For Country and Business: Serving Children, Families and Community in a Franchise Business
Serving others demands many skills, including dedication, humility and a passion to give back to those in need.
By Claudia Macon
When you make the decision to serve in any capacity, you should do it with all your heart. Truly serving others demands many skills, including dedication, humility and a passion to give back to those in need. I knew I was meant to serve others from a very young age and set out on a path to do so, eventually serving in multiple roles.
I first saw servant leadership traits modeled by my father, a career military man; and like many children, I wanted to follow in his inspiring footsteps. I felt a real, compelling desire to serve in the armed forces and give back in the way my dad did. In June 1992, despite being told my chances were slim for earning a commission as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserves, I applied and was accepted. For a young woman at the age of 22, it was an incredible honor to know that the military thought I was a good candidate to become a direct commissioned officer straight out of college.
While serving in the reserves, I pursued my second passion — education — working as the business manager for a local college. I was also a wife and mother of three, and I knew eventually I wanted to run my own business. As I searched for possible entrepreneurial opportunities, I knew the business had to focus on serving others. At the same time, I remembered my own struggle as a mother to find quality educational opportunities for my children. My search led me to explore early education and care programs, and I sought out franchising because I wanted to start with a proven business model. After doing some research, I was delighted to find Primrose Schools and called the franchise immediately to start talking about opening my own location. Primrose’s approach to education was the exact way I wanted my children to learn.
To anyone who is thinking of opening a franchise or any new business, you should know that it is challenging, but also extremely rewarding. To serve well in so many roles, I have to give 100 percent (or what feels like more) to every area, and of course there are days when I’m worn out. To keep all of the balls in the air, I preach the following keys to success:
Manage Time Wisely: As a captain in the Navy Reserves, I have learned to deeply value this skill. I keep the schedule for my entire family — even my husband. We’re all very time-conscious and work to be as efficient as possible.
Create a Solid Support System: The real heroes in my story are the people in my support system. That consists of my parents, my best friend who is also the co-franchise owner of our Primrose School unit, our school director, and of course, my husband and children. Honestly, it’s never been just me making things happen; it’s those around me. And with our business, Primrose does an excellent job of selecting the right people for its National Leadership Team, so we have the best resources, the right tools and anything else we might need to serve children and families as franchise owners through every step of the process.
Trust Your Team: I learned how to trust my team in the military and believe wholeheartedly that trust is a skill every franchise or business owner must have. Nothing gets done without team effort, and every team member is important. As a franchise owner with Primrose, this mindset helped me trust my School Leadership Team instead of trying to do everything myself. Just like leading soldiers in the Reserves, I’ve learned who on my team does what role best and I make sure each task is assigned to the person best suited for it.
Set Honest Expectations: From the moment you decide to take on new responsibilities, be honest about the expectations of your career and your passions. Before I became a franchise owner, I made the decision to step down from my administrative role at the college, a position that I really loved and wasn’t necessarily ready to give up, because I realized serving children, families and our community as a Primrose franchise owner deserved my full dedication. While I had to reset my expectations initially and leave the collegiate environment, I was offered a position as an assistant professor in business. This teaching job allows me to remain involved at the college level with the flexibility I need to help run our Primrose School. Now, I teach at multiple stages of life with my students ranging from six-weeks to 50 years in age. Being honest about expectations helps you find the best positions in which to serve. And having faith helps, too because we can’t always see the whole plan laid out ahead of us.
Evaluate Your Motives and Abilities: Before taking on more responsibility, do a very serious self-evaluation. Ask yourself the following questions:
• What are my strengths and weaknesses?
• Will I be able to put in the necessary work?
• Do I have the support system I need?
• Why am I really doing this?
Each of these questions addresses potential challenges along the way. Being honest in your evaluation will not only give you a real sense of yourself and what you’re trying to achieve, but it will also help you identify red flags before they become real problems.
A servant-leader seeks to serve first, and learns to lead in the process. Through my experiences serving children and families, I’ve learned some best practices that have hopefully made me more successful as a Primrose franchise owner. I’m certainly still learning, and always will be, and I feel so lucky that I found a career that lets me practice servant leadership day-in and day-out.
Claudia Macon is co-owner of Primrose School of Cahoon Commons in Virginia. Find her at fransocial.franchise.org.