[quote=fritz]drive home on a Friday and wonder what the heck they are doing in this business?? One of my clients is about 35 years old and owns 7 McDonalds..Says he spends 10 minutes per store per week...makes about $475,000 (No grid).[/quote]

Did you ever stop to think that perhaps running a group of McDonald's franchises isn't the bed of roses that you're painting?  Ever consider what happens when one of your tattoo-wearing multiple-pierced employees decides he doesn't want to put Big Macs together all day for minimum wage?  Hope and pray he just doesn't show up for work and you have to scramble for a replacement (and perhaps flip a few burgers yourself).  Instead, he could put a few cockroaches or a dead mouse between the buns of the next sandwich he makes just for kicks and get your franchise-owning sesame seed buns sued out of existence.

What happens when people decide they are sick of McDonalds and/or some new franchise sweeps in and Wal-Marts your KMart?

What happens when your contract runs out and your franchise fee goes up 30%?.

What happens when someone reading an internet forum decides that making money as a McDonald's franchisee is easy money and sets up new stores within a stone's throw of several of yours?

What happens when one of your employees tests positive for Hepatitis C, or your lettuce is found to be full of e-coli after a bunch of people get sick?

What happens when the McDonald's bandit decides that he can make a living knocking over your stores just before closing time?

What happens when someone invents the cell phone and renders all your payphones obsolete?

In my book, there's nothing sexy or appealing about the fast food business.  It's a filthy, nasty business (ever cleaned a McDonald's bathroom?), and I'm guessing that the only people who romanticize it are those who have never done it.  If you've ever worked behind the counter, you'd need a strong stomach to ever eat there again.

Fritz, you've bitched and moaned about your job on a regular basis and when you're gushing about owning your own burger joint, it's obvious to me that you don't belong in this business.  You may never be happy (you strike me as that type), but for certain, you're not happy in this business, so why don't you do all of us a favor and get out?

No successful investment advisor fantasizes about getting out of the business to pursue the dream of owning a McDonald's.

Fritz-

Two comments. One is that there isn't a day in the beginning of your career where you question whether or not this industry is the right one to be in. As you get older in the business, those days become fewer and fewer. Never in my career have I thought this is it, but many times I have wondered if there is something better or easier (which is where I think you were headed with this thread). But really is it any easier? .

One of my clients owns 9 BK franchises. He is selling after 20 years now. In an industry with 400% average turnover for employees he has built quality management with only 100% turnover. His managers have been with him some as long as 10 years. His biggest fear is government intervention requiring him to offer medical insurance to all employees, which would cripple his profits (he does offer insurance to full time employees but many are part time). Workers comp costs were impacting the bottom line until recent reform, franchisee costs continue to go up that he can't control. Pricing is more competitive with a fast food outlet on every corner (are you listening Edward Jones?) . Bottom line he has survived while many have failed for 20 years. So why sell now. Because he believes that taxes can't go anywhere but up, and he feels now is the time before the political climate changes any further.

Just as Indy said above, it isn't greener on the other side. Make the best of it an as my wife says to me frequently, enjoy the journey. The best job, in my view, is the one you have. If you are sour to the industry and can't see your way out of the negativity, I think Indy's comments above are right on. Negativity will kill your business quicker than any market downturn.

"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right."

--Henry Ford 

[quote=fritz]drive home on a Friday and wonder what the heck they are doing in this business?? One of my clients is about 35 years old and owns 7 McDonalds..Says he spends 10 minutes per store per week...makes about $475,000 (No grid).[/quote]

Fritz, others have done a fine job of pointing out the old "grass is greener" story to you. I'll simply add that I've been telling you for a year or more to quit and do something else that can make you happy. Life is too short, pal.

[quote=mikebutler222]

[quote=fritz]drive home on a Friday and wonder what the heck they are doing in this business?? One of my clients is about 35 years old and owns 7 McDonalds..Says he spends 10 minutes per store per week...makes about $475,000 (No grid).[/quote]

Fritz, others have done a fine job of pointing out the old "grass is greener" story to you. I'll simply add that I've been telling you for a year or more to quit and do something else that can make you happy. Life is too short, pal.

[/quote]

Is life really too short or are we just going to be dead for a really long time?

[quote=fritz] drive home on a Friday and wonder what the heck they are

doing in this business??onclick=“AddSmileyIcon’smileys/smiley2.gif’” alt=Wink http://

forums.registeredrep.com/smileys/smiley2.gif"> One of my clients is

about 35 years old and owns 7 McDonalds…Says he spends 10 minutes

per store per week…makes about $475,000 (No grid).[/quote]



One other thing, Fritz. Just because you stumbled upon someone making

half a mil a year, working 5 hours a week at age 35 (true or not is

irrelevant), it is an aboration. The vast majority of us in the world have to

work really hard for a living. And when you love what you do, it doesn’t

seem as much like hard work. You just have to decide what job (or

business) you want to work really hard at.

Butler you are an absolute moron…I am going to let you know my last name is Fritz and I am the CEO of a publicly traded biotech…I have never been a “financial advisor.” I do hath sympathy for you and your kind.  My brother is a broker at Merrill ,he made me aware of your level of smarts and we have been having a few laughs with you over the past several months…

"Butler you are an absolute moron...I am going to let you know my last name is Fritz and I am the CEO of a publicly traded biotech..I have never been a "financial advisor." I do hath sympathy for you and your kind.  My brother is a broker at Merrill ,he made me aware of your level of smarts and we have been having a few laughs with you over the past several months.. "

Well then we should add your name to the list of jackasses on this site. Buh bye- thanks for being a jackass, and lets hope your bro blows your account up...

[quote=fritz] Butler you are an absolute moron…I am going to let you

know my last name is Fritz and I am the CEO of a publicly traded

biotech…I have never been a “financial advisor.” I do hath sympathy for

you and your kind. My brother is a broker at Merrill ,he made me aware

of your level of smarts and we have been having a few laughs with you

over the past several months…[/quote]



Wow. First you’re a broker wanting to ram a highway abutment because

you have a client who makes a ton of money from MackyD franchises, and

now you’re the CEO of a biotech firm, and have never been a financial

advisor. And Mike is a moron???



It may be so, for all I know…

But to me it sounds mighty queer…

So tie the bull outside, my dear…

So it don’t sh*t in here!

It may be so, for all I know...
But to me it sounds mighty queer...
So tie the bull outside, my dear...
So it don't sh*t in here!"

PK- is that off the second verse on the new 50 CENT song? That guy is so cool, sitting around in Mike Tysons old mansion in Greenwich, hanging out with his bullet hole wounds...

[quote=blarmston]

It may be so, for all I know… But to me it sounds

mighty queer… So tie the bull outside, my dear… So it don’t sh*t in here!"[/

P]

PK- is that off the second verse on the new 50 CENT song? That guy is so

cool, sitting around in Mike Tysons old mansion in Greenwich, hanging out

with his bullet hole wounds…