At 18, I was broke, juggling university classes, and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Sure, I believed I could be successful someday, but let’s be real; I didn’t have a plan. Then, out of the blue, I got a DM on Instagram.
It was from a student painting company, offering me the chance to run my own franchise. At first, I thought it might be a scam. Would it make sense financially? But the idea stuck with me. My own business, real money on the table, and a chance to learn something new? I decided to go for it.
Right after that decision, life threw me a curveball. I got dumped. Perfect timing, right? If I wasn’t motivated before, that breakup definitely gave me the push I needed. Suddenly, I wasn’t just trying to succeed for myself; I had something to prove to the world (and maybe to someone else).
The start was rough. I got one day of training on door-to-door sales and was sent off to make it happen. Let me tell you, knocking on doors is not glamorous. It’s repetitive, awkward, and rejection is inevitable. On my first day, I was such a robot with the script that I asked a 40-year-old woman if her mom was home, thinking she was a kid. I was on autopilot and cringed so hard afterward.
But here’s the thing; it works. Door-to-door sales is all about confidence and persistence. I focused on two things to win clients: giving clear pricing options that made sense and showing confidence in my ability to get the job done. Painting is a straightforward service, and while some people say no outright, you can quickly filter out the uninterested and focus on those who are genuinely considering the service.
Running the business was even more challenging than selling. Hiring and managing employees was a steep learning curve. I quickly realized that nobody cares about your business as much as you do. To keep morale up during the short four-month season, I offered employees a bonus of one dollar per house they worked on. In practice, I paid them even more when I felt they deserved it.
The experience wasn’t without its share of chaos. I dealt with awkward sales moments, employees quitting unexpectedly, and even a car accident two weeks after we started painting. But I stuck with it, and by the end of eight months, I had sold over $80,000 in painting services.
That experience gave me more than just money; it changed the way I see the world. I gained confidence, learned how to handle tough conversations that might end in rejection, and developed the mindset to pursue opportunities without fearing failure.
For anyone considering a franchise opportunity, there are definite benefits. You get a clear support structure, a ready-made brand name, and the administration is handled for you. These are useful, but they come at a cost; royalties can be as high as 35 percent of your earnings. In many cases, I’d argue that all you really need is an automated admin system, which is something we help clients set up at starthomeservice.com. It’s worth asking yourself if a franchise’s benefits are worth the price or if you could create something just as successful on your own.
That’s why I’m here now. I want to help others take that leap; whether it’s to make more money while you’re in school, get a business running before you graduate, or finally escape a job that feels like a dead end.
If I could figure it out at 18, so can you.
