My Story: From Blueprint to Business Ownership

Many people dream of and embark upon business ownership because they’re fed up—with their jobs, their bosses, their corporate ladders. That’s a common story. And as much as I’d love to fit in, that isn’t exactly mine.

I did the thing I studied to do. I passed the CPA exam. I started integrating accounting information systems, naturally dovetailed into financial analysis, and carved out a niche in business launches, mergers, and divestitures. The firms I worked for—consultancies, financial institutions, and major players in private equity—treated me well. Paid me well. The work was demanding, varied, challenging.

Variety? Check.
Challenge? Check.
Creativity and freedom? Well…..

At the end of the day, dreams have to align with the priorities of the person signing your W-2. And while I’m grateful for the start those years gave me, there was always a deeper ache: I wanted to build something of my own.

So I tried. Badly.

My first foray into entrepreneurship was in the franchising space, oddly enough. But I didn’t realize what I had. I stayed back-office, head down, serving as the financial controller. I didn’t understand the power of the franchise blueprint. I didn’t listen to those who did. All the answers to the questions I was about to face were right in front of me… and I missed them.

There’s that old chestnut about luck being what happens when preparation meets opportunity. I had the opportunity. And I thought I had the preparation—specific, high-demand skills, a good reputation, a strong network. But here’s the thing: that’s preparation for work. For a job.

That’s not the same thing as being prepared to launch and run a business.

What I lacked was this:

• How will I get customers—specifically?

   

• How will I service them?

   

• What war chest will I need?

   

• How will I hire, train, and keep people?

   

• What insurance do I need?

   

• Do I really think understanding payroll from a distance is the same as running it myself?

   

There was no blueprint. No system. Just effort.

And effort alone doesn’t make a business.

So, I dusted myself off. And I tried again.

This time, I used the one asset I trusted—myself. I launched my own consulting practice and slowly began to build something that worked. I wrote my own hypothetical blueprint. Over time, I earned a great living, raised a family, and put myself through graduate school at the University of Chicago.

But I bailed on the MBA before orientation.   Didn’t want to.   Turned out, my heart wanted to study French cultural anthropology.

Because—who doesn’t, right?

But seriously: no high finance firm or consulting house would’ve funded that mythopoetic mess. But my firm did. No questions asked.  Just encouragement.

And that moment stayed with me.

It taught me something about freedom—not the freedom to slack off or coast, but the freedom to follow what matters. The freedom to say yes to something human. Something seemingly “useless” that turned out to be anything but. Because when you’re trying to understand what makes people tick—what stories they believe, what rituals they follow, how meaning gets made—you’re learning how the world really works. You’re preparing not just to run a business, but to help others do it too.

Still, something nagged. I knew I could do more—serve more. And that’s when I began to take a deeper look at franchising, not as a back-office guy, but as someone who had seen both failure and resilience up close.

That’s when it clicked.

Franchising is not some arbitrary shortcut or name-brand hack suited only for burgers and gas stations.  Quite the opposite. It’s how well-informed people can launch something real without a decade of pure trial-and-error —with support, structure, and accountability.

A good franchise mitigates risk the same way a major corporation does during an acquisition:

• It comes with a proven operating model.

   

• It’s backed by a Franchise Disclosure Document that leaves no stone unturned.

   

• It’s supported by a community of fellow owners and a franchisor with skin in the game.

   

So, here’s the real story: I wasn’t some corporate guy shouting “take this job and shove it.” I liked my early jobs. I leapt because I had a dream. But I did it blindly the first time. That’s on me.

Miraculously, things worked out—but you don’t need to count on miracles. You can choose preparation instead. You can choose guidance. You can choose a blueprint.

And now? I’m not here because I figured it all out from the beginning. I’m here because I didn’t—and because I stayed.

Stayed in the ring after the first business didn’t pan out. Stayed with the questions when I didn’t like the answers. Stayed with the process when it stopped feeling exciting and started feeling real. That’s what business ownership is. That’s what adulthood is. That’s what stewardship is.

And here’s what I’ve found: you don’t have to be perfect to begin. You just have to be honest. Curious. Willing to take the next right step.

That’s why I believe so strongly in what The Perfect Franchise offers. The process isn’t about pressure. It’s about discovery. It’s about helping someone ask the right questions, at the right pace, with the right kind of support.

When a candidate tells us, “I’ve been thinking about doing something on my own for years,” we get it. When they say, “I just want to build something that’s mine,” We really get it. And when they admit they don’t know where to start, me….I don’t see that as a red flag. I see it as an invitation.

Because it’s not a flaw to want guidance. It’s a strength.

If you’re reading this wondering whether business ownership is really for you, here’s my answer: maybe.  Just maybe.   So…get yourself a guide.  And any one of us would be honored to be part of that process.

Let’s not chase pipe dreams. Let’s really dream, and build.  Let’s build something durable. Something worthy of your time, your capital, and your family’s future.

That’s what this work is to me now.

Let’s get to work.