A Family Business for People on the Move

 

Brooke and Les Wilson are franchisees of Two Men And a Truck. The franchise started as a family business, and has grown to an international organization with more than 240 franchise locations. Les started with the company as a mover while in college and worked his way up to franchise ownership. Team Wilson runs multiple locations in three states, with 83 trucks and 300 employees. They are married without children, and are thinking about the future growth of both their family and business. I wanted to know the keys to running a successful relocation company as a family business. Here's what I learned:

Set boundaries.

It took some time for Les and Brooke to find a work-life balance. "Leaving work is a huge challenge. You spend 50 hours a week at work, and that's one-third of your life. During the first year, I thought this marriage was doomed for divorce," said Brooke. They've solved the demands placed on their time due to building a business several ways. They take many mini-vacations, such as days off in the middle of the week or on weekends. They watch movies, take time off to travel and refuse to check-in on the business or take phone calls when they're away. Having a strong support staff has been key to helping them maintain the boundaries they've set.

Emphasize independently owned and operated.

Les and Brooke try to emphasize that they are independently owned and operated. The fact that they run a franchise as a couple helps. Les shared, "Customers relate more to us as a husband and wife team, and it gives them the feeling that we are trustworthy." At the same time, they work hard to show the market that their business is not just a mom and pop relocation business. They assist with moving large homes, large businesses and corporate relocation.

Read more about this family business.