Joel Libava
The title of this article isn’t meant to scare you.
You will feel depressed after you buy a franchise business. You shouldn’t, but you will.
After all, you’ve essentially fired your boss.
You’ve made a conscious decision to take more control of your life. This is good stuff! One would think you’d be feeling like this:
And you will. For a little while.
Then something else happens.
For some crazy reason, you end up feeling like this:
(Depressed)
Why You’re Going To Feel Depressed After You Buy A Franchise Business
First of all, I need to nip something in the bud-right now.
When I say “You’re going to feel depressed,” I’m not talking about major (clinical) depression. That can be a very serious and debilitating disease. (It’s also a pre-existing condition)
To clarify, major depression, according to the National Institute Of Mental Health, “Carries the heaviest burden of disability among mental and behavioral disorders. For some individuals, major depression can result in severe impairments that interfere with or limit one’s ability to carry out major life activities. And it accounts for 3.7% of all U.S. disability-adjusted life years (DALYs); and, 8.3% of all U.S. years lived with disability (YLDs).” Read more from the NIMH.
Let’s continue. This is important stuff.
(It’s important because I really believe you’re better off knowing exactly how you’re going to feel throughout the franchise purchasing process in advance, as opposed to getting some sort of surprise at every turn.)
The Chase
As you’ll see in a moment, “the chase” as I call it, has a lot to do with the depression you’ll be feeling after you buy a franchise business.
“So, what is ‘the chase’ , Joel?”
It’s the exciting (and mostly fun) part of the franchise purchasing process that leads up to the purchase. It includes:
- The search for a franchise to buy
- Choosing the right franchise opportunities to learn more about
- Your research
- Your Franchise Business Plan
- Applying for your small business loan
- Your visit to franchise headquarters
- Your yes or no decision on buying a franchise
The Chase Can Cause An Adrenaline Rush
The act of looking and researching franchises will energize you emotionally and physically. You’ll actually get a “rush” from it, thanks to a certain gland all of us possess.
Check out what Fitday.com says about an adrenaline rush.
“If you have ever played sports, you’re usually more likely to be super pumped up when the game or match first starts. This is because an adrenaline rush will give you a large amount of energy as the body releases glucose and sugar directly into your bloodstream.”
“And what does this have to do with buying a franchise?”
Actually, a lot. That’s because the chase is really, really exciting.
And when it’s over, and you end up buying a franchise business…
- You’ll have no boss
- You’ll be in more control of your life
- You will “own” something
And a whole lot more. So enjoy the rush.
FYI: I know a lot about the chase-and the rush. That’s because of the damaging things I did to myself many years ago-which you can read about here. And for me, sometimes the chase was the rush.
It’s Up Then Down When You Buy A Franchise Business
It’s a proven fact that what goes up must come down. It’s not an alternative fact.
The things you’ve been doing that have lead up to you buying a franchise have been mostly “up” things. In other words, they haven’t generally* been unpleasant. Especially since you knew that the end result-being your own boss, could potentially change your life for the better.
*Admittedly, there are a few parts of the franchise purchasing process that may not be 100% fun and games. Some of today’s prospective franchise owners do feel frustrated at various times during the process. Franchising-and the people in my industry, aren’t perfect. And applying for a small business loan can try your patience a bit. But all in all, buying a franchise certainly beats
(A trip to the dentist)
And as I said, the end result can end up being life-changing…in so many ways. So enjoy the rush. But make sure you don’t enjoy the chase too much. Because it’s when the chase ends…when you actually buy the franchise…that’s when you’ll start feeling depressed.
Why You’ll Feel Depressed
Feeling depressed, or “down” after 2-3 months of excitement (looking for and researching franchises) is completely normal. After all, you’ve been “up” pretty much the entire time. Your body-and your mind probably need a little break. But when will it happen? When (specifically) will you start feeling depressed?
Right After You Mail Your Check To Franchise Headquarters And Sign The Contract
Those two events are the trigger.
A Free Bonus
In addition to feeling down, you’ll also receive a free bonus: Fear. In this case, you’ll either experience a lot of fear-like the “I’m freaking out here!” kind…
Or a more quiet fear. The kind of fear that gently wakes you up in the middle of the night-and gradually goes away.
“So Joel, you’re telling me that I’ll be depressed and afraid after I buy a franchise?”
Yep. Temporarily.
But both things will pass, as confidence makes a very welcome appearance.
Your confidence. The confidence you need to succeed as the owner of a franchise.
The confidence you possess because you learned all you could about the franchise business you now own and operate.
