From Teaching to Franchisee: How One Woman Built a Successful Franchise During the 2008 Recession

In this episode of the Franchise Unfiltered Podcast, Wes Barefoot chats with Susan, a former teacher turned franchise owner, who started her Gotcha Covered window treatment business in the middle of the 2008 recession.

Now, 17 years later, Susan shares how she created a successful and flexible business that gives her control over her time, lifestyle, and legacy. If you're thinking about franchise ownership, making a mid-life career change, or just want to learn how to build a business that fits your life—this episode is for you!

👇 Timestamps & Topics

00:00 – Intro

01:00 – Susan’s background: from teacher to franchise owner

03:30 – Why she started a business during the 2008 recession

06:00 – Building through referrals & relationships

08:30 – What Gotcha Covered does (and why it’s a great franchise)

12:45 – Selling design services with zero prior experience

20:00 – What franchise training and support look like

26:00 – Designing a business around lifestyle and freedom

33:00 – Community involvement & business growth

36:00 – Hiring subcontractors and installers

42:00 – Why Susan hasn’t scaled her sales team (and that’s okay)

47:30 – Advice for aspiring franchisees and career changers

🌐 Susan’s Business: Gotcha Covered of Eastern South Dakota: https://www.gotchacovered.com/eastern-sd/

📱 Follow Susan on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanbtjarks/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-tjarks-811a3916/

7 Steps to Owning a Franchise:

https://path2frdm-1.hubspotpagebuilder.com/path-to-freedom-about-franchising

If you would like to learn more about this particular franchise opportunity or discuss franchise ownership in general - feel free to use the link to my calendar below to schedule a free, no-obligation introductory meeting.

https://calendly.com/wes-barefoot/introcallwithwes

Connect with Wes:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/path2frdm/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/path2frdm

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleybarefoot/

💡 Who This Episode Is For:

✔️ Aspiring entrepreneurs

✔️ People exploring franchise ownership

✔️ Career changers in their 40s, 50s, and beyond

✔️ Women in business

✔️ Anyone wanting more flexibility and control over their career

👍 Like this episode? Give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more interviews with real franchise owners and business experts!

🔔 Turn on notifications so you don’t miss the next episode!

💬 Drop your questions and thoughts in the comments!

#FranchiseOwnership #FranchiseSuccess #CareerChange #GotchaCovered #Entrepreneurship #WomenInBusiness #BusinessOwnership #FranchisePodcast #LifestyleBusiness #HomeServicesFranchise