Jana Franklin on The Mompreneur Model with Dori DeCarlo

0:00 She is sure, she is straw is straw, She is true, is true, she is praise, pray is she is you. Hello, everyone, welcome to today's Word of Mom Radio. Here on the Word of Mom Media Network. I'm your host, Dori Di Carlo, and you know we are here week after week, show after show, breaking those myths that mompreneurs and business women, especially those of us building our businesses from home, that we're not just dabbling in between bake sales and getting our nails done. We are smart, we are savvy, and we are sharing the wisdom of women in business and in life. And I'm looking forward to bringing today's guest. Jenna Franklin is a serial entrepreneur, franchise expert, and business efficiency strategist based in Saint Louis, Missouri. She is the founder and CEO of CEO Concierge, a premier virtual assistant agency that connects fast looting entrepreneurs and executives with highly trained virtual assistants from the Philippines, enabling them to delegate effectively and lead with clarity. Her leadership and philosophy is rooted in intentional delegation, team alignment, and creating space for visionary thinking. Jenna's entrepreneurial journey began in the world of franchising, where she successfully launched, scaled, and sold several Fantastic SAMs and Jimmy John's locations under her company's

1:35 Strange Allegro. Over a decade of owning and operating franchises taught her the value of building resilient teams, leading by example, and designing systems that allow businesses and people to thrive. Her pivot to the virtual space came after witnessing a growing need among high level entrepreneurs for a reliable, value aligned executive support. Beyond her professional work, Jana serves as the president of entrepreneur organization you Know in Saint Louis, where she fosters community and connection among growth minded founders. So, with all that being said, Jana, welcome to Word of Mom Radio.

2:17 Thank you so much. I'm glad to be here. I love it. It's my pleasure and I would love for you to take us on your journey from you know, being a serial entrepreneur and doing what you were doing enfranchises to now having your own virtual assistant company. Yeah. Yeah, So I am a mother first and foremost so World of Mom Radio, So I wear by the hats right most women do. We wear our professional and our personal hats. And so we had our first son in six and in four is when my husband and I started looking into franchises. This is pre kids, and it was because at the time there's a bunch of companies were going through restructuring and mergers and acquisitions, and my husband had the opportunity to move to Boston, and I was like, no, we're not moving to Boston. Figure out something else, because at the time I was with May Department Stores, which was based in Saint Louis and so so in O four we bought into Fantastic SAMs Hair Salons. It's a franchise, and we opened one and O four and five, and then in O six, I was pregnant with our first and also, I'm sorry, in O seven, I was pregnant with our first and six I seven Stata a company because they had been bought by Macy's. So at that point we already had two stores in a third Fantastic SAMs in progress. And I thought, this is this is karma,

3:48 Like this was me saying it's time for you to get out of the daily grind and to maybe start your family and to be your own entrepreneur or be your own boss. My husband is in finance and still works in finance, so he has been in and out of the companies running them, but never consistently. And I think the key thing is when you're buying a franchise. I think a lot of the franchise ors like to tell you you don't have to work in your business, but that's just that's really like if anyone ever tells you that yet, you might not have to work in your business, but you're not going to be successful either, right.

4:28 So it really worked out well for us at the time when we were having opening our third store and having our first child, so it allowed me to be at home or when he went to Mommy's day out programs, then I could go to the stores, spend a couple hours in the stores, help, you know, getting them. Excited, just with customer service and how. To upsell and just hair sellers are not really business people and so they're really artists and they I really don't want to really understand the business. So for me, it was really phil and like I was wearing three hats. I was a mom at home. I was a mom my.

5:08 Hairstylist and I was the business owner, and so we built another one in eight and then we bought one in eight as well, so we had five stores and my son was about two years old, and it just really worked out for us to have the flexibility and to be able to own businesses. And then in twenty ten, my husband was talking to a gentleman who owned some Jimmy John's and he was like, these are so profitable. The systems and procedures are dynamite. You have to look at this. So at the time, Jimmy Johns was based in Champagne, Illinois, which is very close to Saint Louis. So my husband and I drove over there and.

5:49 We talked to them and we signed before we even left open a store by one of our salons. So we were like, okay, if we can go and do Jimmy John's, buy all of our hair salons. We're tackling two birds with one stone. And that didn't work. That plan did not work. We opened one and then the other licenses got sold to other people. So we had one Jimmy John's near one of our stores, and that was great. But what is key is when you're buying a franchise is that you're looking at systems and procedures, because that for a person that's not. Business oriented. Even though I've been in the department stores, I had the management experience, I had the leadership experience, and I had the customer service experience.

6:32 What I didn't have was. All that admin task and all like bookkeeping and all that. I didn't understand that. I learned it with my with my CPA. But you buy a franchise for systems and procedures. So if you're looking at buying a franchise, you've got to make sure they're really giving you the systems and procedures, they're giving you the support. So I say, you know, fantastic SAMs did not necessarily do that. Jimmy John's went the other extreme. So I had like two ends of the spectrum them and so we just kind of went to crazy on the Jimmy Johns at that point. So in twenty eleven, getting ready to open our first store, I'm seven and a half months pregnant with our seconds. And you know, belly is too big.

7:14 I'm reaching over trying to reach the peppers on the line and just trying to keep up with everyone because I want to lead by example. And finally I was like, you, guys, I can't do this anymore. I can't I can't help you in the stores anymore. I can't can't feed you. I can't feed the people that are coming through. So but because assistance and procedures were there and everyone had knew where they needed to be and I could lead, I still led even if I was in the store, but I wasn't necessarily right beside them working. But it gave me the opportunity to take the downtime as well. I needed to with my when my second was born. I've always been a social person and I thought it was very important that my children went to Montsory. So they started monesssoring it too, and I think it made a huge difference for their education and coming into school. But it was it was I felt like at the time, Oh my gosh, I had the best of both worlds, Like, like kids are being educated, they're taken care of by loving people, and I'm running the world like in my mind, you know, with the fantastic SAMs and the Jimmy Johns in.

8:22 My own little world. And so it really was life changing for me. And I'm glad. I'm glad I had the corporate life ahead, you know, at one point, because I can say, Okay. I've done it. I know what the machine looks like, I know what that how that feels, I know how my body, my stress reacts to that. But I think that when we we. Rushed into the salons, we probably should have done a little bit more due diligence. We had a very very good understanding when we went into the Jimmy Johns that what we needed in a franchise. And so, long story short is that led me to be able to launch the CEO Concierge business because I had learned the operational side and the systems and procedures from owning the franchises, and so it was just a perfect mesh to be able to go out and launch CEO Concierge Virtual Assistance, knowing my history with Corporate America and then running the two franchises. So and the reason we launched CEO is because I was using virtual assistance in my current businesses and so I was like, wait a minute, there's something here to this. So that's what led me down that path.

9:43 I would not have been able to do it if I did not have I think, if I did not have systems and procedures ram down my throat with franchises. What do you think the biggest mistakes CEOs make when they are hiring a VA and how do they avoid that? Oh, that's a really good question. I think, you know what, I think the level of expectation is higher than if it was hiring someone to come and sit next to you in your office. Right. I think that. There's this preconceived notion that they're going to be able to come in and immediately make your inbox zero and immediately understand your tone and get your personality. I mean, there is always going to be a learning curve, right.

10:26 They have to learn your core values, they have to understand your expectations and stuff. So I think there's a people are setting up themselves for disappointment because they think this person's just gonna be able to walk in and take over. Interesting. One of the things that I find is you need to be careful that your VA is speaking in your voice. Yes, if they're handling your online. Some people think, oh I hired a VA, I never have to check them again. You are absolutely correct. If one of the things I tell clients when they're first bringing their va on is, I said, even if they're not dealing with emails, let them look at your emails, let them read the threads. Let them see how you're interacting. You can get so much of people's you know, how they tone their frustration, like where their generosity is. You can just get all that reading emails and even looking at the calendar like, oh my gosh, this person's book, you know, some from sun up to sundown, right, And so I think it's important to let them understand that because they are getting that voice.

11:25 Yeah. And again sometimes I think that that we fall into the Okay, I've gotten somebody. Now they can do this, and you need to always just check in. Yeah, your agenda is being served. So for you, how are you working to maintain your company culture that you have when your team you're fully remote and you're across borders. Yeah, you know, this is what I would say, and people might throw stones at me. You know, there was something good that came out of COVID and it was Zoom. Right, you and I are having this conversation via zoom, and I will tell you it is not. It does not for the most part, it is not disruptive to our communication, to our core values, to how we operate. I know a ton of entrepreneurs in the US that are you know, they're remote and they're people are.

12:17 All over the US. So I think it's just reiterating it. You know, if something happens, it's just be like, hey, what why did you do that? Where does that fit? How does that fit into our core values of integrity, you know? Or I get thrown back sometimes like hey, Janna, work life harmony, you know, and I'm like, well, when I send a messages doesn't mean you guys have to respond. Is because I'm sending a message because I remembered right then there, and I don't expect you guys to respond, but I'm sending it otherwise tomorrow I'll forget. And it's usually what I'm in the car. So they called me out on that once. They're like, hey, you know you're sending these messages and I said, hey, guys, don't answer. I'm sending it because I want to forget right. So they they're used to that now, But it's really just reiterating it.

13:02 We do a lot. We do a quarterly town hall. I go to the Philippines once a year and spend I was just there in October with them, spent some time with you know, with all of them that could could join us, and so reiterating that I do care about them. I want them to grow. I want our clients to grow. Seventy percent of my clients are women, eighty two percent of my vas are women. So it is very important to me that everyone feels heard, but also that I'm continuing to help support women in our world to grow. And that's part of the reason we say we're female focused, male friendly at CEO Concierge, and because that's me right, I'm a female, I'm an entrepreneur, I'm a mom, I run you know, my household, whatever, and so I can relate obviously easier to the female entrepreneurs than the male entrepreneurs. So that's really like just trying to always show up with our our values in mind.

14:02 On that note, think of what JOm is talking about. We're going to take a quick break, say thank you to our supporters, and we'll be back here in just a moment. On Lord of Mom Radio. She is brave, she is bold, she is you, and we want to tell your story. Are you ready to share your journey with us on Word of Mom Radio, go to wordommradio dot com and register as a guest. We want to tell your story, because when you win, we all win. In twenty seventeen, Unsilenced Voices was formed to help survivors of domestic abuse and gender based violence worldwide. The organization currently serves Siri Leone, Rwanda, Ghana, and the USA. In twenty twenty two, Unsilenced Voices gifted over thirty three thousand dollars to survivors in the USA and in sier Leone, there are over twenty six young girls who have been rescued from sex trafficking and domestic abuse and now going through vocational training school in order to better their lives.

15:09 We need your help. Donations are critical in order for us to continue our work. We also need volunteers to help with research and development. Please visit Unsilenced Voices dot org for more information. And we're back here on Word of Mom Radio. We are talking with Jenna Franklin about CEO Concierge and I have to say, as far as Zoom goes, I started recording our show on Zoom probably four years before COVID. I like being able to see people. So I feel like COVID kind of put people in on the secret being able to meet with people face to face and you didn't have to be there. I also think COVID validated women like me, women like you that built businesses from home while their kids and everything else. It made people realize the discipline it takes to work from home.

16:08 It really does. So what kind of strategies do you use to lead a high performance team again across two countries? Yeah? What works for you, Jana? Well, we run a system called entrepreneurs Operating System you knows for short. It really helps us stay on task right. It's it is very important to that the the right people are in the right seats, regardless of virtual or non virtual. We have moved several of our in house people around. We haven't gotten like, you know, initially they might have been in this role and they were good, but then I was like, you knows, as time went on, I was like, you know what, I think they'd be better at this role.

16:51 And then they move, We move them and they they're just blossoming. Right. I think it's really just you have to keep the communication open. Like today, as I've been sitting here. I've been working on my Jimmy John's company today and I've been seeing, you know, I get what to app messages. We use a system like Slack called pumble emails. They're They're there, and I'm answering them as they pop up, but I am not if it's not directed at me. I try and give them the voice to answer it. I don't want to come in and continue to I don't want to say say them, but like, okay, Jana spokes, so now that's it, right, But it allows us to stay in touch with everyone and we keep moving the ball forward because we do run the system.

17:40 With weekly meetings. I do have two directors. I am the visionary, I have an integrator. We sit in roles that suit us. And this is where I go with virtual assystems too. Right is when I brought the virtual assistance in. I realized very fast that I did not have to do things that A I wasn't good at anymore and b that I didn't want to do like I hate like today, I've been working on bills and I'm like pulling my hair out right. I hate dealing with I hate dealing with the finance part of well, should I pay this bill today or this bill smart? Right? That doesn't my mind does not work that way. I'd rather be with talking to you out in front in my stores, talking to people. So I went and hired a bookkeeper. I went in and hired a recruiter. I went in and hired an HR person that runs that side of the company, so I can do what I do well and continue to grow. I mean, my virtual assistant, my son is now a freshman in university, and he was having an issue with his memo so she was dealing with his memo account because I was like, he's messed it up so bad.

18:43 Can you help him? Because he's not listening to me anymore? Right, So things like that, But it's really making sure that there's a consistent communication and not feeling that they're not being heard. There's times where they might send me a message and not like now, when we were getting on this, I said, hey, guys, my phone's you know I'm going on do not just serve for a couple hours. I'll get back to you if you need me when I get you, when I'm available. And they're just like okay, So they just we just kind of keep an open line of communication even though we're across the world. How did you get to that place that you started to delegate and how do you help the people that use CEO Concierge understand what they can delegate and what they really should keep close.

19:33 Yeah, this is where I really So we use personality assessment to that really helps with our matching, so we know we know the client. Like, for example, I'm very low on detail, so my vas are very high on detail because and a lot of times I'll be thinkings of something so far in the future that I thought I put it in an email and they're like, you never sent that to us, So they're like sometimes reading my mind. But really, when you start out and clients tell me all this time, I don't know what to give my VA, I don't know what to get my VA, And I'm like, okay, well look at your list or look at the list in your head. Right, a lot of us have a list in our head like oh I need to do that, Oh I need to do that. And it can be personal, it could be professional. I really stay start with a love hate list. Start with your love hate list, and if like you love, you know, going the networking, Then what are you taking away? What are you not doing because you're out networking? Well, then the VA could be doing that. Vas are very good at administrative work, very good at data entry. I don't build spreadsheets anymore at all. They build all the spreadsheets.

20:39 Mine are also my tech. They're my it for me because like just like with this new microphone, Okay, I can't figure it out. I'm not going to figure it out. I'm gonna have to bring in someone to help me. Right, It's just that I what I what has really happened is I don't waste time on things that I am not good at or don't want to do. Do you know what I have always heard the most successful people put people in the roles that this is what they do best, So that way you get to concentrate on what you do best. So, as a franchise owner, several of them, what are the keys to selling a business successfully? To pivot into that new model? Yeah you do. Yeah, you know it changes because of the economy, right, So I mean you've got to have your systems and procedures in place. You know, no one's going to want to buy a business that is running by the seat of the pants, because you're going to come in and be putting out fires or just you're going to feel like you're on the hamster wheel at all times.

21:38 System procedures are key. Obviously, profitability is key, and then who do you have on the staff, who is in your team that's really going to help carry If you're selling. You're not selling because of them, right, You're selling because it's time to get out and grow and move on to something else potentially. And for me, so we sold the Fantastic Sam's in February of this year. So for me, I started having conversations with the team in September of last year, saying, guys, this is what's going on. And I was very transparent with my team and I and I was very like, this is what's not going to happen. This is what will happen, you know. And I came.

22:19 I did town halls with them monthly before the per acquisition and made sure I said, ask me questions, just ask me whatever, you whatever you're concerned, because most of it's fear on their end. And then when we closed, the new owner and I went in and did a town hall together with them, and then I was around for a couple months to support them. Afterwards, if they needed to talk to me or if they needed they stopped calling me, So we did it. We closed in early February. They stopped calling me about first in May. So it wasn't that long, and it wasn't a lot. It was maybe a couple of phone calls a month, but really making sure that your system procedures, you're profitable, and that you don't feel like your team's going to base and in the new owner, because I think that happens a lot. I think when people purchase do purchases, they're either going in and cleaning out the staff or they're relying so much on the staff to do what they've done that you don't learn the business either. So you got it's very it's you got to be careful both sides. There's a happy medium.

23:21 Every time I hear the work life balance, I have to laugh because there's no balance. So how are you juggling raising your teenagers, staying involved with your community, running this CEO concierge. How are you keeping all the balls in. The air, Janna, So we don't call it work life balance, we call it work life harmony. Because I agree with you, there is no such thing as balance, because if you're balancing your life, you're not balancing your work vice versa. For me, I'm very diligent with my calendar. I really block out the time. Like my son gets out of school at three, my high schooler, and I have to loosely I want to be around with him after three. So he starts school at seven thirty. So I'm going from seven thirty to three for work, and then I'm you know, clocking in a couple of times in the evening if I don't have anything going on.

24:08 But I just am really diligent with my calendar allowed making sure that things are blocked off when I don't want to be on, and also making sure that people know where I'm at what I'm doing. I don't I don't want them to think that they can't do the same thing. You know. I want to lead by example, So I sometimes have to force my my one director, he'll text me at like seven pm, and I'll be like, why are you texting me? You should be with your family. You know That's my response, because it's also my response is I'm with my family right now. I don't want to be answering this right, So as we wrap up, because that's a great way to end this conversation, what do you want to leave our listeners with, Jana and how can they reach.

24:54 Out to you? Yeah, I would just say, you know, take a look at what you're doing and see if there's ways to outsource it. It's not that. The other thing I would tell you real fast Dory is I think people think it's very expensive and it's really not. And so if you're on that hamster wheel, you got to sit down and do your love hate list and then you know. Reach out to me at CEO Concierge. All of Jenna's links are going to be live on wordomomradio dot com. I encourage you to reach out for lots of information. I mean, there's so many people that are looking to franchise at this point. There are people that have businesses that are now looking to take it outside of them and start delegating. It's hard because, let's face it, as you build a business at your baby and so now you're like, well, who do I want to have take care of the arms? You know, So it's always a process, but it's a process that you are showing people how to do successful. So I appreciate your expertise and you're coming and sharing with us today.

25:56 Yeah on Lord of One on Radio. Thanks a lot, Thank you, Thank you, Dorry appreciate. Its been my pleasure. And to all of you tuning in, thanks so much for being here. We are going to close out with our fabulous theme song from Smith's Sisters and the Sunday Drivers. So till next time. This is Dori di Carlo saying, go out and create a marvelous you. Bye for now. She is sure, she is sure, she is strong, she is strong, she is true, she is true, she is braise bray, she is boul. She is you. She is you, she is you. She she is sure, she is sure. She is strong, she is strong, she is true, she is true, she is brave, she is bol, she is she is you. She is you, she is you, she is you. Sure of ourself. Yes, she takes care of his powerful and strong. Yes, she knows who she is has integer edy, woman, strong and true.

26:56 You know her by name. See this woman is you. She is sure, she is strong, is strong, she is true, is true, she is brave, she is she is you, she is she is she is sure. She is strong, is strong, she is true, is true, she is brave, she is she is, she is, she is she is adds value and hope has proved to be brave. See it's never too late, never time to behave Reaching for dreams doesn't matter. The age believes in herself from her cage. She is sure, she is sure, she is strong, is strong, she is true, is true, she is brave, she is bold, she is you. She she is sure, she is she is strong, she is strong, she is true, is true, she is brave, she is she is, she is you