Like many working women, Kristie Martin has found a sweet spot between work and family. In addition to owning and working in the Pinch A Penny franchise business that she owns with her husband, Andy, in Deltona, Florida, she is the mother of two 15-year-old daughters and is very active in her church.
“Pinch A Penny is a fun and family-friendly environment,” Kristie says. “My husband and I met when we worked together at Winn-Dixie, and we’ve always been a good team. If you’re an owner, your kids can start to work as young as 13. And now our daughters have joined us in the family business – one cleaned pools last year and one worked in the store. We love it.”
Laughing, she adds, “The girls don’t mind working, because it lets them earn some money to spend on their hair and nails.”
Kristie is among a growing number of women who have found that franchise ownership is extremely compatible with being a working mom. Pinch A Penny has been named one of the Top Franchises for Women by Franchise Business Review (FBR). FBR surveyed 8,453 female franchisees from 289 leading brands to determine the best franchising opportunities for women, based solely on franchisee satisfaction ratings.
Among women surveyed for the Top Franchises for Women list, 88% say they enjoy operating their business, and 75% say they would recommend their franchise to others.
Kristie and Andy Martin opened their family-owned franchise 13 years ago and have never looked back. “We work hard during the high season, but you’re not always stuck in the store,” she says. “And you have a lot of freedom to do what you want during the off-season.”
Kristie says she usually works 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with Sundays and one other day off. She keeps life in balance by making time for the things that are most important to her: family and church. “When I get home, I see the girls and check on their grades before we have dinner together,” she says. “When I’m not at work, I’m usually doing something with them or with my church. I’m in the women’s group, host a small group meeting at our house on Wednesdays and help with events like the fall festival.”
In between work, family, and church, the Martins find time to support their community and local nonprofits that they care about by participating in fundraising events both as business owners and as a family. “It’s very rewarding to be able to support and donate to charities that you care about,” Kristie says.
Kristie says she would advise other women interested in owning a Pinch A Penny franchise to go for it. “You can make your business your own,” she says. “Pinch A Penny is a great company, and we have become good friends with the other owners in our area. If I need something, I know I can reach out to them, and they will get back to me promptly. And we return the favor. We are not competitors. We help each other.”
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