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This article was featured in the November 2020 issue of Franchise Dictionary Magazine.

This has been an interesting and unexpected year, to say the least. But those of us that are business owners knew when we signed up that to be successful, we had to be prepared for the unexpected. This year has certainly tested that theory. Another great trait of successful entrepreneurs is an abundance of optimism and persistence. When I see a client of ours dig deep, look at the bright side and continue to push through the noise of 2020, it is a validation to me that small business owners are the engine that drive this country. I am thankful that I get to spend so much time with these leaders and get to watch and learn how they build their companies.

In this time of year most of us reflect on the year behind us and begin to prepare for the year ahead. As we do, let’s not forgot to take stock of what we are thankful for. Gratitude and appreciation for what is working and what is good in our professional lives helps feed optimism and can give us hope, even in troubled times, to remain persistent until we turn the corner toward success.

In addition to our team and great clients, I am also thankful for the entire franchising industry and feel that this year proved that many of our colleagues, even some of our competitors, truly view franchising as one industry and one family. I miss seeing my franchise family at the various conferences and trade shows, but know as we continue to get back to business, we will appreciate those meetings, personal interactions, and relationships that much more.

We will deconstruct the lessons of 2020 for years to come, and in many respects, we are still in the middle of the crisis and may have many more quarters of uncertainty and stress before things return to normal. Some of our franchisor clients that I am most proud of and thankful for, took the time to reinvent themselves, invested in their processes and dug deeper into their relationships with their franchisees. Whether your system just limps through these times or you were prepared and fortunate enough to come out stronger than you went in, we should all be thankful for the lessons that we take from 2020, and for surviving to put them to good use.

To see all of Tom’s featured articles on The Franchise Dictionary Magazine, visit this page.