Episode 12
with Phyllis Pieri, franchise coach and consultant at Your Franchise Coach · January 20, 2022 · 14 min
Franchise coach Phyllis Pieri started in franchising in the 1970s, at about 20, stuffing envelopes and then booking appointments after a Sir Speedy Printing trade show.
She takes people through an exploratory process to identify what they want in a business, then helps them research companies among the roughly 4,000 franchises available.
Phyllis says food is about the last kind of franchise she introduces people to unless they are foodies.
The best advice she ever got, from a top performer at a Sir Speedy convention in the 1980s, was "we follow the system."
Her coaching is free to clients because, like an executive recruiter, she is paid by the franchisor if the client is awarded a franchise.
Published · Updated
What is this episode about?
Kathi Burns, CPO®, Business FLOW Strategist, talks with franchise coach and consultant Phyllis Pieri about how to choose a franchise when you want more freedom than a job gives you. Phyllis got into franchising in the 1970s when her sister asked her to stuff envelopes for a Sir Speedy Printing trade show, and she has never left. She went on to own franchises and sell them, and she has run her own businesses for her whole career because she needed time and freedom for her family. You'll hear how she helps people pick from around 4,000 franchises without getting sold, why food is the last place she sends most people, the convention lesson "we follow the system," how she is paid, and the Pomodoro cube, color-coded notebooks and client board that keep her own days on track.
My goal is for you not to get sold.Phyllis Pieri
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What are the key takeaways?
- Phyllis Pieri helps people choose a franchise by first identifying the key characteristics they want in a business, then researching companies and the questions to ask them.
- Her stated goal is for clients not to get sold, but to know exactly what they are walking into.
- Phyllis says most people assume franchising means food, and she introduces them to businesses they did not know existed.
- She says that when someone struggles in a franchise, it is usually because they try to change the system and do it their own way, and part of her job is to find out whether a person is too entrepreneurial for a franchise.
- To stay focused she blocks time with a Pomodoro cube, usually 20 minutes, and closes all her browser windows first.
- She keeps a color-coded notebook for each project, dates her notes at the top, and keeps a board of key clients where she can see it from her desk.
- Before buying, Phyllis says to talk to franchise owners and, if possible, spend a day with one to see what the work looks like.
This episode is brought to you by the Business Logjam Session
A private 75-minute online session with Kathi Burns to find the one thing holding your business back and leave with your next steps. It is the same F.L.O.W. process Kathi uses with her own clients: Focus on your goals, Locate your logjams, Outline your solutions, Walk away knowing your next steps.
Find What's Holding Me BackInterested in sponsoring the show? Get in touch.How did Phyllis Pieri get into franchising?
Phyllis Pieri got into franchising in the 1970s by saying yes when her sister asked her to stuff envelopes for a trade show. She worked the booth that weekend, and on Monday the sales manager at Sir Speedy Printing in Newport Beach, California, handed her a stack of sign-up cards and asked her to book appointments. She was about 20, and she says willingness is what started her in the industry she never left.
How to choose a franchise that's right for you?
Start by learning what you want in a business, then research the companies that match it. Phyllis Pieri takes people through an exploratory process to identify those key characteristics, because there are around 4,000 franchises, good, bad and ugly. She then helps them ask the right questions so they know exactly what they are walking into instead of being sold.
Why would you own a business instead of working a job?
For Phyllis, owning a business gives her the time and freedom she needed for her family. She went into franchise sales for that reason and has been a business owner her whole career. As she puts it, if you have a doctor's appointment or a school appointment, you can go, because you're the boss. Her advice is to ask enough questions and talk to franchise owners so you end up in something you love.
Are all franchises restaurants?
No. Phyllis says people hear franchising and think food, but food is about the last thing she introduces somebody to unless they are a foodie. Instead she shows clients businesses they would never have dreamed of, because they don't know those franchises exist. Kathi adds that the food industry is a tough business.
Why is following the system important in a franchise?
A franchise gives you a recipe, and Phyllis says the owners who struggle are usually the ones who try to change it. At a Sir Speedy convention in the 1980s, a top performer told her their secret was simply "we follow the system." Phyllis says people who want to do it their own way are too entrepreneurial for a franchise.
How do you stay focused when you chase squirrels?
Phyllis blocks time with a Pomodoro cube and closes all her browser windows before she starts. The cube has 10, 20 and 25 minute settings, and she uses 20 minutes for blocks of phone calls and other tasks. She keeps a color-coded notebook for each project so she can grab the right one, dates her notes at the top, and has a board she can see from her desk listing the key clients she is taking through the process, so she remembers to call them.
How do franchise coaches get paid?
Phyllis Pieri is paid by the franchisor, not by the person she coaches. She compares it to an executive recruiter: if her client is awarded a franchise, the franchisor pays her, so her service is free to the client. Kathi notes it comes down to the right fit, for the person and the franchisor.
What is the biggest mistake people make when buying a franchise?
Not talking to franchise owners first. Phyllis says many people arrive with a preconceived idea of the business they want, then change their minds once she explains the mechanics and what the day looks like. She encourages people to visit franchise owners and spend a day with them so they walk in having done their homework. Kathi shares that early in her career she told students to shadow someone in a field for a day before signing up for training.
Where does each part of the conversation start?
- 0:00 Meet Phyllis Pieri
- 0:46 How she got into franchising
- 2:11 Choosing from 4,000 franchises
- 3:48 Business ownership for freedom
- 4:52 Franchising isn't just food
- 5:51 Follow the system
- 7:27 Her Pomodoro cube
- 7:55 Color-coded notebooks and a client board
- 10:08 Why her service is free
- 10:53 The biggest mistake buyers make
- 11:44 See a day in the life
- 12:27 Wrap-up
What resources were mentioned?
- Pomodoro cube timer
- Color-coded notebooks, one per project
These episodes continue the same thread as this one: Lia Dunlap, Carly Church, Ginny Priem, Stephanie Wall Morrow also answer the question "How do I grow my business without burning out?", and the rest are the most recent conversations on the show.
MotherhoodEpisode 147How To Build a Village That Supports Your Business and Your Life with Carly Church
See every episode on the podcast archive or filter by topic on the How do I grow my business without burning out? hub.
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What did they say, word for word?
The transcript below is edited for readability: filler words and false starts are removed and speaker names are added. Nothing was added or summarized.
Read the full transcript +
Kathi: Hi, everyone. I'm with Phyllis Pieri. She is a certified franchise executive, a speaker and international best-selling author. She's also a franchise coach and consultant. She uses her passion for the past 35 years to guide fledgling entrepreneurs through the franchise selection process. What an interesting niche. And I'm here to talk to Phyllis about this so you can learn all about it. I know there's a lot of women who are doing the great mass exodus and maybe looking for something to do, and that's why I have Phyllis on the podcast today. So welcome, Phyllis. It's so glad to meet you, and so good to see you.
Phyllis: Thank you. I'm so happy to be here. This is really special for me, and I love helping women. So this is going to be a great time for us to chat.
Kathi: Excellent. Okay, so I always start with: how do you get into franchising, Phyllis? What's up with that? That's an interesting niche.
Phyllis: That is a very good question. So I got into franchising in the 70s. This is the honest truth. My sister called me and she said, "Hey, we're getting ready to do a trade show. Would you come stuff envelopes?" Sure. I'm one of those that, you ask me to do something, and I'm always, sure, I'd be happy. I've always been willing. So I go there, I stuff the envelopes, and then they say, "Well, we're doing the show this weekend. Will you come with us?" Sure. So I'm the hook on the booth to entice everybody to come in. So after the trade show, they asked me to come back on Monday. And this was at Sir Speedy Printing in Newport Beach, California. So I show up on Monday morning, and the sales guy comes in, and I'm like 20 years old. He comes in and he looks at me and he said, "Hey, Phyllis, I've got this stack of blue cards of people that signed up. They're interested. Would you call them and book some appointments for me?" Sure. So I did, and that started me seriously in the franchise industry, and I've never left.
Kathi: Nice.
Phyllis: Yeah. And it was willingness. I was open and willing to try anything. Why not?
Kathi: Absolutely. And I know you've owned several franchises. What do you feel is the challenge that you help people solve? Because I know you've had several yourself. How do you help people choose their franchise, if they want to do something like this?
Phyllis: That's a really good question, and I'm really passionate about helping people make good choices, because there's like 4,000 franchises out there. Like any industry, we've got the good, the bad and the ugly. And what I do is I take people through a fun exploratory experience where they get to know themselves better, and I identify the key characteristics they want in a business. And then I help them do the research on these different companies to make sure they're asking all the right questions. Because my goal is for you not to get sold. My goal is for you to find a business that you love, that you walk into, and you know exactly what you're walking into. And if Bill can do it, I can do it. All you have to do is follow the system.
My goal is for you not to get sold.
Kathi: Yeah, absolutely. And finding the right fit is the thing. A lot of people don't have the time to create something from scratch, and having something that's a proven method given to them that they can actually implement is a wonderful thing. Now, what do you think? What's your favorite hack, or what's your best piece of advice for entrepreneurs who are feeling a little bit stuck with what they're doing? What's a hack that you can create more freedom within your business?
Phyllis: Well, see, for me, when I got into franchising, I got into franchise sales because I had a daughter and I needed time and freedom. I needed to have the freedom. So I've been a business owner my whole career. And the reason I've been a business owner is that I've never understood why people have to punch a clock and go to a job and do all those things, when if they had their own business, hello, you're the boss. So if you're in your business and you've got a doctor's appointment, or you have to go to Billy's school appointment, you can go. You're the boss. So I think my biggest hack, and the thing that I help people with, is to ask enough questions, to talk to franchise owners and make sure they're getting into something they really love.
Kathi: Yeah, because if you really love it, it's not so much of a drudge, for sure.
Phyllis: Yeah, I want you to get up every day and be happy. There is so much data right now about people that are in jobs or doing things that they don't love. Why would you do that when you don't have to? And people don't realize. When people think franchising, they think food. And quite honestly, food is about the last thing I'll introduce somebody to, unless they're a foodie. I introduce them to things they would have never dreamed of, because they don't know they exist.
When people think franchising, they think food. And quite honestly, food is about the last thing I'll introduce somebody to, unless they're a foodie.
Kathi: Yeah, the food industry is such a tough business. If you had to say that you had one life lesson that you've learned through being a franchise owner, what would the big lesson be that being in business has taught you as an entrepreneurial woman?
Phyllis: I think, specifically for franchising, it's understanding that they've got a recipe for us to follow, and to follow the recipe. I'll give you a true story. So years ago, when I actually got recruited by Sir Speedy to come sell franchises for him, I went to the first convention. I was so excited. Now, I'd been an owner. When the CEO said to me, "Why do you think you can sell my franchises?" I said, "Because I love your company." And I did, and I love the business. And so I went to the Million Dollar Round Table. Now, this was in the 80s, so a Million Dollar Round Table was a lot of money. I mean, it's still a lot of money, but then it was really a lot of money. And I wrote on the card, "What's your secret?" And the woman looked at the card, and she said, "We follow the system." I said, "No, seriously, what's your secret?" She said, "You know, it might sound trite, but the reality is, we follow the system. The system works." And I've never forgotten that, because nine times out of ten, if someone is not successful in a franchise, it's because they try to change and fix and do it their own way. And those people should never get a franchise, because they're too entrepreneurial. And that's part of my job, to find out if you are too entrepreneurial.
Kathi: That's really fantastic. Follow the formula. That's our big takeaway for this whole thing. And the same thing happens with my clients: if they'll follow the systems that have been implemented and put into place, then they're golden. And if they go off on their own, or start doing the ADD squirrel kind of thing, or try to reinvent, because as entrepreneurs, we're all inventors.
Phyllis: I know, right?
Kathi: Follow the formula is the big thing. I love that. That's our huge takeaway. So you've done this for so many years, as I have. What's the biggest organizing obstacle that you've ever had to overcome?
Phyllis: I think, for me, I do chase squirrels, and I'm always thinking of different things. But I have had to learn to block time. And the way that I do that is I use this cube. It's the Pomodoro cube, and it has 10, 20, 25 minutes. I love this. And what I have to do is I have to close all my browser windows, because otherwise I'll get distracted. And I block time to sit and make phone calls, or whatever it is. That's really helped me. The other hack I have that I love is, because I have several projects, I use these. They're color-coded. And so I use them, whether it's, I have one for my clients and that type of thing. So that really helps me, because I can see the color, and I can grab it and know that I make notes in the right one. And my third one is, I've learned over the years I'm very visual. So I literally have a board that I can see from my desk that has my key clients that I'm taking through the process, so I can see them and I can remember to call them. Because, like an ADDer, I can get distracted, and if I don't have it on my calendar, I'll forget. But that helps me to stay on track.
Kathi: That's fantastic. I love all of those. I teach all of those. You're a girl after my own heart. I'm always like, get a different notebook for each thing you're doing. Get yourself a notebook for each different task, and that way you don't have random notes and Post-it notes scattered all over the place.
Phyllis: The other thing I've learned is to date it. So I date it at the top, so I'm not randomly going through. I remember what day it was that I was having that conversation. That also helps.
Kathi: Yeah. Do you date on the top right?
Phyllis: Yes.
Kathi: Perfect. And what do you find for the Pomodoro? What's the 5, the 10, the 15? What seems to be your sweet spot for doing your tasks? Which one do you use all the time?
Phyllis: I actually use 20 minutes.
Kathi: 20? Yeah, 20 is a good thing. You can get a lot done in 20 minutes, especially if you're focused on that. That's great. Okay, so that's huge. So Phyllis, I know you have something to offer to the people who are listening that are just a little bit interested in maybe becoming a franchisor. What do we have to give them?
Phyllis: So if you're curious about franchising and you would like to consider investigating it, if you go to my website, yourfranchisecoach.com/freegift, you will get a Franchising 101 guide, and that'll give you an overview of franchising. But please know that my service is free. And when you work with me, I'm like an executive recruiter. So I get paid by the franchisor if you get awarded a franchise. And if you do, that's how I get paid.
Kathi: So that's fantastic. And it's all about the right fit, because if you find the right fit for the person, then the franchisor is going to say, oh yeah, they're the right fit. And it is a win-win-win. What a great resource. I didn't even really know people like you existed, so this is huge. Okay, for our final question: what's the one thing I should have asked you that you should be answering? What do people need to know about you that'll give value?
Phyllis: What is the biggest mistake people make when looking for a franchise?
Kathi: Okay, let's hear it, girl.
Phyllis: They need to make sure and talk to franchise owners. And they really should work with a coach, because people come to me with a preconceived notion of an idea or a business they want to try. And once I explain to them what the mechanics are and what that day would look like, they go, "Oh, I don't want to do that." And so working with someone like me, I will introduce you to something you love, and you could be up and going in 90 days. But they don't realize that that's possible.
Kathi: Right. And you don't know what you don't know. In the beginning of my career, I helped kids get into tech schools, the ones who weren't really college ready. And before I'd even get them to sign up for that tech thing, I'd go, go to someone and mirror the life. Find an electrical engineer and stay with him for a day and see if you really like what he does on a day-to-day basis. Because it's hugely powerful to actually see physically what people are doing before they jump into anything: franchise, college, whatever.
Phyllis: Right. And one of the things I love about what I do is that people get to go visit the franchise owners. They can go spend a day with them. They can go see the day in the life, to say, do I really want to do this? Because I want you to walk in knowing you've done all of your homework, and I help people make sure they get all the things checked off.
I want you to walk in knowing you've done all of your homework.
Kathi: Excellent. Well, gang, if you're looking for a new career, you're looking to shift and change and create a life of more freedom, then absolutely check out Phyllis and what she has to offer. It could be your next business. You just never know.
Phyllis: Thank you so much. I appreciate being on here.
Kathi: Absolutely. I appreciate you. You're a great asset. So thank you so much, Phyllis, and I will talk to you soon.
Phyllis: Wonderful. Bye.
Where can I find the links and resources from this episode?
Connect with Phyllis
Organizations and companies
Inspired? Here Are Your Action Steps:
- Write down the key characteristics you want in a business before you look at any franchise.
- Look beyond food franchises and ask what other kinds of businesses fit you.
- Prepare a list of questions to ask every franchise company you research.
- Talk to current franchise owners before you commit.
- Spend a day with a franchise owner to see what the work looks like.
- Be honest with yourself about whether you will follow someone else's system.
- Block focused work time with a timer and close your browser windows first.
- Keep a separate color-coded notebook for each project and date every page at the top.
- Put your key clients on a board you can see from your desk.
Frequently asked questions
How does Phyllis help people choose a franchise?
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There are around 4,000 franchises to choose from, and Phyllis says they include the good, the bad and the ugly. She takes people through an exploratory process to learn what they want in a business, then helps them research companies and ask the right questions, so they know exactly what they're walking into instead of being sold.
What's the best business lesson she's learned?
+
At a convention in the 1980s she asked a top performer for her secret, and the answer was "we follow the system." Phyllis says that when franchise owners struggle, it's usually because they try to change the system and do it their own way.
What should you check before buying a franchise?
+
Talk to franchise owners, and if you can, spend a day with one to see what the work actually looks like. Phyllis says many people come to her set on one idea and change their minds once they understand what the day-to-day involves.
How does Phyllis stay focused?
+
She uses a Pomodoro cube to block 20-minute work sessions and closes her browser windows first. She keeps a color-coded notebook for each project, dates her notes at the top, and has a board she can see from her desk listing the clients she's working with.
How is her coaching paid for?
+
Phyllis says her service is free to the person she's coaching. Like an executive recruiter, she's paid by the franchisor if her client is awarded a franchise.
Who is talking in this episode?
About the Host, Kathi Burns
Kathi Burns, CPO®, is a Business FLOW Strategist based in San Diego. For the last 20+ years, Kathi has helped clients create systems they can stick to. She is the author of How to Master Your Muck, Organizing With Tetris and Home Organization, The Smart Guide, and co-author of four more titles; all are in Kathi's shop. Kathi's business has been featured on Good Morning America, and her advice has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes and Gardens and Entrepreneur Magazine.
More about Kathi · Shop Kathi's books · Business Logjam Session · Apply to be a guest
About Phyllis Pieri
Phyllis Pieri is a franchise coach, certified franchise executive, speaker and author who guides fledgling entrepreneurs through choosing a franchise. She started in franchising in the 1970s, when her sister asked her to stuff envelopes for a Sir Speedy Printing trade show in Newport Beach, California and the sales team kept her on. She later owned franchises and was recruited by Sir Speedy to sell them. Phyllis has run her own businesses for her whole career because she needed time and freedom for her family, and her site describes more than 40 years as a business owner, mostly in franchising. Her coaching is free to clients; she is paid by the franchisor when a client is awarded a franchise.
Want help putting this into practice?
Book a Business Logjam Session with Kathi
A private 75-minute online session to find the one thing holding your business back and leave with your next steps, using the same F.L.O.W. process Kathi uses with her own clients: Focus on your goals, Locate your logjams, Outline your solutions, Walk away knowing your next steps.
Prefer to start small? Download Kathi's free eBook 6 Steps to Organize Your Home Office.
Published · Updated
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