Unlocking Success: How Matt Perry Became Franchisee of the Year
Today, we dive into the inspiring journey of Matt Perry, a dude who's not just in the massage business but is also the proud owner of five Elements Massage locations and the mastermind behind Infinity Wellness. Right off the bat, what we really want to highlight is Matt’s recent recognition as the IFA's Franchisee of the Year—a pretty big deal that speaks volumes about his dedication and hustle in the industry. We're gonna chat about how he went from a personal trainer to a franchise owner, and the challenges he faced along the way, all while keeping a sense of humor about the wild ride that is entrepreneurship. Plus, we're dishing out some real talk on what it actually means to run a business—spoiler alert: it’s not just about the freedom and flexibility folks often imagine. So grab your favorite drink, settle in, and get ready to soak up some wisdom and laughs as we explore Matt's story and the lessons he's learned through the years.
Diving right into the world of franchising, Matt Perry takes us on a journey from a young entrepreneur's leap into the business realm to becoming the Franchisee of the Year in 2023. Having kicked off his career with Fitness Together, Matt's story is a testament to the power of mentorship, passion, and calculated risk-taking. We get to hear how a casual conversation with a personal training client turned into a blossoming partnership that laid the groundwork for multiple successful Elements Massage locations across New Hampshire and Massachusetts. With a blend of humor and humility, Matt shares the ups and downs of his entrepreneurial journey, illustrating that while the road is paved with challenges, the rewards come from the dedication to personal service and community impact. It's not just about running a business; it's about creating a legacy of wellness that resonates with both clients and employees alike.
Throughout our chat, Matt reflects on the importance of relationships—both with clients and his team. He emphasizes that running a business isn’t just about profits; it’s about fostering a culture where everyone feels valued and supported. With over 145 employees now under his wing, Matt provides insights into how he navigates the complexities of team dynamics while maintaining a work-life balance. He jokes about the perennial struggle of clocking in and out, highlighting that the entrepreneurial grind often spills over into personal time. Yet, he believes that this blend of work and life is what fuels his passion for the wellness industry. Listeners are encouraged to take notes on his approach to employee communication and building a supportive community, all while keeping a light-hearted tone that makes the challenges of business ownership feel a little less daunting.
As we wrap up, Matt shares his thoughts on the evolving goals of a business owner. Gone are the days of merely chasing personal accolades; now, it’s all about empowering his team and ensuring they grow alongside the business. Reflecting on his journey, he acknowledges that the true measure of success lies in the impact he can have on others—be it through helping clients improve their health or supporting employees in their career paths. This episode is a powerful reminder that behind every successful franchise, there are dedicated individuals who care deeply about their community and strive to make a difference, one massage at a time.
Takeaways:
- Matt Perry's journey illustrates the importance of mentorship and support in entrepreneurship.
- Franchising provides a structured playbook, but success requires individual effort and adaptation.
- Building relationships with employees is key to creating a thriving business culture and retaining talent.
- Entering the wellness industry means prioritizing customer experience and community engagement for lasting impact.
- Transitioning from owner-operator to steward of customer service highlights the evolving role of leadership in business.
- Work-life balance is challenging, but establishing boundaries and communication is essential for personal well-being.
Transcript
Foreign.
Speaker B:Hey, good afternoon, everybody.
Speaker B:I'm Parnell Woodard, the host of the Pivot Point.
Speaker B:And I am so excited about who we have with us today.
Speaker B:This story is going to motivate you.
Speaker B:This is an incredible man.
Speaker B:I have been fortunate enough to call a friend for a number of years.
Speaker B:With me today is Matt Perry.
Speaker B:Matt is the owner of five Elements Massage locations and his own organization.
Speaker B:It's Infinity Wellness.
Speaker B:Infinity Wellness.
Speaker A:Infinity Companies.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker B:Infinity Companies throughout the states of New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Speaker B:Matt is somebody that I've worked with in the past.
Speaker B:We.
Speaker B:We share a some franchising experience.
Speaker B: tt was recognized recently in: Speaker B:And I think everybody watching is going to have learn a lot from Matt's story and what he's been able to do and accomplish.
Speaker B:So welcome, Matt, and thanks for spending a little time with us today.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So, yeah, very good to be here.
Speaker B: ts, I think you opened around: Speaker A: No, that was: Speaker B:2010.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:So you've been in the industry for about 15 years.
Speaker B:Talk to me a little bit about how you got into it.
Speaker B:How did you, you know, how old were you when you opened your first location?
Speaker A:Well, so we'll go back and I know we only have a half an hour, but I'll give you the brief version.
Speaker A: So your: Speaker A:And a personal training client of mine asked if I'd like to go into business with him.
Speaker A:And he was transitioning from one career and looking for a new opportunity.
Speaker A:And I represented an opportunity in myself and in the fitness industry for us to partner up.
Speaker A:Coming right out of College, I was 23.
Speaker A:22.
Speaker A:22, 23.
Speaker A:And he and I opened our first Fitness Together location in Reading, Massachusetts.
Speaker A:And about that time, the founder of Fitness Together knew that Steve was looking for a little bit bigger opportunity.
Speaker A:So he approached him about becoming potentially a master franchisee for new brand that they were going to be bringing on.
Speaker A:So going from just the Fitness Together brand and diversifying to include a massage brand called Elements Massage, which then was just two locations in suburban Denver.
Speaker A:And Steve took that opportunity to become the first master franchisee and develop the Boston Market.
Speaker A: ocation franchise location in: Speaker A:So that's where you were correct.
Speaker A:And then over the years, as a budding entrepreneur myself, I decided to.
Speaker A:And we both mutually decided that it was good time for me to fly the nest and open up a location on my own, which is where I opened up our first location.
Speaker A:My first location, separate from that business partnership and that business partnership.
Speaker A:Partnerships always sometimes can divide in not such a positive way.
Speaker A:This could not have been more positive.
Speaker A:And still one of my dearest friends to this day and got to work, still work with him as he supported all of the Elements locations and opened up our first location.
Speaker A:And then as my wife and I got together and started to blend our lives together, we then purchased two other locations in one transaction from a fantastic owner in the Element system, none other than Pryl Woodard.
Speaker A:And then we took over two more to make it to five.
Speaker A:And now we've got a beautiful partnership between husband and wife tandem.
Speaker A:And that's how we got here.
Speaker B:Cool.
Speaker A:So let me.
Speaker B: nt to run all the way back to: Speaker B:You said you a couple of years out of school, you know, a lot of folks, when they get out of school and they're that age, they want to go into corporate America, kind of cut their teeth.
Speaker B:And what.
Speaker B:What made you or what kind of drove you to try and be in business for yourself at that age?
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:I mean, I work with folks that range from 25 years to 55 years old.
Speaker B:And a lot of times younger folks, you know, they feel like, well, they have to go into corporate America.
Speaker A:What.
Speaker B:What kind of.
Speaker B:What was.
Speaker B:Was there not to be kitschy, but was there a pivot that made you, you know, decide you wanted to be an entrepreneur on your own?
Speaker A:You know, growing up in.
Speaker A:In northern New Hampshire and looking at the personal service business that was very, very limited in.
Speaker A:In the Mount Washington Valley, which is in northern New Hampshire, and coming down and becoming a personal trainer right out of college because I needed a paid internship looking at personal service, I was just so intrigued that this was so accessible for people to be able to take care of themselves.
Speaker A:Up to that point, I thought the only people that got massage or had a personal trainer were celebrities and athletes, and that was it.
Speaker A:So looking at the industry and understanding that I never really had a quote unquote boss.
Speaker A:So I always wanted to do things on my own.
Speaker A:I wanted from starting a little landscaping business to a lemonade stand way back, I Always wanted to do things a little bit differently with my own twist and not put myself into a box.
Speaker A:And what I was really intrigued with, even at a young age, certainly with the mentorship and the direction of Steve, my business partner at that time, we always looked at franchising as an ability to take a proven model and the support of that box and be able to springboard off of it so we could still have our own.
Speaker A:Be able to put our own spin on a little bit of our own spin on things to, you know, add the personality, the character, and the depth that really gave us the fulfillment in those personal services that kind of made it a little bit of our own, although still leveraging all the power of.
Speaker A:Of the brand that we represented.
Speaker B:So it was nice because it aligned with a personal passion.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:The fitness.
Speaker B:The fitness training side of the equation.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Because there's a lot of folks that will be like, well, you know, are you trying to solve a problem?
Speaker B:Or, you know, how do they fit into that business?
Speaker B:But still, you were 24, 25 years old.
Speaker B:Didn't that scare you a little bit going into business for yourself?
Speaker A:I think in retrospect, I feel like maybe it should have, but not at all, you know, had a good sense of self and belief in myself.
Speaker A:And obviously, again, with that mentorship, it was.
Speaker A:It was a risk.
Speaker A:And certainly no risk can be taken without some analytics and understanding what you're stepping into.
Speaker A:But at the same time, I've always felt like the rear view mirror is smaller than the windshield for a reason and to just keep looking forward, and that's been a key to success.
Speaker B:I like that the rear view mirror is smaller than the windshield for a reason.
Speaker A:I like that I mixed that up, but I got that from jelly roll.
Speaker A:Shout out to jelly Roll.
Speaker B:You know, when you.
Speaker B:When you decided to go into business for yourself, did you get any resistance from family, friends, colleagues, anybody that was like, gee, Matt, this is, you know, really dangerous, or there's a lot of risk, or any of that?
Speaker A:Yeah, I mean, I came from very humble.
Speaker A:Humble means.
Speaker A:So in talking with my family, they, they.
Speaker A:They understood what I.
Speaker A:What I was doing, but they also didn't really fully understand what it even meant or what franchising even was at that time.
Speaker A:So they fully understood.
Speaker A:And cautiously, I'm blessed to have a lot of love and support coming from family.
Speaker A:And back in those days, they were always so encouraging.
Speaker A:So if there was something that I felt as a passion and, you know, the franchise.
Speaker A:The franchise, the fact that it was a franchise does Give a little bit of that understanding that there's going to be.
Speaker A:There's a playbook that you can follow.
Speaker A:And that's all I've ever, you know, all I've ever needed in life is a playbook and then being able to follow the.
Speaker A:Follow the rules and just move forward and drive.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:You mentioned Steve, and I want to talk about him as a mentor in a little bit.
Speaker B:But were there any specific resources or strategies, you know, that maybe help navigate some of those early challenges, particularly with a new.
Speaker B:With kind of a new brand.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Elements as an organization was new.
Speaker B:New in New England.
Speaker B:Did you have any tools or resources that helped you really navigate some of those challenges?
Speaker A:Well, it's really adopting the proven model because in being involved in.
Speaker A:Cause it was a budding franchise, as you mentioned.
Speaker A:So it was also an opportunity to affect change and be able to kind of see things that had worked for us in our experience, Steve's past business experience, but our experience with fitness together, and see how we could steal from each of those models because they were still learning where those crossovers were.
Speaker A:Because as personal training and massage on the surface seem so different, although being in the personal service industry, there was so many similarities and a very similar clientele for obvious reasons.
Speaker A:So being able to understand it and have systems that would be able to coach to both.
Speaker A:Both clienteles was kind of a fascinating exercise.
Speaker A:And it really started as, you know, a young entrepreneur at that time really started to understand that you can put different labels on, but at the end of the day, it's about a positive.
Speaker A:Did I just break up?
Speaker B:No, you're good.
Speaker A:Can you.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:At the end of the day, it's about providing a positive experience and providing value to your client base and.
Speaker A:And being able to tell that story, to continue to feed that pipeline and that sales funnel and then also shore up the bottom of the bucket so that your retention is high.
Speaker A:And those are very similar things in both industries, both massaging and fitness.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:So being relatively young still and getting that up and running, how did you fund that business?
Speaker B:What kind of resources did you bring to the table to help get that up and off the ground?
Speaker A:Well, that's where I was blessed as well, because Steve.
Speaker A:Steve was coming from an opportunity that coming from his previous career and was able to alleviate a lot of those stresses for us.
Speaker B:What surprised you the most about being a business owner?
Speaker B:Were there maybe some misconceptions that you had going into entrepreneurialism?
Speaker B:Were there things that you expected, maybe challenges you expected, maybe things that you Thought would be easier.
Speaker B:What kind of surprises did you run into?
Speaker A:You know.
Speaker A:Well, if I can, if I can answer that question from looking back from my position now and reflecting on the things that I didn't necessarily look at then but understood why, how I got to where I am now, you know, looking at, looking at any model or looking at.
Speaker A:At business and what the work that it entails.
Speaker A:I mean are we an asset heavy equipment based or technology based company or are you heavy at.
Speaker A:I don't always love this term but you know, heavy in human capital which we are in the personal service business because we've got large teams and we don't have a lot of machinery.
Speaker A:This is a, it's a very hands on.
Speaker A:Both industries were very hands on and.
Speaker A:Right, exactly.
Speaker A:But very, you know, very, very intensive in terms of labor.
Speaker A:So you know, being passionate about.
Speaker A:Being passionate about people in the relationships if and that is, that's.
Speaker A:That.
Speaker A:That's what you know, that's what I'm wired for.
Speaker A:And what I truly find passion in is developing relationships.
Speaker A:Without that going into this personal service business, what it could have been a disaster or certainly getting into something that I didn't really understand what I was signing up for.
Speaker A:And that's what I see now.
Speaker A:And doing validation calls for our franchise company and people really, you know, coming into something thinking that you know, their expectations are Y.
Speaker A:But the reality is is is based on your experience going to be X and being able to connect those dots and helping them to you know, promote.
Speaker A:Promote our.
Speaker A:Because very proud of our brand.
Speaker A:But it's, you know, not every brand is going to fit depending on what they're looking to make, what they're looking to do in terms of their engagement and their involvement in that brand.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker A:And luckily all of these pieces lined for to suit what I'm looking to do in terms of growing our organization.
Speaker B:Was there anything in particular, if you look back over the time that you thought was going to be easier than it was.
Speaker A:Looking back, things are going to be easier.
Speaker A:Certainly retention in terms of employee retention.
Speaker A:You know, life changes and everything is.
Speaker A:Everything's always going to be a revolving door.
Speaker A:And to have an expectation of that not being a revolving door.
Speaker A:And a revolving door doesn't always mean bad because the more you develop your people and you spend time and you invest your, your time and attention to help them find the best, you know, to fulfill their potential, you know, they are going to move on and they're going to, they're going to find their next chapter.
Speaker A:And I've always said for anybody that was looking to open up their own business or to do something beyond their position with us, I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't help to support that initiative for them because I'm an entrepreneur myself.
Speaker A:So to help to forge that.
Speaker A:So that's the positive side of attrition.
Speaker A:The other is people.
Speaker A:At the end of the day, not everyone's coming to the table with the same morals, values, work ethic, dedication, commitment that you would like them to.
Speaker A:And that's just the reality.
Speaker A:And understanding that, you know, it's never personal, but there's always having that funnel of for employees is a critical function.
Speaker B:Was there anything that turned out or that you thought was going to be harder than it was?
Speaker A:No.
Speaker A:You know, I would say also retention.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:Giving.
Speaker A:Because, because I come to the table with such a, you know, I'm always looking for the next, the next thing and, and trying to grow and pushing the envelope.
Speaker A:And you know, certainly I've been in this company for a very, very long time, but always trying to diversify within it as well as, you know, other ventures and things of that nature.
Speaker A:But you know, there's the loyalty that comes from investing into your teams and you know, really doing right by them.
Speaker A:Showing transparency, being genuine in your intent goes such a long way.
Speaker A:So I've been also very fortunate to build a strong leadership team that has been with us for 10 plus years.
Speaker A:And you know that there's a lot of value and fulfillment in that growth without them moving on because they, you know, they, we've created something special together and they can't imagine moving on from that.
Speaker B:Yeah, you know, we've both been lucky enough to see and been around a number of different franchisees over the years and we've seen franchisees come and go and sometimes I think there's a misperception amongst new franchisees that the business is going to be easier because it's a franchise.
Speaker B:You know, is there any, is there a piece of advice that you would give somebody who's getting into a franchise business along those lines that, you know, it's.
Speaker B:It just because the, the guardrails are there and the processes are there and the model is there and the brand is there doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be easier.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:You still got to work.
Speaker B:It's not, they're not just going to hand it to you on a silver platter.
Speaker A:Right, right, right.
Speaker A:And you know, work isn't.
Speaker A:Work isn't work.
Speaker A:Swinging the hammer is work.
Speaker A:But also having a one to one and sitting down with coffee and learning about what the goals and aspirations of an employee are is also work because it's, it's, that's the investment and the labor that's needed for you to continue to add depth to the, to your team and to your, you know, your organization, you know, franchise.
Speaker A:Coming into, and going back to those validation calls, you know, there's, you have to understand the business.
Speaker A:And although everything is a different label and I think franchising gives this idea that anybody can do anything and, and you know, it means that anybody can buy the playbook and invest in that playbook.
Speaker A:But there's, so with every, every industry, there are nuances and there's experiences that, you know, you have to be able to be able to get intimately in touch with to truly understand the heartbeat of your business.
Speaker A:So it's an opportunity to learn within parameters that you know are going to keep you on the tracks.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:But it's not going to push the train forward.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:And it doesn't mean there's an opportunity to slide off the tracks as well.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Let's talk a little bit about work, life balance and personal goals.
Speaker B:So, you know, you've got five locations now.
Speaker B:You've got probably 100 plus employees, if not more, across all those locations.
Speaker B:How do you manage the demands of running that business while maintaining time for yourself and your family?
Speaker A:Yeah, anonymity is a huge.
Speaker A:Trusting people, developing a team around you that you can trust and also understanding that there's never going to be a perfect day and the day is never going to be over.
Speaker A:So understanding when it's time to shut that off, which candidly, I struggle with from time to time.
Speaker A:And that's something that I've learned and constantly have to keep reminding myself that the idea of a day clocking in, clocking out, doesn't exist, nor would I ever want it to.
Speaker A:But everything comes with a plus.
Speaker A:Everything in life is a plus and a minus.
Speaker A:And the pluses are far outweigh the minuses for me.
Speaker A:But you know, there's, there's, there's such a, there's a freedom, but it's not all freedom.
Speaker A:And you have to understand when you can have that freedom and really allow yourself to have that freedom.
Speaker A:And if, but if it's based on when you just want it, then that's, that's, that's a recipe for disaster as well.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:So have your personal goals shifted since you became a business owner?
Speaker B:You know, I mean, when you started, you have Certain goals that you want to accomplish as you've grown and you've grown more locations.
Speaker B:How have some of those goals changed?
Speaker A:Yeah, well, you know, my, my goals early on as a personal trainer were to, were to, for those before and after pictures that we all love to see and help motivate us, you know, for that, you know, 6 inches off the waistline or down 50 pounds or whatever the case may be.
Speaker A:And as I, as I continued to grow within the fitness industry, understanding that that goal now was how can I develop that passion within one of my trainers to also be excited and work towards that before and after picture.
Speaker A:The goal is still the before and after picture, but the before and after picture is now the goal of myself and my trainer.
Speaker A:And my goal is now to help them to facilitate that goal for that client.
Speaker A:To, to then going from the five Fitness Together locations where I think I'm guessing probably 40, 50 employees there, to the Five Elements locations that have 145 employees.
Speaker A:Really changing it from being that owner, operator and hands on the client, both figuratively and actually to now understanding that I'm a steward of customer service in the wellness industry and what can I do to better facilitate that customer service experience that's going to help to generate growth within each location.
Speaker A:And no longer is it about the, just the end result is for the client.
Speaker A:But my first action is three stages above that through our management team.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Have you implemented any boundaries or any strategies to maintain a sense of work life balance?
Speaker A:Yes, I have a big ass calendar behind me.
Speaker B:Do you turn your phone off?
Speaker B:Do you, are there certain days of the week, are there certain times of the day that you got to shut it down to spend some time with family and kids and things like that?
Speaker A:I aim to.
Speaker A:The concept of servant leadership is definitely something that depicts how I try to go to work every day and sometimes every day is seven days and sometimes every day is four days in that week.
Speaker A:Sometimes it's, you know, we try to keep it to five and it always spills over to six.
Speaker A:But you know, there's an understanding and coaching to, you know, have that same expectation and create that work life balance for your team so that you then can have make sure that they understand why that's important for you.
Speaker A:So not not having an expectation, but coaching to why it's important for us all to have this so that we can then give that to each other.
Speaker A:So that when I'm on vacation, no one's, no one's bothered, no one's going to reach out to Me, unless it's an emergency.
Speaker A:And they know that I'm always accessible for.
Speaker A:For that.
Speaker A:And same for them when you know, it's time off.
Speaker A:So it's communication and boundaries that you just, you discuss a plan and what that plan is is important because, you know, we all need to have that balance.
Speaker C:Yeah, Agree.
Speaker B:Agreed.
Speaker B:As you look back on all of this and you think about the rewards that have come out of this for you, you know, just as a person and not even the financial side of the equation, is there a specific moment or a milestone that made you kind of stop and go?
Speaker B:This is why I do what I do.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So one of the.
Speaker A:You had mentioned the franchisee of the year for the ifa, which is the International Franchise association, just the year before that, I was, my wife and I, Tracy, were honored to get the franchisee of the year for Elements.
Speaker A:And you know, with the Elements brand, it's been, having been in the company now for 20, 20 years, the brand's really, really important.
Speaker A:And it's the value of it has far superseded that playbook that we discussed earlier.
Speaker A:It's a community and it's an understanding of watching it grow from two locations to, you know, the 250 locations, from our one location to five locations and all the trials and tribulations that have happened within that growth and the amount of support that comes from our local ownership group within the Boston market, we put our heart and soul and passion into what we do for a higher purpose and for it to have value.
Speaker A:And, you know, I'm not one for accolades.
Speaker A:I don't really care to speak about awards, although I just spoke of those two.
Speaker A:But that one really meant a lot because it was something that, you know, the, the owners that had come before me had received that award.
Speaker A:And I do things with a little, slightly different, little, slightly different intention, but with the same goals in mind, just a different way to achieve those and to be able to achieve that and look back at the five brands that now represent within the well biz company, which is our parent company.
Speaker A:And to be on stage and understand that I was there when it was just one fitness brand, then brought on a massage brand to Now 5 Wellness Brands was pretty monumental.
Speaker B:What about impact in the lives of the customers, employees, community?
Speaker B:Are there certain things that you've seen over the years or that have had a really profound impact on you or in terms of your ability to help employees or customers or people in the community?
Speaker A:Yeah, I'll say the community impact is something that we talk about a Lot because anybody can choose to do anything with their time in terms of be in food service or be a stockbroker and work on Wall street or anything in between excavation and, or landscaping.
Speaker A:You know, we all have those choices.
Speaker A:But to be able to, you know, be able to give back to our community and help our communities be a healthier place that's living, you know, they're living their best lives because of the work that we do comes with a lot of gratification.
Speaker A:And the thing that, you know, I appreciate the most about because I lean on this personally myself is that because of the way that our business model is set up with our wellness program so that a client is forming a relationship and becoming a part of our community.
Speaker A:But it's also helping the business because it's part of our, you know, our cash.
Speaker A:Our cash flow on a monthly basis is based off of those auto pays that they're getting one massage put onto their account.
Speaker A:But what's happening in turn is that that client is committed to taking care of themselves.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:That comes with that investment of their time.
Speaker A:That helps to stabilize our business and help our business to grow.
Speaker A:And we're getting a positive result that's really, truly impactful to the their well being.
Speaker A:And so the appreciation goes both, both ways based off of a business function that, you know, helps us to, to continue to grow and prosper.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:As you look back over, over the past 15, 20 years, is there any decision or approach that approach that you wish you had handled differently early on, something that you would tell young Matt to do?
Speaker B:Not that you're old.
Speaker A:No, I'm feeling it.
Speaker A:I would say the, I've come along to understand that, you know, as, as I said that you can't, you can't take anything too seriously.
Speaker A:You can't take the highs, you can't celebrate the highs too too much.
Speaker A:And you can't get too bummed out about the lows and, and understand that that right there in the notch in between is where you want to be most of the time.
Speaker A:So you know, it's, and you go through waves.
Speaker A:So as, as you have some highs then you know, once you realize that there's lows that come along with them, then sometimes when you're on the high, you're too concerned about falling it down to be, you know, falling down into that low or when's that going to happen and understanding that a nice even keel and having, you know, scalable systems that help you to create some, a level of consistency is the most important thing not to make, you know, to not understand and make any business decision, operational or otherwise, that you don't understand the full ramifications of it.
Speaker A:So if it's something that's worth doing once, it's worth doing again.
Speaker A:And thinking of it from that standpoint, from the jump, is something I've learned and really tried to wrap my head around and use.
Speaker B:So you're sitting down across the table from somebody who might be considering getting into business ownership.
Speaker B:Are there any pieces of advice, practical steps you would recommend for somebody who's exploring it?
Speaker B:They're not ready.
Speaker B:But what would you tell them to do in terms of what go learn about?
Speaker B:What would you tell them to explore?
Speaker A:Well, I'd have them reach out to Parnell worded with the pivot point and, and, and use your wealth of knowledge to help point them in the right direction.
Speaker A:But outside of that, say if you were on vacation or something, because work life balance is important, I would say what, you know, what, what are they passionate, what, what are they passionate about and what's their bandwidth in terms of, you know, being, wanting to be, you know, is this a, is this something you want to work for, work in or work on?
Speaker A:And if you're working in it or on it, do you want that to be 10 hours a week or do you, or are you okay for those weeks that it's going to be 60 hours?
Speaker A:And there's a different, there's a different fruit that, that each of those opportunities is going to bear if all, if you, if everything goes, goes well.
Speaker A:And what do you want that to be?
Speaker C:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:Any misconceptions about business ownership you'd want them to know?
Speaker A:Yeah, freedom.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Freedom isn't, freedom isn't given and it's very much earned a lot of people and you know, I, what, Even when I talk with some, my stepchildren, you know, I've had to teach them that, you know, listen, you know, the flexibility that that is, is that you may see on the outside is something that's probably the most important goal that's been achieved.
Speaker A:And that doesn't mean that it's there.
Speaker A:Just because it's there today doesn't mean it's there tomorrow.
Speaker A:But it's not a given.
Speaker A:And just if someone's making it look easy, it's because they've done a really good job and really put a lot of time and energy into that.
Speaker A:As business ownership is the last thing, is the furthest thing from being able to be your own boss.
Speaker A:You may be your own boss, but You've actually just got however many clients you have or how many employees you have.
Speaker A:You have that many bosses, but would you change it?
Speaker B:Anything?
Speaker B:Would you give it up, go back to work for somebody else?
Speaker A:That's a tough question for me because I don't know.
Speaker A:My only boss, I believe, was I had a fitness manager at the Boston Sports Club in Linfield, Massachusetts for six months, and I had Pirates Cove back in North Conway at the mini golf course.
Speaker A:So I haven't had too many bosses.
Speaker B:Can you imagine not having your own organization and your own team and your own people and being able to drive that bus on your own?
Speaker A:No, there's there, you know, to have the passion and.
Speaker A:And the fulfillment that comes along with the smallest of accomplishments and also being able to benefit from the big ones as well and everything in between that.
Speaker A:There's.
Speaker A:There's nothing quite like it.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Let's do a couple little rapid fire questions.
Speaker B:What is one book, podcast, or resource that's had the biggest impact on your business mindset?
Speaker A:Good to great.
Speaker B:Good to great.
Speaker B:What's it about?
Speaker A:Taking.
Speaker A:Understanding the difference between good businesses and that gap between understanding what good is and being successful here, to taking that next leap to what great truly is in that rare air.
Speaker B:Cool.
Speaker B:What is one personal habit or ritual that keeps you grounded as a business owner?
Speaker A:Talking with my employees, like the newest employees or the.
Speaker A:And most importantly, the most tenured, checking on their lives and asking them the personal questions about what's really going on in their worlds.
Speaker A:Because that's an indication of, you know, how healthy your business is, is how well you're in touch with every level of it.
Speaker A:And you can't.
Speaker A:As you continue to grow, it's harder and harder to be.
Speaker A:It's not a daily, but it's an important tool to make sure you tap into as often as possible.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Awesome, Matt.
Speaker B:Thanks, Matt.
Speaker B:I really appreciate you being on.
Speaker B:I think people are really going to enjoy listening to your story.
Speaker B:You have done so much.
Speaker B:You have so much to be proud of and quite a history, a set of accomplishments along the way.
Speaker B:I think you're a wonderful role model for people to learn about and to see what can be done and what can be accomplished.
Speaker B:So thank you so much for joining me today.
Speaker A:Yeah, thank you, Parnell.
Speaker A:I appreciate the opportunity.
Speaker C:Cool.
Speaker B:All right, everybody.
Speaker B:Parnell Woodard, from the pivot point, we will see you.
