Over his past 5 years as a Franchise Consultant,
Carl Grossman has developed a deep knowledge and insight into this industry. From his mindset, his motivation, his intentions, and his passion, it is clear to see why he is in
Business Alliance Inc.’s President’s Circle (meaning he is in the top 10% of all Certified Franchise Consultants in the network!) With an innate love for guiding others to become the best version of themselves, Carl’s genuine approach to consulting shines through with each client.
So, where did Carl’s journey begin?
Carl’s Road to Franchise Consulting
Carl spent his formative years performing turnarounds for large companies. In other words, he went into companies that were struggling and repaired them. He experienced great success with this business and became highly skilled at going into distressed situations to provide guidance and resolution to get companies back on their feet.
During the financial crisis of 2008, the concept of turnarounds started dying down as private equities took over. No one wanted to fix anything anymore. Everyone was just looking for the next billion-dollar start-up.
“Two million miles and two million hotel rooms later, I decided I wasn’t going to do it anymore,” Carl said. He spent a year trying to buy a business but had no luck. When he stumbled into an old friend and explained his situation, his friend suggested he look into franchise consulting. Carl was immediately intrigued. He began conducting some research, specifically on Business Alliance, Inc. Coming from a job where he was constantly on the road, he was drawn to the idea that franchise consulting would allow him to work on his own time and from wherever he wanted. The more he learned about franchising, the more fascinated he became. In 2015, he joined BAI and the rest is history!
What Does Carl Love Most About Franchise Consulting?
Mentoring and Relationships
Carl loves working with people who are in a career transition for any reason, whether because they are tired of working for someone else, approaching retirement, seeking diversification within their portfolio…whatever the case may be. As a former corporate CEO, he has a unique perspective he can bring to his clients, and as a lifelong mentor, consulting is another avenue for him to practice mentoring individuals. He builds meaningful relationships with his clients, getting to know them on a deeper level so he can guide them in the right direction that will benefit them the most in the long run. While some people may be hesitant to have someone they do not know holding their hand through the discovery process, Carl has not found much resistance at all. This is likely due much in part to his genuine interest in getting to know his clients, making them feel like a friend from the first call.
Speaking of the first call, this will always be one of Carl’s favorite parts of the business. “I still love it! I love getting on that first call with them and getting them excited about their path,” Carl explains.
Community
In addition to the relationships he has made with his clients, Carl has come to love the community he has built with other Consultants and the entire BAI organization. He was asked to be a part of BAI’s inaugural group, which he willingly accepted. He appreciates the fact that they consistently ask for feedback, and much of what is suggested is not only taken into consideration but adopted and implemented.
He loves working with other consultants, bouncing ideas off of one another, and helping each other. He has found that they are all facing similar struggles and are happy to share how they have overcome them in the past. They are not in competition with one another – they are on the same team and share similar goals and interests, which is another refreshing and unique aspect of being a Franchise Consultant.
What is Carl’s #1 Tip For Consultants?
BE INVOLVED AND EDUCATED FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END,
AND BEYOND!
Carl emphasizes that this is a partnership business, so it is extremely important to be there as a partner to your client as well as to the Franchisor from beginning to end.
Carl is highly invested in the success of his clients from the very start. Once he passes them on to a Franchisor, he is very involved as they move through the education process. He is always on the first call because this can oftentimes be very overwhelming to candidates as they are presented with a great deal of new information. He makes the introduction of his client to the Franchisor, then mutes himself, and is a fly on the wall for the remainder of the conversation.
This not only gives him a sneak peek into a brand’s process and educates him on the brand, but he also calls his client immediately after to go over anything they did not understand, answer any questions, and ease any stress. He then circles that feedback right back to the Franchisor. “I learn so much about the brand with every call I am on,” Carl said.
“The more educated I am on the brand, the more I can help.”
Carl does not limit himself to being on the initial call. He continues to be there for every step of the process. He will often perform an FDD review with his client before the brand does, just to prepare them for the call since this can be quite a daunting document. He is there to prepare for validation calls, evaluate the Discovery Day, and, of course, when it comes to decision time, he is there as moral support.
Not only that, but Carl continues to keep in touch with his clients after they have been awarded a franchise, and considers many of them lifelong friends. Beyond that, he also gets firsthand validation on the concept that he can speak to when presenting the brand later down the line.
Congratulations, Carl, on being
Raintree’s November Consultant of the Month! We look forward to our continued partnership as we change lives together one franchise at a time!
