American women have worked longer than most realize.
From tending fields and livestock in the country’s pioneer days to teaching our nation’s children, then as nurses and factory workers when we went to war, there have always been women on the job.
But it wasn’t until the past 40 years that women started entering the workforce in greater and greater numbers. While the gap between the numbers of men and women working has narrowed, women are still considered the primary caregivers for the children and do most of the household chores.
That’s why more women are opting to become entrepreneurs. Owning their own businesses typically allows them to schedule the flex time they need to take care of their children. It also offers an opportunity to volunteer for the community service programs they hold near and dear to their hearts.
Owning a franchised business that recognizes their business savvy and personal fulfillment requirements is one of the best ways for women to organize their lifestyle. Whether they need a powerful platform to center their community service work or simply want a better work-life balance, becoming a franchisee can be a great option.
Building Your Own Career
From the time I was 17 years old, I worked in the shipping space. It was something I knew and something I was comfortable with. So, as a Bakersfield, California, native, I felt it was serendipity when the Bakersfield PostNet location came up for sale shortly after I graduated from college.
When I researched the company and met with their team, I felt like they cared about the franchisees and wanted them to fulfill their personal goals as much as they wanted them to succeed in their professional goals. I knew it was a fit for me, and that’s how I ended up owning my own business in 2020.
I enjoyed the experience so much that I went on to purchase a second Bakersfield location in 2022 and two more locations in Buckeye, Arizona, this year.
For me, this franchise kind of fell into my lap, but it’s not always that easy. Oftentimes, women need to find their strengths and interview a variety of franchise brands before choosing to buy into the right one.
It’s like building your own career. Instead of adapting to fit the mold your employers want, finding the right franchise allows you to use the skills you’re most comfortable with and delegate those you’re not to grow your business.
With the right franchisor, you can build a business that allows you to earn a living while still finding the time to give back to your community and spend time with your family.
Fulfilling a Desire to Give Back
Franchise ownership has allowed me to build four successful locations. But, more than that, business ownership has given me the time, and the vehicle, to give back to my community.
My love of children and my mother’s own volunteer work inspired me to get involved with children in need in my community. My mother showed me how important it is to be able to give back where I could and introduced me to volunteering with the local foster care system. Since getting involved, I have become a foster parent and partner with these local organizations to host holiday events for children in need.
And it was through my ownership of PostNet that I was able to have the flexible time I needed in order to volunteer and was afforded a bigger voice in the community to share the message about foster parenting and its importance.
Whether it is through my interaction with regular customers, our public identity, or using our influence in the community, I have been given a bigger voice to promote policies that can influence local advocacy.
Taking the Time for Family
For women who are juggling work and family life, finding the time to spend with their children when they need them is also a top concern among professional women.
According to a recent Deloitte report, 14% of the women they interviewed left a position because there wasn’t enough flexibility in their working hours, second only to a deficit in pay. The report said women end up leaving because 97% of them believe that asking for more flexible working hours would adversely affect their chances of promotion.
My own children, who are 8 and 9 years old now, were only about 4 and 5 years old when I first bought into the PostNet franchise. I never wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, but I didn’t want to leave them for hours at a time, either. Franchising has provided me with the flexibility to bring my children to work. They have grown up at my PostNet locations and know all our regular customers.
When you are the business owner, you can create a schedule that works for you so you can meet family obligations like attending a child’s program during school hours or a children’s art show after hours.
Choosing the Right Franchise
One of the reasons so many young entrepreneurs opt to join a franchise is that franchisors have a proven business model that has been evaluated and refined across multiple territories. Many also have established brand recognition in their markets and offer ongoing support to their franchisees.
But if you are a woman considering joining a franchise to improve your work-life balance, make sure you discuss your personal goals with your potential franchisor in addition to your professional ones. Ask questions about your commitment level and consider all your options.
If you find a franchise that allows you to lead with your heart while growing your franchise business, you have found your franchise “home.”
Caty Witt
Caty Witt is a multi-unit PostNet franchise owner from Bakersfield, California. After earning her bachelor’s degree in business administration, Witt purchased her first PostNet location in Bakersfield in 2020. Since then, she’s expanded with a second Bakersfield location in 2022 and acquired two additional stores in Buckeye, Arizona, this year. As the mother of two, Witt feels a kinship to children’s issues and currently serves on the board for a local foster agency.
