Owning a business isn’t for everyone, but for some, it’s a calling. You know who you are.

But if you haven’t started a company but have thought about being a business owner for years, it’s probably because you’ve been thinking, what do I sell? How do I get started? What if I build a business and nobody comes?

Those are all good, smart questions. We’ve all read the statistics about how numerous businesses fail.

Which is one reason a lot of business owners think about franchising. Of course, franchises can flop, too, for a variety of reasons (Blockbuster never saw Netflix coming…), but generally, if you buy into a good one, you at least have a strong brand name going for you and a business model that has been proven to work. Franchising is a way to own a business with a lot less risk than starting something completely new and untested. 

Here at Moran Family of Brands, we have a developed a very successful formula for our franchise owners , whether it be with Alta Mere The Automotive Outfitters, Milex Complete Auto Care, Mr. Transmission.  We also offer co-branded franchise ownership opportunities to run two businesses in one location. 

So, if you’re intrigued, here’s our elevator pitch with three reasons you should think about exploring a franchise opportunity with Moran Family of Brands.

The automotive aftermarket industry is growing. Much of that is because of the trend for people to hang onto their cars longer. Funny, but apparently some consumers would rather not get right back into debt after paying off their cars. Fortunately, that’s paid off handsomely for the automotive aftermarket industry.

“In the United States, there are over 272 million registered vehicles, an increase of 12 percent over the last 10 years,” says Pete Baldine, President of Moran Family of Brands.

Baldine adds that the average age of passenger vehicles is 11.6 years, which is an increase of 18 percent over the last 10 years.

Meanwhile, Baldine adds, the U.S. auto care industry was a $342.5 billion industry in 2015 and is projected to reach $394 billion in 2019.

In other words, the industry is seeing some explosive growth.

But even if the economy would turn, it isn’t likely that a Moran Family of Brands franchise owner would have to worry.

“Typically, this industry is recession resistant and a needs-based business,” Baldine says.

Which is understandable. After all, if you need your car fixed, you probably aren’t going to put it off. And especially during a recession, if you can help it, you’re more likely to try to keep your old car running rather than buy a new one. That may be bad for the car dealerships, but it’s great for the mechanics.

We have a co-branded advantage. Of course, we think Moran Family of Brand has a lot advantages for franchise owners, such as a strong business model and a franchise system that works hard to help our franchisees succeed. But the co-branding is certainly something special and a way for franchise owners to have multiple revenue streams in one location.

So if, for instance, you have a Milex and Mr. Transmission in the same location, you’re obviously going to have more customers than if you just owned, say, Mr. Transmission. (Not that there’s anything wrong with owning one store and not co-owning. You may want to stay small, or start off small and add a new brand later.)

Or you may feel that a Milex Auto Care and Alta Mere shop is the way to go. Alta Mere specializes in carrying the driver safety products and services – such as window tinting, collision avoidance cameras and paint protection.  

The point is, you can buy one franchise and make a wonderful living, or two and own a mini-automotive aftermarket empire. As Baldine says, “Co-branding makes sense because you can reach customers with greater frequency. You’re building a one-stop location that translates into customer loyalty and tremendous repeat business, all designed to build long-term customer relationships.”

We really care about our franchise owners. There are horror stories out there, of franchises who dislike their franchisors, where the franchisors seem to be in the business only for the money and treat their franchise owners like, well, like nobody should be treated.

But the people at Moran Family of Brands, starting at the top with the CEO and Co-founder Barbara Moran, strongly believe that being only out for yourself is a stupid way to live and work – and a foolish business strategy. The company prides itself in fostering a family and team environment among its franchise owners, and the corporate culture is designed to support its franchises.

Baldine says that the company looks for franchise owners who share the executives core values that they’ve labeled D.R.I.V.E.

“It stands for dedication, respect, integrity, vision and enthusiasm, all of which is critical to our success and growth,” Baldine says.

And he feels very strongly that the franchise model is the way to go.

“Being part of a franchise community that allows for sharing of ideas and experiences that help you stay on top of market and customer trends is an important part of the experience,” he says. “Really, you have three choices if you want to start a business. You can go it alone and hope for the best, or you can join a team that truly cares about your success and provides you with the tools and support you need to make it a reality. The third choice is to do nothing and accept the status quo.”

And you really don’t want to do that, Baldine adds, citing his favorite quote, most often attributed to the legendary icon and humorist Will Rogers: “Even if you are the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

After all, making no decision is often a decision, and you don’t want to wake up years from now and realize you regret never owning your own business. We hope that never happens to you, which is why we hope you’ll do some more research and look into a franchise opportunity with Moran Family of Brands.  In other words, if you feel a calling to start a business, we hope you’ll call us.