23 years ago, I lost everything.
I used to import Italian ceramics for a living.
For ten years, I had what looked like a dream business from the outside. I got to travel to Italy regularly, enjoyed incredible food, and met wonderful people along the way.
But here's the truth: the business just "struggled along" for a decade.
I wasn't making the kind of money I wanted. I wasn't utilizing my education and background the way I should have been. And deep down, I knew something had to change.
Then 9/11 happened, and devastated everything overnight.
Our business was heavily dependent on the fourth quarter. Christmas was our make-or-break season.
When 9/11 hit, it essentially shut us down for an entire month during our most critical time:
We took enormous losses during those weeks we were closed, and frankly, we never recovered.
The business was done.
That failure taught me three critical lessons I carry with me to this day:
1. Being Over-Leveraged is a Recipe for Disaster: We had taken on too much debt relative to our cash flow. When revenue stopped for just one month, we couldn't survive.
2. Going It Alone Leaves You Vulnerable: For ten years, I tried to build my ceramics business entirely on my own. No mentors, no proven systems, no support network—just me, making it up as I went along.
When the crisis hit, I had nowhere to turn. No experienced business owners to call. No proven playbook for handling disasters. No support system to help me navigate the storm.
3. Sometimes You Need a Push to Find Your True Path: I had been comfortable in a business that was "just getting by." Sometimes it takes a complete failure to force you toward something better.
After the ceramics business collapsed, I needed work. I went to interview for a corporate job at an executive recruiting firm.
But something interesting happened during that interview.
They said, "Keith, we think our client would really like you, but we think you'd be better served working here with us as a recruiter."
They offered me a job as a recruiter instead of sending me to their client.
I worked with them for several years, then started my own recruiting firm, which became the bulk of my professional career for nearly 20 years.
When I eventually sold my recruiting firm, I thought I might retire. I was in a good financial position and felt I'd earned some rest.
That lasted about five minutes.
I realized I still had too much to give. I needed to be doing something useful and important.
So I started looking to buy a franchise for myself. As I was doing my due diligence and evaluating different options, I stumbled into the world of franchise brokerage.
And here's what hit me: as a former executive recruiter, this fit my skill set perfectly better than any individual franchise I was considering.
When people come to me looking for franchise opportunities, they usually have one thing in mind: a quick-serve restaurant.
When they think "franchise," they think McDonald's or Subway.
And while I have plenty of restaurant options in my portfolio, here's what I've learned:
After we do a proper assessment and I understand their goals and aspirations, being tied down to a restaurant often isn't what best suits them.
Just like I discovered that franchise brokerage fit my background better than buying an individual franchise, most of my clients find opportunities they never would have considered on their own:
The ceramics business failure forced me out of my comfort zone.
The recruiting opportunity came from an unexpected conversation.
And franchise brokerage emerged from my own franchise search process.
None of these transitions were planned, but each one led to something better.
That's why I always tell potential franchise owners: be open to possibilities you haven't considered.
Your perfect franchise opportunity might not be the obvious choice. It might not be the first thing you thought of when you decided to explore business ownership.
But with the right guidance and assessment process, we can uncover opportunities that match your work style, preferences, and lifestyle goals, often at a much lower investment than you initially expected.
Ready to explore what possibilities might be waiting for you?
Let's hop on a quick, no-obligation call. In just 15 minutes, I'll help you discover franchise opportunities you may never have considered, avoid the costly mistakes I made, and take the first step toward financial freedom in 2025.
Click here to schedule your call now—spots are filling up fast!
Ever upward!
Keith,
P.S. Sometimes the best opportunities come from the paths we never planned to take. Let's explore what unexpected doors might open for you.
