Growing up, my dad was incredibly successful.

He owned a dry cleaning shop, a liquor store, and a meat market. These businesses put me through college and gave our family a great life.

But there was one thing that always stuck with me: Dad did everything himself.

He was the boss, so he handled every detail.

He believed, like so many self-made business owners do:

“𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘥𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.”

At the time, I thought that's just what business ownership looked like.

That mindset stayed with me longer than I’d like to admit.

Even after earning an MBA from Wharton.

Even after executive roles at Kraft and Nabisco

Even after launching businesses of my own.

But eventually, I learned something far more powerful:

What McDonald's Taught Me About Success

I first experienced it while flipping burgers at McDonald’s in college.

McDonald's has incredible systems. Walk into any McDonald's anywhere in the world, and that Quarter Pounder with cheese will be exactly the same.

That consistency comes from standard operating procedures that work across all markets, not from the owner doing everything himself.

Here's the mindset shift that changed everything for me:

You don't have to do everything yourself. You just need systems good enough that other people can deliver consistent results.

Sure, you can probably sweep the floor better than your employees.

That doesn't mean you should be sweeping the floor.

Instead, hire people who can do the job well enough so you can focus on growing the business.

Better yet, surround yourself with people who are better than you at specific tasks.

Years later, when I worked as an executive recruiter for Management Recruiters International (a franchise business), I saw this principle in action again.

The training, support, and systems were already developed and proven. I wasn't starting from scratch or trying to figure it all out alone.

This is exactly what franchising offers:

You're in business for yourself, but not by yourself.

Instead of spending years developing systems from scratch, you step into proven processes that already work.

You get the support, training, and resources that took someone else decades to perfect.

My dad built successful businesses. His sacrifices shaped who I am today, but imagine how much more he could have achieved with the right systems and support.

That's the power of franchising, and it's why I'm so passionate about helping others find the right opportunity.

Ready to explore if franchising could give you the systems and support to build the business you want?

Let's hop on a quick, no-obligation call. In just 15 minutes, I'll help you discover franchise opportunities that match your goals and show you how proven systems can fast-track your success.

Click here to schedule your call now—spots are filling up fast!

Ever upward!

Keith

P.S. The most successful business owners aren't the ones who do everything themselves, they're the ones smart enough to leverage what already works.