[20] JEFF HERZOG: From hustling at a young age to owning a nationwide executive recruiting business

The Entrepreneur Next Door 🏡

"I was in an MBA program, my wife was pregnant with twins, and I had a great job and income. My Dad asked me if I wanted to go into business for myself. I dropped everything and did it. "
There may never be a 'perfect' time to leave the comfort of a well-paying job, but if the person selling you a franchise has done just that (leave at the imperfect time), you should probably listen to what he has to share.
This is a father-and-son success story, one where the father (Ron) wanted his son (Jeff) to earn the right to join the business by first working in the business. Jeff started his career as a stockbroker (yes, making hundreds of cold calls), moved to become an art auctioneer, and was later recruited by his dad to join FPC and open his own recruiting business.
The unique aspect of Jeff's franchising business is that, unlike other franchises where an owner has to learn an entirely new business, FPC is ideal for executives with relevant experience and connections. What they learn and train for after buying a franchise is how to leverage their existing skills and connections to build a profitable business.
While to some, this may sound like a franchising infomercial, it isn't; Jeff talks about a reality that is very common for successful high-level executives - they miss their family and experience burnout out due to long hours, heavy travel, and frequent relocations.
Many of us have faced the challenge presented in this podcast at some point: Do I leave the comfort of a steady job to start my own business? Do I have what it takes to run a business? Is an unknown future, somewhat within my control as an owner, better than being employed?
Spoiler alert: success comes down to physical and intellectual hustle, or as Jeff puts it, "if you're not willing to hustle, business ownership isn't for you. "