Cook Stars Franchise

I know what you're thinking - you started a business to be a mum first?!  

Let me explain.... 

Anyone who knows me knows how committed I am to Cook Stars.  I often start work at around 5.00am in the morning, I work some evenings and some weekends but this isn't because I'm a workaholic (well maybe a bit!) but mostly it is because I made a very deliberate decision years ago that I was no longer prepared to compromise. 

I no longer wanted to work full time and do full time, 6 days a week in a job that I hated. It was a hellish job, it compromised my values, I didn't see my family, it affected my marriage and my children and it made me ill.  No job is worth that.  I got out of that job pretty much as soon as I had my business idea! 

First I set up my business.  Then I set about making my business work for me.  Then I set about making it work for other people. People just like me.... I work very hard and often do crazy hours, BUT I do it entirely on my terms...and it is all for plans and goals I have made!  I choose to do these things, not because someone told me too but because I want to.  It's a whole different way of life to being employed.  It's not for everyone but I love it!
Some people I know would hate the responsibility, but to me self employment is how freedom looks. When you're self employed you are only controlled by the targets and goals you've set yourself, you work to your agenda and you reap the many benefits. Everything I do has my children at the centre and I know all the parents in our team of franchisees are the same. 

I have 3 amazing children - they are my absolute world.  Yes they drive me crazy, but I love that I'm around enough now for that to happen!  I don't always get parenting right (running your own business is frankly a piece of cake in comparison!), but I am proud that I made my career work around them.  I don't think they fully appreciate me always being there, but they don't remember any different now.  They don't fully get how life is for other families.  The way we live isn't a thing of fairy tales by any means, it's real life.... warts and all, but on the whole I think we're mostly juggling life with 3 busy children pretty well.

I'm writing this at 8.15pm at my daughter's swimming, she swims for 4 hours a week so I use this time to work....I may as well!  One of the other mums just came up to me and said with great sympathy "oh no, are you working again?"....I just politely nodded, I couldn't be bothered to explain that she REALLY shouldn't feel sorry for me!  I am working right now because I chose to.  This is because earlier I chose to do things other than work that are also important to me.

This morning I was up at 5am and I went to the gym first thing, then sorted out the children for school, worked at head office during school hours, then spent time with my children after school and put together a veggie lasagne I started making yesterday!  I haven't been on a lavish luxury spa day nor sipping cocktails by a pool no...BUT I made a decision to do every single thing I did today, because I like everything I decided to do!  That to me is absolute freedom.

This is what self employment can do for people.  It means you can chose your own agenda.  I must point out - self employment is not easy!  BUT it is fun, and interesting, and varied, and challenging, and exciting, and it offers flexibility and choice and freedom..... and you keep doing it because it means so much to you and the rewards are SO worth it!  

Every single one of our team have chosen which classes / sessions / workshops to run. They decide which parties they want to do, they decide what to say yes to or no to. There is no boss over seeing their decisions, they are fully in control!  When you start a franchise with us your week/month/year is a completely blank canvas.  It is entirely up to you how to make it work around you and other commitments you may have! 

We have people who choose to run small scale operations and then we have people who work full on and full time.  It needs to work for you and your individual circumstances.  You choose how an ideal week looks like to you after your training - using all the planning tools we provide before you start.  Then you go about building that week, month, year and that life!  It may sound over simplified, but actually it is that simple!
If you are unhappy in your job, there IS a different way to make a living - it doesn't need to be arduous and something you tolerate.  It's not for me to tell anyone how to live, but I do think everyone owes it to themselves to find something they enjoy and can work around the other important things in their life. For me, the fact I willingly get up at 5am most days to get on with a day I'm really looking looking forward to feels like I'm getting something right.  

It is not luck that I do what I want everyday.  I didn't just get lucky, I designed my life this way!  With a Cook Stars franchise, that is exactly what you can do too!