For healthcare providers considering Let Mommy Sleep ownership, a common question is Can I keep my job as a nurse while I own a franchise? While many of our owners want to transition to exclusively owning this small business, others enjoy working at the bedside so they both run their business and continue to work in healthcare. So, the answer to this question is YES, owners provide patient care while owning an LMS franchise, but your decision will depend on your personal situation and preferences.
Can I Keep My Job as a Nurse while I Own a Franchise?
Challenges
We're not going to lie to you- unless you have outside help, it probably won't be easy to work in a professional position while getting your franchise started. Most of our owners have done it though!
Here's why it can be challenging:
Time
Owning a franchise, especially one that is a niche concept like ours, is a demanding job that requires a lot of time and effort, particularly in the beginning stages of starting the business. You'll need to be able to dedicate a significant amount of time especially in the beginning, growing the franchise and building local partnerships. It's hard to quantify exactly how much time might be spent working on your business in the beginning stages but you can expect to spend the same 40-50 hours per week that you would at any other full time job. A good step-by-step business plan will help you with this.
Balancing all the Parts of the Business
Small business owners definitely wear many hats. Even when you hire help, franchise owners can expect to have a hand in recruiting, bookkeeping, case management and being the face of the business. This is especially true in newborn care, where community relationships and transparency are vital to your success. Expecting parents need to know and trust you.
With all parts of a business, sometimes decisions need to be made quickly and as the owner, you will need to be accessible.
Can I Keep My Job as a Nurse while I Own a Franchise?
Yes! Solutions
Let Mommy Sleep is here to help you achieve your personal and financial goals and we want Nurses and other professionals on our ownership team. It helps the entire team -and our families- when health care experts, academic authorities and experienced corporate leaders are in the ownership role. Expecting and postpartum families love it too; many of our owners occasionally work in the field as baby nurses or providing in-home education to parents to be.
With that in mind, here are solutions to make franchise ownership easier for you:
Set-Schedule
If you have a part-time job or a fixed 3 day schedule that allows for days off during the week, you can manage both your nursing job and your franchise. For example, Bridgette, a Nurse Practitioner and owner of LMS in Florida works in the mother/baby unit at her hospital every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. During this time her partner answers emails, phones and attends to any case management needs. Recruiting and the other daily tasks happen during the typical workweek for LMS Boca.
Partners or Managers
A partner or admin helper who can respond to phone, email and other inquiries when you aren't there is a great idea whether you have a job or not. One of the reasons LMS is so successful is because we are available to answer parents' questions with compassion and efficiency. This is important when caring for families in one of the most vulnerable time of their lives!
Several of our teams are Registered Nurses and 50/50 partners. The team in Philadelphia for example have been in business since 2016 with a partnership and managerial model. Our newest franchise owners in Wichita are also both RN's who have divided their roles to excel at different parts of their franchise.
Technology
Our automated web and intake tools mean you'll never miss a call, email or other inquiry. Additionally, social media monitoring and corporate communications also filter requests directly to you. Tools such as Google Voice, automatic texting and call routing also help you control the flow of customer service.
Corporate Support
At Let Mommy Sleep, franchises and the parent company are considered a team. This is not just something we say, it is something we live. Because the success of each territory directly affects the others, the ideas and learning that we share benefits the entire system and the brand. Monthly meetings, spontaneous check-ins, brain storming and routine updates to our processes take the weight of questions like, "Am I doing this right?" off your shoulders.
It's of course very important to carefully consider the demands of both your nursing job and the franchise before making a decision. You may also want to consult with a financial advisor or business coach to help you determine whether owning a franchise is a good fit for your specific situation. We're here to help and you can contact us anytime.
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