Three Reasons You Should Be Delegating Work To Others On Your Team

Ray Titus is CEO of United Franchise Group (UFG), a global leader for entrepreneurs with brands in over 1,600 locations in 60 countries.

When you’re the boss, it can be tough to give up some of your projects, which can feel like giving up power. Entrepreneurs are often control freaks, thinking no one else can do what they do as well as they do it. Sometimes they’re right, but often they’re wrong. If you’re not giving up some of your work and delegating it to others on your team, you’re likely making a big mistake—for yourself and your company.

I learned the value of delegating early in my company’s life. In those days, I did the company’s collections, but once we hired someone and I delegated it, collections improved. So did the business, because I could spend more time on growth—which is the real job of the person at the top.

I won’t sugarcoat it: Delegating can be challenging. You must give up control and trust the other person to do the job right. You might even have to accept that they won’t do it as well as you would, which can lead you to worry that they’ll make you look bad.

The simple answer, of course, is to train someone in the task so they can match your ability and follow your high standards. It will probably take longer than if you continued doing the job, but if you train correctly, you’ll only have to spend that time once. For added confidence, document the training so the next person won’t even have to ask.

There are many reasons to pass on the tasks you’ve been keeping for yourself. For me, there are three:

1. You get more done.

As the leader of your team or the entire organization, delegation frees you up to do more important things. When you don’t have to worry about day-to-day tasks, you can focus on the big-picture items that will take your company forward.

Let’s take a project like the annual company meeting. When you assign someone else to plan and execute it, you can focus on crafting the vision you want to communicate at the conference—without constantly being interrupted to approve details like the program and the lunch menu.

With smart delegation, you can spend more time on higher-level things and develop creative ways to build your business. But you’ll also be able to take time for personal development—vacations, exercising, reading. Those pursuits not only enhance your personal life but also keep you refreshed so you can lead more effectively.

2. It’s good for your company.

There’s actual data on the connection between delegation and company success. In 2015, Gallup surveyed 143 CEOs on the Inc. 500 list and found that “companies run by executives who effectively delegate authority grow faster, generate more revenue and create more jobs.” This has been 100% true in my company for over 38 years.

It’s pretty simple: If you don’t delegate, you’re destined to run a small business.

It makes sense. When senior leaders are free to focus on the larger vision, the company can only grow—not just by giving executives more time to focus on the big picture but also by bringing in a new perspective. Delegating to your team members also benefits your team.

3. It helps your team grow.

I’ve often said that leadership is a tool that has to be sharpened regularly to work right. If you don’t trust your team to manage some of your projects, how will they become better leaders?

I believe strongly in lifelong learning, and effective leadership and team building are skills everyone must learn to advance in an organization. By holding employees back from developing these skills, you’re holding your company back, too.

So, where do I start?

Don’t worry—you can still keep the projects you enjoy or are especially good at; plan to keep the highest-level tasks, of course. Look at the items that significantly increase sales or decrease expenses and stay involved with those. Push other things to people who are better suited to them: booking appointments, organizing production areas, maintenance and the like.

Be sure you’re assigning the tasks based on who is most qualified for them, not because the job bores you. Not every job can be glamorous and exciting all day long, not even the CEO job. Delegating only the less attractive work can deflate your employees’ initiative, and they will leave.

Ready, set, delegate.

As the owner or senior leader of the organization, you must have time to think and plan for your company’s future. Your future planning should include coaching employees to handle some of the work that takes you away from that role.

Remember, you’re not Superman or Wonder Woman. If you must get in early and stay late just to get basic things done, it’s past time to delegate.

Five brands within the Starpoint Brands portfolio earn spot on Entrepreneur magazines prestigious Franchise 500 ranking

Transworld Business Advisors, Signarama, Fully Promoted, Intelligent Office and Venture X rank in one of the most competitive assessments in the ranking’s 45-year history.

Five brands in the Starpoint Brands™ division of United Franchise Group™ (UFG), the global leader for entrepreneurs, have been named to Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500®, the world’s first and most comprehensive franchise ranking. The 2024 Franchise 500 recognizes Transworld Business Advisors®, Signarama®, Fully Promoted®, Intelligent Office® and Venture X® for their outstanding performance in unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power.

This was the most competitive year yet for the Franchise 500, with the most applications ever received. All five Starpoint Brands concepts are returning to the list after multiple years of recognition:

•Transworld Business Advisors: Ranked #80; the business brokerage consulting firm placed in the top 100 once again this year.
•Signarama: Ranked #156; the sign and graphics brand has been listed for 25 consecutive years.
•Fully Promoted: Ranked #413; the branded promotion company has landed on the list for 22 years.
•Intelligent Office: Ranked #436; the coworking concept is the newest brand to become a member of the Starpoint Brands family of trusted companies and made it on the Franchise 500 list for the fifth time.
•Venture X: Ranked #463; the coworking brand made it to the Franchise 500 for the fifth year.

As part of the UFG family of affiliated brands and consultants, and with focused attention within Starpoint Brands, UFG’s franchise division, the success of Transworld Business Advisors, Signarama, Fully Promoted, Intelligent Office and Venture X is further fueled by a global network of resources and nearly four decades of franchise industry expertise. Inclusion in the Franchise 500 is a testament to their strength as franchise opportunities.

“Once again, we are proud to announce our brands’ achievement of this prestigious recognition,” said Ray Titus, founder and CEO of UFG. “Seeing them recognized year after year is continued validation of the work we do to support our brands in providing excellent service to our customers. It’s an inspiring way to start the new year and gives us the momentum to continue driving toward success.”

For 45 years, the annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500 has been a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry and recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees. It is both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees.

“Every brand on the Franchise 500 has its own unique story, but they all collectively make the same statement: Franchising is strong and resilient, is full of innovation and opportunity, and provides a powerful entrepreneurial path for many people,” said Jason Feifer, Entrepreneur’s editor in chief. “Our 45th annual ranking is full of companies with fresh ideas, exciting business models, cultural sway, and the kind of business sophistication that will define the next 45 years and beyond.”

The Entrepreneur editorial team determines the rankings each year by researching and assessing factors that include companies’ costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is then given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500® in ranked order.

To view them in the full Franchise 500® ranking, visit www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500 or pick up a copy of the January/February 2024 issue of Entrepreneur on newsstands now.

About Starpoint Brands
A family of trusted brands representing the very best in their industries, including retail, food & beverage and professional services, Starpoint Brands™ is the mark of quality for customers. It brings together a constellation of brands within United Franchise Group™ (UFG), including Signarama®; Fully Promoted®; Transworld Business Advisors®; Network Lead Exchange™; the Vast Coworking Group™ shared workspace division with Venture X®, Office Evolution® and Intelligent Office®; as well as the Big Flavor Brands™ food division with The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill®, Graze Craze®, and Cannoli Kitchen Pizza®. A brand under the Starpoint Brands division is one that business-to-consumer and business-to-business customers can be sure will provide the ultimate in service, reliability, and value.

About United Franchise Group
Led by CEO Ray Titus, United Franchise Group™ (UFG) is home to an affiliated family of brands and consultants including Accurate Franchising Inc.™, Exit Factor™, FranchiseMart®, and Franchise Real Estate™, as well as the Starpoint Brands™ division consisting of Signarama®, Fully Promoted®, Transworld Business Advisors®, Venture X®, Office Evolution® (OE), Intelligent Office®, Network Lead Exchange™ (NLX), and Big Flavor Brands™ with The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill®, Graze Craze® and Cannoli Kitchen Pizza®. UFG affiliated brands include over 1600 franchises in more than 60 countries, with consultants that have helped develop over 350 brands into franchises, in over 60 countries with more than 2500 franchisees. With over three decades in the franchising industry United Franchise Group offers unprecedented leadership and solid business opportunities for entrepreneurs.

5 Reasons to Consider Franchising When Changing Careers

Switching to a new career? Try investing in yourself and promoting yourself to boss.

t’s not hard to tell when an employee is ready for a job change. When I see people who are so bored with their jobs that they’re just going through the motions or so unhappy that they start complaining, making negative comments and getting snippy with everyone, I know it’s time for them to go.

If that sounds like you, but you don’t want to land in another version of the same unfulfilling situation, it could be time to promote yourself from employee to boss as the owner of your own business — and franchising may be the perfect choice for someone with drive and ambition but not necessarily the experience of entrepreneurship.

At United Franchise Group (UFG), we have about 1,600 franchisees in almost 60 countries, and most of them have transitioned from another career; many can do so without having worked in the industry they’re investing in.

So, here are five reasons to make your next career a franchise:

1. You know it works

It’s a fresh start in a proven business model, with an attractive balance of risk and reward. When you purchase a franchise, you get a company whose products and processes have been tested and perfected in the real world, with real customers and employees. Plus, you get the priceless strength of representing an already established brand that’s recognized and trusted.

2. You get invaluable training and support

Unlike starting an independent business from scratch, joining a franchise gives you training, set-up assistance and support, including shared resources like cooperative advertising and mass purchasing. At UFG, we also provide help finding a location, negotiating a lease, building out a floor plan and many other tasks, with ongoing support as long as the franchisee is with us. We even have a mentor program in place that fosters a relationship between experienced, successful business owners and new owners. We believe an established mentoring program is one of the most valuable things a company can do.

Thanks to programs like these, you can open your business with a high comfort level, so you’re free to focus on building and growing your business rather than working on so many tasks that it takes time away from growth.

3. There’s a franchise to fit almost anyone

Companies in almost every industry are available as franchises, and you’re likely to find one that suits your personality, skills, and goals.

In my experience, all personalities work in franchising except the “know-it-all” who refuses to follow established procedures (and their maverick style doesn’t work in many companies, franchise or not). Following the system is necessary, so if your ego won’t allow you to learn from others, a franchise is not right for you.

4. No experience is necessary

At our franchise brands, our training and support systems mean you don’t have to come from the industry you’re investing in. Sometimes, lack of experience can be a benefit; you’re not bringing old habits that might go against your franchisor’s procedures.

You really need to like the business, however, and especially what that business can do for (or to) your lifestyle. I also suggest that you choose a business you like or have some affinity for. If you can’t tell a monkey wrench from monkey bread, an auto repair franchise is probably not for you. Look for a company where you can utilize your strengths in sales, marketing, communications or technology.

Before making a final decision, research the industry. Meet the franchisor and the team to get a gut feeling about it all, and then visit other owners. Visit their competitors, too, and speak to professionals in the business before making a final decision.

5. Franchisees still have control

While corporate leadership does dictate that certain procedures be followed, the franchisee still has a lot of freedom and flexibility in managing their business. Every team should include management, marketing, sales, production and technology, but the way those teams are utilized is up to the franchisee. At UFG, we get our best ideas from our franchisees, so it’s critical to give them the freedom to make decisions while balancing them with our successful systems.

All businesses ramp up differently depending on sales and expenses, but the typical time frame is six to eighteen months. That first year or so is always the toughest for any kind of business, as you are learning a new industry, hiring all new staff and finding your way. A franchise has many of the same challenges, but with resources to make the experience a little less overwhelming. As owner, you have a manual to refer back to at any time, and you can always rely on corporate leaders and fellow franchisees to have your back.

Franchising gives you all the benefits of big business with the freedom of being a local owner. If you’re considering taking a leap from your current job, you can count on a safety net to help you make a softer landing.

Why business leaders should not ignore AI

If your experience with AI is anything like ours, you’ll soon be wondering why you waited so long to start using it.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing processes for industries of all kinds, but as often happens with significant change, it’s also encountering resistance. Some fear losing their jobs to the “robots,” while others worry that machine-created products will be bland and boring. Both fears are largely unfounded as long as you educate yourself about how to make AI work for you.

An even bigger mistake would be to simply ignore AI, shrugging it off because you don’t think you need it. You could find yourself left behind like the proverbial buggy whip manufacturer who thought cars were just a fad for the super-rich.

AI is a tool—a sophisticated, complex tool, but a tool nonetheless—that can revolutionize your business processes and take the quality of your products and services to the next level. It can help your teams make better decisions, create efficiencies and productivity gains, and improve quality while reducing human error. For us at United Franchise Group, it has enabled our employees to ask more questions and “peel the onion” to get to the heart of an issue.

It does have its drawbacks and should be investigated thoroughly before you start using it, but ignoring it without educating yourself can do more damage than any harm you might imagine it can do.

 

LIFELONG LEARNING

The marks of an effective business leader are that they have an attitude of constant improvement, seek out lifelong learning, and are always looking for a better way forward. As a leader, I believe you should never stop educating yourself, whether that means earning academic degrees or just reading books and attending lectures on your own. It’s essential to keep up with trends in your industry, and AI is probably one of the most important trends you need to learn about.

In my 39 years in business, I have seen the same story play out many times. New technology is most often resisted and fought. People do not like change and don’t want to learn new ways. And yet, from computers to the internet, from cellphones to social media, the individuals and companies that embrace the change do much better than the ones that fight it.

I understand the hesitancy. I never resisted it when I first learned about AI, but I didn’t see how it differed from Google. Once I dug into it and played with it, I could see the possibilities. We use it in many ways throughout our various companies, more with public relations and bios, but also every day with social media posts.

At UFG, it’s just one of many technologies we embrace. From the consumer side, our front-facing websites utilize the latest enhancements. In our franchise development department, we are always looking for an edge, from auto-calling to texting, from data entry to data analytics.

 

OVERCOMING FEARS

Although I think they’re largely unfounded, fears of AI are quite real. The employee fears will always be there unless you introduce your team to it, explain that it can only help them, and train them with it. Show your employees that the new technology will only help, and assure them they are not going to lose their jobs because of it. You should also have a history of not laying people off because of new technology.

AI can be successful for you if you embrace it and encourage your teams to do the same and learn how it can help them, just like the internet and social media. Don’t rely on it alone, as it’s not perfect and needs humans to proofread and bring common sense to the table. But if your experience is anything like ours, you’ll soon be wondering why you waited so long.

 

Women in Franchising National Appreciation Day returns for its second year on Saturday, October 14

As more women choose the freedom and independence of owning a franchise business, their success in the industry will be recognized during the second annual Women in Franchising National Appreciation Day on Saturday, October 14. The holiday was established in 2022 by United Franchise Group™ (UFG) to celebrate all women working in the franchising industry, from owners to employees and those behind the scenes.

This year, UFG has partnered with the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), the unified voice of more than 14 million women-owned businesses in the United States. UFG is an affiliate sponsor of NAWBO’s National Women’s Business Conference, October 15-17 in Austin, Texas, and will host an informative and interactive workshop on franchising for attendees.

Their partnership brings the success of women in franchising, whose numbers are growing rapidly, to the forefront. Women own 29 percent of U.S. franchises in 2023, according to Guidant Financial – an increase of almost 25 percent from just last year.

“It’s an honor to collaborate with NAWBO on this special observance day, which we created to celebrate and inspire women working in the franchising industry,” said Ray Titus, Founder and CEO of United Franchise Group. “Franchising empowers women to succeed independently while giving them all the tools and support they need.”

UFG is the global leader for entrepreneurs, offering an international network of resources and expertise to franchise owners in its family of affiliated brands and consultants. Its members have amassed more than four decades of knowledge in the franchise industry.

“We’re happy to partner with United Franchise Group and share their organization’s franchising expertise with our members,” said Jen Earle, CEO of NAWBO. “Women-owned businesses are the fastest-growing segment of the economy, and UFG is working to help more women achieve their dreams through business ownership.”

The holiday falls during National Women’s Small Business Month, as declared by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Women in Franchising National Appreciation Day celebrates women who chose a career in franchising either as a franchise owner or work for a franchise brand while bringing attention to opportunities for women in this flourishing and exciting industry.