Career Change at 40: Why Franchise Ownership Makes Sense

If you have fond memories of snacking on Pop-Tarts, Funyuns, or Hot Pockets as a child, your 40th birthday is probably on the horizon. A milestone birthday can prompt you to step back and reevaluate your priorities. If you’re thinking about a career change at 40, learn why owning a franchise could be your next great opportunity and path to financial freedom.

Are lack of job security and stagnant wages leaving you feeling battered and bruised and nostalgic for easier days? Are you feeling the impact of a high-stress, low-reward job? You’re not alone. Only 23% of people feel enthusiastic and involved at work. Many people are resigned to doing the bare minimum to get by and others are struggling to get ahead. A staggering 83% of workers experienced a negative employment situation last year, such as a job loss or pay cut, according to Monster.

As dissatisfaction climbs and the number of people facing burnout rises, many people are trying to find a path forward. At least 95% of workers are looking or planning to look for a new job this year and others are considering entrepreneurship.

Franchising Provides Path to Entrepreneurship

Nearly half of Americans consider starting a business, but many people never get their vision off the ground. Lack of money and time are some of the top reasons. And 15.76% don’t know what type of business to start.

Franchising offers first-time business owners the opportunity to debut a business with a recognized brand and proprietary systems. If you want to make a career change at 40, franchising can provide a path forward with the potential for low risk and high reward. Here are some of the franchise benefits:

• Brand recognition: One of the biggest advantages of franchising is the ability to operate under a brand that has already established recognition and a loyal customer base. A recognized brand can enable someone starting a new career at 40 to drive traffic and sales from day one, which would take much longer to achieve with a startup.
• Group buying power: Franchisees benefit from the collective purchasing power of their franchise network. Group buying power can lead to lower costs for inventory, supplies, and services compared to independent businesses. They can also turn to their network to share best practices and guidance.
• Expansion potential: Franchises are designed for growth. Whether you add additional territories, mobile vans, or open new locations, franchise owners can focus on scaling the business and tap managers to lead individual locations.
• Access to financing: Franchises with a strong track record and brand name may offer potential franchisees easier access to financing. Banks and financial institutions often view them as lower-risk investments compared to new, unproven businesses. Some franchises, like Kitchen Tune-Up, offer in-house financing to make opening a business even more accessible.

Finding the Right Franchise

There are more than 4,000 franchise brands in the U.S. covering a variety of industries. To determine the right franchise for your career change at 40, it’s important to outline your business goals. Do you want to manage a team, or be an owner-operator? Do you want a flexible schedule, or will the consistency of a retail storefront be appealing? Understanding your goals, financial capacity, and skillset will help you narrow down your choices.

One of the benefits of franchising is training and support. The soft skills you gleaned during your corporate career will enable you to flourish. You don’t need experience in remodeling to be a Kitchen Tune-Up franchisee. Our franchise owners come from a variety of backgrounds. We’re looking for people with a customer service mindset and project management experience. With Kitchen Tune-Up, you’ll focus on building your business and outsource remodeling to independent contractors. We provide a four-week online pre-training course and in-person training at our corporate headquarters. After training is finished franchise owners receive a 12-week action plan to help them get started.

“If you are self-motivated, creative, flexible, and willing to work hard then Kitchen Tune-Up is the program for you,” said John Propps, a franchise owner in Niceville, Florida. “Several people have asked us why we are part of a franchise instead of just going at it on our own. That’s simple — the support and structure that the Kitchen Tune-Up’s home office team provides is second to none.” 

Kitchen Tune-Up’s Home Remodeling Services in High Demand

The average household spent at least $9,542 on home improvement projects in 2023, according to Angi. High interest rates are prompting many homeowners to turn to remodeling to make their existing homes suit their evolving needs. At least 40% of homeowners reported undertaking additional home improvement projects as rising interest rates made relocating or purchasing a new home less practical.

If you want to build a business in a high-demand industry, Kitchen Tune-Up offers a path to success with the training and support you need to achieve your goals. We focus on fast and cost-effective solutions for updating kitchens. Our services range from simple kitchen tune-ups like cabinet refacing or replacing doors, wood restoration, and new cabinets, to more comprehensive kitchen remodeling projects. 

Kitchen Tune-Up has been helping owners launch successful businesses in their communities for 36 years. We provide new owners with comprehensive training and the necessary technology for unparalleled customer service. We communicate and collaborate regularly with our franchise owners to ensure they have creative marketing materials that are tested and ready to go! 

Many entrepreneurs turn to business ownership to achieve flexibility and work-life balance. Kitchen Tune-Up has different business models to give our owners the independence they crave. About 70% of our owners are home-based and 30% are retail based. Retail spaces are ideal for receiving and storing job materials, job staging and prep, office space, team meeting area, and a customer-facing area for samples and displays. Some franchise owners have full retail locations while others operate Selection Centers, which provide a smaller footprint.

Learn More About Kitchen Tune-Up

Inquire now to learn more about launching a Kitchen Tune-Up franchise to achieve self-sufficiency and financial freedom.