Overall Results (score 64)

John has some potential to succeed as a franchise owner, but it will likely be a challenge. His score was slightly below the average, and he still has some room to grow. Everyone has the potential to improve - it depends on his willingness and effort. If he has a strong desire to open a franchise, he needs to review his results and start taking the steps necessary to improve the skills and traits outlined in this test.

Leadership Skills (score 66)

John shows some leadership potential, but has room for development - his score is still lower than that of the average test-taker. Improving his leadership capabilities will help him to motivate, inspire, and otherwise bring out the best in his employees. It is possible to learn more of the techniques that go into leadership and put them into practice. While it is true that some people naturally become the head of the pack, others emerge as great leaders after years of education and experience. Strong, effective leaders are self-starters and proactive. They work hard, refuse to let obstacles get in their way, and make it a point to set a good example for others - in fact, their agreeable personality makes people want to follow them. John should consider looking into leadership courses.

Go-Getter (score 56)

While John does possess some of that go-getting attitude often seen in business owners, his score is still well below the average on this scale, leaving some room for improvement. He needs to adopt a more proactive and persistent attitude. People who score in the range that John has are sometimes complacent in their attitude and actions. This could result in some missed opportunities, difficulty persevering in the face of challenges and obstacles, and an inconsistent level of drive. People who own a business cannot afford to be passive - they need to make things happen (find people to do business with, get a jump on problems and challenges before they escalate, etc.). Those who succeed in getting to the top are motivated and consistently strive to do their best.

Diligence (score 81)

John's score indicates that he is a diligent person on most occasions, although he falls in or slightly below the average range for this scale compared to the rest of the population. This means that there's some room for improvement if he wishes to bring his diligence above the minimum acceptable level. As a business owner, he will need to juggle numerous tasks and employees, overcome challenges, take risks and make complex decisions, all of which are made easier when he has a good dose of conscientiousness and a strong desire to work in a responsible and careful manner. Diligent owners are more likely to be able to stay organized and keep their work environment neat and tidy, to be detail oriented, and to make it a point to gather sufficient information in order to make informed decisions.

Innovation (score 76)

John is generally a fairly innovative person, but when compared to the average for this scale, he still falls slightly below the average range. Overall, coming up with really imaginative ideas and solutions is somewhat of a challenge for him. He may sometimes rely on old solutions instead of coming up with something novel and creative, but he certainly has innovative potential. In the day-to-day life of running any business, he will encounter problems and obstacles that need to be overcome in order to move forward. Attempting different approaches, as he seems to do on some occasions, and thinking outside the box in order to come up with innovative solutions could really revolutionize his business. While the degree of innovation that a franchisee is permitted to implement depends on boundaries set by the franchisor, innovative entrepreneurs tend to be better equipped at adapting to the ever-changing business world.

Determination (score 59)

When it comes to getting things done and putting in the necessary effort to overcome obstacles, it seems that John has some determination in him but he might not always tap into it effectively. Overall, his efforts to complete tasks and overcome setbacks may occasionally come up short. As a matter of fact, when compared to how others scored on this scale, he is below the average.

Running a business, especially in the first few years, will never be without challenges. When times become difficult (not enough business, troubles with employees, client complaints) or John is overwhelmed with work responsibilities and problems to resolve, he may even question whether starting a franchise was a wise idea. This is where determination is essential, as it could provide the push needed to overcome obstacles. Without this consistent level of perseverance and persistence, he may sometimes find himself and his business struggling. If he is not already using them, he should consider learning more about goal-setting and motivational techniques, and how they can improve his level of determination.

Approachability (score 56)

John's demeanor around others, although not necessarily impolite or distant, may not always give off the impression that he is approachable. John's score, while decent, is still well below the average for Approachability. Granted, not all customers and employees will be easy to get along with, but maintaining a level of poise and professionalism could help dissolve a touchy situation much better than going on the offensive (or even defensive!). People who have their own business need to be approachable. For one thing, it makes it easier to manage employees - workers are more likely to feel comfortable reporting issues and ideas to management. This is essential, as individuals who are less engaged in their work may have a more nonchalant attitude toward getting the job done properly. In addition, clients can sense when a manager doesn't really care and will not want to come back, which serves as a poor example for employees about how to deal with customers.

Self-efficacy (score 40)

John's level of self-efficacy, although not at the lowest level, is still below average - and therefore a concern. To be an effective business owner, he must trust himself and his abilities, and believe in his potential for success, or the chances of his franchise doing well are diminished. If he doesn't have the feeling of self-efficacy, it can translate into lower motivation (for him), and lack of trust on the part of employees. Workers can sense when an employer is "uncomfortable in their own skin". The manager may hesitate to take action, or struggle with making decisions or taking risks, all of which require a strong sense of self-efficacy. John should try to pinpoint the areas where he feels he is at a disadvantage, using his results on this test as a reference point. Skills can be improved, and with that, his sense of self-efficacy will likely show improvement as well.

Self-confidence (score 44)

While John's self-confidence may have its high moments, it is generally quite fragile and is actually still well below the average for this scale. Self-confidence affects how others treat him, how he treats himself, and how he deals with setbacks. Without a strong level of self-assurance, he will likely struggle with motivating and controlling employees, dealing with difficult customers, and finding the strength within to overcome the challenges of running a business (and there will be many). On the one hand, his confidence level may improve with time and experience, but ideally, he should start his business career on the right foot. He should become more familiar with the ups and downs of running a franchise so he knows what he is getting into, invest in assertiveness training, and investigate other ways to improve his self-confidence.

Positive Mindset (score 37)

For the most part, John is more likely to expect the worst rather than the best, and is actually higher in pessimism than the average achieved for this scale. On the one hand, pessimism may have its redeeming value (disappointment and failure might not feel so bad if expectations are low), but experts believe that it generally puts a person at a disadvantage mentally, emotionally, socially, and professionally. If John is discouraged, doesn't believe that his franchise can succeed, and anticipates failure, it could be detrimental to the productivity and motivation of his employees. John should start his business venture off in the right state of mind. Expecting success can pave the way to actually achieving it.

Comfort with sharing cost and profits (score 62)

While John is likely aware of the benefits of investing in a franchise vs. opening his own business (less risky; ability to use an established name), this doesn't mean he has fully accepted the need to pay franchise fees and share his profits with his franchisor. Compared to other people who took this test, he is just as disenchanted with this reality, if not slightly more put off. The bottom line is, if the idea of having to pay fees and share his earnings is not really something he wants to deal with, he needs to consider whether this is the right career option for him. He must accept that, by utilizing the name of the franchise, he is profiting from it. The power of a franchise is in the shared marketing and buying power. In many cases, owning a franchise is less risky than opening one's own business from scratch. Franchisors tend to incur many costs on behalf of franchises, so this is something that all franchisees must do - everyone has to contribute to franchisor expenses in order to benefit from it.

Management Skills (score 86)

John seems to possess the skills needed to be a well-rounded and capable manager. He actually scored above the average for this scale. While managing will be an ongoing learning process, he will likely be able to guide others with ease. He may already have managerial experience, or simply have an inherent ability to lead others. Good managerial skills indispensable in the franchise business. The five main functions of a manager are to plan and set objectives for the employees and the franchise to achieve, to organize employees and the work that needs to be done, to motivate and empower workers, to set standards for performance and evaluate whether employees live up to these standards, and to develop the full potential of employees - and the manager himself/herself.

Rule-abiding (score 63)

John's responses indicate that he does not follow rules in a consistent manner. When compared to the population who took this test, his score on this scale was average, if not slightly below. His results seem to imply that he is likely to follow some, but not all rules. This could also indicate that he might not be willing to adhere to all the rules established by the home office of a franchise, which might be quite extensive. John cannot expect to thrive as a franchisee if he does not act in accordance with the policies and regulations established for doing business. The appeal of a franchise to customers is that they can expect the same level of quality of products and services, the same offerings, and the same standards.

Community/Family Values (score 33)

Many franchisors place a lot of importance on family and community values, and want their franchisees to feel the same. It appears that this is not the case for John. His views in this area are actually quite different from the population who took this test - the average person was much more family/community oriented. That being said, this is not necessarily a problem per se. Ultimately, it is to the franchisor's discretion to decide whether or not a family/community oriented franchisee would be to their benefit.

Entrepreneurial Spirit (score 44)

John scored well below the average on this scale, which could hinder his success. Running a successful franchise requires an entrepreneurial mindset - traits and attitudes that make succeeding in the business world more likely. Even if a place is staffed with the best employees, John's success is ultimately in his hands. Reading up on successful and well-known entrepreneurs can give him an idea as to what it took for them to succeed. In general, entrepreneurs tend to be very success oriented and possess a strong degree of perseverance. They understand the importance of risk and innovation, and are comfortable making decisions in relation to these aspects. In addition, they are passionate about what they do, self-motivated, confident, resilient, and will make things happen rather than wait for them to happen.

Graph and Chart Reading (score 90)

In terms of his ability to glean information from graphs and charts, John's was slightly above average. In general, he is reasonably capable of understanding and utilizing information presented in the form of graphs and charts. This is important, as he may be required to follow charts and understand their essential points and recommendations in order to help him enhance his clients' experience and target areas for improvement. Graphs and charts provide information on purchasing, accounting/finances, and marketing research, all of which are useful for information gathering and decision making.

Impression Management (score 0)

This scale assesses to what degree the results on this assessment are distorted or manipulated. Many people will try to present themselves in a better light, especially if the stakes are high.

Test-takers' answers are compared to responses obtained from a large sample of the general population. When someone systematically selects socially desirable responses that are rarely endorsed by others, there is a good reason to believe that a positive self-presentation bias is at play. A score that is suspiciously high may indicate that a person was lying, which may invalidate the whole assessment.

There was little or no indication in John's results to suggest that he was either lying or trying to present himself in a favorable light. Therefore, his results can be seen as accurately reflecting who he is.