I've spent decades as a business and management speaker, presenting to leaders about performance, leadership and building strong teams. Opening a franchise meant taking out a loan, signing a 10-year lease, investing in a buildout, managing employees, and serving customers. Choose the right franchise modelNot every franchise is suited for absentee ownership, no matter what the sales team says. That award confirmed what I'd come to believe: franchise success isn't about working harder. You don't need to give up your day job to build a successful business.