Grant had spent his career working for other people — and he knew exactly what that meant.

There was always a ceiling.
Always competition.
Always limited autonomy.

He wanted ownership — but not at the expense of his family, marriage, or full-time career.

Like many corporate professionals, Grant and Mary began exploring franchises years before they ever made a decision. They looked at everything from highly technical concepts to consumer brands to service businesses. Some were realistic. Others were “pipe dreams” once investment levels and lifestyle demands became clear.

The real question wasn’t “What franchise sounds exciting?”

It was “What actually fits our life?”

Early in the process, Grant and Mary were forced to confront the questions most candidates avoid:

• How many hours per week can we realistically commit?
• Who is the primary operator?
• Who supports in the background?
• What happens if we ignore these limits?

Grant needed to keep his full-time job.
Mary was willing — and excited — to go all-in.

That meant the business had to work with their family structure, not against it.

At one point, Grant became deeply invested in a newer, high-growth franchise concept that required heavy owner involvement — especially early on.

On paper, it looked great.
The financials were compelling.
The brand was hot.

But the hours didn’t lie.

To make it work, Grant would have needed to:

• Keep a full-time job
• Work 60+ additional hours per week
• Personally handle hands-on startup labor

That’s when Ray Fanning stepped in with a hard — but necessary — truth:

“We already made a plan. This doesn’t fit it.”

It wasn’t easy to walk away. They were far down the path. Momentum was real. Pressure was high.

But walking away saved them from a decision that would have cost a job, a business, or worse — family stability.

That moment forced clarity.

The right business had to:

• Allow Mary to operate full-time in a role she was passionate about
• Let Grant contribute strategically — systems, dashboards, marketing, leadership
• Scale without burning both of them out
• Create long-term equity, not just short-term income

That’s when everything clicked with Seniors Helping Seniors.

A proven 25-year model.
Values-aligned work.
Clear role separation.
Scalable systems.

Not flashy — but right.

Today, Grant and Mary own a business that fits:

• Their time constraints
• Their strengths
• Their family priorities

They knew the early years would require sacrifice — late nights, focused effort, intentional trade-offs — but the sacrifices were chosen, not forced.

Most importantly, they avoided a decision that would have created unsustainable pressure.

Grant credits the process — not just the outcome.

The Informed Decision Process forced them to:

• Define limits before emotions took over
• Stress-test lifestyle fit, not just financial projections
• Walk away when something didn’t align — even when it was hard

And the real value of working with Ray wasn’t access to franchises.

It was unbiased guidance.

No pressure.
No pushing deals.
No protecting a “favorite” concept.

Just straight feedback — even when it meant telling them to stop.

Make a plan.
Know your limits.
Be honest about who will actually run the business.

And when a franchise doesn’t fit — don’t force it.

Walking away from the wrong opportunity is often the reason the right one shows up.