It’s so easy to go from leader to obscurity. Fortune is fickle, and success can be fleeting if you’re not careful.
I learned this the hard way. I went from being a successful executive for the largest real estate company in Chicago to sitting on the other side of the table when my role dried up.
I found myself battling the same arguments I had used once: employers wanting to prioritize young candidates with more longevity. I even found myself offering a cut in salary in exchange for more experience. Sadly, the powers that be didn’t see it that way.
More often than I care to admit, my faith had been challenged. My emotions as well my physical, financial, and social well-being were put on the table to be scrutinized.
While it wasn’t a time I remember fondly, I’m glad it happened. Because it taught me the value of having something truly whole.
Something that will be there through ups and downs, something we can rely on.
We need a proven system.
For me, that is embodied in a franchise. It’s reliable, gives you the chance to reinvent yourself, and can be left to your kids as your legacy.
But I’d be curious to know from you: Do you have a backup plan? Is it just an idea, a business, or something else entirely?