Just Between Friends Allows Franchisees to Balance Family Life and Career Ambition
Just Between Friends franchise ownership lets Eileen Cordero take on entrepreneurial challenges while giving back to those most in need
After 10 years in a Wall Street financial firm, Eileen Cordero was looking for a new career. She wanted to spend more time with her growing family and do work that would make a difference in her community. When Eileen’s father told her about Just Between Friends, she knew that helping young families buy and sell their children’s outgrown clothing and items was exactly what she was looking for. After researching the competition and visiting sales, Eileen purchased her Just Between Friends franchise and has never looked back.
Since 2013, Eileen has run a franchise that serves Middletown and Dover, Delaware. She says that Just Between Friends has provided her with the career change she needed. "Seven days after my child was born, my financial licensure expired. I let go of that life, but I still wanted a business that would match my ambition and experience. Just Between Friends has given me the chance to apply what I learned in my previous career while also making a positive impact in my community."Eileen loves the way that Just Between Friends lets her be her own boss while at the same time offering a proven franchise model. "The franchise has provided me with a skeleton of a business that allows me to use my imagination. It’s a business that, while certainly a lot of work, also gives me the ability to take days off without asking. As a parent of three boys, this flexibility is invaluable."At the same time, Eileen appreciates that Just Between Friends franchise is about more than just the bottom line. "This business is about wanting to help and grow your community," Eileen says. "Through my franchise, we’ve made $100,000 in in-kind donations to charities like Forget Me Not Families and our local pregnancy health center, as well as helping families find charities to aid them. This is a huge life accomplishment for me. It makes me feel so amazing to be a leader in my community, and this is the main reason I’m in this business."
Just Between Friends supports ambitious entrepreneurs who want to make an impact
Unlike when she worked on Wall Street, Eileen now sees a return on investment for every hour she puts in. "When I was in the financial world, my paycheck didn’t reflect the extra hours I worked. Now, I know that every bit of work I do will show up in the overall success of my business."When asked what advice she had for potential Just Between Friends franchisees, Eileen says a strong work ethic is key. "It takes a lot of time and energy to be profitable, but it’s worth every bit. Our sales grew 300% last year, and that’s due to the amount of work I’ve put in marketing, selling and nurturing my business."Eileen is happy to report that the Just Between Friends training and support staff has been with her every step of the way. "There’s a real sisterhood in this business. Getting to know other owners and building relationships has taken my business to its current levels. The company provides a communications page that lets us swap ideas, as well as hosting annual conferences to allow us to share our experiences and advice."Eileen also appreciates the ways that Just Between Friends stands out from the competition in the pop-up consignment sales event space. "Just Between Friends exceeds people’s expectations. From the level of organization, to the high safety standards and corporate recall specialist, to making sure consignors are trained well — everything is at a higher standard than the competition."Looking to the future, Eileen says that she plans to expand her operations. "I’d love to have more sales, as well as continue to grow our two sales and expand the community surrounding them. Right now, I want to be home with my kids as much as I can, but as they get older further expansion will be more of an option."
About Just Between Friends consignment sales franchise
What started as a small sale in Shannon Wilburn’s Tulsa, Oklahoma, living room in 1997 is today North America’s leading consignment sales event franchise, Just Between Friends. A group of 17 mom friends consigned in that first sale almost 20 years ago and sold $2,000 worth of gently used children’s clothing and items. In 2016, that same Tulsa sale hosted two events and grossed almost $1 million; last year, system-wide sales for Just Between Friends totaled $29.1 million!We are eager to partner with individuals who have a passion for helping others and giving back to their communities, yet have an entrepreneurial interest in business ownership. Join Just Between Friends as we work toward of our goal of adding 15 new franchises in 2017 and growing to $31 million in overall gross sales. To learn more, visit our research pages or request a copy of our free Franchise Information Report.