Career Change

All too often, when movies portray an entrepreneur, he or she (OK, let's face it, it's usually a he) is young, unkempt and dressed in jeans and a hoodie. This Mark Zuckerberg-inspired stereotype is just one part of the entrepreneurship story, however. In a recent post, Entrepreneur.com asks, "Think You're Too Old To Be An Entrepreneur? Think Again," and backs...

Managing the time, money and resources you need to start your own business is not easy. From deciding on a business, creating a business and marketing plan to finding a location and getting a loan, securing an entrepreneur's rewards means first taking on plenty of risk. Or does it? For many individuals seeking to become their own boss, a better—and...

Not exactly a ringing endorsement of the upcoming work week: According to a recent poll conducted by Monster.com, nearly 60 percent of Americans say they get the Sunday Night Blues "really bad."  In a recent post titled "New Study – Why People Who Run Franchises Are Happier," FranchiseHelp.com asks, "So what happened to Sundays?" Their answer is, "In short, as...

Evidence is mounting that, as baby boomers exit their professional careers, they're turning to franchising to achieve the level of autonomy that comes with being your own boss. We at Sintel Systems found this of particular interest, as it matches the momentum we've witnessed in mid-life career changes and older entrepreneurs entering into the franchise sector, a major area of...

Given the broad awareness of certain entrepreneurs' early success in their late teens or 20s (Gates, Jobs, Ellison, Dell, Zuckerberg, Brin and Page), expectations for entrepreneurial success would seem to skew in favor of the old saw, "Youth must be served." Lately however, that outdated adage is being tested and found wanting. In an earlier Sintel blog post we referenced...

"Think you're past your prime?" asks Inc.com. "Think again." In an article entitled "Never Too Old To Start A Business," Inc.com references the Kaufman Foundation's annual Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, which points out that the number of new businesses started by older entrepreneurs aged 55 and over has risen to 23.4 percent, up from just 14.3 percent in 1996. We...

Just as we happily share our vast point of sale (POS) experience and expertise with startup owners in order to help them make the best decisions from the very beginning, we at Sintel Systems are happy to share articles and commentary about the retail franchise market. Forbes.com sees five factors that make a difference to influence franchise success. We'll call...

Today's potential franchise entrepreneurs may feel cursed for being incapable of forecasting the future. Is this the right time to make a career change? Is fear keeping your future on hold? As the only full-service POS provider, from software development to our unparalleled ongoing support, we at Sintel Systems see a lot of folks looking to make a mid-life career...

Is "Franchise Personality" an Urban Legend? Not according to Joel Libava, The Franchise King. In a recent post on TheFranchiseKing.com blog, "Do you have the right personality for a franchise business?," Libava writes, "Not everybody is right for franchise ownership. If you happen to have the 'franchise personality,' great. You’ll get to enjoy many advantages of the business model of...

Considering a mid-life career change instead of retirement? Consider franchising, a decision numerous baby boomers have made, which is fueling a franchise boom. Boomer demographics continue to influence the workplace and small business investment. Take as an example a recent blog post at WirelessZONE on baby boomers choosing the "new retirement." WirelessZONE has seen an unabated trend in baby boomers...