MMA Fighters And Quick Service Restaurant Owners; Are They Cut From The Same Cloth?

MMA Fighters in action!

(This is a guest post from Jason Hardt, a multi-unit Quick Service Restaurant franchise owner.)

As I was channel surfing the other night I stumbled upon an MMA fight. As I watched the two muscle bound warriors whacking each other about the head, something dawned on me; to be a successful QSR franchisee or MMA fighter, you need to possess the same qualities. How strange…

The three qualities I’m talking about are passion, strategy, and mental toughness….

Before you get delusions of some lunatic named “Crazy Lou” popping out of the walk in freezer and putting you in a guillotine hold till you tap out, allow me to elaborate.

Passion:

I certainly wouldn’t elect to get my face beat in unless I’m passionate about it. I respect MMA fighters because they clearly have a drive that most people don’t have. As a QSR franchise owner, you need to have that same drive and passion for what you do. Franchising can be tough for some because you have to abide by a protocol set by someone else. That is difficult if you don’t have passion for what you are doing. Most importantly, you need to love and believe in what you do.

Owning a franchise is a long-term commitment you don’t just walk away from.

A Strategy:

An MMA fighter has to instinctively know his or her opponents. They have to anticipate what’s coming next. They have to execute an effective game plan. As a QSR, the same things holds true. Daily, monthly and yearly you need a game plan to handle the onslaught of competition, unexpected issues, and changes in the marketplace. To achieve success over the long haul, it takes an intelligent, pro-active strategy that adapts as needed.

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Mental Toughness:

Sometimes it comes down to outlasting your opponent. Do you have the toughness to keep going? Will they break before you? QSR franchises are no different. Often times, there is a sizeable purchase price in addition to royalties and all the other costs associated with owning a franchise business. Many a franchisee bought a concept expecting profitability from the get go. When it didn’t happen, and realized it was hard work, they folded like tents. Owning and operating a franchise is not for the faint of heart. You have to take setbacks in stride and always focus on the big picture.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of MMA, but I admire the fighter’s toughness and fortitude. The same goes with QSR franchise owners. Neither road is easy, but if you have the aforementioned qualities, there is a good chance you will be standing in the end as a winner.

Let me know what qualities you believe it takes to be a successful QSR franchise owner below in the comment area. I’d love to hear from you.

(Jason Hardt is a multi-unit QSR Franchise owner/operator and hosts the small business blog: https://www.smallbizrants.com)

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