Smooth Moves
This franchisee got his big break when an opportunity showed up on his doorstep.
By Jodie Carter •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Mike Moran wasn't looking to start his own business when opportunity came knocking on his front door-literally. Moran had been working in the freight industry for 12 years and was wondering how he could break into a new field, when his former college roommate, Andy Hoiland, showed up on his doorstep offering the perfect solution: an existing Jet-Black franchise for sale in Moran's hometown of St. Paul, Minneapolis. Nine years earlier, in 1988, Hoiland and his brother, Doug, had co-founded Jet-Black, a niche business specializing in driveway sealcoating and repair.
"When Andy came to my door, I really wasn't in a position to [invest in a business], but I did it anyway. It was a no-brainer," says Moran. After witnessing Jet-Black's nine years of growth, Moran couldn't let the opportunity pass him by. "I already saw the success Andy and Doug had. I knew that if I just followed their system, I would have great success with it as well."
Continue reading this article — and all of our other premium content with Entrepreneur+
For just $5, you can get unlimited access to all Entrepreneur’s premium content. You’ll find:
- Digestible insight on how to be a better entrepreneur and leader
- Lessons for starting and growing a business from our expert network of CEOs and founders
- Meaningful content to help you make sharper decisions
- Business and life hacks to help you stay ahead of the curve
