Can you really own a franchise while keeping your full-time job?

Yes.

But this episode will give you a much more realistic picture of what semi-active franchise ownership can actually require.

In this episode of Create Wealth Through Franchising, Kim Daly sits down with Jonathan Watts and Amie Boulineau, Bumble Bee Blinds franchise owners in Fleming Island, Florida, for a candid conversation about building a franchise while Jonathan was still working his W-2 job.

Jonathan was successful in manufacturing sales. Amie had built a career in real estate. They weren't running away from failure—they were looking for something more:

Control.

Control over their income.
Control over their time.
Control over their future.

They initially began looking at established businesses for sale, stumbled across an advertisement for a pool-cleaning franchise, connected with a franchise consultant, and eventually discovered franchising.

But Jonathan wasn't ready to immediately walk away from his paycheck.

Working remotely gave him flexibility, and he believed he could manage both.

And he did.

But it was a LOT.

From March through July 2025, Jonathan structured his days around selling blinds, managing the growing franchise, and fulfilling the responsibilities of his full-time corporate job.

Early mornings.
Between meetings.
After hours.

He was burning the candle at both ends.

Their original plan was to operate this way much longer, but after several grueling months, Jonathan made the decision to leave his W-2 job and go all-in on Bumble Bee Blinds.

That's when something interesting happened.

The business was already doing well and approaching their goals.

But once Jonathan became fully engaged, they quickly hit—and then exceeded—those goals.

And business ownership became a lot more fun.

This is why I wanted to have this conversation.

Semi-active franchise ownership is one of the most misunderstood and sometimes oversimplified conversations in franchising.

Can it be done?

Absolutely.

But WHO is doing it?

What does your existing job demand?

How flexible is your schedule?

Who is operating the business when you're unavailable?

What does the franchise actually require from its owner?

And how long are you realistically prepared to carry both?

Jonathan gives his perspective from someone who actually did it—not from a brochure or sales presentation.

Then the conversation takes an even deeper turn.

Jonathan and Amie joined The Zee Suite®, and in their words, the experience has helped save their business—and their relationship.

They became clearer about what they wanted to create.

They stopped reacting to every circumstance around them and became more intentional about where they focused their attention.

Through mindset work, prayer, greater clarity, and focused action, they identified marketing opportunities that began filling their calendar.

Most importantly, they developed greater certainty in themselves and their business.

In just 6–8 weeks inside The Zee Suite®, Jonathan and Amie describe creating a dramatically different experience and different results than they had during the previous year.

Same franchise.

Same owners.

But a different way of thinking, leading, and operating.

They bought a franchise and received systems, tools, training, and support.

But they discovered that those things alone weren't everything they needed to become successful business owners.

This is why mindset is so much more than positive thinking.

It's about becoming the owner capable of creating the business—and life—you actually bought the franchise to create.

If y...

What happens when your military career ends...but your greatest mission is still ahead of you?

In this inspiring episode of Create Wealth Through Franchising, Kim Daly sits down with Marine veteran Ken Schoonover to discuss the journey from military service to business ownership—and why success in franchising has far less to do with the business you choose than the person you become while building it.

Ken opens by sharing one of his very first missions as a young Marine, leading ten men through Japan without speaking the language. It was an experience that demanded leadership, adaptability, problem-solving, and trust under pressure.

Years later, he realized those same qualities would become some of his greatest assets as a franchise owner.

After exploring franchising for several years and speaking with multiple franchise consultants, Ken met Kim Daly.

Kim gave him one condition:

"If we're going to work together, I need to be your only consultant."

She wasn't interested in competing for his attention.

She was interested in helping him find the right opportunity through clarity, alignment, and trust.

As a committed Christian, Ken immediately connected with Kim's perspective on mindset, faith, purpose, and possibility. While exploring franchise opportunities, he also joined The Zee Suite® during the original Suite Deal, where the lessons on mindset, goal setting, and personal leadership began changing the way he approached both business and life.

One book, in particular, tied everything together:

The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale.

What began as one of Kim's favorite books soon became one of Ken's.

It helped him realize something every entrepreneur eventually faces:

The greatest obstacle to success wasn't the market...or the franchise...it was his own comfort.

Like many new business owners, Ken discovered he enjoyed doing the work.

But building wealth required something different.

It required becoming comfortable being uncomfortable.

His military training reminded him that growth has always lived on the other side of uncertainty.

Ken also shares why he ultimately chose Paint EZ—not because he dreamed of owning a painting company, but because he fell in love with the people.

Their culture.

Their leadership.

Their values.

Their mission.

He discovered what Kim has taught for more than two decades:

Franchising is a people business.

You aren't simply investing in a business model.

You're choosing a team you'll build your future alongside.

The episode also explores one of the most overlooked parts of entrepreneurship:

Spousal alignment.

Ken and Michelle openly discuss the conversations, questions, and trust required before making a decision that impacts an entire family.

Together, they demonstrate the power of moving forward with shared vision instead of fear.

Whether you're a veteran transitioning into civilian life, a professional considering business ownership, or someone searching for greater purpose after one successful career, this conversation offers hope, wisdom, and practical lessons for your next chapter.

If you're exploring franchise ownership—or already own a franchise and want to become the leader your business needs—Kim would love to help.

✔️ Why military leadership translates so well to franchise ownership

✔️ The importance of choosing people and culture—not just a business

✔️ How faith, mindset, and personal growth create stronger business owners

✔️ Why spousal alignment matters before investing in a franchise

✔️ How The Strangest Secret helped transform Ken's thinking

✔️ Why comfort is often the greatest obstacle to success

✔️ The role The Zee Suite® played in helping Ken prepare...

What if your biggest breakthrough isn't waiting for more leads...more marketing...or more effort?

What if it's waiting for you to believe something greater is possible?

In this powerful episode of Create Wealth Through Franchising, Kim Daly sits down with Desiree Land, owner of Sparkle Squad of Greater Boca Raton, to share one of the most profound mindset breakthroughs ever discussed inside The Zee Suite®.

After a successful corporate career supporting the U.S. Army through a Department of Defense contract, Desiree was unexpectedly laid off. Rather than go back to corporate America, she decided that if she was going to work this hard, she wanted to build something of her own.

She invested in a Sparkle Squad franchise and was doing well...

...but she knew she was capable of more.

She joined The Zee Suite® on November 1, 2025, determined to understand how to create faster, more sustainable growth.

Then one coaching conversation changed everything.

During Office Hours, Desiree admitted something every entrepreneur has felt:

"I'm doing the work...but my bank account isn't reflecting my effort."

As Kim listened, she recognized something familiar.

Desiree wasn't lacking effort.

She was unknowingly trying to control how her success would arrive.

She had already decided what her average ticket should be...

How many leads she needed...

How many sales she needed...

And because she couldn't see a way for those numbers to produce the month she wanted, fear naturally followed.

Kim challenged her with one simple question:

"What if in the next 24 hours someone called and offered you a $300,000 job? Would that change your business?"

They both laughed.

Of course it would.

Less than 24 hours later...

Desiree sent Kim a text.

"You're never going to believe what happened..."

The City called asking why she hadn't submitted a bid on a project worth approximately $200,000–$300,000.

Was Kim predicting the future?

Absolutely not.

What changed was Desiree.

For just a moment, she became available to a possibility she had never considered before.

And when her awareness expanded...

New opportunities appeared.

That experience led Desiree to another life-changing realization.

Years earlier, while leading major Department of Defense projects, she helped secure a contract worth more than $700 million.

Back then, she wasn't obsessing over what the contract would mean financially for her.

She was completely focused on serving her customer exceptionally well.

She realized that somewhere along the entrepreneurial journey, she had unknowingly shifted her attention from serving...

...to worrying.

That awareness changed everything.

Since then, she's experienced something every entrepreneur hopes for:

Meeting the right people.

Being in the right place at the right time.

Unexpected opportunities.

Greater confidence.

Greater peace.

And a growing understanding that our external results always follow our internal state.

This episode isn't about positive thinking.

It's about understanding how your beliefs, expectations, and dominant state of being influence the opportunities you notice, pursue, and receive.

If you've ever felt like you're working harder than your results suggest...

If you're a franchise owner, entrepreneur, or business leader ready to understand why effort alone doesn't always create extraordinary results...

...this conversation may completely change how you think about success.

In this episode you'll learn:

✔️ Why controlling how success happens often blocks new opportunities
✔️ The mindset shift that changed Desiree's business
✔️ Why entrepreneurs unintentionally make fear th...