What does franchise ownership look like before the doors even open?

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave Kimura sits down with Josh Powell during a stage of the ownership journey we don’t often get to capture: right after making the decision and while going through onboarding.

Josh didn’t jump into business ownership on impulse. He researched roughly 20 home-service businesses, built relationships with brokers and attorneys, and even submitted an offer to purchase an existing HVAC company. After another buyer came in nearly $200,000 higher, Josh decided that if HVAC was where he wanted to be, he might have to build the business himself.

Josh shares how he evaluated Varsity Zone HVAC, what he learned during Discovery Day, why his goal was actually to find a reason not to move forward, and what ultimately gave him and his wife the confidence to say, “Let’s do it.”

He also gets candid about balancing a demanding career, four young children, hiring his first GM, and completing franchise onboarding late at night. His message for prospective owners is simple: if you’re going to commit, be ready to commit.