When we first published ‘How To Grow Your Business By Taking 3 Months Off', we were surprised by the number of franchisees who told us that they could not easily take the time off due to their businesses being so dependent upon them. And, to make matters worse, they paid good money to buy their franchise, which of course they thought was their ticket to freedom.

So, does your franchisor really care if you can take three months off? No, you are the only one who cares! If you are stuck in the business you purchased, and it hasn't brought you the freedom you thought possible, then it is not the fault of the franchisor. The only one who can create this reality is you! And, although most people purchase their franchise because of the ‘systems' and the ‘turn-key' methodology being sold, they quickly find out that the systems alone will neither provide them with the freedom they desire nor the ability to take a longer vacation such as a three-month holiday.

Therefore, the key to a successful franchise business is not entirely about the systems, it's about your mindset and the people you put around you and on your team.

Mindset

The philosophy behind taking a three-month holiday from your business is firstly, about changing your mindset. It's not actually about the holiday – albeit this is the bonus. If a business owner can take this amount of time out, without running the business by remote phone and email contact, then they'll get the distinction about what it is to have a business versus a glorified job. And, isn't this why you purchased your franchise in the first place.

Our belief is that when a business owner is focused and on purpose everything flows – there is momentum, not only for them but their business. On the flipside, when a business is ‘off track' this is due to the owner also being off track.

In today's business environment, if you are not stopping to reflect and review, nor taking the time to recharge your batteries, then you are likely to be running on empty or maybe just adrenalin. At some point you will need to stop - simply because you will no longer have the desire or willpower to continue doing the doing.

At times, business owners can be more conscious of ensuring that their employees are not overworked, however, seem to forget about themselves. Until, of course, it becomes a dire need.

So, where do you start?

Make the Decision

Set aside some time to ask yourself this question: ‘if the remainder of 2007 was similar to the beginning, would this be okay with me? Is the business on track, or are we simply going through the motions?' If you feel you're not on track, then make a decision to do something different. Conduct an honesty audit with yourself – is the business getting the best out of you and are you getting the best out of the business?

Imagine what it would look like if you did take three months off? What would you have to do to make this happen? What would you need to change about how you operate? Because, as the owner of your business, you know exactly what makes it work, and worst of all, you are likely to be involved each time a decision is required – not a good idea for someone who plans to disappear for three months and expects the business to run well or better until you get back.

The process of taking three months off starts with you and you need to be absolutely, and whole-heartedly committed to setting up your business so it can operate without depending on you.

Engaging the Right People

To take three months off, you must have your team in place. Without them you have no hope. And the team refers to both internal and external people.

Your team must have similar values and standards. You compromise here, and you'll pay dearly. Building a championship team starts with recruiting. And, this doesn't mean you abdicate the recruitment to one of your team members.

A word of advice: the biggest mistake most owners make is that they recruit staff more from a skills perspective rather than first evaluating if they have the right attitude to match the company values or the job. You can always teach the skills required, but you can't teach attitude!

What Jim Collins said, in his ground-breaking book “Good to Great” is, it is imperative to have the right people on the bus and in the right seats. Otherwise everything will just come unstuck.

What this means is, if you don't have the right people in place you either need to provide the necessary training or they need another bus to travel on. A key question for you is ‘would I trust the current team to run my business for three months?' If the answer is ‘yes' – then start packing your bags. If the answer is ‘no' – then start creating your recruitment strategy.

Putting the Systems to the Test

Once you have the right people in place, you'll then be able to put your franchise systems to the test. Is everything documented, will your customers get a consistent outcome – is this business predictable? While ever the business owner remains in the business, the systems will never be totally put to the test. Why, because typically owners think outside the square – they are adaptable, flexible and just have a go. Therefore, it is critical that your key people understand the importance of constant improvement of the systems.

Ultimately, the difference between you taking a three-month holiday or not, hangs on your decision and commitment to make this happen.

No matter what type or size your business is, it can be structured so it can run without depending on you. And although this is a big ask of most business owners, it can be done. You can do it – go for it!