Franchise Lifestyles®, Success Stories
The Entrepreneur’s Source New Year’s Resolution Inspiration: Mark and Rebecca Rubick
New Year’s Resolution Inspiration: Mark and Rebecca Rubick, The Entrepreneur’s Source Success Story.
Early in 2016, Mark and Rebecca Rubick were enjoying their 2nd honeymoon on a holiday cruise. After more than 20 years in the communications and electrical products industry, Mark knew it was time for a change and he asked his wife about it. Her response was simple, “You’ve always wanted to buy a business, why don’t you buy something?” It was a challenge Mark gladly accepted, and the pair headed home on a mission to change their lives through business ownership in 2016.
By late June, with help from Rick Arevalo and The Entrepreneur’s Source®, Mark and Rebecca found their franchise match with Patrice & Associates – a leading national hospitality recruiting franchise. They were so impressed with the concept that they purchased a regional development deal with Patrice & Associates for the Kentucky and Ohio regions. And in just a few months, they already have a staff of 6 recruiters and are poised for major success in 2017.
We sat down for an exclusive Q&A with Mark to provide some guidance and advice for other husband-and-wife teams who are considering making the leap into business ownership this year’s New Year’s Resolution. Here’s what he shared with us:
Hi Mark! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career prior to going into business with your wife
Since we’re a team, I’ll give you the background for both myself and my wife. I spent more than 20 years working in the communications and electrical products industry. I held numerous positions over the years, including product manager, national sales manager, and director of marketing, and spent most of my career working for Ilsco, Belden, and Thomas & Betts.
My wife, on the other hand, is a financial analyst with a healthcare company here in Cincinnati. So, we possess complimentary skill sets as she is the financial expert and I’m the marketing and sales expert.
Take us back to that pivotal moment on your holiday cruise. What made something click?
This was a 2nd honeymoon trip we took together very early this year. Quick aside – I recommend a 2nd honeymoon trip to everyone! Anyway – during our vacation, my wife and I were discussing new challenges we’d like to tackle and changes we’d like to make now that we’re in our early 50’s. During the conversation, she asked me point blank – “you’ve always wanted to buy a business, why don’t you buy something?” She was right and I’m glad she asked the question while we were away from the stress and pressure of our careers so we could return with newfound energy to go for it!
What role did Rick Arevalo and The Entrepreneur’s Source® play in the process?
I found The Entrepreneur’s Source® early in my research process by responding to an online ad that asked “ever want to own a business?” I was quickly put in touch with Rick who was instrumental in our due diligence process. Rick helped us define our possibilities, outcomes, and dreams (POD) and the I.L.W.E.™(income, lifestyle, wealth and equity) we wanted to build together. Equipped with that information, Rick introduced us to more than a half dozen concepts over the next four months and helped us find our franchise match with Patrice & Associates. And by late June, my wife and I closed on a regional development deal with Patrice & Associates for the Kentucky and Ohio regions.
Why Patrice & Associates? Why was it the perfect fit for you?
We explored a wide variety of franchise concepts during our due diligence process, including a senior in-home care concept, a unique gym concept, and a professional business coaching concept, but Patrice & Associates was the right fit. While my wife and I have always had a long-standing desire to own a restaurant or bar, Patrice & Associates also passed our key evaluation criteria. My wife loved the fact it was a quality investment considering the financial upside and I loved the short sales cycle from lead to cash. Not to mention we both believe in the value of the franchise opportunity – an opportunity to own a protected territory and place neighbors/friends with any of the 500 corporate accounts (restaurants, hotels, casinos, etc.) Patrice & Associates has established.
Any advice for couples making a resolution to take the leap into business ownership in 2017?
Here’s something I believe keeps most husband and wife teams from taking that leap – their children. My wife and I have two teenagers. Is it scary to leave a salaried job for a new business with college on the horizon? Sure. However, my wife and I believe the bigger risk would not be taking advantage of a massive opportunity to change our lives. For one, we went in to this with a game plan and made sure we found a franchise that allowed my wife to retain her salaried position – we did not want a retail outlet or similar business that required both of us to work the business day in and day out. But more importantly, we were all-in and determined to make this work. We took the time to educate ourselves and were fortunate to work with Rick Arevalo at The Entrepreneur’s Source® who helped guide us through this process.
So, my advice? Change your life in 2017 and commit to your resolution to go into business as a husband and wife team! We did it and so can you!
For more information about how you and your family can find the ideal family business franchise match with The Entrepreneur’s Source® and Franchise Match®, please visit www.franchisematch.com.