The workforce is changing, and to remain recession-proof, the staffing industry must evolve too. Meet a second-generation franchise owner to learn how she successfully acquired the family business and advanced its practices to better meet the needs of today’s economy and become a successful franchise owner with Express Employment Professionals, a top franchise worldwide.
Franchise Owners: Alyssa Chumbley
Territory: Valparaiso & Schereville, IN
Years with Express: 6 years
What was your career prior to joining Express Employment Professionals? What industry/role were you in before owning an Express office?
- Alyssa: After college, I started my career in sales and then sales management at a fast-growing startup company. I sold online advertising and then moved into a sales management role at the age of 22, leading a team of 25+ commissioned salespeople.
What attracted you to the franchise business model and Express Employment Professionals, specifically? And now that you are an Express Employment Professionals franchisee, what do you like about being part of that franchise business model?
- Alyssa: Unlike a startup company, the franchise business model has everything available to succeed at your fingertips. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to be a successful franchise owner, but just make the wheel operate more efficiently – bigger, faster, and stronger.
- What I enjoy most about the franchise business model is the flexibility it enables for me as a business owner. I can run the business at whatever capacity fits my lifestyle, knowing that my backbone (the franchisor) will always be healthy.
What do you find the most rewarding about being a franchise owner with Express Employment Professionals? What do you enjoy about the business and how is the work meaningful?
- Alyssa: We always get to be a light and glimpse of hope for individuals and families who are facing trials. Whether we help people find a job or a new career, it’s the most rewarding experience to know you had a direct impact in one of the most valuable blessings in someone’s life. Every day, we get to change lives!
- From the business perspective, I am a second-generation owner. I love the business side of things and speaking with different decision-makers in the community. It’s an incredible feeling to make a difference for these businesses by helping them accomplish their goals. In other companies, you don’t have as much of a direct impact as you do here.
How is the future of the business looking and how is the local landscape changing?
- Alyssa: The future of the business has a competitive, yet demanding outlook of efficiency paired with technology. If we can offer quality service and be efficient in doing so, we will beat our competitors 9 out of 10 times.
- The local landscape is contingent on the industries in which you serve. Diversification in jobs and industries is pertinent to the health and scalability of our franchise. The more recruiters we can up/down/cross sell, the better we can thrive in economic uncertainty and continue to thrive as one of the top franchises worldwide.
What do you think sets Express Employment Professionals apart from other staffing agencies?
- Alyssa: Express Employment Professionals is different from other agencies because we are locally owned and operated yet have the backing of a large and healthy international headquarters which enables the local small business to work more efficiently at a larger scale without having to jeopardize the local community connection and impact.
- We also are different because to remain one of the top franchises in the U.S., our franchisor encourages diversification in our recruiting efforts rather than a one-lane skillset or industry.
What do you believe has been the key to your success as a franchise owner?
- Alyssa: The key to being a successful franchise owner is the ability to empower leaders. The team is capable of doing far more than I am as an individual. If I can duplicate my knowledge over and over, the business can run at even greater speed and frequency than I’d ever be able to do.
- It’s also important to follow the system and utilize your franchise peers. To grow as a franchise owner, you need to talk to those who are working in the same or similar field as you. Learn from their wins and losses to become a more successful franchise owner yourself.
What advice would you give someone else considering franchise ownership? And why do you think a staffing franchise is one of the best franchises to own?
- Alyssa: The beauty of owning a franchise is having access to the network of fellow business owners you get to lean on and learn from who are all in the same industry and experiencing similar peaks and valleys. The staffing industry is quite recession-proof considering the economy will always need employees. It’s how well you adapt, change, and invest during these recessions that distinguish whether you will be a successful franchise owner or not.
Are there any emerging or existing employment trends that you find interesting and why? Tell us a bit more about how you see your Express location using this trend to its benefit, especially as it pertains to the market(s) in which your franchise(s) is/are located.
- Alyssa: The great resignation is real and is making a dramatic impact in businesses where there is a less attractive, established culture. Companies and HR professionals are going to be forced to focus on more internal retention needs in order to compete, which will open an even wider door for third-party recruiters to contribute to the ever-changing demand of skilled labor.
If you are interested in owning the #1 Staffing Franchise and discovering how successful you can be with Express, fill out the form below.
*For territories open more than 24 months, average sales in 2022 were $6,497,275. For territories open more than 60 months, average sales in 2022 were $7,194,784. First-year offices averaged $1,080,407 annual sales according to Item 19 in the Franchise Disclosure Document. This statement is for information purposes only and is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise. The following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. If you are a resident of one of these states, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure. MN Registration #F-1755.