pay cash for it. I paid in full.
What difficulties did you overcome to become a franchise owner?
The hardest part for me was to muster up the courage and open the franchise. Financially, it’s not the ideal way to make money because you aren’t guaranteed a steady paycheck every couple weeks like the military provides.
Has your military training and experience helped you as a franchise owner?
Absolutely. The military has taught me self-discipline and structure.
What do you like best about being a franchise owner?
I like knowing that my success and failures are a direct result of my own actions.
What’s the biggest challenge of owning a franchise?
My biggest challenge is trying to earn the trust of new clientele and debunking myths such as travel agents are going to overcharge you and that you can get a better deal booking online. It is popular opinion that more people are using travel agents after being disappointed with the vacation they purchased online and because they are overwhelmed with the countless options that are offered.
Angie’s Advice for Future Veteran Franchisees
– Do your research! Contact numerous franchise owners in the process.
– Take an honest self-evaluation on how your strengths and weaknesses will affect your success.
– Review your financial stability. Owning your own franchise doesn’t mean it is the only income headed your way. The effort you put into your franchise will have an impact on what you get in return.
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