Franchise Lifestyles®, Success Stories
Marsha’s Success Story
When corporate downsizing struck, Marsha turned a professional misfortune into a personal opportunity.
The entrepreneurial spirit has always been inside Marsha K. Her grandfather was a business owner, as was her father, but Marsha pursued, excelled, and prospered in a career within the corporate world. Marsha rose through the ranks at a leading insurance provider, but there was always a desire to step out on her own. When corporate downsizing struck, Marsha turned a professional misfortune into a personal opportunity.
Out of Tragedy Comes Triumph
In the spring of 2016, with help from her coach from The Entrepreneur’s Source®, Marsha found her franchise match with Oxi Fresh — the world’s greenest carpet cleaner®. Though she was not familiar with the world of carpet and upholstery cleaning at the time, Marsha is now fully immersed and is enjoying her new career and the priceless time with her family.
We sat down with Marsha to get some knowledge for other corporate professionals contemplating their next steps on their career journey. Here’s what she shared with us:
TES Q: Hi, Marsha! Tell us a little about yourself and your career prior to going into business for yourself
Marsha K.: I graduated from UConn and immediately landed a job at a major insurance company in Connecticut, where I put my accounting degree to use. I eventually worked my way up to become the director of the corporate training department, where I utilized my passion for helping others. It was exciting. I got to travel, meet wonderful people, and the company even helped pay for my MBA. Even though I was happy in the corporate world, I was really longing to follow in the footsteps of my father and his father, as they were both entrepreneurs. I remember growing up watching them try and go out and make the sale and pitch the products. In the back of my mind, I wanted a piece of that action.
TES Q: What made you finally take your first step towards becoming a business owner, yourself?
Marsha K.: It began in 2015 when my husband was laid off. During that time, he was introduced to a coach from The Entrepreneur’s Source®(TES). I found myself intrigued as my husband talked about the TES seminar. Lo and behold, a year later, I was among the casualties when my company took part in the restructuring process. But here’s the kicker, I had the same outplacement services as my husband, giving me access to the same TES coach that my husband had met with.
TES Q: What was it about your TES experience that you feel empowered you most?
Marsha K.: The idea of being an owner wasn’t a foreign concept, I always considered it. But my coach helped convert that dream into a reality. During my initial meeting, he stressed to always have an open mind when you’re looking at franchising opportunities. My TES coach tailored the process to fit my goals, needs, and expectations based on my I.L.W.E. (income, lifestyle, wealth and equity) principle. He compiled a list of several intriguing businesses, and after careful consideration I determined Oxi Fresh was a perfect choice.
“Having a coach from TES helped me see all the possibilities! It really opened my eyes to different franchising opportunities that I would not have been able to find on my own.” — Marsha K.
“I highly recommend The Entrepreneur’s Source® process. Having as many people in your corner fighting for you is important!” — Marsha K.
TES Q: Why was Oxi Fresh the business that best fit your needs?
Marsha K.: I had no previous experiences working in-depth with a carpet cleaning and upholstery business. I went into the decision-making process with an open mind. Oxi Fresh was the only business that met all my requirements. And, my coach was a proponent of Oxi Fresh’s corporate structure as well as the culture. I confirmed it myself during a visit to the headquarters in Colorado. Everyone was courteous, genuine, and helpful. I also liked the challenge of being the first franchisee in Connecticut. I was taking something that was a proven model in other parts of the country and seeing if I could make it work in Connecticut. And, people have been quite receptive to this concept. Besides providing superior customer service, Oxi Fresh’s commitment to water.org, an international organization that provides access to clean water across the globe, aligns with my core values to give back to the community.
TES Q: How is your life today… how has it changed since becoming an Oxi Fresh franchise owner?
Marsha K.: I can’t tell you just how much more relaxed I am with my new lifestyle compared to life in the corporate world. My daughter is a freshman in high school. Being a business owner has afforded me the ability to adjust my schedule so I can attend her school and sports activities and simply keep a closer eye on her. Oxi Fresh has also allowed me to spend more time with my father. He’s out there helping me at job sites, tuning equipment, vacuuming, whatever needs to be done. He’s always happy to be riding shotgun in my little van right now; it’s fun!
“My family says they’ve never seen me this happy and relaxed.” — Marsha K.