Encore Career: How to Choose Your Second Act

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If you’re growing tired of your current career and you often think about what it would be like to do something completely different, you are part of a significant group of people who are embracing encore careers.

53% of people changed their jobs in 2021, and 5 million people created businesses in 2022 (a 42% increase from pre-pandemic levels!)

Budget Blinds has welcomed many people who have made a career change to join our franchise. Our business model is a convenient shop-at-home service for shades, shutters, drapes, automated window covering solutions, and other home décor items including rugs, pillows, bedding, and more.

Most people have never worked in our industry before becoming a franchisee, and yet today we have 1,400 franchise territories serving 10,000 cities in the U.S. Our business is proof that career changes can happen successfully for many people!

Reasons Why People Choose an Alternative Career

There are common reasons why people are choosing a second (or even a third) career in their lives. You might find you can relate to some of these:

  • Not ready to retire. Workers have enjoyed a full career and perhaps retired or had their position eliminated in restructuring; however, they still want or need to be in the workforce.
  • Keeping active. People are living longer. Instead of retiring in their 60s, people are retiring in their 70s. To avoid becoming sedentary, many choose to work to keep active.
  • Mental health benefits. Some people love to learn and encore careers fit perfectly into the scenario of lifelong learning. Not only will you derive the financial benefits of additional income, you also increase your cognitive skills too.
  • Financial benefits. For early retirees, there may be a need to continue to earn income for financial reasons. For younger people changing careers, it can be an opportunity to have more control over financial goals. Financial reasons are a key factor driving new entrepreneurship.
  • Always wanted to own a business. It is not surprising that people are drawn to entrepreneurship after accumulating the experience, knowledge, and resources from a previous career. Now it’s time to put it to work for yourself! A study by the Ewing Marion Kaufmann Foundation found that nearly 25% of new entrepreneurs were between 55 and 64, almost double from 20 years earlier.

Entrepreneurship becomes an opportunity for many who have amassed time in the workforce, putting all their efforts toward someone else’s goals. However, starting and running a business successfully will take some skills that you may not have received in your corporate life. That’s where a franchise can be the bridge to your encore career.

Franchising as a Second Career

Franchising is perfectly suited for people who are looking to launch a second career as a business owner. Budget Blinds has been attracting franchisees since 1992 and this year, we were inducted into the Entrepreneur Magazine Franchise 500 Hall of Fame for making the list for 28 consecutive years! So, we know a thing or two about why people choose franchising as a second career!

There are aspects of this industry that can be very appealing to an aspiring entrepreneur:

Financial Flexibility

People enter franchising with different financial goals, and that’s the exciting part about owning a franchise. Franchising is not influenced by your current socioeconomic status the way it might have been when you got started in your previous career. In franchising, it doesn’t matter how you grew up or what education level you achieved. Every franchise has a business model and all you need to do is follow it.

Work-Life Flexibility

There are many opportunities in franchising to build flexibility into your life. Some franchises are work-from-home, some can be run part-time, and some can be built so you are the business owner and not the business worker.

For older career changers, the boomer franchise opportunity might allow more free time for leisure pursuits or to build a legacy for family. For younger workers, a franchise business provides flexibility to raise and care for children while continuing to keep your career skills honed.

Highlighting Your Skills

Franchising takes advantage of the knowledge and skills you have earned over the years, regardless of the industry in which you gained those resources. Franchising recognizes your capabilities and builds on them, allowing you to extend your working life in a way that is 100% focused on your goals.

The Stanford Center on Longevity released a report on the 100-year life. It talks about how many facets of our communities are impacted by people living longer. On the topic of working and encore careers, the report noted you can use your skills and experiences for your own business and benefit even without a degree: “It is all about redeploying the skills that you have acquired over a lifetime of work. What are you good at and how do you put that to work in a new direction?”

Franchising is about modifying what you already know you can do and learning some new things along the way.

Maintaining Social Engagement

The social aspect of working is one that is often missed when people leave the workforce either through retirement or for other reasons. In franchising, you immediately become part of a franchisee network that helps you maintain those social connections.  

There is a common saying in franchising that you are in business for yourself but not by yourself, and it is certainly true. Meet some Budget Blinds franchisees and learn about their experiences with becoming business owners, many of them doing so after having a previous career.

Veterans are Often Encore Career Leaders

A group of people who are leaders in encore careers are veterans. You might be surprised to learn that veterans own 2 million businesses in the U.S., and comprise 14% of franchise owners! Franchising for veterans is a big business in our industry, and many franchises, including Budget Blinds, capitalize on the entrepreneurial abilities of retired armed forces members.

At Budget Blinds, we offer qualified veterans a 15% discount on the initial franchise fee, ask for details. To date, we have awarded over $1 million in discounts to veterans who are a great fit for us with teambuilding skills and keen attention to detail.

Redeploying skills and experience is part of the transition into franchise ownership, for veterans and other encore career professionals.

Pursue a Budget Blinds Franchise as an Alternative Career

Budget Blinds is an established brand and business model that has been a franchise of choice for many people pursuing a second or third career. We are the #1 custom window coverings franchise in North America.

We offer in-house financing which allows for a total cash requirement of $84,533 that covers your franchise fee and minimum working capital. We have also built a franchise that is easy to launch, easy to manage, and can be run from a home office.

We recognize that you are looking for a financially sound, balanced, and flexible business opportunity in franchising and we truly have one you should consider.

If you’re ready to change your life, inquire with us today!

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